A great community newspaper.
COMMUNITY 4 | OUR COLUMNISTS 5 | YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS 7
POSTAL CUSTOMER
union county
VOL. 6, NO. 40
OCTOBER 1, 2011
INSIDE www.ShopperNewsNow.com By Shannon Carey
Walking for Beth Cystic fibrosis walk raises $13,000 See page 4
School budget cuts proposed Fourteen items totaling $776,000 were presented by Director of Schools Wayne Goforth. See Cindy’s story on page 3
FEATURED COLUMNIST LYNN HUTTON
The newly-formed Union County Children’s Charity held its first motorcycle run Sept. 24, and they couldn’t have asked for a better day. Classic fall weather graced the ride with blue skies and cool temperatures. Union County Children’s Charity coordinates the Union County Toys for Tots program, which distributes Christmas gifts for children in need each December. Applications for the program are now available in all Union County schools and banks. The motorcycle ride began and ended at Pete’s Place in Maynardville. Riders toured Union and Anderson counties with rest stops and snacks along the way. More than 40 bikes participated, and the ride raised $1,400. Event organizers thanked all the sponsors and everyone who volunteered, including A&B Graphics, SIRT Signs, Mayor Mike Williams, Property Assessor Donna Jones, Union Discount Pharmacy, Wallace Auto Sales, George Brothers Excavating, Beach Island Marina, Pete’s Place, County Clerk Pam Ailor, First Team Realty, Court Clerk Barbara Williams, Register of Deeds Mary Beth Kitts, KCB Excavating, Clerk and Master Beulah Moore, Blu Aqua Pools, Attorney K. David Myers, Trustee Gina Buckner and Volunteer Motors.
|
www.facebook.com/ShopperNewsNow
|
twitter.com/shoppernewsnow
Riding for the kids
Wendell and Kim Conner join the crowd at Pete’s Place for the Union County Children’s Charity motorcycle run to benefit the Union County Toys for Tots program. A total of 44 bikes toured Union and Anderson counties and raised $1,400 for the program. Photo by S. Carey
The letter that just won’t die Mysterious origins revealed
An Instrument of God’s peace
By Cindy Taylor The Sept. 13 County Commission meeting held to discuss the budget was spent mostly in talk about a letter that was sent home with students. The letter was emailed as an attachment to all Union County schools and listed names, not signatures, of the principals of six of those schools. The letter informed parents of the school board’s plans to make certain budget cuts should County Commission refuse to increase funding to the school system. In and of itself this seems like a good idea. The letter drew more than 800 residents and parents to the commission meeting, but it also succeeded in making most County Commissioners and Union County Mayor Mike Williams angry that school leadership took what commissioners saw as an underhanded tactic. During the meeting, Director of Schools Wayne Goforth claimed to have no knowledge of the letter. Goforth carried that response to the school board meeting that immediately followed the commission meeting, at which time school board
See page 5
ONLINE
DO YOU
LIKE? TELL US! The Shopper-News is now on Facebook! Check us out for updates, photos and more! www.facebook.com/ ShopperNewsNow
4509 Doris Circle 37918 (865) 922-4136 news@ShopperNewsNow.com ads@ShopperNewsNow.com EDITOR Cindy Taylor brentcindyt@gmail.com ADVERTISING SALES Shannon@ ShopperNewsNow.com Shopper-News is a member of KNS Media Group, published weekly at 4509 Doris Circle, Knoxville, TN, and distributed to 11,000 homes in Union County.
To page 3
CUTTING CREW Hair Cut $ 995 With Coupon Expires 11/01/11
FEATHERS! WE HAVE HAIR
member Don Morgan said that he did not believe such a letter could have been sent without Goforth knowing about it. The Union County Shopper-News has since received an anonymous fax that included a copy Goforth of the original email that was sent from the office of Supervisor of Secondary Instruction Susan Oaks. That fax is printed here as well as the original letter sent to each principal. Along with that fax was a second letter with only one name on it, also shown here. Luttrell Elementary School principal Sonja Saylor acknowledges that this letter came from her desk and was sent to Luttrell teachers to let them know about the one on its way from the central office. “I passed on info that was given to me,” said Saylor. Principals Jason Bailey, Melissa Carter, Roger Flatford, Laura LaRue, and Bryan Shoffner declined to comment. Interim principal at Horace Maynard Middle School Melanie Maples and Union County High School principal Linda Harrell were unavailable for comment. Oaks said the letter was the result of a mandatory principals meeting held Sept. 9. “Mr. Goforth called principals and central office
Maynardville (Union Center)
992-5757
• Color • Perms • Hi-Lights
We’ll dry clean all your household items! 7032 Maynardville Hwy. • M-F 7-6 • Sat. 8-4
922-4780 American owned since 1958 Quality work at competitive prices
hallscleaners.net
VISIT UNION COUNTY HERITAGE FESTIVAL SAT, OCT 1 • 10am-5pm Wilson Park
Today!
Flowers by Bob
Annual
CHRISTMAS OPEN HOUSE Nov 4 - Nov 12
215 Hwy. 61 East Maynardville • 992-8148 Serving: Knoxville • Maynardville • Tazewell & Surrounding Area
Shop online: www.flowersbybob.com