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NEIGHBORHOOD BUZZ
Windrock Coal Miners Memorial The Windrock Coal Miners Memorial dedication ceremony has been scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday, May 17, with refreshments being served in the Union Valley Baptist Church fellowship hall. The church is located at the end of Windrock Road in Oliver Springs. Descendants of Windrock coal miners, retired miners and numerous others have worked together raising money to build a red brick and granite wall. The names of over 1,000 Windrock coal miners have been engraved into the granite. Everyone is invited to attend the dedication celebration.
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May July 12, 29, 2013 2014
Teacher appreciation comes from the heart
IN THIS ISSUE
He’s back!
I’m happy to say the reports of my demise were greatly exaggerated. That’s not to say there weren’t days I thought I was dead, but it turns out I was just in Eighty Four, Pa.
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Read Larry Van Guilder on page 4
New ministry open house New life and hope are coming to Vestal United Methodist Church. The Beacon of Hope ministry has started a partnership at Vestal UMC, 115 Ogle Ave., and is operating several programs using the church’s facilities. An open house will be offered at 12:30 p.m. Sunday, May 18.
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Read Betsy Pickle on page 3
Magic of music The new Digitrax Entertainment facility at 6520 Chapman Highway is something special. Digitrax’s array of services can be summed up simply: Amazing music products. Talented personnel include musicians, songwriters and artists who keep creativity flowing like an electrical current throughout the studios.
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Read Nancy Whittaker on page 7
Kids learn Internet safety Anyone old enough to remember the “three R’s” knows that schools moved beyond teaching just “reading, ’riting and ’rithmetic” years ago. Even so, it was eyeopening to sit in on a special program officers from the Knoxville Police Department held for Dogwood Elementary School’s fifth-graders about Internet safety.
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Read more on page 6
Teachers Hunter Watson, Belinda Hill and Ethan Pignataro model the T-shirts New Hopewell Elementary School principal Patricia Moore gave all her faculty members for Teacher Appreciation Week. Photo by Betsy Pickle
By Betsy Pickle Knox County teachers have had a tough year, no question. Between issues with evaluations and questions over testing, they have experienced frustration and worry. They’ve “revolted” in red on the local level and sued on the state level. But throughout the tumult, they’ve had parents and administrators supporting them. And nowhere was that more apparent than in South Knox schools last week – generally celebrated as Teacher Appreciation Week. “I make a very big deal out of Teacher Appreciation Week,” says Patricia Moore, principal at New Hopewell Elementary School. “First, I make sure the teachers and staff have breakfast and lunch each day – most of which
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Other principals had their own strategies for showing appreciation. Principal Muncie Harbin at South Knox Elementary says they had a special lunch each day. At Mooreland Heights Elementary, principal Roy Miller was host at a PTA faculty luncheon on Friday. Because of testing schedules, principal Lana Shelton-Lowe at Dogwood Elementary organized the appreciation efforts the week before, and principal Linda Norris of Bonny Kate Elementary planned hers for this week, which will coincide with the school’s Spirit Week. One week may not seem like much in the context of an entire school year, especially a tumultuous one like this one, but the principals in South Knox proved that there’s a lot of love for teachers in this part of the county.
Deadline nears for conservation easements USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service is now accepting applications for its new Agricultural Conservation Easements Program (ACEP). Up to $366 million is available nationwide for the purchase of conservation easements on eligible agricultural lands and wetlands. “This is an exciting new opportunity for even more people to get involved in conserving natu-
ral resources,” said Kevin Brown, state conservationist. “We encourage state and local governments, non-governmental organizations and private landowners to contact their local NRCS office to find out how to apply.” The ACEP, created through the 2014 Farm Bill, funds easements for agricultural lands and wetland reserves. Approved agricultural easements would prevent pro-
ductive working lands from being converted to non-agricultural uses and maximize protection of land devoted to food production. Cropland, rangeland, grassland, pastureland and nonindustrial private forestland are eligible. Wetlands reserve easements would restore and enhance wetlands and improve habitat. Eligible lands include farmed or converted wetlands that can be successfully
and cost-effectively restored. Applications for wetlands reserve easements will be rated according to the easement’s potential for protecting and enhancing habitat for migratory birds, fish and other wildlife. Applications must be submitted to Tennessee NRCS by June 6, 2014. Applications are available at local USDA Service Center and at www.nrcs.usda.gov/GetStarted/.
Momentum swings detected by early voting By Sandra Clark There’s not much to be said for early voting. It’s expensive for both taxpayers and candidates. Last week’s primary brought out about 10 percent of registered voters. It’s amazing that elections that mean so much draw so little interest.
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I cook for them. I post a menu the week before. “Then, I call out several teachers’ names for door prizes each morning. Next, I put candy with a note in each staff member’s mailbox each day.” Moore surprised them at a brief after-school meeting last Tuesday with neon-green T-shirts featuring a cool cat and the slogan, “Education is Groovy.” She had other gifts for the teachers through the week. She also enlisted the students to help show teachers thanks by asking them to bring a gift each day: a flower on Monday, a snack on Tuesday, a soft drink or water on Wednesday, a homemade card on Thursday and “a great BIG hug” on Friday.
Early voting distorts the normal campaign rhythm. All the handbooks say to build a campaign calendar backward, designing advertising and general momentum to peak on Election Day. It’s hard to sustain any level of enthusiasm over 25 days. But early voting does enable
political junkies to detect momentum swings. In the Republican Primary for sheriff, Jimmy “J.J.” Jones won handily, but early voting shows him ahead of Bobby Waggoner 60 to 32 percent. That lead slimmed to 54 to 38 percent on Election Day, indicating that Waggoner’s campaign was gaining momentum. Contrast that with the race for Criminal Court clerk where the percentages stayed virtually identical for winner Mike Hammond, Jason Hunnicutt and Steve Williams. In the close race to replace retiring Judge Bill Swann, early voting made the difference. Patti Jane Lay actually won on Election Day (50.82 to 49.18 percent), but
Greg McMillan topped her in early voting (51.6 percent to 49.18). He won overall, 10,489 to 10,276. In the South Knox school board race, the numbers were consistent. But in West Knox, board chair Lynne Fugate was leaking momentum. Sally Absher gained 4 points, from 32 to 36 percent from early voting to Election Day, while Fugate dropped from 56 to 52.8 percent. Fugate still won, but Absher was gaining. In West Knox County, frontrunner Terry Hill stayed flat with 46 percent. But second-place finisher Sandra Rowcliffe was gaining rapidly, going from 20.8 percent in early voting to 25.5 percent on Election Day. Reckon
it was the (www.facebook.com/ sandrarowcliffe?fref=ts) song? Her gains came at the expense of third-place finisher Bradley Buchanan, who dropped from 21 percent in early voting to only 16 percent on Election Day. By Tennessee law, early voting begins 20 days before and stops five days before each election. That could easily be halved, but who’s got the political will to propose it? After all, it’s your money they’re spending, and no politician wants to be seen as anti-voting. My old friend Scott Frith says it best: “That change would save money, but it probably won’t happen. That’s the trouble with elections. They’re so darn political!”
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2 • MAY 12, 2014 • Shopper news
health & lifestyles
Delivering an experience a new mom expects As a nurse practitioner herself, Shana Beach of Knoxville, 31, wanted state-ofthe-art technology near her when she delivered her own first child. She chose Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center because of its relationship to East Tennessee Children’s Hospital across the street. “I had experience in a children’s hospital in Boston, and I wanted to be at a hospital that had easy access to a NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) just in case something went wrong,” Beach said. But everything went smoothly on April 2, when Beach and her husband, Alex, welcomed Gabriella Marian. After about 13 hours of labor, Gabriella weighed 7 pounds, 1.8 ounces and was delivered in a normal, low-risk birth in a Fort Sanders LDRP (labor, delivery, recovery room and postpartum). The spacious rooms allow the mother and her family to stay in one location for the entire hospital stay. “That was great,” Beach said. “We didn’t have to move anything and the room we were in was large. When I had a couple of visitors, there was plenty of room. My husband slept in a recliner chair and he was very comfortable.” The first six hours of labor were not painful, Beach said. “I thought, ‘If this is labor I can do this,’ ” she said. “But at 8 o’clock I was starting to feel contractions in my back, and over the next two hours they got so severe.” Beach had an epidural anesthetic and
Alex and Shana Beach welcomed their first child, Gabriella Marian, on April 2 of this year at Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center. was able to rest for a while, and then her baby was born at 5:50 p.m. “She came out pink and screaming,” Beach said. Throughout the birth experience, Beach said she was surrounded by many helpful hands at Fort Sanders. “My husband was a great coach, he was
rubbing my back the whole time,” she said. “The nurse who helped deliver was incredible; she kind of coached me through everything. She knew her stuff and was very encouraging and professional. Dr. (Caroline) Haney-Weaver is very smart and very encouraging. I felt very comfortable with her.”
Finding the right time to deliver Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center has been recognized by the Tennessee Hospital Association for reducing the number of babies born electively between 37 and 39 weeks, thereby increasing their chances for better lifelong health. Fort Sanders Regional received the recognition from the THA’s Tennessee Center for Patient Safety, along with fellow Covenant Health facilities Parkwest Medical Center, LeConte Medical Center, Methodist Medical Center and MorristownHamblen Healthcare System. Fort Sanders Regional met the goal of decreasing the number of babies delivered electively between 37 and 39 weeks gestation to 5 percent or less, and maintained the goal level for a minimum of six consecutive months. The hospital was awarded a congratulatory banner to recognize their teams’ outstanding effort. “This is vital for our patients and the quality of care we provide,” Bernie Hurst, director of women’s services at Fort Sanders Regional, said. “We’ve had these standards in place at Regional for several years, Bernie Hurst so this highlights the hard work of many.” The two-week wait dramatically increases the chances for good
physical and developmental health of babies. It also allows for better health and safety of the mother. There is a greater risk of complications associated with births prior to 39 weeks, and waiting until then allows for better growth and development of vital organs such as the brain, lungs and liver. “Babies born too early are at risk for respiratory distress, jaundice, hypoglycemia and other conditions that require more medical care and put them at greater risk for death before their first birthday,” said Craig Becker, THA president. “That is why the work being done at these hospitals is so vitally important to all Tennesseans. Results like these represent the combined efforts of every single professional at these hospitals, from the physicians and nursing staff to the board of trustees.” Fort Sanders Regional is part of a statewide Healthy Tennessee Babies Are Worth the Wait initiative launched less than two years ago to increase awareness of the benefits of full-term delivery. In May 2012, nearly 16 percent of all Tennessee deliveries that occurred prior to 39 weeks gestation were considered elective. Today, that number has been reduced by almost 85 percent. Among other activities, the Covenant obstetrics departments adopted a strict policy that prohibits early elective deliveries before 39 weeks unless
After the birth, even the housekeeping staff impressed her, Beach said. “They came in periodically to mop the floor,” she said. “Everything always felt clean, open and bright. Our room had a beautiful view of the Smoky Mountains.” During her pregnancy, Beach took advantage of several classes at the “Teddy Bear University” at Fort Sanders, which offers dozens of courses to help get new parents ready for labor, delivery and newborn care. Beach also had a lactation consultant visit her during her two days in the hospital. “Twice, I had questions and they came quickly and answered them. Plus, I took a breast-feeding class and that was really helpful. My husband took it, too.” After two nights at Fort Sanders, the new Beach family was ready to go home. “A pediatrician came and talked to us, and a discharge nurse came in to talk to us about basic baby care,” she said. And even though she’s an experienced nurse herself, Beach said the information was helpful. “I know how babies happen in textbooks and on paper, and I had (studied) labor and delivery. But as a patient, it’s a whole new, scary, wonderful experience that I could not have prepared for at all.” Beach said she would recommend Fort Sanders to anyone expecting a new baby. “I couldn’t have asked for a better team,” she said.
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there is a clear medical risk to the mother or the baby. For Fort Sanders Regional, as a high-risk pregnancy center, the recognition is further proof of the excellent care patients and newborn babies receive. At the hospital, mothers have the option of LDRP (labor, delivery, recovery and postpartum) rooms or a fullystaffed level II nursery for newborns, which allows mothers to recuperate post-delivery and puts the baby in fully capable hands. Also, with neonatologists, perinatologists, obstetricians, a highlycertified nursing staff and the ability to transfer extreme cases to East Tennessee Children’s Hospital within minutes, Regional is able to accommodate any type of pregnancy. “We have any and everything a new mother would want or need when delivering a baby,” Hurst said. “This recognition is just a small indication of the wonderful things going on here.” “A healthy, full-term baby is always worth the wait, and Covenant Health is proud to lead this effort to decrease the number of infants delivered electively before 39 weeks,” said Jim VanderSteeg, Covenant Health executive vice presidenthospital operations. “Two additional weeks may not seem like much time, but for an infant, it can mean the difference between complications leading to lifelong health issues and a healthy and robust start.”
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SOUTH KNOX Shopper news • MAY 12, 2014 • 3
Nicole Lemieux leaves Cancun with her kids, Elizabeth and Jude Troup, and leftovers. The family celebrated Jude’s 5th birthday at the restaurant; Cinco de Mayo was a festive bonus.
University of Tennessee students Nadine Majaj, Lauren Hutton, Vanessa Eddy and Niana Malvea finish off an order of chips and salsa while waiting for a table at busy Cancun.
Photos by Betsy Pickle
Cancun owners Roberto and Patricia Ruiz
Cancun’s
Cinco de Mayo The hottest spot in South Knox for Cinco de Mayo had to be Cancun Mexican Restaurant. The eatery at Chapman Square was packed and then some at dinnertime last Monday. The patio and dining room were full of happy friends, couples and families, all ready to embrace Mexican cuisine under the guise of historical celebration. Four about-to-graduate friends from the University of Tennessee perched on the curb next to the patio and snacked on chips and salsa while patiently waiting for their table. Cancun was a more authentic experience, they said. “I wanted to go to somewhere that’s not … where all the other students go,” said Nadine Majaj. Niana Malvea actually knew the roots of Cinco de Mayo. “It celebrates a battle that the small Mexican army won against France,” she said. “I was a Spanish major, so we’d always do something special (for the day).” Outside on the patio, the hubbub of patrons was almost loud enough to drown out the sounds of the band playing 1970s rock. Inside, servers swiftly wended their way through the crowded tables. Owners Patricia and Roberto Ruiz paused momentarily to comment on the turnout. Even though the place was packed, they said it wasn’t as big a crowd as last year. “It gets better when it falls on Friday or Saturday,” said Roberto Ruiz. “Monday, it’s kind of slow.” Ruiz has lived in East
Betsy Pickle
Tennessee for 23 years. A native of Mexico, he doesn’t expect his patrons to know the significance of Cinco de Mayo. “Cinco de Mayo for them is a holiday with low prices on liquor and low prices on food,” he said. It has become a much bigger event in the United States than it is in his homeland, he said. “In Mexico, they just do a parade, and that’s it. They don’t celebrate like this.” ■
Crafty women
The South Knox Senior Center spring craft and jewelry sale last Wednesday and Thursday was full of everything you wanted – if what you wanted was beautiful jewelry, colorfully painted kitchen items or tasty jams and jellies. The members of the jewelry class led by Ruth Thomas had outdone themselves with creatively designed necklaces, bracelets and earrings featuring beads and stones. Painter B.J. Hitchcock dressed up cake carriers, aprons, tote bags and birdhouses with her whimsical paintbrush. The multitalented Charolette Franklin brought along her crocheted tams, but her most popular wares were her homemade sweet treats – apple and pear butter and blackberry jam and jelly. The bling was hard to resist (ahem), especially at the modest prices. Those
who missed out will want to look for the group’s next sale, which will be around Christmastime. ■
New ministry open house
New life and hope are coming to Vestal United Methodist Church. The Beacon of Hope ministry has started a partnership at Vestal UMC, 115 Ogle Ave., and is operating several programs using the church’s facilities. An open house will be offered at 12:30 p.m. Sunday, May 18. A FISH pantry has operated at the church for some time, but new programs include a clothing ministry that has already served 40 people in less than three weeks. Still to come are a food co-op that eventually will be operated by members themselves and a class to help those living on limited means create new possibilities for themselves. Richard Ginn, a member of Church Street United Methodist Church and its benevolence team, says that those who participate in the new programs will be encouraged to check out Vestal UMC, but they are not required to attend the church. He says the church members are “very open” to welcoming all members of the community. The Beacon of Hope ministry is a partnership between Church Street, Vestal and Mountain View UMCs, First Baptist Church and the Compassion Coalition. For info on the open house or Beacon of Hope programs, call Ginn at 5995047 or email beaconofhopevestal@gmail.com.
27 with a reception at the church. Vandergriff took the position as pastor on April 23, 1989, and neither Vandergriff nor his congregation seems ready to part ways. During his tenure at Union Baptist Church, Vandergriff has been a part of the church’s centennial celebration, baptized more than 150 people and seen many of the youth in his congregation called into the ministry. Vandergriff was presented with Pastor Gary Vandergriff at his 25th-year celebration at Union a plaque at the reception Baptist Church with Bob and Gladys Mynatt, UBC members for that included the names of those baptized. 50 years Photo submitted “I have been blessed to be able to serve the Lord and His people for so long in one church,” said Vandergriff. Those attending included former members, pastors length of time is even more and their families from By Cindy Taylor the Midland Baptist AsIt isn’t often these days exceptional. Union Baptist Church sociation and members of that anyone stays at one place in their career for 25 celebrated its 25th year Bethany Baptist Church and years. For a pastor to stay under the guidance of pas- Mooreland Heights Baptist at the same church for that tor Gary Vandergriff April Church.
Pastor Gary Vandergriff: Teaching and beyond
Peggy Oliver, Barbara Houser, Ruth Thomas and B.J. Hitchcock display some of the crafts and jewelry they created.
Charolette Franklin sells her next-to-last jar of homemade pear butter to Sandra Curtis.
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government City budget lacks greenway specificity As City Council reviews Mayor Rogero’s proposed 34-cent property-tax increase, several proposals merit a closer look as specifics are missing. They include the $1 million for greenway corridors and $500,000 for historic preservation. Both are laudable topics but blank checks for now.
Victor Ashe
Both are also areas where the Rogero administration has been weak if not AWOL. When I asked city spokesperson Eric Vreeland to detail the greenways that would be built, he could not answer. He said the mayor and parks director, along with the greenway commission, would decide. In other words, $1 million for yet-to-bedetermined projects in an election year. Parks Director Joe Walsh said the Mike Fowler firm had been paid $200,000 to do an assessment of greenway needs and make recommendations. He indicated conceptually that the greenways might turn out to be from the U.S. Post Office on Weisgarber Road to the Jean Teague greenway in West Hills, extending the Third Creek greenway that ends at Bearden Elementary School to Papermill and/or to Lakeshore Park and possibly from Ned McWherter Park to Ijams Nature Center. But nothing was definite. Anyone with a greenway map could figure out where new greenways should go. It is not rocket science. When asked, Walsh could not name a greenway that had been built under Mayor Rogero. The last ribbon-cutting for a citybuilt greenway was under Mayor Brown in 2011 at Papermill Road. This is a dismal record for a mayor who says she is “green.� If a greenway corridor fund is created with $1 million, at the very least it should be established by ordinance with mission and duties clearly spelled out and not left to whim and mischief. ■Council member Nick Della Volpe got Loves Creek greenway built with help from the public service department. The half-mile trail is not paved but has crushed limestone. Walsh said construction will start within weeks
on the two-mile greenway from Buck Karnes Bridge to the Naval Station on Alcoa Highway. He acknowledged that the much-discussed First Creek greenway along Broadway has not been bid. It was announced in April 2012 and two years later has seen no visible progress. It may be the end of 2016 before it is finished. It is hard to take this $1 million greenway request very seriously when Rogero’s current greenway construction is so tardy. By not naming specific projects for greenways or historic preservation, Rogero will be given a blank check to fill in the year she is running for re-election, a campaign war chest funded by taxpayers. Della Volpe, who opposes the tax hike, should not expect any new greenways in his district. I am personally passionate about greenways. It pains me to write this column, but it pains me even more that so little has happened. It is hard to understand why the “green� mayor would not build them with enthusiasm as they routinely receive 80-plus percent approval. It could only help her re-election. ■Knox Heritage’s city grant was cut from $21,000 to $5,000 without explanation in the mayor’s budget. Team Rogero says they are putting $850,000 into various historic-preservation projects so all should be happy if a mere $16,000 is cut. Spokesperson Jesse Mayshark says the city has a wonderful review process. Knox Heritage was not consulted on this. ■Dave Hill, controversial and highly paid ($140,000) former city waterfront staffer (who was fired by Mayor Rogero), has been hired Dave Hill as comprehensive planning manager at MPC by his longtime golfing friend Mark Donaldson. He replaces Mike Carberry. Donaldson said Hill, who once held his job, will be paid $100,000. It is unclear if minorities or even existing staff had a chance to apply. ■House Speaker John Boehner will attend a reception 5-7 p.m. Saturday, May 24, for U.S. Rep. Jimmy Duncan at the home of Pete and Cindi DeBusk on Cunningham Road in Halls. Boehner is third in line to the presidency.
4 • MAY 12, 2014 • Shopper news
Mike McMillan’s lonely days are over
Were the school board primary elections a referendum on Superintendent James McIntyre? Probably. And it was sort of a draw, right? Probably not. McIntyre gets to keep his school board chair, and the only challenger who supported him squeaked out a second-place finish good enough to get her into the general election, but he lost his most vocal ally, and his vice-chair failed to win an outright majority, throwing her into a general-election runoff. South Knox board member Pam Trainor lost big to school librarian Amber Rountree, despite McIntyre’s scheduling a raft of good-news announcements and events in her district. Rountree, who is smart and outspoken and won 58 percent of the vote, will quit her teaching job to become one of McIntyre’s bosses. Board chair Lynne Fugate won convincingly in the 4th District – as she should have, because this was her race to lose. Challenger Sally Absher showed herself to be a worthy campaigner, tirelessly door-knocking and deeply informed about issues. The second challenger, J. Scott Clark, stayed pretty much a cypher throughout the campaign. Both said they would not have voted to approve McIntyre’s controversial contract extension, but it would be wrong to attribute Fugate’s victory to voters’ opinion of the superintendent. Here’s why:
Betty Bean If the superintendent is popular anywhere, it’s in the upper-middle-class 4th District, and Fugate, a reliable McIntyre supporter who was active in Beardenarea schools before she ran for office, fits the establishment profile. On the other hand, Absher doesn’t. Her only past political involvement was as a member of the Tea Party, and videos of her “Agenda 21� presentations are available at computer screens near you. Maybe this wouldn’t have hurt her in a different district, and maybe given more time she can put it behind her, but for now, as one veteran pol puts it, “She couldn’t outrun her past.� The 6th District was a mixed bag for JMac. On the plus side, his two most adamant detractors, Brad Buchanan and Tamara Shepherd, didn’t make it into the runoff, and his most adamant supporter, Sandra Rowcliffe, did. She’ll take her talents into the general election against the frontrunner, Terry Hill, a former school social worker who has been milder in her criticism of the superintendent but says that things need to change. If money could buy this race, Rowcliffe would win (the pro-McIntyre businesstypes have kicked in heavily). However, Hill almost doubled Rowcliffe’s vote total, and that gap that will
Bart and Amber Rountree celebrate her election to the Board of Education with an announcement: Their first child is due Sept. 8, just a week after she is sworn in.
be hard to close. Both candidates are vocal supporters of a new Hardin Valley Middle School, a tribute to the power of the Hardin Valley vote in that district. In the 1st District, vice chair Gloria Deathridge, who ticked teachers off by reminding them who they “work for� (that would be McIntyre), won a big victory, percentage-wise (46-27 percent). But in terms of raw numbers, she beat Marshall Walker by only 265 votes. That could make for a sweaty summer for both candidates. The school board has tra-
ditionally been dominated by ex-administrators and PTA moms who generally toe the administration line. This election could mark a sea change. Retired teacher Patti Lou Bounds ran unopposed, so she and Rountree were elected outright. They will join former teacher and lonely guy Mike McMillan, who is routinely on the short end of 8-1 votes. If Hill and Walker prevail, McMillan will find himself in the unaccustomed position of being the senior member of the majority.
Coming around again I’m happy to say the reports of my demise were greatly exaggerated. That’s not to say there weren’t days I thought I was dead, but it turns out I was just in Eighty Four, Pa.
Larry Van Guilder
Eighty Four is a suburb of Pittsburgh about 20 miles southwest of the home of the stalwart (though not so much lately) Steelers. Populated chiefly by deer and my ex-wife, each of whom is a strong advocate for gun control, Eighty Four is also the home of the eponymous lumber company. Despite their dislike for firearms violence, the community’s deer are a peculiarly suicidal lot. Scarcely a day passes without some
despondent deer stepping into the path of an innocent motor vehicle, leaving its family to wonder why. So, this prodigal returns to the land of more cautious deer and sometimes incautious politicians. Surveying the landscape, I can cheerfully echo Morgan Freeman’s words to Miss Daisy: ‘Things ain’t changed all that much.� Examples? Stacey Campfield adding to his lunatic legacy by drawing a parallel between Obamacare and Holocaust victims; familiar names engaging in Knox County’s tradition of musical elected offices (Hammond, Shouse, Leuthold, Briggs); the unqualified appealing to the uncaring (Michele “Placeholder� Carringer); the county where, according to Mayor Tim “Fist Bump� Burchett, less is always more. If, despite my association with known miscreants like Republicans, Democrats
and Independents, Scripps gives the thumbs up to my background investigation, I’m coming around again. There’s plenty of fodder in these parts for a political reporter, and I hold firm to Mencken’s dictum that the function of journalism is to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable. That said, it’s good to be back where people bleed orange and not rust. Where else would you find 36,000 people willing to sign a petition asking for the dismissal of a college basketball coach? (I’d wager that several hundred of them may even have voted in the last election and signed their names without resorting to an “X.�) In what other municipality does the phrase “term limits� mean one thing for the voter and something entirely different for judges and officeholders? (See Jones, Witt, Jordan, et al.) Who knew the English language was rife with such
ambiguity? Where else among the vast reaches of our spacious skies and amber waves of grain would a former county executive compare the problems of a felonious senior subordinate to the sufferings of Jesus Christ? (For those with mercifully short memories, Google Ragsdale and Finch.) Yet, Knox County’s political and social ills are not so very different from those of the nation at large. We whine about tax increases to fund schools but utter nary a whimper when jails expand and police forces balloon to incarcerate the poorly educated. We want smaller government, and when governments shrink throwing more out of work we blame the government for the unemployment rate and the stagnant economy. Walt Kelly was right: “We have met the enemy, and he is us.� Yes, there’s no place like home.
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Shopper news • MAY 12, 2014 • 5
The Battle of Champion Hill (May 16, 1863) HISTORY AND MYSTERIES | Dr. Jim Tumblin
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tudents of the Civil War have debated the “What ifs?” of that war for many years and in many forums. A favorite “What if?” asks whether the South could have won the Battle of Gettysburg (7/1-3/1863) if Gen. Jeb Stuart’s Cavalry, Gen. Robert E. Lee’s “Eyes and Ears,” had been present from the first day. Historian Richard McMurry’s “What if?” asks: If Gen. Joseph Johnston and his 50,000 Confederates had properly fortified the gap at the Battle of Snake Creek Gap in North Georgia (5/7-12/1864), could they have stymied Gen. William T. Sherman’s 100,000 Union troops early in the campaign for Atlanta and forestalled Sherman’s “March to the Sea” and his eventual capture of Savannah? Another important “What if?” occurred 151 years ago this month when Confederate Gen. John C. Pemberton was defeated by Gen. Ulysses Grant at Champion Hill, Mississippi, a prelude to the Siege of Vicksburg. Holding Vicksburg was critical for the Confederates. Jefferson Davis said, “Vicksburg is the nail head that holds the South’s two
halves together.” It blocked Union navigation of the Mississippi, controlled the mouth of the Red River and protected vital Port Hudson. It allowed Confederate access to the states west of the river upon which they depended for cattle, horses and reinforcements for their armies. Considered “The Gibraltar of the Confederacy,” Vicksburg’s natural defenses on a high bluff overlooking a horseshoe-shaped bend in the river made it impossible to attack from the water. Pemberton had a garrison of 30,000 Confederate troops and mounted 172 big guns to defend his bastion. On its north and east, the Yazoo Delta, an area of 200 miles north to south and 50 miles wide, was a complex network of waterways. That untamed wilderness was difficult enough on foot but effectively impassable on horseback or for the wheeled vehicles necessary to supply an army. And, of course, the river itself made transporting thousands of men across its wide expanse a very imposing task. Grant made several attempts to flank Vicksburg’s defenses and to build canals to facilitate movement
of troops and supplies. He was blocked by Pemberton’s counter moves and by the pernicious terrain surrounding the city. Finally, on the dark, moonless night of April 16, 1863, Adm. David D. Porter dared to run the batteries with a fleet of 12 Union ships, losing only one of them. Now Grant had the ships south of Vicksburg and could plan and launch the largest amphibious operation in American history up to that time. Grant’s 22,000 infantrymen laid corduroy roads and built bridges down the west side of the river as they slogged their way south through Louisiana. He would move 17,000 of those troops across the river at Bruinsburg, 40 miles south of Vicksburg, from April 20 to May 1. The 200-mile inland campaign then moved with lightning-like rapidity, reminiscent of Gen. Stonewall Jackson’s Shenandoah Valley Campaign in 1862. Grant prevailed against stiff resistance at Port Gibson (May 1) and Raymond (May 11-12) and then successfully blocked Gen. Joseph Johnston’s troops from joining Pemberton when he was defeated at Jackson (May 12-14).
Proper coordination between Pemberton and Johnston could have placed Grant’s forces in a vise. Johnston could have had 15,000 defenders at his disposal but, instead, allowed Grant to burn part of the town, destroy numerous factories and cut the railroad lines connecting Jackson and Vicksburg. Grant had successfully divided the two Confederate armies. Pemberton’s 22,000 Confederates felt the full force of the Federal attack just two days later at Champion Hill. He held a council of war and decided to march southeast and attack the Union supply train and arriving reinforcements. The army moved out on May 15, slowed by delays for which Pemberton was responsible. By nightfall the column had moved only five miles. Grant moved to intercept Pemberton, employing the corps of Gens. James B. McPherson and John A. McClernand, while Sherman’s corps remained in Jackson. Three divisions were near Bolton on the Jackson Road, two on the Middle Road and two on the Raymond Road when Union troops bivouacked on the 15th. Pemberton pickets clashed with Grant’s ap-
proaching columns on the morning of May 16, and Pemberton issued orders to countermarch through Edwards and out the Brownsville Road, but he was too late. McPherson had advanced from Bolton and was nearing Champion Hill, which stood at an elevation of 75 feet above the flatlands surrounding it. To meet this threat, Pemberton deployed the three brigades of Gens. Stevenson, Bowen and Loring fronted to the southeast. Grant mounted his attack at 10:30 a.m. During the intense fighting, Champion Hill and the crossroads changed hands three times. The Confederates were outgeneraled, and by 5 p.m. they were fleeing across Baker’s Creek, leaving 27 cannons and hundreds of prisoners on the field. They attempted a stand at Big Black River the next day but were again defeated and fled into the defenses of Vicksburg, where a 47-day
siege resulted in Pemberton’s surrender to Grant on the nation’s birthday, July 4, 1863. Many months would pass and many more lives would be lost between that fateful day at Champion Hill, the fall of Richmond and the final surrender at Appomattox (4/12/1865). The eminent historian J.F.C. Fuller would say, “The drums of Champion Hill sounded the doom of Richmond.” “What if?” Grant had lost at Champion Hill and thus failed to capture Vicksburg? Would President Lincoln have called a losing general east to become general-inchief of the Union armies and to eventually defeat Gen. Robert E. Lee, a task in which several preceding commanding generals had failed? In his landmark speech in 1858, Lincoln had stated, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” Could a divided nation have become the leader of the free world?
I’ve been to Berkeley. Knoxville is different. How will Martin be remembered? Perhaps vaguely, with minimum emotion. His sudden departure caused no bonfires. No streets will be renamed. Without meaning to be, he was interim coach between the exciting but reckless Pearl and the enthusiastic Donnie Basketball. One of my favorite reader-writers agreed with the “no hard feelings” rhetoric but identified a potential pattern I had missed. Cuonzo did the same thing at Missouri State, three and out, depleted leftovers. The move to Tennessee was a big-league opportunity under difficult con-
ditions for four times the previous pay. The move to California, a slight downshift, might be an escape from a hot kitchen and another roster with holes. Some preachers move around to recycle sermons instead of writing new ones. Some coaches have similar tendencies. Cuonzo said the infamous BBB petition was a non-factor. That can’t be the whole truth. Even though he is tough as a coconut shell, the illogical push for Pearl had to hurt. I do believe he used criticism from fans to fuel the Vols’ late fire. I asked around, what about memories? To generalize and summarize responses, “honorable man”
was prevalent. As coach, not much warm praise or harsh rebukes, sort of dullsville, middle-of-the-road, never connected with fans, not as bad as Alan Houston’s dad or Michael Jordan’s roommate, what was his name? A one-word answer – apathetic – said too much. Another terse response, stubborn, may be a leftover link to zones or tempo. Zo obviously taught responsibility and principles of manhood. Payback was loyalty. His players played. Upon his departure, freshmen and recruits fled the scene. Fans offered lukewarm appreciation for dignity and mild criticism of recruiting effort and miscalculations. No way to miss slow starts and better finishes. NIT flops are a threat to linger. The rout of Kentucky was a landmark. The loss to Aus-
tin Peay may never go all the way away. Based on what he stands for, I like the former coach OK and do not hold him totally responsible for what didn’t develop. He is what he was. Cuonzo LaMar Martin was precisely what Dr. Jimmy G. Cheek wanted at the time, honest. Diversity was a bonus. The chancellor, dedicated to putting the best face possible on the university, decreed there shall be no more embarrassments. Athletic director Mike Hamilton found this squeaky-clean good guy out in the valley, offered more than necessary to bring him to Rocky Top and presented him for approval. Nobody noticed that he was bland.
feeding programs, working with women through a sewing ministry and helping to construct stable living areas. This ministry was exactly what Parker wanted to become involved with – working in the trenches to support churches that were there doing good works. Four years ago, the first mission team from CrossPoint Church headed to Nicaragua. The team included just three members, Parker, Lambdin and Randy White. The trio served meals to children, began construction on a home for a local pastor and preached the Gospel. Each year a team returns to Nicaragua, and the ministry grows in many ways. Church members sewed dresses that were sent to the girls in the area. A sewing ministry has been established, and women in the community make dresses for the children and to sell. The group has participated in Vacation Bible School during the week and this coming summer will participate in a food box ministry that will allow them to meet families, help with needs and minister. When asked why they travel across the country
to minister, Parker replied, The church is involved lo“We are called to go and cally with Angelic Ministries. share the Gospel. We start CrossPoint Church is where we are and move hosting a rummage sale to from there.” help send a mission team to
Nicaragua this summer. The event will be held 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday and Saturday, May 16-17, at the church, 2000 Loves Creek Road.
How will Cuonzo be remembered? I suppose Cuonzo Martin has been gone long enough to raise the question, how will he be remembered?
Marvin West
Cuonzo is a remarkable man in many ways but was never a match for Tennessee basketball needs. He was an excellent role model but calm as an undertaker, no used-car sales skills, certainly not a circus barker. He could not have escaped Bruce Pearl’s shadow. The way it all went down,
Tennessee gets paid for the fractured contract instead of having to pay for eventual termination. Cuonzo gets a nice, fresh start under more favorable circumstances – four returning starters instead of four starters gone. He now has a chance at happiness. He has found a pleasant environment in a place of enlightenment. The University of CaliforniaBerkeley sounds a little like Al Gore when it lays claims to the invention of the atomic bomb, free speech and fruit cocktail. Cal basketball is more of a social gathering, wine and cheese and smoked salmon (with PETA approval). Tennessee is far more passionate, sometimes overcooked.
Randy White talks with children gathered during a mission trip to Salinas Grande.
Investing in people By Ruth White While Tim Parker sat on the front porch of his Strawberry Plains home, God spoke to him in a big way. Parker, now pastor at CrossPoint Church, has a heart for people. He knew that he wanted to invest in the lives of others but wasn’t sure where he was being led until that day on his porch. “I was reading an article on missions in Central America and the challenges for them,” he said. “As I removed the band from a cigar I was smoking, I no-
ticed that it was handmade in Nicaragua.” He had been praying about missions and felt at peace as he sat on his porch that evening. Weeks later he spoke with friends Vincent and Tammie Lambdin, and they introduced him to Eric Webber. Both men immediately realized that they had met previously when Webber installed the fireplace in Parker’s home. Webber and his wife, Melissa, spend a great deal of time in Salinas Grande, Nicaragua, organizing
(Marvin West invites reader reaction. His address is westwest6@netzero.com).
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6 • MAY 12, 2014 • SOUTH KNOX Shopper news
Dogwood Elementary carnival organizer Kelly Zunich and Jessica Riner survived the pie contest. Photos submitted
Carnival creates
happy faces
Dogwood Elementary School’s PTO Carnival drew an overflow crowd to the school on Friday, May 2. The event raised about $7,800. Kelly Zunich, carnival organizer, said, “The carnival was bigger and better than ever. The pie contest was a crowd favorite, as students had a little fun revenge on teachers and the principals.”
Fourth-grader Adalina Williams enjoys the carnival with mom Sunshine Williams.
Mel Pierce and Chris Line, investigators with the Knoxville Police Department’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, talk to fifth-graders at Dogwood Elementary about staying safe online. Photo by Betsy Pickle
Being aware of Internet dangers By Betsy Pickle Anyone old enough to remember the “three R’s” knows that schools moved beyond teaching just “reading, ’riting and ’rithmetic” years ago. Even so, it was eye-opening to sit in on a special program officers from the Knoxville Police Department held for Dogwood Elementary School’s fifth-graders about Internet safety. Mel Pierce and Chris Line, investigators with KPD’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, were frank with the students about the dangers of chatting and posting online. One of the most important things to know, said Pierce, is that people aren’t always who they say they are.
“If you don’t know the person you’re chatting with, you shouldn’t be talking to them,” Pierce said during last Wednesday’s program. “If you don’t know them, they don’t need to be on your friend list.” He pointed out that posting a photo or video online can give away details about your location as well as what you look like and the ages and gender of your siblings. Pierce told the students that he and Line are “trying to catch people who do bad things to kids.” He asked if anyone had ever been asked a sexual question online. Nearly every hand in the room went up. “Tell your parents,” he advised for that situation. He also talked about cyber-bullying, and some
students owned up to being instigators as well as victims. He warned them that bullying could be not just hurtful but also illegal. A public post could end up being seen by many people, but even a private message isn’t necessarily private. When someone bullies you, he said, the first thing is “don’t let it ruin your day.” He also stressed that the bully’s target should not respond because that usually causes the situation to escalate. If the bullying continues, recipients should block or ban the bully; save the evidence; set up new accounts; and tell a trusted adult. To protect themselves, kids should never share their phone number or passwords online, and they should make their screen names
non-gender specific. They also should never post pictures of themselves in their swimsuits or underwear. Once you do, said Line, “it’s out there forever.” Line said he and Pierce usually present their program in high schools and middle schools, but Dogwood had requested it for the fifth-graders because some students had had issues with Internet bullying. They tailored their talk appropriately for the age group yet still covered the spectrum of Internet dangers. Even something as simple as playing a game online can reveal too much, they warned. “Things happen behind the scenes that you don’t know about,” said Pierce. “Your activities are being recorded.”
The South-Doyle High School National Honor Society held its induction ceremony on Sunday, April 27, at the school, welcoming rising juniors into the group.
NHS induction day at South-Doyle
Officers for the honor society are Cassidy Giles, president; Layla Mosadegh, vice president; Courtney Payne, secretary; and Annie Reed, treasurer. Photos submitted
Apply now for
Shopper News Interns 2014! Who: Looking for rising 9th graders at Knox area high schools What: Spend Tuesdays exploring Knox County and having fun When: This summer beginning in June Where: North, south, east, west and all points between Why: Students will be expected to take pictures, write captions and hear “money quotes” from guest speakers. The program is tour-based. Student work will be edited and some will be printed in the summer’s editions of Shopper-News.
To apply, contact Sara Barrett barretts@ShopperNewsNow.com or call: (865) 218-9378 NORTH – 7049 Maynardville Pike • WEST – 10512 Lexington Drive, Suite 500
business
Shopper news • MAY 12, 2014 • 7
The magic of
music
The new DigiTrax Entertainment facility at 6520 Chapman Highway is something special.
Nancy Whittaker
DigiTrax’s array of services can be summed up simply: Amazing music products. Talented personnel include musicians, songwriters and artists who keep creativity flowing like an electrical current throughout the studios. David Grimes, managing director, is obviously proud of this new company, which started in November 2012. Although traveling to areas where many deals are made, Grimes says, “It is our duty to South Knoxville to keep the money here.” Mark Radice is an immensely talented composer who has written songs for numerous shows including “Sesame Street.” Check out an example of his amazing work on YouTube – just type in Sesame Street – Elmo Proud Song and watch Elmo and his dad sing to each other. Be sure to have tissues nearby. DigiTrax offers full studio capabilities for bands who want to record. An entire ensemble can record on
State Sen. Becky Massey stands with ETABPA vice president Janie Wilson. Photo by Nancy Whittaker
News from Office of Register of Deeds Mark Radice, creative director of DigiTrax Entertainment, performs the song “Proud” at DigiTrax’s SoKnox Studio grand opening. Photo submitted
By Sherry Witt 7. She said almost no new programs were funded this year, but she’s proud of passage of Tennessee Promise, in which lottery funds will pay for two years of community college or technical school for state high school graduates. Massey says this program “will be changing lives” in Tennessee. The group discussed roadways, signs and lack of visibility around the East Towne Corridor. Bob Elmore with Modern Woodmen of America provided a delicious breakfast. ■ Becky Massey at Gary Moll spoke about the Labor Day Sunflower ProjETABPA ect and gave everyone packState Sen. Becky Massey ages of sunflower seeds. talked about the recently The anticipated “Pie completed legislative sesGuys” will open soon at sion at the East Towne Area Knoxville Center mall, Business and Professional bringing fresh pizza to the Association meeting May food court. ETABPA will meet at 8 a.m. Wednesday, June 4, at Magnolia Campus New Harvest Park Community Center. Attendance is increasing every month. Come join this motivated group.
the sound stage, or tracks can be laid down for individual instruments. Singers can come in and DigiTrax will provide the background music. Anything and everything associated with karaoke is an integral part of DigiTrax. Negotiations are made with publishers to obtain the rights legally for lyrics. Subscriptions are available to stream karaoke music directly to DJ’s computers. Technology is available to even change the pitch on songs for serious karaoke singers. Grimes says being legal with all music rights is a necessity. Marketing firms benefit from the professional presentations developed for them by DigiTrax. Mom and Pop shops can make memorable commercials to stand out from their competition.
News from Pellissippi State -
“Sing and Spell” is currently being developed in DigiTrax’s Animation Laboratory. Songs are written first for this innovative children’s product and then creative development matches animation with the music. What a fun job! Grimes knows the music business inside and out and keeps abreast of changes. He reminisced with me about memorable music and the importance of music in life experiences. Info: www. digitraxentertainment.com or 865-312-7762.
STEM emphasis at Summer Institute This year’s Summer Institute at Pellissippi State Community College will get a boost to include a new STEM – science, technology, engineering and mathematics – emphasis, thanks to a $46,760 grant from the American Honda Foundation. “This grant will help fund academic programs for urban high school students that will provide rigorous exposure to relevant STEM career fields,” said L. Anthony Wise Jr., Pellissippi State president. “This exposure will broaden the educational opportunities for these students and allow them to consider new fields of study for college and career.” The grant was awarded through the Pellissippi State Foundation. Summer Institute takes place at Pellissippi State’s Hardin Valley Campus each summer and is open to rising sophomores from Aus-
tin-East and Fulton high schools. The program is affiliated with Project GRAD Knoxville, which seeks to boost excellence in education, particularly in the city’s urban schools. The American Honda Foundation grant will fund enhancements to four STEM programs at the 2014 Summer Institute: alternative energy, robotics, aquabiotics and photographic science. The grant also will support professional development, a new instructor, field trips and equipment. “Through grant giving, the American Honda Foundation seeks to develop youth in the areas of math, science, engineering, technology and literacy,” said Alexandra Warnier, foundation manager. “We are proud to partner with Pellissippi State on its important contribution in this area and look forward to the
Come and get ’em Step down, Nobel Prize. Stand aside, Oscar. Make way for The Biscuit Sunsphere. It’s the tastiest prize worth winning, and Thursday through Sunday, May 15-18, you’re invited to see who gets to take it home. The fifth annual International Biscuit Festival, “a celebration of that most perfect of foods – the biscuit,” is coming to downtown Knoxville. It’s a testament to the popularity of this Southern delicacy that the festival has expanded from its usual three days to four. The Food Network is on board, and one of its brightest stars – Tyler Florence, host of “Tyler’s Ultimate” and “The Great Food Truck Race” – will make an appearance. John Craig, a real estate developer who has been involved in the renovation of Market Square, is the “Biscuit Boss.”
Real estate sales steady
Carol Zinavage
Carol’s Corner “One of the perks of helping to start a festival is that you get to pick your own title!” he says. “We love alliteration like ‘Biscuit Boulevard’ and ‘Biscuit Bazaar,’ so ‘Biscuit Boss’ just came naturally.” He’s especially happy because this year, beyond the food and entertainment, the event will have the added element of paying it forward. “An Evening with Tyler Florence” will not only bring the popular chef to a Knoxville audience, but it will also help to feed hungry kids. “As a sponsor of the Bis-
After a good beginning to the spring season, the local real estate market maintained status quo in April. For the month that ended Witt April 30, there were 821 property transfers recorded in Knox County, just nine more than the total recorded in March, and slightly less than the 850 sales logged last April. Despite the somewhat flat recorded numbers, there was a substantial increase in the aggregate value of land sold. In April, just over $205 million worth of property was transferred in Knox County, which was about $57 million ahead of the March pace. April 2013 produced around $160 million in total land sales. So far property sales in 2014 are outperforming last year by more than $100 million. Mortgage lending was a different story. Although
the April figures did offer some encouraging signs, mortgage markets continue to lag well behind their 2013 numbers. In April, just over $252 million was loaned against real estate in Knox County, some $40 million more than the amount loaned in March. But the April surge still leaves 2014 running $300 million behind last year’s pace. The most notable land transfer of the month was for the property containing the Lowe’s Home Improvement Center at 3100 South Mall Road, adjacent to Knoxville Center. The parcel sold for $19 million. On the mortgage side, the largest loan recorded was for $15,489,000 financing The Preserve at Hardin Valley. As president of the Tennessee Registers Association, I am privileged to be hosting registers from across the state at our spring meeting, which will be held May 14-16 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. Please join me in welcoming these registers to beautiful East Tennessee!
impact and results that will be achieved.” The Summer Institute has been taking place since 2001 and serves about 150 students per year. Since 2005, 946 students who participated in the Summer Institute have gone on to graduate from high school and earn a college scholarship for up to four years. Summer Institute participants from Austin-East and Fulton who continue on to attend college at Pellissippi State have a higher GPA average and take fewer pre-college-level courses than students from those two high schools who enroll at Pellissippi State but didn’t take part in the summer program. Info: www.pstcc.edu or 865-694-6400. To learn more about the Pellissippi State Foundation and its many giving opportunities, call 865-694-6528.
cuit Festival, Food Network is donating $10 for every ticket sold for Tyler Florence’s show to Second Harvest’s Food for Kids program,” Craig says. There will be demonstrations of biscuit-making on Saturday, May 17, culminating in a biscuit baking contest. All kinds of biscuits,“from basic to fancy,” according to Craig, will be available for sampling at the Biscuit Boulevard Tasting Area. Tickets are $10 for five samples. Participants get to vote for their favorite. “An Evening with Tyler Florence,” scheduled for 8 p.m. Sunday, May 18, at the Tennessee Theatre, will cap off four days of biscuit-related fun. A free and open-tothe-public event, The Great Food Truck Extravaganza, will precede the show from 6-8 p.m. Some of the best food trucks in the state will be there selling their scrumptious wares. Ticket info: 865-6841200 or Ticketmaster.com/.
865-971-1971 • UTFCU.org
8 • MAY 12, 2014 • SOUTH KNOX Shopper news
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THROUGH SATURDAY, MAY 17 Tickets on sale for Tennessee Theatre’s annual “Stars on Stage” event. Kenny Rogers will headline the event, 8 p.m. Saturday, May 17. Proceeds will benefit the Historic Tennessee Theatre Foundation.
THROUGH SUNDAY, MAY 18 “Pollyanna” presented by the Knoxville Children’s Theatre, 109 E. Churchwell Ave. Performances: 7 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays; 1 and 5 p.m. Saturdays; 3 p.m. Sundays. Info/reservations: 2083677; www.knoxvillechildrenstheatre.com; info@ childrenstheatreknoxville.com.
THURSDAYS THROUGH MAY 22 Diabetes Management Series, 6:30 p.m., Knox County Health Department auditorium, 140 Dameron Ave. Free five-part series; open to the public. To register: 215-5170.
THROUGH SUNDAY, JUNE 8 Registration open for AMSE Science Explorer Camp for rising 5th, 6th and 7th graders. Two sessions: June 9-13, June 16-20. Info/to register: http://amse. org/visitors/summer-camps/.
TUESDAY, MAY 13 “Kid-to-Kid: Fun with a Purpose,” 5-6:15 p.m., Cancer Support Community, 2230 Sutherland Ave. Will help children gain coping skills and they will have opportunities to talk about a loved one’s cancer diagnosis while also having fun. RSVP: 546-4661.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 14 “The Forgotten Basket of the Mountain,” a Brown Bag Lecture by Bill Alexander, noon, East Tennessee History Center, 601 S. Gay St. Free. May bring “brown bag” lunch. Info: 215-8824 or www. EastTNHistory.org.
THURSDAY, MAY 15 Deadline to register for “An evening with Bill Landry.” Hosted by Knoxville Region UT Chattanooga Alumni Chapter, 6-8 p.m. Thursday, May 22, University of Tennessee Visitor’s Center, 2712 Neyland Drive. Tickets: $25, includes dinner. For tickets: http://www. mocsconnect.com/2014landry. Info: knoxutcalumni@ gmail.com; Natalie Mohr, 470-3790; www.mocsconnect. com/knoxville.
SATURDAY, MAY 17
O’Connor Senior Center, 611 Winona St. Into/to register: Carolyn Rambo, 584-9964.
FRIDAY, MAY 23 “South Knoxville Senior Center Parking Lot Sale,” 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Spots/tables available: $10 each. Info/to register: 573-5843.
FRIDAY-SUNDAY, MAY 23-25 Smoky Mountain Quilters of Tennessee Quilt Show and Competition, Cooper Athletic Center, Maryville College campus. Times: 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Sunday. Admission: $5; multiday pass: $8. Info: www.smokymtnquilters.com.
SATURDAY, MAY 24 Poets Darren Jackson and Arthur Smith will read, 3 p.m., Historic Westwood, 3425 Kingston Pike. Part of Poets for Preservation spring poetry series. Refreshments served. Guests invited to look around the newly restored mansion after the readings. Cades Cove tour with Bill Landry, 9 a.m., departing from the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center in Townsend. Tickets: $50 per person; includes light snacks and a cold beverage. Reservations required: 448-8838. Harvey Broome Group outing: Take-a-Hike, Biodiversity Tour (Pine Forest) Rabbit Creek Trail, GSMNP. 5.4 mile hike from Abrams Creek to Campsite 16 and back. Rated easy. Preregister with Mac Post, 806-0980 or mpost3116@aol.com (email preferred).
WEDNESDAY, MAY 28 Knoxville Writers’ Group meeting, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Naples Italian Restaurant, 5500 Kingston Pike. Guest speaker: Appalachian writer Tamara Baxter will discuss her book “Rock Big and Sing Loud.” All-inclusive lunch, $12. RSVP by Monday, May 26:983-3740.
THURSDAY MAY 29 “Beginning Canning and Food Preservation,” 3:30 p.m., Farragut Library, 417 N. Campbell Station Road. Speaker: Heather Kyle from UT Extension. Free and open to the public.
SATURDAY, MAY 31 Cades Cove tour with Bill Landry, 9 a.m., departing from the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center in Townsend. Tickets: $50 per person; includes light snacks and a cold beverage. Reservations required: 448-8838. Harvey Broome Group outing: Wildlife Float, Rankin Wildlife Management Area, Douglas Lake. 3-5 miles of flatwater paddling. Bring or rent boat. Preregister with Ron Shrieves: 922-3518; ronaldshrieves@ comcast.net (email preferred).
SUNDAY, JUNE 1 Homecoming, 11 a.m., New Hope Missionary Baptist Church, 7115 Tipton Lane off East Beaver Creek Drive. Featured singers: Michael and Delilah Kitts. Everyone invited.
MONDAY, JUNE 2 AARP Driver Safety class, 8 a.m.-4 p.m., South Knoxville Senior Center, 6729 Martel Lane. Into/to register: Carolyn Rambo, 584-9964.
Runaway Home in concert, 8 p.m., Palace Theater, 113 W. Broadway in Maryville. Advance tickets: $13, available at 983-3330 or Murlin’s Music World, 429 W. Broadway, Maryville. Tickets at the door: $15. Info: www.palacetheater.com. The Samuel Frazier Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution meeting, 11 a.m., at the home of Sam Wyrosdick. Program: “The Sinking of the Sultana during the Civil War” presented by guest speaker Norman Shaw. Info/directions: Martha Kroll, 603-4655.
UT Hospice Adult Grief Support Group meeting, 5-6:30 p.m., UT Hospice office, 2270 Sutherland Ave. A light supper is served. Info/reservation: Brenda Fletcher, 544-6277.
SATURDAY-SUNDAY, MAY 17-18
SATURDAY, JUNE 7
Harvey Broome Group outing: Backpack, Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness (Deep Creek and Haoe Lead Trails to Mt. Haoe and Hangover), N.C. Hiking distance about 9.2 miles total with substantial elevation gain. Rated Difficult. Preregister with Will Skelton: 523-2272 or whshome@bellsouth.net.
Cades Cove tour with Bill Landry, 9 a.m., departing from the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center in Townsend. Tickets: $50 per person; includes light snacks and a cold beverage. Reservations required: 448-8838.
SUNDAY, MAY 18 Young Pianist Series Concert featuring pianist Spencer Myer, 2:30 pm, Powell Recital Hall, UT Natalie L. Haslam Music Center, 1741 Volunteer Blvd. Donations: $20 at the door. Info: 408-8083 or www. youngpianistseries.com.
TUESDAY, MAY 20 UT Hospice Adult Grief Support Group meeting, 5-6:30 p.m., UT Hospice office, 2270 Sutherland Ave. A light supper is served. Info/reservation: Brenda Fletcher, 544-6277. Oak Ridge NARFE Chapter 1476 meeting, noon, Double Tree Hotel on Illinois Avenue in Oak Ridge. Guest speaker: Buddy Brown, Lt. Col. USAF (ret), Knoxville resident and one of only 12 pilots in the world to have flown both of the greatest spy planes ever built, the U-2 and stealth SR-71 Blackbird. Luncheon cost: $14; reservations required: 938-4532 or 482-4625.
WEDNESDAY-THURSDAY, MAY 21-22 AARP Driver Safety class, noon-4 p.m.,
TUESDAY, JUNE 3
MONDAY-TUESDAY, JUNE 9-10 AARP Driver Safety class, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Tellico Village Property Owners Association, 145 Awohli Drive, Loudon. Into/to register: Carolyn Rambo, 584-9964.
SATURDAY, JUNE 21 Cades Cove tour with Bill Landry, 9 a.m., departing from the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center in Townsend. Tickets: $50 per person; includes light snacks and a cold beverage. Reservations required: 448-8838.
TUESDAY, JULY 1 UT Hospice Adult Grief Support Group meeting, 5-6:30 p.m., UT Hospice office, 2270 Sutherland Ave. A light supper is served. Info/reservation: Brenda Fletcher, 544-6277.
SATURDAY, JULY 5 Cades Cove tour with Bill Landry, 9 a.m., departing from the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center in Townsend. Tickets: $50 per person; includes light snacks and a cold beverage. Reservations required: 448-8838.
SATURDAY, JULY 12 Cades Cove tour with Bill Landry, 9 a.m., departing from the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center in Townsend. Tickets: $50 per person; includes light snacks and a cold beverage. Reservations required: 448-8838.
TUESDAY, JULY 15 UT Hospice Adult Grief Support Group meeting, 5-6:30 p.m., UT Hospice office, 2270 Sutherland Ave. A light supper is served. Info/reservation: Brenda Fletcher, 544-6277.
SATURDAY, JULY 19 Cades Cove tour with Bill Landry, 9 a.m., departing from the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center in Townsend. Tickets: $50 per person; includes light snacks and a cold beverage. Reservations required: 448-8838.
SATURDAY, JULY 26 Cades Cove tour with Bill Landry, 9 a.m., departing from the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center in Townsend. Tickets: $50 per person; includes light snacks and a cold beverage. Reservations required: 448-8838.
SATURDAY, AUG. 2 Cades Cove tour with Bill Landry, 9 a.m., departing from the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center in Townsend. Tickets: $50 per person; includes light snacks and a cold beverage. Reservations required: 448-8838.
TUESDAY, AUG. 5 UT Hospice Adult Grief Support Group meeting, 5-6:30 p.m., UT Hospice office, 2270 Sutherland Ave. A light supper is served. Info/reservation: Brenda Fletcher, 544-6277.
SATURDAY, AUG. 16 Cades Cove tour with Bill Landry, 9 a.m., departing from the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center in Townsend. Tickets: $50 per person; includes light snacks and a cold beverage. Reservations required: 448-8838.
TUESDAY, AUG. 19 UT Hospice Adult Grief Support Group meeting, 5-6:30 p.m., UT Hospice office, 2270 Sutherland Ave. A light supper is served. Info/reservation: Brenda Fletcher, 544-6277.
SATURDAY, AUG. 23 Cades Cove tour with Bill Landry, 9 a.m., departing from the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center in Townsend. Tickets: $50 per person; includes light snacks and a cold beverage. Reservations required: 448-8838.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 2
TUESDAY, JUNE 10
UT Hospice Adult Grief Support Group meeting, 5-6:30 p.m., UT Hospice office, 2270 Sutherland Ave. A light supper is served. Info/reservation: Brenda Fletcher, 544-6277.
“Kid-to-Kid: Fun with a Purpose,” 5:30-7 p.m., Cancer Support Community, 2230 Sutherland Ave. Parents are invited to attend “Talking to Kids about Cancer” at the same time. RSVP: 546-4661.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 6
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11 AARP Driver Safety class, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Buckingham Retirement Clubhouse, 7103 Manderly Way. Into/to register: Carolyn Rambo, 584-9964.
TUESDAY, JUNE 17 UT Hospice Adult Grief Support Group meeting, 5-6:30 p.m., UT Hospice office, 2270 Sutherland Ave. A light supper is served. Info/reservation: Brenda Fletcher, 544-6277.
Cades Cove tour with Bill Landry, 9 a.m., departing from the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center in Townsend. Tickets: $50 per person; includes light snacks and a cold beverage. Reservations required: 448-8838.
SUNDAY, SEPT. 8 Knoxville Region UT Chattanooga Alumni Chapter picnic, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., the Cove at Concord Park, 11808 S. Northshore Drive. Pack a picnic lunch. Day of fun and games. Info: Natalie Mohr, npatter2@ gmail.com or 470-3790; https://www.facebook.com/ Knoxville.Mocs.
Shopper news • MAY 12, 2014 • 9
NEWS FROM EMERALD YOUTH FOUNDATION OF KNOXVILLE
Emerald Youth tutors
take the sting out of Algebra I By Kelly Norrell Who doesn’t remember Algebra I, with its electrifying call to solve for “x” and to graph polynomial equations? An innovative program at Fulton High School this year has made that process a lot friendlier. Last fall, Emerald Youth Foundation placed 11 volunteer tutors with strong math skills right in the school’s Algebra 1 classrooms. At Fulton, Algebra I is a yearlong, freshman-level course. “The program is fantastic,” said Andrea Lawyer, an instructional coach for Fulton’s math teachers. She said the tutors, who include a retired math teacher, engineering students and a pre-med student, have been a good fit. Lawyer said that by working in the classroom, tutors can answer students’ questions as soon as the teacher explains a concept. They can encourage a student whose confidence has dropped, check answers on student worksheets and conduct review sessions before tests. The tutors typically work in one hour-and-a-half class per week, plus a half hour study period known as “Nest” time. Christi Cardwell, high school and young adult curriculum leader at Emerald Youth Foundation, started the math-tutoring program at Fulton last summer with the support of the Fulton administration.
EY Fellows studying financial planning at an April seminar at Home Federal Bank included (l-r) Lannette Harris and Cheyenne Lloyd
FHS Tutor Cheryl Gutridge helps students during their Algebra 1 class “A lot of high school kids in the inner city need more one-on-one attention than high school teachers can provide. Bringing in tutors was a way to give them more time with an adult who is skilled in math,” she said. After carefully selecting the Fulton tutors, who also included tutors in English classes, Cardwell and other Emerald Youth staff provided them with extensive training. At Emerald Youth, there is a long tradition of tutors and homework helpers at neighborhood ministries. Last year, EYF also conducted a successful ACT preparation course at Austin-East High School. Fulton tutor Cheryl Gutridge, a retired honors math teacher from Webb School of Knoxville, wears a smile and a gentle manner as she works alongside Alge-
Looking toward summer As summer 2014 approaches, Emerald Youth staff and volunteers look forward to continuing to invest in our city’s young people. We will connect with our urban children, teens and young adults in a number of ways. June 16-20, nearly 300 kids will participate in Variety Camp Week, generously sponsored by Variety of Eastern Tennessee. Youngsters will choose from camps such as science, art, drama, outdoor adventures and cooking (one of the John Crooks most popular!). The 2014 class of Emerald Youth Fellows will travel to Chicago to learn about Christian community development. And our summer swim team will compete in meets throughout the area. These, and many other opportunities, are possible only because of the gifts we receive year-round, so “Thank you!” for the faithful support. If you are unfamiliar with Emerald Youth and desire to learn more, please visit us online at www.emeraldyouth.org or give us a call at 865-637-3227. We look forward to knowing you. – John Crooks Marketing and Communications Director
bra I teacher Sharon Rasch. Both are ambitious for their students. “If students don’t get that good foundation in Algebra I, it will affect their life path. To graduate, and to take advantage of the new offer of free community college, they’ve got to get Algebra I, Algebra II and geometry,” Gutridge said. Tutor Clay Hilliard, a biomedical engineering student at UT, said students have to believe that they can solve problems and learn difficult new material. “Students give up on themselves too quickly. ... I try to figure out what they are not understanding.” Students and teachers describe the program as a community success story. Nelson, an Algebra I student, said, “At first, it was hard. Ms. Young would explain the concept, and then I would do the work. And then, I had to wait for her to get to everyone else before I could ask my question. “When Clay came and could explain it, it made it easy to understand,” Nelson said. Wayne, another student, added: “It is a good thing to have more people helping, especially in a big class.” Lawyer said the tutors have increased students’ confidence by building relationships and modeling persistence, even if you make a mistake. Algebra 1 teacher Joshua Fields said the tutors have been very helpful. “The tutors put another voice in the classroom from the teacher’s perspective to help students grasp the concepts. They bring another set of hands to help when one student is asking about one thing and another student asks about something else.” Info: Kelly Norrell, 865-806-0132.
Emerald Youth Fellows select colleges, train for the future Twelve urban high school seniors identified as likely innovators and public servants of the future are preparing for graduation and exciting new, adult roles. The group is the 2014 Emerald Youth Fellows, tapped by an EYF selection committee in November. As they finish making college decisions, they are looking forward to becoming freshmen in the fall. But that isn’t all. Working with community leaders as mentors, this third class of EY Fellows is already taking leadership classes. Topics include money management, interviewing skills, Christian community development, and more. As EY Fellows, they belong to an elite group chosen yearly because of their leadership abilities and commitment to the community. The goal is to grow stellar urban leaders of the future, said Cedric Jackson, director of EY Fellows. Many of the members of the first two classes of EY Fellows are now students in colleges which include two out of state universities and more than 10 colleges and universities in Tennessee. Jackson said the Fellows program equips urban students to become well rounded and succeed at challenges they typically face in college, including rigorous academics, managing their money and dealing with cultural diversity.
Recently, the group spent a morning at Home Federal Bank for a money management seminar led by Jonathan Mayfield, a commercial real estate loan officer. Another day they attended a session on interviewing skills led by Duane Setzer, president of Blue Ridge Restaurants. Other training has included a day at the Alex Haley Farm in Clinton, where they participated in a seminar called “Race, Culture, Privilege and Identity Training.” Another seminar, “Eight Key Principles of Christian Community Development,” focused on an approach to rebuild poor neighborhoods. In one of their most exciting activities, on June 17, the Fellows will travel to Chicago to spend five days at Lawndale Community Church, a renowned urban mission in a poverty-stricken area. They will meet with church staff and the Lawndale Community Association, and with Noel Castellanos, director of the Christian Community Development Association. The 2014 EY Fellows are: Brittani Whiteside, Ian Copeland, Lemerakle Ford, Edward Jones II, Katoia Lee and Delicia Ragland, Fulton High School; Alicia Lewis, Jaylan Rorex, Mikiah Webb, James Nelson and Lannette Harris, Austin East High School; and Cheyenne Lloyd, Powell High School. Info: Kelly Norrell, 865-806-0132.
EY Fellows attending a seminar on race, culture and identity at Alex Haley Farm in Clinton in February were (back) Katoia Lee, Lamerakle Ford, Ian Copeland, Lannette Harris, Edward Jones, Cheyenne Lloyd; (front) James Nelson and Jaylan Rorex.
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