Shopper News blog: Jenny Lynn McNutt passes inspiration along

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BEARDEN

Jenny Lynn McNutt passes inspiration along

John Shearer, Shopper News 

A half century ago, Jenny Lynn McNutt was inspired to become an active leader at West High School and was named Miss West High of 1970.

In the years since, she has continued to receive inspiration, but from around the world and as an artist and college teacher trying to offer encouragement in return.

McNutt is based in Brooklyn, N.Y., and has spent time in countless places, including West Africa and Amsterdam.

But as she talked recently in connection with the Shopper News’ two-part series on the West High Class of 1970’s 50th anniversary since graduating, she has not forgotten her Knoxville and West High roots.

While she has heard stories of students attending very demanding high schools, the West High she remembers was not like that. And it did not even have much of an art program or curriculum during that era, she recalled.

“It was a very gentle environment,” she said.

As an example, she remembers the positive way a couple of teachers made her want to learn. One was a Mr. Harding, her chemistry teacher.

“He was kind and he was passionate in what he taught,” she said. “It thrilled me and made me want to learn.”

Her French teacher, Jane Smith, also inspired her and perhaps made her interested in the larger world beyond Knoxville.

“I credit her with pursuing a degree in French,” she said. “She had a great curiosity and a sense of wonder. She was a mentor to me in many ways.”

McNutt, whose brother, Jim McNutt, was profiled recently in a Shopper News story on his Woodstream Hardwoods business, regrets that she never had a chance to tell Smith how much the French teacher had impacted her life.

As an art teacher who has taught at the Pratt Institute and Pace University, she realizes how much teachers or professors appreciate it when their students tell them they have inspired them.

This former West yearbook staff member and homecoming court member admitted with a laugh, however, that she was not overly impacted by being named Miss West High. In fact, she feels a little embarrassed thinking about it 50 years later.

“There should have been 100 Miss Wests and they should have spread out all these honors,” she said. “It was an honor and it made me feel good, but it was the little things about being a part of the community that meant just as much to me.”

She did add that the recognition enhanced her overall feeling of being loved there.

After graduating from West, she went on to Rollins College in Florida, but eventually studied art at the Yale School of Art.

“It became my life,” she said. “I always wanted to be an artist.”

She initially focused on painting but in recent years has also become interested in ceramics and sculpting, and she has also done performance art and multimedia presentations.

While she might work in a studio, her inspiration has come from the entire world, as she has traveled and done shows and been an artist in residence in such places as Amsterdam and China. She also studied in West Africa in the 1990s on a prestigious Senior Fulbright Fellowship, and she adopted a West African girl as a daughter.

McNutt said she had felt drawn to West Africa at that time. The recent outcries for racial justice in light of the recent incidents of police brutality in the United States have also touched her, she said. As a result, she wishes she was still in touch with some of the black students who attended West High during those early years of integration.

One she does remember is Reagan Smith, who was voted Most Talented and was interested in topics like theater and choir. “He was incredibly funny and bright and had a soaring personality,” she said.

McNutt, who recently has bought with her husband a closed former United Methodist church in a rural area to use as a studio, said the togetherness of West at that time was a positive.

“I remember working with the people,” she said. “I’m really a person who loves to be in the trenches working on something.”

POWELL

Save the date to celebrate what makes Powell unique

Al Lesar, Shopper News 

Powell will put itself on display for the rest of East Tennessee to see in late August.

The Powell Station Celebration, set for Saturday, Aug. 29, will offer a wide variety of activities covering a diverse range of interests, all under the same unique event.

From a lazy float down Beaver Creek, to a history lesson on Powell Station, to a skating competition and exhibition, to a car show, to a 5K run/walk, to a disc golf tournament, to a cornhole tournament, and a number of informational booths, and food to buy, it will be a full day.

“This is our opportunity to showcase what this community can be,” said Steven Goodpaster, a leader of Enhance Powell, a committee within the Powell Business Professional Association that is the engine driving the celebration. “People have so much pent-up energy. People want to celebrate. We’re hoping this is their chance.”

Goodpaster and the rest of the organizing group have their fingers crossed that the impact of the coronavirus pandemic won’t intrude on their plans, but they can only control what’s within their grasp. So, it’s full-speed ahead.

‘Won't get wet’    

This is the third year of the flotilla, which is an orchestrated non-competitive float from what Goodpaster hopes is a permanent put-in behind Powell High School (it should be installed by then) to a take-out around Clinton Highway.

The trip is expected to take less than two hours.

The centerpiece of the event is a luxurious journey for rookies or veterans.

Goodpaster said high school baseball players and local scouts will form a concierge service of sorts. Participants drive up to the staging area, the helpers unload the equipment and allow people to drive back to the high school to park. People without a boat can rent one in advance from River Sports Outfitters. The boat will be delivered to the put-in.

Members of the Beaver Creek Kayak Club will be in the water steadying the boats and preparing them for the trip.

At the end of the journey, club members will help land the boats. The scouts and baseball players will load the boats and equipment in trailers and transport it back to the high school. First Baptist Church will supply vans to transport people back to the high school, where they can be reunited with their equipment.

“This set-up is perfect for the elderly or first-time paddlers,” Goodpaster said. “People can do it without even getting wet.”

Exponential growth   

Entry fees (to be determined later) will be charged for the 5K run/walk (which will start on the 50-yard line of the high school football field) and disc golf tournament. The other activities are free to enjoy.

Food City will donate food that will be sold, with the proceeds going toward projects done by the Enhance Powell committee.

A bounce house and bounce slide will be staffed by the high school softball team.

“In the last couple years, we’ve seen exponential growth,” said Goodpaster. “People have seen what we’ve done and they’ve said, ‘We want to be part of it.’

“We’ve been blessed to have so many great partners. We’re the grease; we’re the ones who are helping everything come together.

“The world around us has gone through a lot. Fortunately, we haven’t been hit hard. This is our chance to be an example of what a community can do to bring people together.”

Times, prices and other details will be available later this summer.

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KARNS/HARDIN VALLEY

Matlock Tires opens fifth location in Hardin Valley

Nancy Anderson, Shopper News 

More than 30 people gathered at the new Matlock Tire and Service location on 10838 Hardin Valley Road for an official ribbon cutting Friday, June 26.

On hand was Mayor Glenn Jacobs, Commissioner John Schoonmaker, and several members of the Farragut West Knox Chamber of Commerce.

Matlock Tire and Service is a family owned business that started with one location off U.S. 70 in 1953. Today the company is still ran by the nuclear family and has five locations in Farragut, Athens, Maryville, Lenoir City, and Hardin Valley.

“When you’re a small business it’s in your DNA, it reflects you as a person,” said owner Jimmy Matlock. "We take a lot of pride in acting and doing business in a way that makes us trusted. We have generations of people who come back to us because they know we’re going to do what we say we’re going to do.”

The tire company does much more than work with tires. It offers auto repair and service including batteries, filters, fluids, engine diagnostics, heating and AC repair, belts and hoses, alignments, brakes, suspension, tune-up, and oil changes.

Young Joe Matlock, grandson of the original owner, said he never wanted to join the business originally, but when he was 15 he took his Dad’s (Jimmy) truck off-roading. He wrecked the vehicle doing $3,000 in damage. The next day he started working at Matlock Tire, fell in love with it, and has been there ever since. He’s learned the worth of community.

He said he was glad to be Hardin Valley because it’s a close knit community.

“Community is big for us. We strongly believe in supporting schools, churches, and charities. We want to invest money back into the community because it revitalizes the area.

“We care deeply about the community and we want to see it thrive.”

Info: www.matlocktireservice.com

KNOXVILLE

YWAC wants to make your pet a ‘calendar girl' – or 'boy’

Carol Z. Shane, Shopper News 

Be honest – how many cat videos have you watched over the last three months?

It’s probably a lot, right? And even if your own cat or dog has not achieved internet fame, there’s still time to make your pet a star – and support a worthy organization – by entering the Young-Williams Animal Center’s Pet Calendar Photo Contest. The deadline’s been extended to July 15, and entering is super easy. Just go to www.gogophotocontest.com/young-williams.

“We’re in the final week of the calendar contest, but only a few votes separate the top 12 from the rest of the pack,” says Grace Bennett, YWAC’s development manager. “At this point, anyone could make it to the top 12 – even if you haven’t entered yet! It is $25 to enter a pet and just $1 per vote.”

So far there’s been a great response.

“We have more than 90 pets entered and over 6,500 combined votes!” says Bennett. “Most years, we have more dogs than cats in the top 12 but this year, cat Sophia Maria has held the top spot for weeks. We also have some fun pets in this year’s contest, including rabbit Harebun J. Ford and guinea pigs Tommy Hilpigger and Calvin Swine.”

You can also give to YWAC year-round with the “Round-Up” program, where those who wish to donate sign up to have each credit card purchase rounded up to the nearest dollar value. YWAC gets the change, which you won’t even miss.

YWAC’s success continues to build, with fewer animals being taken in, due in large part to the YWAC Spay/Neuter Solutions program, and more going out to their “forever homes.” Last year, YWAC counted 5,688 adoptions, 1,626 return-to-owners, and 445 rescues out of the over 9,000 that came in, giving them their second year with “no-kill” shelter status, having achieved a save rate of over 90%. That’s up from about 30% ten years ago – indisputable evidence that these people work hard on the animals’ behalf and are constantly trying to improve their odds of living a full, happy life.

The contest is sponsored by Mortgage Investors Group.

“We look forward to seeing all of the submitted pictures of our community’s beloved and rescued pets,”says Janet Testerman, CEO of YWAC. “All proceeds from the entries and votes support our mission to lead the effort to end pet homelessness, promote animal welfare and enhance the human-animal bond. With your help, this annual tradition will once again raise much-needed funds to support our community’s animals in need.”

HALLS/FOUNTAIN CITY 

DIY decorating with paint-by-numbers art

Ali James, Shopper News 

At their first jobs fresh out of college, Jess Murph and Jani Howell soon became fast friends. In 2017 they both purchased their first homes.

“We were trying to decorate and find affordable art,” said Howell. “There are some mass-produced prints, but the cost of original artwork can be astronomical.

"I would go to the art store and try to build my own art, and eventually filled my house that way. Friends and family would comment, and I thought there was a real opportunity here. Not everybody feels comfortable going into an art store. Jess had the same issue, and that’s how Undone Art Co. was born.”

When it comes to DIY art, Howell said the most intuitive approach was a paint-by-numbers kit. “It made the most sense. We give you everything you need to match it up; it’s beginner friendly,” she said.

When it came to their designs, Howell said they wanted to create something modern and elegant that people would be happy to hang in their homes.

“There was a lot of planning behind what goes into the kit,” said Howell. “We tried different versions for six months. We sat down with an empty canvas and thought about what a beginner needs,”

Each kit costs $89 and comes with a 16x16 canvas preprinted with the chosen design outline and "paint-by-numbers" format, six custom mixed acrylic paint colors, two paint brushes, satin finishing varnish, frame panels, hanging kit and "how-to" guide and reference cards.

“We mix our paint with primary colors and write down the formulas so we are sure they have the exact color we had in mind,” said Howell.

Undone Art Co. decided to include a "pop-on frame" that simply sticks to the sides of the canvas, no tools required. “It’s a mock-floating frame,” said Murph of the contemporary look. “Jessica’s husband goes into his woodshop and cranks those out for us. They are stained in a Jacobean color because we feel it complements all of our designs.”

“People will put aside a canvas to frame and then it will sit there for two years,” said Howell. “Everything they need for beautiful framed art – including the preinstalled sawtooth hanging kit – is included so you can go ahead and hang it on the wall.”

Each design is named for a street or area in Knoxville. “I’m from Corryton and Jani moved here,” said Murph. “The names are a little nod to where we live, an homage to Knoxville.”

There are currently 11 designs to choose from, and the inventory and design options will continue to grow as a new design is released monthly.

In May, the duo installed a small retail space at Southern Market in Bearden. “People can shop in person. On our wall display there are five designs to see in person,” said Murph.

“I have friends that have purchased our kits just to support us,” added Howell. “Then they said they didn’t realize how much fun it would be and it turned into a new hobby.”

Undone Art Co. saw an increase in demand when everybody started staying home due to the coronavirus.

“With so much turmoil, people wanted something to do," said Murph. “That made me feel like we were helping those people struggling.”

On July 1, Undone Art co. released a mini-kit series. “They are 10x10 and come with everything that is in our regular kits, but for people who don’t have the wall space or just want to style a shelf,” said Howell.  

KARNS/HARDIN VALLEY

County Commission reverses zoning vote on subdivision

Nancy Anderson, Shopper News 

Karns residents have been up in arms about a new Smithbilt Homes subdivision planned for West Emory Road in the vicinity of Carpenter Road, Patriot Way, and Blacks Ferry Road.

A vote on the matter was reversed Monday, June 22, at the County Commission meeting in the City County Building. Then the issue was tabled for re vote at the County Commission meeting planned for July 27 at 5 p.m.

Josh Sanderson, representing Smithbilt Homes, requested zoning for five houses per acre. Planning Chief Gerald Green said Knoxville-Knox County Planning approved the subdivision at four houses per acre rather than five.

Residents Julie McBee and Ken Frazier took the podium in opposition, saying infrastructure, specifically the intersection of Carpenter, Harrell and West Emory Roads needed improvement.

Sanderson’s application for four houses per acre was voted down 6-5, but the vote was overturned due to a procedural error after McBee and Frazier left the City County Building.

Law Director Daniel Sanders explained there had been a procedural error. When a motion is denied, further action must be taken until it is approved or the applicant withdraws the application.

A visibly upset Sanderson did not withdraw the application.

During the June meeting, McBee argued for ceasing all building until the roads have been improved.

Specific points included the intersection of Harrell, Carpenter, and West Emory Roads as an accident prone area – with four accidents in the last three months.

“Does someone have to die at that intersection before we see a red light?" McBee asked. "We keep hearing that a red light is coming, but we have yet to see one and now we’re going to add another 300 cars per day.”

She also cited the narrow condition of Carpenter Road and that it would not tolerate an increase in traffic.

Sanderson said Smithbilt Homes had commissioned traffic studies, but they weren’t back yet. He said he needed zoning approval at this time and would address infrastructure at a later time.

McBee was given an opportunity for rebuttal. She stated Smithbilt homes, along with rampant development, are what has caused the infrastructure problems. She said it was imperative that infrastructure be improved prior to more homes being built and that she did not trust Smithbilt to have the community’s best interest at heart.

McBee is rallying the community to try to stop the construction with an email campaign that garnered the attention of several commissioners prior to the June meeting.

She said her next step is a petition and to gather more support for the July 27 meeting.

“The revote on July 27 gives us more time to gather information and community support,” said McBee. “I have a petition going online stating until some of our infrastructure has been improved that development needs to cease. Maybe we’ll be able to present it at the next meeting. I’m hoping people will show their support by visiting the ‘Voices for the Karns Community’ Facebook page.

“Everybody in this community has a stake with the decisions that are made at the County Commission meetings, so we need people to turn up and support our cause in July.”

Info: Find “Voices for Karns Community” on Facebook.

FARRAGUT

FMS student wins statewide competition for recycling project

Margie Hagen, Shopper News 

Are you guilty of “wishful recycling”? Thinking and hoping that everything can go into the recycle bin is a mistake that a lot of people make. Mingling non-recyclables with items that can be recycled actually contaminates them and can make them unusable.

Twelve-year-old Adithya "Adi" Sastry has a solution for that. He spent the past eight months engineering a spectroscopic device to improve household (single stream) recycling, and in the process was named the Tennessee State Merit winner in the 3M Young Scientist Challenge for the second year in a row.  

His 2020 project, “Recycle Sense,” scans and finds identifiers for paper, glass, metal and plastic, weeding out things that don’t belong.

Long interested in science and computers, Adi is a rising 7th grader at Farragut Middle School. He used an open-source Arduino platform for software and created the hardware needed to operate his device.

Adi credits parents Chandra and Subha Sastry for sparking the idea. “They are both very ardent recyclers,” he said. “We used to sort in different bins and take it to the local center, but when we switched to single stream (home pickup), my dad started putting freezer bags and other plastics in, kind of like a wishful recycler. After doing some research I realized it was a widespread problem.”

That became the basis for his recycling project. With support from his science teacher Christy Tucker, Adi entered the Southern Appalachian Science and Engineering Fair in April and took home prize money.

“She is a very good teacher. She encouraged me and helped me keep track of deadlines for contests.”

His father, Chandra, is a chemical engineer, and mom Subha holds a degree in computer science and they encouraged him, but Subha said, “Adi picked the project on his own and developed it by himself. We are very proud of him and we celebrate the wins, but keep the long-term goals in focus.”

Adi studied online during the school shutdown but said, “I missed going to school because you don’t get much social interaction. I did have a lot more time to work on hobby projects and play outside.” He’s looking forward to getting back inside the classroom. His favorite subjects are history, science and computer science. Outside school, Adi is a cross country runner, plays tennis and likes to garden.

A local friend and retired physicist helped him work through some problems, and Adi and his parents are hoping to connect with a lab or scientist at ORNL to mentor him and further his work.    

“There are other technologies like mine out there but they are pretty expensive,” Adi said. “And they really don’t address the problem at the source.” His project cost around $100 to build. You can view his winning two-minute video presentation at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDq_v_RPgaI. Learn more about these and other educational programs at DiscoveryEducation.com and 3M.com.

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SOUTH

Bike park falls into place at Baker Creek Preserve

Ali James, Shopper News 

“The bike park is all part of the grander scheme of the Urban Wilderness Park program,” said Rebekah Jane Montgomery, Urban Wilderness Coordinator with the City of Knoxville. “As we churn through the pieces of the puzzle, and they are ready, we are trying to open things in phases.”

Cyclists of all ages have been busy testing out the overhauled Baker Creek Preserve bike park. The one-of-a-kind collaborative space is 2½ acres.

“It was created by some really great contractors and professional riders,” said Montgomery. “It is very much a city-run project; we have a lot of partnerships and we are working on it with stakeholders. The Appalachian Mountain Bike Club gave input and test rode all the turns and berms.

"It is unique to Knoxville and our region, and we are really proud of it.”

The goal of the bike park is to provide an area to progressively build skills. “You can be getting on a bike for the first time or a beginner working on making turns or going straight,” said Montgomery. “Intermediate and advanced riders can practice the jumps, the berms and the wall rides, so that when they do take to the trails, they feel more confident.”

It was important to create a bike park for all different skill sets, according to Montgomery. “Somewhere families can be together, or friends with two different skill sets can do things at their own level, but you can still see each other,” she said.

There is a small pump track for young riders. There is no need to pedal; the circuit is designed for riders to generate momentum by ‘pumping’, using up and down movements. Next to that is a more intermediate pump track. Riders can try more advanced challenges by riding off a platform, biking over steeper hills, wall riding, traversing rocks, bridges and berms.

“The other thing is that all of the surfaces are rock and asphalt,” said Montgomery. “It is easy to maintain and if the trails are too muddy, you can hop on those tracks because we used materials that are better in all-weather conditions.”

There are still signs and fencing around current construction, creating temporary detours to access certain parts of the bike park, but they will be rearranged and eventually removed when construction is complete.

“It is hard to keep people out of something that is so exciting,” said Montgomery. ‘We had to let people into the areas that we could. They may have to use some temporary access routes as we are still working on the bigger park pieces.

"The new greenway is starting to be paved. We are refining the bike park and creeping our way towards the new park at James White Parkway, which will also be transformed.

“It’s great to wrap up that corner (of Baker Creek Preserve) and move in the next direction,” added Montgomery.

The park is being developed under several construction contracts, according to Montgomery. “We still have some paving and what I would call the framework,” she said. “The curbs, road crossings, all of those fundamental things that create the infrastructure, will be going on over the next couple of months. Then another contractor will put in the playgrounds, shade structures, benches and landscaping. It will probably take until the end of the year to really refine the park.”

TDOT transfers land to city   

On June 16, the City Council unanimously voted to allow the mayor to accept two deeds to transfer — nearly 120 acres of land at the Baker Creek Preserve and southern end of James White Parkway bridge.

“There were two big chunks of land that were the right-of-way that has been transferred from TDOT to the city,” said Montgomery. “We have been working on it for a couple of years. It is an exciting milestone for the project, to repurpose a project that better suits the community.”

Montgomery said that although the pandemic has affected us all in different ways, she feels that people are trying to see it as an opportunity to get outside with family in a way they haven’t been able to before.

“We are lucky that we have a lot of recreation here in Knoxville,” she said.

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KARNS

Paws and Badges dogs make the difference for PTSD sufferers

Nancy Anderson, Shopper News 

Retired K9 police officer Mike Bartleson lives with PTSD, but with a vision for helping others and a talent for dog training, he’s turned a negative into a positive.

In 2017, he officially opened Paws and Badges on 1219 Hilton Road. It’s a 501(c)(3) organization that pairs officers and veterans who live with PTSD with specially trained service dogs.

“My dog, Bodie, saved my life," Bartleson said. "People with PTSD are told to get used to their new normal, but that 'normal' is pretty dark most of the time. A service dog gives the recipient a chance for a real normal life, a chance to get back to the person they used to be.

“While I can’t promise a service dog is going to bring a person back to normal like Bodie did me, I can promise that the recipient is going to feel much, much better and operate better in the world,” Bartleson said.

Former K-9 officer Jeff Hinchey is the head trainer at Paws and Badges. He lives with PTSD. His dog KaLani wakes him from violent nightmares, alerts to anxiety, fear and anger, calms restless legs, and will move him out of a crowd by gently nudging him away from people.

“Dogs live in a world of odors like we live in a world of colors,” said Hinchey. “They can smell a problem with you long before you realize it. What we do at Paws and Badges is increase that bond between dog and recipient. The dog is probably already predisposed to reacting to the recipient. In fact, it’s the dog that chooses the recipient. Not the other way around. The hard part of training is training the recipient to acknowledge the alert and not push the dog away.”

A dog will alert in a number of ways from nudges, to jumping in the lap, to laying the full weight of its head on a restless leg (a hallmark of PTSD). Each dog is specially trained for each recipient’s needs.

The price of a trained service dog is $20,000, but the recipient pays nothing. All expenses are covered though donations.

Bartleson said the organization receives dogs through donations usually early in the year.

“We do take dog donations. They usually come in early in the year because they were Christmas presents and looked great under the tree. People donate their dog when they realize how much work and attention a dog needs.

“We take all dogs, all breeds, and if they qualify we’ll put them in the program. If they don’t, I find a home for them.”

While most recipients are veterans and first responders, civilians with PTSD qualify for the program and can even bring their own dog to training.

The organization has paired 33 recipients with dogs. The recipient takes the dog home on the first day, then attends training class every Thursday night for six to nine months. There are about 12 people per class.

Once a pair has graduated, the dog can legally accompany its owner anywhere a person is allowed to go under the Americans With Disabilities Act.

Paws and Badges has a year and a half wait list.

Info: Find Paws and Badges on Facebook.

BEARDEN

For Bearden High Rotary scholar, leadership came with lots of fun

John Shearer, Shopper News

Abby Ann Ramsey has experienced the joys and stresses of leading a big fundraising project, served as a newspaper reporter and editor, and even found some time to do some comedy improv.

 And she's just finished her senior year at Bearden High School.

As if that were not enough, she also served as student body president this year and was recently presented with the Rotary Club of Knoxville’s top scholarship prize of a $5,000 gift annually for four years. She plans to use it to study at the University of Tennessee.

Looking back on her whirlwind high school years that had to be cut short due to the coronavirus outbreak, “I went into high school thinking I didn’t want to get involved in any clubs,” she said with a laugh.

However, through some encouragement, she went to a Student Government Association meeting her freshman year. And the rest, they say, is history.

“I loved my first year in SGA,” she said. “I participated in everything and got close to the teacher and some upper-class students.”

She enjoyed it so much that she successfully ran for class vice president her sophomore year, and then served as student body vice president her junior year.

And she was just getting started. “After that I decided I wanted to bring all my ideas to life and make the club as good as I thought it could be, so I ran for student body president,” she said.

She won and enjoyed serving in that position as a senior. But she also learned that leadership involves personal sacrifice as well as enjoying any adulation that might come with it.

“It was one of my favorite high school experiences, but every day was pretty stressful,” she said. “A lot of work went into it, but it was all extremely rewarding.”

Among the work involved was co-chairing the fall festival and getting it set up, as well as coordinating Spirit Week and helping count all the students dressed in outfits. She even did some community service work painting and cleaning restrooms.

Some of the special events benefited Second Harvest Food Bank, so that was rewarding, she added.

She also felt rewarded to receive the Rotary scholarship because of her interest in community service, which is a big part of the club’s focus.

Through all her high school experiences, Ramsey learned about serving others and being a leader, and hinted that it almost has to be a calling.

“A good leader is someone leading more for the greater purpose than leading for themselves,” she said. “Make sure you are doing it selflessly and not toward any self-gratification.”

She also took a leadership role in the revamped graduation, held at the school stadium on June 13, when she introduced Bearden staff member Beverly Anderson as the recipient of the alumni award. She called the outdoor ceremony with coronavirus safety protocols a beautiful ceremony.

While she has tried to lead with her voice and actions, she also aided the school with the spoken word, as she was a staff writer of the Bearden Bark student newspaper, and she served as editor-in-chief her senior year.

“I’ve always been very interested in writing stories,” she said.

She also received the Class of 2020’s “Wittiest” award, due in part to her work with the Bearden comedy improv group.

She plans to major in journalism and electronic media at UT, with the possibility of adding political science and cinema studies as extra areas of focus.

She would like to work in print or audio journalism, with an eye toward covering politics. While doing that, she wants to follow the old standard rule of media reporting.

“I want to be objective and true. That’s where journalism comes into play,” she said.

This young woman whose life is already full of stories hopes to tell others’ stories as well.

POWELL

Powell Youth Football adapts, carries on summer conditioning

Al Lesar, Shopper News 

Misery loves company, even in a pandemic.

Make that, especially in a pandemic.

While folks in the NFL, college football and even football on the high school level are apprehensive about what this fall might look like, Blaine Haston has his own set of concerns.

Haston, in his third season as commissioner of Powell Youth Football, has done his best with navigating the hurdles the new normal has caused everywhere.

“I’ve always been one to believe if you don’t adapt, you die,” Haston said. “Every year there’s a challenge. This one has been different than all of them. You have to be agile. You have to be able to move with the changes.”

Part of the Knox County Parks and Recreation Department, Powell Youth Football typically fields eight tackle football age-group teams from 7-14. There’s flag football for 6-year-olds. The teams from Powell play other teams from around the county.

Word of mouth   

In April, after spring break, Powell Youth Football normally starts advertising in the community’s schools for registration. In-person registration usually is sometime in May. Registration fee is $190 for tackle football and $90 for flag.

Without in-person opportunities this year, PYF went virtual. Registration was slow, landing about 10 players in the first few weeks. Four weeks later, there were 110 signed up and each team began its summer conditioning.

Kids didn’t need to be registered to do the conditioning work. It gave them an opportunity to judge their interest in the game without an investment.

“We were worried when (registrations were) trickling in,” Haston said. “Word of mouth helped.

“The prevailing question that parents had was: If the season is canceled (because of the coronavirus), would they get their money back? Absolutely.”

Haston said about four weeks in June were spent conditioning and doing basic football drills. By mid-July, the plan was for mandatory practices to begin. Until he hears otherwise, Haston is sticking to the plan.

Be transparent   

One of the benefits of Powell Youth Football is that it’s a feeder system for coach Matt Lowe’s program at Powell High School. Haston said the junior high-age team has a coach familiar with the Panthers’ system who can prepare players for the next step.

That’s why the entire program is so important.

“Our older kids have an opportunity to practice on the field and get an idea of where they’ll be in the future,” Haston said. “Younger kids are taught the basics.”

The plan was for PYF to be running full-throttle by mid-July. Whatever happens is mostly out of Haston’s control.

But the entire process hasn’t necessarily been completely negative.

“The online registration system is something we’re going to carry on in the future,” he said. “I’ve gotten an unusual amount of patience from the parents, coaches and players. I’m grateful that they’ve been understanding with me and the situation.

“What I’ve done is try to communicate as much as possible and to be transparent. If you try to hold something back, you’re going to get people frustrated. Just be honest and keep them informed. That’s the best anyone can do in the situation we’re in.”

Info: www.pyfootball.org or on Facebook.

FARRAGUT

Celebrating 40 years of volunteers

Margie Hagen, Shopper News 

Farragut had a lot to celebrate recently; besides throwing a one-of-a-kind “Take-Away” banquet to thank volunteers, two notable achievements were announced on July 1.

Mayor Ron Williams was elected a vice president of the Tennessee Municipal League (TML) during its annual business meeting last month. TML is a nonprofit organization that advocates for state and federal legislation to benefit municipalities around the state. As a member of the TML board of directors, Williams will be in a position to propose and help determine policies and laws.

Williams was elected by a majority vote for the one-year term. TML's vice presidents are traditionally in line to succeed the president. It’s a substantial honor and it gives Farragut a seat at the big table.

The City Freedom Index was also released on July 1. Prepared by the Beacon Center of Tennessee to coincide with Independence Day, the index ranked the 30 most populous cities across the state in terms of overall freedom. Criteria were based on 25 metrics spanning four categories: free enterprise, private property rights, individual liberty and cost of government.

Farragut is the only city on the list that does not have a property tax. With no direct debt and one of the lowest costs of government (again, thanks to volunteers), it was also ranked as the best city in the state for business licensing.

Private property rights were lagging, primarily owing to the ban on new short-term rentals like Airbnb and VRBO, but the overall score was high enough to land Farragut the No. 9 spot statewide, putting the Town squarely on the map. Read the full report at  https://www.beacontn.org/freest-cities.

“It was a banquet like no other, and one we won’t forget,” said Sue Stuhl at the Fun Volunteer & Committee Take-Home Banquet on June 26. Traditionally the Town thanks volunteers with an annual event complete with festivities, awards and a meal, but this year was different.

Normally held in April, it had to be postponed until the Community Center could be reopened safely. Officials and senior staff put their heads together and came up with a unique way to still hold the celebration. The “take-away” banquet was conceived.

Guests had the choice of coming inside or picking up a packaged meal and gift bag via contactless curbside delivery. Those who came in got a chance to say hello to friends and have a photo taken with members of the Board of Mayor and Aldermen.

Even with social distancing and masks, attendees appreciated the opportunity to come together. “Commodore” Nettie Mae Sherrod said, “I wanted to get out and catch up with everyone so I’m glad to be here.”

OPINION

We’re all a little strange, right?

Leslie Snow, Shopper News columnist

He laughed when I told him the story, but then he added, “I don’t think you should write about that.” Surprised, I looked at my husband quizzically and asked, “Why not? It’s such a funny story.”

He was quiet for a moment while he searched for the right words, then he said, cautiously, “It is a funny story, Honey, but it’s also a story about you being weird.”

That silenced me for a minute, but then I admitted the truth. “I know I’m little odd, but don’t you think everyone is a little odd? It can’t be just me.”

“We’ll see,” he responded, ominously.

So with “we’ll see” in mind, I’m going to tell you a funny story that just might prove I’m a bit peculiar. And it begins with my Great Dane puppy, Buttercup, crying outside my shower door.

Every day, after my morning walk, I take Buttercup out to do her business then head upstairs to take a shower and get ready for the day. But for some reason, Buttercup is disturbed by the shower.

There’s something about the glass door that confounds her. She can see me, but she can’t be with me. She can hear me, but she can’t touch me. To show me just how much she dislikes my showering, she stands outside the glass door each morning and cries ceaselessly. It’s ruined one of my favorite parts of the day, the part where warm soapy water washes over my body while I think deep thoughts.

The other day Buttercup’s whining was so loud and so insistent, I decided it was time to teach her a lesson. After all, between the two of us, I am supposed to be the smart one. My clever plan was to open the shower door, let her walk in, and get hit with a spray of water. I figured one splash and she’d high-tail it out of there. Problem solved.

But that’s not what happened.

Instead, when I opened the shower door, Buttercup walked calmly inside. And when the water hit her, she didn’t run out of the shower as I imagined. She simply ambled over to me and stood calmly at my feet.

She ignored the water splashing over her body. She actually lifted her face and let the water stream over her eyes and muzzle. And when I opened the shower door to try to shoo her out, she simply sat at my feet, content to be with me even if she was soaked through.

And that’s when I realized the ridiculous truth of the situation. I was showering with my dog. Instead of teaching her a valuable lesson, I was giving her exactly what she wanted, to make showering a shared activity. Who knew Buttercup was a water Dane. Not me. She lay quietly on the shower floor while I finished shampooing my hair.

Now when I take a shower, Buttercup scratches at the door to come inside. She’s convinced showering is something we should always do together, and my husband is convinced I’m weird but funny. And maybe it’s true.

But in my defense, over the weekend, Buttercup put her paws on the rim of the tub while I was taking a bubble bath. I said “off” in a firm voice and told her to lie down, which she did. Because I would never let my dog get in the bathtub with me, not in a million years. That would make me really weird. And I’m only a little bit strange.

Leslie Snow may be reached at snow column@aol.com.

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