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VOL. 42 NO. 49 1
Holiday not Holida notes tes
■ Christmas in Chilhowee, 6-9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 9, Chilhowee Park and Exposition Center. Includes: forest of lighted trees floating on the lake, pictures with Santa, marshmallow roasting, hot cocoa, face painting, train rides and more. Info: knoxvilletn.gov/christmas. ■ Mabry-Hazen House Christmas tours, 5-8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10, and 2-5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11, 1711 Dandridge Ave. Free, but donations appreciated. Info: 522-8661 or mabryhazen.com. ■ Christmas in the City: Tour de Lights, Friday, Dec. 16, starts at Market Square. Judging, 6 p.m.; the bike ride, 7 p.m. Info: ibikeknx.com. ■ Holiday Festival of Lights at The Cove at Concord Park, 6-9 p.m. kicks off Friday, Dec. 16 and runs through Friday, Dec. 30, excluding Christmas Day. The Cove is located at 11808 S. Northshore Drive. Pets on leashes are welcome. The event is free, but Knox County will collect nonperishable food items for The Love Kitchen. ■ Volunteer Ministry Center’s annual holiday store, 1 p.m. through Dec. 21. New items and cash donations are requested for the store where clients of the ministry can “shop” with points earned through community service. Most needed are toys, craft sets, baby clothes, sports balls, cosmetic/perfume sets and small tool kits. Info: Gabe Cline at 524-3926, ext. 224 or vmcinc.org.
Pearl Harbor It is the date that lives “in infamy” – Dec. 7, 1941. Seventy-five years ago today, U.S. military facilities at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, were attacked and our nation was plunged into World War II. The war changed every aspect of life. Millions of Americans went into uniform and fought on land, sea and air – and nearly a half-million were lost. The Shopper News honors the memory of our “greatest generation,” the men and women who answered the call to defend our nation from dictatorship. – Sarah Frazier
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July 29, December 7, 2013 2016
Stanley’s makes merry at open house By Betsy Pickle The holiday bustle was merry and colorful at the Holiday Open House at Stanley’s Greenhouse on Sunday. Customers from across town and beyond dropped in looking for the perfect décor for the season. Poinsettias of every size and color imaginable filled the greenhouse, and they were unquestionably the most popular purchase of the day. “We could spend all day in here,” said Brenda Humphrey of Powell as she and husband Jerry rolled out with a cart of poinsettias. “It was very festive with the music and all.” Stanley’s provided a gorgeous spread of baked treats and punch, and the duo 3 Mile Smile – spouses Becki Grace on vocals and ukulele and Jeff Livingston on guitar – filled the air with holiday tunes. This was their second year playing at the open house, and they’ve already been booked for 2017. Customer Martha Kern looked happy as she made her way through the greenhouse. “This is my stress-free shopping,” she said. Alexis Niceley, looking around with husband Rush and children Josephine and Strong, said it was always a pleasure to come to Stanley’s. “I love the customer service and the quality and wide variety of the products,” said Niceley. “It’s truly a beautiful place to shop.”
Melody and Spencer Ratliff of North Knoxville check out miniature poinsettias during Stanley’s Greenhouse’s Holiday Open House. Spencer wanted mini poinsettias to go with his offerings at the holiday market on Market Square, and the Ratliffs also were buying their Christmas tree. Photos by Betsy Pickle
Siblings Strong, 2, and Josephine, 4, help themselves to holiday cookies – with the approval of their parents, Rush and Alexis Niceley, who were standing outside of camera range. The Fountain Citians were at Stanley’s with a large group of family and friends.
A zebra stands guard over the red beauties.
Stonewall II Apartment residents coping and starting over By Kelly Norrell Lynda Bowers’ first inkling of trouble in her Stonewall II Apartment building recently was the piercing noise of a fire alarm. Her cat, Tiny, bolted off the sofa and hid. Before Bowers could find the cat, a neighbor opened the door of her townhouse and pulled her out. “I was trying to get my little cat out and I couldn’t. I had to leave her. They had trouble getting me out, because I wanted to find her,” she said. The cat died in a fast-moving fire that swept through her 14-unit building at
5022 Chapman Highway around noon Nov. 21. But Bowers and the building’s other residents escaped injury. Twenty-three Knoxville townhouse dwellers displaced by the fire are gradually coping and becoming resettled. Erupting just before 11:45 that Monday morning, the fire raced through Building 100 and caused abrupt evacuation of residents and complete loss of their possessions. Three other buildings in the complex are unharmed.
Kristen Ellis, who lived in a townhouse unit with her fiancé and little sister, learned of the fire when her fiancé called her at work. “I raced home. I had to stop and park at Pilot because the traffic was so bad, and I ran to my apartment,” she said. Police blocked traffic on Chapman Highway at Stone Road for more than two hours. “When I got here, it was really bad. I don’t remember a lot of it because I was freaking To page 3
Smart growth increases tax yield, says expert By Sandra Clark Joe Minicozzi says we must look at land like a farmer does – analyze it for best production.
Analysis The architect and Harvardeducated urban designer was in town last week, talking with policy makers about land use. Through his consulting firm, Urban3 LLC, he’s created a 3-dimension computer model to explain the tax yield of property for those who hold the power to rezone it. “Be sure to ask the right questions,” he said. “In God we trust, all (others must) bring data.” Bad decisions lead to low-value development and the community is stuck, he said. Budd Cullom,
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ported by dancing 3-D bar graphs. Density rules in his model. And he said counties get the benefit of increased property taxes when their core cities redevelop, even though the counties invest little in the redevelopment. Minicozzi talked about his experiences as a founder of the Asheville Design Center and a consultant to Public Interest Projects. Asheville had downtown, multi-story buildings boarded up, while development stretched outward – big box stores and malls with huge parking lots. Politicians touted “growth,” but this was poor land use for two reasons: ■ The outward migration created demand for roads and infrastructure. “Roads are not an asset,” he said. Roads are a liability for which governments do not re-
serve replacement costs, and most are built with debt. ■ The best land use is vertical. Tax yield on a 10-story office building or apartment complex is significantly more per acre than tax yield on a sprawling Walmart with acres of paved parking. “When we started, Asheville’s downtown property was worth $100 million. We invested $26 million and raised the value to $500 million.” Several MPC commissioners including Rebecca Longmire, Art Clancy and Laura Cole attended, along with Knoxville council members and county commissioners. Takeaways: Ask the right questions; let the city/county finance directors sit in on zoning discussions; and advocate urban design guidelines with minimal parking.
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a partner in the development of the most recent Halls Walmart, was present and battled back. But that’s another story for another day. Minicozzi said Joe Minicozzi he once heard a Walmart real estate specialist tell a gathering of property assessors that Walmarts are built to last 15 years. “We depreciate it out and move.” Minicozzi flashed a screen shot of a cat. “The average Walmart lasts as long as your house cat – 15 years,” he said, letting the audience decide which brings greater personal satisfaction and community benefit. Essentially, Minicozzi brought an anti-sprawl message, sup-
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2 • DECEMBER 7, 2016 • Shopper news
health & lifestyles
A wise choice New parents are grateful for team approach at Fort Sanders Regional Wesley Minton sat in the waiting room at Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center wondering if he would go home as part of a family, as a single parent, or all alone. His wife was 36 weeks pregnant, hospitalized, and unconscious following a seizure. There was nothing he could do but wait and pray.
Thanks to the teamwork between Fort Sanders Regional and East Tennessee Children’s Hospital, the entire Minton family is happy and healthy.
Making a choice When Wesley and Emily Minton decided to start a family, there were plenty of great hospital choices for the delivery of their ďŹ rst baby. Emily, who is a nurse practitioner, says the partnership between Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center and East Tennessee Children’s Hospital was a major factor in the decision-making process. The two hospitals are located next door to each other and connected by a tunnel, so pediatric specialists have the fastest access to the littlest of patients. The Mintons’ hospital choice turned out to be more important than they ever could have imagined when Emily was airlifted to Fort Sanders Regional from their home in Claiborne County on a Saturday night in October.
in the waiting room as the minutes and hours crept by. There were also private moments when he waited at his wife’s bedside in the intensive care unit. Emily’s blood pressure began to lower, and she was eventually removed from a ventilator. Shortly afterward, she opened her eyes. “I knew I was in a hospital,â€? Emily says, “but I had no idea what had happened.â€? She was also aware that she was no longer pregnant, so the ďŹ rst question she asked was about her baby. She was ooded with relief to hear that her child was safe and sound on the other side of the tunnel, just across the street at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital. The mother and daughter had to remain hospitalized for a time, but while Emily was still a patient at Fort Sanders Regional, she was able to travel through the tunnel to hold her baby. Little Amelia stayed under the watchful care of Children’s Hospital for about a week, and then the Mintons were ďŹ nally able to start life as a family
An unexpected emergency Wesley says he walked into their bathroom to ďŹ nd Emily sick, suffering a seizure caused by eclampsia, a life threatening condition brought on by high blood pressure. He held her close and called her name repeatedly, but instead of responding she began to go into another seizure that was even worse, driving her whole body into convulsions. He called 911 and an ambulance quickly arrived, but before it could leave the driveway Emily was overtaken by a third seizure, and paramedics determined she needed to be own to Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center for immediate care. Her blood pressure was 262 over 175. “I knew the severity of the situation,â€? Wesley says. “I was just hoping Curtis Elam, MD one or both of them would make it.â€?
Obstetrician Curtis Elam, MD, was on call and waiting when the helicopter landed. Dr. Elam carefully explained to Wesley and extended family members what was happening and reassured the father-to-be that Emily was being well cared for. “He told me that the baby was alive, and they had to do some extensive tests on Emily,� Wesley says. “She was in very critical condition and they had to get her stabilized.� There was an MRI, more medication was administered to bring Emily’s blood pressure down, and preparations were made for an emergency C-section. Wesley was relieved when he learned his daughter had been safely delivered. He waited and prayed for his wife, who still lay unconscious in a hospital bed. Friends and relatives sat with him
A special partnership Emily Minton had worked at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital as a nurse and as a nurse practitioner, so she had ďŹ rsthand knowledge of the partnership between Fort Sanders Regional and East Tennessee Children’s Hospital. The two facilities have an open door policy, so there’s nothing to slow down the effort to provide immediate, specialized care to newborns who need it. When the decision was made to perform an emergency Csection, a team from Children’s quickly assembled and moved through the tunnel connecting the two hospitals, standing nearby as the procedure was performed at Fort Sanders Regional. Baby Amelia was immediately assessed by pediatric specialists and whisked away through the tunnel to the neonatal intensive care unit at Children’s.
While medical staff at Fort Sanders worked to stabilize Emily’s blood pressure, Wesley Minton was able to see his newborn daughter without traveling too far from where his wife was being treated. Later, the day after Amelia was born, Emily was able to travel the short distance indoors through the tunnel to meet her baby. “The whole team was extremely compassionate, and very attentive to our needs the whole time we were there,â€? Wesley says. “We couldn’t ask for a group of people to be any better to us.â€? Emily agrees, saying she would deďŹ nitely choose the Fort Sanders Regional and Children’s teams, if she had to do it all over again. To learn more about labor and delivery at Fort Sanders Regional, visit www.fsregional. com, and click the Services tab.
together.
Happy holidays at home Wesley says that through the care of doctors, nurses and specialists, his family has experienced a miracle. “Dr. Elam has a special place in our hearts,� he says. “And the team at Fort Sanders and Children’s went over and above in how accommodating they were.� The Mintons have every intention of making this holiday season their best ever, with more to be thankful for than ever before. “Oh, we absolutely are!� says Emily. “We’re so grateful and thankful and couldn’t have asked for anyone better than Dr. Elam and the whole staff at Fort Sanders Regional and Children’s.�
Pre-delivery classes available through Teddy Bear University As you or a loved one prepares to give birth, you may beneďŹ t from classes through Teddy Bear University in breastfeeding, breathing and birthing relaxation tips and infant and child CPR. All classes are held in the classrooms on the lobby level of Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center. Class schedules are available at http://www.covenanthealth.com/2016-fsr-schedule/. The following classes are offered: â– Breastfeeding – Learn breastfeeding basics including correct positioning, tips for returning to work and an overview of breast pumps. Fathers-to-be are encouraged to attend. â– Sibling Class – Siblings age 4 to 10 are welcome to attend Sibling Class, which promotes family bonding to help reduce jealous feelings. A tour of the birthing facility is also included in this class. â– Birth and Babies Today –This ďŹ ve-week series covers the variations of labor and birth, breathing techniques, tips for your support person and care for the new mom and baby. This class
is recommended for ďŹ rst-time parents starting in their sixth or seventh month and includes a facility tour. â– Super Saturday Class – The Birth and Babies Today class is condensed into one all-day Saturday class for women in their seventh or eighth month of pregnancy. This session is not recommended for ďŹ rsttime parents. â– Infant and Child CPR and Safety – American Heart Association certiďŹ ed instructors are on-site to teach parents and caregivers how to effectively perform CPR and removal of airway obstruction for infants and children.
All Teddy Bear University dates, times and fees are available at www.CovenantHealth.com/TeddyBearU or by calling (865) 673-FORT.
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community
SOUTH KNOX Shopper news • DECEMBER 7, 2016 • 3
Permaculture expands sustainability By Betsy Pickle
Jim Gray and David Bolt stand inside a tiny house on the grounds of the Sustainable Future Center, which is now focusing on permaculture. Designing tiny houses is one of Bolt’s many sidelines related to sustainable living. The opening to one “bedroom” is above the men’s heads. Photo by Betsy Pickle
Change is coming to 201 Ogle Ave. in downtown Vestal. Locals have already seen the sign: Sustainable Future has become Sustainable Future Center. The former solar-panel installation business is turning into something much bigger. It started when founder David Bolt became interested in permaculture. “His whole personal philosophy is contained in those words: sustainable future,” says Jim Gray, who joined forces with Bolt about two years ago to help share his message. Permaculture was a natural next step for Bolt after solar. Permaculture is a design system intended to work with and even improve on nature, Gray says. “At first it was all about agriculture yields,” he says. “It started in Tasmania about 45, 50 years ago now, and it’s spread around the world.” Bolt studied a course set up by Australian permaculture expert Jeff Lawton online and worked with Lawton for a couple of months on Lawton’s demonstration
lated to permaculture. They have already had several on fermentation. The center welcomes field trips from school groups. The facilities are also available for use as meeting space; Knox County Master Gardeners have met there. The next event is a walnut-dyeing workshop and potluck from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10, sponsored by the Knoxville Foraging Meetup. Participants will shell walnuts to use the hulls for dyeing fabric; they should bring their own fabric and a food to share with others as they wait for the fabric to finish dyeing. Info: 865-789-0571. Bolt, who won a White House Champion of Change
award from President Obama in 2012, is interested in all things that lead to a sustainable lifestyle. He is designing tiny houses for that burgeoning market and chicken houses for people who want to keep egg-laying hens. Gray says they intend to promote the Vestal community on their website, and they want to include community members in their programming. One idea is to invite participants in the nearby Beacon of Hope to learn gardening skills. They helped kids from the Vestal Boys & Girls Club build raised garden beds. Membership is available, with a variety of benefits. Info: etpri.org
farm in Jordan. He is turning his site into a Permaculture Research Institute, a 501(c)3, under Lawton’s guidelines. At the Sustainable Future Center, remnants of the solar business are mixed in with permaculture projects. On a sunny day, “We’re producing 50,000 watts of power out here,” says Gray. There are two solar carcharging stations. Solar panels run fountains and planters. One unit combines different levels for plants and fish. The fish “manure” water that is used on the ■ The city of Knoxville’s Public Arts Committee invites artists and plants and circulated back artist teams to submit qualifications for a permanent work of art to the fish area. It’s selfto be located in front of the main entrance to State Street Garage. sustaining – once someone The deadline to submit qualifications is 5 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 15. feeds the fish, of course. Info: Liza Zenni, 523-7543 or lz@knoxalliance.com; knoxvillepublicart.com. Bolton and Gray have renovated the main build- ■ Dogwood Arts 2017 events and exhibits entry deadlines: Art ing to include a classroom In Public Places, Jan. 20; East Tennessee Art Educator Exhibition, Jan. 20; Student Art Exhibition, Jan. 20; Dogwood Art DeTour, Feb. as well as a workshop and 10; Chalk Walk, Feb. 20; Regional Art Exhibition, March 3. Info/aplibrary. They are looking for plications: dogwoodarts.com or 637-4561. people to teach classes re-
CALL FOR ARTISTS
Stonewall II Apartment residents coping and starting over out. I saw the flames coming out from the upstairs windows,” she said. Ellis said her household lost everything – furniture, clothes, her laptop, prized collections of books and DVDs. Remarkably, their beloved pets, a dog and two cats, survived: Ellis’s fiancé carried the dog out and firefighters found the cats safe in their crate later. She had covered the crate with a towel that may have protected them from smoke. Ellis and family have already moved into a unit in the other Stonewall II building. LHP Management, owner of the apartments, is relocating most of the residents, many of them single mothers or retired people with medical needs, said Amy Styles, LHP marketing and PR director. Many have already moved into units at the other building at Stonewall II, at the Stonewall I Apartments at 3423 Sevier Ave. or the 1100 Studios Apartments at 100 Lula Powell Drive. “Our staff has done great work getting a dozen apart-
ment units turned around in less than two weeks. Some of the units needed new carpet, paint and cleaning, and property staff made this a priority,” Styles said. And community agencies like the American Red Cross of East Tennessee, Common Cause Thrift Store, and Knoxville Pays It Forward, and churches like Valley Grove Baptist Church have surrounded the residents with help. Employees of LHP also took up a collection to help residents furnish their new units. The fire seemed to begin somewhere in the middle of the wooden structure, racing up the walls and into the attic, said Knoxville Fire Department Capt. D.J. Corcoran. He said the cause of the fire in the 42-year-old building is still under investigation. “It had a big, shared attic with vents on either side. It was a perfect place for fire to spread very quickly. Now the code requires firewalls into the attic and up to the roofline. “In the ’70s a shared attic
was in code. In some of the older apartments, things like this are grandfathered in.” Corcoran said any future building at the site must comply with the current code. The building was under construction at the time of the fire. Styles said addition of firewalls approved by the local building codes is part of the planned renovation now underway in all the buildings at Stonewall II Apartments. Corcoran said renters’ best protection against property loss is to buy insurance, just as homeowners do. Many of the Stonewall II residents have no insurance. “Renter’s insurance does not cost much. And in an apartment complex, you are only as strong as the weakest link. If anyone has a fire, you have a problem,” he said.
The Red Cross provided aid on site to residents, said Michelle Hankes, executive director. Most received an assistance card enabling them to buy essentials to tide them over for a few days – a place to stay, clothes, or even toys to distract the children. The Common Cause Thrift Store of the nonprofit Clothe My Children, 6518 Chapman Highway, has been providing goods free to the displaced residents. Fire victims in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge also are welcome and have been receiving items, said manager Jason Steward. Ellis said the thrift store outfitted her family members with clothing, shoes, a couch, a chair and other household goods. Valley Grove Baptist Church has offered to buy a new set of dishes and silverware for each displaced resident.
From page 1
South Knoxville apartment residents who lost everything in a recent fire can receive free clothing, furniture and household goods at the Common Cause Thrift Store, 6518 Chapman Highway. Photo by Kelly Norrell
…From the ELEGANCE OF YESTERYEAR
…To the MAGNIFICIENCE OF TRADITION
ABSOLUTE 12 NOON
COMMUNITY NOTES ■ Colonial Village Neighborhood Association. Info: Terry Caruthers, 579-5702, t_ caruthers@hotmail.com. ■ 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. ■ 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.
■ South Haven Neighborhood Association meets 10 a.m. each third Saturday, Hillcrest UMC, 1615 Price Ave. Info: Pat Harmon, 591-3958. ■ South Knox Republican Club meets 7 p.m. each third Thursday, South Knox Optimist Club, 6135 Moore Road. Kevin Teeters, kevinteeters018@gmail. com. ■ 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, 789-8875, or Brandon Hamilton, 8093685.
OPEN HOUSE: Sunday December 4 from 1-4 PM IS IT ON YOUR BUCKET LIST?…Panoramic Views of the Great Smoky Mountains from your front terrace…Owning a Home with the Charm of Yesteryear & the Glamour of Hollywood… At ABSOLUTE AUCTION… the former home of Onibe I. & Bryl C. Logan, 3809 Vista Road Louisville TN on 5+ Acres, has seen the glamour & glory of parties & social events over past 30+ years, but that now is in the past… on Dec 10, it will be offered to a NEW GENERATION. Restoration lies in its future…Welcoming visitors w/most spectacular view of the Great Smoky Mtns…from balcony, large window from Great Room & Terrace extending out from former pool located inside the estate. Surrounded by bldngs selected for canning & freezing, stg, 4 apt units for income, this was an entity unto itself. Extensive landscaping, Gorgeous views. Development Potential also. Think about it…wouldn’t this be something you could imagine being yours…
10:30 AM
■ South Woodlawn Neighborhood Association. Info: Shelley Conklin, 686-6789.
■ 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.
■ 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.
■ 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.
■ Vestal Community Organization meets 6 p.m. each second Monday, South Knoxville Community Center, 522 Maryville Pike. Info: Katherine Johnson, 5661198.
OPEN HOUSE: Sunday December 4 from 1-4 PM Looking For a Million $$$ Mountain & Lake View From An Extraordinary Custom Appointed Brick Traditional Home? = 11116 Crown Point Concord Hills Farragut AT AUCTION W/RESERVES, this 1-owner estate home built by Schmid & Rhodes in ’80 w/main level renovated in ’03 is an impressive 2-story traditional style beauty. On over half an acre, it is remarkable in the fact that every square foot of estate is utilized, yet absolutely SPECTACULAR…From welcoming front entrance throughout gorgeous home to fabulous Pebble Tec Black Bottom Swimming Pool w/3000 SF of decking! 5BRs/6BAs + 1halfBA, 14 rooms, 7,351SF, 3 car garage, 3 FPs, 4 HVAC sys, Sec sys, Vaulted ceilings, Ceiling fans, SS appls, Granite countertops, 2 KITs, 2 RRs, Breathtaking views, MBR w/FP, lavish 5Pc BA, Sunroom,Scrnd porches, Decks, Wine Cellar & MORE!!! Community Amenities!= TERMS: 10% Down day of Sale, Balance in 30 days. Property to be sold with a 10% BUYER’s Premium.
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4 • DECEMBER 7, 2016 • Shopper news
Tennessee is recruiting a two-sport star Tennessee football is recruiting a multi-talented athlete from Mobile, Ala., Bubba Thompson, with the promise that he can also play baseball in his spare time. That prompted an avid follower of Tennessee recruiting to ask if dualsports stars are out of style. The answer is yes. Football is almost a yearround game. Bubba is a quarterback. That doubles time demands. Of course he could skip most of spring football practice but that would slow primary development. Until this fall, young Thompson thought he was an outfielder with professional potential, 6-2 and 185, sprinter speed, quick bat, medium power, very good arm, partial scholar-
Marvin West
ship offer from Auburn, commitment to the Tigers. Previous football seasons have been plagued or eliminated by injuries. This one has been great, No. 1 team in the state, 69 percent completions for 2,894 yards and 37 touchdowns. He has rushed for 494 yards and five TDs. He’s been intercepted five times. Sacks? Ends and linebackers can’t catch him. Central Florida and Troy were first and second to offer football scholarships.
Tommy Thigpen invited Bubba to visit Knoxville. Bubba was impressed. UT coaches were impressed. One day later, Bubba had a big-time football offer. That caused rivals to open eyes. Bubba canceled his pledge to Auburn baseball. He returned to UT for a second visit. Sometime soon, he’ll get to decide if he would really turn down the MLB draft to play football. In years long gone, multisports stars were prominent in college athletics. Jim Brown was an All-American at Syracuse in football and lacrosse. Bo Jackson was legendary in Auburn football and baseball. Danny Ainge of Brigham Young won the John Wooden Award as the top player in NCAA basketball. While
‘The Journey’ By Renee Kesler The Beck Cultural Exchange Center is “The Place Where African-American History Is Preserved,” and included in this rich history are ex traordinary and resilient people. N i k k i Giovanni is an example Renee Kesler of one of those extraordinary people. Born Yolande Cornelia Giovanni Jr. in Knoxville in 1943, she remains a staunch activist, award-winning author and poet. Giovanni has published more than 30 award-winning books, has been labeled the “Princess of Black Poetry,” deemed a “National
Treasure” and declared one of the top-25 “Living Legends” by Oprah Winfrey. Giovanni’s numerous awards include 25 honorary degrees, Governor’s Awards from both Tennessee and Virginia, the first Rosa L. Parks Woman of Courage Award and the Langston Hughes Medal for Poetry. Absolutely, she is an extraordinary person. Often, in difficult times I find myself looking to history and to the great people of history for encouragement. As we revisit history, we learn, grow and ultimately discover ways to make a better tomorrow. This past week after hearing the sad news of the fire in the Great Smoky Mountains and the unprecedented devastation that our neighbors were facing, I
Nikki Giovanni was born in Knoxville. Her writings inspire us amid difficulty and sorrow. began to revisit history. “On my Journey Now, Looking At African-American History Through The Spirituals” by Nikki Giovanni was the book that came to my mind in thinking about this situation. I found encouragement in Giovanni’s ability to speak powerful truths about our ancestors.
in college, he played parts of three baseball seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays. Danny was better in baskets. Gene Conley, 6-8, was big in basketball and baseball at Washington State. He is the only man to win a world championship in both sports, pitcher for the Braves, forward for the Celtics. Bob Hayes, football and track, Florida A&M, ended up with two Olympic gold medals and 71 NFL touchdowns plus a Super Bowl ring. Dave Winfield was drafted to play professional football, basketball and baseball out of the University of Minnesota. Deion Sanders played football and baseball and ran track at Florida State. He is the only man in history to play in the World Giovanni affirms that “from the moment Africans were taken on board the slave ships, they had to choose: to face an ominous future or to give up.” The book is a celebration of the spirituals, the songs of a people who chose to live. One spiritual that Giovanni reminds us of in the book is “Done Made My Vow To The Lord.” In the first verse of that song it declares, “Done made my vow to the Lord, And I never will turn back. I will go. I shall go. To see what the end will be.” As we begin our celebration of the Christmas season, may we remember our friends in the Great Smoky Mountains, those families with children involved in the Chattanooga bus crash and all of those who are going through a difficult journey. May the echoes of the spirituals of long ago encourage them on the journey.
Series (Atlanta) and Super Bowls (49ers and Cowboys). Tennessee has had dualsport stars – Ron Widby, Condredge Holloway, Todd Helton, Alan Cockrell, Richmond Flowers, Willie Gault, Chip Kell, Doug Atkins, Herky Payne, Bert Rechichar, long list. Widby was a basketball captain and football punter (NFL) who played baseball and golf for fun. Holloway, quarterback and shortstop, was even better in high school basketball, according to Wooden. Helton was a quarterback and the best baseball player in the NCAA on his way to a great pro career. Cockrell was the first Vol freshman to start at quarterback. A serious knee injury led to the eventual decision that baseball was his future. Flowers was a very good football player (NFL) who
carried Tennessee colors around the world as a hurdler. Gault was a splendid receiver (11 years in the NFL) and hurdler-sprinter. Kell was a College Hall of Fame lineman who once held the UT record in the shot put. Atkins thought he was a basketball player. He scored 38 in a freshman game. Bob Neyland made him somewhat more famous in football. No question Doug was multi-talented. He once high-jumped 6-7 in an SEC track meet (without bothering to practice). Payne and Rechichar were excellent in football and comparable in baseball – when both sports were big at Tennessee. Sorry you missed Bob Foxx. He was a shining star in football, baseball and basketball, 1938-40. Marvin West invites reader response. His address is westwest6@netzero.com
City sets public meeting on bike projects The city of Knoxville will host representatives from Kimley-Horn and Toole Design Group to discuss improvements to four bicycle routes. The meeting is 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 8, at the Public Works Service Center, 3131 Morris Ave., main conference room. Designs will be presented for: ■ Chapman Highway, between Woodlawn Pike/ Fort Dickerson and the Henley Bridge. This project may also include improvements to the existing bike lanes on the bridge. It’s a key connection between downtown and several South Knoxville neighborhoods and destinations. ■ Middlebrook Pike, between Proctor Street and Western Avenue/University Avenue. This will connect the existing bike lanes on
University Avenue with the Middlebrook Pike greenway – extending an east-west bike route. ■ Woodland Avenue, between Broadway and existing bike lanes on Woodland. This connection also will tie into the new First Creek Greenway extension to be constructed next year. ■ Adair Drive, linking to Old Broadway. It will provide a safer route for bicyclists trying to bypass the heavily congested section of North Broadway at the Interstate 640 interchange. Jon Livengood, the city’s alternative transportation engineer, said input from bicyclists, motorists and neighborhood leaders is needed, because these four projects involve complicated connections with major roads.
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Shopper news • DECEMBER 7, 2016 • 5
Nashville’s school board follows Knox County’s lead Question: How much did Bill Haslam hate Knox County school board member Amber Rountree’s resolution asking the state for a one-year waiver from using TNReady/TCAP scores to calculate student scores and teacher evaluations? Answer: A lot. So much that he staged an event in Rountree’s South Knox district to celebrate statewide improvements in science scores the week before the vote. He brought an astronaut in and hung around long enough afterward to pose for pictures and denounce Rountree’s resolution – not bothering to take the opportunity to speak to Rountree, who would have been hard to miss in her heavily pregnant state. She gave birth to her second son a few days later and attended the school board meeting the follow-
Betty Bean ing week, casting her vote via Skype. Her resolution passed 6-3, despite heavyhanded opposition from interim Superintendent Buzz Thomas, who wrote a scathing email to school board members calling her resolution “ill-advised” and warning them (among other things) that approving the resolution would risk offending Education Commissioner Candice McQueen and legislators Harry Brooks and Bill Dunn, causing newly elected board chair Patti Bounds to remark that this sounded like a request to put politics ahead of what’s best for students. Rountree, who had spon-
sored an almost-identical resolution last year after the state messed up testing data and was unable to produce reliable numbers in time for grades and evaluations to be calculated, said she was perplexed by the harsh reaction from high places and that she had hoped for “a collegial discourse about it.” You don’t have to be a mind reader to surmise that Haslam feared a cascading effect – that other districts will follow suit. And it looks like he’s right. Last week, the Metro Nashville Public Schools voted unanimously to adopt an almost identical resolution. Andy Spears, author of Tennessee Education Report, speculated that this is the beginning of a “waiver wave,” and wrote that change is in the air.
“Now, two large Tennessee school districts are calling for a waiver from using test data in student grades and teacher evaluations. Will other districts follow suit? Will the General Assembly pay attention?” That’s exactly what Spears – who questioned Haslam’s contention that the use of student assessments in formulating teacher evaluations is “part of the recipe for success” – is hoping for: “To suggest that a year without the use of TVAAS scores in teacher evaluations will cause a setback is to insult Tennessee’s teachers. As if they’ll just relax and not teach as hard. … Right now, we don’t know if we have a good standardized test. Taking a year to get it right is important, especially in light of the frustrations of last year’s TNReady experience.”
Union County is region’s ‘next big thing’ Roads, jobs, retail top county goals If you’re thinking about building or expanding a business, look north to Union County. State funding is available to help stimulate growth in 23 socalled distressed counties. Union County is the closest to Knoxville. It made the list with unemployment of 11.4 percent, per capita income of $18,000 and a poverty rate of 22 percent, according to the state’s most recent reports. Many residents drive to Knox County to shop and work. Beth Phillips said preliminary research showed an annual $194 million retail gap – demand exceeding supply – across all sectors. Food City filled a need, but still that’s a lot of Union County dollars being spent someplace else. Major private-sector employers are Clayton Homes, Food City and O-N Minerals, each with 100-plus, and Cooper Container Corporation with 80. The local sales tax rose 1.5 percent 2015 over 2014. Gov. Bill Haslam and Randy Boyd, commissioner of Economic and Community Development, have visited the county. The state has contracted with the UT Center for Industrial Services, where Phillips is manager, to facilitate meetings and develop strategies to jumpstart local economies of the distressed counties. Phillips joined with the Union County Chamber of Commerce last week for the third public meeting to get specific suggestions.
Sandra Clark
During a break, Charlie said he’s taking all the special classes he can, but he knows there could be more. He suggested computer programming, website development and auto mechanics/ body work. Health care: Kathy Chesney, director of admissions for Willow Ridge Center, advocated for a continuum of care, including a dialysis and urgent care clinic along with assisted living and residential hospice. She said real estate values, especially near Norris Lake, would attract relocating residents if they had easier access to health care. Tourism: Participants said the county sponsors many events, but Shannon Brooks, branch manager for FSG Bank, said these must be promoted outside the county. Rick Riddle of Seven Springs farm said it’s tough to promote attractions that are staffed by volunteers and therefore open intermittently, such as the museum.
There were some good ones: Infrastructure: Roads, said David Cox, superintendent of highways. “You can’t grow jobs without good roads.” Luttrell Mayor Johnny Merritt advocated for a four-lane Hwy. 61 from Luttrell to Rutledge Pike and the interstate. County Commissioner Wayne Roach wants KUB to extend a gas line to Luttrell, which has railroad access and land available in an industrial park. Education: Susan Oaks, supervisor for Union County Public Schools, suggested a community college site in the county – perhaps at a warehouse owned by J.T. Russell which is close enough to the high school for students to walk to classes. The building was previously used by a T-shirt manufacturer who “shipped the jobs to Mexico,” Russell ■ Lee Trammel represented said. Now he uses the buildSheriff Jimmy “J.J.” Jones at ing for boat storage and a last week’s annual banquet vendors’ mall. for the Halls Business and Charlie Hamilton, a high Professional Association. school student and former ■ Sherry Witt represented herShopper News intern, said self, even though she’s termUnion County High School limited as register of deeds. needs more dual credit (acWord on the street is that Witt may go for another county celerated so kids get coloffice – perhaps county clerk. lege credit) and CTE (caLord knows, she could make reer technical education) vast improvements there. classes.
Someone suggested more promotion for agri-tourism, and Jack Rhyne, Maynardville city manager, said the county needs an events center. That was also the top suggestion of Chamber president Leslie Corum. Advertise outside the county for events, said several participants. One suggested combining several music festivals and buying regional promotion. Jobs: Doug Lawyer from the Knoxville Chamber said, “Prepare concept plans for sites within five minutes of 55 miles per hour. TVA can do that.” Gary England said the county needs a new car dealership. That’s been lacking since the closure of Booker Chevrolet. Riddle said the county should immediately create an office of economic development under the mayor and staff it with grant writers. There are no bad ideas, Phillips said. We’re all waiting to see how her report consolidates the ideas of last week’s meeting.
GOSSIP AND LIES
■ Law Director Bud Armstrong was listed as a table sponsor, but he was not there. ■ Radio guy Phil Williams spoke. He said he knew five families whose homes were destroyed by fire. It was hard to be funny, but Williams did manage one good crack. He said nobody can get Donald Trump to stop tweeting, but we should just be grateful it’s not Anthony Wiener.
UT set to escalate administrative salaries Beverly Davenport, likely to be approved as UT Knoxville chancellor by the UT Board of Trustees in a week, certainly knows how to cut herself a great salary deal at $585,000 a year plus $20,000 in annual housing allowance plus $20,000 in expenses plus $87,775 in annual bonus (likely to be approved, too) for a total package of $712,775 a year if it all comes together. Some suggest she is taking a pay cut as it Davenport is less than the $615,000 she is making as interim president of the University of Cincinnati, but that is a different position from the Knoxville job, and while UT did not reveal what she made as provost, a quick check on Google shows that her salary was $200,000 less than her salary as interim president at UC. In other words, she really got a huge pay raise by coming to UTK. Defenders argue that this is the going rate for college chancellors and UT must pay it to be competitive. Buying this argument adopts a never-ending cycle of pay raises triggered outside Tennessee. This is also a continuation of a policy of picking chancellors and athletic directors who have little prior knowledge of Knoxville and Tennessee. This is what led to the Lady Vols name-change fiasco and other errors on diversity issues. Having been in government myself, I found many are very generous with money when it is not theirs. It is easy to up salaries when someone else (taxpayers) are paying for it. Push back becomes more difficult. Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett is one who actually knows how to say no to higher taxes and massive pay raises. UT President Joe DiPietro makes $513,334 a year, but the new chancellor now making more will trigger a move to raise the president’s salary above the chancellor’s salary. Count on it. Does it not occur to the folks at UT that paying the new chancellor in the same range as outgoing Chancellor Jimmy Cheek would have been a fiscally prudent thing to do, and while Davenport may
Victor Ashe
be wonderful, are there not other equally wonderful candidates out there who would do the same job for a lesser salary hike? Many wonder when will these never-ending pay raises slow down. I hope Dr. Davenport turns out to be worth it, but it would have been better to start her out at a salary comparable to Cheek’s and then, based on her performance, raised it as time passed. She wins without performing. The UT Board will not question this in its public meeting to approve it. Meanwhile, UT is meeting with area legislators at 8 a.m. Friday, Dec. 16, at Andy Holt Towers at DiPietro’s invitation. The media and public will be barred from attending. Public issues and business will be discussed, but we will have to rely on talkative lawmakers telling us about it after the food is served. Strange that UT, which advocates full, open discussion of issues, does not practice it when it comes to briefing lawmakers. ■ Larsen Jay, founder of Random Acts of Flowers, is considering a run for one of the two at-large seats on Knox County Commission in 2018. Jay, 42, lives in the Riverbend area of West Knox County. He graduated from the University of Tennessee in 1998 with a bachelor’s in theater and in 2012 with a master’s in business. He has lived in Knox County since 1994. He and his wife, Adrian MacLean, have two boys: Henry, 8, and Alexander, 5. MacLean is a former reporter at WATE. ■ State Sen. Richard Briggs turns 64 today, Dec. 7, followed by state Sen. Doug Overbey turning 62 on Dec. 11. ■ Barbara Ray, who lived in Fountain City, passed away last week. Longtime Republican activists recall her fondly. She worked in many campaigns including those of former state Rep. Charlie Severance, council members Marshall Stair and Brenda Palmer as well as this writer. She followed local issues closely.
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6 • DECEMBER 7, 2016 • SOUTH KNOX Shopper news
SENIOR NOTES
The Halls High Madrigals performed classic carols at the Festival of Wreaths last week at Elmcroft. Pictured are members (front) Grace Turner, Audrey Brown; (back) Kaiya Mason and Elaina Fields. Photos by Ruth White
A wreath featuring an owl was donated by Amedisys for the silent auction.
■ All Knox County Senior Centers will be closed Friday-Monday, Dec. 23-26. ■ South Knox Senior Center 6729 Martel Lane 573-5843 knoxcounty.org/seniors Monday-Friday 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. 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. Register for: Cookie Exchange and Tricky Santa Party, 2 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 14.
A festival of wreaths
■ South Knox Community Center 522 Old Maryville Pike 573-3575 Monday-Friday Hours vary Offerings include a variety of senior programs.
By Ruth White
■ John T. O’Connor Senior Center 611 Winona St. 523-1135 knoxseniors.org/oconnor. html Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Elmcroft Assisted Living in Halls hosted its third annual Festival of Wreaths last week to benefit Alzheimer’s Tennessee. Area businesses and organizations crafted beautiful and unique wreaths to donate to the silent auction, and guests placed bids on them while enjoying holiday refreshments. The Halls High Madrigals sang a series of classic carols to kick off the holiday season. The evening ended with auction winners being announced and wreaths being handed out to those in attendance.
Offerings include: Card games, billiards, senior fitness, computer classes, bingo, blood pressure checks 10:30-11:30 a.m. Monday-Friday. Fun Film Fridays, 12:30 p.m.; popcorn and movie each Friday. Singing Seniors Holiday Concert, 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 7. Register for: Candlelight Holiday Dinner with Crafts by Candlelight, 4 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 13; cost $5; RSVP by Friday, Dec. 9.
Halls High Madrigal Emily Russell checks out items on the Angel Tree at Elmcroft Assisted Living. Items include socks, underwear, toothbrushes, T-shirts and more and will be donated to Halls Elementary School.
■ CAC Office on Aging 2247 Western Ave. 524-2786 knoxooa@knoxseniors.org
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THROUGH FEB. 28 “Buy One, Get One Free” admission tickets are being offered by Zoo Knoxville during Kroger BOGO Days. Tickets can be purchased at the zoo tickets window or zooknoxville.org. Discounted tickets must be used by Feb. 28. Info: zooknoxville.org.
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 7 Jazz Lunch at the Square Room: “Tribute to Ornette Coleman with Mike Baggetta,” noon-1 p.m., Square Room, 4 Market Square. Admission: $15; includes lunch buffet. Info/tickets: knoxjazz.org. Pajama Storytime and Dance Party, 5-6 p.m., Cedar Bluff Branch Library, 9045 Cross Park Drive. Ages 4-8. Info: 470-7033. Santa Claus is Coming to Karns, 10:30-11:30 a.m., Karns Branch Library, 7516 Oak Ridge Highway. Info: 470-8663.
THURSDAY, DEC. 8 The Knoxville Jazz Orchestra’s, “Swingin’ Christmas,” 8 p.m., Tennessee Theatre, 604 S. Gay St. Featured performer: vocalist Niki Haris. Info/tickets: knoxjazz.org or 656-4444. Knoxville Square Dance, 8 p.m., Laurel Theater, 1538 Laurel Ave. Calling by Stan Sharp, Ruth Simmons and Leo Collins. Live music by the Hellgramites. No experience or partner necessary. Admission $7; students and JCA members $5. Info: on Facebook. Swim-A-Thon Fundraiser: Swim For The Change – Kids Helping Kids, 5-8 p.m., Tennessee School for the Deaf, 2725 Island Home Blvd. Hosted by the Halls High School Swim Team. Celebrity swimmers will swim with swimmers from the Halls Swim Team and the Tennessee School for the Deaf. Proceeds will benefit the Halls Swim Team and The Change Center. Info: Frank Nauss, 591-1124, or Amanda Messer, 607-6684.
FRIDAY, DEC. 9 Tickets go on sale 10 a.m. for the “I Love The ’90s Tour,” to be held 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 6, Knoxville Civic Coliseum, 500 Howard Baker Jr. Ave. The once-in-
The Halls Crossroads Women’s League donated this beautiful wreath to the auction.
Hannah Kingsbury shows one of the many wreaths donated to Elmcroft’s Festival of Wreaths to benefit Alzheimer’s Tennessee.
a-lifetime lineup includes Salt N Pepa, All 4 One, Coolio, Tone LOC, Color Me Badd, Rob Base and Young MC.
community event. New toys for children in need will be collected. Info: office@jewishknoxville.org.
FRIDAY-SATURDAY, DEC. 9-10
MONDAY, DEC. 12
“The Nutcracker” presented by the Appalachian Ballet Company with the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, 7:30 p.m. Friday and 3 p.m. Saturday, Clayton Center for the Arts, 502 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway, Maryville. Tickets: 981-8590.
Stroller Tour: “Tweeting Away,” 10-11 a.m., The McClung Museum of Natural History and Culture, 1327 Circle Park Drive. Free and open to the public, but reservations required. Info/reservations: 974-2144.
SATURDAY, DEC. 10 Candoro Arts and Heritage Center’s Holiday Open House, 5:30-8 p.m., 4450 Candora Ave. Commissioner Carson Dailey will be attending. The public is welcome. Holiday Gift Bazaar hosted by Farragut Middle School, 10a.m.-3p.m., at the school, 200 West End Ave. Includes: boutique venders, crafters and unique gifts. Family Fun Day, 1-4 p.m., The McClung Museum of Natural History and Culture, 1327 Circle Park Drive. Free and open to the public. Info: 974-2144. First Farragut UMC Breakfast with Santa, 9-11 a.m. at the church, 12733 Kingston Pike. Cost: $10 per family; includes breakfast, Elf Shop and craft area, silent auction. Proceeds go to FFUMC Children’s Ministry Program. Tickets: ffumc.org under “event registration.” Walk-ins also welcome. Holiday Open House, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Museum of East Tennessee History, 601 S. Gay St. Featuring: entertainment, craft demonstrations, crafts for kids, refreshments and more. Free and open to the public. Info: eastTNhistory.org or 215-8824. Natural green wreath class, 12:30 p.m., Historic Ramsey House, 2614 Thorn Grove Pike. Instructor: Julia Shiflett. Class fee: $35. Info/registration: 546-0745. North Hills Garden Club Holiday Home Tour, 4-8 p.m., North Hills Neighborhood on North Hills Boulevard. Tickets: $10 in advance, purchased from Club member or through PayPal: http://bit. ly/2fkV6u0; $12 at the door, 1726 North Hills Blvd. Info: northhillsgardenclub.wixsite.com/nhgc. Not your Ordinary Poetry Fest: “5 Award Winning Poets and a Traveling Saleswoman,” 1 p.m., Southland Books and Café, 1505 E Broadway, Maryville. Featuring: KB Ballentine, Sue Weaver Dunlap, Judith Duvall, Austin Kodra, Linda Parsons and Diana Amann.
SUNDAY, DEC. 11 Annual Candlelight tour, 6-8 p.m., Historic Ramsey House, 2614 Thorn Grove Pike. Tour is free, but donations will be accepted. Info: 546-0745 or ramseyhouse.org. Winter Festival and Hanukkah Fun event, 3-4:30 p.m., Arnstein Jewish Community Center, 6800 Deane Hill Drive. Hosted by the Knoxville Jewish Alliance. Includes gift making for all winter celebrations including Hanukkah, Christmas and Kwanza. Free
MONDAY-WEDNESDAY, DEC. 12-14 “Junie B. in Jingle Bells, Batman Smells!” production, Clayton Performing Arts Center, Pellissippi State Community College. Performances for public private and home school students: 9:15 a.m. and noon Monday and Tuesday; 9:15 a.m. Wednesday. Tickets: students, $5; adults, $8. Reservations required. Info/ tickets: 539-2490 or wordplayers@comcast.net.
TUESDAY, DEC. 13 Harvey Broome Group of Sierra Club Holiday Photograph Show, 7-8:30 p.m., Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church, 2931 Kingston Pike. Knoxville Writers’ Group meeting, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Naples Italian Restaurant, 5500 Kingston Pike. Guest speaker: Christopher Hebert, author and writerin-residence at the University of Tennessee. All-inclusive lunch: $12. Visitors and guests welcome. RSVP to 9833740 by Sunday, Dec. 11. Ugly Sweater workshop, 6-8 p.m., Ijams Nature Center, 2915 Island Home Ave. Create your very own ugly Christmas sweater using recycled sweaters and swag. Cost: $15. Info/registration: ijams.org.
THURSDAY-SATURDAY, DEC. 15-17 Modern Dance Primitive Light 2016, Laurel Theater, 1538 Laurel Ave. Performances: 8 p.m. Thursday; 7 and 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Tickets: circlemoderndance.tix.com. Info: 309-5309 or CircleModernDance@gmail.com.
FRIDAY, DEC. 16 Suzy Bogguss’ Swingin’ Little Christmas, 7:30 p.m., The Standard, 416 W. Jackson Ave. Tickets: $25, plus applicable service fees, in advance or $30 at the door. To purchase tickets: 544-1029. Info: info@wdvx. com.
FRIDAY-SUNDAY, DEC. 16-18 Clayton Holiday Concert, “A World of Joy,” presented by Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, Civic Auditorium, 500 Howard Baker Jr. Ave. Performances: 7:30 p.m. Friday; 3 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday; 3 p.m. Sunday.
faith
SOUTH KNOX Shopper news • DECEMBER 7, 2016 • 7
cross currents Lynn Pitts lpitts48@yahoo.com
Let there be peace For Zion’s sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth. (Isaiah 62:1 KJV) Peace unto Zion. Peace to the faithful, and a crown of rejoicing, And a crown of rejoicing from your heavenly Father. (“Peace Unto Zion,� Shaker hymn)
Valley Grove Baptist has a long history watching over three counties. Photos by Kelly Norrell
Valley Grove Baptist watches over three counties By Kelly Norrell When Valley Grove Baptist Church pastor Keith Vaughan drove by a burning apartment complex on Chapman Highway recently, he did the only thing that made sense to him. “I was on my way to a hospital visit. I saw what was happening, and I called the office,� he said. “For us, it was: What do we need to do? So we started with the Red Cross. They put us in touch with the apartment manager.� First, Valley Grove Baptist offered to house residents suddenly made homeless by the fire at Stonewall II Apartments right before Thanksgiving. When it turned out the 23 residents all had places to go, the church offered to buy sets of dishes and silverware for residents when they get new housing. That is what it now plans to do. “Valley Grove’s mission statement is that we exist to carry out the Great Commission beginning in South Knoxville and Seymour and going on around the world.
Family pastor Chase Snyder and pastor Keith Vaughan hoist snacks to take to the Seymour Volunteer Fire Department while it was still collecting items for the Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge firefighters. This is what was left after the church took three truckloads.
This is right in our mission field,� Vaughan said. “We stress and remind our people that we are all missionaries wherever we are and we minister specifically to the South Knoxville-Seymour community.� Located off Chapman
Highway and serving residents of three counties – Knox, Blount and Sevier – Valley Grove Baptist has a long history of caring for families. Its Path community food ministry, for example, serves people in South Knoxville and Sey-
mour with nonperishable food items. When news of the devastating fires in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge reached the church, members began expressing concern. Pastors contacted the Seymour Volunteer Fire Department and decided to collect water, Gatorade and snacks for the firefighters. “That day, we did a Facebook Live video at 9 a.m. We asked for water and Gatorade and said we would be open all day. “It was shared more than 100 times and was viewed 6,000 times. Within an hour, people were bringing things to the church. Before it was over, we’d taken three
On this day, we must remember. The only way to learn, to lead toward a more peaceful world, is to remember the past. On this date in 1941, without warning, Japanese planes attacked the Naval Base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii (which, for all you whippersnappers, was then a Territory, but not a State). U.S. ships sank, disabling much of the Pacific Fleet and destroying many of our aircraft. The attack plunged the U.S. into an active role in a world war that was already in progress elsewhere. The war raged on across Europe and the Pacific for four long years. There has not been another such conflagration since, and, God willing, there will never be another world war. However, peace is earned, and must be treated with care. Thank God for men and women of intelligence, sense, understanding, temerity, gravitas and strength, across the world, who are willing to work for peace and to live in peace. Each and every one of us can do our part. It requires caring enough to be involved, willingness to work, sensitivity to nuances, firmness of conviction even while able to be persuaded. Years ago, maybe when I was in college, a friend introduced me to a book called The Family of Man. It is such a classic that it probably is still in print. Look for it; it will do you good!
pickup truckloads of supplies.� He said many people who came were not church members but just wanted to help. The church is now waiting for word about what is needed next. Then it will let its community know. Vaughan and Chase Snyder, Valley Grove family pastor, are confident that members will step up to help. “There is so much sadness and sympathy for the families involved. There
is a real desire to help,� Vaughan said. “People didn’t wait for us to come up with ideas. They were contacting us with ideas,� Snyder said. Valley Grove holds worship on Sundays at 8 a.m., 10:45 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. There is 9:30 a.m. Sunday school and 6:30 p.m. Wednesday worship. Info: 9000 Sevierville Pike, call 577-6620, email info@valleygrove.org
Dramatic new arch at New Jewish Cemetery By Betty Bean
Bishop announces $25,000 grant for fire victims The St. Mary’s Legacy Foundation has announced a grant of $25,000 for victims of the recent wildfires in Gatlinburg and other communities across the region. The grant was announced by Bishop Richard F. Stika and is in addition to the St. Mary’s Legacy Foundation’s grant distributions of $735,000 announced Dec. 2 for local charities and nonprofit organizations serving Catholics and non-Catholics across East Tennessee in 2017. “What happened in the Gatlinburg area this week was unexpected, and each day we’re hearing about more lives lost, more property destroyed and more heartache for many, many people. The St. Mary’s Legacy Foundation has a very precise way of evaluating
grant distributions before they’re announced. In this case, the foundation felt it was best to react to this tragedy immediately,� said Stika. “The St. Mary’s Legacy Foundation also recognizes that many communities across our entire diocese have been affected by wildfires and more recently, tornadoes. For this reason, the $25,000 grant will be channeled into our diocesan Fund for Wildfire Victims. We want to make sure we can help everyone who needs assistance,� said Stika. The St. Mary’s Legacy Foundation was established through the sale of the former St. Mary’s Hospital and has distributed nearly $4 million in grants since its creation by Stika in 2011. Other organizations re-
ceiving SMLF grants for 2017 include: â– $46,700 to the St. Vincent de Paul societies in Townsend, Newport, Chattanooga and Soddy-Daisy to continue their missions to provide food/rent/utility assistance to those in need. â– $30,000 to St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Mountain City for a food pantry building that will allow the parish to serve approximately 450 families and 1,200 individuals, many of whom are elderly or disabled. â– $39,000 to Notre Dame High School in Chattanooga to replace an aging HVAC system in a classroom wing. â– $230,700 for the Diocese of Knoxville Schools Office for student tuition support.
Cemetery on Glenn Street and Keith Avenue, had been looking for the right artist to do the job. Once Stribling drew the design and got it approved by a committee headed by Rabbi Alon Ferency, Stribling spent 45 working days from late summer until mid-fall bending and hammering and welding in the tiny workshop housed in the garage of the North Knoxville home she shares with her husband, R.B. Morris, and daughter, Oona Pearl. By its latter stages, pieces of the 16-foot arch stretched out into the driveway. Stribling is from Louisville, Ky., where she gained experience as an apprentice welder. Afterward, she spent a
semester at Murray State University before coming to Knoxville where she enrolled in UT and majored in fine arts with an emphasis in sculpture. She and Morris married and have made their home here. Morris was recently named Knoxville’s first poet laureate.
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Arch at New Jewish Cemetery, designed by local artist Karly Stribling.
The top of the soaring metal arch over the entrance to the New Jewish Cemetery bears the Hebrew inscription, “Eternal Home.� It is the work of Karly Stribling, who got the commission to create the arch after a member of the Heska Amuna congregation saw the chandeliers she had created and installed in the Grill at Highlands Row. Stribling, who says it’s OK to call her a sculptor, a blacksmith or “just a regular artist, although I don’t know if I’m worthy of any of them,� creates graceful, functional objects out of steel. Joyce Diftler, whose mother had set aside a sum of money to create an archway for the New Jewish
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8 • DECEMBER 7, 2016 • Shopper news
A simpler holiday By Kip Oswald My recent articles have been influenced by our newest resident, Cassie, who has made me very aware of how simple daily routines can be stressful for many people. As we are coming to the Christmas holidays, I have been thinking about how different and stressful they can be for some people. This made me realize how I have always taken for granted what Mom has done for all of us at Christmas, and how stressful this must be for her on her one paycheck. After all, she has to plan the holiday for her own four children, one grandchild, and now a niece. So Kinzy and I asked Mom if we could search out some new simpler traditions that were less costly and stressful on her. Once we began researching ideas, we found several that we wanted to share. Of course, we want to continue to decorate our family tree, watch our favorite movies and bake tons of cookies, but we decided to change how we ask for presents. Mom still wants to buy all of us presents, so her favorite new gift idea was to buy everyone four presents, using the plan of buying something we need, something we want, something we wear and something we read. My brothers and sisters agreed we would not give Mom the long list we usually have so she would not feel guilty when she does not buy it. As a family, we also
decided we wanted to use our own saved money to give something to others at Christmas. So we are considering several things: Operation Christmas Child, where we can fill a shoebox with small items and send it to Samaritan’s Purse; taking bags of cookies to places where people were working on Christmas morning; or buying an Angel Tree Gift. Two other favorites we found to share: celebrating the 12 days of Christmas beginning Dec. 13 with small gifts each day, with the biggest gift on Dec. 25th, or forgoing all the family presents by adopting a needy family for Christmas. Website: Operation Christmas Child https:// www.samaritanspurse.org/ operation-christmas-child/ pack-a-shoe-box
A slide featuring a photo of a Holy Man in Nepal during Chris Rohwer’s visit in 2011.
Ja’Mya Hollis twirls a prayer wheel, brought from Nepal by Chris Rohwer. Photos by SMG Lead-
ers Club student Zachariah Thompson
Leaders Club learns about Nepal from a man who visited Chris Rohwer demonstrates a music bowl to students Janiyah Thornhill and KeShawn Jackson.
Rohwer talks about his trip of a lifetime By Sandra Clark Chris Rohwer is known as a banker (manager of Home Federal in Fountain City) and an active member of the North Knoxville Rotary Club. But who knew he had a lifelong dream of traveling to Nepal? He read a book, “My Side of the Mountain,” when he was 13 or 14, he said, and, “It took me 40 years of dreaming about it” before
he took the three-week trip. Finally, in 2012, he went around Thanksgiving. It took 42 hours to fly “halfway around the world,” he told member of the Leaders Club at Sarah Moore Greene Magnet Academy. He showed slides of Kathmandu, a city of a million people where bicycles and cars share the roads with the random cow. Water trucks are com-
mon and visitors get around by hiring a bicycle rider who pulls a carriage. It’s a lowtech country. Rohwer showed pictures of small shops like a fruit stand and road crews working by hand. He showed slides of elaborate temples. Mostly, his slides were of people – faces of young and old, men and women, Hindu and Buddhist. He showed a boy about the age of the kids
in the Leaders Club – in training to be a monk. In answer to a question, Chris said he had a thanksgiving meal of turkey and dressing. Ironically, his wife and kids, back in the states, went out for lunch and had something nontraditional, like fish. He hiked into the countryside but did not attempt to scale Mount Everest, some 29,029 feet.
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business
Shopper news • DECEMBER 7, 2016 • 9
the Rotary guy Tom King tking535@gmail.com
$3.6 million raised for Rotary Foundation Bill Weigel is the field commander for the Santa shopping at Halls Kmart.
Delease Green gets a hug from Santa as she exits the Kmart.
Weigel’s boosts
Christmas shopping spree By Sandra Clark A couple of guys with scruffy beards were very un-elflike at Saturday’s Salvation Army shopping spree at the Halls Kmart. “Do you work at Weigel’s?” we asked. “We’re vendors,” they said. “R.J. Reynolds.” But there they were, wearing the red aprons of The Salvation Army and assisting kids with shopping and logistics. Aha! That’s how it happens. Bill Weigel phones his friends and 400 show up at the Kmart to help 200 kids selected through the Salvation Army spend some money. Each child, age 5-9, was allotted $150 to shop for gifts. They were brought to Halls on school buses. Their purchases were bagged and tagged and loaded on Krispy Kreme trucks. The volunteers and shoppers started the day with breakfast at The Salvation Army headquarters. They ended with lunch there and then the presents were distributed to parents. “Many of our volunteers come back year after year to participate in this heartwarming event,” said Kurt Weigel, training and recruiting director. “Often en-
The recent District 6780 Million Dollar Dinner at Cherokee Country Club became a $3.675 million dinner as Knoxville Rotarians and Rotarians from the district’s 65 clubs were honored for pledges of $10,000 or more to The Rotary Foundation. The goal was to raise $1 million in one night and that goal was more than tripled. The dinner attracted a crowd of 115. Helping honor our Rotarians and others from throughout the district were Rotary International president John Germ of Chattanooga and RI president-elect Ian Riseley of Australia, who was the keynote speaker. District Governor Fred Heitman was the master of ceremonies. He duly credited past district governor Frank Rothermel, who was the dinner chair and headed up the fundraising by working with team captains in each club. Riseley called the success of the dinner “astonishing,” and Germ said this is more proof “that this is the best district in Rotary in the world.”
Rotarian Bob Parrott passes away Rotary and Knoxville lost a great man last month. Robert C. “Bob” Parrott, 82, died peacefully at his home on Sunday, Nov. 20. A native of Newport, he earned his degree in architecture from Georgia Tech and spent three years as an officer and pilot in the U.S. Air Force. He was a member of the Rotary Club of Knoxville and was the club’s president in 1998-99. His professional career began at Barber-McMurry Architects, Knoxville’s oldest architectural firm, where he served as president, board chair and senior partner.
Farragut club collects gifts for kids Santa Claus will be busy at the Boys & Girls Club of the Tennessee Valley this month after members of the Rotary Club of Farragut donated a truckload of gifts through the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program for 50 children. Past president Jonathan Johnson coordinates this program for the club. Farragut Rotarians made the donations at their Nov. 30 meeting. Shoppers such as Jah’Quezz Brown are helped by volunteers in red aprons: Abby Weigel, Jah’Quezz, Carolyn Weigel and Trey West. tire families come out to be a part of this special day, and it’s so rewarding for them to be able to assist the children with their shopping.” We picked a random group and the smallest helper was named Abby Weigel. “Do you know Bill?”
we asked. “Grandfather,” she grinned. Every year, the Salvation Army selects deserving children and Weigel’s organizes the event and provides funding. Since the program’s inception in 1998,
it has impacted more than 3,400 children. “It’s truly amazing to have watched this program grow. We started by bringing six kids shopping, now we invite more than 200 kids,” said Bill Weigel, company chair. “This event
embodies the true spirit of Christmas. “The volunteers make this day possible. We love watching the kids shop and seeing their faces light up. This day is filled with smiles galore and tears of joy, and it truly makes our holiday season as much as we help make theirs.” Halls Kmart hosted this
year’s event. It was previously held at the Broadway store, which closed earlier in 2016. Knox County captured the local option sales tax from approximately $30,000. We expected to see county finance guy Chris Caldwell in a red apron, collecting the sales tax. It was a good day, all around.
BIZ NOTES ■ Dr. Eva Nell Mull Wike, of Oak Ridge, recently received the 2015 Robert Bruce Cook Family History Book Award from the North Carolina Society of Historians for her book “Fiddler of the Mountains – Attuned to the Life and Times of Johnny Mull.”
Accepting nominations for Orchid Awards Halls Kmart was packed on Saturday as volunteers and kids from The Salvation Army invaded to shop for Christmas presents.
Aspen needs a home
Keep Knoxville Beautiful is now accepting nominations from the public for its beautification awards, the Orchids. Since 1979, Keep Knoxville Beautiful has presented Orchid Awards to Knoxville and Knox County buildings and outdoor spaces that beautify and elevate the local landscape. Deadline for nominations: Dec. 16. Info/ nominations: keepknoxvillebeautiful.org or 521-6957
Aspen we believe is a Lab x Gr Pyr, around 2 yo who has not had a great life up until now. He is a very sweet boy who is scared of his own shadow and takes a while to warm up to you. He, like a couple of others in the programme will need a local adoption, so that his prospective new parents can spend some time getting to know him before he starts the next stage in his life. Oh, and did I mention he is skin and bones so will be put on a special diet of Satin Balls as soon as I can make up a few dozen. We have no history on him so it would need to be a family with no small children around. He will need a local adoption, so that his prospective new parents can spend some time getting to know him before he starts the next stage in his life. Information about adopting can be found here: https://heartlandgoldenrescue.org/adopt/
Can’t Adopt? Sponsor a foster! For additional information check out:
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10 • DECEMBER 7, 2016 • Shopper news
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