PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID KNOXVILLE TN PERMIT # 109
A s we take time to reflect on all we are thankful for, my family and I are wishing you and your family a Blessed Thanksgiving. Valarie M. Thompson
www.farragutpress.com
Copyright © 2013 farragutpress
M.B.A., ABR, CRS, GRI, SRES, RRC, PMN, e-PRO, REALTOR®, CDPE
50 cents
865-218-1149 homesbyval@aol.com
ISSUE 12 VOLUME 26
FARRAGUT, TENNESSEE
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2013
Day of Infamy talk scheduled for Dec. 2 ■
ROBBY O’DANIEL rodaniel@farragutpress.com
Frank Galbraith, a retired geography and history teacher from Farragut Middle School, will present “Dec. 7, 1941 – A Day of Infamy” at 7 p.m., Monday, Dec. 2, at Farragut Town Hall. “The presentation starts at the end of World War I, and it takes us through the Roaring ’20s, things that went on in America
during that time and there will be sports and the rise of crime and the stock m a r k e t crash,” Galbraith said. “It will take us through the Galbraith G r e a t Depression. Then it will show the
rise of the three aggressor nations. That would be Adolf Hitler in Germany, Mussolini in Italy and the Japanese military in Japan. And then it shows how the world was at war, but we were not in it yet. And finally, the Japanese decide that they’re going to attack the United States, and it shows their plans to attack Pearl Harbor.” America going to war is spotlighted in some slides after that,
he said. “This presentation is not a war presentation,” he said. “It’s a history of the United States going through the events they did leading up until our entry into World War II, which was precipitated by the attack at Pearl Harbor.” The presentation is free and open for the public to attend, he said. “If I were not giving this presentation, I would go see it wher-
ever it is,” he said. “It is so interesting. People relate to it so much. I always honor the veterans, and every year we have still had some World War II veterans [at the presentation]. ... They are invited especially to be here along with all veterans for the presentation, and we always honor our veterans that night.” Galbraith’s third cousin, U.S.
Town hires new assistant engineer ■
See INFAMY on Page 3A
FHS student sounds off against Common Core ■
ROBBY O’DANIEL
ALAN SLOAN
rodaniel@farragutpress.com
David Sparks recently was hired by the town of Farragut as its new assistant engineer. “[Former assistant engineer] Chris Jenkins’ last day was Friday, Aug. 2,” Town public relations coordinator Chelsey Riemann said in an email. “He left to take a position with another company.” Sparks said he was Sparks originally f r o m Hickory, N.C., and has a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from The University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He added he also earned an associate’s degree in architectural design at Catawba Valley Community College in Hickory, N.C. “In North Carolina, I worked in Greensboro for a consulting civil engineering surveying firm, doing design work for about five years,” Sparks said. “And then Pilot Corporation hired me and moved me here in ’98, worked for them for about three-and-ahalf years. ... After that, I started my own business, a construction company building homes, mostly in Blount County, up until 2005 when I decided to seek an opportunity with the state. ... So I worked for the [Tennessee] Department of Transportation in Region 1 in construction until 2012, June of 2012. I left them to go work for a company that offered me a position as a project manager with Architectural Graphics Incorporated.” Sparks served in his role as project manager of that company from June 2012 until taking See ENGINEER on Page 3A
asloan@farragutpress.com
Bicycles at 138 West End Ave., in the West End Shopping Center. The store has been open since July. K e l l y Hamm said he leased the space last April with the hopes of bringing something Hamm unique to the area. “I’ve been around bicycles and cycling my entire adult life,” he said. “I’ve seen it [the bicycle business] grow, evolve and change. I’ve watched it take on an increasingly bigger role in our society. “The trend is toward offering services outside bicycles and
Forming arguments against TCAP testing as a seventh-grader at Farragut Middle School, Ethan Young’s weaponry as a high school senior now is aimed at shooting down Common Core testing standards. It’s one thing for a high school senior to sound off about an issue — it’s another to have 1.4 mill i o n Young Yo u Tu b e responses after posting your videoed address before a November session of Knox County Board of Education. Young, an honors student at Farragut High School with a 4.44 grade point average, is looking for someone to confront him to counter his argument that state politicians, education executives and testing experts are too concerned with statewide student test numbers that could be used to impress industries to come to Tennessee. And less concerned with actually finding better ways to teach the state’s kindergartenthrough-12th grade public school students. “I was on Fox News [Monday, Nov. 18],” Young said. “I’ve had business people contact me, I’ve had lawyers contact me, I’ve had teachers contact me from all over the country and all over the world. And they’re all pretty much agreeing with what I’m saying. “I had a teacher in Switzerland tell me what I was saying was accurate.” As for one-on-one time, “I’ve spoken with Bill Haslam, the governor,” Young added about a
See BEER on Page 3A
See CORE on Page 4A
Preparation for celebration Tammy Cheek
Marie Leonard, wife of the late Mayor Bob Leonard, helps decorate one of the trees in Farragut Town Hall for the holidays Friday, Nov. 22. Leonard was one of several people helping with the decorating this year in preparation for the annual Celebrate the Season event to be held Thursday, Dec. 5. Among the decorators were Farragut Beautification Committee members, Public Works staff, Parks and Recreation staff and interns.
Business owner approaches Town about selling beer ■
TAMMY CHEEK tcheek@farragutpress.com
Some area business owners are seeking a change in Farragut’s beer ordinance so they can be allowed to sell beer in their businesses. Farragut Board of Mayor and Aldermen listened to area business owners’ requests during a workshop Tuesday, Nov. 19, in the Town Hall. Currently, the Town’s ordinance allows beer to be consumed on the premises of a business only if it serves food as well, Town administrator David Smoak said. “There is a ratio involved there as in no more than 40 percent of your sales can be from alcohol, so thus, at least 60 percent of your sales have to be from food,” Smoak said. “There’s nothing else in our ordinance right now
LEANNA FARRINGTON
that allows for, say, places that only sell beer or sell something other than food to have beer.” Over the last few months, h o w e v e r, Town staff has fielded many questions and comments from different business Smoak o w n e r s about that section of the ordinance, he said. “Obviously, there’s no decisions to be made tonight,” Smoak told the Board, which also serves as the Town’s beer board. “We’re just trying to get your comfort level.” Among the business owners to which Smoak referred are Kelly and Tanya Hamm with Echelon
REALTOR, ABR, MULTI MILLION DOLLAR PRODUCER
KNOXVILLE - WEST 9329 Hidden Green (on golf course)
www.leannafarrington.com HALLS
2808 Surfside, (5 BR, bonus, 4 1/2 BA) 6713 Ottari (4 BR, large wooded lot)
$1,790,000
1637 Wheaton Place (west, 3.45 ac, ranch)
$618,000
9434 Hickory Knoll (all brick ranch)
$340,000
9348 Ridges Meadow (2 story basement)
$330,000
5282 Avery Woods Ln (like new, 1900 sq ft condo) $130,000 2041 Countryhill Lane (ranch condo, immaculate) $110,000
KNOXVILLE - NORTH 3425 Sprucewood (updated tri-level) 2709 Forestdale (move in ready)
$130,000 $62,900
KARNS 2716 Roland Ln.(large flat lot, over 2,000 sq. ft. home) $170,000 6772 La Christa Way (new wood flooring, like new) $119,900
HARDEN VALLEY LOT
$450,000 $175,000 $85,000
SPRING CITY RESORT AND MARINA $2,900,000 FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ANY PROPERTY, GO TO www.leannafarrington.com
SCAN WITH YOUR SMART PHONE TO SEE ALL LISTINGS
REMAX PREFERRED PROPERTIES, Each office is independently owned and operated.
10820 Kingston Pike • Knoxville TN 37934 • Cell: 865-771-4151 • Office : 865-694-8100 • Office Fax: 865-531-6377