SOUTH KNOX VOL. 32 NO. 25 1
BUZZ From sun to dark at Meadow Lark Ever wish you could have a music festival in your backyard? Well, your wish can come true at Meadow Lark Music Festival this Saturday at Ijams Nature Center. From 1-11 p.m., nationally acclaimed and local talented purveyors of Americana, bluegrass and folk will rock out and mellow down from the outdoor stage on the Ijams lawn. Acts scheduled include Pokey LaFarge, Scott Miller and the Commonwealth Ladies Auxiliary, the Lonesome Coyotes, Emi Sunshine & The Rain, Guy Marshall, Mountain Soul, John Myers Band, Subtle Clutch and the Knoxville Banjo Orchestra (lineup subject to change). Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the gate. Find purchase links on the Ijams or co-presenter WDVX websites (ijams.org, wdvx.com). Bring the kids, sunscreen, and a chair or blanket and settle in for a great day of music. There will be food trucks and adult and family-friendly beverages for sale. Just don’t bring coolers or canines. The event will go on rain or shine. – Betsy Pickle
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South High alums plan
Tuneful tribute By Betsy Pickle
These days, the school system would throw the book at him. But during his years at South High School, chorus teacher Harold Mays would throw the book at his students. And they loved it. “The choir room was elevated,” recalls Philip Duncan, class of ’70. “He’d sit at the front, playing the piano, going over parts. If he’d catch you not paying attention, he’d heave a book right at your head. He had good aim, too.
“That’s tactics that wouldn’t be approved of in today’s educational society.” Not only did his students love Mays and his peculiarities, they’re still looking to honor and please him. The South High School Alumni Chorus will present a free concert – titled “As Time Goes By” – at 3 p.m. Sunday, June 28, in the auditorium at South-Doyle Middle School, 3900 Decatur Road, with Mays in attendance.
Belinda Carter Hammond directs the South High School Alumni Chorus from the piano during a rehearsal at South Knoxville Baptist Church. Photo by Betsy Pickle
It’s an encore to the concert they put together for him in July 2012. But while this is the first time Mays, who now lives in Fayetteville, Ark., has heard them since, his former students have been keeping the torch burning. “We’ve never quit,” says Anita Cash, class of ’73. “The core group has never stopped. One year we sang down at Café 4 one night a week, Christmas carols. And then
Halls Senior Center will host a ballroom dance from 7-9 p.m. Saturday, June 27, with live music by the Nigel Boulton Band. Admission is $5 at the door.
Annexation dies; nobody notices The Legislature has abolished involuntary annexation, but no one seems to care. Victor Ashe, once the poster boy for forced annexation, didn’t seem particularly perturbed by the Legislature’s rebuke of his policies, saying, “I’m not losing any sleep over it – I’m not in the mayor business anymore.”
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Read Betty Bean on page 4
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the fun
Tournament to boost baseball
IN THIS ISSUE
we’ve had a number of concerts here at the church (South Knoxville Baptist, their rehearsal home). “This past year for Christmas we sang at a number of assistedliving and nursing homes. We went every week for a month.” Belinda Carter Hammond is the director and piano accompanist for the group. Her asso-
Bubble
Ballroom dance
A cornhole tournament to raise funds for the Union County High School baseball team will be held 6 p.m. Saturday, June 27, at Lil Jo’s BBQ on Maynardville Highway. Early registration begins at 5 p.m. Cost is $20 per player. There will be cash prizes for first and second place. Rain date is July 11. Info: 621-4603 or 660-1839.
June July 24, 29, 2015 2013
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Ann Strange of Lake Forest gets a kick out of watching Stella DeLuca blow bubbles at the South Knoxville Neighborhood & Business Coalition pool party at Chapman Pool. About 70 members of SKNBC neighborhoods attended the event. Photo by Betsy Pickle More pictures on page 3
School deal puts Bounds in a bind By Betty Bean
The deal brokered between the county mayor and the superintendent of schools means that Tim Burchett will get to serve eight years without raising taxes, and Jim McIntyre will get to keep his job – at least until the next school board Patti Bounds election. By the time school board chair Mike McMillan faces re-election, he will have built two new Eighth District schools and so will County Commissioner Dave Wright, who will be term-limited out of office but may well have future political aspirations. Sixth District commissioner Brad Anders will get to brag about delivering a middle school to Hardin Valley; ditto his district school board representative, Terry Hill. So what’s not to love about the Memorandum of Understanding, which is being hailed as a rare and welcome example of cooperation
between the appropriating side of county government (commission/mayor) and the spending side (school board/superintendent)? Quite a bit, says Patti Bounds, the Seventh District’s school board representative: “I wish we could separate the capital improvement plan out of the MOU. There are parts of it that are going to be very helpful, but when it comes to the capital improvement part, it hurts District 7,” she said, labeling the plan to renovate rather than replace the dilapidated Adrian Burnett Elementary School “a travesty.” Bounds, who spends at least a day a week in each of the schools in her district and taught kindergarten in the district until she retired last year, said she was taken by surprise when McIntyre recommended building a new north central elementary school (which ultimately didn’t get funded) while ignoring the longstanding need for a new Adrian Burnett Elementary School, which keeps getting moved to the back of the line in favor of schools in more
vocal communities. She said that renovating the wooden structure is not a legitimate solution to the problems with a building that has no gymnasium and has hallways being used as classrooms. “I don’t believe in throwing taxpayer dollars away, and that’s what you’re doing trying to renovate that building.” She sums up her feelings this way: “The chair of the commission is Brad Anders, who is lobbying for a new Hardin Valley school. The assistant chair is Dave Wright, who is getting a new school in Gibbs. Meanwhile, in my district, we have 51 portable classrooms housing about 2,200 students, and subpar conditions in portables that date back to 1980. “Does it bother me that we are building in anticipation of overcrowding in Hardin Valley while you’ve got 2,200 students in portable classrooms? That’s half of the students housed in portables in Knox County. Maybe we could send some of our portables to Hardin Valley.”
On the other hand, Bounds likes many elements of the MOU – the fact that Knox County will be overseeing school construction, selling the Andrew Johnson Building, delivering additional money to teachers (although she wishes it were more). But beyond bricks and mortar and dollars, there’s another aspect to this bind: the politics of the school board. Bounds is part of a four-member faction that includes McMillan, Hill and Amber Rountree. Hill and McMillan will benefit politically from delivering new middle schools to Hardin Valley, and Gibbs, respectively. And Bounds, in her first year as a school board member, must weigh her frustrations about her own district against the value of preserving these alliances. So where will she land when the agreement already approved by County Commission lands on the school board agenda July 1? “Has this put me in a bind? Yeah, it has. And I just don’t know how I’m going to vote,” she said. “This is very difficult.”
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2 • JUNE 24, 2015 • Shopper news
health & lifestyles
Larry and Lisa Guillain-Barre ordeal prompts couple to volunteer The Allspice CafĂŠ at Fort Sanders Regional may seem like an unusual place for a family gathering, but for Larry and Lisa Beeler, it’s a “second home.â€? It’s where they came that St. Patrick’s Day 2010 when Larry was stricken with Miller Fisher Syndrome, a rare variant of GuillainBarre Syndrome (GBS) that left him paralyzed, on a ventilator and in an induced coma. It’s where a worried Lisa, “not knowing whether he would be the ‘Larry’ he was when he came in or if he would ever be again,â€? waited in the lounge of the Critical Care Unit for weeks on end. But it’s also where Larry and Lisa found so much hope, healing and caring that they now serve as volunteers for others who nd themselves in similar situations. It’s also why the Beelers – complete with the four children, in-laws, grandkids and parents – have returned every St. Patrick’s Day for the past ve years to remember. “Our family meets here every year on March 17 because we’re so thankful,â€? said Lisa. “We can look back and see where we were and where we got back to. People say, ‘Could you not nd a better place to go celebrate?’ We ate here three times a day for three months!â€? “We’ll eat and walk around a little bit,â€? said Larry. “Sometimes, we’ll all go upstairs on the terrace because I loved to be wheeled outside. We re ect on what happened and thank God that we’re not here. Sometimes, we go up to Patricia Neal (Rehabilitation Center) and a nurse will say, ‘Can I help you?’ and I’ll say, ‘No, I was a Guillain-Barre patient here ve years ago and I was in this room, and I am just here re ecting on what happened. They’ll ask me a lot of questions. A lot of times, I will tell them my story of what I went through.â€? What Larry “went throughâ€? began March 16, 2010, on his drive home from work when he noticed his vision wasn’t quite right but brushed it off, thinking it was a side effect of the antibiotics he was taking for a sore throat. “Within 24 hours, he went from
being as healthy as could be to being on life support,� Lisa recalled. “He couldn’t move his arms, his legs, he couldn’t open his eyes. He was paralyzed from head to toe.� Fort Sanders neurologist Dr. Darrell Thomas determined that Larry had been stricken with Miller Fisher Syndrome, a variant of GBS that is characterized by abnormal muscle coordination, paralysis of the eye muscles and absence of the tendon re exes. “We didn’t know what GuillainBarre was, never heard of it,� said Larry. “We didn’t know if I was going to be paralyzed for the rest of my life. We didn’t know what the next step was. We didn’t know whether I would be a vegetable for the rest of my life. I could tell a little bit of what was going on around me if people talked to me. I could wiggle my toes a little bit for ‘yes’ or ‘no.’ I lost 30-something pounds. I was skin and bone.� After being in ICU for four weeks, Larry spent four weeks in Patricia Neal where therapists and Dr. Sharon Glass were nally able to send him home in a wheelchair and walker. Another six or seven months of outpatient therapy followed before Larry was able to return his job as a buyer at a hardware wholesaler. “I’m living proof and a testament to a lot of people that you CAN beat this if you work hard at it,� says Larry. “Because of this hospital – the doctors and the nurses and nutritionists and therapists and the spirit of God and my belief – they got me to walk again, to talk again, got me to eat again and they helped me pull through it.� Now, Larry and Lisa are “giving back� as Fort Sanders volunteers. Lisa serves once a week in the same ICU lounge where she spent so many weeks during Larry’s illness. “Waiting in the ICU lounge was bad – it’s not an easy seat to sit in – but the people they had working in the ICU lounge helped me get through it,� said Lisa. “That’s why I wanted to give back. I always say I come to volunteer hoping to be a blessing to somebody else, but usually I am the one
Five years apart, Larry and Lisa Beeler continue to remember. Wearing green, they returned to Patricia Neal Rehabilitation Center on March 17, 2015, to acknowledge the fifth anniversary of Larry’s admission to rehab and reflect on what that time meant for their family. In 2010, Larry and Lisa were smiling as he was discharged from Patricia Neal. Presently they continue to come back to PNRC and Fort Sanders Regional, as a way to serve fellow patients and relay the experiences they once had.
who leaves with all the blessings. I always do. I love it.� While Lisa helps with all types of patients in ICU, Larry serves on an as-needed basis whenever there is a family dealing with Guillain-Barre Syndrome. “What we’re trying to do is give a little bit of hope and inspiration to people,� he said. “We just try to meet with families and people in the hospital who have that and try
to help them through it. We don’t diagnose them by any means or tell them what’s going to happen. We just try to give them a little bit of hope and say, ‘You are not alone.’ If I can show that I am there and I am strong and – I hate to use the words ‘beat it’ – but if we have a positive mental attitude about it then maybe I can give them some inspiration that might change the way they look at things. When we walk out of the room, we hope that we have left something with them. They are lying there in bed, they
can’t walk but maybe they will say, ‘He was completely paralyzed but he was able to walk in and walk out and maybe I can do that too – if not for myself then for my family.’ � The couple recently received the 2015 “Volunteer of the Year� award in May at Fort Sanders Regional’s Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon. In addition, Regional’s Volunteer Coordinator Paula Minhinnett said the couple will likely be nominated for state and national volunteer awards in the near future.
Student volunteers lend hand at Fort Sanders There’s more than a bit of wistfulness in Paula Minhinnett’s voice as she talks about the scores of college students who volunteer at Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center. “They are like stardust,� Paula Minhinnett is saying. “They come in like a whirlwind, do all these great things and then they’re gone. But while they are here, they are fabulous. They’re digitally gifted, they’ll accept any job, they’re quick and they’re energetic. They are great but, unlike our retiree volunteers who sign on for the rest of their life, the students are gone after a little while.� That’s why Minhinnett, the coordinator of Fort Sanders’ army of 200 volunteers, says she would love to have even more students from the nearby University of Tennessee campus to
help add consistency to the daily operation of Covenant Health’s agship 550-bed facility. Currently, the main areas she is trying to ll are front desk volunteers who meet, greet and escort visitors, surgery lounge volunteers who work not only with patients and family, but physicians as well, and discharge call volunteers who follow-up a patient’s progress via a phone call soon after their discharge. “Those are the three main places I’m recruiting for and it isn’t easy to do and remain consistent,� said Minhinnett. “The students are great at it because there is some computer training involved.� Of course, there are plenty of other possibilities not only for college students but also retirees, workers looking to transition into a new ca-
reer, former patients and those with a passion for music, ministry or animals, including: Heartstrings: A musical group that entertains patients and visitors each month. Fellowship Center: Volunteers who assist those staying in Fort Sanders’ hospitality house for the families of patients from outside the region. HABIT (Human Animal Bonding In Tennessee): Pet owners who share the unconditional love of a pet with patients and caregivers. Stephen Ministers: Lay ministers who provide spiritual support to patients and caregivers. Patricia Neal Rehabilitation Center Peers: Former patients help current patients
by reading to them, helping them write letters, and providing conversation and friendly company. Openings are not always available for the service areas in which you are most interested. The Volunteer Service Coordinator will work with you in selecting an alternative service area based on your preferred schedule. From time to time it may be necessary for a prospective volunteer to wait until an appropriate service area is vacated. Want to lend a hand or “give back� the way Larry and Lisa Beeler do? Call Fort Sanders Volunteer Auxiliary at 865-541-1249 or visit www.fsregional.com/volunteers to apply online.
TO ALL OF OUR VOLUNTEERS - THANK YOU! For more than 50 years, members of the Fort Sanders Regional Volunteer Auxiliary have helped support the mission of Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center. :H UHFRJQL]H HDFK RI RXU YROXQWHHUV IRU WKHLU VHOÀ HVV FRPPLWPHQW WR RXU SDWLHQWV VWD̆ DQG GRFWRUV
0094-0094
Want to know more about volunteering at Fort Sanders Regional? Call (865) 541-1249 or go to fsregional.com.
SOUTH KNOX Shopper news • JUNE 24, 2015 • 3
75 years young – and growing The Chapman Highway Garden Club celebrated its 75th anniversary the way one would expect – with beauty.
Members of the Chapman Highway Garden Club celebrate the club’s 75th anniversary with hats reminiscent of bygone days. Pictured are (front) Jan Brown, Jean Ford, Jo Wiegers, Dianne Forry, Suzi Hall; (back) Molly Gilbert, Cheryl Dykes, Mildred Ketron, JoAnn Sexton, Janice Sparkman, Doris French, Jane Vogt, Margo Alexi, Susan Martin, Norma Pierson and Nancy Horton. Not pictured are Jean Burkhart, Carol Cook, Ella Mae Hubbard, Carol Linger, Tanna Nicely, Virgie Owen, Lisa Stanley and Gayle Wiegers.
Betsy Pickle
Gorgeous floral centerpieces picked and arranged by members themselves decorated the tables while the verdant riches of Ijams Nature Center glowed outside the windows. One would-be party crasher, a red-tailed hawk, sat on the terrace wall and seemed indignant that he had no invitation. Club president Dianne Forry graciously introduced political guests – Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett, County Commissioner Mike Brown (husband of member Jan Brown) and
community
Knoxville Vice-Mayor Nick Pavlis. But she seemed even more excited to welcome the guests who were related to the group’s charter members: Eugenia Bond, daughter of founder Ruth DeFriese; Sam and Mary Ann Venable, son and daughter-in-law of Mary Elizabeth Venable; and Carolyn Monday, daugh-
ter-in-law of Florence Monday. Guests also included Ijams executive director Paul James and his mother; District IV Garden Club director Lisa Phipps; Knox County Council of Garden Clubs president Connie Barker; and pastor Charles Beckett and administrative assistant Amy Bliss of Woodlawn Chris-
Jo Wiegers, the garden club’s member of longest standing, at 45 years, checks out a display of the club’s history.
tian Church, where the club usually meets. Forry guided attendees through the club’s “roots,” especially the guidance of Ruth DeFriese, who passed away in March at age 103. Members Suzi Hall and Molly Gilbert presented other bits of “wisdom from the garden.” Jo Wiegers, a member, mentor and leader in the club for 45 years, was nominated to be a lifetime member of the Tennessee Federation of Garden Clubs. After the program, members and guests enjoyed a light luncheon and examined history displays before departing with garden-related door prizes.
A really big show
Scott and Molly Gilbert (below) collect raffle tickets at the pool party.
Janice Tocher of South Woodlawn, Eric Johnson of Vestal and Nancy Campbell of Island Home Park fight the heat with pop-ice at the pavilion at Chapman Pool. Photos by Betsy Pickle
Party at the Pool
The South Sout So uth ut h KnoxKnox Kn oxox Sout Sout uth th Knoxvillians K noxvv Knox Kn South ville Neighborhood get to know p people & Business Coalifrom outside their tion’s pool party at particular neighChapman Pool was borhoods. Its next a “splashing” sucbig event will be cess. a candidate foAbout 70 people rum on Aug. 27 at took advantage of Woodlawn Christhe free afternoon tian Church. at the pool on June Chapman Pool’s 14. They came from next big to-do is its member neigh52nd annual 4th of borhoods such as July Celebration, Colonial Village, 11 a.m.-5:45 p.m. (closing in time to Island Home Park, Lake Forest, Lindsee the fireworks). bergh Forest, Old Games, contests, Sevier, South Hadoor prizes and ven, South Woodfood are on the Island Home Park residents Matt and Julie Teglas day’s agenda. lawn and Vestal. SKNBC helped and daughters Adeline and Clara are ready to The event is free cool off attendees cool off at Chapman Pool. to members and $5 for guests and nonwith delicious, iceand summer cooling. members; 3 and under are cold watermelon and equally SKNBC, an umbrella tasty and even icier popfree. Info: Chapman Pool on group of SoKno neighborice treats. They also raffled Facebook. hoods and businesses, items designed for pool fun planned the party to help
Tuneful tribute ciation with Mays precedes her birth – her mother was Mays’ first piano teacher. Herb Cover, class of ’70, says everyone “always had fun” around Mays – even when it itched. “We were going to have ‘The Sound of Music’ as a play, and he picked me to play Friedrich,” says Cover. “Here I am, this 15- or 16-year-old kid, and I had hairy legs. And Friedrich wasn’t supposed to have hairy legs, so he told me I needed to shave my legs.” Cover did what he had to do and got mightily teased by his friends. He still hears about it from Mays. “He says that I’m the only man who’s shaved his legs for him.” Duncan’s favorite thing about the choir was that it “was open to anyone and everyone; you didn’t have to try out.” It had everyone from athletes to members of the band and orchestra. “We all got to know so many more people. It was cool to be in the choir. “He wasn’t real strict … He could bring out the best in you and still let you have fun.”
From page 1 Cash says Mays keeps in touch by phone and email with many former students. That’s not typical of other teachers, she says. “There are some that made an impact, but not the impact Mays made on so many.”
Termites?
Fourteen kids from the Boys & Girls Club at South Knoxville Elementary Community School were among the 800-plus B&G Clubs members attending a screening of “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory” at the Tennessee Theatre. From front are Khloe Wongen, Ayonna Green (from South-Doyle Middle) and Kaben Tapp. Khloe liked “the part where the little boy fell into the chocolate river.” Kaben liked “when the girl turned into a blueberry.” Ayonna liked the 1971 movie well enough but said she preferred “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” the 2005 adaptation of the Roald Dahl book, starring Johnny Depp. This was the first visit to the Tennessee for most of the kids – and the first chance to see Bill Snyder play the Mighty Wurlitzer organ. Photos by Betsy Pickle
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4 • JUNE 24, 2015 • Shopper news
Who is your hero?
“Who is your hero?” The little guy is nine or 10. He had been talking with his dad about heroes. Hit me cold with his question. I almost admitted I never had one but I didn’t think that was the answer he was seeking. I told him my father was inconveniently drafted into the military at age 39 to help win World War II. He never once complained. Years later, when I asked how he tolerated that upheaval in our life, he said “Simple enough, when your country calls, you answer.” This very special sermon about loyalty and responsibility sailed right past the youngster. “My hero is Justin Wor-
Marvin West
ley.” OK, you got me. Why? “He could take a licking and keep on ticking.” This was little-boy talk but grandfather Timex logic. The former Tennessee quarterback did not win enough games but got up each time he was knocked down and won considerable respect. And some genuine admiration.
Worley got clobbered. He was on his way to a world record number of sacks when he was finally decked for keeps. It was cruel and unusual punishment for a Volunteer. I blamed 2013 problems on the veteran offensive line which looked good in photos but did not perform at a winning level. In the beginning of 2014 I blamed the inexperienced and inept offensive line and wondered if receivers really knew where they were going and why they couldn’t create at least a small window of opportunity. Later I asked if Worley was holding the ball too long, looking for something that wasn’t there and would
never be. After Justin was injured and the schedule softened and Joshua Dobbs arrived out of nowhere and saved the season, I dismissed the offensive muddle as a misfit of moving parts. Worley did not run the Tennessee version of the read option very well and was not expert at salvaging broken plays. He did have leadership qualities. He took whatever came his way without ever blaming others. He showed up for work even when he didn’t feel like it. He had the heart of a champion. Justin Worley has more than enough of the other stuff to be the little guy’s hero. He won state championships back to back at Rock Hill, S.C. He threw for 5,315 yards and a state-record 64 touchdowns as a senior. He was Gatorade National Play-
er of the Year 2010. Hmmm, wonder why South Carolina and Clemson did not recruit him? One analyst said “three stars, 30th among pro-style quarterbacks.” Another whispered “too slow.” Derek Dooley was delighted to sign Worley. He made one heck of a press release – pro size, great stats, practicing Christian, 4.07 grade-point average, goodguy award, everything from Feed the Hungry to Adopt a Highway. As you know, the partnership didn’t work out very well at Tennessee. Justin was poorly prepared for freshman appearances. He saw mop-up duty as a sophomore. He won the job as a junior and started seven of eight games before the thumb injury. He threw
the key pass against South Carolina but didn’t see Marquez North’s unbelievable left-handed catch, where he pinned the football against his helmet. Worley would have enjoyed it but he was flat on his back with a Gamecock rooting around on top of him. Justin was again the No. 1 quarterback as a senior and almost beat Georgia (handoff fumble). The 29th sack of last season, at Ole Miss, ended his college career – 23 TD passes, 21 interceptions, not much in the way of trophies. I’m going out on a limb. He may not make it in the NFL but he won’t end up on welfare or in rehab. He is an OK choice as a little boy’s hero. He fits the role. (Marvin West invites reader reaction. His address is westwest6@netzero.com
GOSSIP AND LIES ■ Cheri Siler, math instructional coach and candidate for state senator last summer, has been RIF’d by Knox County Schools. ■ Instructional coaches were, well, coaching their peers one minute and a bunch of them are looking for jobs the next. ■ We’ve gotta preserve the myth that principals hire teachers, I guess. Remember the old education association
that put a premium on experience? That’s history. ■ Arguably, the efforts at education reform have created more problems than they’ve solved. ■ And candidates like Jeb Bush and Bill Haslam, who meant to hang their political hats on the reforms, are now looking the other way. “Curse that Common Core!”
– S. Clark
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But data show women still have a long way to go, says Dena Wise, who was recently appointed chair of the Tennessee Economic Council on Women (TECW). She is a professor and Extension specialist at the University of Tennessee. She trains teachers to teach personal finance and coordinates financial education for those seeking loans or going through bankruptcy. But she hadn’t looked at women’s economic issues until being appointed to the council six years ago. TECW was founded in 1998 to address the economic needs of women. Over the past two years, the council has documented the economic cost of violence against women − almost $1 billion annually. Medical services for female victims of violence, such as cosmetic and dental surgeries, impact the cost of health insurance for everyone, Wise says. This year, the council is looking at special issues women have regarding work. Transportation, childcare and caring for other family members are issues that are more likely to impact women than men. The elderly and single mothers are the most economically vulnerable women in the state, she says. Women don’t tend to work as many years as men, and their salaries aren’t as high, so their retirement checks are smaller. Responsibility for young children also affects earning ability. TECW works to find solutions for such problems. “It doesn’t do us any good as a society to not help because we’ll pay the price later if children aren’t edu-
UT professor Dena Wise starts second term on the Tennessee Economic Council on Women. Photo by Wendy Smith
cated or nurtured.” Since women are often overlooked for leadership roles, the council advocates for placement of women on boards and committees. Certain state boards are legally required to have equal numbers of men and women, so the council keeps tabs on numbers. It also looks at the governor’s appointments. Gov. Bill Haslam’s first round of appointments had no women until the TECW called him on it, Wise says. “I don’t think men intentionally do this. You just tend to appoint people in your own networks.” In spite of the data collected by the TECW, some in state leadership feel that women are doing just fine economically. In March, a Republican-led legislative committee failed to extend funding for the council. If the votes don’t change, the council will cease to operate in June 2016. Wise was stunned by those who opposed the continuation of funding, like Sen. Mike Bell. The Republican chair of the Government Operations Committee asked why the state has no men’s economic council. All the more reason to work hard this year, Wise says. The council meets quarterly, and the October meeting in Nashville will be held in conjunction with the Women’s Economic Summit and the National Congress of Vision2020, an initiative to achieve women’s economic and social equality by the year 2020 − the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote.
SOUTH KNOX Shopper news • JUNE 24, 2015 • 5
Involuntary annexation dies; nobody notices Property owners called it a land grab that doubled their taxes. County governments called it forced annexation and a revenue drain. City governments called it annexation by ordinance. Whatever it was called, the Tennessee General Assembly this year put an end to annexation by ordinance, and hardly anybody outside the Legislative Plaza noticed. The legislative process of dismantling involuntary annexation began with a 2014 law requiring cities to hold a referendum in areas targeted for annexation and imposed a one-year annexation moratorium to give the Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations time to work out the details. TACIR did its work, and the governor signed a new and much more restrictive annexation law this April.
matter of unwanted annexation, and provides the legal financial resources to Betty and file suit and block such anBean nexations. “We believe CHR is the most litigious advocacy organization in the state of But the fight had been Tennessee, and we are the going on for much lon- city of Knoxville’s most freger, and the front line was quent and most successful in Knox County, where a litigant.” vigorous anti-annexation Lawsuits filed by CHR movement kicked into high members have kept individgear in 1980 in response to ual parcels off the city tax the policies of then-Mayor rolls for decades, as the city Victor Ashe, whose “finger” opted not to schedule the annexations earned head- trials. David Buuck, CHR’s lines across the state. That lawyer, now chief deputy was the year a group of law director of Knox CounKnox County residents who ty, was responsible for fillived outside the city lim- ing most of those lawsuits, its and wished to preserve which have kept hundreds that status got together of contested annexations and created Citizens for in limbo, staving off anHome Rule, whose website nexation until the property describes the organization changes hands. Buuck is like this: glad to see the change in “CHR is dedicated to the the law and says it was long preservation of the legal overdue. rights of its members in the Ashe, once the poster
boy for forced annexation, didn’t seem particularly perturbed by the Legislature’s rebuke of his policies, saying, “I’m not losing any sleep over it – I’m not in the mayor business anymore.” But that doesn’t mean he thinks the new law is a good idea: “As a philosophical matter, if cities are precluded from growing, over a period of time, their strength will be diminished. A lot of what we did has been very beneficial to my successors. Turkey Creek has been a tremendous benefit to Knoxville, Farragut and Knox County.” He believes the Tennessee Municipal League, an organization of mayors that once mounted a vigorous defense of annexation, fell down on the job of protecting cities’ interests. “The city mayors threw in the towel,” he said.
Gibbs school is expensive, unnecessary All right, I’ll say what a lot of folks are thinking.
Scott Frith
The proposed Gibbs Middle School is a terrible idea. The only people who want it are Gibbs families and the politicians seeking their support. The school is expensive, unnecessary and will force future county commissioners to raise your property taxes. Why are we building it? Politics. Not long ago, a middle school for Gibbs was a boutique political issue. It was popular for Gibbs politicians to support it but usually received only passing lip service from others. However, now we have a county
mayor from West Knoxville eager for rural votes and a school board and County Commission beholden to activists from the northeast corner of the county. When you bring both together, you get a fiscal boondoggle more typical of Washington or Nashville than conservative Knox County. Conservative? There was a time when that word meant something. For many, there are few things more frustrating than free-spending politicians who masquerade as conservatives. We are supposed to be against wasteful spending, not for it. There’s nothing conservative (or even sensible) about building a school we don’t need. Millions of dollars in concrete and steel doesn’t better prepare a child for the future. Current or projected student enrollment doesn’t justify building it. In fact, every dollar spent build-
ing and operating this new school is a dollar that won’t be available to address other, more pressing needs. (Supporters of a Gibbs Middle argue they need the school because the drive from Gibbs to Holston Middle School is too long a daily commute. They neglect to mention that it’s a long drive from Gibbs to anywhere.) I don’t blame folks living in Gibbs for wanting their own middle school. If I lived in Gibbs, I’d likely be fighting for a new school as well. But there was a time not too long ago when cooler heads prevailed in county government. The school board or County Commission would allow district representatives to rant and rave for their own district needs, but then the others would move quietly along and (more often than not) act in the county’s best interest. Not anymore. We’re passing budgets
not based on need but on where parents complain the loudest. Our politicians are beholden to the politicos and not the people. The county is being sold the smooth evasion of, “We won’t raise your taxes,” yet this new school will require a property tax increase in the not-too-distant future. Speaking of the future, in this era of rapid technological advances, who believes that 50 years from now there will be kids sitting at desks inside a classroom in this new building in Gibbs? Ready for it or not, we’re at the threshold of radical changes in public education. What is Knox County doing to prepare for these changes? Building another building. Here’s hoping for less reactionary – and more visionary – county leadership in the future. Scott Frith is a local attorney. You can contact him at scott@pleadthefrith.com.
We are Tennessee
Since the beginning, your Shopper-News has refused to use the term Lady Vols. We’ve resisted the copycat ladies – devils, roosters, stallions, etc. of high school teams. That does not mean this writer does not support Title IX or the culture of excellence exemplified by Tennessee’s women athletes specifically. I was in Los Angeles in 1984 when Southern Cal beat the young team led by the late Mary Ostrowski. I watched Pat Summitt pull her starters when the game was out of reach, subbing in the youngsters who would
Ben Byrd slyly tweaked the name by writing about the “Gentlemen Vols” bastive Lady Vols name. We ketball team. The men were were Tennessee then and not amused. Alabama guy Dave Hart now. Come July 1, the moni- and Florida guy Jimmy Sandra ker will be history, except Cheek are taking abuse for Clark for basketball. And the folks doing the right thing. That’s who have bought ads, pep- fair because they did it badly pered letters to the editor and for the wrong reasons. Staff who built the “LV” and even organized a probring it home for Tennessee test at the upcoming UT brand were treated shabbily three years later. Board of Trustees meeting as the men’s department absorbed the women’s. I was in the stands when should get a grip. Sports is about winning. the Tennessee women won The Lady Vols tradition their first national champi- is special. It’s powerful. And Winners will earn respect and start new traditions. onship in 1987, beating La it’s history. And Phil Campbell will Tech (the team now coached Gloria Ray was there at by Tyler Summitt) in Austin, the naming. “Lord, they continue his old joke: “I’m Tx. were talking about calling from Tennessee, where men But I never wore the LV us the Volettes,” said the are men and women are national champions.” attire or spoke the diminu- first women’s AD.
government Karen Carson on the issues
Karen Carson is running for state representative in the Aug. 12 Republican primary to replace Rep. Ryan Haynes. Serving her third term on the Knox County school board, she lives in Concord in Twin Harbor. A mother of three adult children and a nurse for 25 years at Children’s Hospital, she is 57.
Victor Ashe
A graduate of the University of Southwestern Louisiana in Lafayette, La., she moved to Knox County in 1990. “I know the community and have worked in it for 25 years,” she told me. Carson had these responses to pending legislative issues: Insure Tennessee: “We cannot leave federal dollars on the table,” she said. Gov. Bill Haslam’s plan has significant problems, she added, and she expects it to be changed before it comes to the Legislature a second time. She did not say with certainty how she would vote if it comes up in 2016 but noted both Knox County senators voted for it while the county’s GOP state representatives were opposed or silent. Guns in Parks: She called it “much to-do about nothing. Why was it a pressing need?” Carson says she supports the right to bear arms, and if a repeal bill comes up next year she would get input from constituents before deciding how to vote. She did not say how she would have voted had she been a member of the Legislature during the last session. Gas Tax: While her platform says she favors keeping taxes low, she did not say directly whether she would vote for or against a gas tax hike next year, which Haslam is expected to back. She wants to know how much it would be and what roads it would go for. She did say, “I do not anticipate voting for any tax increase” during the 2016 legislative session. While that suggests opposition, it is less than a clear statement of opposition. Carson expects her campaign will need to raise $50,000, and she has raised almost $10,000 to date. She says she is open to debates with expected opponent Jason Zachary, whom she says she has never met. She has two paid campaign assistants – Loren Long and Collin
Thompson. She said her headquarters will be her home and (with a laugh) “Panera’s.” On two issues she was very clear. She supports the Lady Vols name for women’s sports at the University of Tennessee, and she strongly backs state Rep. Roger Kane in his effort to have the UT Board of Trustees discuss the issue. “I love the Lady Vols. There is a history there. I absolutely favor putting it back,” she stated. (The UT Board has declined to discuss the matter at a board meeting, which almost guarantees the Legislature will debate it next year.) She favors an appointed Knox County Schools superintendent, while Zachary favors an elected one. Carson said she would resign from the school board if elected but declined to give a date when she might resign as she has not decided. She even mentioned serving in both positions until March 2016 although the state representative election is Sept. 29. It is legal to serve in both positions and draw two separate paychecks. The reason she mentioned March was that her successor might be elected then, concurrent with the presidential primary, and the Knox County Commission might be expected to choose the elected winner to replace her if it was known who that individual would be. On the other hand if the Legislature met at the same time as the school board it would be impossible to attend meetings in Nashville and Knoxville at the same time. ■ Mayor Rogero intends to replace Kirk Huddleston as a member of the Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority since he has served two terms. Huddleston says Gov. Haslam plans to appoint him to the state Aeronautics Commission effective July 1. He will be one of five members. ■ Sometimes UT can be its own worst enemy. The controversy over the Lady Vols is a case in point. By refusing to discuss this at a board meeting, they give state legislators a logical argument to bring legislation before the General Assembly to overturn the ban. They can say that they are the only body willing to hear it out in a public setting. The Board of Trustees would be wise to let the public speak in a public forum. At the very least, have a board committee to hear all sides. Instead, the Lady Vols fans are being shunted to the sidelines.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24
THURSDAY, JUNE 25
for the Helen Ross McNabb Center. Info/schedule of events: http://mcnabbcenter.org/event/big-bbq-bash.
Historic Ramsey House Annual Luncheon, 2614 Thorn Grove Pike. Guest speaker: Lisa Oakley, education director at East Tennessee Historical Society. Open to the public. Board meeting at 10 a.m.; guest speaker at 11 a.m.; lunch at noon. Cost: $20. Reservations required. Info/reservations: 546-0745. Ijams Brown Bag Series: Eating Your Yard, noon-1 p.m., Ijams Nature Center, 2915 Island Home Ave. For ages 10 and up. Bring lunch. Free; preregistration required. Info/registration: 577-4717, ext. 110. Murano Glass Jewelry Trunk Show, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. and 3-5 p.m., Knoxville Museum of Art Gift Shop, 1050 World’s Fair Park Drive. Reception will be held 5-7 p.m. with designer Leslie Ann Genninger. Free and open to the public. Info/reservations: Denise DuBose, ddubose@knoxart.org or 934-2036. Steve Kaufman Concerts featuring: Curtis Burch, Scott Nygaard, David Harvey, Jim Hurst, Missy Raines, Dede Wyland, 7 p.m., Clayton Center for the Arts, 502 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway, Maryville. Info/tickets: www.ClaytonArtsCenter.com or 9818590. Steve Kaufman Concerts Matinee featuring: Audie Blaylock & Redline, 4:15-5:30 p.m., Clayton Center for the Arts, 502 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway, Maryville. Info/tickets: www.ClaytonArtsCenter.com or 981-8590.
Magician Michael Messing, 11 a.m., Bearden Branch Library, 100 Golf Club Road. Info: 588-8813. Mindfulness and the Alexander Technique, 1-3:30 p.m., 313 N. Forest Park Blvd. Cost: $35. Preregistration with confirmation required. Info/registration: Lilly Sutton, 387-7600; www. AlexanderTechniqueKnoxville.com. Steve Kaufman Concerts featuring: Alan Bibey, Dennis Caplinger, John Moore, Marcy Marxer, Andy Hatfield, Jimmie Heffernan, Steve Roy, 7 p.m., Clayton Center for the Arts, 502 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway, Maryville. Info/tickets: www.ClaytonArtsCenter.com or 981-8590.
FRIDAY & SUNDAY, JUNE 26, 28
THURSDAY-SUNDAY, JUNE 25-28 Disney’s “High School Musical” presented by Erin Youth Players, 7 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday, Erin Presbyterian Church, 200 Lockett Road. Tickets: $10, $8 students and seniors, with a $30 maximum per household; sold at the door. Info: www.erinpresbyterian.org.
FRIDAY-SATURDAY, JUNE 26-27 Big BBQ Bash, Founders Square, downtown Maryville. Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) sanctioned, professional barbecue cook-off and fundraiser
Encore Theatrical Company auditions for “One Man, Two Guvnors,” 6:30 p.m., Studio ETC, 180 W. Main St. in Morristown. Looking for eight men, three women, three-four male singers, plus a small ensemble of actors Info: www.etcplays.org or 423-318-8331.
SATURDAY, JUNE 27 Book discussion: “1776” by David McCullough, 2 p.m., Farragut Branch Library, 417 N. Campbell Station Road. Info: 777-1750. Hip Hop Dance Clinic, 9-11 a.m., The Studio by Premier Athletics, 11250 Gilbert Drive. For ages 6 and up. Cost: $25. Info/registration: 671-6333. Mobile photography class, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Farragut Town Hall, 11408 Municipal Center Drive. Instructor: Ben Finch, owner of Finch Photo. Registration and payment deadline: Wednesday, June 24. Info/registration: www.townoffarragut.org/register, 218-3375. “Performance, Presence and Poise” class, 12:30-5:30 p.m., 313 N. Forest Park Blvd. Cost: $75. Preregistration with confirmation required. Info/registration: Lilly Sutton, 387-7600; www. AlexanderTechniqueKnoxville.com.
interns Meet intern Betty Betsnat “Betty” Mengesha is the newest Shopper intern. She is a rising sophomore at Bearden High School and enjoys biking, rock climbing and watching movies. Her future plans include becoming a doctor. If Betty could have lunch with anyone in the world, she would pick YouTube vlogger Louis Cole, a British video creator. “Louis travels all over the world and is Mengesha always meeting new people so I feel I could learn so much from his adventures and have a fun time.”
6 • JUNE 24, 2015 • Shopper news
Interns on the water By Shannon Carey Shopper-News interns and their chauffeurs only got lost once on the way to Helms Ferry, deep in Sharps Chapel on Norris Lake. Luckily, Google Maps saved the day. The ferry, possibly the last in operation in Tennessee, serves to connect the Braden community with the rest of Union County. Braden was cut off when Norris Lake was impounded. Now, the only way for Braden residents to get to the rest of the county is the ferry or a long drive through Claiborne County. Union County Roads Superintendent David Cox
Donald Sharp guides Helms Ferry across the river on a many times each day. He has been doing this task for 14 years.
says the ferry and the ramps leading to it have seen recent improvements through a partnership with TVA, which provided $10,000 for
the project. Union County only had to kick in $7,000. “We’re all about saving money,” said Cox. The ferry is free to ride. In-
terns enjoyed the ride across the beautiful, clear waters of Norris Lake, and they even encountered some wildlife: a goose and one fish.
A voyage to Braden By Charlie Hamilton Have you ever ridden on Helms Ferry? If you haven’t you should take a voyage. Helms Ferry is located off Old Leadmine Bend Road in Sharps Chapel in Union County. Helms Ferry is one of the last working
ferries in East Tennessee. This ferry is a very important mode of transportation for the community of Braden and the rest of Union County. If it wasn’t for Helms Ferry the residents of Braden would have to go through Speedwell or
LaFollette to get to the rest of Union County. In 1936, TVA created Norris Lake as an artificial reservoir which flooded the community Loyston and created problems for people living in some communities like Braden.
Helms Ferry has been in operation for some time now. We met Donald Sharp, the operator of Helms Ferry for 14 years, and he took us for the voyage. It is neat that a piece of East Tennessee history like Helms Ferry is just in our backyard.
Abi Nicholson, Charlie Hamilton and Anne Marie Higginbotham relax on the porch swing at the Union County Arts Cooperative in Maynardville.
Arts Co-op has something for everyone By Shannon Carey Shopper-News interns had yet another shopping spree, and yet again we apologize to their parents. This time, interns enjoyed a little treasure hunting in the rooms of the Union County Arts Cooperative. Susan Boone welcomed them to the store. Located in the historic Dr.
Carr House in downtown Maynardville, the Co-op showcases and sells the work of more than 30 artists and crafters. A tiny building next door houses music and art lessons. Eric Holcomb offers free music lessons every Wednesday evening. Info: 992-9161 or find them on Facebook.
Forensics taught at UT KidsU Camp By Maddie Murphy I had an amazing time at the UT KidsU Camp for the second year in a row. I think that it is important for kids to keep learning over summer break and I wanted to do something to further my learning in the subject of forensic anthropology. I had a great time and learned a lot in the five days at camp. I can tell the gen-
der and ancestry of a person just by using the skull and pelvis. I made many new friends and did fun labs, too. May 16, the ShopperNews interns went to the Trinity Funeral Home, and I was excited to get to share what I knew with Myra Sloan, an embalmer there. Overall the camp was a great learning experience and I’m glad I decided to sign up.
A dummy head used to practice facial repairs at the funeral home
Trinity Funeral Home embalmer Myra Sloan shows one of the personal size urns to the interns. Photos by R. White
Trinity embalmer wows interns By Shannon Carey Myra Sloan was going on four hours of sleep when she spoke to the Shopper-News interns June 16. But that’s the nature of the business at Trinity Funeral Home in
Maynardville. “We are 24/7, 365 funeral home,” she said. “There are no holidays for us.” For such a somber subject, Sloan made her talk interesting and comfort-
ing. She described the process of planning a funeral, different traditions for embalming and funerals, and even the embalming process. Sloan spoke about deal-
ing with grief and death of a loved one. “Love everybody to the fullest now,” she said. “We’re never promised tomorrow.” Info: www.trinityfuneral home.net or 865-992-5002
Myra Sloan’s amazing job By Abi Nicholson Myra Sloan has worked as an embalmer for 22 years. She has been to lots of schools talking about her job. In her high school years, Sloan wanted to be a speech pathologist. As she was training she still was indecisive what she wanted to be, so she prayed to God to give her a sign. “Every day is a new adventure, you never know what your next phone call
will be,” Sloan said. One day, a man came to her and said “Myra, God came to me in a dream and said you need to work in a funeral home.” Sloan laughed. She had seen too many horror movies to want to work in a funeral home. Later, she started getting interested and soon realized it was a pretty cool job. When she started learning about embalming she fell
in love with the job and started to see it as a ministry. To this very day she believes that this was supposed to be her job. To me, Myra Sloan is amazing person because she wakes up every day just to work with deceased people and help their families. Also, she can work on a tight schedule and still makes it through the day.
Meet the courthouse crew By Shannon Carey Union County’s officeholders welcomed the Shopper-News interns and were glad to share information about what they do. Mayor Mike Williams led the tour with stops in each office, including visits with Register of Deeds Mary Beth Kitts, Clerk and Master Sandra Edmondson and the staff of General Sessions Court Clerk Barbara Williams. Intern Bailey Lemmons even researched her father’s childhood home in the Property Assessor’s office with help from Randy Turner and Tammie Carter. Bailey Lemmons looks at a map of her father’s childhood home, thanks to the help of Randy Turner (pictured) and Tammie Carter in the property assessor’s office.
A friendly welcome at the courthouse By Betty Mengesha
Union County Mayor Mike Williams welcomes the interns to his office. Photo by Amanda McDonald
In addition to the charming art galleries, wonderful scenery and an enjoyable ferry, Union County offers a kind and welcoming courthouse. Even with all the legal business being carried out, you are immediately able to see the kind of people who make up
Union County’s community. However, this courthouse wouldn’t be able to be so productive in their property, financial and court clerk departments without Mayor Mike Williams. Williams has been serving Union County as mayor for approximately five years. His passion for helping the
community really shines through, and it is evident that he is a friend to all residents. His humor and desire to work hard for the public good really aids in making the courthouse a family. So if you have spare time during this summer, make sure you stop by Union County!
weekender
Shopper news • JUNE 24, 2015 • 7
Onward and By Carol Shane
East Tennessee is home to gardeners of all types. This time of year, tomatoes, squash and peas are – if you’re lucky – popping off the vine. Coneflower and lilies bask in the sun; hostas and ferns are happy in the shade. But what if you don’t have much land? Or are a city dweller? Or just want to do something fun and trendy? Vertical gardening has been called “a boon for the land-challenged,” and this weekend UT Gardens will teach you all you need to know about it. Plus you can also design garden structures with your kids in tow. They’ll be using Legos; you’ll be listening and taking notes. There are currently many kinds of commercial products available for those who want to garden up, not out. A quick Google search turns up “Woolly Pockets,” aeroponic towers, tiered systems. Big-box stores are getting in on the trend, offering instruction books and preassembled wall units. The good folks at UT Gardens have their noses to the ground (yikes), and they’re getting in on the vertical craze. They’ll have all sorts of ideas, and you’ll get to build your own miniature vertical garden to take home. Also, it doesn’t matter whether you’re a pro or a beginner – everyone can
upward
for the gardener
FRIDAY ■ Alive After Five: “Tribute to the R&B Classic Hits” with Evelyn Jack and Donald Brown, 6-8:30 p.m., Knoxville Museum of Art, 1050 World’s Fair Park Drive. Tickets: $15; $10 for members/students. Info: 934-2039. ■ Headroom III concert, 9 p.m., the Concourse, 940 Blackstock Ave. Tickets: $5 at the door. Info: http://internationalknox. com. ■ Steve Kaufman Concerts featuring: Steve Kaufman, Bobby Hicks, Alan Munde, John Reischman, Mark Cosgrove, 7 p.m., Clayton Center for the Arts, 502 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway, Maryville. Info/tickets: www.ClaytonArtsCenter.com or 9818590. ■ Summer Movie Magic: “The Birds,” 8 p.m., Tennessee Theatre, 604 S. Gay St. Tickets: all Ticketmaster outlets, the Tennessee Theatre box office, 800-745-3000. Info: www. tennesseetheatre.com.
FRIDAY-SATURDAY ■ Oakes Daylily Festival, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Oakes Daylilies, 8153 Monday Road, Corryton. Free. Includes plant sale, refreshments, kids activities, live music and more. Lunch available for purchase. Info: 800-532-9545, www.OakesDayLilies.com.
Not enough yard for a vegetable or flower garden? UT Gardens can show you how to rethink that. Photos submitted
FRIDAY-SUNDAY ■ Music: Best Served Cold featuring The Northerners, a live folk-rock ice concert, 7 p.m., Ice Chalet, 100 Lebanon St. Info/ tickets: www.productionsonice.com/.
SATURDAY learn something. Also on the docket for the summer months are workshops in growing carnivorous plants, gardening in the shade, making decorative leaf castings, and gardening to attract butterflies. “Growing Together:
Landscape Legos” runs from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, June 27. The cost per family is $20 for members, $30 for nonmembers. “Adult Workshop: Vertical Gardening” runs 1-3 p.m. Saturday, June 27. The cost is $20 for members,
$30 for nonmembers. Costs for both workshops include materials. To learn more, or to find out how to become a member of UT Gardens, visit utgardens.tennessee.edu/. Send story suggestions to news@shop pernewsnow.com.
3 films brave post-dino landscape
■ Cherokee Heritage Day, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., James White’s Fort, 205 W. Hill Ave. Free to the public. Visit a Cherokee campsite, interact with members of the militia; tour the fort; a variety of pioneer skills displayed. Info: 525-6514 ■ “Fun in the Sun” Mopar Car Show and Swap Meet, noon-4 p.m., Chilhowee Park Fairgrounds, 3301 E. Magnolia Ave. Registration, 9 a.m.-noon. Proceeds to benefit the Knoxville Volunteer Rescue Squad. Info: etmcarclub@gmail.com, www. easttennesseemopars.com. ■ Hard Knox Roller Girls Allstars vs. Circle City Derby Girls, 5 p.m., Knoxville Civic Coliseum, 500 Howard Baker Ave. Intraleague bout: Lolitas Locas vs. Machine Gun Kellys, 7 p.m. Tickets: Coliseum box office, team members and team website. Info: www.hardknoxrollergirls.com; on Facebook.
By Betsy Pickle If you’ve had enough of dinosaurs already, it may be time to move on to some different critters in this week’s new releases. The family film “Max” features a heroic Marine dog who needs time to recover after losing his best friend. His handler’s family adopts him, and he slowly bonds with the younger brother as they try to unravel a mystery. Thomas Haden Church, Lauren Graham, Luke Kleintank, Jay Hernandez, Mia Xitlali, Dejon LaQuake and Robbie Amell star for director Boaz Yakin (“Remember the Titans”). The A Marine dog named Max and the younger brother (Josh Wiggins) of his former handler bond film is rated PG. as they try to solve a mystery in “Max.” The less-than-cuddly living teddy bear Ted returns in “Ted 2.” Now married to Morgan Freeman, Sam J. exclusively at Downtown in on him, changing his life Tami-Lynn (Jessica Barth), Jones, Patrick Warburton, West. forever. Ted (voiced by director/co- Michael Dorn, John Slattery Greg (Thomas Mann) has Nick Offerman, Molly writer Seth MacFarlane) and Liam Neeson. The film made an effort throughout Shannon and Jon Bernthal must prove to the court that is rated R for crude and sex- high school not to get close (“The Walking Dead”) also he’s a “person” before he ual content, pervasive lan- to anyone, even his “co- star for director Alfonso qualifies to become a par- guage and some drug use. worker” Earl (RJ Cyler). But Gomez-Rejon. The film, ent. There’s at least one cat in when his mom (Connie Brit- rated PG-13, won the AudiMark Wahlberg returns “Me and Earl and the Dying ton) insists that he befriend ence Award and the Grand as Ted’s best bud, who’ll do Girl,” but the teenagers ref- a schoolmate (Olivia Cooke) Jury Prize at this year’s anything he can to help. The erenced in the title are the who has been diagnosed Sundance Film Festival and cast also includes Amanda focus of this Sundance Film with leukemia, the world earned honors at several Seyfried, Giovanni Ribisi, Festival winner, opening he has kept at bay crashes other fests.
Looking for a lifetime of happiness?
■ Adult Workshop: Vertical Gardening, 1-3 p.m., UT Gardens, 2518 Jacob Drive. Info/registration: www.utgardens. wildapricot.org/UTGardensEvents; 974-7151.
■ Meadow Lark Music Festival, Ijams Nature Center, 2915 Island Home Ave. Featuring; Americana music, local food and family fun. Headliner: Pokey LaFarge. Tickets: www. brownpapertickets.com/event/1568627. Info: www.ijams. org.
SUNDAY ■ Summer Movie Magic: “The Birds,” 2 p.m., Tennessee Theatre, 604 S. Gay St. Tickets: all Ticketmaster outlets, the Tennessee Theatre box office, 800-745-3000. Info: http:// www.tennesseetheatre.com.
AREA FARMERS MARKETS ■ Dixie Lee Farmers Market, Renaissance|Farragut, 12740 Kingston Pike. Hours: 9 a.m.noon Saturdays through Oct. 31. Info: dixieleefarmers market.com; on Facebook. ■ Ebenezer Road Farmers Market, Ebenezer UMC, 1001 Ebenezer Road. Hours: 3-6 p.m. Tuesdays through late November. Info: on Facebook. ■ Knoxville Farmers Market, Laurel Church of Christ, 3457 Kingston Pike. Hours: 3-6 p.m. Fridays through late November. ■ Lakeshore Park Farmers Market, 6410 S. Northshore Drive. Hours: 3-6 p.m. every Friday through Nov. 20. Info:
on Facebook. ■ Market Square Farmers Market, 60 Market Square. Hours: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Wednesdays and 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays through Nov. 21. Info: marketsquarefarmers market.org. ■ Maryville Farmers Market: Church Avenue. Hours: 9 a.m.-sellout, Saturdays through Nov. 17. ■ Maryville Farmers Market: New Providence Presbyterian Church, 703 W. Broadway, Maryville. Hours: 3:30-6:30 p.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays through Aug. 29. Additional information at ShopperNewsNow.com.
Adopt a pet from the Humane Society of East Tennessee! $75.00 Adoption Fees for cats and dogs include the spay or neuter, vaccinations, wellness check, heartworm test (dogs) Feline Leukemia and FIV Test (cats), micro-chip and lifetime micro-chip registration. www.humanesocietyetn.org www.petfinder.com/shelters/TN736
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8 • JUNE 24, 2015 • Shopper news
NHC funds nursing equipment for PSCC A $10,000 donation to Pellissippi State Community College by local affiliates of the National HealthCare Corporation is earmarked for the purchase of state-ofthe-art teaching equipment for the college’s nursing degree program. The equipment includes a bed with a headwall containing electronic patient monitors and is to be used in the simulation lab at the Strawberry Plains campus. “The nursing department is very grateful for NHC’s support,” said Lisa Stamm, dean of the program at Pellissippi State.
“We currently have students completing clinical rotations at NHC Farragut, and we appreciate the many opportunities NHC continues to provide for our students, in addition to this gracious gift.” The donation was made by NHC Farragut, NHC Fort Sanders, NHC Knoxville, Holston Health and Rehabilitation Center, and NHC Oak Ridge. NHC affiliates operate long-term healthcare centers, as well as home-care programs, independent living centers and assisted living communities throughout the country.
Pellissippi State Community College officials accepted a donation of $10,000 from NHC’s East Tennessee facilities on June 12. The donation will fund laboratory simulation equipment for the college’s nursing program. Pictured are NHC vice president Ray Blevins, PSCC professor More Herington, NHC Farragut director Karla Lane, PSCC vice president Peggy Wilson and president L. Anthony Wise Jr., with Jeff Tambornini, Keith McCord and Brad Shuford. Photo submitted
Pellissippi State’s nursing degree program began in 2010 and is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing. Each of the college’s five campuses in Knox and Blount counties offers prenursing courses, and the
nursing program is offered at the Blount, Magnolia and Strawberry Plains campuses. The program runs two years, and students graduate with an Associate of Applied Science in Nursing degree. They are then pre-
pared to take the national licensure exam to become a registered nurse. Pellissippi State also offers a fast-track degree option through the Bridge to Registered Nurse program that allows licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and
paramedics to enter nursing school following the successful completion of one summer transitional course. The college partners with other schools to offer the RN to BSN path for students interested in going on for a bachelor’s degree.
Cutting-edge technology with traditional customer service By Sara Barrett More than 30 years ago, Dave Glass began Computer Systems Plus as an information technology business specializing in help for smaller companies. Prior to that, he had repaired computers at K-25 in Oak Ridge and installed automated teller lines for SCI, the manufacturer of the first IBM computer. “But after I learn something, I get bored and want to learn something else,” said Glass. He was working for Tennessee Data Systems when it closed, so he offered to continue helping his 40 clients independently. EvComputer Systems Plus founder Dave Glass and his son, Rob, ery single one accepted the offer, and Glass estimates vice president of marketing and field service Photo by S. Barrett
Computer Systems Plus, now located at 605 Sevier Ave., has filed more than 7,500 client contracts since. In addition to installing computers, networks, printers and other hardware, Glass’s staff of 16 develops specialized software for individual business needs. A utility company in Roane County needed a way to remind its customers to pay their bill on time, so Computer Systems Plus developed a program that would call the utility company’s customers automatically. “We are a face-to-face
company,” said Glass. “The world is so big and there are so many products, we want to find what works best for our clients and not something that will outpace or out-price them.” A prime example is the option for smaller businesses to hold Computer Systems Plus on a retainer, just as attorneys are used only when needed. A business owner pays a certain amount for a specific amount of time, even a block of hours, and he or she would be able to access any of CSP’s services throughout the year until
the time has been used. If the business does not use the entire amount, the time rolls over to the next year. Although the business is based in South Knoxville just across the river from downtown, the address is just a landing spot, said Glass. “We leave from here to visit customers. This is just where we deploy everybody from. We want our clients to feel like they’re getting a return on their investments. We are always available to talk.” Info: 5735303, or visit compsysplus. com.
Rotary gives two scholarships
NEWS FROM PREMIER SURGICAL
Dr. Mejia of Premier Surgical: serving through surgery The importance of service and helpDr. Mejia was on staff at Masssena ing others was instilled in Jose Luis Memorial Hospital in upstate New Mejia, MD, FACS, at an early age. As York, providing surgical and wound the son of a politicare to a variety of pediatric and adult cian and owner of patients. a newspaper in the Dr. Mejia and his family missed South American East Tennessee, so he recently joined country of Ecuador, Premier Surgical Associates in Dr. Mejia saw how Knoxville as a general surgeon at the his father served group’s Tennova North and Physicians the community. Regional locations in June. Dr. Mejia But it was his “We love it here! The mountains, uncle, who was a the people - everyone says ‘Hello’,” surgeon, who inspired him to serve says Dr. Mejia. “Premier Surgical has a through medicine. great reputation and I’m excited to be “When I was a part of this group.” young, my uncle took Dr. Mejia, who me to the clinic where speaks both English he operated. I loved and Spanish, has cleaning wounds, found already his naremoving sutures, tive language to be an and I especially loved advantage in commuthe operating room. It nicating with patients. came naturally to me,” “Communicating says Dr. Mejia. and always being honWhile in medical est with my patients is school at the prestivery important to me,” gious Central Universiexplains Dr. Mejia.” ty of Ecuador, Dr. Mejia Dr. Mejia, whose trained with one of the special interests pioneers of laparoscopinclude minimally inic surgery techniques. vasive procedures “Surgeons ffor benign and maDr. Mejia is an avid runner and is picwere transitionlignant problems li tured in the 2013 Boston Marathon. ing to minimally oof the abdomen He completed the race 40 minutes invasive surgeries. aand breast cancer before the fatal bombing. He says the It was an advanssurgery, is curtragedy is a reminder of the importage that I trained rrently accepting tance of life and family. in a time when we new patients at the n did a lot of both Premier Surgical P open and laparoscopic procedures,” offices at Tennova North and Physiexplains Dr. Mejia. cians Regional. Drawn by the medical technology available, Dr. Mejia moved to the United States in 1999 and completed his residency in General Surgery at East Tennessee State University. He worked at Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Johnson City for eight years, serving as Clinical Associate Professor To schedule an appointment with and Chief of Surgery. Most recently, Dr. Mejia, call 865-938-8121.
Cormack
Ramsey
By Bonny C. Millard Applicants for the Rotary Club of Knoxville scholarships were so outstanding that the club decided to award two $16,000 scholarships for the first time. Rachel Cormack, a graduate of South-Doyle High School, and Cameron Ramsey, a graduate of Bearden High School, were honored at a Rotary Club of Knoxville luncheon. They will receive an annual disbursement for four years. Rotarian Shannon Holland said the committee received applications from students from all Knox County high schools, and these two applicants were exemplary students who both deserved the scholarship. Cormack will attend Union University in Jackson, Tenn., and plans to pursue a career in neonatal nursing. She said that after college graduation she plans to come home to Knoxville to live and also hopes to
Scholarship recipient Faith Harris performs for the Rotary Club of Knoxville while Bill MacGrath watches.
continue participating in medical mission trips. Ramsey will attend Columbia International University in Columbia, S.C., and plans to earn a master of divinity and go into the ministry. Ramsey has been working parttime at Chick-fil-A while in high school and said that his experience as a team leader has helped him develop his leadership skills. Both Cormack and Ramsey thanked the Rotary Club for the scholarship and for investing in their lives. Two current recipients, Alicia Lewis and Lucas Despins, who both attend the University of Tennessee,
Knoxville, attended the luncheon. In addition to those scholarships, the Bob and Diana Samples Community School of the Arts Rotary Club of Knoxville Scholarship was presented to Faith Harris, who has been at the school for 12 years. Rotarian Bob Samples was club president last year. Jennifer Willard, executive director of the arts school, described Harris as a percussion prodigy. Harris plays several instruments. After thanking Rotary, Harris demonstrated her vocal and guitar skills while performing a song for the audience.
SUMMER CAMPS ■ Acting 2: Character Acting classes for ages 11 and up, 1-4 p.m. Monday-Friday, July 20-24, Knoxville Children’s Theatre, 109 E. Churchwell Ave. Cost: $240. Info/registration: Dennis Perkins, dennis@ childrenstheatreknoxville. com or 208-3677. ■ Camp Wesley Woods summer camp, 329 Wesley Woods Road, Townsend. Programs for boys and girls grades K-12. Info/ registration: 448-2246 or www. CampWesleyWoods.com. ■ Music and Creative Arts Camp, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. July
13-17, Concord UMC, 11020 Roane Drive. For kids who have finished first through sixth grades. ■ Clarence Brown Theatre Summer Acting Camp, 9 a.m.4 p.m. Clarence Brown Theatre Performance Venues. Session 1: Monday-Friday, July 6-17; Session 2: Monday-Friday, July 2031. Focus on acting and musical theatre techniques. Cost: $525 each session. Info/registration: www.clarencebrowntheatre. com/actingcamp.shtml or Terry Silver-Alford, tsilvera@utk.edu. ■ Creative Movement for
the Stage acting classes for ages 12 and up, 1-4 p.m. Monday-Friday, July 20-24, Knoxville Children’s Theatre, 109 E. Churchwell Ave. Cost: $240. Info/registration: Dennis Perkins, dennis@childrens theatreknoxville.com or 208-3677. ■ “Dance the Day Away!” dance camp, 9 a.m.-noon Monday-Thursday, July 20-23, Premier Athletics KnoxvilleWest, 11250 Gilbert Drive. Ages 4 and up. Cost: $90. Snack and craft included. Info/registration: 671-6333.
SOUTH KNOX Shopper news • JUNE 24, 2015 • 9
South Knoxville
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Saturday, July 4th, 10 - 5 pm: “Let Freedom Ring” 4th of July Celebration at Marble Springs, 1220 West Governor John Sevier Highway. Activities include a “Let Freedom Ring” bell ringing ceremony, Alliance Revolutionary War Stories, and a Raising of a Liberty Pole. Saturday, July 11th, 10 - 4 pm: Tea & Treasures 2nd Saturday Marketplace. Sunday, July 19th, 4:00 pm: Family Drum Circle at Ijams Nature Center. Monday, July 20, 6:30 pm: Monthly SKA meeting. Check our website for meeting location. Saturday, July 18, 11 am - noon: Monthly cleanup of Ft. Dickerson Quarry area. Meet at the Augusta Road parking lot. 2nd & 4th Saturday each month, 1-3pm: Old Time Mountain Pickers at Tea & Treasures.
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