Progress 2022-24 Hours in Carter County

24

HOURS

in Carter County ELIZABETHTON STAR | PROGRESS 2022

$1.50

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(423) 542-4151 • www.elizabethton.com

THIS IS HOME.

Carter County–it’s the breathtaking views from Roan Mountain, the historical spirit of downtown Elizabethton, the summer playground of Watauga Lake, and everything in-between. This community is our pride and joy, and we know it’s yours too.

We’re proud to call Carter County home.

To learn how we can best serve you visit BankofTennessee.com or call (423) 543- 2131.

(423) 542-4151 • www.elizabethton.com

SATURDAY - SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26-27, 2022 - STAR - 3

With 100+ years of experience, Price & Ramey specializes in business, home, auto, life, and health insurance policies. www.priceramey.com/east-tn (423) 481-9313

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8

18

34

1 AM Carter County Rescue Squad

13

3 PM

8 AM

Boys & Girls Club

Educator

4 AM

16

44 4 PM

Noon Duck Crossing Antique Mall

Animal Control

1 PM Primp & Tease

9 PM

Watts Dance Studio

Hunan’s Christina Lian

30 41 6 AM

7 PM EHS Cheer Coach

37

28

Elizabethton Exxon

42

Table of Contents

48 6 PM

River’s Edge Fellowship

MIDNIGHT Elizabethton Police Dept.

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City Mayor Curt Alexander - 423-543-1181

City/County Directory

Mayor Pro-Tem William E. “Bill” Carter

Finance Director Carolyn Watson - 423-542-3844

Councilman Jeffery C. Treadway Kim Birchfield Michael Simerly Wes Frazier Richard Barker

Deputy Director Audra Gerty - 423-542-3844

Circuit Court Clerk Johnny Blankenship - 423-542-1835 General Sessions Court Keith Bowers, Jr.- 423-542-1825 Juvenile Court 423-542-1829 Criminal Court Stacy L. Street Lisa Nidiffer Rice 423-542-1872 Assessor of Property Ronnie B. Taylor - 423-542-1806 Clerk and Master Andrew LaPorte - 423-542-1812 County Clerk Mary Gouge - 423-542-1814 Carter County Trustee Randal Lewis - 423-542-1811 Register of Deeds Jarrod Ellis - 423-542-1830 Animal Shelter Shannon Posada, Director 423-547-6359 Administrator of Elections Tracy Tanner-Harris 423-542-1822 Carter County Election Commission 423-542-1822 Junior Stanley (R) – Chairman Ramon Sanchez-Vinas (D) – Secretary Teresa Murray-Smith (R) Diane Wilde (D) Tom Whitehead (R) Emergency Management Agency Billy Harrell, Director 423-542-1888 Deputy Director Kevin Kemp - 423-542-1888

Health Department Caroline Chinouth Carter & Johnson County Director 423-543-2521 Highway Department Roger Colbaugh Superintendent Office Phone: 423-543-2331 Planning & Zoning Chris Schuettler Director 423-542-1834 Director of Schools Dr. Tracy McAbee Phone:423-547-4000 Assistant Director of Schools Peggy Campbell Phone: 423-547-4000 Carter County Board of Education 423-547-4000 Chairman Tony Garland – 5th District Vice Chairman Kelly Crain – 6th District Keith Bowers Sr. – 1st District Chris Hitechew – 2nd District David Buck – 3rd District Danny Ward – 4th District Creola Miller – 7th District Dylan Hill – 8th District Sheriff’s Department Dexter Lunceford, Sheriff 423-542-1845 Solid Waste Benny Lyons, Director 423-543-6626 UT Extension Office Vickie Clark, Director Ext. Agent III 423-542-1818 Veteran’s Service Officer David K. Batchelder, 423-542-1824 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ADA Coordinators for Carter County: Billy Harrell Carter County Courthouse 423-542-1888 County Mayor Patty Woodby 423-542-1801

Carter County Commission Chairwoman Ginger Holdren Vice Chairwoman Travis Hill County Attorney - Josh Hardin County Historian - Lisa Germaine Chancellor- John C. Rambo District Attorney General Ken C. Baldwin Assistant District Attorney Matt Roark Carter County Commissioners 1st District – Hunter, Midway, and Unaka Communities Willie Campbell, 1st District Mark Blevins, 1st District Robert Acuff, 1st District 2nd District – Hampton, Roan Mountain, and Tiger Valley Nancy J. Brown, 2nd District Mike Miller, 2nd District Julie Guinn, 2nd District 3rd District – Central, Keenburg, Range, and Watauga Bradley Johnson, 3rd District Mark Tester, 3rd District Charles Von Cannon, 3rd District 4th District – Courthouse, Eastside, and Siam Communities Isaiah Grindstaff, 4th District Austin Jaynes, 4th District Jerry Proffitt, 4th District 5th District – Happy Valley Ross Garland, 5th District Ginger Holdren, 5th District Layla Ward, 5th District

Kelly Collins, 8th District Thomas Proffitt, 8th District Elizabethton Fire Department Barry Carrier - Fire Chief Volunteer Fire Departments Central Volunteer Fire Department Elk Mills Volunteer Fire Department Hampton Volunteer Fire Department Roan Mountain Volunteer Fire Department Stoney Creek Volunteer Fire Department Watauga Volunteer Fire Department West Carter County Volunteer Fire Department Carter County Rescue Squad/EMS 423-543-5445 City Manager Daniel Estes - 423-542-1507 City Judge The Honorable Jason Holly Court Clerk - Cherie Geagley City Attorney Roger G. Day Assistant City Attorney Charlton R. Devault City Clerk/Finance Director Preston T. Cobb - 423-542-1504 Deputy City Clerk Jennifer Arnold Department Heads and Other Officials Water Resources Director Johann Coetzee Electric Department Director Rob Toney Police Chief Jason Shaw Street & Sanitation Director Danny Hilbert

6th District – Hampton, Little Milligan, Elk Mills, Valley Forge Randall Jenkins, 6th District Travis Hill, 6th District Gary Bailey, 6th District

Parks & Recreation Director Mike Mains

7th District – Gap Creek Sonja Culler, 7th District Daniel McInturff 7th District Aaron Frazier, 7th District

Purchasing Director Greg Workman

8th District – Elizabethton High School, Harold McCormick Robin McKamey, 8th District

Public Library Director Bernadette Weese

Planning & Development Director Logan Engle Personnel Director - Angela Lyons

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(423) 542-4151 • www.elizabethton.com

Elizabethton City School Directory

Elizabethton City School Board Eddie Pless - Board Chair Phil Isaacs - Vice Chair Danny O’Quinn Jamie Bass Schaff Mike Wilson Felecia Baird - Board Secretary Maggie Cole (Student Liaison) Director of Schools Richard VanHuss

Assistant Director of Schools Dr. Myra Newman Director of Technology Joey Trent Director of Special Education & RTI2 Josh Boatman SPED Coach (system-wide) Hayley Bishop

Assistant Director of Schools for Operations John Hutchins Director of Business & Fiscal Management Beth Wilson

Director of Wandell Early Learning Center, Curriculum & Testing PreK-12, Accountability and Data Services Travis Thompson School Nutrition Coordinator Regina Isaacs Director of Extended School Program Jordan Carder Director of Coordinated School Health Coordinator Emily Brooks

System-wide Registered Nurse Teresa Robinson Public Relations Nicole Moore Elizabethton High School 423-547-8015 Grades 9-12 Jon Minton, Principal Sheri Nelson, Assistant Principal Joe Diaz, Assistant Principal Tom Hopson, Assistant Principal T.A. Dugger Junior High School 423-547-8025 Grades 6-8 Chris Berry, Principal Jason Carter, Assistant Principal Travis Williams, Assistant Principal East Side Elementary 423-547-8010 Grades K-5 Travis Hurley, Principal Emmy Morganstern, Assistant Principal

Harold McCormick Elementary 423-547-8020 Grades K-5 Eric Wampler, Principal Penny Nave, Assistant Principal West Side Elementary 423-547-8030 Grades K-5 John Wright, Principal Dr. Tammy Markland Assistant Principal

Wandell Early Learning Center 423-547-8035 Pre-K - Travis Thompson, Director CTE Director Brian Culbert CTE Administrative Assistant Jennifer Taylor Transportation Supervisor Dr. Tom Hopson

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1 A.M.

Carter County Rescue Squad

Serving Carter County no matter the hour

It’s around 1 a.m. as Carter County EMT Brad Brown goes through his ambulance, trying to get it cleaned up from the runs he has had starting his shift at 7 p.m.

There is no such thing as down time for those working the 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. shift because if they are not running calls, they have other responsibilities.

Supplies have to be replenished so the crew will have whatever they might need for the next call — whether that’s a cardiac arrest, the birth of a child, a shooting or a vehicle crash. Brown’s ambulance is one of three available each shift in Carter County.

That unknown factor, combined with the COVID-19 protocols that mean some EMTs have to stay with patients for hours in the emergency room, are just part of the stressors that Brown and his peers face each shift.

“Whenever you have all your trucks used up because Carter County Rescue Squad EMT Brad Brown said there really is no such thing as down time for an EMT all of them are sitting at the hospital and a call of a caror paramedic as they have to make sure to keep the ambulances properly stocked and clean when they are diac arrest or a shooting comes in or a child birth comes not out running calls. up it puts a strain on you because you are here with a patient and there is someone else that needs your help,” said Brown.

“It’s been hard because ... you have so many people to take care of,” he said, adding “we are not fully staffed right now.”

Brown has been on the job as an EMT since 2012 and while others may just like their job in this field, he said he loves knowing that he can help others.

He works the night shift, which he admits can be a strain as a husband and father. Despite that, he is committed to his work and continued training.

“We have a lot of training and some of it’s online but some of the other is in person,” said Brown. “That’s why I say there is no such thing as having down time while working your shift.

“There is always something needing to be done.”

Story and Photos

by Ivan Sanders Brad Brown, an EMT, works the night shift from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. while managing to be a husband and a father. He said what keeps him coming back each shift is the ability to help people.

According to Carter County Rescue Squad EMT Brad Brown, a shift can be filled with many duties including transporting patients to the hospital who are ill or have been in an accident as well as picking up patients to take back to nursing homes.

SATURDAY - SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26-27, 2022 - STAR - 9

(423) 542-4151 • www.elizabethton.com

Carter County School System Carter County Board of Education 423-547-4000 Chairman Tony Garland – 5th District Vice Chairman Kelly Crain – 6th District Keith Bowers Sr. – 1st District Dr. LaDonna Stout-Boone – 2nd District David Buck – 3rd District Danny Ward – 4th District Creola Miller – 7th District Dylan Hill – 8th District Director of Schools Dr. Tracy McAbee tracymcabee@carterk12.net Assistant Director of Schools Peggy Campbell peggycampbell@carterk12.net Board Secretary - Amanda Scalf Attendance & Student Management Kathy Ledford Special Education Director Dr. Diana Bowers dianabowers@carterk12.net Program Coordinator April Howard - aprilhoward@carter12.net CTE Director Betsy Oliver - betsyoliver@carterk12.net CTE Secretary & Bookkeeper Rochelle Darnell rochelledarnell@carterk12.net Head Start Supervisor LeeAnn Carr leeanncarr@carterk12.net Director of K-12 Curriculum Dr. LaDonna Stout-Boone ladonnaboone@carterk12.net Director of Student Support Danny McClain dannymcclain@carterk12.net Federal Project Director Dr. Jerri Beth Nave jbnave@carterk12.net Carter Cares After School Program Sonya Miller - Program Director sonyamiller@carterk12.net Coordinated School Health Beth Bare Program Assistant - Lacey Pasquale Schools Central Elementary Grades K-8 Terry Morley, Principal 423-547-4045 Cloudland Elementary Grades K-8 Scott Potter, Principal

Scott Tester, Assistant Principal 423-772-5310 Cloudland High School Grades 9-12 Dr. Amy Horney, Principal Matt Birchfield, Assistant Principal 423-772-5300 Hampton Elementary Grades K-8 Brandon Carpenter, Pre-K - 8th Grade Principal Jake Jenkins - Assistant Principal 423-725-5220 Hampton High School Grades 9-12 Jeff Bradley, Principal Tiffany Jenkins, Assistant Principal 423-725-5200 Happy Valley Elementary Grades K-4 Mrs. Mandy Greer, Principal Lisa Ensor, Assistant Principal 423-547-4028 Happy Valley Middle School Grades 5-8 Katherine Hyder, Principal Brandon Young, Assistant Principal 423-547-4070 Happy Valley High School Grades 9-12 Doug Mitchell, Principal Dr. Paul Blair, Assistant Principal 423-547-4094 Hunter Elementary Grades K-8 Mark Revis, Principal Dale Campbell, Assistant Principal 423-547-4074 Keenburg Elementary Grades K-8 Jason Hartley, Principal Heather Smith, Assistant Principal 423-547-4047 Little Milligan Elementary School Grades K-8 JR Campbell, Principal 423-768-4400 Unaka Elementary School Grades K-8 Dr. Leslie Simerly, Principal 423-474-4110

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10 - STAR - SATURDAY - SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26-27, 2022

Early-Morning Eatery

Waffle House, a shining beacon in the middle of the night

2 A.M.

Story and photos by Nic Miller

At 2 a.m., signs at the Waffle House shine like a beacon, drawing members of the community to the restaurant just as moths are drawn to a flame.

Isaac Keller, a jack of all trades during the third shift hours at Elizabethton’s Waffle House, has worked with the company for six years, recently transferring from another state.

“I was living in North Carolina six years ago, and I was hoping to help my mom pay the bills so I began working with Waffle House. I have loved the job ever since and here I am many years later,” Keller said.

Keller has had his fair share of all three shifts at the chain restaurant, having worked the morning shift from 7 a.m. until 2 p.m., the second shift from 2 p.m. until 9 p.m., and third shift from 9 p.m. until 7 a.m.

“First shift is always super busy, second shift is a more slow-paced environment, and third shift is a mix of the two depending on the day. Third shift is slow throughout the week, but on the weekends it picks up because of the bar crowd,” Keller said.

Keller said during the week, he may see 30 to 40 tables during third shift, compared to double or even sometimes triple that amount on the weekend.

“When it gets into the early morning hours, I thoroughly enjoy working here because I tend to get along with any crowd, and the people that come in around that time are aways fun to be around,” Keller said.

And while working in an establishment that is open 24 hours of the day, the early morning hours are sure to bring with them their fair share of bizarre stories.

“At 2 a.m. one night when I was working at the Waffle House in Hickory, N.C., a coworker and I were both struck by lightning during the middle of our shift,” Keller said. “We had to be transported to the hospital and obviously we were not able to finish out our shift.

“Not too long ago, during the middle of our shift, a customer walked in and was intoxicated. He attempted to fight most of us who were working for no reason until we eventually got him to leave,” Keller said.

During the two o’clock hour on a Wednesday morning, Elizabethton’s Waffle House is quiet, with only two patrons to be seen, one of whom is Doug Yoakley.

“Why not,” Yoakley said on why he decided to stop and dine during the early morning. “You’re riding through and are hungry, and Waffle House is one of the only things open right now.

“After you stop in here a few times, the friendships you develop along the way are unmatched,” Yoakley said. “I’m in here about once a month at this time, so some people would say I am a regular.”

When asked about his favorite menu item, there was no hesitation as Yoakley said, “It has got to be the hash browns. There are so many ways you can order them, so it is the perfect choice.”

The lights outside of the Elizabethton Waffle House shine like a beacon, drawing the night crowd for a late night meal.

The lone two patrons of Waffle House in Elizabethton enjoy talking to one another while sipping on their beverages

Isaac Keller performs his nightly duties in a quiet Waffle House by taking out the trash during the early morning hours.

(423) 542-4151 • www.elizabethton.com

SATURDAY - SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26-27, 2022 - STAR - 11

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3 A.M.

The hard working nurses of Sycamore Shoals Hospital are ready at a moment’s notice to care for the patients that are currently admitted.

Nurses at Sycamore Shoals provide late night care to patients Story and photos by Nic Miller

It’s quiet on the night shift at Sycamore Shoals Hospital.

But CNA Nathan Keaton said it’s not always a quiet shift.

“Night shift is rough sometimes, and you have to get used to working overnight,” Keaton said. “Usually, the night shift is a little quieter because most patients are sleeping. However, there are always those patients that will need care throughout the hours of the night.”

As a CNA, Keaton assists the nursing staff in any aspect of their jobs. “That consists of patient care, do-

ing anything that the nurses may not have time to do because of their other responsibilities such as giving out medicine or providing patient care that I am not qualified to do,” he said.

“The difference between nurses and CNAs are, of course, you have to go to nursing school to become a nurse. To become a CNA, you do not have to go through a full school, but you do have to receive a certification,” Keaton said. “As a nurse, you are able to provide medicine, start IVs, provide wound care as well as several other things that CNAs are not qualified to do.”

Keaton said that common tasks for CNAs include helping people to the bathroom, occasionally cleaning rooms, and providing medical care when nurses are busy with other tasks.

Working in the healthcare profession is not for everyone, but most of those who work in the medical field enjoy every moment of their shift, Keaton said.

“I just love being able to work one-on-one with patients and being able to see their faces after they get better,” Keaton said. “Being there for patients in their worst time and being able to comfort them and hopefully try to make them feel better is why I do it.”

SATURDAY - SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26-27, 2022 - STAR - 13

(423) 542-4151 • www.elizabethton.com

4 A.M. Exxon clerk Victoria Abbey prepares to ring up a customer during the early morning hours.

Elizabethton Exxon provides service through all hours of the night Story and photos by Nic Miller

The city becomes quiet at 4 a.m., but the Exxon gas station on West Elk Avenue finds customers and workers wide awake.

One of those is Olivia Richardson, a home healthcare worker. “I do home health working with an elderly patient who has Alzheimer’s disease. I work the night shift and am actually off work earlier than expected.”

Richardson said her only plans after filling up her tank were to get a good night’s rest.

Inside, clerk Victoria Abbey is on the clock, watching and waiting for daily life to resume in Elizabethton.

“Depending on the day, it could be super busy in here or it could be dead. There are days when it is one customer after another and there are days where you do not see anyone for 30 to 45 minutes,” Abbey said. “Monday night to Tuesday morning are usually pretty slow.

“This Monday was the first of the month, so many people have just gotten paid.

Because of that, it was a crazy night and I did not receive much of a break until the last couple of hours of my shift,” Abbey said.

Abbey said that she interacts with many people through the night, some more interesting than others.

“There is definitely an interesting crowd that comes through in the middle of the night.

You have those who are coming home from the bars and then those that are headed to their early morning jobs. Everyone you meet here during the overnight shift is going to have a different and unique story,” Abbey said.

“One night someone had gotten pulled over here and what began with two cruisers ended up with about five or six,” Abbey said about one of her more interesting shifts.

To get through an overnight shift, Abbey said that her go-to snack from the store is coffee and anything that includes calories and protein to sustain energy.

Olivia Richardson fills up her tank during the quiet hour of 4 a.m. after a night of working with an Alzheimer’s patient.

14 - STAR - SATURDAY - SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26-27, 2022

5 A.M.

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24/7 Workout Anytime

Putting your health first...

Five a.m. at the gym finds weightlifters finishing up an early workout and a jogger warming up on a treadmill.

As televisions share the early morning news shows, personal trainer Tony Gordon waits for his 6 a.m. session with a client at 24/7 Workout Anytime.

A former Elizabethton High School coach, Gordon retired in March 2020. But retirement didn’t seem to fit, he said.

“I retired March of last year and being retired you don’t want to be retired so I wanted to do something that could help and something that was comfortable to me so I thought about going into personal training and poured myself into it,” said Gordon. “I love it — you can’t have a bad day going into a gym. It’s different to try and reach a different population.”

Story and Photos by Ivan Sanders

Gordon said that the release that people receive from working out and improving their fitness helps counteract the stresses of modern life.

“The process is a one-hour session that we give to all of our new members,” Gordon said. “What that consists of is a full body scan with a machine that no other gym has I would bet in this area. It gives you a full body scan and gives you a 3-D picture of where you are at establishing a baseline.

“It’s very important to me when meeting a client to establish their goals and it has to be their goals because I hold them to that. Some don’t know and can’t articulate that. We try to come up with a nutrition plan and a specific workout goal

to accomplish their needs.”

Every client has different needs, he said. “What we have to do is to be completely honest in our initial assessment and sometimes that is difficult. Once I get a commitment from my clients, I have no problem with trying to motivate. People are more competitive than what they think they are. The juices flow when they get in a situation like this. They want to do the extra reps.”

Gordon says the family atmosphere promoted by the gym is what keeps members coming back.

“We have a very good staff that connects with our members very well, so it’s very relaxed and friendly instead of being ‘corporate’,” Gordon said. “The gym is

immaculate and I think that shows our members that we are willing to keep the gym spotless and something they can be proud of. We want new members and try to provide them with anything they need here. We have a variety of cardio and also have the gym set up in sort of an intermediate, mid level, and on up to an upper level without our members even realizing it.”

Gordon said that the community should never lose sight of what one’s health truly means.

“We should never take for granted our health,” Gordon said. “To be an outlet in this community where people can go to be welcomed and appreciated is important because we want to help people get and stay healthy.”

SATURDAY - SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26-27, 2022 - STAR - 15

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16 - STAR - SATURDAY - SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26-27, 2022

6 A.M.

Animal Control Officer Darren Lacy stands in front of his Animal Control vehicle with a rescued animal after transporting it back to the shelter.

Carter County Animal Control always looking out for four-legged friends Ask Darren Lacy about his work, and he’ll humbly say “all I am is an animal cop.”

Lacy, who has been the animal control officer in Carter County for three years, is much more than just “an animal cop.”

“I am just trying to look out for the animals in the county and help them out in any way I can,” he said.

And for Lacy, that help means being on call early mornings and late nights.

Being the only animal control officer in Carter County, Lacy said some days it is hard to catch a break.

“There are some days that I receive calls one right after another. Other days, there is not too much going on but I have

Story and Photos by nic miller

to be ready for anything at a moment’s notice. Some nights when I get home, just as soon as I get my boots off there is a call that I have to respond to,” Lacy said.

However, Lacy said he would not trade his job for the world because of the people and animals he gets to interact with on a daily basis. And while he primarily deals with dogs and cats, he’s no stranger to other four-legged animals.

“In April of last year, I actually received a call about a goat named Grady that was running loose near Siam, and had to go capture it,” Lacy said. “After I captured it, I brought it back to the shelter but hadn’t told anyone about it

until I got there.

“I had pulled into the animal shelter, and told Shannon (Posada) that I had something unusual in the truck that she may want to come see for herself,” Lacy said.

Grady eventually was returned to his owner, free of injuries.

“While there are some funny stories, you also see some sad things like when an animal is neglected. In that case, we have to do what is right and get the animal to a safe place such as the shelter,” Grady said.

The Elizabethton/Carter County Animal Shelter serves as a safe place for

the animals and for Lacy, who spends his time there when he is not actively investigating calls.

“I love helping out at the shelter in my free time as well. Being around these animals makes me feel so good, so when I am not on a call, I am looking after the sweet dogs and cats at the animal shelter.”

Today was an exciting day for Lacy, as he provided another dog with care after rescuing her from walking astray down a busy road.

“It’s things like this that make you love your job,” Lacy said. “Just being able to be there for these animals is so special.”

SATURDAY - SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26-27, 2022 - STAR - 17

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7 A.M. The Southern Boyz as they are known by the staff at Southern Restaurant have been having breakfast together for five years Monday through Friday of each week. The group loves to talk about everything but mostly enjoy the friendship they celebrate each time they get together. Members from the left and around the table are Lonnie Townson, Gary Townsend, Scott Brooks, Jimmy Blackburn, Joey McKeehan, Johnny Davis, and Kim Birchfield. The group also wanted to remember a special member who passed away recently, Rex Johnson.

The Southern Boyz breakfast club

Good food, awesome conversation, and a lifetime friendship Story and Photos by ivan sanders

For the past five years, the Southern Boyz have gathered at Southern Restaurant in downtown Elizabethton each weekday morning.

The members of the breakfast club gather to shoot the bull over local politics from a conservative viewpoint, speeding traffic through downtown and police patrolling their neighborhoods. And some days, they just rustle some feathers with each other.

“Hey Kim, you want some coffee with your cream and sugar,” Johnny Davis shoots at Kim Birchfield, who quickly responds that it’s not sugar — it’s an artificial sugar — as at least 30 empty packets lay along with 15 to 20 empty creamer cups in front of his coffee cup.

Lonnie Townson leans over and shares his concerns about the cost of fuel from a small farmer’s perspective. “A small farmer is not going to be able to survive if fuel cost continues to rise. It’s going to put us out of business,” said Townson.

“I’m glad they are going to give the sheriff’s department a raise,” said Gary Townsend.

“They are putting their lives on the line and they deserve to make more than they are. Correctional officers are making nearly $50,000 a year.”

Another at the table, Joey McKeehan, questions why that the city owns the driveway at Happy Valley High School but if something happens inside the school, the Carter County Sheriff’s Department has to be called.

“They should have never allowed that to happen,” McKeehan said. “It makes no sense.”

Davis talks about the way the traffic travels as they pass the restaurant’s window noting that cars are constantly speeding past and sharing how he witnessed an elderly couple in the crosswalk ready to cross the street when a car came flying down Elk Avenue forcing the woman to push the man down to avoid getting hit.

“I saw a state trooper stop a speeder the other day but that should be the city police,” Davis said.

The group wanted to take time to remember a special friend and member of the breakfast club who recently passed away and is sorely missed in Rex Johnson.

Townsend said something told him to give Johnson a call just a couple days short of Johnson’s passing and he will never forget that.

If a deputy or law enforcement member comes for breakfast, the group picks up the tab as a way of thanking them for their service.

As time comes to disperse, it’s Davis’ turn to pick up the tab for the group. Just before Davis gets up, a man the group refers to as Boston walks through the door and upon hearing Davis is picking up the tab, announces he wants to order steak and eggs, prompting another round of laughter.

As Davis rises, he has to share a Little Johnny joke that brings one more belly laugh from the group.

After all, that’s what it is all about — fun, fellowship, and a lifetime of friendship.

18 - STAR - SATURDAY - SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26-27, 2022

Educator

Unlocking a students mind to a creative state of thinking

8 A.M.

Story and Photos by ivan sanders

It’s the first class of the day and students still waking up. Anna Hurley begins the morning by quickly checking her seating chart.

For 20 years, Hurley has taught English and, while she struggles with changing cultures in education, she remains committed to her students.

“I have had to dig deeply within myself and remind myself why I went into this in the first place because when you have been teaching a tested subject for as long as I have, then you can start to believe that you are a test score and that your value lies in the measurable performance of your students as far as the standardized test goes,” Hurley said.

Like many of her peers, Hurley has struggled with the challenges of COVID-19’s impact on education as well.

“It was really difficult to get back to that place as a teacher during this time, but I realized that they don’t need me to shove knowledge down their throats as much as they need me to be a real human being with them who has a whole lot of the same struggles as they have based on the society and what’s going on in our world right now.”

Hurley begins the class with a simple question, looking to draw a response from the class. Before long, several students are chiming in with their opinions and Hurley watches as her students’ minds begin to click.

Hurley’s goal each day is to engage her students in meaningful communication and not just have them sit in their desks for a whole period bored out of their minds.

“I teach students, not content,” Hurley said. “I try to figure out where my students are and what their needs are and I don’t treat them as entities from which I can gain but I have to impart a certain body of knowledge and I have done my job.

“My teaching is more relational. I want to know them. I truly believe that each one of my students is a gift to me for a certain period of time and I am supposed to use my time

So honored to be a part of Carter County’s progress.

We are blessed to live in a wonderful place.

Patty Woodby,

CARTER COUNTY MAYOR

Anna Hurley has spent 20 years teaching English and enjoys the relational side of teaching her students.

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Anna Hurley usually starts class with a core of ideas and allows her students to fill in the open slots.

as valuable as it is with them to love them as individuals and to bring them further along in their knowledge and abilities in English that has to do with reading and writing, listening and speaking.”

Anna Hurley feels that it is more important that her students engage in class rather than her spend time trying to force the students into trying to learn.

As the class goes on, the discussion broadens and Hurley is like an orchestra conductor as she makes sure everyone is involved.

“If they are not engaged then I am wasting my

time and theirs,” Hurley said. “They are just sitting in a room together listening to the same thing if they are not engaged. I take it personally if they are not involved because I am here for them, I am not here for English.”

PREPARE TO LEAD & SERVE. A TOP UNIVERSITY AND BEST VALUE IN THE SOUTH —U.S. News

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9 A.M.

Judge Stacy Street hears the plea of a Defendant on a Friday morning, later giving them one year of probation.

Judge Stacy Street lays down the law in Circuit Criminal Court During the 9 a.m. hour, an unlucky few spend their time at the Carter County Detention Center, not because they are serving time but because they are awaiting to hear from Judge Stacy Street, who presides over many criminal cases of the Carter County Criminal Court.

However, contrary to what many people may believe, the Carter County Criminal Court is not a constant array of excitement similar to what one may see on shows such as A&E’s “Court Cam” or “Judge Judy.”

Day to day proceedings within Judge Street’s courtroom consist of a few exciting cases, but the majority of items

Story and Photos by nic miller

on the docket consist of either the rescheduling of a hearing or the entering of a plea deal from the defendant before the judge.

On Friday, Feb. 4, it was a busy day for Judge Street, who was greeted by a courtroom of those awaiting the judge, inmates from the Carter County Detention Center, as well as a prosecution and defense team.

The Friday docket consisted of 42 cases to be heard by Judge Street, all ranging from things as minute as failure to appear to larger situations such as burglary or aggravated assault.

During the morning hours, Judge Street saw over 20 cases where the verdict was a re-scheduled hearing, a few cases that were dismissed, and 13 defendants who entered a plea deal.

“Sometimes I wish we could just go back to the old days of plea deals where we ask the defendant to tell us what they did, and they plead guilty,” Judge Street said after going through the guilty plea process with several defendants.

And while he may seem tough, Judge Street is the epitome of a fair judge, willing to give others more time under

certain circumstances.

During the hearing of one defendant who did not yet have her lawyer, Judge Street granted that she come back later in the year. While re-scheduling the hearing, the judge also urged that the defendant become employed to make things easier in terms of searching for council.

All in all, a day’s work for Judge Street can get hectic, seeing defendant after defendant early in the morning.

However, most days are simple enough for the judge with almost nine years of experience who knows the law like the back of his hand.

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10 A.M.

Having been in business for close to five years, Rita Russell is proud of how Simple Blessings General Store has grown.

Simple Blessings General Store provides a bit of everything Story and Photos by nic miller

At 10 a.m. on Monday, you can find Rita Russell cheerfully greeting customers at Simple Blessings.

“We are one of the few stores downtown open on Monday, and Mondays are usually a great day for us,” she said.

Russell opened the general store in 2017, and since then it has been growing into a one-stop shop for everything from sweets to local products and collectibles.

“When we first opened, we had the idea of setting everything up like an oldfashioned general store,” she said. “We started off with the glass bottle soft drinks and classic candy. Since then, we have grown tremendously and we carry all sorts of products including our Simply Southern collection and items from local businesses

in town.”

Russell and her husband grew up in Elizabethton and experienced what it was like shopping downtown as children. Those memories inspired their business.

“We have grown each year since we opened in 2017. The downtown car show is huge for us and contributes to a large amount of our customer base,” Russell said.

“We have had a majority of people who have found us during those events on Saturday nights and come back during the next week to shop.”

In Downtown Elizabethton, a good relationship with other businesses is vital, something Russell enjoys about the location.

“We are a community down here, and while everyone has their own goals, we are

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Simple Blessings General Store owner Rita Russell stands by her store’s collection of locally made items such as soap, chapstick, and candles.

all linked together and have a good relationship with one another just because of where we are,” Russell said.

Being a business owner in Downtown Elizabethton is much more than just being the one over the store for Russell. It is all about making customers feel at home and

like a part of the family.

“You get to know your customers very well and create friendships with them,” Russell said. “It is very special, because the people of this town are very special and getting to know them is wonderful.”

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11 A.M. C&C Outfitters

A job that feels more like play Story and Photos by Ivan Sanders/Colton Chambers

The lure hits the water and after a few casts, waves begin to boil up as the lure is pulled tight. As the prized fish gets closer to the boat, it projects itself out of the water like a bird trying to escape an alligator, shaking its head as it tries to extract the lure caught in its mouth.

At least, that’s the scenario Colton Chambers envisions on this winter day, as cold temperatures hamper the C&C Outfitters guided bass trip.

December 2021 and the first part of 2022 has been sluggish for the fishing guide service due to COVID and the cold, snowy weather but Chambers is counting down the days until he can off-load his boat and invite a week’s worth of customers back to the waters he loves.

“We are super excited this year. After surviving all the challenges that COVID has given small businesses in the last couple of years we feel very fortunate and blessed to be standing where we are today,” Chambers said. “I think this is going to be our best year yet. This is our fifth year of business and I have been doing

Colton Chambers displays two big lunker bass that he caught on one of his trips.

this since I got out of high school.”

The Outfitters offered both trout and bass-guided trips, but due to an overwhelming request from customers for bass guides, the company dropped trout guides and went solely to bass trips. They also offer hunting trips during the spring and fall months.

Chambers said some of the current guides include smallmouth trips in Kingsport; lake guides on Boone, South Holston, and Watauga Lakes.

The company is looking to add new land leases this year for hunting and possibly adding a couple of extra guides as well, as the business continues to grow.

And while the fish bite all year-round, it’s hard for some people to bring themselves to pay money for a trip that they will probably not enjoy due to being so cold.

“I understand that sometimes people just don’t want to get out in that. This is how I explain it to them — we don’t have to go anytime that there is bad weather — like being too cold.

“Fishing is so good here in East Tennessee that you don’t have to say, ‘Hey I

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Colton Chambers displays his weapons of choice when it comes to landing those trophy bass he is known for putting clients on.

am going to catch them this winter.’ It’s hard to fish in the winter up here and I tell people that I can make it easy on them. I supply everything for all the trips, put it in the boat, and I don’t make them do anything other than step in the boat and get ready to fish,” said Chambers.

“The winter in my opinion is the time for one of your best trophy bass. Watauga Lake will humble you and make you work for it. It is one of the more challenging lakes that I have ever fished but it is one of the most rewarding lakes that I have ever fished.”

After graduating, Chambers worked for three months at a local UPS store before realizing that fishing was his calling.

“I grew up bass fishing every weekend and it seemed like a golden opportunity to share the knowledge that I have learned from my grandfather and my dad and the other great fishermen

that I have fished with all my life. When my clients fish with me, I want them to have the knowledge and ability to go back and catch fish again,” Chambers said.

The business model allows Chambers and other guides to pursue a passion while contributing to the economy.

“It’s a big thing because it brings a lot of tourism to this area and it’s just a way to get out in the outdoors and enjoy,” said Chambers. “Watauga Lake is one of the 10 cleanest lakes in the U.S. and it’s often taken for granted how clean it really is. These rivers and lakes are from mountain-fed streams and it is the head of the TVA chain and I think that is another really cool thing. This lake basically supplies water all the way down to Alabama and even further.

“It brings a lot of people and businesses together.”

Colton Chambers shows off one of his secret weapons for fishing for bass on Watauga Lake.

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(423) 542-4151 • www.elizabethton.com

Time to complete shown by each training program

Program Completion Rate %

Job Placement Rate %

76 90 100 96 79 85 Computer Information Technology (20 months) 82 90 Diesel Powered Equipment Technology (20 months) 96 100 Dietary Manager (online) (8 months) 90 86 Electricity-Electronics (16 months) 100 83 HVAC/Refrigeration (20 months) 90 88 Machine Tool Technology (16 months) (New program began in 2017) Millwright/Industrial Maintenance (12 months) 95 87 Phlebotomy (four weeks) 82 75 92 89 Practical Nursing (12 months) 89 98 Welding (12 months) 90 89 Totals 90 89 Automotive Technology (20 months)

Licensure Pass Rate% 71

10 93 88

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NOON

Duck Crossing Antique Mall in Downtown Elizabethton features many unique items Story and Photos

by NIC MILLER

It’s noon, and Misty Counts and her daughter, Sarah, are tending their shop filled with antique and vintage treasures.

The pair run Duck Crossing Antique Mall, home to more than 40 vendors with vast and impressive collections. “Some people rent spaces in our store and others have consignment items that I place in various sections throughout the building,” Counts said.

With items that date to the early 1900s, Duck Crossing is a favorite location for locals and tourists.

“We try to have a lot of unique and hard to find items in our store. Depending on who you talk to, vintage items are over 20 to 25 years old and antique items are over 100 years old, and we are proud to offer both of those types of items here,” Counts said.

The third floor houses antique furniture, while vintage clothing, toys and records are found on lower floors. While many customers are new, Counts said some are favorites who visit often in search of specific wares.

“Ted the clock man is one of our regulars in the store, and he buys many clocks from us, takes them home, and fixes them up for himself. Ted has hundreds and hundreds of clocks, so that is his specialty,” Counts said.

“Johnny, whose specialty item in the store is toys, is another regular here at Duck Crossing,” Counts said. “He does sell some

Duck Crossing Antique Mall provides both vintage and antique items, such as the Victorian set seen here.

Duck Crossing Antique Mall owner Misty Counts rearranges a few wedding dresses inside her store on a busy day.

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“My daughter Sarah says that the customers are like an extended family.” And it is not just the customers, as we love to help other downtown businesses as well.We all work really well together, and it is partnerships like that that enhance the feel of Elizabethton and the downtown area.”

—Misty Counts

Misty (left) and Sarah Counts (right) enjoy time inside their antique mall, providing joy to every customer who walks through the door.

items at the flea market, but for the most part he is a big collector of vintage toys.”

And to Counts, her customers often

become friends.

“My daughter Sarah says that the customers are like an extended family,” Counts

said. “And it is not just the customers, as we love to help other downtown businesses as well. We all work really well together, and

it is partnerships like that that enhance the feel of Elizabethton and the downtown area.”

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1 P.M.

Primp & Tease

More than a salon Story and Photos

by Ivan Sanders

Mariana Economidis washes a client’s hair before cutting and styling.

Mariana Economidis works on a client’s eyebrows.

As the woman leans her head back over the wash basin, her face relaxes.

Mariana Economidis begins shampooing and massaging her client’s hair.

“So, are you guys planning on doing anything for Valentine’s Day?” she asks.

“Not really,” the client responds with a quick smile.

The conversation continues, as the pair talk of children and work, sharing stories like sisters who haven’t seen each other in months. As they talk, Economidis washes, cuts, blow dries and styles away, sending her client off with a smile and the confidence that comes from having a “good hair day.”

She’s another satisfied customer for Economidis, who has worked at Primp & Tease Salon for seven of the nearly 12 years the salon has been open.

“The consultation is probably one of the most important parts of the service in trying to make sure we are on the same page, figure out a game plan on what the client wants, and to get a better understanding of who they are as a person so you can deliver what they want better,” she said.

“So communication is a huge, huge part and I think that helps to strengthen the relationship between the client and the stylist. Doing good hair is one part of it but people want to have that relationship with the stylist because that is a huge part in picking who you want to go to.

“Anybody can do hair, but it is who you can connect the most with that is important.”

Economidis, who is just returning from maternity leave, said that many times the conversations help her more than the client.

“I work on a lot of mothers, and so as a new mother myself it’s nice having

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Stylist Lexie Ward prepares hair coloring that she would soon be applying to a client’s hair.

someone you can talk to who is unbiased that you can vent to. I was joking that it’s like being a therapist without a degree. It’s nice to have someone you can vent to and just leave it in the salon,” Economidis said.

The senior stylist said that many things have changed since she started working at the salon. Then, the business was half the size and there were only two other stylists.

“There has definitely been a lot more education and a lot more of pushing ourselves to be better so we can deliver things in Elizabethton that you might not normally see here,” Economidis said. “We also started offering clothing and jewelry items from our boutique, which is an up and coming opportunity for us. And there is definitely more education coming so a lot more different cuts to be offered. Our next class is a cutting class that will help us to deliver a lot more techniques to keep things updated and fresh.”

She added that one of the biggest complaints that new clients have that come to the salon is that they have been going to the same hairdresser for a number of years and the hairdresser keeps doing the same thing on every visit and are not willing to change anything.

“That is where the consultation comes back in ... making sure that the client does want to do something different and the different options that we offer here,” Economidis said. “Just making tiny changes that make someone feel more confident and feel like they have done something different can mean a world of confidence to that client.”

Amanda Stanley dries her client’s hair after washing, cutting, and coloring the young lady’s hair to give her a totally different look.

2

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P. M.

Physical Therapy Services offer around the clock assistance Story and Photos by nic miller

As the clock strikes 2 p.m., the doctors of Physical Therapy Services in Elizabethton are preparing for a busy upcoming schedule of athletes and others who are in need of their assistance.

Associates of a private practice that has served the Elizabethton and Carter County area since 1980, Dr. Justin Smith and his team are ready to serve those who have recently injured themselves and need to return to their normal lives without the pain they are now feeling.

“While we specialize in sports injuries, we also see all kind of patients from infants all the way up to the grandparents that want to be able to carry their grandchildren,” Smith said. “We basically see patients from ‘womb to tomb’.”

Physical Therapy Services of Elizabethton is the oldest private practice in the state of Tennessee as well as the only private practice in the state that has a fellowship program, which is through East Tennessee State University.

Continuing with the initial exam, Dr. Justin Smith checks out the leg of a patient who is suffering from an injury in the lower area of his body.

Moving on to rehabilitative services, Dr. Justin Smith carefully watches his patient as he attempts a barbell squat.

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Smith said that the majority of the work done at the practice is hands-on treatment, evaluation, and exercise prescription. “Our ultimate goal is to figure out what we need to do to return the patient back to the things they want to get back to.”

The sports medicine program is one of their highest achievements.

“We hang our hat on our sports medicine program, which is taking care of athletes whether it is the elementary school soccer player or the elite college runner at ETSU or Milligan,” Smith said. “And five of our therapists have some sort of advanced clinical certification.

“This hour is what we like to call our after school hour. It is when we see the majority of our athletes,” Smith said. “Our job is one of two things, either keep them patched up to continue to play or perform formal rehab to get them back to play as quickly and safely as possible.”

And while there are some similarities in the patients that the practice sees, Smith said it depends on the time of year.

“The injuries that we see most commonly depend on what sport is in season. In football season it consists of concussions, knee and shoulder injuries. With basket-

ball it is likely to see an ankle or back injury, and with spring sports like baseball or softball a common injury would be elbow, shoulder, or back pain,” Smith said.

Smith said that the practice is currently seeing around 25 to 30 patients. “This does not mean that they are all currently being seen at this time, but they are either starting rehab, are in the middle of rehab, or have finished rehab and we are keeping an eye on them.”

And while most injuries that the practice sees are very common, Smith elaborated that some patients that visit the office have an uncommon injury.

“We have had maybe three or four patients walk in with cervical spine fractures, or a broken neck,” Smith said. “We have also had three different patients who have hobbled in with broken hips. These are all people that have been seen by us first and were then referred appropriately.

“We are trying to get patients to be seen by the most appropriate professionals in a way that is financially effective for the patient and their family. It hurts my heart when I hear about people who have children who play sports that cannot continue to play sports because of the medical cost that may come along with it. A child is young and should be allowed to continue to play their sport and do what they enjoy,” Smith said.

Dr. Justin Smith checks an Elizabethton High School patient’s reflexes in an initial checkup

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Boys & Girls Club

3 P.M.

A place to laugh, learn, and grow Story and Photos by Ivan Sanders

The bus that once carried students to school but now serves the Elizabethton/Carter County Boys and Girls Club rolls to a stop as the air brakes hiss.

After a long day at school, the children stream in the doors with backpacks hanging off shoulders and buttoned-up coats. Staff members quickly scramble to assemble the daily rotation while the children talk, laugh, and squeal as they put away their belongings and prepare to dive into their time at the Boys and Girls Club.

As each group settles into place, Amelia Turbyfill and Olivia Gilbert work to clean and assemble their instruments as they prepare to work together on music from school.

According to Club Director Lacey Turbyfill, the girls enjoy spending time “practicing with their instruments” when they come after school.

The club serves approximately 90 to 120 students each day, ranging in age from 5 to 17. With eight youth development professionals, the club’s

Kids spend some gym time with a staff member at the Boys and Girls Club.

Addison Thompson hopes to pocket a striped ball during a round of pool.

Alexis Adkins eyes the corner pocket while playing pool.

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goal is to serve the kids who need the Boys and Girls Club the most. On this day, classic rock music provided the background for hula-hooping groups, games of Red Rover and more.

While the activities are based on fun, they also serve a purpose.

“When we play basketball, we always try to play a spelling game with basketball much like horse so they are actually learning how to spell while playing,” Turbyfill said.

In addition to games and snacks, the club also provides a place for homework assistance and tutoring.

“We try to help the ones who need help with their studies that might not have the same help available at home,” said Turbyfill. “We do check in with the schools and check to see if any of our kids need additional assistance.”

Georgia Blackburn was working on a school lesson on one of the computers while Jeremiah Oliver was busy scribbling some work on a handout he had received from school.

“Just about done with this homework paper,” said Oliver with a cheeky grin.

In another room, Preston Worrell was

Amelia Turbyfill (left) and Olivia Gilbert prepare to practice on their clarinets.

leading a conversation about filling out a job application. Turbyfill said the club also tries to teach life skills, such as balancing a checkbook and financial literacy.

And for some, the Boys and Girls Club simply offers a place to relax and have fun with friends.

Georgia Blackburn works on a chrome book to complete homework at the Boys and Girls Club.

Alexis Adkins and Addison Thompson were enjoying an opportunity at one of the pool tables looking to make sure to knock either a stripe or solid into one of the six pockets on the table.

Thompson put a spin on the cue ball that resulted in a stripe finding its way to a

side pocket. “Yes, yes, yes,” said Thompson with a clutched fist.

Turbyfill said that the club provides a safe place for the kids to go to and in turn enjoys giving back to the community with events such as a trunk or treat at Halloween.

Jeremiah Oliver works on a handout sheet from one of his classes earlier in the day.

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4 P.M.

Watts Dance Studio

Teaching the art of dance for 70 years Story and Photos by Ivan Sanders

Chrisann Watts Tull stands in front of a photo of her mother and family members who have been the heart and soul of Watts Dance Studio for 70 years in Elizabethton.

Established in 1952 by Ann Haynes Watts, Watts Dance Studio has seen thousands of feet in its 70 years of operation.

Today, her daughters Chrisann Watts Tull and Carolee Watts Hacker, and former student Jaime Lipford have joined as instructors, instilling a love for dance in new generations of Elizabethton residents.

On this day, the kindergarten students are in one section of the building learning the fine art of ballet as the lead instructor carefully watches. Two other instructors provide one-on-one instruction and, in another section of the studio, Watts Tull instructs a group of older dancers.

“I have been involved with dance since the day I was born because mom started the studio,” she said during a brief break from instruction.

“This is our 70th year this year so I grew up down here. I have danced all the way through and went to college and then came back and I am still dancing today.”

Just like music, dance classes have developed over the years to reflect

changes that have come with the addition of hip-hop and contemporary forms of dance. One thing that hasn’t changed is the dedication that seems to be present in all those who have slipped on their first pair of ballet slippers.

“I think there is a dedication in all dancers because I believe that dance does create a sense of selfdiscipline in people,” said Watts Tull.

“It’s one of the skills besides pointing your toes and stretching your legs. It teaches that regiment of scheduling and self-discipline and having to do a specific way.

“I believe that will go on forever with dance. I think the difference is that mom said when she started teaching dance, all they had to do was dancing. Now, girls have the opportunity to do all kinds of sports: there’s cheerleading and a multitude of places that they can choose to do a lot more activities that they choose to do. There is a lot more extracurricular in the world that kids want to do.

“They want to do dance and everything else so they work really hard to make everything fit and sometimes

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that gets hard scheduling wise, but the kids that like to dance are learning that self-discipline that dance teaches that they can get where they can keep a schedule.

You have to learn the skills and technique and there is so much technique that if you are not in class you are not going to get it.”

The studio serves about 175 dancers.

The dance season runs from August to May and there is also a short season from June to July. Classes run for one hour and depending on which class a student takes operates differently.

“If it’s jazz, it starts with warm-up in the center and if it’s ballet it starts with warm-up on the bar,” said Watts Tull.

“Tap starts with muscle coordination with your feet and things like that and then it progresses to combinations of putting things together. They learn to put things in chronological order which helps them in school.”

Several students have pursued careers in dance. “We have four that teach at colleges and universities and three that have gone on to professional careers,” Watts Tull said. “Four of our dancers are in college with one getting a full ride due to their dancing.”

Cagney Bennett is a senior at Elizabethton High School and a cheerleader on the

varsity squad. She has been a student at the dance studio since she was 2.

“Watts Dance Studio is more than a dance studio — it’s more like family,” Bennett said. “Dance has taught me that I can push my limits in ways that I didn’t know I could and how to be committed.

“I have had opportunities to participate in Relay for Life, basketball games, and recitals which has opened up for a lot of people to get excited about dance. It has even opened up doors for me to speak to colleges about dancing.”

For Watts Tull, the studio also serves an important role in the community.

“I think it depends on the dance studio,” said Watts Tull. “I feel that ours is very important because we teach the kids from Showcase Dancers that one of the biggest things they can do with their dance is they can share it in the community and do things to support the community.

“So every time there is a Covered Bridge celebration or parade, if somebody calls and says that they have an opening and they want some kids to come and dance, then they can go and be a part of their community through their craft and their art.

“Watts Dance Studios feels embedded in the community. After 70 years, you are sort of a fixture and that makes you happy.”

Chrisann Watts Tull leads a Teen class session.

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An instructor leads a ballet class through certain movements during a recent class.

These young dancers put in many hours of work to be able to present the final presentation at the season-closing recital.

A pair of ballet students focus intently on their instructor as they learn ballet movements.

A kindergarten-aged student follows the instruction of her teacher during ballet class.

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5 P.M.

Loaves and Fishes Food Ministry Director Serena Miller prepares many cups of chicken noodle soup, ready to serve them only an hour later.

Loaves and Fishes Food Ministry Director Serena Miller and volunteer Daniel French transfer canned goods from the shelf to food boxes for those in need later that night.

Loaves and Fishes Food Ministry works around the clock to provide food for those in need Story and Photos by nic miller

At 5 p.m. volunteers at the Loaves and Fishes Food Ministry in Elizabethton are preparing hundreds of hot meals and food boxes to individuals and families in need.

A ministry that began in 2020 and ramped up in the COVID-19 pandemic, Loaves and Fishes impacts the lives of thousands of community members each month.

“Sometimes monthly and sometimes weekly, I make a menu of what will be served each day that we are open based on what types of food gets donated to us,” said Loaves and Fishes Director Serena Miller. “If the menu involves something with meat, we will thaw it out and cook it up ahead of time, having the meals put

together and ready to go during the day before we start handing it out at 6 p.m.”

During this particular week, Loaves and Fishes has provided a variety of different meals for those in need, changing things up on a day to day basis.

“Today, Thursday, we made a 16-ounce bowl of chicken noodle soup, bread, and a dessert for each person. Tuesday, we made spaghetti, salad, bread, and dessert.

On Monday, we made vegetable soup and crackers with a dessert,” Miller said.

And while the Loaves and Fishes team was preparing to serve Thursday’s meal, a meal for the next week was being prepped as well.

“Right now we are also preparing ham-

burger meat to make taco bake casserole for next week as well as sandwiches for tomorrow, Friday’s meal,” Miler said.

While Loaves and Fishes serves hot meals, food boxes are also distributed to those in need on a once every two week basis.

“The food boxes are filled with canned goods and dry goods as well as butter, eggs, milk, and frozen meat. There is such a variety of items included in the food boxes because they are meant to last as long as two weeks,” Miller said.

Hot meals are available for each person who comes through each night the ministry is open. The previously mentioned food boxes weigh approximately 30 pounds and is limited to one per family, unless there are

more than five people in the family, in which case they will receive two food boxes at a time.

“Our busiest days are usually Thursdays,” Miller said. “It used to depend on the time of the month, but that has become less of a factor now. Weather is also a big factor, because when it snows we become busy but when it is rainy it may not be as busy.”

On their busier days, Loaves and Fishes serves around 270 meals and distributes around 40 food boxes.

Loaves and Fishes Food Ministry is located at River’s Edge Fellowship at 1200 US 19E and begins serving the community at 6 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday.

(423) 542-4151 • www.elizabethton.com

Spreading the love of God, one sermon at a time

SATURDAY - SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26-27, 2022 - STAR - 41

6 P.M.

Story and Photos by nic miller

When 6 p.m. rolls around on Wednesdays and Sundays, congregants pack pews in churches throughout Carter County listening to pastors teach and instruct.

And while the message is delivered during those times, preparation of those sermons takes place well before the 6 p.m. gathering.

“It is not like there is a big black limousine that pulls up to your house with an angel inside who brings the message to your doorstep,” said Ricky Jones, pastor of River’s Edge Fellowship in Elizabethton.

“You have to sit down and pray about the content of the message that you are going to deliver.”

Jones said he has a common theme with formulating his messages each week. “What I do is formulate one sentence, and build the message around that one sentence, bringing everything back to the main point.

“Earlier, I was sitting down and working on this Sunday’s message, which has the title ‘Is there a well for you?’ It is based on a message in Genesis where a well is discovered, and the message is intended to encourage people,” Jones said.

Jones said that for this particular message, he found scripture in the Bible that reflects on what it is to be with a well or without a well.

“From there, I tie those scriptures into the message, and to not be too overwhelming I don’t read more than one chapter at a time.”

Jones also leads the worship team at River’s Edge.

“We have to pick out all of the songs that we are going to sing during a particular service, make sure that the worship team will be ready to go and be able to sing those songs that we practice. It is a process that can take anywhere from two to four hours each week,” Jones said.

And while he delivers the message during church service, Jones makes it clear that that is all he does and that the one receiving the credit is the Lord above.

“When it comes to delivering the message, I compare it to when Jesus came riding into Jerusalem on a donkey. When I bring the message I am just the donkey that is carrying the message,” Jones said. “That is what I always tell people, to be the donkey and carry the message with you everywhere you go.

Pastor Ricky Jones (Right) with his wife Jeannie (Left) and son Troy (Middle) after an evening service at River’s Edge Fellowship.

42 - STAR - SATURDAY - SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26-27, 2022

It goes beyond the pompoms

7 P.M.

Elizabethton High School Cheer Coach

Story and Photos by Ivan sanders

The girls in colorful orange and black uniforms gather on the baseline of the basketball court, white hair bows atop their heads as they form a circle and begin to rally. In the center, cheer coach Megan Ellis is in the middle of a pep talk, helping the squad prepare to cheer on the Cyclones.

Soon the squad breaks into groups of four and begins to perform a stunt routine in which two cheerleaders boost another — known as the flyer — into the air, placing a foot in the hands of both cheerleaders who provided the launch point while a spotter provides support.

“Obviously helping them with skills pertinent to cheerleading is important but also I take it as a personal responsibility to help guide them to be good, positive role models for the school and to be good people because we are representatives of the school and the school system as well so I think that is important to focus on,” Ellis said.

Ellis patiently works with the flyer who tears up after a couple of tries unable to complete the stunt. The group has worked together since football season, but for some reason timing is off today. And Ellis’ job is to console, to coach and to mentor.

“She was getting upset because she felt it was personally her, which she is young and she does struggle with being consistent with those skills,” Ellis said. “But just encouraging them to push through that and not let it become an emotional toll because it’s difficult to not take things personally when really there are four people involved in that stunt and it’s not just one person every time. It’s everyone working together to be able to put it up together.”

For Ellis, being a mother, wife, school employee, and cheer coach Megan Ellis speaks to one of the cheerleaders before the contest tips off. is something that does require her patience to make it through the process of juggling so many requirements.

However, she is blessed with a strong support system that lifts her up much the same way a flyer is lifted during a stunt.

“I have a lot of support with my family to help with child care and my husband is always flexible when I have an away game as I may be at home for an hour and then I have to leave to get back to the school to get on a bus to go an hour away,” said Ellis.

“He takes on all the responsibilities at that time and if he is not available we have great family members that help out. Both of our moms are involved. And just me being patient because at this time of year it gets really tiring.”

Unlike other sports that have a break after the season is completed, cheerleading is a taxing commitment on the girls as well as on Ellis.

The current squad has been cheering since June and EHS cheer coach Megan Ellis works with other than the breaks that have been built into the school schedule a unit that is having issues performing their stunt. the cheer team and Ellis have been going full throttle.

“Once basketball is over, they get two months before we have tryouts and then we start practicing in June for football,” Ellis said.”

We go non-stop, three practices a week until football starts and then it’s two practices a week and one game, and then when basketball starts its three games a week sometimes.

Megan Ellis helps to stabilize a flyer “If we have less than three games, I try to fit in a practice. But it’s while working on a stunt prior to a a lot of being patient with the schedule and realizing it’s only for a Cyclone basketball game. season.”

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(423) 542-4151 • www.elizabethton.com

Always on Call

Carter County EMA Director doesn’t stop working when he leaves the office

8 P.M.

Story and Photos by nic miller

It’s 8 p.m. and Billy Harrell is on call.

As director of the Carter County Emergency Management Agency, Harrell is accustomed to working as others are winding up their days.

“I am on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” Harrell said. “Usually we do not get called in too often unless there is a bad accident or house fire or other emergency late in the night. Now that I have a deputy director, it makes things much easier in that aspect as well.”

Kevin Kemp, the new deputy director, recently graduated EMT school and previously worked at the sheriff’s department for 10 years. “He is someone I have known very well and is someone that I enjoy training for this job,” Harrell said.

Both Harrell and Kemp are on call to tend to whatever emergencies may arise, but their primary focus is to prepare plans and for responses to natural disasters as well as other emergencies. “On a more day to day basis, we also help lead the response during and after certain emergencies,” Harrell said.

“More recently, with all of the winter weather we have been having, one major thing we have been doing is monitoring that weather. When we get a system moving in from Nashville, I will communicate with other EMAs and get a game plan on what Carter County needs to do to prepare as well as respond to any weather related emergencies,” Harrell said.

He then passes that information on to first responders and public works departments in Carter County.

“Other than that, this week we had a

small forest fire in Mallard Cove that was close to some residential areas and campsites. I was sent up there to evaluate, and it was something we were able to get under control rather quickly,” Harrell said.

Looking toward to the future, Harrell said 2022 could prove to be a big year for the Emergency Management Agency as the organization looks to expand their services.

“The biggest thing that we are hoping for in 2022 is a new full-time communications officer. The city and county and all of our departments are getting so large in terms of radio and other things that we are requesting assistance in the communications department,” Harrell said.

Carter County Emergency Management Agency Director Billy Harrell checks his laptop for any possible emergencies that may occur throughout the evening hours.

Carter County Emergency Management Agency Director Billy Harrell transfers his notes from paper to a whiteboard, making them readily available for anyone in the office to see.

44 - STAR - SATURDAY - SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26-27, 2022

No slowing down for Hunan’s Christina Lian

9 P.M.

Hunan Chinese Restaurant

Story and Photos by ivan sanders

As an abandoned child in Malaysia, Christina Lian developed her strong work ethic through emulating her uncle.

Educated in Catholic schools, Lian also learned English, a skill which has benefitted Lian during her 40 years in the restaurant industry.

And while she dreams of retirement in Houston, Lian is working to help her cook of 16 years, Feng Yu, maintain the same quality of service to the community as he transitions to the new owner of Hunan’s Chinese in Elizabethton. Because after 32 years of serving Elizabethton and the surrounding area in the traditional recipes of Chinese cooking, she considers customers her family.

So as the 9 p.m. hour approaches and the sign flashes “open,” Lian continues to ensure her family of customers is well taken care of, even though she arrived well before the restaurant opened on this particular day.

Many residents experienced life without Lian and Hunan’s Chinese, when the original location closed in 2020 for a highway widening project. While residents wondered if the restaurant would return, a sign appeared in the new location, although it would be nine months before Hunan’s reopened.

“When we closed that location down, we had enough savings to get us through where we didn’t have to depend on the government as far as stimulus payments,” Lian said. “We were closed down for nine months and didn’t have any employees so we weren’t eligible to apply.

“We opened up after nine months here and remodeled most of it on our own because we didn’t have the money to hire it done. When we closed that place down, the state didn’t really pay us enough to re-open this place so we did a lot of things ourselves. We are so glad we have gotten back all of our old customers and I really appreciate all my customers. We cannot still get employees to work and we try to do it all ourselves.”

The reopening forced Lian into even longer hours — coming in at 8 a.m. and working until 2 a.m., getting things prepared to open the next day. Even with a system in place, carryout and curb-side orders keep her days busy.

One thing that troubles Lian since the reopening is that the cost of doing business has dramatically changed, especially in essential canned goods and meats.

“Prices have gone up too high,” said Lian. “A case of water chestnuts used to cost us $16 two years ago and now it costs $90. All the important ingredients have gone up sky high. Meat has gone up so high. We use to pay $40 for a case of chicken and now it costs $90. Vegetable oil used to be $15 a drum and now it is almost $50.

“I haven’t had to raise my prices until January, and I had to do so to cover the cost of rent and everything.”

Still, she’s committed to serving the community she calls home and making sure the new owners continue that service when she retires.

“I want to make sure that the food will continue to be served like we have done for the last 32 years for our loyal customers,” said Lian.

Christina Lian has been a familiar face at the Hunan’s Chinese Restaurant in Elizabethton for the last 32 years.

(423) 542-4151 • www.elizabethton.com

10 P.M.

SATURDAY - SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26-27, 2022 - STAR - 45

A pair of models await their turn on the drag strip at Undervalley Dragway.

Undervalley Dragway

A scaled model of a dragster waits to take its place on the track.

Drag racing on a smaller scale Story and Photos by ivan sanders

The cars sit side by side as they await the starting tree to flip and the flashing lights to turn green. As the lights change, the cars explode off the line and down the track in an attempt to be the first to cross the finish line.

The only thing missing is the rumbling of the engines, the smell of the burning fuel, and the trembling ground that comes when life-sized dragsters actually flood the track at tracks such as Bristol’s Thunder Valley.

This track is small scale and is set up in downtown Elizabethton inside the Undervalley Dragway shop at 516 East Elk Ave. Undervalley Dragway has been in operation since the early 1990s, according to shop owner Albert Allen.

“Some friends and myself were racing in a downtown basement here in town back in the ‘90s across the street in the old Antiques on Elk building and then they closed,” Allen said. “Another track opened in Johnson City so we ran there for a while. That track closed down and we ended up opening this track in 2006 in those buildings near Pal’s where we stayed for four years before they just recently tore them down. We moved down here and have been here since 2009.”

Allen described the clientele that he sees coming into the shop as people who like cars, competition, and many who compete in drag racing at Bristol, Cherokee Dragway, and even in Knoxville during the summer months.

Tuesday nights see around eight to 20 racers show up with races running past 10 p.m. when a large group shows up to race. There is an entry fee paid with a percentage given back to the top two racers.

For those who might not have an interest in competitive racing but would like to just enjoy time at Undervalley Dragway, Allen offers rentals and hosts birthday parties where those attending can race cars on the tracks he has available.

Allen said that some of his regular racing clients come from Virginia and Kentucky as well as from the Newport area.

“When we had big races where they would have 10 entries per racer and pay $10 per car to race, they would come from as far away as Ohio,” said Allen. “I just heard that someone in Richmond, Ind., just won $30,000 during a big race where they were racing cars like these.”

Undervalley Dragway owner Albert Allen sits beside one of the tracks available for car lovers to participate in racing.

Gary Torbett awaits the starting tree to hit green so he can send his entry down the track.

46 - STAR - SATURDAY - SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26-27, 2022

Making sure the newspaper gets to the customers Story and Photos by ivan sanders

It’s almost 10:45 p.m. and pressman Rob English begins to pace back and forth, occasionally sticking his head around the corner to see if the final pages of the weekend paper are ready to roll.

Those pages are sports, which is being held on Friday night so high school football results can be in the print edition for the readers when they sit down to their morning coffee on Saturday.

So many things pass through the mind of the veteran pressman, who has been running presses for 36 years. What will happen if the folder jams or if the web goes out? Electrical, air, and water leakage problems could occur and the most dreadful thought of all is a unit going down unable to supply the ink needed to print a particular color on the pages.

English is on his sixth stop during his journey as a pressman since first getting started in Georgia. He has experienced it all in his time but most importantly, the one thing that worries him more than anything — time.

That is always evident as the Sports Editor walks into the press room and English points at his wrist to indicate that he is on a deadline.

“Time is the biggest thing that I worry about,” said English. “I have to make sure that it gets to the post office on time. What happens if I break down?

I don’t know if the press is going to break down.”

Finally, the sound that English has been waiting for — the sound of the plate maker starting to process plates for the run.

English and his partner Jeff Harris, who has been in the business for 38 years after getting his start with his father, have already filled the ink wells and preset the ink keys per the printout they received earlier in the shift.

They have prepared all they can for the evening’s run and now it is go time.

English jogs the rolls into place where the plate edges, which have been pre-bent, can be placed and clamped down for each unit while Harris is on the other side of the unit helping to guide the plate in place.

As each unit is finally completed with its set of plates, the pressmen are ready to start the run.

The ink begins to slowly cover each alu-

minum plate where the images have been imprinted to go on the paper as plain white paper fed off of huge rolls at the end of the press begin to make its way through each unit to receive the right amount of ink to make the words and images come alive.

English begins plucking papers as they come onto the conveyor after passing through the press. This is where the challenge begins as English goes to work tweaking some ink keys and adjusting air pressure.

The goal is to have the paper to the quality desired as quick as possible to reduce waste on startup.

“We don’t know what is going to happen on the press line,” English said. “We can always hope for the best and prepare for the worst and that is all that we can do.

We have been lucky that we have made it out on time. We have to keep waste down as low as possible.”

Finally, the product is deemed ready as Harris swoops up a large handful of papers and discards into a waste paper bin while resetting the counter on the conveyor.

While English continues to pull sample papers out and make slight adjustments down the units, Harris picks up pre-counted papers in bundles of 50 and shuffles the stack looking for something out of the ordinary that only an experienceD pressman like himself could spot such as whether the paper is out of register or any other alarming issues.

“So who do you think is going to win Daytona this year?” Harris said as he dove into a list of drivers swapping crews for the upcoming season.

In the meantime English increases the speed of the press to roll the final copies out so the mail room can take over and complete the insertion of additional sales papers for the weekend.

With the final copy complete, English shuts down the units to prepare for cleanup. It’s the time of the evening that he can take a deep breath and relax somewhat as his job has been completed and the paper for the weekend is complete.

Is there really anything that aggravates the long-time pressman?

“Every time I am running something and I can’t get it right it really aggravates me,” said English. “If everything falls right in, you are okay, but if it doesn’t it makes you want to pull your hair out.”

Pressmen Rob English (bottom) and Jeff Harris (top) insert a plate onto a printing unit.

11 P.M.

Elizabethton Star press room

The weekend newspaper works its way through a maze of rollers as it heads to its final destination – the reader’s mailbox.

(423) 542-4151 • www.elizabethton.com

SATURDAY - SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26-27, 2022 - STAR - 47

48 - STAR - SATURDAY - SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26-27, 2022

A watchful eye....

Elizabethton Police Department protects and serves through all hours of the night

MIDNIGHT

Story and Photos by nic miller

It’s just after midnight, and Elizabethton Police Corp. Eric Buck is halfway through his overnight shift.

“A lot of times, when you can keep an eye out for the little things, it can lead to something even bigger,” Buck said. “Something like an interior light on inside of a car could lead to something larger such as an attempted vehicle theft or burglary.”

Being attentive also means keeping an eye out in every nook and cranny of Elizabethton’s vast side streets, making sure there is no suspicious activity.

“I enjoy going down the side streets and patrolling to make sure there is nothing going on out of the ordinary. I know that if I were at home, I would feel much safer if I knew that there was someone out

there looking out for me and my neighbors,” Buck said.

But it is not always just about keeping an eye out, as Buck makes sure to interact with those in the community to make them feel a little bit safer. Tonight, he stops at Food City Gas ‘N Go to purchase a drink.

“Anything that you can do to help out in the community is always appreciated. Even something as little as going into a store and letting the people know that you are there can help deter a potential crime.”

Shortly after midnight, Buck receives a report of a suspicious vehicle on West F Street. After speaking with those who reported the vehicle, it seemed as if Buck had caught a break, seeing a vehicle that closely matched the description driving

The Elizabethton Police Department keeps a watchful eye over the city during the night time hours, providing a feeling of safety among the community.

nearby. An information check clears that vehicle, but Buck remains alert. He continues to check on the area a few more times during the hour, making sure there is no more suspicious activity.

This is a quiet night, but not all are that way. “There are some nights that it is nonstop.

You will have officers heading to a call as soon

as they wrap up with something different,” said Buck, who works from 4:30 p.m. to 4:30 a.m.

“However, tonight is somewhat of a slow night, as we haven’t received many calls. However, that doesn’t mean you can get relaxed, because things can change in an instant,” Buck said.

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