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VOL. 2 NO. 1 July 29, 2013www.ShopperNewsNow.com | www.facebook.com/ShopperNewsNowVOL. 3 NO. 11 March 18, 2015www.ShopperNewsNow.com | www.facebook.com/ShopperNewsNow

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By Betty BeanOne summer day in 1988, I got

onto an elevator in the Andrew Johnson Building with Richard Beeler, a young attorney who rep-resented an outfi t called the Knox Solid Waste Authority, a misbe-gotten city/county agency whose sole purpose was to build and op-erate a vastly expensive mass burn incinerator.

I’d been looking for a chance to get him alone because I’d heard that he’d been doing a lot of target shooting at the KPD fi ring range and had gotten a carry permit be-cause he was involved in an FBI investigation and was wearing a wire. I dug around and found out that the target was a state legisla-tor. From there, it wasn’t diffi cult

to fi gure out the probable target.“So, Richard,” I began. “You

wired up today?”He turned red as a fi re engine

and said he didn’t know what I was talking about. When I said I’d heard that he was involved in an FBI investigation of a state legis-lator, he stammered and stuttered and denied it and kept getting red-der as the elevator climbed.

Richard Beeler was a lousy liar.I was the Knoxville Journal’s

county government reporter at the time, and the project drew such overwhelming opposition that covering it had become a full-time job.

In the process, I got to know Richard Beeler quite well. He was a straight arrow whose job it was

to defend an indefensible project. By the time I got on that eleva-

tor, I had been reassigned to state government and would soon be departing for Nashville. This was during the McWherter adminis-tration, and Democrats dominat-ed Tennessee politics.

Democratic Rep. Ted Ray Miller was the most powerful legislator in the Knox County delegation. He chaired the State and Local Gov-ernment Committee and was re-puted to be very close to Gov. Ned McWherter. Ned Ray and Ted Ray, people called them.

Heading for NashvilleI kept after Richard, and after

awhile he fi nally owned up, in ex-change for a promise not to com-

Mary Vestal Park wins first SOUP

Gene Burr of the Vestal Community Organization accepts congratulations from South Knoxville Alliance chair Debra

Bradshaw (far right) as master of ceremonies Alan Williams looks on. Photos by Betsy Pickle

By Betsy PickleSOUP was promised, and SOUP

delivered.The inaugural Knoxville SOUP,

presented by the South Knoxville Alliance, brought people together from all over town and beyond to support community projects. Af-ter paying a modest donation, at-tendees listened to presentations on four ideas in progress and then voted on their favorite.

The fi rst SOUP ended up with only South Knox groups submitting and presenting. The winning proj-ect was the Rejuvenation of Mary Vestal Park and Greenway Exten-sion, presented by Gene Burr of the Vestal Community Organization.

The VCO received a $2,500 grant from the city for the $4,000 needed to extend the greenway. The additional micro-grant from SOUP – $412 raised at the door and through other donations – will help pay for part of the project not covered by the city grant.

A concrete bridge over Goose Creek is in place but needs im-provement to help turn the green-way into a safe loop for walkers, runners and cyclists. Burr said the money will go to install handrails on the bridge.

Saturday’s event at Flenniken Landing began with social time and snacks, followed by the four brief presentations and Q&As, dinner and discussion, raffl e drawings of items donated by SKA member businesses and the announcement of the mini-grant winner.

Editor’s NoteRichard Beeler, former Knox

County law director, died March

12 of an apparent self-infl icted

gunshot. He was 57.

Remembering Richard Beeler

promise the investigation. I went on over to Nashville and started watching Chairman Miller, as he was called – if I’d been a legislator, they’d have called me Lady Bean. That’s how they talked in those days.

The investigation came to a head the following spring when the feds picked Miller up in the

To page 3

mini-grant

Michael Gill, Sharon Davis and Jenny Wolf wait for the presentations to be-

gin.

garnering accolades ever since.Attendees seemed impressed

with all the projects. The others included:

■ SO.KNO Food Co-Op, whichis set to open in April in the former Horse Emporium on Chapman Highway;

■ Vestal School Pottery, whichis transforming a former class-room in the old Vestal School building on Willoughby into a functional ceramics studio; and

■ South Knoxville ElementaryMonarch Butterfl y Station, which the Old Sevier Neighborhood is creating to beautify the school grounds and help support mon-archs and the other 95 types of butterfl ies that make their home in Knox County.

The next SOUP, which stands for “social opportunities unlim-ited potential, will be held in May, place to be determined.

Codes sweepThe city of Knoxville per-

formed a codes enforcement sweep in Vestal on Monday. Inspectors visited property from A Avenue to Valley Drive. No citations were issued, but brochures were distributed to property owners with potential violations.

Inspectors will return within 10 days to re-inspect the properties, and more tradi-tional enforcement will come during follow-up visits.

Smith forumState Rep. Eddie Smith

will hold a community forum during the South Knoxville Republican Club meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 19, at Gary Underwood Park, 6135 Moore Road. All residents of the 13th House District are invited, regardless of political affi liation.

WVLT anchor Alan Williams, who lives in South Knoxville and attended fi rst grade at Flenniken when it was a school, served as master of ceremonies.

A break to promote local arts

featured singer Sydni Stinnett, an eighth-grader at Karns Middle School. The 14-year-old phenom stunned the audience with her performance. Sydni began singing publicly in fi fth grade and has been

INSIDE

The Henley scoopSouth Knoxvillians don’t

t hink of Henley as a “signifi -cant barrier to east-west move-ment.”

We see it as a “signifi cant” south-north connector to jobs and activities north of the river. We don’t enjoy the traffi c jams we’re subjected to with the existing lanes, and I’m not sure how adding retail and parking to the “corridor” is go-ing to help the situation.

➤ See Betsy Pickle’s story on page 3

The Food City location on Chapman Highway in Seymour is currently undergoing a signifi cant expansion/remodel. The store is scheduled to receive an additional 13,700-plus square feet of retail space, bringing the total square footage to 57,700-plus and making the supermarket one of the largest in the retailer’s chain. While total project completion is not expected until late spring, the various de-partments will open as they are completed. The expanded bakery/

deli and produce departments were scheduled to open March 16.

“We’re excited to have the op-portunity to enlarge our Seymour location to better serve our loyal customers,” says Steven C. Smith, Food City president and chief ex-ecutive offi cer. “We will continue to offer the same top-quality prod-ucts, exceptional customer service and competitive pricing our shop-pers have come to expect from Food City, with enhanced variety, selection and services.

In addition to the conveniences already provided, the location now includes an expanded café seating area, hickory wood smoker, torti-lla maker and stone hearth pizza oven. The full-service meat and seafood departments will soon in-clude fresh sushi.

The produce and grocery de-partment are being enlarged and will go well beyond the normal fare, offering a huge selection of gourmet, international and spe-cialty items. The Food City Gas

n’ Go has been relocated and ex-panded from three to fi ve pumps and will now offer diesel fuel. Cus-tomers also have direct access to the location via an additional en-trance off Highway 411.

The store manager is Jason Wayman; district manager is Steve Trout.

Food City operates 93 grocery locations, including 78 pharma-cies and 84 fuel/convenience stores throughout Kentucky, Vir-ginia and Tennessee.

Food City to expand in Seymour

Calling ClarenceOne way or another, Knox

Countians may soon get a real-life demonstration of why elections matter.

➤ See Betty Bean’s story on page 4

New fi lms feature top talent

Past, present and future provide a backdrop for this week’s new movies. But each fi lm boasts at least one actor who has won or been nominat-ed for an Academy Award.

➤ See Betsy Pickle’s story on page 5

Spring practiceOnce upon a time, spring

practice was thought to be the birthplace of college football teams.

That thought has evolved. Winter workouts are now very important, more for individual improvement than team func-tionality. Summer togetherness is critical for bonding, all for one, one for all.

➤ Read Marvin West on page 4

2 • MARCH 18, 2015 • Shopper news

health & lifestyles

Fort Sanders Regional and Thompson Cancer Survival Center provide the region’s most comprehensive cancer care. From diagnosis to treatment to rehabilitation, we offer care options not available anywhere else in our region. Working together to provide the best patient care - that’s Regional Excellence!

(865) 673-FORT (3678)

CENTER OF EXCELLENCE: ONCOLOGY

Michelle Ironside Henry is grate-

ful to the staff s at Fort Sanders

Regional Medical Center and

Thompson Cancer Survival Center

for the treatment she’s received

during her battle with cancer.

Surgeon says early detection = better oddsEarly diagnosis of colon cancer is easier

than ever. That means your odds of beating it are better than ever, too.

Colorectal surgeon Gregory Midis, MD, FACS, points to bet-ter education about colon cancers, risk factors, symptoms and early detection. “People are defi nitely more aware of the im-portance of having a screening colonosco-py starting at age 50, or earlier if you’re at risk for colon cancer,” Midis says.

“Physicians are required to educate

patients about the colon screening guide-

lines,” says Midis. “They discuss it with their patients, so most people can’t say they don’t know about colon screenings. It’s just a matter of patients making the de-cision to do it.”

“There’s also more in-depth genetic testing available for people at risk who may have inherited colon cancers,” says Midis. “There’s a better awareness in the medical community that inherited colon cancers may require a different surgical strategy, potentially removing the entire colon, in-stead of just part of it.”

There can be a variety of reasons peo-ple neglect that all-important screening colonoscopy. Besides plain and simple procrastination, Midis says there is some misinformation about the discomfort in-volved.

Midis says the test is simple and can

save lives. “There is very little excuse not to have a colonoscopy,” he says. “Don’t put it off.”

As in the case of Michelle Henry, the initial symptoms of colon cancer can sometimes be mistaken for irritable bowel syndrome, or even hemorrhoids. That’s another reason patients may put off get-ting a colonoscopy and getting the right diagnosis.

“With IBS you often have acid refl ux and belly pain, and there are some crossover symptoms,” Midis explains. “With hemor-rhoids you have rectal bleeding, which can also be a sign of colon cancer.”

Midis says in the majority of cases, those symptoms and conditions are not related to colon cancer. “But if you are someone who has a high risk of colon cancer and you develop symptoms, why take chances?”

Midis says. “Have it checked out.”With early screening, colon cancers can

often be detected before severe symptoms develop. Midis says by the time a person does have symptoms, “the train has left the station.”

Midis emphasizes that early detection is the key to better odds at beating the dis-ease. “We should detect and address a co-lon polyp before it becomes too large to be removed by a scope,” Midis says. “If there is adequate enough detection time, issues can be addressed before surgery is neces-sary.”

Midis says the bottom line is that co-lon cancer is very treatable if it’s caught early. Talk to your doctor about schedul-ing a colonoscopy, and to learn more about oncology services at Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center, visit fsregional.com.

Gregory Midis, MD,

FACS

In spite of the stormCancer patient tells her story in a new book

It was Christmas Day, and the presents were unwrapped with the usual enthusiasm. A young Michelle Ironside Henry tore into one particular gift that was a dream come true.

It wasn’t a doll or a game, a new bicycle or a trampoline that thrilled her that morning. It was a typewriter.

“I would sit on the back patio and write my books, and just be so happy,” Henry says. “I wrote a whole series of books about a girl named Little Lily and all the trou-ble she would get into.”

Henry thought she would be a writer someday. She never expect-ed to write the story that would re-sult in the book she most recently published.

The other side of the storyAs a writer for a public relations

fi rm, Henry frequently interviewed patients for medical news features. She began to notice a common theme in the stories she was hear-ing. The patients expressed, over and over again, the importance of not taking life for granted.

During the same time period, she attended the funeral of a man who died as a result of a very sud-den heart attack. These experi-ences made such an impact on her that she mentioned them to her Sunday school class.

“I remember telling the class about my stories and reminding them we’ve got to make the most of every single minute because we just don’t know,” Henry says. “It was coming from a place deep in-side, and I knew I was saying it as much to myself as I was to them.”

A short time later Henry was diagnosed with cancer. She went from interviewing patients to be-coming one, spending weeks at a time at Fort Sanders Regional

Medical Center and undergoing treatment at Thompson Cancer Survival Center.

Henry was gaining fi rsthand knowledge of what her interview subjects had experienced. She en-dured a long journey of victories and setbacks she has chronicled in her new book, “My Anchor Holds.”

Something wasn’t rightAlways in good health, Henry

was concerned when she started experiencing digestive problems, but she didn’t want to be an alarm-ist. She easily accepted a doctor’s diagnosis of irritable bowel syn-drome and went on with her life.

“I was just happy to have some-one tell me I was OK,” she says.

Instead of getting better, she continued to feel worse. She tried various means of soothing her

bowels and stomach, but nothing seemed to help.

Two years later, a colonoscopy revealed that Henry had Stage 4 colorectal cancer that had spread into her liver. Chemotherapy and radiation at Thompson were over-seen by Daniel Scaperoth, MD, and two surgeries were performed by Greg Midis, MD, FACS, at Fort Sanders Regional. With their help, Henry fought the disease and won.

“All the doctors said, ‘You’re a miracle. We’ve never seen anyone do as well as you’ve done,’ ” Henry says. She was ready to close this chapter of her life, go home and write a book about her successful story.

However, Henry’s story was far from being fi nished. During rou-tine scans, tumors were discov-ered in both of her lungs.

Henry was put back on chemo-therapy, but the tumor in her left lung continued to grow. So Dr. Lacy Harville, MD, performed sur-gery to remove the upper left lobe of Henry’s left lung.

After returning home from surgery and beginning to recover, Henry suddenly began feeling worse. “My lung had collapsed and I had infection all the way around it,” Henry says.

Surgery was performed on her lung again, but this time, the lung wouldn’t seal. “They put in valves that fi nally helped it close up, but I had to go home carrying a chest tube.”

During this time, Henry was hospitalized for a month, had symptoms of tuberculosis and fi -nally hit a critically low point in her journey when she realized she might miss her son’s wedding. She remembers thinking, “I’ve tried to be a good sport about all this, but really?”

Her mother, Barbara Ironside, called and offered up a sustaining prayer of her own. “Lord, we don’t understand but we trust you.”

Henry says faith has pulled her through every valley, and this one was no exception. The diagnosis of tuberculosis turned out to be a false alarm. She was released from the hospital with a chest tube, in time for the wedding.

Moving onWhen Henry walks into a room

today, there is no indication of the life and death struggle she’s en-dured and continues to endure. Although she is back on chemo to address the cancer in her right lung, Henry has a positive attitude with a quick wit and a healthy dose of humor. These are important weapons in the war against cancer.

“Your attitude matters,” Henry

insists. “I could have given up so many times, but I stayed focusedon the positive.”

Henry also gives credit to the excellent health care at ThompsonCancer Survival Center and Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center.

“I wouldn’t go anywhere else,” Henry says. “I trust them, and I’veseen what they do.” She recounts the way nurses and staff cared forher, even washing her hair when she wasn’t able to take a shower for weeks on end.

“You can tell it’s more than a jobfor them,” Henry says.

But above all, Henry says pay-ing attention to your body canmean life or death when it comes to cancer. “If something’s going onwith your body that you know isn’tnormal, keep checking until you get an accurate diagnosis.”

Putting it in writingHenry says her “game changer”

was Caringbridge.com, a websitethat allowed her to write a public journal about what was happen-ing to her. Those journal entries turned into the book that she hopes will help and inspire others.

This is Henry’s second book,but by far the most personal.

“We don’t have any guaran-tee that we’re going to be healthy tomorrow or that we’re going to be here tomorrow,” Henry says.That’s why she’s determined to make the most of every moment and encourage everyone aroundher to do the same.

To learn more about Michelle Henry’s story, you can visit www.michelleironsidehenry.com. Formore information about services provided by Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center and ThompsonCancer Survival Center go to fsre-gional.com and thompsoncancer.com.

Juan Garcia, left, and Fernando Lucas of Acadia Landscape Co. create a dust cloud as they

cut through pavers at the Ijams Nature Center plaza . A section of pavers is being removed

and replaced by a surface that will make the center’s entry more accessible. Photo by Betsy Pickle

SOUTH KNOX Shopper news • MARCH 18, 2015 • 3 community

Betsy Pickle

On Monday, March 30, you can go talk to Mayor Tim Burchett about your concerns for Knox County, and you can go talk to May-or Madeline Rogero about your thoughts concerning city plans involving the “Henley Street Corridor,” World’s Fair Park, the Civic Auditorium/Coliseum and other sites just across the river from us.

But you’ll have a hard time doing both.

Burchett scheduled a se-ries of one-on-one constitu-ent meetings throughout March, and South Knox gets the last slot, 4:30-5:30 p.m. at the Howard Pinkston Branch Library, 7732 Martin Mill Pike. You can speak with him individually about issues important to you, and that’s a good thing.

Meanwhile, the city set a meeting at which Rogero and staff will discuss the report from an Urban Land Institute advisory panel that visited Knoxville in October. It starts at 5:30 p.m. at the East Tennessee History Center, 601 S. Gay St.

I don’t know who made plans fi rst, but the schedul-ing doesn’t work in SoKno’s favor. If you get an early slot with Burchett, you might be OK, but if you’re at the end you’ll be lucky to make it downtown, fi nd a parking space and get to the history center by 6 p.m.

Why does it matter if folks south of the river at-tend Rogero’s meeting?

The Urban Land In-stitute report included this description of Henley Street:

■ A signifi cant barrier to east-west movement

■ Negative infl uence on urban design

■ Transformation proposed by: introducing on-street parking, infi lling wide sidewalk/plazas with retail, programming active uses for redevelopment parcels.

OK, I’m not even sure what that last thing means. But I know that South Knoxvillians don’t think of Henley as a “signifi -cant barrier to east-west movement.” We see it as a “signifi cant” south-north connector to jobs and activ-ities north of the river. We don’t enjoy the traffi c jams we’re subjected to with the existing lanes, and I’m not sure how adding retail and parking to the “corridor” is

Tandem instructor Jerry White, Madeline Rogero, videographer Bill May and Richard Beeler at

Seymour Airpark on June 25, 1995. Rogero has a framed copy in her home offi ce.

On the right path

County vs. city vs. SoKno

going to help the situation.As for the other ar-

eas analyzed by the ULI panel, well, they need some ’splainin,’ too.

Maybe it will all sound more desirable when Rogero & Co. describe their plans. But we won’t know unless we go. So – sorry, Tim. We’ll have to fi st-bump another time. I encourage a strong SoKno turnout for Madeline’s get-together.

■ The ‘dirt’ on S. Knox ElementaryTanna Nicely, principal

at South Knoxville Elemen-tary School, is digging into the school’s past.

Nicely is looking for old photographs and other memorabilia related to the school, and she’s asking for the community’s support. If you have anything that might help her create a history display to be presented later in the year, please contact her at 579-2100 or tanna.nicely@knoxschools.org.

■ Library art showArtworks by Romans

12:6 Studio will be on dis-play throughout March at the South Knoxville Branch Library.

Krista Lewis has always created art and craft pieces and shared them with fam-ily and friends as gifts. She started the studio when she recently became a stay-at-home mom so she could make her work available for public purchase.

Her art has been dis-played at the federal court-house downtown.

Lewis works in multiple media, but her favorite is pastels. She also does wa-tercolor, acrylic and oil.

She named her studio Romans 12:6 because she believes God gave her the gift of being able to create art, and she is happy to do so.

“Having then gifts dif-fering according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in propor-tion to our faith.” Romans 12:6 NKJV

Richard Beeler From page 1

Monte Stanley, Arnella Gregory and Regis Borsari relax after

the delicious meal. Photos by Betsy Pickle

Cathy and Joe Vangieri of SoKnox StudiosChristina Bradshaw brought the SOUP concept to her moth-

er, Debra Bradshaw.

Mary Vestal Park From page 1

Sydni Stinnett wows the

crowd with her singing.

downstairs bar at the Hy-att Regency, where he was meeting with Richard on a Sunday evening before he went back to Nashville on Monday. I wrote all night, and although the News Sen-tinel got enough of a late tip to run a headline in the morning, we broke the sec-ond-biggest story of the year that afternoon.

I felt awful. I’d spent so much time with Ted Ray that I’d come to like him. He’d told me about his life, and I had a lot of sympa-thy for this fatherless boy who’d pulled himself up by strength of will and street smarts and knew what it was to struggle against long odds. He fed the hungry and delivered loads of coal to the cold. He was funny and charming, and I wished I could warn him to stop shaking people down.

The Miller investigation was proceeding on a par-allel path with an ongoing operation called Rocky Top. Contrary to other reports, Miller Time was entirely separate from Operation Rocky Top, which targeted bingo operators.

Capitol Hill was engulfed in suspicion. One day I was talking to Ted Ray, and he motioned toward the wall that separated his offi ce from that of Shelby Rhine-hart, who chaired the Black Hole Subcommittee where disfavored bills were sent to die. Ted put his fi nger to his lips as if to shush me.

“Rhinehart’s offi ce is bugged,” he warned.

The biggest story of the year came on July 17, when Ted Ray put a shotgun in his mouth and pulled the trig-ger. It was the day before he was due to be indicted under the Hobbs Act for ex-torting $30,000 from Beel-er in exchange for not fi ling a bill that would cripple the incinerator project.

The aftermathRichard, who liked Ted

Ray too, was devastated. He didn’t leave the house for weeks.

But here’s the thing.As an offi cer of the court,

he had an ethical duty to report that his client was being shaken down. Not everybody recognized that, but one who did was Carlene Malone, who had become his nemesis in the incinera-tor fi ght.

COMMUNITY NOTES ■ Colonial Village Neighborhood Association. Info: Terry

Caruthers, 579-5702, t_caruthers@hotmail.com.

■ Knoxville Tri-County Lions Club meets 7 p.m. each

second and fourth Monday, Connie’s Kitchen, 10231

Chapman Highway, Seymour. Info: www.facebook.com/

TriCountyLions/info.

■ Lake Forest Neighborhood Association. Info: Molly Gil-

bert, 209-1820 or mollygilbert@yahoo.com.

■ Old Sevier Community Group meets 7 p.m. each third

Thursday, South Knoxville Elementary School library, 801

Sevier Ave. Info: Gary E. Deitsch, 573-7355 or garyedeitsch@

bellsouth.net.

■ South of the River Democrats (9th District) meet 6:30 p.m.

each third Monday, South Knoxville Community Center, 522

Maryville Pike. Info: jim.sessions@comcast.net or 573-0655.

■ South Haven Neighborhood Association meets 10 a.m.

each third Saturday, Hillcrest UMC, 1615 Price Ave. Info: Pat

Harmon, 591-3958.

■ South Woodlawn Neighborhood Association. Info: Shel-

ley Conklin, 686-6789.

■ Vestal Community Organization meets 6 p.m. each sec-

ond Monday, South Knoxville Community Center, 522 Old

Maryville Pike. Info: Newman Seay, 577-4593.

SOUTH KNOX SENIOR CENTER

“I couldn’t help but like him,” Malone said. “And I’ve quoted him many times over the years about the sunshine law. Richard was smart and funny and he played fair. He didn’t hold a grudge and had a more thoughtful base from which he operated.”

Years later when Malone ran for City Council, Beeler, who liked bright, mouthy women, quietly supported her.

“I always got the feel-ing Richard was pulling for me,” Malone said. “He was a fair and honest man who just really liked things being done well.”

Democrat Madeline

Rogero served two terms on County Commission when Beeler was law direc-tor, and remembers him fondly.

“There were 19 people on commission in those days, and sometimes things would get a little crazy. I’d lean back and look his way, and make eye contact. It was like, ‘Really, did I hear that correctly?’

“He was very smart and did a great job. I could de-pend on him for advice.”

Years later, Beeler bucked his party and sup-ported Rogero for mayor. But the thing Rogero re-members best is when he talked her into trying sky-

diving. “Richard was in the

plane. He jumped fi rst,” Rogero said. “There was a guy with a video camera on his head and the tandem guy and me. The tandem guy and I descended pretty rapidly, and as we are de-scending, Richard is cir-cling around us, waving and saying hi. It was an experi-ence like none other, and I’ll always remember that – I keep this picture in a frame on my bookcase.”

It is a shot of Rogero, Beeler and two dive profes-sionals with a plane in the background, forever young and smiling under a sunny blue sky.

■ Wednesday, March 18: 7:30

a.m. free swim; 8:30 a.m.

guitar lessons; 9 a.m. toenail

trimming, painting; 10 a.m.

quilting; 11 a.m. Water Peeps;

noon bridge.

■ Thursday, March 19: 7:30

a.m. free swim; 9 a.m. water

aerobics, South Knox Opry,

Veterans Services; 12:15

p.m. ballroom dance; 1 p.m.

Rook, water aerobics; 1:30

p.m. line dance; 2 p.m. Water

Pilates.

■ Friday, March 20: 7:30 a.m.

free swim; 8:45 a.m. advanced

senior cardio fi tness; 9 a.m.

water aerobics; 10 a.m. yoga;

11 a.m. Weight Loss and Dia-

betes program, cards, water

peeps; noon Tai Chi practice;

1 p.m. water aerobics, begin-

ning art.

■ Monday, March 23: 7:30 a.m.

free swim; 9 a.m. Taxaide, wa-

ter aerobics; 11 a.m. quilting,

Water Peeps; 1 p.m. bridge,

water aerobics.

■ Tuesday, March 24: 7:30

a.m. free swim; 8:45 a.m.

Senior Cardio Fitness,

dulcimer lessons; 9 a.m.

water aerobics; 10 a.m. SAIL

exercise, crafts/beading; 11

a.m. Tai Chi I; 12:30 p.m. Tai

Chi II; 1 p.m. pinochle, water

aerobics; 2 p.m. Water Pilates,

yoga.

■ Info: 573-5843.

4 • MARCH 18, 2015 • Shopper news government

Marvin West

Once upon a time, spring practice was thought to be the birthplace of college football teams.

That thought has evolved. Winter workouts are now very important, more for in-dividual improvement than team functionality. Sum-mer togetherness is critical for bonding, all for one, one for all.

August is precision time, “process” refi nement, semi-fi nal determination of who can do what.

You are supposed to de-duce from the previous paragraphs that playing Tennessee football is a year-round job.

This spring segment is more important than some previous because more is expected of the forthcoming team. It is supposed to be much better than the recent four or fi ve – or six or eight.

Listing top objectives of spring practice

Expectations have been puffed up to perhaps fi ll the Sugar Bowl.

The No. 1 spring objec-tive is the transformation of Dontavius Blair from deadly disappointment to starting left offensive tackle.

The 2014 offensive line was somewhere between in-ept and awful. It just has to get better. Blair is the best bet. He is 6-8 and a truck-load. He was recruited as the designated replacement for the dearly departed Tiny Richardson. He appeared to

be the ideal solution.I remember the exact

words of line coach Don Ma-honey: “He is a perfect fi t for what we are looking for in a tackle.”

Blair was a junior college all-American. He hadn’t needed great condition-ing to prevail. He was big. Technique wasn’t terribly important. He was power-ful. Attention to details? Assignments were not too complicated.

Last spring was shock-ing. Blair couldn’t hold the fi rst-team job he had been awarded. Fifth-year walk-on Jacob Gilliam beat him out.

Insiders thought that was temporary, a coaching move to motivate Blair. In pre-season camp, Donta-vius would no doubt reclaim what was rightfully his.

You know how that turned out. Gilliam, on one leg, was better. Blair red-shirted.

This time, those who know say Blair has learned all he needs to know about the facts of life. He will take nothing for granted.

If he can now play left tackle, Joshua Dobbs’ life expectancy goes up.

Other linemen can be placed in more advanta-geous positions. The line may actually perform bet-ter. Hooray.

The No. 2 spring objec-tive is to develop a No. 2 quarterback. Here is new QB coach Mike DeBord’s fi rst opportunity to shine. Early enrollees are Quinten Dormady and Jauan Jen-nings, superb prospects ac-cording to stargazers.

If neither emerges, the

opportunity will fall to fel-low freshman Sheriron Jones when he arrives in summertime.

Butch Jones says prepar-ing freshmen for this key responsibility is an oppor-tunity and a challenge.

“So much goes into play-ing the quarterback position that you’d kind of like to have them develop at their own pace. But unfortunate-ly, that’s not where we’re at in our program.”

That is code for rush job. Tennessee must have a sec-ond quarterback.

The No. 3 objective is to establish some semblance of order at middle linebacker. The best newcomer, Dar-rin Kirkland Jr., is out with an injury. Jakob Johnson played just enough last sea-son to show he wasn’t ready. Alas, he won’t get ready

this springbecause ofshoulder re-pairs.

K e n n yBynum gotsome ex-p e r i e n c ea g a i n s tIowa but

may not run fast enough.Redshirt freshman DillonBates, outstanding out-side prospect, could moveinside. Gavin Bryant is amaybe. There are other pos-sibilities.

Those of us who expectTennessee to compete forchampionships shouldmonitor these and otherspring uncertainties.

Improvement is a given.How much is absolutely nec-essary remains debatable.Exactly how far is it to theSugar Bowl?

Butch Jones

One way or another, Knox Countians may soon get a real-life demonstra-tion of why elections matter.

Mayor Rogero made her debut appearance to the E-911 board last Friday after more than three years as mayor. The meeting was well covered by local media. Basically the board punted on a decision on new radio equipment pending reviews of more providers and less cost.

This ensures that the high-profi le coverage will continue and both may-ors will be present for the meetings over the next several months when a decision might actually occur. Rogero, who never conferred with her proxy on E-911, Gary Holiday, now says she will not send him should she miss a future meeting. Wise decision. She needs her own indepen-dent representative, but it is imperative she schedule regular meetings with who-ever represents her if it is to have any value.

Rogero skipping the 911 meetings for three years created the impression she is not a hands-on mayor but leaves the lower-profi le activities to others. As she embarks on her campaign for a second and fi nal term this approach may be changing.

■ Gov. Haslam is in-viting all 33 members of the state Senate to dinner at the Residence on Curtiswood Lane in two groups of 17 and 16 each.

■ Lynn Duncan, wife of U.S. Rep. Jimmy Duncan, is recovering from a minor stroke at home. She is doing well.

■ Bill Baxter, former TVA board chair and state commissioner of Economic Development, got a new hip recently, as did former UT football coach Johnny Majors. Baxter’s recovery has been so fast that he was back at work for an hour at Holston Gases Inc. three days after surgery.

■ Hannah Parker, the new GOP election com-missioner, who takes offi ce May 1 (if appointed by the State Election Commission) was born in Knox County and graduated from Fulton High School in 2004 prior to attending the University

VictorAshe

Betty Bean

E-911 board punts on radio decision

of Tennessee, where she got a degree in political science and English. She received a master’s in civic leadership from Lipscomb University in 2013.

Parker lives on Emo-riland Boulevard and is the daughter of Tim and LeeAnn Parker. Her father is pastor of CrossPoint Church, and her mother is a music teacher at Bearden Elementary School. They live in the Strawberry Plains area.

She describes herself as a lover of art, music and Diet Coke and drives a Jeep Rambler. She has a hound dog named “Hank.”

At 28, Parker may be the youngest person ever to serve on the Knox County Election Commis-sion. After interning with then-Sen. Jamie Woodson, she worked in then-Mayor Haslam’s offi ce doing policy and downtown coordinat-ing. She likes concerts at the Bijou and Tennessee Theatres.

She moved to Nashville when Haslam became governor. She was assis-tant for special projects and deputy for operations. She returned to Knoxville because “I just missed be-ing here and my family is here.”

She goes to work for the Emerald Youth Foundation (not Academy) this week. She votes regularly but was not yet a member of the Knox GOP precinct com-mittee when interviewed last week.

■ It is unclear whether Tammy Kaousias will get a second term on the Election Commission. She was the choice of Rep. Gloria Johnson, who was defeated. Her patron is not there to assure her re-nomination. It falls to Rep. Joe Armstrong, the lone Democrat left on the Knox delegation.

Clarence ‘Eddie’ Pridemore, come on down!

Last Friday, Sheriff Jim-my “JJ” Jones came in the door loaded for bear and wasn’t shy about saying why when he made his open-ing remarks at the E-911 board meeting that had been called for the purpose of coming to a consensus on the contract for a new radio system.

It’s that gosh-darned sunshine law that’s getting under his skin, especially since he and Knoxville Po-lice Chief David Rausch were accused of violating it by discussing the negoti-ating process for buying a new radio system amongst

themselves.Jones said the criticism is

unjust.“When the sheriff and

the chief of police can’t get together and talk about public safety, something’s amiss,” he said, just before he announced that he plans to ask county Law Director Bud Armstrong to take the matter before Chancellor Clarence “Eddie” Pridemore for reconsideration.

On the surface, that an-nouncement had little to do with the subject at hand – how to break the stalemate over who gets the contract to install a new radio sys-tem that will be used by all of Knox County’s emergency fi rst responders.

There were three bidders – Motorola, which had held the contract for 25 years, Harris Corp. and Tait Com-munications (low bidder and second-place fi nisher). The Request for Propos-als was the beginning of an 18-month process that be-gan with a user committee composed of subject matter

experts setting up the scope of the work, and an evalua-tion committee to score the proposals.

Harris Corp. came out with the recommendation. Law enforcement represen-tatives didn’t like it.

In January, the county mayor’s surrogate’s mo-tion to award the contract to Harris Corp. didn’t get a second.

Last week’s meeting was supposed to break the stale-mate, but the board decided instead to have the user committee look into signing up with Tennessee Valley Radio Systems, a regional radio system used by mul-tiple counties and munici-palities.

Whatever the outcome of the internecine battle between the top cops who clearly want Motorola and the bean counters who want the process honored, Jones’ invocation of Chancellor Pridemore’s name may have the most serious implica-tions of anything discussed that morning.

In 2007, Pridemore’s predecessor, Daryl Fansler (a Democrat), removed 12 county commissioners after a jury ruled that they had violated the state’s Open Meetings law during the notorious Black Wednesday meeting. He also put down an order informing them that he would take a dim view of future violations. Since that time, county law directors have taken Fansler at his word and held the elected offi cials to a strict standard of conduct.

Too strict, say some say, and Jones – who has been twice re-elected to sheriff since he was appointed by a bunch of soon-to-be-ousted Black Wednesday county commissioners – is among them. Jones is term-limited and cannot run again.

Fansler was defeated for re-election last summer by Pridemore, a barely quali-fi ed and inexperienced law-yer who had little going for him but the R behind his name. These dots are not hard to connect.

Last week the big news was about people who took money that didn’t belong to them.

In Thursday’s paper we learned that longtime (and former) Knox County trust-ee Mike Lowe was taking a plea for felony theft from the county’s tax coffers.

We also read that the treasurer of St. George Greek Orthodox Church has admitted embezzling maybe $360,0 00 from the congre-gation, leaving the church in deep fi nancial straits.

These stories of people in positions of trust who turned out not to be trust-worthy moved me to refl ect on my own fallen estate. With the season of penance upon us and me not having planned any appropriate Lenten sacrifi ces, I have re-solved to confess how I, too, once came up short.

From 1946 till 1962, my father, Joe Dockery, was the trustee of Sevier County. In the old courthouse, he had the fi rst offi ce to the left in-side the front door. A school-teacher before he went off to fi ght in World War II, he ran

Bill Dockery

Money, trust and confession

for and was elected trustee when he came home from Europe. He was college-educated (a rarity then) and had a way with fi gures, so the election came easy. (Be-sides, his predecessor had made the mistake of hiring a Democrat as an offi ce as-sistant.)

My brother and I grew up in the courthouse, haunting the musty courtrooms, pok-ing through unused offi ces and trying (without luck) to get into the clock tower. We were “Joe’s boys.” Everyone knew us. We had the run of the place, except for the clock tower.

Dad’s offi ce was an aus-tere place with big, chest-high desks where the huge leather-bound ledgers could be laid out for recording property tax payments, with pens and inkwells, and with an electric adding ma-chine. The offi ce also had a built-in safe with a beautiful painting on the door, and it had a cash drawer.

At the time I’m remem-bering, I was about 4 or 5 years old – old enough to notice that everyone else seemed to have money. I thought it would be nice if I had some, too. So at some point I reached into that

cash drawer and made a withdrawal, a handful of change, not much, fi ve or six coins, just enough to jingle in the pocket of my jeans.

I went out into the cen-tral hall with the black-and-white checkerboard tile and felt like a man of means. But money is no good if you can’t show it off, so pretty soon I sidled up to the old janitor and pulled the loot out of my pocket. I could tell he was impressed.

When 5 o’clock rolled around, I went back into the offi ce to fi nd the trustee standing beside his cash drawer. He was closing up shop and reconciling the cash when he came up short. He’d also had a little talk with the janitor.

He asked me about the money in my pocket and I readily fetched the coins. What happened next wasn’t capital punishment – it was somewhere south of there – and to my chagrin, Dad’s clerk (a Republican) stayed to witness the whole thing. When we were done, I had lost all interest in taking money that doesn’t belong to me, a disinterest that stays with me after 60-odd years.

Decades later I learned that Dad and his clerk once had spent two weeks poring over the handwritten fi g-ures in those massive led-gers, looking for a one-pen-ny error that was holding up closing out the books for the fi scal year. They found it, too, and Dad left offi ce

in 1962 having handled $16 million in county funds over 16 years – with every single penny properly accounted for.

This is the event that joins me in brotherhood with Mike Lowe and John Duncan III. Like me, these men in the trustee’s offi ce stole from the people of their county.

Lowe was industrious in his thievery, fi guring out ways to take large sums of money for himself and his cronies. Duncan III, like me a descendant of honest and able public servants, was less ambitious. Though he pled guilty to offi cial mis-conduct, his crime amount-ed to petty fraud – a dishon-esty that netted him only a few thousand dollars but cost him his job and dishon-ored his family name.

There’s only one differ-ence between them and me – they got off easy. Duncan got a year’s probation, with the possibility of applying for judicial diversion. Lowe may spend seven months in the local jail and have to pay back $200,000, but that’s a pittance compared to what his malfeasance has cost the county and state. I don’t know whether any of that punishment will change the central crime they commit-ted – a cynicism toward the public trust that let them steal from us for a little walking-around money.

I wish they could have had a little time with Joe Dockery.

GOSSIP AND LIES ■ Knox County Commission

will pick a new member for

the Board of Zoning Appeals

in March, but they’ll never

fi nd one who takes the job as

seriously as did John Schoon-

maker.

■ Ed and Bob (that’s Ed Brant-

ley and Bob Thomas) came

to Powell on Tuesday to hear

from constituents and to tour

the Powell Station Park. Stay

tuned.

■ Mike Lowe is heading to the

county’s detention center to

serve a one-year sentence

after pleading guilty last

week to bilking taxpayers of

several hundred thousand

dollars. (Or, as Lowe puts it,

failing to supervise a couple

of runaway employees.)

■ Sheriff Jimmy “JJ” Jones can

make Lowe a trusty (hmmm,

trustee to trusty) entitling him

to leave jail during the day.

We’ll keep watching.

Shopper news • MARCH 18, 2015 • 5 weekenderFRIDAY

■ Flux Pavilion with An-Ten-Nae, Luce Wayne and Two Sevenz, 9 p.m., The International, 940 Blackstock Ave. Info/

tickets: http://internationalknox.com.

■ Kukuly and the Gypsy Fuego will perform, 7 p.m., Casual

Pint Fountain City, 4842 Harvest Mill Way. Info: 240-4589 or

http://fountain-city.thecasualpint.com/.

■ Live After Five Concert: Kelle Jolly & The Will Boyd Project,

6-8:30 p.m., Knoxville Museum of Art, 1050 World’s Fair Park

Drive. Admission: $10, $5 with membership or student ID,

ages 17 and under free. Info: Michael Gill, 934-2039 or mgill@

knoxart.org.

■ Maradeen, Tree Tops will perform, 8 p.m. Preservation Pub,

28 Market Square. Info: 524-2224.

■ “Mozart and Mendelssohn” concert by the Knoxville Sym-

phony Orchestra, 7:30 p.m., Tennessee Theatre, 604 S. Gay St.

Part of the Moxley Carmichael Masterworks Series. Tickets:

KnoxvilleTickets.com, 656-4444 or 877-995-9961.

■ RB Morris with Hector Qirko & Friends, 10 p.m., Scruff y

City Hall, 32 Market Square. Info: 524-2224 or http://www.

scruff ycityhall.com.

■ Tango Buenos Aires “Song of Eva Peró n,” 7 p.m., Ronald

and Lynda Nutt Theatre, Clayton Center for the Arts, 502

E. Lamar Alexander Parkway, Maryville. Info/tickets: box

offi ce, 981-8590 or 981-8591; www.claytonartscenter.com;

KnoxvilleTickets.com, 656-4444 or 877-995-9961.

■ Third Day “Soul on Fire” tour, with special guest Ellie Hol-

comb, 7 p.m., Knoxville Civic Auditorium, 500 Howard Baker

Jr. Ave. Info/tickets: Knoxville Civic Auditorium-Coliseum box

offi ce, 215-8999; KnoxvilleTickets.com, 656-4444 or 877-995-

9961.

■ WDVX World Class Bluegrass featuring Marty Raybon,

Irene Kelley and Mae Beth Harris, 8 p.m., Bijou Theatre, 803 S.

Gay St. Info/tickets: http://www.knoxbijou.com

SATURDAY ■ Get the Led Out: The American Led Zeppelin will perform,

8 p.m., The International, 940 Blackstock Ave. Info/tickets:

http://internationalknox.com.

■ Kelsey’s Woods will perform, 7 p.m., Casual Pint Fountain

City, 4842 Harvest Mill Way. Info: 240-4589 or http://

fountain-city.thecasualpint.com/.

SUNDAY ■ Tellico Village Community Concert by the Knoxville Sym-

phony, 4 p.m., Tellico Village Community Church, 130 Chota

Center, Loudon. Tickets: $25. Info/tickets: Pat McDermott,

423-884-3098.

■ Young Pianist Series Concert, featuring award-winning,

internationally acclaimed pianist Shen Lu, 2:30 p.m., Sandra

G. Powell Recital Hall, Natalie L. Haslam Music Center, 1741

Volunteer Blvd. on the UT campus. Tickets: $25 adults,

students free; available at the door or online at www.

youngpianistseries.com. Info: 408-8083

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Past, present and future provide a backdrop for this week’s new movies.

But no matter what time frame it occupies, each fi lm boasts at least one actor who has won or been nominated for an Academy Award. See if you can identify them all; answers at the bottom.

Shailene Woodley re-turns as Tris Prior in “In-surgent,” the follow-up to last year’s “Divergent” (and the presumptive prequel to the not-as-well-rhymed “Al-legiant,” which will come in two parts).

War is looming between factions in the dystopian world Tris inhabits, and she must try to save herself and the ones she loves as she ful-ly embraces her Divergence. Every choice has a conse-quence, as she has already discovered.

The cast also includes Miles Teller, Theo James, Naomi Watts, Kate Winslet, Maggie Q, Ashley Judd, Ray Stevenson, Daniel Dae Kim and Octavia Spencer. Rob-ert Schwentke directs.

Twelve people whose lives are going in different directions unexpectedly in-tersect and discover there is power in the cross of Jesus Christ in “Do You Believe?”

It starts with a pastor (Ted McGinley) driving home through the streets of Chicago late one night who has a chance encounter with a risk-taking street-corner preacher (Delroy Lindo). The pastor is reminded that he needs to live his faith, and as his life changes, so do the lives of people around him.

“Do You Believe?” also stars Mira Sorvino, Sean Astin, Alexa PenaVega, Cy-bill Shepherd, Lee Majors, Andrea Logan White, Brian

Sean Penn plays a former

Special Forces soldier

trying to clear his name

in “The Gunman.”

Delroy Lindo plays one of a dozen characters whose lives inter-

sect in “Do You Believe?”

Living in dystopia, on the Christian path and on the run

Betsy Pickle

Bosworth and Tracy Mel-chior. Jonathan M. Gunn (“God’s Not Dead”) directs.

Sean Penn stars in the R-rated “The Gunman.” Penn plays a mercenary sniper who has to go into hiding to protect himself and the members of his team after killing the minister of mines in the Congo. Years later he returns to the Congo and fi nds that he has a price on his head, and he has to track down his former team members and old girlfriend for help in fi nding out who wants him dead.

Penn’s co-stars include Javier Bardem, Idris Elba, Ray Winstone and Mark Ry-lance. Pierre Morel (“Tak-en”) directs.

Oscar answers:“Do You Believe?” – Mira

Sorvino (winner), Sean As-tin (nominee, but not for acting)

“The Gunman” – Sean Penn (two wins, three other nominations), Javier Bar-dem (one win, two other nominations)

“Insurgent” – Kate Wins-let (one win, fi ve other nom-inations), Octavia Spencer (winner), Naomi Watts (nominee)

Shailene

Woodley

returns in

the “Diver-

gent” sequel

“Insurgent.”

6 • MARCH 18, 2015 • SOUTH KNOX Shopper news kids

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Prom etiquette classThe Cardinal School of

Etiquette and Protocol will hold prom etiquette classes at Imagination Forest, 7613 Blueberry Road in Pow-ell. Classes are 6-7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 19, and Thursday, March 26, for

students ages 14-18. Topics will include how to

ask, or say yes or no; dresses and tuxedos, fl owers, trans-portation, cell phone eti-quette, conversation, table manners, dancing, after party and whom to thank.

Ann White, owner of the Cardinal School of Etiquette

and Protocol, is a graduate of the American School of Protocol and is certifi ed to teach corporate and chil-dren’s etiquette.

Classes are $20, and space is limited. To register, email jennifer@imaginationforest.com or call 947-7789.

Safety patrol members Piers Littlejohn, Alaina Fox, Jaiden Willis, Antony San-

tizo and Thomas Riley pack lunch bags to be sold as part of the fundraiser.

Nick Corbitt as Nathan Detroit, Kendal Ketron as Miss Adelaide, Dylan Lyle as Nicely-Nicely,

Chesney Julian as Sarah Brown and Farrell Scott as Sky Masterson in “Guys and Dolls” Photo by Betsy Pickle

Kinsley Jones, Eliot Tatler and Kaleb Davis use iPads to fi lm the 50-foot Subway sandwich for a

health component of the project. Photos by Betsy Pickle

By Betsy PickleSouth-Doyle High School

principal Tim Berry made it clear at the start and throughout a meeting about the possibility of Knox County Schools switch-ing to a balanced calendar that this was just the fi rst conversation on the subject for stakeholders in South Knoxville.

Playing host to several dozen parents, guardians, teachers and school admin-istrators, Berry said, “This is round one of many, many rounds to discuss having a balanced calendar.”

The balanced-calendar concept has been gaining traction in Knox County thanks to proposals from a couple of schools, district discussions and teacher surveys.

The crowd listened intent-ly as Berry explained that having a balanced calendar is not the same as having a year-round school calendar. A balanced calendar keeps approximately the same number of instructional days as are in the four quar-ters of the traditional Knox County Schools calendar but chops days from summer to expand the breaks between the quarters.

Berry used pie charts to show examples of 44-45 in-structional days with either 10-day or 15-day breaks be-tween quarters and 49 or 28 days for summer break.

He said advantages to switching could include providing additional in-structional and enrichment time during the breaks, improving student atten-dance, decreasing summer-

learning loss and improving teacher morale.

The biggest benefi ciaries would seem to be students in need of intervention.

On the con side, Berry said there’s no research to show that a balanced calen-dar provides any academic advantage; a shorter sum-mer could interfere with traditional family vaca-tions, summer camps and community athletics. And it could cost the school system more money.

He said a switch could also mean revising estab-lished class schedules. One attendee pointed out that a balanced calendar would mean the end of South-Doyle’s groundbreaking fi re academy.

Berry said that KCS su-perintendent Jim McIntyre wants any decision to be made from the stakeholders up, not from the district ad-ministration, and the main goal is to do what’s best for students.

School board member Amber Rountree said Oak Ridge city schools let fami-lies vote on whether or not to switch. Oak Ridge will start a balanced calendar this fall.

“Talk to your teachers, and talk to your kids,” urged Paula Brown, principal of Mount Olive Elementary, noting that there is a per-ceptible “brain drain” for both at certain times of year.

“School is a lot harder than it used to be,” said Lisa Light, principal at Gap Creek Elementary. “We are pushing them all day every day.”

Balanced calendar discussion starts

Sandwich time = lesson timeBy Betsy Pickle

It’s huge, but it’s not im-measurable.

In fact, measuring is part of the annual 50-foot Sub-way sandwich project at Mooreland Heights Elemen-tary School.

Subway donates all the components for the sand-wich and meal. Third-grade students prepare for the big day with lessons in related

Cheers for ‘Guys and Dolls’By Betsy Pickle

Damon Runyon’s color-ful characters came to life in the South-Doyle Middle School Choral Department’s “Guys and Dolls.”

The cast did a marvel-ous job of capturing the energy and atmosphere of the classic musical com-edy. Every now and then, a case of nerves edged its way onto the school auditorium’s stage, but the high notes more than made up for any bobbles.

The plot has gambler Sky Masterson (Farrell Scott) being suckered into taking uptight “mission doll” Sarah

Brown (Chesney Julian) on a date to Havana. Mean-while, Nathan Detroit (Nick Corbitt) – proprietor of the “oldest established perma-nent fl oating crap game in New York” – is having trou-ble fi nding a locale for his next game thanks to pres-sure from police Lt. Branni-gan (Lucy Abernathy).

Nathan’s also under or-ders from his longtime fi an-cée, Miss Adelaide (Kendal Ketron), to give up gambling – or else.

The music and lyrics by Frank Loesser and book by Jo Swerling and Abe Bur-row (abridged by Broadway

Junior) are delightful, but the deck is always stacked in favor of two characters: Adelaide and Nathan’s asso-ciate Nicely-Nicely Johnson (Dylan Lyle).

Both wowed here. Ken-dal Ketron and Dylan Lyle delivered their lines with true Runyonesque fl avor. Kendal’s powerful, emotive singing voice and Dylan’s wry, convincing acting were the highlights of the show.

Bethany Williams direct-ed the musical, which had two public performances in addition to in-school per-formances last week. subjects such as nutrition

and math. The third-grad-ers assemble the giant sub in the gym, and then the sub is divided into individual sandwiches that can be pur-chased by visiting parents and family members as well as students.

Money raised is used to offset the expenses of the fi fth-graders who will travel to Washington, D.C., for the annual safety patrol fi eld trip.

This year’s event had a bittersweet element to it. Third-grade teacher Steve Friedenstab, who launched the project a few years ago, passed away last year.

“This Subway Day is in memory of Steve Frieden-

stab,” said Dr. Roy Miller, Mooreland Heights prin-cipal. “The faculty took it upon themselves to keep it going.

“I had no idea how much work he did on it. He did everything. It took a lot of people to fi ll his shoes.”

Miller said that, thanks to Friedenstab, third-grad-ers get a lesson in paying it forward. They support the fi fth-graders, who as third-graders themselves had helped the safety patrol.

Kinsley Jones seemed to have absorbed the lesson.

“We’re trying to make people have healthier lives, and we’re also raising mon-ey for the fi fth-graders,” she said.

Shopper news • MARCH 18, 2015 • 7 business

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UT Law off ering free tax helpAs part of the IRS Volun-

teer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, UT law students will offer free tax preparation help and elec-tronic fi ling to qualifying members of the community. The program is available to those who generally make $53,000 or less, persons with disabilities, the elderly and limited-English-speak-ing taxpayers who need as-sistance in preparing their

own tax returns. The services are avail-

able 5-7:30 p.m. Wednes-days and Thursdays through April 15 in Suite 157 of the College of Law, 1505 W. Cumberland Ave. Appointments not required. Visit www.tiny.utk.edu/vita to learn what documents are needed. Info: Morgan, 974-2492 or rmorgan2@utk.edu.

Free tax assistance available

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) pro-gram, which offers free tax preparation by certifi ed vol-unteers to low- to moderate-income families and house-holds, is available at three locations.

Goodwill, 5307 Kingston

Pike: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Tues-days through Thursdays and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Satur-days, through April 15.

Farragut Town Hall, 11408 Municipal Center Drive: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Fri-days through April 10.

Westside Unitarian Uni-versalist Church, 616 Fretz Road: 5-8 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, through April 14.

The best part of my job is getting to meet wonder-

ful business owners. Last week it was my pleasure to speak with Todd Claiborne, owner of Claiborne Hauling in

East Knox County. I was impressed with what he has accomplished with his company.

Claiborne graduated from Carter High School, and two days later he was in the Army. He says he just needed some time to fi gure out what he wanted to do with his life. After a stint with the 82nd Airborne Division, he returned home and attended Pellissippi State Community College on the GI bill, earning an associate’s degree in Busi-ness Finance and Business Management.

Claiborne began his venture into business by servicing construction com-panies’ trucks. In 1997, he traded in his own pickup as a down payment on a dump truck and soon began haul-ing rock, gravel and sand for many of those same construction companies. He laughs and says the dump truck was his only vehicle, so when he took someone out on a date she had to ride in it.

Fast-forward to 2015. Not only does Claiborne own Claiborne Hauling, but he also owns TLC Truck Re-pair in Knoxville, as well as American Sand Company in Monterey, Tenn. He has 110 trucks and 140 employees. TLC Truck Repair works on diesel trucks, which Todd says gives his customers “one-stop shopping” and provides him with “in-house servicing” for his own fl eet.

Todd’s dad, Tracy, and brother Toby work with him now. Tracy worked in the lumber business for 40 years and joined Todd at Claiborne Hauling about three years ago. Toby also worked in the lumber business for years and now works in the heavy haul division and in sales.

So what exactly does Claiborne Hauling do? Todd says they haul “just about

Claiborne

Stofko joins TennovaDouglas L. Stofko, D.O., neurological surgeon, has

opened his new medical practice at Tennova Neurosci-ences. He is accepting new patients at his offi ce at Physicians Regional Medi-cal Center, 930 Emerald Avenue.

Dr. Stofko is one of a select num-ber of neurosurgeons in the country – and the only one in East Tennessee – trained in both traditional neuro-surgical approaches as well as en-dovascular procedures, enabling his patients to have the full range of treat-ment options available to them under

the direction of one surgeon.Info: 1-855-836-6682.

Dr. Stofko

Support for the Angel Tree

The community fund of

Barge, Waggoner, Sumner

and Cannon Inc. has con-

tributed $2,500 to the Angel

Tree program of the local

Salvation Army. Pictured

are Maria Down of the Sal-

vation Army; Casey Tyree,

Barge Waggoner Knoxville

civic group leader; and Ma-

jor Yvette Villafuerte, associ-

ate area commander for the

Salvation Army. Photo submitted

Claiborne Hauling: local success

Nancy Whittaker

everything.” They cover the gamut from delivering topsoil, gravel, sand and landscaping materials to individuals – “whatever the customer needs” – all the way to huge commercial jobs. Demolition has also become a big part of their work. Todd says no job is too large or too small.

The heavy haul divi-sion of Claiborne Hauling, started in 2003, delivers bulldozers and all types of heavy equipment to job sites. Whether local or cross-country, they have the proper trucks to trans-port any size load.

You’ve probably seen Claiborne Hauling’s trucks. They have different themes including American fl ags, Ice Bears hockey and the zoo. Claiborne Hauling also hauls and dumps the rubber ducks for the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Tennes-see Valley Duck Race each year. Todd is most proud of his “Touch a Truck” project, which got kids involved with putting their hand-prints on all the trucks. He enjoys projects that help keep kids in school. Having grown up in East Knox, he says community involve-ment is important to him.

Did Claiborne envision the growth his company would experience when he bought that fi rst dump truck back in 1997? He says he just took things one step at a time and started to grow as his customers’ needs were met. The company doubled its business every year from 1999 to 2007.

He says servicing his customers in the best pos-sible way has been the key to his success.

Claiborne Hauling Contractors is at 6210 Rutledge Pike. Info: www.claibornehauling.com or 540-4409.

Jon Rysewyk

By Betty BeanThe Emerald Academy administra-

tion hasn’t yet moved into the old Mo-ses School in Mechanicsville, but prin-cipal Jon Rysewyk says Knox County’s fi rst charter school has met its goal of having two student applicants for each of its 120 seats and will hold a certifi ed lottery to see who gets in.

March 30 at 5 p.m. is the cutoff date for students to apply (they will be called scholars if they are accepted) to enroll in the inaugural kindergarten and fi rst-grade classes. The lottery will be held within 10 days of the cut-off.

Eventually, the school, which is a public charter subject to state educa-tion laws, will serve kindergartners through eighth graders, with one ad-ditional grade to be added each year to reach that goal. Classes will start July 27, and Emerald Academy will not only operate under the “balanced calendar” being advocated by Knox County Schools, but will also have ex-tended school days. There will be two teachers per 30-student classroom, and students will wear uniforms. School culture and curriculum will be modeled on the Breakthrough Prep School in Cleveland, Ohio.

The goal, as stated on Emerald Academy’s website, is to create a

school built on four pillars:

“Academic excel-lence, effective teach-ing, a highly relational culture grounded in high expectations, and robust parent and community engage-ment.”

Rysewyk and dean of academics Jamie Snyder, most re-cently the principal of Corryton El-ementary School and before that an assistant principal at Inskip, were the fi rst employees. Cheryl Robinson joined the staff last week as director of family engagement. Job fairs will be held to hire teachers.

Rysewyk, who won a Milken Edu-cator Award in 2008 for work he did as assistant principal at Fulton High School to redesign the curriculum there, was promoted to principal a year later. He moved to the central of-fi ce as executive director of innovation and school improvement in 2013 and was considered one of the system’s superstars. Snyder was a member of Knox County’s fi rst Leadership Acad-

emy class.Rysewyk said he didn’t leave Knox

County Schools for a bigger paycheck or because he was disgruntled. His motivation, he said, is his passion for educating inner-city kids.

“This is a missional calling to do something we believe in. Neither Ja-mie nor I got pay raises to come over here. If we get this thing right, I see it as benefi ting all our urban children – not just Emerald Academy scholars.”

He professes to be somewhat gob-smacked by the icy reception that met his recent recruiting letter to parents in target neighborhoods, featuring charts showing poor academic per-formance and touting Emerald’s in-novative approach. He said he didn’t intend to disparage existing urban schools.

“Coming off my Fulton experience, I love this whole area and my heart has never left the inner city. I like to walk beside people, not on top of them. When Emerald had this idea to do some of these radical instructional things – extended time, two teachers per classroom, 10 laptops in every K-5 classroom – I felt a calling.

“I have a fi rm belief that personal-ization is how you reach kids.”

Emerald Academy ready to roll

Documents needed in-clude: Social Security card and birthday for each per-son on the return; taxpayer photo ID; original W-2s, 1099Rs, SSA1099s, etc., for all income; proof of health

insurance – a new require-ment. Optional documents: last year’s return, proof of account for direct deposit and expenses for deduc-tions.

Info: www.irs.gov.

By Cindy TaylorMore than 60 Rotarians

from local clubs includ-ing North Knox, Down-town, Farragut, Knoxville Breakfast, Turkey Creek and Farragut braved the cold start to the day March 7 to spruce up the outside of the Cerebral Palsy Center Group Home on Highland Avenue.

“There are about 10 peo-ple who live at this location,

and North Knox Rotary handles about 80 percent of their yearly funding,” said club president Nic Nicaud. “We plan to donate funds

for professionals to ren-ovate the inside of the house within a year.”

Independent club members donate mon-

ey throughout the year for local projects. Each lo-

cal club contributed $500 to sponsor the work day at the Group Home.

World Rotary Day works locally

North Knox Rotary Club president Nic Nicaud and UTK Rota-

ract Club member Olivia Hysinger work in a raised bed at the

Cerebral Palsy Center Group Home on Highland Avenue. Photo by Cindy Taylor

Interested candidates please fi ll out an application at www.ResourceMFG.com & call us at 865-558-6224.

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Every other weekend off!!

8 • MARCH 18, 2015 • SOUTH KNOX Shopper news

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18Books Sandwiched In: “Happy City: Transform-

ing Our Lives Through Urban Design” by Charles Montgomery, noon, East Tennessee History Center, 601 S. Gay St. Info: 215-8700.

“Photographing Your Work” seminar, noon-1 p.m., Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay St. Guest speaker: Lisa Gifford Mueller. Info/to register: 523-7543; sc@knoxalliance.com; http://www.knoxalliance.com/development.html.

“Science of Sound” program by Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, 1 p.m., The Muse Knoxville Planetarium. A new educational program for students in grades 3-5. Info: http://www.themuseknoxville.com/calendar/science-sound-kso.

WEDNESDAY-THURSDAY, MARCH 18-19AARP Driver Safety class, noon-4 p.m., John T.

O’Connor Senior Center, 611 Winona St. Info/to regis-ter: Carolyn Rambo, 382-5822.

THURSDAY, MARCH 19Faculty Lecture Series: “Je suis Charlie,”

10:45 a.m., Pellissippi State Community College, Hardin Valley Campus. Free and open to the public. Info: www.pstcc.edu or call 694-6400.

Organizing your paperwork, 2 p.m., Cedar Bluff Branch Library, 9045 Cross Park Drive. Speaker: Karen Sprinkle. Info: 470-7033.

“Write and Tell Mother …”: East Tennesseans in the Great War, 1917-1919, 6:30 p.m., East Tennessee History Center, 601 S. Gay St. Lecture by Pat Gang. Free admission. Info: www.EastTNHistory.org or 215-8824.

“You CAN Grow Your Own Rose Bouquets,” 3:15-4:30 p.m., Humana Guidance Center, 4438 West-ern Ave. Presented by Knox County Master Gardeners. Free and open to the public. Info: 329-8892.

THURSDAY-FRIDAY, MARCH 19-20AARP Driver Safety class, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Everett

Senior Center, 702 Burchfi eld St., Maryville. Info/to register: Carolyn Rambo, 382-5822.

FRIDAY, MARCH 20 RCS Hiking Club hike: Old Settlers Trail to Little

Bird Branch and out to Hwy. 321. Six-mile moderate shuttle hike. Meet 9 a.m. at Gatlinburg City Hall Park &

Ride. Info: Ray, 314-2279, or Kate, 573-9258.

SATURDAY, MARCH 21Cypress String Quartet performance, 7:30

p.m., Pollard Auditorium, 210 Badger Ave., Oak Ridge. Tickets: $25 adults, $10 children and students. Info/tickets: 483-5569 or www.orcma.org.

Emory Road Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) will meet 10:30 a.m., Nichols Gibbs Homestead, 7633 E. Emory Road, Corryton, for a tour of the homestead. Info: 938-3187 or 938-8641.

Military Genealogy, 1-3 p.m., East Tennessee His-tory Center, 601 S. Gay St. Info/to register: 215-8809.

Nourish Knoxville’s Winter Market, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Central UMC, 201 Third Ave. Features pasture-raised meats, eggs, winter produce, honey, baked goods, artisan foods, handmade items, food trucks and other vendors from the Market Square Farmers Market.

“Our First Ladies of the United States,” 2-3 p.m., Farragut Branch Library, 417 N. Campbell Sta-tion Road. Program by Elizabeth Nelson, manager of the Fountain City Branch library. Free and open to the public. Info: 777-1750.

Saturday Stories and Songs: Charlene Ellis, 11 a.m., Cedar Bluff Branch Library, 9045 Cross Park Drive. Info: 470-7033.

NEWS FROM TENNESSEE CANCER PATIENT COALITION

Sulynne and Don Denton. Don

is a prostate cancer survivor

and created the Tennessee

Cancer Patient Coalition, a

grassroots group that aims

to encourage the passage of

legislation that would require

insurance companies to cover

proton therapy treatments for

cancer patients.

Don Denton is the author of “Calming the Storm” which chronicles his journey of cancer diagnosis, his research and discovery of proton therapy treatment for prostate cancer, and his treatment and ultimate cure of cancer after proton therapy. Don’s book is available for purchase on Amazon or at the Provision Center for Proton Therapy.

Proton Therapy is the most ad-

vanced form of cancer treatment

in the world, and now Tennessee

has the Provision Center for Proton

Therapy located right here in

Knoxville. Our Tennessee proton

center is one of only 14 operational

centers in the nation. However, due

to decisions by insurance carriers

in Tennessee, if you are between

the ages of 19 to 64, you are not

covered for this unique treatment

option. If you live in a neighboring

state like Georgia, Kentucky, South

Carolina, Virginia or Florida, you

are covered and you can come to

our center in Tennessee to receive

treatment.

Help us make sure that this treat-

ment option is available to ALL

Tennesseans that need it. Visit the

Tennessee Cancer Patient Coalition

at tncancerpatient.org to learn

more. Also visit the facebook page

at facebook.com/tncancerpatient

Make a Diff erence. Urge Your Rep-

resentative to vote YES on House

Bill 1006 and Senate Bill 0902. Find

your representative here: www.

capitol.tn.gov/legislators

A Vote Against This Bill Is A Vote Against C A N C E R PAT I E N T S

VOT E YES O N T H E CA N C E R PAT I E N T C H O I C E A C T

VOTE RIGHT

VISIT T N C A N C E R PAT I E N T. O R G TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE BILL

Make sure your local representative plans to

By Anne Hart

If Don Denton had followed the advice of the urologist who diagnosed his prostate cancer in the fall of 2010, his life would have turned out much differently.

And if by some chance he were still alive, he would likely be incontinent, impotent and awaiting the very real possibility of the cancer recurring. In other words, his quality of life would be so dramatically diminished it might hardly seem worth the struggle.

But Denton had a lot to live for, and he would be the fi rst to tell you he didn’t like the doctor’s odds. So after hearing the diagnosis and anticipating a gloomy future, he and his wife, Sulynne, began researching options to the treatment the urologist had recommended.

For several weeks they scoured the Internet and gathered books and networked with cancer survivors, learning everything they could fi nd on treatment for prostate cancer. Meanwhile, the doctor’s offi ce kept calling, wanting to schedule surgery. Denton kept putting them off.

“We did incredible

Prostate cancer survivor advocates legislation to help others receive life-saving proton treatment

Make a diff erence

I agreed to sponsor the bill because it refl ects sound public health policy for the citizens of Tennessee. Patients in Tennessee should have available all treatment modalities. ~ State Senator Doug Overbey

research, but we weren’t daunted and we weren’t praying for a miracle. We always felt God would lead us to the right choice. We just hoped He would make it so obvious we wouldn’t miss it,” Denton says with a smile.

Just before Christmas of that year, the couple heard about a Blount County prostate cancer support group. “We thought it would be a good idea to talk with others, and the meeting was going to take place just two minutes from our home in Townsend, so it seemed like a good idea.

“What we learned from two of the members just blew us away. They had both had proton treatment, which is

non-invasive, painless and allows the patient to lead a normal life while undergoing treatment and afterwards. It sounded too good to be true, but we went home and started researching it.”

Knoxville’s Provision Center for Proton Therapy wasn’t open yet. The nearest proton treatment center was in Jacksonville, Florida.

Denton applied there, and several days later on Christmas Eve, he was notifi ed that his insurance company wouldn’t cover the cost of proton therapy. “The insurance company said the treatment was ‘experimental,’ despite the fact that at that time there were nine proton centers open in the US and 14 more under construction or development.

Denton said he learned that the treatment was far

from experimental. “The concept was developed in 1946, the fi rst patient was treated in 1954, and the FDA approved the treatment and Medicare began covering it in 1988. At the time of my diagnosis, tens of thousands of people worldwide had been cured of cancer through outpatient proton treatment and my insurance company was saying it was experimental.

“At that point we were devastated. We were ready to mortgage our home and do whatever else it took to get this treatment. Through Christmas of that year we worked with an attorney on an appeal, and then the center asked that we let them fi le the fi rst appeal with the insurance company.”

The insurance company fi nally agreed to pay. Don Denton had the treatment as an outpatient over a period of two months, and in the following week after the end of his treatments, he and his wife enjoyed hiking in the mountains and playing three rounds of golf. Today he is free of cancer and has had no permanent side effects or quality of life issues.

Denton’s story has a happy ending, and he wants others

diagnosed with prostate and breast cancer, which is also treated with proton therapy, to have a similar outcome.

He has written a book about his experience. “Calming the Storm” is available on Amazon.com. You can also fi nd him on Facebook under that title.

In addition, he’s on the speaker’s circuit at every opportunity, telling others about his experience and urging them to contact legislators in support of a bill now in the General Assembly and co-sponsored by state Rep. Ryan Haynes of Knox County and state Sen. Doug Overbey of Blount County.

The bill will force insurance companies to allow patients and their doctors to determine the best medical treatment, including proton treatment.

“We hope everyone will contact their legislators and ask for support of the Cancer Patient Choice Act,” Denton says. “Insurance companies shouldn’t be allowed to deny benefi ts to cancer patients who choose proton therapy, and that’s exactly what is happening today.”

Proton Therapy Facts: ■ Proton therapy is NOT experiemental

■ Proton therapy was approved by the FDA in 1988

■ Medicare/CMS have reimbursed proton therapy since 2000

■ More than 100,000 patients have been treated with proton therapy worldwide

■ The cost of proton therapy for prostate cancer is now the same or lower than conventional treatments, without the damaging side eff ects

■ Five-year, peer-reviewed study just released by the University of Florida Proton Therapy Institute found that 99% of prostrate cancer patients remain cancer free

■ There are 1.6 million new cases of cancer diagnosed each year

■ Tennessee ranks 5th in the nation for deaths from cancer

For additional information: www.tncancerpatient.orginfo@tncancerpatient.org