POSTAL CUSTOMER
VOL. 12 NO. 6
www.ShopperNewsNow.com |
Catchin’ up with Ken Venable
Shabby Chic 33 Boutique
KN-1471759
Curvy Girl Fashions Boutique Clothing Ne Ownw Home Decor er Christian Novelty Items 842 Main St Maynardville, TN 37807 865-745-3162
February 8, 2017
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FIRST WORDS
Propelling student growth By Sandra Clark Union County has done something Knox County could not do – Dr. Jimmy Carter has introduced state education reforms with teacher buy-in and demonstrated progress on Jimmy Carter test results. Dr. Jim McIntyre tried much of the same, only to encounter teacher resistance that led to his loss of employment and a virtually all-new school board. Every principal addressed the Union County school board’s January meeting. In a report to the community, Carter said the test results “reflect hard work by our teachers.” And Dr. Lauren Effler said “all of these things are happening in all of our schools.” Trevor Collins also facilitated the program. We’ve written previously about Union County’s improved test scores. The county’s schools are improving at a pace that exceeds the state average. These reports are how the principals and teachers are supporting student learning. Carmen Murphy talked about teacher teams and teacher/student leadership teams at the high school. UCHS has stimulated community involvement with a new Facebook page and closed-circuit televisions in the hallways. She talked about the Patriot Closet, where kids can shop free of charge for needed clothing and personal hygiene products. Murphy said 228 kids qualified and 115 signed up for the lunchtime “open campus” – a program launched with school board approval after a recommendation by the school’s leadership team. Students who qualify can leave campus during lunch; for those without transportation, the school library is open during lunch. To page A-6
Pick up extra copies at Union County Senior Citizens Center 298 Main St. Maynardville NEWS (865) 342-6622 news@ShopperNewsNow.com Sandra Clark | Shannon Carey ADVERTISING SALES (865) 922-4136 ads@ShopperNewsNow.com Amy Lutheran | Patty Fecco Beverly Holland | Mary Williamson
Grandfather, teacher, chicken whisperer By Seth Norris Treat others as you want to be treated. Everyone knows this saying, but very few actually live it. Consider one of those few, Ken Venable, or as you know him, K.V. If you went to Horace Maynard or Union County High School from 1973 to 2013, you’ve likely had him as an English or history teacher. K.V. put away the marker and white board in January 2013 after 40 years of teaching. “When I was in seventh grade I had a history teacher that just kind of made everything real,” said K.V. “He had a positive influence on me.” Much like his seventh-grade teacher, K.V. had a positive influence on his students. Other than the fact this article is written by a former student who wanted to give the man some praise, all you have to do to see his impact is take a look at his Facebook page.
Ken “K.V.” Venable with one of his six dogs, an Anatolian Shepherd named Badger. Photos submitted.
Retired Union County High School teacher Ken “K.V.” Venable enjoys being a granddad and is pictured here with wife Teena Venable and grandchildren Kaylee and Kolton Venable, at Kaylee’s kindergarten graduation.
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PVEC vows no Sharps Chapel spraying in 2017 Residents have attorney, may sue By Shannon Carey Powell Valley Electric Cooperative’s board of directors pledged in a recent meeting to abstain from spraying herbicides along power line easements in Sharps Chapel, according to Sharps Chapel resident and community activist Tara Coy, but other communities served by the utility received no such assurance. During the Jan. 19 board meeting, Coy, along with resident Rhonda Parks, presented a petition with more than 350 signatures, along with reports from those who experienced health issues that they claim began when PVEC contractor Progressive Solutions sprayed a mixture of six herbicides to control vegetation growth under power lines. “They indicated that they would not be spraying in Sharps Chapel in 2017, and I asked about the other communities and was told ‘That’s not been determined yet,’” Coy said. “I was very disappointed to hear that.” Coy called the meeting “kan-
garoo court,” because representatives from Progressive Solutions and chemical provider Bayer were already in the room when she and Parks arrived. “We were kind of surrounded by these people,” she said. “They were still there when we left the room. They got to hear our arguments, and we did not get to hear theirs.” Both Coy and Parks have reported serious health concerns themselves, and so have many residents of Sharps Chapel, Tazewell and New Tazewell. Pets and livestock were also affected. Coy said the spraying was “haphazard,” and residents received no notice. They went about their business, including coming into direct contact with the chemicals, because they did not know what had happened. Reported symptoms include extreme fatigue, severe and recurring rashes, kidney failure, sleeplessness, and much more. (See sidebar for a list.) “The people who are the sickest are the people who handled the brush right after the spraying,” said Coy. “They didn’t know. It happened while they were at work,
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According to Sharps Chapel resident and community activist Tara Coy, 27 adults and nine children reported health effects that could be connected with the summer 2016 herbicide spraying. “There’s just too many incidents for this to be coincidence,” Coy said. Symptoms run Tara Coy the gamut and include severe breathing problems, nosebleeds, hoarseness, sore throat, extreme fatigue, severe headache, vomiting, high blood pressure in previously healthy people, sleeplessness, dizziness, joint pain, new moles and rashes. Many of these symptoms are recurring. Some specific instances include: ■■ Several young boys suffered rashes accompanied by swollen genitalia.
Livestock and pets were also affected. ■■ Eighteen dogs were reported sick. ■■ Four died shortly after spraying. ■■ Some developed tumors on faces or feet. ■■ One cat developed balance problems and died shortly after spraying. ■■ Two goats and six calves died. All developed balance problems, then could not stand up, then died. ■■ One resident reported that a chicken coop and turkey pen were sprayed. Water supply impacts include:
■■ Two people developed growths on their necks, and one developed a growth in her throat, all of which had to be surgically removed. ■■ One person who walked barefoot in his yard after spraying developed chemical burns on the
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bottoms of his feet. ■■ Five people have reported abnormal kidney function, and two are in Stage 3 kidney failure. All were in good health and had no kidney problems prior to the spraying.
■■ Five families reported their ponds or drinking water springs were sprayed. ■■ Five said the ground over the top of their wells had been sprayed. ■■ Families have switched to bottled drinking water if they can afford to do so. One hooked into HallsdalePowell water.
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