POSTAL CUSTOMER
VOL. 8 NO. 20
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IN THIS ISSUE
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May 18, 2013
Gearheads galore at the dragstrip ‘Run whatcha brung, and hope ya brung enough’ – Chuck Varner’s raceway mantra By Libby Morgan
Congratulations to the 2013 Union County High School graduates.
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See the list on pages 6 and 7
Celebration of life Stokely Center is going, going … Nobody asked me to do the official eulogy. Considering the shortage of institutional memory, perhaps nobody realized I was there more than anybody not on the university payroll. I didn’t see it all but I was at courtside. …
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Read Marvin West on page 5
A powerhouse under the hood, a driver with a trigger foot, hundreds of hours of enginetweaking, transmission-beefing, body-detailing labor. It’s all for a moment of flat-out acceleration. The fastest racers at the Knoxville Dragstrip horse up to over 150 miles an hour and cover 660 feet in five seconds. Knoxville Dragstrip is seven miles north of Emory Road or five miles south of Maynardville, just off Maynardville Pike. Turn onto Raceway Drive at Eddie’s Auto Parts. ■ (865) 992-9995 ■ www.knoxvilledragstrip.com
NEIGHBORHOOD BUZZ
Back to the Lake day Food City in Maynardville will host the store’s second annual Back to the Lake day on Saturday, May 18. Complete with live music and a sidewalk cookout, the event was well-received last year, store managers said. The Maynardville Police Department will participate with a Child ID promotion and will also collect out-ofdate prescription drugs. Rangers from Big Ridge State Park and the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency will participate as well. And attendees can expect food specials throughout the store.
And even though it’s all about horsepower, they race everything but horses on Knoxville Dragstrip’s raceway. On a recent Friday “test and tune” night, cars, motorcycles, pickups, top fuel dragsters, stock cars, two-stroke creations, you name it, did practice runs on the strip. The start is the thing. Drag racers must get contact between tires and track for a skid-free jump. So many starters get their tires “sticky” by spinning in place just before pulling up to the line. That’s why there’s a smooth lay-
Look out, Union County. The Pink Flamingo Flocking is underway! If you find a pink f lamingo on your front lawn, join the fun. Each bird will have a card. Call the number and for a donation of $20 you can choose the next victim of the f lamingo f locking. It’s a fundraiser for the UCHS cheerleaders. Money raised will help the team attend the UCA Cheerleading camp at UT in June. The cost per cheerleader is $300, so the team appreciates the community support to help them attend this elite cheer camp. Info: coach Roxanne Patterson, 246-9113.
7049 Maynardville Pike 37918 (865) 922-4136 NEWS news@ShopperNewsNow.com Sandra Clark Libby Morgan | Bonnie Peters ADVERTISING SALES ads@ShopperNewsNow.com Shannon Carey Jim Brannon | Tony Cranmore Brandi Davis | Patty Fecco
er of black rubber, applied under extreme heat and pressure, thick and slick on the dragway start, groomed carefully between every eighth-mile dash. “Racing gets in your blood. I’ve
seen lots of folks who start rac- owner of the dragway, and owning in their teens, then they get er still of The Hot Rod Barn on busy raising a family and run out Broadway in Fountain City. Varner’s always been in tune of time and money. But once the kids are gone, they come back to it,” says Chuck Varner, long-time To page A-3
Goforth’s final bow By Sandra Clark
Flamingos are here!
What pre-teen boy wouldn’t want to drive this vehicle at 70 mph? Austin Boger, 11, of New Tazewell, gets a prayer and a pep talk with his dad, Bryan, before running the half-scale rail dragster. Photo by Libby Morgan
Acrimonious at the end as in the middle, the tenure of D. Wayne Goforth as director of schools ended May 10, his final day. And while his work is done, his pay goes on through the end of his contract on Goforth June 30. Dr. Jimmy Carter, selected by the school board to be director starting July 1, agreed to take the responsibilities without the pay until his contract starts.
It was simply sad as Goforth left the school system where he spent his entire 37-year career. He looked around the auditorium at Union County High School which he oversaw during construction. “I built it like I owned it,” he said. Melissa Carter said she, too, will retire on June 30 after a 33year career, culminating as director of adult education and principal of the alternative school. She will step aside to eliminate possible criticism as her husband takes the top job. “He’s a good man and he really wants to do this,” Melissa said of Jimmy. Goforth told the school board
he has 56 days of annual leave. “If I leave Monday (May 13), I will still have 36 days (for which he will not receive compensation).” Marilyn Toppins, who served briefly as interim director when Goforth was suspended with pay by a previous board, asked if a copy of Goforth’s contract was available. “You should read the portion that deals with annual leave,” she said, implying there is no carryover year-to-year on annual leave. “It bears looking at,” she said. The board will meet at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 23, at the Board of Education building to discuss Jimmy Carter’s contract.
Afterwards, Goforth said he’s proud of his record and the kids who have benefitted from his service. “(As technology supervisor) we installed broadband in 1999. We were the first (1998) to buy a computer software program. “(As director) I’ve built two schools. One is bricks and mortar (Paulette Elementary) and one is not (the Virtual Academy, which has enrolled 3,100 students and will generate about a half million dollars for the school district). “What other superintendent doubled the enrollment in four years?” And Goforth got off a final bon mot. When asked if he would miss working with the school board, Goforth said, “It’s like making love with a skunk. I’ve had all of this I can stand.”
Once a baseball player … By Cindy Taylor Jason Earley, salutatorian for Union County High School, has written a special song for the graduation. He has been accepted to the elite songwriting program at the Mike Curb College of Music Business and Entertainment at Belmont University where he will start in August. He has released two CDs, and the Patriot baseball team was better for having Jason on its roster. “So what now?” you may ask. While high school was busy,
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Jason’s post-grad life is really kicking into high gear. He will perform June 21 at the 20th celebration of Wilson Park. He will attend the Gospel Music Associations Immerse conference and the KLove Fan Awards, both in May. But most exciting, fans can catch Jason on the big screen as an extra in “A Season of Miracles” starring John Schneider and on the television show “Necessary Roughness” this June. In both roles, you guessed it, Jason portrays a baseball player. And as always he takes no credit for
his accomplishments. “These opportunities are all happening because of God’s grace in my life and my parents’ support,” he said. “Working on the set of a movie and a television show was extremely eyeopening.” Jason will be recording his third CD this summer. He credits the program Creator’s University for helping to prepare and guide him through the preparation process to achieve these opportunities. Reach Cindy Taylor at ctaylorsn@gmail.com
Pick-Your-Own Strawberries Triple J Farms 865-254-5783 400 400 Zachary Ridge Road Powder Springs, TN 37848 Powdder Sprin
Also offering Pre-picked berries
Jason Earley
Ready Now!
Blessed Teresa of Calcutta Catholic Mission
YARD SALE tto raise funds for its future permanent building
Fri & Sat • May 17 & 18 8 8:00am 4365 Maynardville Hwy. across from Food City