The much awaited movie from the book The Hunger Games opened Friday. I hear there were 350 people who attended the 12 a.m. showing on Thursday night/Friday morning. Most people say they like the movie okay, but it is difficult to follow if you have not read the book. Also, several characters that were in the book were not in the movie. All in all, I guess the movie was good. I’d rate it a B. I thought the actress who played Katniss used the same expression too much. She seemed to always be staring out into space. I enjoyed the book and the two that followed far more than the movie. Warning, this is not a movie for small children. There is a lot of violence and brutality.
It cost me over $60 to fill my gas tank this week. $60 and I drive a modest 2002 Plymouth van. The price of gas was $1.76 when George Bush left office and I am supposed to believe that Obama had nothing to do with this upswing in gas prices? Pleazzzzze!!! We have to ask ourselves, if it went up over double in 3 years, where is it going to be if he gets 4 more years? $10 a gallon? $15? Is that what you want?
Bo Bennett, former candidate for Knoxville City Mayor, is now working part-time with the 911 Center. He is doing computer consulting work as his other job. Apparently, Bennett is a computer whiz who knows how to use all the newest gadgets.
A group of businessmen and women meet for breakfast each Tuesday morning in order to discuss the news of the week. I was invited and attended this week. The group includes an attorney, a designer, some retirees, a few salesmen and a couple of writers and more. One topic under discussion, Which is more likely to cause a heart attack? Eating donuts or eating biscuits and gravy?
Good news from the Sunsphere. I hear the building is being used more frequently than ever before. People are enjoying hosting events there and those who attend the events love seeing the magnificent views. Many thanks to Sara Spangler, the booking agent for the Sunsphere, who is making it all happen. Call 865 363 9538 and make your reservations now.
Super Tuesday’s Primary Election has rolled around and there does not seem to be much interest locally. Apparently the choice is between Romney and Santorum; I’m guessing that it will be Romney. Why? Follow the golden rule; he who has the gold makes the rule and Romney has tons of cash.
Locally, the hotly contested election pits former Property Assessor, John Whitehead, against the man who currently holds the position, Phil Ballard. Whitehead was term limited out of office and has come back for another run at it. Local pundits seem to think that Ballard will win easily. Whitehead may know the job better than Ballard, but he is old news and voters tend to stick with the incumbent unless he has done something really, really bad. Ballard has done a good job, so he will probably remain behind the chair.
Gasoline is headed to $4 a gallon and is already at $5 a gallon in some states. Who is to blame? Obama, of course, but he says he can’t do much about it. Maybe if he stopped spending money like a drunken sailor and paid attention to the nation’s needs instead of what’s going on with the hip-hop crowd or on the golf course, we might see some relief.
I just wonder how high the price of gasoline will have to get before those who think Obama is the “One” will realize what a phony, self-absorbed politician he truly has turned out to be. He doesn’t care about regular people; he only wants power and money. I think he actually thinks he can become the dictator of America and toss our Constitution in the trash. Who will stop him?
Quiz for you: Do you know who these people are? Nick Pavlis, Duane Grieve, Brenda Palmer, Dan Brown, Mark Campen, Finbarr Saunders, Marshall Stair, Nick Della Volpe, and George Wallace. Hint: There are 9 of them. Hint: You typically see Madeline Rogero when you see them. Did you get it? These people are the men and women who make up the Knoxville City Council. What they do has a huge impact on your life. All I’m saying is, shouldn’t you know their names?
Ever heard the expression, “Saved by the bell?” Looks like this time instead of being saved by the bell we were saved by Commission R. Larry Smith. It was Commissioner Smith who called for an investigation into the awarding of $3,000 in bonuses to staff members by Trustee John Duncan, III. After he called for this investigation, Trustee Duncan and others decided to repay the bonus money, saving our county over $40,000. Many thanks to Commissioner Smith for looking out for the citizens.
Americans are
(HealthDay News) —
Meanwhile, U.S. death rates dropped half a percent between 2009 and 2010, and hit the lowest rate ever, at 746.2 deaths per 100,000 people, according to the latest set of data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics.
And while both heart disease and cancer stubbornly remain in place as the nation’s leading killers (together accounting for 47 percent of deaths in 2010), death rates here declined as well. Mortality from heart disease went down 2.4 percent, while it dropped 0.6 percent for cancer.
The report is based on 98 percent of death certificates from 50 states and the District of Columbia available to the NCHS.
January 5, 2012 - Mayor Madeline Rogero, Fire Chief Stan Sharp, Councilman Nick Pavlis and several current and retired firefighters helped reopen Fire Station #19 today in an official ribbon cutting. Because of a large annexation by the city in 1962, Fire Station #19 was built at 6328 Chapman Hwy. to help in aiding the newly acquired area by the city.
During the late 1980’s fire station #19 was closed and combined with a newly located station #13 at 4701 Chapman Hwy. Since then, the neighborhood surrounding the old station #19 has continued to grow, which brings us to current day.
Seeing a need to serve the medical and fire needs of the growing South Knoxville business and residential community, Chief Sharp along with the approval from the Mayor and City Council, agreed to re-open the recently renovated location.
Happy New Year. Will this be the last year on earth? If we are to believe the predictions from the Mayas it will be. Or at least, 2012 is the date when their calendar stopped.
I am not the kind of person to beat other people over the head with religion, but I find peace and security in some of the most widely used verses in the Bible from Ecclesiastes Chapter 3: verses 1-8. No matter what religion, or if you have no religion, you can’t argue with the truths in these statements.
I believe that taking a look and reflecting on these words is a great way to begin the new year, too. (By the way, these verses were even made into a very popular song recorded by the Birds).
Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8 King James Version
1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
Ecclesiastes 3 : 1-8 NIV Version:
There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven:
A time to give birth, and a time to die: A time to plant, and a time to uproot what is planted.
A time to kill, and a time to heal: A time to tear down and a time to build up. A time to weep, and a time to laugh; A time to mourn, and a time to dance. A time to throw stones, and a time to gather stones; A time to embrace, and a time to shun embracing. A time to search, and a time to give up as lost; A time to keep, and a time to throw away. A time to tear apart, and a time to sew together; A time to be silent, and a time to speak. A time to love, and a time to hate; A time for war, and a time for peace.
As we journey through 2012, we will be talking about topics from these 8 verses: birth, death, murder, healing, weeping, laughing, moving, embracing—-and more.
Wow! Where did the year go? I suppose it is only fitting that I take a look back at this year and determine the local news stories that I think affected our county the most. These are not in order of importance:
l. For the first time a black man became the mayor of the City of Knoxville when Daniel Brown was selected by his colleagues on the City Council to be the interim mayor. Mayor Brown has handled himself with grace, dignity, respect and finesse. He also managed to become the first mayor (we think) to get married while in office.
2. For the first time a female became the mayor of the City of Knoxville when Madeline Rogero was elected after a long and arduous campaign. We are expecting big things from Madeline who is definitely qualified. 68 mayors and we finally get a woman in office.
3. Pat Summitt’s announcement that she has the beginnings of Alzheimer’s.
4. The quest for a new Carter Elementary School. This was a story that had more ups and downs that the hills of Tennessee. The issue went back and forth, back and forth until, finally, Mayor Burchett stepped forward to confirm the deal was done—the kids in Carter would get a new school.
5. The Judge Richard Baumgartner fiasco. I happen to know the judge as I have been in his courtroom on several occasions. He was always respectful and kind to me. I found him to be not just a good judge but an excellent judge. He is brilliant and was always aware of what the lawyers were trying to do—well, always up until the end. It saddens me to see such a fine man fall so low. I truly believe he should be made to pay for the costs of all the retrials that will be ordered because of his drug addiction. Will this county ever recover financially from the mess he has made? I doubt it.
6. Retrials ordered in high profile murder cases because of Judge Baumgartner‘s behavior. Raw pain for family members, time and expense for the county in this far-reaching story with no end in sight.
7. What in the heck is going on in the Trustee’s Office? John Duncan, III is a fortunate son born into political royalty. When he wanted the job of County Trustee, opponents laid down their swords rather than facing him on the field of battle. After being whisked into office with all the promise of a fair-headed child, rumors soon began. A mishandled divorce was hurtful and unpleasant, but Duncan told friends that voters would not care. When $6 million dollars disappeared and resurfaced, talk got louder that, maybe, “Little Duncan” could not handle the job. When news came that each employee in his office was given a $3,000 bonus by Duncan, including himself, people could almost be heard yelling from their private homes, “This has got to stop.” Those of us who know John on a (somewhat) personal basis, find him to be courteous, friendly, humorous and respectful. We just do not understand the John who we are hearing about now. As one person told me recently, “When some people go into that City-County Building, they get stupid.” I suggest that the County Commissioners deduct $3,000 per employee from next year’s Trustee’s budget. If our county has that much to spare, it needs to be spent on hiring another teacher or sheriff’s deputy.
8. The Win-Loss record of Coach Dooley’s Football team. ‘Nuf said.
9. Unemployment—-this is a, somewhat, invisible issue unless you are one of the thousands who does not have a job. We are told that the national unemployment rate is 8.9%, but we know that in our area it is much higher. For some groups, like blacks and youth, the unemployment rate is well over 20%.
Frankly, I think those who are unemployed will not find a job until Obama is out of the White House. Obama is bad for business.
According to writer Elise Viebeck for the newsletter The Hill: Voters want to cut lawmaker pay and make them work longer. More than two-thirds of likely voters think members of Congress should work more for less pay.
A large percentage of voters say lawmakers should have their salaries cut and their pensions eliminated, and they should also work longer, according to a new poll commissioned by The Hill.
The poll’s findings reflect the public’s ever-darkening view of Congress, now at record lows, and perhaps the respondents’ tepid views about their own financial prospects: In the same survey, 40 percent said they expect their personal finances will get worse in 2012 while 40 percent say they expect their finances to remain the same; therefore, 80% of US workers think things are bad and will get worse under Obama.
Author Bob Woodward
After some laughs from the crowd, Bob Woodward continued, “In fact, it’s unpleasant.”
Woodward offered up another tidbit from the conversation with his dinner companion. The investigative reporter asked the politician, more than five years after leaving office, how much the public knows about what went on during the Clinton administration. Gore replied, “One percent.”
According to an AOL newsfeed, someone in Des Moines, Iowa sealed a litter of kittens in a dog food bag and threw it out along the side of the road. The bag was run over in traffic and several of the kittens were smashed to death. A dog, named Reagan, came along and found the bag and drug it home to his yard and barked until his owner opened the bag. The dog’s owner found the kittens inside the bag, most were dead, but, miraculously, two had survived. The kittens were taken to a shelter and are alive and doing well. What kind of people would do that to kittens?
The Post Office as we know it is about to change forever
. We may not have daily service and we may not have priority mail. If you’ve ever complained about the mail service, just wait, it is about to get ever worse. Why? One of the mail reasons why the USPS is going under is the high cost of pensions. Another reason is that UPS and Fed-X have taken much of their business by doing a better job cheaper. Turning the USPS over to a private company may be the only way to save the mail service.said after he was seated at a table with the former vice-president that sitting next to Gore was taxing.
When the mother in any family dies there is the loss of The Rock, The Soft Pillow, The Impromptu Dance, The Look— most often given at some infarction of behavior, The Approving Smile, The Wink—shared during a fun time, and a big part of the soul. Such is true for the family of Joyce Hicks Burchett at the death of the stalwart of their family on Wednesday, November 23. The entire community feels like we also lost our mother—Joyce had that affect on people.
Imagine living a life that spanned a time when children rode horses to school to when spaceships frequent the skies. Such was the life of Joyce Burchett. She not only survived but thrived throughout whatever life threw at her. Joyce was raised in poverty—often commenting that her family didn’t have running water and electricity until she was a teenager. She survived the Great Depression only to be propelled into World War II. Joyce realized that education was her pathway out of poverty and worked hard to obtain a degree from the University of Tennessee after having graduated from Cheatham County High School. Joyce was employed by TVA during World War II, but teaching at Young High School, Bearden High School, and Knoxville College was her true calling. Joyce learned to fly and soloed an airplane during World War II as part of a college ROTC program and was a devoted Christian. After the war, she married Charlie Burchett and sat about to raise three fabulous children who absolutely adore her.
In addition to her husband, Charlie, Joyce is preceded in death by her parents, David Willard Hicks and Mary Veteria Harper Hicks; sisters Nan and Edna; and brothers Herman, Ben, Roy and Pete. She is survived by her daughter, Joyce Burchett High and son-in-law, Dr. Bill High; a son, Charles R. Burchett Jr. and his wife Dr. Rocio Huet; and a son, Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett and his wife, Allison Burchett. Joyce and Charlie had six grandchildren, Billy, Charlie and David High, Ann Kirby and Sam Burchett and Codee Fineburg.
Anyone interested in honoring the memory of Joyce Burchett may send donations in her memory to: Christian Academy of Knoxville, “Charlie and Joyce Burchett Tuition Assistance Fund,” 529 Academy Way, Knoxville, TN 37923; or to Knox Area Rescue Ministries, “In Memory of Joyce Burchett,” P.O. Box 3310, Knoxville, TN 37927; or to Salvation Army, “In Memory of Joyce Burchett,” P.O. Box 669, Knoxville, TN 37901.
Wow! It is already October? Where does the time go? Like the old saying goes, “Time flies.” Seems like the older I get, the faster time passes.
Also seems like the older I get, the more I see a need for a dictionary. How true this became during the reporting for election results last Tuesday. I kept yelling at the TV and radio, “Somebody please tell folks what a provisional ballot is!”
In case you still do not understand the meaning for a provisional ballot, here goes:
A provisional ballot is used to record a vote when there are questions in regards to a given voter’s eligibility. A provisional ballot would be cast when: The voter refuses to show a photo ID (in regions that require one) The voter’s name does not appear on the electoral roll for the given precinct. The voter’s registration contains inaccurate or out-dated information such as the wrong address or a misspelled name. The voter’s ballot has already been recorded Whether a provisional ballot is counted is contingent upon the verification of that voter’s eligibility. Many voters do not realize that the provisional ballot is not counted until 2–10 days after election. A guarantee that a voter could cast a provisional ballot if he or she believes that they are entitled to vote was one of the guarantees of the Help America Vote Act of 2002.
Congratulations to all winners in Tuesday’s election and best wishes to everyone who ran for office. It takes a brave person to declare candidacy and do all the required tasks in a campaign. These fine people are to be respected for their willingness to run. Their supporters are to be praised, too.
Did you vote on Tuesday? Probably not. Why not? We Americans are so quick to blame politicians for our troubles. We gripe and complain when things do not go as we want them to, but do we vote? No, most of us do not vote. I just don’t understand it. In Tuesday’s election, over 100,000 people could have voted and less than 17,000 did. In years passed, the mayor of Knoxville was elected by 20,000 to 30,000 votes, but lately, there are less than 20,000 citizens who even bother to vote. Sad, just sad.
Kind of makes you sick when you think about how 51 million people pay week after week to vote for the next American Idol. Frightening when you think that we could lose our right to choose our leaders. What’s that other old saying? “If you don’t use it you could lose it.”
Slipped away this week for a few days of rest and relaxation for a true vacation in Walland, TN at Misty River Cabin and RV Rentals. No other way to describe the place than heaven on earth. Owners, Jimmy and Diane Felton, have thought of everything—-the entire atmosphere is dreamy.
This was my third trip to Misty River. Previously I stayed in the Lodge—it sleeps 10, but this time I stayed in the Tree House, a one bedroom cabin built on the bank of the Little River. The entire structure is high above the ground on stilts and you get the feeling of living in the trees. The décor is pure country cabin with antiques, patchwork quilts, knitted blankets and apple themed dinnerware.
There is a queen sized bed and queen sized pull out couch for parties of four,
a full size bathroom with Jacuzzi tub, a wood burning fireplace, fully equipped kitchen, microwave oven, DVD, TV , washer & dryer & outside hot tub, grill, porch swings and rocking chairs. The location is minutes from Townsend, Foothills Parkway, Pigeon Forge , Gatlinburg, and Cades Cove for plenty of shopping or natural settings.
Misty River is also an RV park and they just added tent camping to their location. They are the only campground to win an A+ rating measured by customers surveys for 3 years in a row. Call 865 981 4300 and get started on your restful time.
The University of Tennessee Libraries announced the reception and show for the Botanical Photography of Alan S. Heilman to be held on Tuesday, September 13 at the Jack E. Reese Galleria of the John C. Hodges Library beginning at 6:30 p.m. The display will include a digital collection of over a thousand photographs of trees, flowers, mosses, ferns and other plants, taken over more than sixty years by Heilman, who is now a retired professor of Botany from the university.
has selected him to be featured in their trial finder campaign. Andrews be one of the faces of Parkinson’s research. Andrews made his announcement on Facebook saying, “Seriously, this is soo amazing to be so open and at the front line battling this disease! Thank you to everyone who has helped me this last week.”
A big thanks to readers of the Knoxville Journal from the new Teen Challenge Thrift Store that recently opened in the Broadway Shopping Center. Staff members tell me that since we published an article about their store, they have seen a steady increase in shoppers. The KJN is pleased to support local businesses.
Remember, thrift shopping helps everyone; shoppers save money; stuff gets recycled, less goes to the landfill, people get jobs and the agency helps people with money they earn. Teen Challenge Thrift Store is very clean; they get new merchandise every day, prices are low, and the staff is very helpful.
For those readers who have never shopped at a thrift store, now is a good time to start. Customers who do shop at thrift store know that many of the items for sale in a thrift store are new. Local stores such as Target, J.C. Penny’s, Old Navy and others often donate items to the stores. During my last visit to Teen Challenge Thrift Store, I saw baby clothes for 25 cents; new shirts donated by Old Navy for $3 and a selection of computers for less than $50. In these rough economic times, shopping at thrift stores just makes good sense.
I have a new hero, TWRA wildlife officer Shelley Hammonds—she’s the person who saved the black bear who had the plastic jug stuck on his head. The first call about the bear came in on June 28 from an employee of Newport Utilities, who had seen the bear near the water plant on Cedar Street. The employee described the bear as having a clear plastic food container stuck over its head possibly from foraging in a garbage dump. Officer Hammonds responded the next day but did not find the bear.
The next sighting of the bear occurred on July 4th, one of the busiest and most demanding boating days of the year for TWRA officers. Hammonds responded along with wildlife officers Scott Hollenbeck, David Sexton, and Curt Henderson, who were planning to tranquilize the bear. But once again, the bear could not be found. During the next week-and-a-half the officers did find the bear, but it ran away too quickly. Hammonds even got one shot at the bear, but missed. Everyone was fearful the bear would die from starvation before they could assist it.
A few days after July 4th, the bear was spotted around the lower English Creek area near Cosby. Over 50 calls came in to the Cocke County 911 Center and the TWRA office, but to no avail. On July 16, Hammonds got a call that the bear was seen in the Carson Springs area having traveled over a very steep part of English Mountain or going completely around it.
The next day Hammonds went up on English Mountain searching for the black bear that was somehow still alive. While in route to English Mountain, Hammonds received reports that the bear was across Interstate-40 near the La Carreta Restaurant in Newport. To her surprise and relief, when Hammonds drove over to the area and down Sequoyah Road, the bear crossed in front of her vehicle. She responded quickly and was able to hit her mark with a dart filled with tranquilizing drugs.
A crowd gathered in the parking lot of the C&C Pawn Shop to watch Hammonds, who is also a registered nurse, an EMT IV, and enrolled in paramedic school, as she worked to save the bear‘s life. What a gal!!!!!
Hammonds said the bear should have weighed about 200 pounds, but it weighed only 115. She thinks it was able to drink water by putting its head down into the stream and letting the plastic jug bill up with liquid, but there was no way for it to eat. The bear was moved deeper into the mountains and released.
