South Knox Shopper-News 030916

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SOUTH KNOX VOL. 42 NO. 10 1

BUZZ ‘Shrek Jr.’ at SDMS “Shrek Jr., the musical� will be performed by the Cherokee Singers at 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday, March 10-11, at the South-Doyle Middle School auditorium. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for school-age kids and students. Souvenir Shrek Ears will be sold for $5.

Ed and Bob target Fountain City Ed and Bob’s next Night Out will be in Fountain City. Knox County’s at-large commissioners Ed Brantley and Bob Thomas will be at Sam & Andy’s at 2613 West Adair Dr. just off of North Broadway from 5-7 p.m. Tuesday, March 22. All residents are invited to discuss concerns.

History awards The East Tennessee Historical Society (ETHS) invites nominations from across East Tennessee for Awards of Excellence in the field of history. The annual awards recognize individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to the preservation, promotion, programming and interpretation of the region’s history. The postmark deadline for award applications is April 8. Info/nomination form: 2158824; eastTNhistory.org; East Tennessee Historical Society, PO Box 1629, Knoxville, TN 37901.

March 1 election winners, losers Sandra Clark makes the case for winners and losers who were not on the March 1 ballot: Winners: Tim Hutchison, Tim Burchett, Scott Moore. Losers: Gov. Bill Haslam, Laurens Tullock.

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Read Clark on page 5

OMG, I won! Jennifer Owen got so many votes in her race for an open seat on the school board that she surprised even herself.

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Read Betty Bean on page 5

Teacher of the year Cynthia Thornburg has had many professions over the years, but she knew she needed to be a teacher after being asked to tutor a friend’s students years ago. Now she’s been named teacher of the year at Mt. Olive.

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Read Sara Barrett on page 8

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March July 29, 9, 2013 2016

Adams finds inspiring work at ETTAC By Betsy Pickle Mary Thom Adams has just taken over the reins of the East Tennessee Technology Access Center, but already she’s set to leave for Havana. Figuratively speaking. ETTAC’s first fundraiser since Adams joined as executive director on Feb. 8 is the center’s fifth “A Night in Old Havana,� a fun event featuring authentic Cuban cuisine, a Latin dance showcase, a casino, a high spirits bar, cigars, coffee and dessert. The “Night� will be 6:30-10 p.m. Saturday, March 19, at the Lighthouse Knoxville Event Center, 6800 Baum Drive. “And for those who need to see March Madness, they also will be able to do that,� says Adams. ETTAC is a change from Ijams Nature Center, where Adams worked the past five years. She served as development director and assistant executive director there. Though just a 10-minute drive from each other, Ijams has Mary Thom Adams, new executive director of the East Tennessee Technology Access Center, right, chats with Joel Simmons, “the face of ETTAC.� Photo been in the spotlight as a main by Betsy Pickle

player in the Urban Wilderness initiative, while ETTAC has lived a quiet existence since 2010 on tiny Childress Street, just off Chapman Highway between Martin Mill Pike and Moody Avenue. Founded in 1988, ETTAC is a nonprofit agency that connects people with disabilities to assistive technology devices that help them live more independently and with dignity. It serves 24 counties in East Tennessee. Adams first learned of ETTAC while working as a consultant to nonprofits. It was one of her clients. “I thought the work that they did was really phenomenal,� she says. When she heard in late November that the center was looking for a new director, she put her name out there. “I loved my job at Ijams, so this was a surprise to me in many ways,� she says. “But I really wantTo page 3

Interim leaders step up at South-Doyle By Betsy Pickle Knox County Schools has established an interim administrative team to guide South-Doyle High School while principal Tim Berry and assistant principal, athletic director and head football coach Sherry Smith Clark Duncan are on administrative leave. Assistant principal Sherry

Smith, who has been with Knox County Schools since July 2012, has been appointed acting principal. Daryl Chandler, sixth-grade principal at South-Doyle Middle School, will put in dual service at SDMS and SDHS through the end of the school year. He has been with KCS since April 1984. Gibbs High School assistant principal Scott Reed, who has been with KCS since August 2004, has been reassigned to SouthDoyle as an assistant principal.

Robby Howard, a math teacher at South-Doyle who has been with KCS since August 1980, is acting athletic director at SDHS until further notice. Knox County Schools placed Berry and Duncan on administrative leave with pay in early February “pending further investigation into allegations of failure to perform essential responsibilities and duties associated with� their positions, according to KCS. Assistant football coach Justin McCarter, who also served as an

instructional aide, resigned days before Berry and Duncan were put on leave. Berry, a Loudon County native, spent 21 years as a teacher and administrator in Loudon County before joining KCS in July 2011. Duncan, a native of Unicoi County, has been with KCS since August 1981. He spent five years as a teacher/assistant football coach at Fulton High and 17 years as head coach at Powell before starting as SDHS head coach seven seasons ago.

SoKno gets beautification boost By Sandra Clark Honors and recognition keep on coming for South Knoxville. Keep Knoxville Beautiful has announced that its 2016-2017 Community of the Year will be South Knoxville, for which it is planning mulHorner tiple litter pickups, “Trash Runs� (fun runs combined with litter pickups), Goose Creek cleanups, a Tennessee River cleanup,

school visits, graffiti-abatement efforts and “Beautification Mobs.� The organization will focus many of its beautification efforts on South Knoxville while still acting as a resource to other areas of the city and county. The new executive director is Patience Melnik. The organization held its 34th awards dinner March 1. Keep Knoxville Beautiful has renamed the Evergreen Award to the Mary Lou Horner Beautification Award, given this year to the Knoxville Museum of Art. The award recognizes a former

orchid winner whose property has been beautifully maintained for at least 10 years since its original recognition. The late Mary Lou Horner, a longtime county commissioner, was a founding member of Keep Knoxville Beautiful and its biggest champion. Other winners are: ■New Architecture: Contemporary Women’s Health ■Redesign/Reuse: Oakwood Senior Living Center and White Lily Flats ■Restaurant/Cafe/Bar/Brewery: Babalu

â– Public Art Project: Bringing Tap Back Water Refill Stations â– Outdoor Space: Sansom Sports Complex and Town of Farragut Outdoor Classroom â– Environmental Stewardship: WROL Building The East Tennessee Community Design Center judged the awards. Attendees enjoyed music by the Old City Buskers. The event was sponsored by WUOT, Pilot Flying J, Bojangles, Lamar Advertising, the Knoxville Hilton and the Knoxville TVA Employees Credit Union.

KPD chaplains help officers stay strong By Wendy Smith

Officer Keith Lyon, a 23-year veteran of the Knoxville Police Department, witnesses violence and trauma on a regular basis, like all other experienced officers. But he leaned most heavily on the KPD Chaplain Corps when his infant son had brain surgery in 2001. He met Thomas Cook when the chaplain rode along with Lyon during his volunteer shift. Over the next year, Cook always rode with Lyon, and their time together became an outlet for the officer. “I had to be strong at home,� explains Lyon. The primary purpose of the KPD chaplain program is to be a source of support and encouragement to police officers, says chap-

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KPD Chaplain Mike Buckley talks to Officer James Hunley outside the Safety Building at 800 Howard Baker Jr. Blvd. Buckley, an associate minister at the Laurel Church of Christ, was trained as a chaplain in 2015. Photo by Wendy Smith

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lain coordinator Pam Neal. They counsel and pray with officers who have been involved in tragedies, and accompany them when they make death notifications. The chaplains also offer support to the community during a crisis, like the December 2014 school bus crash that killed two students and a teacher’s aide. But their main task is serving officers. Lyon also utilized the chaplain corps when he arrived at Inskip Elementary School after principal Elisa Luna and assistant principal Amy Brace were shot. He held Luna’s hand until medical help arrived.

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2 • MARCH 9, 2016 • Shopper news

health & lifestyles

Surviving spring allergies He assures that using different types of testing results in forming the best treatment plan for allergy sufferers.

While the sunshine is refreshing, one thing that the spring season brings is not welcomed – allergies. Allergies are perhaps one of the most under diagnosed problems in America today, and in East Tennessee in particular. When looking at the yearly published lists of the worst allergy cities in the United States, invariably, many of the top cities will be in East Tennessee. While allergies in our area are common, appropriate diagnosis and treatment of them is no easy task. It is important to identify what is causing an allergic reaction to develop effective allergy management and in many cases, patients are not receiving the best treatment. “There are many people who have been tested and treated with shot therapy for 10 to 15 years who are still suffering from symptoms,” states Fort Sanders Regional ear, nose and throat physician Mark Gurley.

Allergy symptoms

■ Fatigue - Although most people do not realize it, fatigue is one of the most common symptoms of allergies and often results in diminished Fort Sanders Regional ear, nose and throat physicians Dr. Mark Gurley, Dr. William Merwin, Dr. Clyde Mathison and Dr. Leonacademic or work perforard Brown work to manage patient’s allergies on a case by case basis to discover effective treatments for each individual. mance. ■ Itching or Rash ■ Runny Nose – Clear nasal drainage is a RAST test. eventually recognize the offending allergen common report with allergies. ■ Intra-Dermal is a less common as a normal part of the environment, rather ■ Restless sleep patterns – Dust or feath- form of allergy testing where a small than as an attacking entity. er allergies can flare up due amount of the suspected allergen is placed ■ Antihistamines: Histamines are just to the exposure to an allergen just beneath the patient’s skin. The skin one of many substances released during an in your bed. is then examined for any reactions. This allergic reaction. They are usually associat■ Itchy, watery eyes test is more sensitive than either RAST or ed with swelling, redness and itching. Anti■ Gastrointestinal dis- multi-test. histamines prevent or counter the release tress – Allergies can cause ■ IDT (intra-dermal titration) is and effects of histamines. nausea, irritable bowel symp- where an actual level of response to an al■ Steroids: Steroids are administered toms or diarrhea. lergen is obtained, similar to RAST, but the in many different forms. Topical steroids patient is directly tested with a suspected are creams used on the skin to reduce itchTypes of testing allergen as described in the intra-dermal ing, redness and rashes. Nasal steroids are ■ RAST is a safe, simple method. This is arguably the most accurate administered in a nose spray and are used to blood test with no risk of al- method of diagnosing inhaled allergies, the decrease irritation and reaction in the nose lergen exposure to the pa- kind most commonly associated with upper and ears. Inhaled steroids are administered through an inhaler or nebulizer to reduce intient. All testing is done in respiratory symptoms. flammation and reactions in the lungs. Sysa laboratory where the patemic steroids are given by injection, mouth tient’s blood is exposed to Allergy treatments different allergens. ■ Avoidance: In some instances avoid- or intravenously and are usually reserved for ■ Multi-test is a com- ance of the offending allergen may be all recalcitrant or severe allergic reactions. If you are suffering from allergies and mon test performed by plac- that is needed. In all allergy cases, avoidDo some old-fashioned spring cleaning. The ing drops of allergen serum ance is recommended. need treatment from an ear, nose and throat lack of fresh air during the winter allows dust to on the patient’s skin and ■ Allergy Desensitization: Shots, physician, visit your primary care doctor and collect in corners and closets. exposing the patient with a sub-lingual drops or other methods of grad- ask for a referral. For more information small skin prick. This test ual exposure of the patient to the allergens about ENT physicians at Fort Sanders Make your bed an allergy-free zone. Use the is equal in sensitivity to the to which they react. This allows the body to Regional visit www.fsregional.com

Preparing for

SPRING

ALLERGIES!

10 Tips to Help You Combat Sniffles this Season

hot cycle to wash your bedding and, if you are severely allergic, buy special allergen-proof pillows, mattresses and box springs that have tight fabric weaves to keep out dust mites.

Wash towels and linens in hot water.

Use the air conditioner when you’re in a car. Riding with the windows down lets allergens blow into the vehicle.

Don’t smoke, and insist that smokers in your household smoke outside the house and car. If you or someone you know wants to quit smoking, visit covenanthealth.com/stopsmoking

Consider designating certain rooms in your house as “pet-free” areas where you can breathe easily.

Buy throw rugs even if you have carpeted rooms. Throw rugs will help the carpet stay allergen free.

Minimize clutter in order to minimize the dust in your house.

Buy a dehumidifier. Dust mites don’t do well in humidity below 45 percent.

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Install new air filters or invest in an air purifier.

Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon races set for April 2-3 Mark your calendars for the 2016 Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon events – and lace up your running shoes! The races are set for Saturday, April 2 (5K race and the popular Covenant Kids Run) and Sunday, April 3 (half-marathon, 2- and 4-person relays, and full marathon). The Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon has grown to become the largest competitive road race in East Tennessee. As in previous years, all races will have an exciting finish on the 50-yard line inside Neyland Stadium. For many, it is the thrill of seeing themselves on the JumboTron as they cross the finish line that inspires them to participate in the events. But the best reward may be what runners gain by the entire experience, according to Tony Spezia, president and CEO of Covenant Health.

“We can point with pride to many people who have been motivated by the marathon to start exercising and to improve their health,” Spezia said. “The event raises public awareness of the importance of physical fitness and supports our organization’s mission to improve the health and quality of life in our community.” Proceeds from the marathon benefit the Knoxville Track Club’s youth athletic program as well as Covenant’s Patricia Neal Rehabilitation Center Innovative Recreation Cooperative (IRC), which encourages people with disabilities to pursue leisure and sports activities. To learn more or to register, go to www.knoxvillemarathon.com. Covenant Health employees may get 50 percent off the registration fee by using the entry code COVENANT2016.

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community

SOUTH KNOX Shopper news • MARCH 9, 2016 • 3

Work at ETTAC

From page 1

ed to do this work. I wanted of it, so I set my sights on to be involved in this orga- learning to be a fundraiser.� nization and to support the She spent 10 years as develpeople that ETTAC helps. I opment director at the Highreally wanted to do this. I’m lander Center. very glad I did. I’m inspired She says fundraising is every day.� “about building relationAdams says she’s still ships, honest relationships learning about her job. – ones that have depth. And “One of the things that about understanding who was going to give me great the person is that you’re pleasure about this work working with. You’ve got to is the amount that I will know where their heart is. learn,� she says. “It’s just like any other “What I bring to the table relationship of importance is that I’m an administra- and depth – it’s meeting tor. I understand how non- them where they are and beprofits work. I understand ing willing to give of yourhow to manage them. And self as well.� I know how to raise money. Adams was happy to help And that’s the part that I bring improvements for If you’re thinking pink and green, you’re thinking Dogwood Trails. At Stanley’s Greenhouse to make bows that will decorate mail- can bring here that they people with disabilities to boxes along Dogwood Trails are Pat Shivers and Ann Graf of Lakemoor Hills; Vicki Baumgartner, program manager for Dogwood need.� Ijams, and to witness the Arts Trails and Gardens; Beth Wolf of Deane Hill; Nancy Campbell of Island Home Park; Lloyd King, Trails chairman; Jim Richards, Adams majored in Eng- work of ETTAC is “remarkexecutive director of the Knoxville Botanical Gardens; and Dianne Forry of the Chapman Highway Garden Club. Photos by Betsy Pickle lish at Warren Wilson Col- able.� lege in Asheville, N.C., but The staff can take a child says, “I knew from a very born with severe disabilities young age that I wanted to and teach that child “to use raise money for organiza- a finger or just a minimal tions.� movement to learn to comHer father, Frank Ad- municate, to be outside a The Appalachian Moun- hosting the Professional Trailams, was the director of the body that isn’t working, and tain Bike Club knows what’s Builders Association’s naHighlander Center, first in to have a life.� what when it comes to tional conference, and AMBC Knoxville and then in Jef“To get to work with peomountain-biking trails. So members were encouraged to ferson County, so she was ple who know how to do that it’s only natural that the lo- attend a social event with the familiar with nonprofits. and to support them, that’s cal office of the American group on Monday. “I thought that money was an honor.� Diabetes Association would On Saturday, AMBC is the place that I could make “A Night in Old Havana� turn to them for help in having a workday at Baker an impact. I saw organiza- tickets are $25. To purplanning a very special trail Creek Preserve, formerly retions struggle so much with chase, call ETTAC, 219ride. ferred to as the Wood Propmoney, not having enough 0137, or visit ettac.org erty, on Taylor Road. The trail-builders group always gifts its conference host city with a “legacy trail project,� and it chose to connect Bak- Luke Grieve of Fountain City Pedaler and Wendi Mullins of the Betsy er Creek Preserve to South- American Diabetes Association – whose businesses are neigh■Bells Campground Baptist Church Easter Event, 10 a.m.-noon Pickle Doyle Middle School with bors on Old Broadway – chat after the AMBC meeting. Saturday, March 26, 7816 Bells Campground Road. Includes: skits, a trail that includes a small singing, craft, an egg hunt for ages 0-fifth grade, refreshments bridge over Baker Creek. and door prizes. Info: 947-6254. In addition to augment■Big Ridge State Park Easter egg hunt, Saturday, March 26. Rain For the 25th anniversa- ing the trail system, the land Home Avenue will The city is still negotiator shine. Schedule: 10 a.m., 2 years old and younger; 10:30 a.m., ry of the Tour de Cure, the project will create a safe wrap up by late spring or ing with Regal Entertain3-4 years old; 1 p.m. 5-7 years old; 1:30 p.m., 8-10 years old. Bring early summer. Utility lines ment Group on the purchase association is planning a walkway for students. your basket. Prizes; Easter Bunny. Meet at the Park office. Info: have been buried, and now multi-sport “tour.� Wendi AMBC will polish off the of the tower at the old Bap992-5523. Mullins, the local associ- work on the trail and make that the poles have been tist Hospital site. The build■First Farragut United Methodist Easter Eggstravaganza, 3 ate director, came to the other preparations for the removed work on the river- ing is being refaced. p.m. Saturday, March 20. Birth to fifth grade. Free. First Farragut walk can begin. AMBC’s February meeting upcoming springtime openUMC, 12733 Kingston Pike. She said the roadway will at Sweet P’s Downtown Dive ing of Baker Creek Preserve. be in good shape in time for to plug the event and recruit On Wednesday, March some riders with vision to 23, Sweet P’s Downtown the Knoxville Marathon on April 3. help define the trail ride. Dive will offer a special Work on the sidewalks at Mullins said this year’s meal from 4 p.m. on and Tour will include four ad- donate part of the charge for Suttree Landing Park and Waterfront Drive has been ventures: mountain biking, each meal to AMBC. delayed by wet weather, paddling/kayaking, a trail On Sunday, May 15,

run or guided hike, and the AMBC will take part in the but it will be done by sum mer. The park’s concrete traditional road race. The city’s second Open Streets bleachers and the riverwalk mountain-bike portion will event on Central Avenue. should be done by fall. be at Ijams Nature Center. *6JJ <.77#3 ! 11= The Arts & Culture AlliThe Tour de Cure will take ■Waterfront C>>-C?>) H C>>-C$J) ance and the South Knoxplace June 11. update **J4 , 72 3 GI 5E<= - , 66 2 6J 72 ville Foundation are partAnother event the AMBC )>>-$$$6 H )>>-$4?? B 66 2 6672 Dawn Michelle Foster, di- nering to guide aesthetics at is looking forward to is Wild the park. rector of the city’s Offi ce of Knoxville, the reincarna2#H. 3<#=B E< 3B035H: 52 The city is finalizing tion of the 4-year-old Out- Redevelopment, is a familiar door Knox Fest, which is face at Old Sevier Commu- plans on the Sevier Avenue set for Saturday, May 7. The nity Group meetings thanks Streetscape project to submain event area is World’s to her oversight of the South mit to the Tennessee DeFair Park, but there will be Waterfront redevelopment. partment of Transportation. group greenway rides, kay- Sometimes she has to deal There are some issues with ak demonstrations on the with hot grilling, but her lat- fire hydrants and parking. Foster said it would be riverfront, and rides and est visit seemed not to generat least three years before trail running in the Urban ate any flames. Foster provided an up- the roundabout at Sevier Wilderness. The festival will have mer- date on several aspects of Avenue and Foggy Bottom chandise, food and brews the wide-ranging project. would be finished, but WaShe said the River’s Edge terfront Drive will be finfrom local purveyors. "DJ:::::::::::::::::"*:JJ 3 1E!#= <3.B = ,5<.=5 BE= This week, Knoxville is apartment complex on Is- ished this summer.

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KPD chaplains “That kind of thing, especially when it’s a young lady, makes you angry,� he says. Retired KPD Captain Gerald King and FBI chaplain Jake Popejoy were asked by Knoxville Police Chief Phil Keith to create the chaplain program in 1993, and the first class completed its training in 1994. Three of the 18 original chaplains still serve − King, Glenn Sullivan and Bob Cowles. Chaplains are credentialed by the International Conference of Police Chaplains. Volunteers must have a minimum of five years of ministry or counseling experience and complete a 60-hour training academy. The program is non-denominational. Chaplains commit to being on call for one 24-hour shift per month and completing a four-hour ride along with a police officer. King likes to ride with an officer when he’s on call. Before Keith started the

From page 1 program, the KPD had one chaplain whose role was mostly ceremonial. King remembers making a death notification as a young officer. “There was no one to walk with you through the devastation you may have witnessed.� Police officers experience trauma similar to combat when they respond to car accidents or violent crimes, he says. He’s glad that KPD officers have support during traumatic situations, and he’s happy to provide it. “For me, it’s a very rewarding time. I love on the guys, work alongside them, let them know I care.� Sometimes, what officers need most is for chaplains to provide spiritual support to grieving families or victims of crime. “When you think about it, they’re not just helping families. They’re allowing officers to continue to do what they need to do,� Neal

says. She calls the KPD Chaplain Program one of Knoxville’s best-kept secrets. “It benefits the entire city.� Even police officers need help sometimes, and chaplains make an officer’s job easier, says Lyon. “People think we’re robotic − not human. We’re flesh and blood, like everyone else. We need time to decompress.� The KPD is currently recruiting new chaplains. Info: 740-7716 or chaplain@ knoxvilletn.gov

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4 • MARCH 9, 2016 • Shopper news

Trupovnieks: Roots, Vol memories, Rhonda His father, Janis, was born in rural Latvia in 1919. In an upset of tradition, he was allowed to leave the family farm at age 12 for advanced study and a chance at a better life. He beat long odds and was admitted for university pre-med. When World War II broke out, Latvia was caught in the Marvin middle. Germans threatWest ened but the Soviet Union occupied his country. When ordered into that army, Janis fled, 300 miles on foot The former Tennessee through Lithuania and Potackle, largest director of land, then as a stowaway on the UT lettermen’s club, is a small freighter across the in the midst of a satisfy- Baltic Sea to Germany. ing career in international He was caught but his sales. He has come far from medical training saved his Hopedale, Ohio, but that life. He was assigned to field trip does not compare to his hospitals. roots. When Hitler’s Germany

I have been remiss in holding back the Jani Trupovnieks story. Last week was a start but, borrowing from song, film and politicians, “You ain’t seen nothin’ yet.�

fell, Janis became a displaced person. He boarded a crowded train for GÜttingen with the idea of finally becoming a full-fledged doctor. All along the way, thousands of other refugees tried to climb aboard, even when the train was moving. Janis Trupovnieks, standing in a coach doorway, held on with one hand and reached the other out to clasp the hand of a young woman. He pulled Ingeborge Matilda Altmann aboard. She was from East Germany, on her way to be a Red Cross nurse. She never made it. Gottingen orphanages needed nurses. Three days later, she accepted Janis’ marriage proposal.

“I recently found the manifest showing their passage into the United States, at Ellis Island,� said Jani. “My father had made arrangements for them to stay with a Latvian couple in Quincy, Ill.� The young doctor did an internship in Cleveland. He heard about an opportunity in Hopedale. He stayed there all his working life. He became a legend of kindness, for giving back, for caring even for those who couldn’t pay. Young Jani grew tall and strong. He was going to play college football at Notre Dame (father’s choice) or Pittsburgh, 45 minutes away, mom’s preference. Alas, the Pitt coaches moved to Tennessee. Jim

Dyar turned Jani into a Volunteer. “Jim Dyar was and always will be the greatest influence in my life. Jim was a fantastic coach and recruiter, but an even better man.� Jani’s parents moved to Knoxville to see him play for the famous John Majors. Phillip Fulmer was line coach. Trupovnieks was injured as a junior. He started as a senior. Without meaning to, he helped Reggie White refine his swim move in daily practices. Trupovnieks, James Berry, Bill Bates and other teammates endured the opening 44-0 loss to Georgia and the 43-7 loss to Southern Cal but eventually made it to the Garden State Bowl. Highlight of his time at Tennessee came before that, in the summer of ’79.

He and other Vols were on Cherokee Lake, in a friend’s boat, “admiring the shore scenery and not paying a lot of attention to what was in front of us.� Jani heard a scream but it was too late. The boat struck a raft. Rhonda Brimer was aboard. “Once we made sure she was OK, I got her in the boat, begging her not to sue me. After that, I never let her out of my sight. “I really impressed her on our first date. It was quarter beer night at a Knoxville baseball game.� OK, so Jani crashing into Rhonda’s float as an introduction to an eventual marriage wasn’t as good as his dad helping Ingeborge Matilda Altmann onto the train but it’s the best I can do for now. Marvin West invites reader reaction. His address is westwest6@netzero.com

Proactive planning safeguards neighborhoods Anyone who’s ever wondered how an auto repair shop or an apartment complex could spring up next to a subdivision of singlefamily homes (and that’s everyone who pays attention) should understand sector plans. Sector plans are born after Metropolitan Planning Commission staff collects information like current land use, population, transportation and utilities for a chunk of the city or county. Then, using public feedback, they come up with 15-year plan to guide growth. After it’s adopted, they use it to make decisions about what should be allowed where. Things change, so sector plans get updated regularly. Once again, citizens are encouraged to participate. It’s a good process, except for the fact that every month, developers request sector plan changes that will

Wendy Smith

allow them to rezone property so they can build what they want. There are six requested sector plan changes on this week’s MPC agenda, and staff recommends approval on all but one. County Commissioner John Schoonmaker, a former chair of the Knox County Board of Zoning Appeals, always has eye on the MPC agenda. Each month, he makes a report to the Council of West Knox County Homeowners on agenda items that may be of interest. He thinks sector plan changes are becoming more frequent because most eas-

ily developable land is gone, which encourages developers to build on less appropriate sites. MPC Executive Director Gerald Green has an idea that could reduce the number of sector plan changes. Developers could leave those oddball greenfields alone and use underutilized commercial land instead. Green chatted about development while driving down Broadway, where there are numerous examples of under-developed commercial properties. Some are small buildings with large parking lots, others are simply unattractive. “That’s our challenge – to use what’s not completely developed.� Developers like to start from scratch, so they’d prefer to rezone empty land, if it’s easy. It takes a community that stands firm on rezoning to get them to con-

sider existing commercial property, he says. That shift in perspective can be slow, but Green witnessed such a change while serving as a city planner in Asheville in the 1990s. The city examined the requirements for rezoning to commercial use, and evaluated property along major corridors. They found that the land was worth more than the buildings, which encouraged redevelopment. To bring about a similar shift in Knoxville, the community needs to attend planning meetings and talk to elected officials about taking a firm stance against rezoning to commercial. MPC staff wants to hear from the public, too. “They’d rather talk to (residents) than see their plans overturned,� Green says. Another idea is to use neighborhood plans rather

than sector plans to guide development. Neighborhood plans allow citizens to work together to decide how they want an area to look and put necessary development guidelines in place. The Bearden Village Opportunities Plan and the BroadwayCentral-Emory Place Small Area Plan are examples within the city. The county doesn’t have any existing neighborhood plans.

Guiding development is hard because it requires a proactive, rather than reactive, approach. It doesn’t work to fight development that’s already underway. Residents who want to limit commercial development in their backyard need to get involved today. MPC meets at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 10, in the Large Assembly Room at the City County Building.

QUOTABLES ■Hillary Clinton, asked if she’s ever told a lie, said she tries not to. “She’s no George Washington,� said Powell guy Bill Vaughan. ■Sam McKenzie, nearing the end of his term on County Commission, voted against everything associated with a new Gibbs Middle School. Most votes were 9-1. ■Ed Brantley just didn’t want to give a tax break to the

Tombras Group to buy the old KUB building downtown. His was the sole no vote, triggering a comment from McKenzie: “It’s a lonely feeling, isn’t it, Ed?� ■Donald Trump says his hand size doesn’t mean he’s lacking in other anatomical areas. “You just can’t watch these GOP debates with small children,� said a blogger. –S. Clark

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Shopper news • MARCH 9, 2016 • 5

Owen’s big win surprises even herself No one was more surprised by the margin of Jennifer Owen’s victory over Grant Standefer in the District 2 school board race than Jennifer Owen. “Going into Election Day, I was torn between ‘I might win by a little bit, or I might lose by a little bit,’� Owen said. “When the polls closed, I had people Jennifer Owen at each location who got the totals and were texting them to me, and I was just shocked. I won every one of them, and thought. ‘Surely that’s not right.’� Owen went to Shannondale School at closing time, expecting to be wiped out, since that’s Standefer’s and incumbent Tracie Sanger’s home precinct. Sanger campaigned for Standefer.

Betty Bean “I looked at the Shannondale numbers and said, ‘Wow! I’m winning every precinct!’� So how did she pull off the biggest upset of the campaign season against an opponent who probably had seven times the money plus the endorsement of the daily newspaper and the support of Knoxville’s elite? These were the same advantages Sanger enjoyed when she was elected two years ago over Jamie Rowe. Owen said she believes the effects of the Sanger/ Rowe race and Sanger’s performance as a board member played a role in this year’s win. “A lot of people really thought Jamie was going to

win her race, so they didn’t work very hard for her. That mistake may have helped me more than we will ever know. People who are never involved were asking how to help. I think there was a lot of, ‘We screwed up last time and it can’t happen again.’ Owen credits Standefer for running a very civil campaign. “He was supported by the same people who supported Sanger, and even though he had a very different personality, I was still running against that same big money. I totally believe things would have been a whole lot meaner if I’d been running against Sanger. Maybe (Standefer) made me a nicer candidate. He’s a really nice guy, even though he didn’t have a clue about the issues. His niceness may have helped me.� Owen is a former teacher who has deep subject matter knowledge of education

issues. She designed her own direct mail and spent around $7,000, which she believes was far too much. She also believes Standefer’s money wasn’t spent wisely: “I have a post office box, and I kept getting Grant’s mailers at my house and at the box. It was ‘Oh, there’s another one!’ From the first day, I got two. I was wondering ‘Can nobody sort out this database?’ They should have taken out my name and the names of people they knew were supporting me. And they should have been taking out the early voters, but they didn’t take out anybody. It was very wasteful. “I kept thinking, ‘How is this marketing company doing all this?’ All I can assume is the more they spend, the more they get. They wasted money on me, because I wasn’t going to change my vote.�

The good ol’ boys are back Let’s review local winners and losers on March 1. Winners have to include former Sheriff Tim Hutchison. He stepped out for Donald Trump when nobody else would. Trump’s Tennessee win puts Hutchison in the spotlight and he will make the most of it. Tim Burchett called Bud Armstrong his friend three times in a 30-second TV spot. Bud rolled over the well-funded Nathan Rowell on his way to a second term as county law director. Scott Moore (and his father-in-law John Whitehead) survived efforts by Jim Weaver to link Whitehead to Moore and the Black Wednesday shenanigans. Whitehead’s win, though

Sandra Clark

narrow, will clear the way for Moore to resume leadership roles in GOP politics. A notable loser was Commissioner Jeff Ownby who polled under 16 percent as an incumbent seeking re-election. Ownby ignored suggestions that he step down after his arrest for misdeeds in a public park. Gov. Bill Haslam didn’t help Marco Rubio with his late endorsement (half of the primary voters had already

Teachers and their allies are quickly taking over the Knox County Board of Education. After September, only two of the five board members who voted to extend Superintendent Dr. Jim McIntyre’s contract and then voted to give him a quarter-milliondollar buyout will remain. Ironically, many of the people who support an appointed superintendent are appalled. But without an election for superintendent, the only way teachers or others can register an opinion ■Looking ahead is through the school board Victor Ashe will be at- elections. And, as non-partisan, tending the GOP convention in Cleveland, putting a district elections without Shopper columnist on the party primaries, the path is clear for teachers to win. convention floor. voted in early voting), leaving politicos wondering why Haslam didn’t just sit it out. And how can Haslam’s own poll numbers remain so strong when he’s clearly out of step with voters on many key issues? The biggest loser, however, is Laurens Tullock. His email soliciting funds for Nathan Rowell, Grant Standefer and Buddy Pelot netted considerable cash but no winners, although Pelot will advance to an August runoff with Susan Horn.

Trailbuilders in Knoxville this week This week, Knoxville is hosting a week-long national conference – the Sustainable Trails Conference – for the Professional TrailBuilders Association. The conference offers trail professionals the opportunity to build skills, discover the best tools and techniques available in the industry and network with others. “This amazing city is quickly becoming a trail mecca for hikers and mountain bikers alike,� said PTBA executive director Michael Passo on selecting Knoxville for the conference. “The amazing publicprivate partnership that helped create the Urban Wilderness is unlike any we have found in other great trail cities.� The PTBA also is announcing a new partnership program called the “Lega-

cy Trail,� which will leave Knoxville with a sustainably and professionally built trail segment connecting South-Doyle Middle School to an adjacent neighborhood and the Urban Wilderness. The major portion of the trail building will take place Thursday, March 10, and Friday, March 11, as part of the conference. The Legacy Trail is being built following last week’s announcement from the Legacy Parks Foundation to name and develop the 100acre property that had been donated by the Wood family in 2013, which will now be known as Baker Creek Preserve. Construction began on the property last week for the competition-style downhill mountain bike trail. It’s being funded by the $100,000 Bell Helmets

grant awarded to the Appalachian Mountain Bike Club last year after a nationwide competition. It adds to the seven additional trails also under construction funded by a $200,000 RTP grant to DeAnn Bogus Legacy Parks from the state company. of Tennessee. Prior to Bechtel, she “It’s great to see increasing momentum for the Ur- worked for Lenoir City as a ban Wilderness and our certified building inspector. She will report to Peter reputation as an outdoor tourism city,� said Mayor Ahrens, director of Plans Madeline Rogero. “We’re Review and Inspections. He said one of her first grateful to Legacy Parks and projects will be managing everyone involved for their part in enhancing the Urban and improving the current form districts section of the Wilderness.� zoning code. These are land development regulations focused Rogero also announced on physical form as comthe hiring of DeAnn Bogus pared to joint use. Knoxas deputy director for the ville’s South Waterfront and city’s Plans Review and In- Cumberland Avenue project areas are both based on spections Department. Since 2008, Bogus has form-based code.

City hires inspector

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government Lord, send us a sign Team Rogero still has not erected any signs pointing the way to the new Blount Knox greenway from Buck Karnes Bridge to Marine Park next to the naval station adjacent to Alcoa Highway. City spokesperson Eric Vreeland months ago said signs would be installed, but apparently the memo directing this has not been received. There was great fanfare when this greenway was officially opened but not much follow up. The Rogero Administration has had a tardy record in building greenways including the one along First Creek and Broadway which was promised by the mayor in her first budget message some four years ago. One has to wonder what is really happening in the greenway program. ■State Sen. Dolores Gresham has introduced legislation to alter the makeup of the UT Board of Trustees by reducing its size and dividing the appointments between the two speakers, currently Ron Ramsey and Beth Harwell, and the governor. The current board and Gov. Bill Haslam oppose the legislation and it may not pass. However, its introduction does focus attention on the current board and its role in running the university. Sen. Gresham is a retired lieutenant colonel and an active lawmaker. Much of the criticism of the board – which include Knoxvillians Raja Jubran, Charles Anderson and Sharon Pryse – has been the board’s refusal to hear public discussion on the Lady Vols name change despite 25,000 signatures on a petition. Other points include little discussion or deliberation at the actual board meetings which are not shown on public television as the Legislature is. Gov. Haslam chairs the board by election of the board. He is a board member by law and appoints the trustees. Haslam does not regularly attend and Jubran as vice chair then chairs the

Victor Ashe

meetings. There needs to be more actual discussion of items on the agenda at regular board meetings. The board can change many of the points of criticism if it chooses to do so. Otherwise, there will be more annual attempts to alter the board’s makeup. Hopefully, board members will be more proactive than they have been in the past. ■The Legislature has named the new high school being built at the Tennessee School for the Deaf for Alan Mealka, the recently retired superintendent. ■State Sen. Brian Kelsey and state Rep. Mary Littleton have introduced legislation to have a special election to fill any vacancy in the U.S. Senate from Tennessee. This would not often come into play as Tennessee has only had two vacancies in the U.S. Senate since 1960. The first was Estes Kefauver who died in office and then Albert Gore Jr. resigned to become vice president in 1993. Kefauver was replaced by Hub Walters of Morristown and Gore was followed by Harlan Mathews. Under this legislation, the governor will still appoint a new senator but he/ she would only serve until the special statewide election was held. Vacancies in Congress are now filled by special election and this bill would extend that practice to the U.S. Senate. ■Knoxville-based Tennessee Clean Water Network headed by Renee Hoyos has criticized the state Department of Environment and Conservation for cutting the issuance of enforcement orders by 90 percent since 2007. An explanation has not been forthcoming.

Potholes!

The city’s Public Service Department is heading into “pothole season� with 129 service requests pending since January. The city’s policy is to address service requests for pothole repairs within 48 hours during the business week. This is in addition to regularly scheduled road inspections in which potholes are patched. To report a pothole, just call the 311 city information line or submit a report on 311’s web page at knoxvilletn.gov/ pothole. Last year, the city spent more than $200,000 completing repairs with an estimate of 1,800 potholes patched.

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d n a Showandtell at Sherrill Hills

SENIOR NOTES â– South Knox Senior Center 6729 Martel Lane 573-5843 knoxcounty.org/seniors Monday-Friday 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m.

By Sandra Clark

Offerings include: dulcimer and guitar lessons; arts and crafts classes; dance classes; exercise programs; Tai Chi; card games; Joymakers practice; free swim 7:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Monday-Friday. Senior Meals program noon each Wednesday and Friday. AARP Taxaide free income tax preparation and electronic filing available Mondays through April 14; appointment: 521-5569. ■South Knox Community Center 522 Old Maryville Pike 573-3575 Monday-Friday Offerings include a variety of senior programs. ■John T. O’Connor Senior Center 611 Winona St. 523-1135 knoxseniors.org/oconnor. html Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Offerings include: Card games, billiards, senior fitness, computer classes, bingo, blood pressure checks 10:30-11:30 a.m. MondayFriday. Free tax preparation available 9 a.m. Wednesdays through April 13. Register for: Lunch and Learn: “Aging and your Oral Health, noon Monday, March 14; register by March 10. ■CAC Office on Aging 2247 Western Ave. 524-2786 knoxooa@knoxseniors. org ■Knox County Senior Services City County Building 400 Main St., Suite 615 215-4044 Monday-Friday

For “show and tellâ€? at Sherrill Hills Retirement Community, several residents displayed their artwork. It was varied and quite impressive. And then there was the potato jewelry ‌ Marty Sanders originated the event last year. A retired teacher, Sanders has lived in nine states and overseas. Her specialty is embroidery, a craft she’s enjoyed since she was a kid. She displayed 12 framed pieces – one for each month of the year – and said she changes them on her door each month. Each features a flower. Growing up in Detroit, Sanders vacationed with family in the Smokies where she “fell in love with the mountains.â€? Her husband’s career in the U.S. Air Force took them to several states and abroad. After retirement, they spent winters at an RV camp in South Texas. The camp had a carpentry shop, ceramics with a kiln, wood carving and quilting. At the first of March, before folks went home, they held a show and tell. “I knew (at Sherrill Hills) people were doing lots of things. There’s nothing in the show for sale. We just wanted to show each other how we spend our time and what we enjoy doing.â€? Evelyn Smith retired to Knoxville to be near family. Originally from Missouri, her family moved a lot because of her husband’s work. They raised three boys. “I’ve always been involved in art,â€? she says. Her work ranges from velvet painting (think Elvis) to theorem painting using

patterns of Mylar. She’s also got cross-stitch and blocks she cut with a handsaw. Her prize piece, however, is a quilt in perfect geometric designs. Harold Hahn displayed wood carving, a hobby he’s practiced over 15 years. “It’s extremely time consuming,� he said. “You need to be retired!� Hahn carves a bit in his room at Sherrill Hills, saying it’s not a messy hobby. Originally from Pennsyl-

vania, Hahn worked as an architect while raising four sons. He says Christmas is fun because he makes a special carving for each one. He’s especially proud of his carving of the Hahn family crest. “We’re German.� More next week.

The Hahn family crest

Smith’s geometric quilt Evelyn Smith’s repertoire is varied.

Marty Sanders organized the show.

Sanders’ embroidery

Harold Hahn shows his carvings.

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SOUTH KNOX Shopper news • MARCH 9, 2016 • 7

St. Mark UMC celebrates By Carol Z. Shane There were smiles, hugs, good food and a festive mood when St. Mark United Methodist Church on Northshore Drive celebrated its 60th anniversary on Feb. 28. Church members old and new – some who had grown up there – gathered together for lighthearted fellowship and fun. “We are a joyful and fun-loving church,� said Sue Biggerstaff, a member since 1971. “Laughter is always within these walls.� Biggerstaff was one of several church members recognized during the service, which featured a sermon by former St. Mark pastor the Rev. Larry Carroll, who served the church from 1986-1991. Financial minister Carroll Hewit, who retires this year after serving, in her words, “for decades,� was honored with a plaque and grateful thanks from current minister the Rev. Kenny Faught and the congregation. Dave Stott, who’s raised three sons in the church since he joined 26 years ago, spoke of how active SMUMC is in the community. “Over the last 10 years, we’ve donated $200,000 to the FISH food pantry through a golf tournament that one of our members sponsors,� he said. Among other organizations receiving support from St. Mark are Knox Area Rescue Ministries, Habitat for Human-

Looking back – moving forward Do you have eyes, and fail to see? Do you have ears, and fail to hear? And do you not remember? (Mark 8: 18 NRSV) Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. – George Santayana The word remember apSeveral longtime St. Mark United Methodist Church members have raised their families there. Pic- pears 115 times in the King tured are (back) David Biggerstaff, the Rev. Kenny Faught, Lucas and Josh Biggerstaff, Fred Carter, James Version of the Bible, Bryan Biggerstaff; (front) Kelly, Dan and Sue Biggerstaff and Mary Ruth Carter. Photos by Carol Z. Shane an indication that maybe memory is important! I admit that until I began to consider the importance of the concept, I had failed to see the full import of the word. If dismember means to take apart, then logically, to re-member must mean putting back together. And that is exactly what we do when we remember. We re-call, re-think, re-see, re-consider, and re-understand a comment or a quote Financial minister Carroll or even an event or a scene. Hewit, (at right) who is retiring Some memories are hapthis year, has served the church py and healing. Others are “for decades,� she says. With Burchard Jones joined the church in 1957. He’s shown with his sad and depressing. But all daughter Kathy Robertson. Photo by Larry Mauldin her is the Rev. Kenny Faught. memories are part and parpetit fours. Displays set up people,� she said in her cel of who we are, who we ity and Wesley House. After the service, church around the room chroni- remarks to the congrega- have become over the span members moved to the fel- cled the history of St. Mark tion. “We, like our spiritual of years we have lived. And, lowship hall where several through photos and memo- ancestor Israel, are always it seems to me, the longer moving, growing, changing, we live, the better our perlong tables groaned with rabilia. spective on those memories. As the church’s historian, becoming. delicacies such as ham bisLooking back, I remem“We are here to serve cuits, sandwiches and lots Sue Biggerstaff has cataof sweets, including home- logued a lot of that memo- God’s people through the ber things I wish I had not done. I remember words made cookies and colorful rabilia. “We are a pilgrim name of Jesus Christ.�

School/church partnership impacts students

Lynn Pitts

I wish I had not said. But those things are irretrievable, irreversible. I can’t un-say, or un-do, or even un-think those things. All I can do is learn to do better. To remember more carefully what I need to remember. To let go more quickly the things that I need to let go. So, when Jesus said “Remember me,� he was saying two things to his followers: Don’t forget what I have taught you, and remember what you have seen and heard. Those words still apply to his disciples – us! Remember him. Remember what you have learned. Keep him whole in your heart and mind.

COMMUNITY NOTES â– Colonial Village Neighborhood Association. Info: Terry Caruthers, 579-5702, t_caruthers@hotmail.com. â– Knoxville Chapter of the Tennessee Firearms Association meets 6 p.m. each first Tuesday, Gondolier Italian Restaurant, Chapman Highway, 7644 Mountain Grove Drive. The public is invited. Info: Liston Matthews, 316-6486.

By Carolyn Evans A local church is doing its part to help students have academic success. After a group of volunteers from Two Rivers Church adopted a nearby elementary school, the school saw standardized test scores go up. Two Rivers Church members work with students at Eaton Elementary School, located just four miles from the church, and have for many years. Church members do all sorts of things: tutor, mentor, sponsor coat and shoe drives, bring school supplies and provide food boxes for the needy at Easter, Christmas and Thanksgiving. The mentoring program is through a national group called Kids Hope USA. When church member Jan Barton left her job, she knew she wanted to be a part of the efforts. She became a mentor at Eaton through Kids Hope in 2009, and she began working an hour each week with a child who needed encouragement. Some children need help with their school work, and some just need an adult friend with whom to talk. “It’s about these kids having somebody who believes in them, having somebody cheer them on,� Barton says. “The relationships to me are just really rich. The children look forward to the mentors coming every week. I don’t have any children of my own, but I joke that I have 25 children out there at Eaton.� The Kids Hope program at Eaton is one of about 19 from Murfreesboro to Mountain City – all partnerships between schools and churches. Barton became the director of the Kids Hope chapter that serves Eaton a couple of years ago, and there are now 25 volunteers who work there each week. “The motto is ‘One child, one hour, one school, one church,’� she says. Although new mentors are needed sporadically throughout the year, the biggest need is in August. Volunteers take a threehour class and undergo a

Cross Currents

■Knoxville Tri-County Lions Club meets 7 p.m. each second and fourth Monday, Connie’s Kitchen, 10231 Chapman Highway, Seymour. Info: facebook.com/ TriCountyLions/info. ■Lake Forest Neighborhood Association. Info: Molly Gilbert, 209-1820 or mollygilbert@yahoo.com.

â– Lindbergh Forest Neighborhood Association meets 6:30 p.m. each third Wednesday, Graystone Presbyterian Church, 139 Woodlawn Pike. Info: Kelley DeLuca, 660-4728, kelleydeluca@gmail.com. â– Old Sevier Community Group meets 7 p.m. each third Thursday, South Knoxville Elementary School library, 801 Sevier Ave. Info: Gary E. Deitsch, 573-7355 or garyedeitsch@bellsouth.net.

â– South of the River Democrats (9th District) meet 6:30 p.m. each third Monday, South Knoxville Community Center, 522 Maryville Pike. Info: Debbie Helsley, 7898875, or Brandon Hamilton, 809-3685. â– South Woodlawn Neighborhood Association. Info: Shelley Conklin, 686-6789.

â– South Haven Neighborhood Association meets 10 a.m. each third Saturday, Hillcrest UMC, 1615 Price Ave. Info: Pat Harmon, 591-3958.

â– South-Doyle Neighborhood Association meets 7 p.m. each first Tuesday, Stock Creek Baptist Church fellowship hall, 8106 Martin Mill Pike. Info: Mark Mugford, 609-9226 or marksidea@aol. com.

â– South Knox Republican Club meets 7 p.m. each third Thursday, South Knox Optimist Club, 6135 Moore Road. Kevin Teeters, kev inteeters018@gmail.com.

â– Vestal Community Organization meets 6 p.m. each second Monday, South Knoxville Community Center, 522 Maryville Pike. Info: Katherine Johnson, 566-1198.

HEALTH NOTES Two Rivers pastor David Gruhn helps an Eaton Elementary School student at a coat drive.

■“Caring & Coping� Caregiving Conference, 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 29, Rothchild Conference Center, 8807 Kingston Pike. Presented by Alzheimer’s Tennessee. Info/registration: 544-6288 or alzTennessee.org. ■PK Hope Is Alive Parkinson Support Group of East Tennessee meeting, 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, March 15, Kern UMC

Family Life Center, 451 East Tennessee Ave., Oak Ridge. Speaker: Margaret Keele, physical therapist with Park West. Info: pkhopeisalive.org; Karen Sampsell, 482-4867; pk_hopeisalive@bellsouth. net. â– Peninsula Lighthouse Group of Families Anonymous meetings, 6:15-7:15 p.m. each Tuesday, 1451 Dow-

ell Springs Blvd. Newcomers welcome; no dues/fees; no sign-up; first names only. Info: Barbara L., 696-6606 or PeninsulaFA2@aol.com. â– UT Hospice Adult Grief Support Group meeting, 5-6:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 15, UT Hospice office, 2270 Sutherland Ave. A light supper is served. Info/reservation: Brenda Fletcher, 544-6277.

When Ethan Wallace attended Eaton Elementary School, Jan Barton of Two Rivers was his mentor. They still stay in touch today.

background check. Barton still has a relationship with the first student she ever mentored. He was in second grade when they first met and is now finishing middle school. They still have lunch together once a week, and Barton and her husband, Chris, even go to his basketball games and sometimes take him to movies. Eaton principal Ashley Talley says the school benefits from the commitment of Two Rivers and its members. “We feel richly blessed by Two Rivers Church and

their continuous striving to support our community,â€? says Talley. “They support our school in many avenues and touch not only our students, but our staff as well. The Kids Hope mentoring program is just one way they love our school. Our students receive an extra supportive adult who is invested in their lives both academically and in their overall well-being. “I’ve been witness to the transformation brought by this amazing program ‌, and it’s extremely impactful.â€?

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kids Thornburg is Mount Olive’s teacher of the year Cynthia Thornburg has had many professions over the years, but she knew she needed to be a teacher after being asked to tutor a friend’s students years ago.

Sara Barrett “She was teaching third grade at Norwood, and as I was tutoring these kids they were saying, ‘Wow, I get it!’ and I knew then it’s what I wanted to do,” says Thornburg. She went back to school to earn her teaching certification. Fast forward several years, and Thornburg has been named teacher of the year at Mount Olive Elementary School. She has her own fourth-grade class and says teaching students is the easiest part of her job. “If I give them things to explore and things to keep them busy, I don’t have behavioral problems in here,” she says. “The challenge is fitting in everything they are required to learn nowadays.” Some of Thornburg’s favorite lesson plans include Fresh Bread Fridays during which her students learn fractions by measuring ingredients for the classroom’s bread machine. “They get to taste it, too, so if it tastes bad, well, that’s part of the experience.” “Education is the great equalizer,” says Thornburg. “If you have an education in anything, it levels the playing

field. I’ve had students say they want to get a job working construction with their parents and I tell them to go to college for two years after high school and they can own the construction company.” Thornburg says seeing what interests her students and what they grasp in the classroom always interests her. “Sometimes, these are brandnew children when Thornburg they come into class in the morning,” she says. “Sometimes a whole lot has happened to them since they left school the day before. And that’s OK. Every day is a new day.”

8 • MARCH 9, 2016 • SOUTH KNOX Shopper news

Cooking and photography in 4-H By Sara Barrett Fourth-grade 4-H members at South Knoxville Elementary School displayed their cooking and photography talents last week during one of the club’s regular competitions held throughout the school year. Guest judge and 4-H Guest 4-H judge Lydia McCurdy member Lydia McCurdy discusses an upcoming talent talked to students about competition with students. their entries and shared tips for the next talent competition. For the cooking category, students brought the recipe they used and three samples of the finished product. McCurdy said students’ baking would be judged on whether all three samples were uniform, if they were cooked thoroughly on the inside and how easily they crumble. McCurdy put contestants at ease, though, when she shared her own Guest judge Lydia McCurdy experiences in the same and Kaylee Galyon discuss the competition when she was subject of Kaylee’s photogra- in the fourth grade. phy entry: her dog, Cooper.

“I dropped my muffins, so it’s OK if yours have crumbled a bit,” she said with a smile. Contestant Danielle Lowe said she made corn muffins because she can’t make biscuits. Peanut butter cookies are her favorite recipe, and she enjoys cooking because it is very fun and very messy. Contestant Makayla Clark made Mexican muffins for her entry and said she’s been baking at home with her mom for a long time. Makayla’s favorite recipes are cakes, but she chose to make her mom’s muffins for the contest because they taste so good. Makayla and Danielle tied for first place. Kaylee Galyon submitted a photo of her dog, Cooper. “I like him a lot,” says Kaylee. “I was going to do one on my Elf on the Shelf, Jingle, but I don’t have

By Ruth White

Shopper s t n e V enews

Send items to news@ShopperNewsNow.com

THROUGH SUNDAY, MARCH 13 Knoxville Children’s Theatre presents “To Kill A Mockingbird,” 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/tickets: 2083677; knoxvillechildrenstheatre.com; info@ childrenstheatreknoxville.com.

THROUGH SUNDAY, MARCH 20

Christenberry Elementary teacher Jennifer Stewart was recognized as the Knox County Elementary Teacher of the Year at the recent banquet to honor c o u nt y w i d e award winStewart ners. Stewart has been with KCS for four years and believes that every child has the po-

AARP Driver Safety class, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Fort Sanders Senior Center, 1220 W. Main St., Sevierville. Info/registration: Carolyn Rambo, 382-5822.

THURSDAY, MARCH 10 Appalachian family square dance, 8 p.m., Laurel Theater, 1538 Laurel Ave. Sponsored by Knoxville Square Dance. Music by The Hellgramites. Callers: Leo Collins, Stan Sharp and Ruth Simmons. No experience necessary. Admission: $7, $5 students and JCA members. Info: jubileearts.org. CAC AmeriCorps Opportunity Fair, 1-5 p.m., John T. O’Connor Senior Center, 611 Winona St. For students/adults ages 18-25 interested in a year of national service. Positions include: Great Smoky Mountain National Park, Ijams Nature Center, city of Knoxville, University of Tennessee and more. “Ready, Set, Sow: Don’t Jump the Gun,” Humana Guidance Center, 4438 Western Ave. Presented by Master Gardener Barb O’Neil. Free and open to the public. Info: 329-8892.

THURSDAY-FRIDAY, MARCH 10-11 AARP Driver Safety class, 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., Karns Senior Center, 8032 Oak Ridge Highway. Info/ registration: Carolyn Rambo, 382-5822.

THROUGH FRIDAY, APRIL 15

THURSDAY-SUNDAY, MARCH 10-13

Selected works by artist Kay List on exhibit, Envision Art Gallery, 4050 Sutherland Ave. Hours: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Friday. Info: kaylistart.com; envisionartgallery.com; 438-4154.

The Downtown Knoxville Boat Show, Knoxville Convention Center, 701 Henley St. Doors open: 2-9 p.m. Thursday; noon-9 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. Admission: $9, children under 10 free. Info/schedule: downtownknoxvilleboatshow.com or on Facebook.

Clarence Brown Theatre: Season For Youth Student Matinees, 9:30 a.m., Ula Love Carousel Theatre, UT campus. Performance of “A Lesson Before Dying.” Recommended for mature middle schoolers and up. Info: clarencebrowntheatre/season-for-youth. The Foothills Craft Guild JuryFest. Membership applicants must reside in Tennessee, and crafts must be of original design produced within the past two years. Info: foothillscraftguild.org; Bob Klassen, klassenbob0619@gmail.com, or Ken Shipley, shipleyk@apsu.edu. “Getting Your House in Order” seminar, 2-3 p.m., Turkey Creek Medical Center, 10820 Parkside Drive, classroom #1. Free; registration required. Info/ registration: 1-855-TENNOVA (836-6682) or Tennova. com. “The Legacy and Challenge of Suffrage: Votes for Women in Tennessee” Brown Bag Lecture, noon, East Tennessee History Center, 601 S. Gay St. Speaker: Wanda Sobieski. Free and open to the public. Info: 215-8824 or EastTNHistory.org.

enough photos of him. He destroyed my gingerbread house at Christmastime because I didn’t clean my room.” Kaylee also received first place.

tential to learn and holds the capacity to grow, experiment, achieve, think and reason. She was commended by a colleague for her extraordinary character and leadership qualities, devotion to teaching students and unselfish service to others. Each semester Stewart devotes a week of afterschool workshops called “Open Art Studio” and staff members are able to come and create a clay work of art, in a fun and relaxing environment.

WEDNESDAY-THURSDAY, MARCH 9-10 SATURDAY, MARCH 12

Tennessee Stage Company New Play Festival, Theatre Knoxville Downtown, 319 N. Gay St. Performances: 8 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays, 3 p.m. Sundays. Info/tickets: 546-4280.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 9

Barrett

Stewart named Knox County Elementary Teacher of the Year

Kane vs. Dr. Seuss

WWE superstar Kane reads Dr. Seuss’s first book, “And To Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street,” to fourth- and fifth-graders at New Hopewell Elementary School in honor of the beloved writer’s birthday. Seuss died in 1991, a year before Kane (aka Glenn Jacobs) made his wrestling debut. The school had several guest readers, but Kane was the only three-time world and 12-time world tag-team champion wrestler. Kane was happy to provide his services: “Green eggs and ham are good for everybody, is what I understand.” Photo by Betsy Pickle

Danielle Lowe and Makayla Clark anxiously await the judge’s opinion of their homemade goods. Photos by S.

FRIDAY, MARCH 11 Clarence Brown Theatre: Season For Youth Student Matinees, 9:30 a.m., Ula Love Carousel Theatre, UT campus. Performance of “A Lesson Before Dying.” Recommended for mature middle schoolers and up. Info: clarencebrowntheatre/season-for-youth. Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Fair, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Knox County Health Department Community Room, 140 Dameron Ave. Info: Katheryne Nix, Katheryne.nix@knoxcounty.org or 215-5170. The Gibson Brothers and Lonesome River Band, 7 p.m., Bijou Theatre, 803 S. Gay St. Info/tickets: 684-1200; Tennessee Theatre box office; all Ticketmaster outlets; KnoxBijou.com.

SATURDAY, MARCH 12 Knoxville Symphony Orchestra and The 5th Dimension in concert, 8 p.m., Civic Auditorium, 500 Howard Baker Jr. Ave. Tickets start at $35. Info/tickets: knoxvillesymphony.com.

Cinderella Project of TN Glam Day, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., St. John Nuemann School Gym, 625 St. John Court. Open to all high school girls who are in need of the perfect prom dress. All dresses first come, first served. No fees or soliciting. Info: Kelly DuCote, 304-1090 or Kjducote23@outlook.com; Leea DeWitte, 941-224-5520. The Freight Hoppers Old-Time String Band, 8 p.m., Laurel Theater, 1538 Laurel Ave. Rescheduled from Jan. 23. Tickets: $14, some discounts available. Info/tickets: www.jubileearts.org. Happy Travelers trip: Powell Playhouse production of “Harvey,” 2 p.m., Jubilee Banquet Hall, Callahan Road. Bus leaves North Acres Baptist Church, 12:45 p.m.; Expo Center, 1:15 p.m. Info/reservations: Derrell Frye, 938-8884 or 254-8884. Ijams Creative Series: Making a Gourd Birdhouse, 1-3 p.m., Ijams Nature Center, 2915 Island Home Ave. Ages 10 and up. Fee: $20; includes all materials. Info/registration: 577-4717, ext. 110. Kitten and cat adoption fair, noon-6 p.m., West Town PetSmart adoption center, 214 Morrell Road. Sponsored by Feral Feline Friends of East Tennessee. Info: www.feralfelinefriends.org. National Girl Scout Day, 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m., American Museum of Science and Energy, 300 S Tulane Ave., Oak Ridge. Free admission to AMSE and the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge for Girl Scouts in uniform and their families. Info: 576-3200 or amse.org. “Pruning Roses” hands-on workshop, 10:30 a.m.-noon, All Saints Catholic Church, 620 N. Cedar Bluff Road. Presented by Master Gardeners Carolyn Kiser, Carolyn Noey and Marsha Lehman. Bring pruners, gloves and kneeling pads. Info: knoxcountymastergardener.org or 215-2340. Saturday Stories and Songs: Brianna Hanson, 11 a.m., Cedar Bluff Branch Library, 9045 Cross Park Drive. Info: 470-7033. Scavenger Hunt, Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Cost: $50/team. Proceeds benefit Great Smoky Mountain Institute at Tremont. Info/registration: 4486709; gsmit.org/hunt.html. The Smoky Mountains Songwriters Festival featuring Darryl Worley, 8 p.m., Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort, 2525 Dreammore Way. Info/tickets: SMSWF.com or 604-9066.

SATURDAY-SUNDAY, MARCH 12-13 “Raw Material” – Living Art workshop, 3-5 p.m., Emporium Annex Studio, 100 S. Gay St. Info: circlemoderndance.com.

SUNDAY, MARCH 13 Clarence Brown Theatre: Sunday Symposium with Dr. Michelle D. Commander, 2 p.m., Ula Love Carousel Theatre, UT campus. Post-performance discussion on “A Lesson Before Dying” and its themes. Info: clarencebrowntheatre.com. Sing Out Knoxville folk singing circle, 7-9 p.m., Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church, 2931 Kingston Pike. Open to everyone.

weekender

Shopper news • MARCH 9, 2016 • 9

Symphony League to host Ginny McCormack

Knoxville’s Dragonfly Aerial Arts Studio will present its fifth annual “Circus Extravaganza� this weekend. Shown are Jill Scheidt, Maria McGuire, Lissa McLeod, Amber Winters, Christy Muecke and David Stewart. Photo submitted

Knoxville’s hometown circus By Carol Z. Shane “He flies through the air with the greatest of ease – that daring young man on the flying trapeze!� Even if you don’t know the old song, you’ve undoubtedly seen aerial artists. These days the skill encompasses not only trapeze, but silks – long, colorful banners that hang from on high and support “flying� acrobats in dizzying routines. Now’s your chance to see local artists display aerial grace when Dragonfly Aer-

ial Arts Studio presents its fifth annual “Circus Extravaganza.� Billed on its website as “Knoxville’s Hometown Circus,� the studio annually presents the big show in order to fund educational efforts throughout the year. According to instructor Jill Scheidt, audiences can expect “a two-hour circus with an intermission. Our acts include trapeze, rope, three-dimensional cube, steel circle and ground acts such as unicycle, stilt walk-

ing, ribbon dancing and partner acrobatics. “The theme this year is a ‘Fantastical Journey.’ We will be asking our audiences to let their imaginations go crazy with our interpretation of giant-sized bugs, human-sized animal puppets, an enchanted tea party and more. This is a great experience that everyone in the family can enjoy.� Proceeds from the show go toward “Circus for Everyone,� a scholarship program enabling at-risk youth

to participate in classes and circus camps. Dragonfly has also worked with Boys and Girls Club, the Community Law Office’s “Summer at the CLO� youth program, Pond Gap Elementary School and Breakthrough Corporation of Knoxville, which provides programs for those on the autism spectrum. Activities at such events include not only aerial arts but juggling and stilt walking. “We try to provide circus arts for all who want to try,� says Scheidt.

The Knoxville Symphony League invites you to take part in “Spring Inspirations,� a luncheon featuring food columnist and Southern hospitality expert Ginny McCormack as guest speaker. Attendees will hear music by KSO concertmaster Gabriel Lefkowitz. “The KSO musicians and I are so, so grateful to have the wonderful ladies of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra League as some of our biggest supporters and fans!� Lefkowitz says. “Their incredible work keeps us doing what we do, bringing music to the communities of East Tennessee in concert halls, schools, libraries, hospitals, places of worship and more. We just couldn’t do it without them!� Joining Lefkowitz in a sampling of music from the upcoming Merchant & Gould Concertmaster Series “Gabriel Lefkowitz & Friends,� to be presented at the Knoxville Museum of Art April 6 and 7, is pianist Kevin Class, professor of collaborative piano at the University of Tennessee. The event begins at 10:30 a.m. on March 16 at Cherokee Country Club. Tickets: 765-1660. And adults get to play, too. “Most of what we do every day involves adult instruction. We have classes six days a week. We meet you where you are in terms of strength and fitness, and build upon that,� says Scheidt. “Overall we try to work with groups in any way we can. We can travel to another site or a group can come to us. We provide shows or lessons and work with individuals with whatever capabilities they have. If someone is interested they just need to email or give us a call, and we can work together to find a way to incorporate circus arts into their group activities.�

For this weekend’s event, she says, “we offer discounted tickets to various nonprofit groups.� The Dragonfly Aerial Arts Studio presents “Circus Extravaganza� at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 11, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 12, and 2 p.m. Sunday, March 13, at the Pellissippi State Community College location of the Clayton Performing Arts Center, 10915 Hardin Valley Road in Knoxville. Tickets/info: dragonflyaerialartsstudio.com or 865-609-2012 or dfaas11@ gmail.com Send story suggestions to news@ shoppernewsnow.com

Challenge yourself, celebrate park service By Betsy Pickle What would convince you to hike 100 miles? Money? The allure of the outdoors? A bet? Burning calories? How about a lapel pin or a patch? The National Park Service turns 100 this year, and to celebrate, parks across the country are challenging visitors to hike – or jog, ride (bikes or horses) or paddle – 100 miles by December. While some might consider the achievement their reward, others might like picking up some physical recognition at the culminating events in early December. Close at hand, Superintendent Cassius Cash of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park has issued the “Hike 100� challenge. If you log 100 miles on any of the Smokies’ maintained trails by Dec. 6, you can attend the Hike 100 Celebration on Thursday, Dec. 8, and receive a “Smokies Centennial Challenge – Hike 100� lapel pin. Big South Fork National

Beautiful Laurel Falls awaits visitors 1.3 miles from the trailhead. Photo by Betsy Pickle River and Recreation Area on the Cumberland Plateau is sponsoring the “Centennial Challenge: 100 Miles for 100 Years.� Participants can hike, ride and/or paddle. The park has 500 miles of multisystem trails in-

cluding more than 70 miles of the Big South Fork River and its tributaries. Those who complete 100 miles by Friday, Dec. 2, are eligible to receive a specially designed patch at the grand finale on Saturday, Dec. 3.

January and February were a little tricky for making outdoor plans, but now that the weather is improving, it should be easy to rack up miles in a Centennial Challenge. Being a common Ameri-

can couch potato, I am not by nature a hiker. However, I accidentally did a few hikes last year, all connected to writing stories, so when I read about the Smokies’ Hike 100, it struck me as doable – 10 miles per month for 10 months (February-November). Coming from a highly competitive family, I enjoy a challenge. And I’m a sucker for lapel pins. So I contacted a hiker friend, Cindy Spangler, who has hiked the entire length of the Appalachian Trail, and asked if she’d be interested in slowing her pace to go on some hikes with me. She thought it was such a great idea that she invited a whole bunch of people from her church, so there were eight of us who set out for Laurel Falls on the chilly morning of Feb. 20. Laurel Falls is considered one of the easiest hikes in the park. It’s paved, though the asphalt is broken and uneven in places, and it’s only 1.3 miles to the falls. By the time we reached the .2

mile marker, I was wondering if it would be too humiliating to ask for the car keys so I could go back and wait for everyone. For those of the sedentary persuasion, the incline is taxing. But I soldiered on, primarily because most of my comrades were several years older, and they showed no signs of strain. One woman with bad knees kindly brought up the rear with me. I stopped a few times – to take pictures, of course – but I finally made it, and the falls were beautiful. A light rain discouraged us from lingering, but it’s a trip I’d like to make again on a prettier day. The challenges are on an honor system. You can download mileage logs from the parks’ websites. I have only 97.4 miles to go. Info: http://www.nps. gov/grsm/planyour v isit/ gsmnp-hike-100.htm and http://www.nps.gov/biso/ learn/news/big-south-forkcentennial-challenge-100miles-for-100-years.htm.

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business News from Office of Register of Deeds

February brings early spring to local markets By Sherry Witt Coming on the heels of a rather typical beginning to 2016, local real estate and lending markets experienced an earlier than expected surge during the Sherry Witt month of February. The month produced 843 property transfers in Knox County, easily surpassing January’s total of 661, and besting last February’s number by more than 250. It was the largest number of February transfers since 2007. The total value of property sold during the month was just under $180 million, comparing quite favorably to last February when about $148 million was transferred. It must be noted that while the numbers are encouraging, they are still not back to February 2007 levels when the total value of transfers in

Knox County reached nearly $250 million. On the lending side, there was definitely good news as about $280 million was loaned in mortgages and refinancing. This figure was up from $220 million in January, and far outpaced last February’s total mortgage loan amount of $194 million. The largest property transfer of the month was the sale of a medical facility located at the intersection of Hall of Fame Drive and James White Parkway. The parcel was sold to MPA Imaging Associates for $4.5 million. The largest mortgage recorded was a loan for $28.6 million, financing a proposed development known as Aventine Northshore Apartments, located near the 9700 block of Northshore Drive. This new burst of activity reminds us that spring is indeed just around the corner, and with that in mind, I would like to wish each of you a very blessed Easter and Passover season.

10 • MARCH 9, 2016 • SOUTH KNOX Shopper news

News from the Rotary Guy

Two teens overseas as RYE students By Tom King Peter Shaffer is 7,901 miles from home in Taipei, Taiwan, while Forentin “Flo” Kunz is on the other side of the world, and he’s “only” 4,720 miles from Tom King home in Kotka, Finland. Here are a few similarities between these two: Both are from Knoxville. Both are Rotary Youth Exchange (RYE) students. Both will have been gone for a year this summer. Both could not speak the languages of their host countries. Both live with three host families during the Exchange. Both are sponsored by the Rotary Club of Farragut. Flo Kunz, 16, is the son of Christian and Brigitte Kunz and attends Webb School. Flo was born in Liechtenstein and has lived in Austria, Japan, New York and Tennessee. His native language is German. Prior to his year in Finland, he had visited Switzerland, Italy, Spain, The Netherlands, In-

dia, China, Vietnam, I ndone sia , Mexico, Canada and Hawaii. Peter, 18, is the son of Mark and C h r i s t i a n Peter Shaffer Shaffer of mmuni the Carter community in Knox County. unty. rter He attended Carter ol. High School. He’s learning Mandarin while in Taiwan and is an Eagle Scout and has worked at Camp p Buck Tom. These two young men are the only RYE students from Knoxville this year. It takes a special kind of student to leave home for a year, relocate to a foreign country with a different culture, and not speak that language. Rotary’s Youth Exchange program actually began with a few clubs in Europe in the 1920s. These European exchanges continued until World War II and resumed in 1946. In 1972, the RI Board of Directors agreed to recommend Youth

DeRoyal president takes early retirement to

join dad in business

By Betty Bean A few hours after 20-year-old Bill Pittman w a l k e d across the stage in D e c e m ber 1984 to claim his UT diploma (Marketing, with honors), he was Bill Pittman u np ac k i n g his sample bag in Columbus, Ohio, as the new regional sales representative for DeRoyal. He’d been hired four months earlier, on the day DeRoyal expanded its market access by signing its first national contract with the buying group HGA. He spent one more quarter finishing up his degree and learning the medical supply business under the watchful eye of DeRoyal founder Pete DeBusk, to whom he says he will be forever grateful “for taking a chance on a kid from North Knoxville.” He’s thinking a lot about those days as he prepares to retire from his position as DeRoyal president and chief operating officer at the end of March.

Young as he was when he started at DeRoyal, it wasn’t his first job. He’d grown up helping his father (who is also named Bill Pittman) in the vending machine business he ran during his offtime as a city firefighter. The younger Pittman worked his way through college at St. Mary’s Medical Center, first washing dishes and chauffeuring nuns under the watchful eye of Sister Mary Ethel O’Shaughnessy, then in materials management where he started learning about the medical device industry from a hospital’s point of view. “I was working night shift when the fellow I worked for said, ‘You need to meet Pete DeBusk.’ I said, ‘Sounds good,’ and then he told me he’d gotten me an interview the next morning at 8.” Researching the company on such short notice was impossible those preInternet days, but Pittman had a bit of an additional ‘in’ because his father had already met DeBusk at a facility opening in Maynardville and wrangled a promise of an interview for his son. DeBusk finished up the interview with what Pittman

calls “the assumptive close:” “He said, ‘I can’t tell you where you’re going to be, but you’re not going to be in Knoxville.’” Pittman had to remind DeBusk that he hadn’t quite finished school yet, so DeBusk instructed him to come out to the DeRoyal campus that afternoon to start learning the business from the ground up. Pittman spent his first day labeling products, his day second loading trucks. The next week he was on a sewing machine. At the end of fall quarter, he got his degree and hit the road for DeRoyal. “I really enjoyed Columbus, and learned a lot. My manager gave me real good piece of advice: ‘You see those blue signs with the white H? That’s where you pull off the road and try to sell something.’ We captured all the business with burn centers in the territory, and after four and a half years I was asked to move back to Knoxville to be a sales specialist in that area. Burn care became the wound care division. I saw some terrible burns, and to this day, I always remind people to turn their pot han-

Jones needs a home

Exchange to clubs worldw ide as a worthwhile international activity. Today, more than 8,000 Youth ExFlo Kunz c h a n g e students travel abroad each year to live and study in about 80 countries. Many of these students are Inbounds to the U.S. from other countries. Dr. Bill Nichols, a member of Farragut Rotary, is the District 6780 Outbound chair. He handles the nuts and bolts of all of the Outbound Exchange students in the district and works with the students and their families and their overseas hosts.

This year he has seven East Tennessee students abroad and already has eight lined up for next year. The students must be age 15 to 18 1/2 at the time of departure. “Rotary Youth Scholarships provided by Rotary clubs are valued at $24,000, which covers room, board, tuition and monthly stipend for a high school year abroad,” Nichols explains. “It’s a great deal for these students. The student’s family pays for airfare, insurance and some other fees. The Youth Exchange Scholarships are made possible by our overseas partners and local Rotary clubs.” Rotary also offers a shortterm, 2-month exchange between two families in separate countries. Info: Bill Nichols at 865567-1119 or www.rye6780. org Tom King is a retired newspaper editor, a 28-year Rotarian and past president of the Rotary Club of Farragut. He can be reached at tking535@gmail.com

Modern Woodmen contributes Residents and community organizations in eastern Tennessee received $969,175.91 in assistance through Mo de r n Wo o d m e n of America’s fraternal Ben Foote member benefits and outreach projects in 2015, according to recently released results from the fraternal financial services organization. These dollars support social, educational and volunteer activities in the region.

dles inward on the stove.” Pittman continued his upward progression by becoming DeRoyal’s first product manager. He enrolled in an in-house MBA program with Lincoln Memorial University DeBusk started for his employees, got his master’s and acquired seven ■ Sara Fulton has joined Summit Medical Group as director patents along the way. He of operations. Prior to joining was named president and Summit, Fulton served as vice COO in 2010, and would president of operations for have been happy to stay on TeamHealth. She previously the job for years to come, worked for 10 years with but has decided that it was Community Health Systems time to go to work with his in hospital and physician father at Pittman Properpractice administration and ties, a rental business they at the corporate office as started in North Knoxville regional director of medical that has grown to nearly 100 staff development. A graduate of Webb School, she holds single family homes and dua bachelor’s degree and MBA plexes from Fourth & Gill to from UT Knoxville. Fountain City. He knows he’ll miss De- ■ Glenn Leland is the chief growth officer for PriorRoyal, but he’s looking fority Ambulance, tasked with ward to spending time with overseeing the company’s his dad and seeing where national expansion. The they can take their business, Knoxville-based company, which he says is in “expanfounded in 2014, now opersion mode.” ates more than 250 emer“I’ll always be loyal to gency vehicles and employs DeRoyal, and first and foremore than 1,000 in six states. most to Pete, who expects a Leland began his EMS career lot out of people, but more of as an EMT and paramedic and himself,” Pittman said. “A lot was subsequently promoted of the good deeds Pete has into teaching, operations and done are common knowlmarketing leadership roles. He holds an MBA from Keledge. Many more are not.”

“I’m proud of what our local members have accomplished,” said Ben W. Foote, regional director with offices in Knoxville. “Their efforts really make an impact in our region.” Modern Woodmen members in the area are part of 76 chapters, 11 Summit chapters (for members 55 and older) and 46 youth service clubs. Service projects include collecting and donating items to local food banks, raising money to support individuals in need, beautifying local parks and helping repair homes for those less fortunate.

BIZ NOTES

logg School of Management at Northwestern University. ■ Home Federal Bank will accept nominations through March 25 for its sixth Hometown Heroes community service awards program, which to date has contributed $125,000 to nearly 40 area nonprofit organizations in honor of outstanding community volunteers. Potential honorees include those who mentor children, support seniors, advocate for the most vulnerable, care for animals, expand the region’s cultural opportunities, and serve in other ways to make East Tennessee a great place to live. Details and a nomination form are available at homefederalbanktn.com or at any of the bank’s 23 offices. ■ The Trucking Chef, the tour catering division of Knoxville Catering, announces newly won contracts to provide tour catering and backstage hospitality for Fall Out Boy and Florida Georgia Line on their 2016 tours.

Meet Jones! This sweet boy may not be a golden retriever but has a heart of gold! This lovable, crazy-haired goofball wants an active, dedicated owner to have fun adventures with running and hiking, or whatever activities that will keep him moving. Obedience training will help him adjust to family life. He will probably excel in something like agility! Jones is only 2-3 years old. He would prefer a home without small children and while he enjoys playing with some other dogs, he would also prefer to be an only dog where he can have the full attention of his owner as he learns what being part of a family means. Are you the person Jones has been waiting for?

Can’t Adopt? Sponsor a foster! For additional information check out:

www.heartlandgoldenrescue.org

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All donations are tax deductible. Heartland Golden Retriever Rescue is a 501(c)3 organization.

Shopper news • MARCH 9, 2016 • 11

12 • MARCH 9, 2016 • Shopper news

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