Douglass-Riverview News and Current Events

Black History Month Events in Kingsport

2012-01-30T13:31:00.000-05:00

The list of events commemorating Black History Month in Kingsport and the surrounding area is now posted.

Please go to the NEWS OF OUR DOUGLASS FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS link on the main page of the website, to see the list.

Keep checking back at that link, because the list will be updated periodically, as we are notified about specific happenings.

If you have an event for Black History Month at your church or in your area, please let me know about it, at douglassriverview@gmail.com and we will post it at the NEWS OF OUR DOUGLASS FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS link.

Happy Birthday, Jaleisa!

2012-01-24T12:54:00.003-05:00

The story on the birthday party celebration for our beloved Jaleisa Dulaney is published in the RIVERVIEW FEATURES - OPINIONS - LETTERS TO THE EDITOR page.

Please go to the front page of the website, and click on that link to see the story and pictures.

Jubilee Singers Visit Story....UVA-Wise Dr. King Commemoration Story

2012-01-24T12:54:00.000-05:00

There is a story on the Fisk Jubilee Singers coming to Greeneville for a Black History Month concert.

Also, there is a story on the commemoration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birtday at the University of Virginia - Wise campus.

Those stories are published at the NEWS OF OUR DOUGLASS FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS link. Please go to the website's front page, and click on that link to see the stories.

An Update Letter from our Sons and Daughters of Douglass President

2012-01-23T20:12:00.000-05:00

Dear Fellow Alumni and Greetings, friends!

As we exit 2011 I would like to give you a brief recap of this past year's events. Sons and Daughters of Douglass, Inc. enjoyed a very nice reunion under the leadership of Douglass Releford. This year's golf tournament was the most successful that we've had to date. Thanks to our two major sponsors of the event, attorney Mr. Rick Spivey and Eastman Chemical Company we were able to award some very nice scholarships in 2011.

In December, approximately 75 letters were sent out to prospective sponsors in hopes that we will gain even more support for this year's golf tournament that supports our scholarship fund. We also hope that more of our local alumni will participate.

The alumni working board has also had a very successful fund raiser, which will help curtail the cost of our office expenses. We have registered our name change, Sons and Daughters of Douglass, Inc., with the state of Tennessee and the Internal Revenue Service, as well as having completed a year as a non-profit organization. To gain more visibility in the community at large, the Sons and Daughters of Douglass, Inc. are now members of the Kingsport Chamber of Commerce. As a member of the chamber, Douglass Alumni will be listed in their printed directory as well, as online. Being a member of the Kingsport Chamber of Commerce is a great way to network through the various activities sponsored by the chamber.

To carry out the traditions of Douglass Alumni, Sons and Daughters of Douglas, Inc. will continue to be involved in the community. We voted to support some of the benevolence programs already in progress this year. These programs will support our youth and senior citizens.

As with every passing year, we lose several alumni members to death. Some of these members were very active with our association and will be truly missed. It is our hope that in the near future our children and grandchildren will want to carry the torch of the Sons and Daughters of Douglass, so that our name and what we stand for will continue to illuminate in our community and city.

The board members are looking forward to a busy year in 2012. We are always looking for more Douglass alumni to become involved with our projects. This is YOUR alumni association, so feel free to contact me through this website or through the office email (secretarydhs@gmail.com) with any suggestions you may have.

On behalf of the working board of Sons and Daughters of Douglass, Inc. I want to wish each and everyone of you, a happy and healthy 2012.

Virginia (Jenny) Hankins, President
Sons and Daughters of Douglass, Inc.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Luncheon: "Eating of the Fruit"

2012-01-18T12:52:00.000-05:00

It has been written that "central to the thinking of Martin Luther King was the idea of the 'beloved community.'"

From an article written by Kenneth L. Smith and Ira G. Zepp, Jr.,
"King’s was a vision of a completely integrated society, a community of love and justice wherein brotherhood would be an actuality in all of social life. In his mind, such a community would be the ideal corporate expression of the Christian faith."

In the Riverview community, that concept is celebrated mostly through fellowship.. with a little bit of food added for good measure.

The annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Luncheon, held in the Riverview Community Room in the K.H.R.A. wing of the V.O. Dobbins, Sr. Complex, brought together residents and citizens, to enjoy a nice, hot meal, and to reconnect with friends and neighbors.

Click here to see a slideshow of the luncheon dinner.

The Riverview family enjoyed delicious homemade chili beans, cole slaw, corn bread, crackers, and cakes and pies.

There was plenty to go around, and entertainment was supplied by music from the Full Gospel Mission Church. The family was also treated to door prizes given away to both children and adults by answering several questions pertaining to African-American history, and the history of Riverview.

The luncheon was sponsored by New Vision Youth & Kingsport Parks and Rec Division of Community Services, in partnership with Friends of Distinction and the Riverview Residents Association.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Candlelight Vigil: "This Little Light of Mine"

2012-01-18T12:42:00.001-05:00

The annual Candlelight Vigil in memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is indeed, one of the most solemn events held in the Kingsport community.

As participants braved a little nip in the air and persistant little raindrops, they also honored the memory of local Riverview residents who have passed during the past year.

Click here to see a slideshow of the candlelight vigil.

"Programs like this are helpful and respectful in the community," says Tyson Keller, Kingsport Parks & Rec program administrator at the V.O. Dobbins Sr. Complex. "Our biggest mission is promoting family, because once you do that, you gain a trust that allows people to interact with each other, and whenever we have family-based programs here, people will come out and participate."

Five candles were lit in honor of several areas of family and community life: Youth, Unity, Love, Working Together, and Remembrance.

The first candle for YOUTH, was lit by Jessica Kerney, with the Riverview Unit of the Kingsport Boys & Girls Club:

"I want to light this candle in honor of the youth, so that they can understand diversity, and also not just to understand it, but to celebrate it. They look at each other every day and they don't see any differences in each other, even though each is unique in their own way. Each brings something unique and different to the table that we all share. They need to know that it's OK to be different, and it's OK to look at someone who is not like them, and to love them. Sometimes as adults, we forget that kids are our future, and we need to move that to the top of the list of things to remember."

The second candle represents UNITY, and was lit by Tyson Keller:

"I light this candle so that hopefully, we can all come together and to continue taking back our community. There is a lot of really strong heritage here. Let's come together in the year 2012, and keep our community strong. Coming from the different communities that I have lived in, I have seen some really good programs that have worked for residents, and we hope to continue those programs here. I would like to do a lot of family-based programs, things that not just bring the kids together, but the adults as well. Things like games that everybody can play, family movie night. You'll see us partner up with some of the groups in the community that you're familiar with, to push that message of togetherness along."

The third candle represents LOVE, and was lit by the Reverend Charles Hawkins, pastor of Bethel A.M.E. Zion Church in Riverview:

"I light this candle on behalf of the Kingsport Ministerial Alliance. Many of us remember the civic duties of Dr. King, and we must remember that his first passion was the Church.. that he was Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The Bible teaches us that we are Christ's Disciples by our love, so let us continue to try our best to show love towards one another, and even those in spite of our differences, because that is what God would have us to do."

The fourth candle represents WORKING TOGETHER, and was lit by Danelle Glasscock, Executive Director of the United Way of Greater Kingsport:

"We have a motto at United Way: Live United. I was thinking this morning, how appropriate this motto is for today about living united. I also was thinking about the sentence "blessed are the peacemakers" and what a great day to be thinking about that, in honor of Dr. King. At the United Way, we see a lot of needs in our community, as I know you all do, too. There are so many people in our community who care about others, that give, that volunteer their time and that advocate on behalf of making this a better place. I know we all want to be a part of that, and I thank you all for being a part of that, too. We're honored to be working together with you.. over 10,000 people in this community that give to the United Way to support things like the Riverview Boys & Girls Club. We're also honored to be working together with you in this historic building, and we're happy to have and continue that partnership."

The fifth and final candle represents REMEMBRANCE, and was lit by 12-year-old Savion Camp, 6th grader at Lincoln School:

"We've had a lot of people pass away in Riverview, but even though we still love them, we know they have gone on to a better place. We've still got troubles, but we can beat them and make this a good place to live."

Kingsport honors MLK with downtown parade

2012-01-17T11:25:00.001-05:00

Monday’s parade in Kingsport drew one of its largest crowds in years.

THIS STORY COURTESY THE KINGSPORT TIMES-NEWS

By MATTHEW LANE
mlane@timesnews.net

KINGSPORT — The weather cooperated Monday, not being nearly as cold and windy as in years past. And as a result more than 75 men, women and children marched in the 12th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade in downtown Kingsport.

“We’re ecstatic that the weather is cooperating and the people are showing up,” said Pastor Ronnie Collins, organizer of the parade. “We’re
pleased with the turnout, and when the weather is good, people do show up even better.”

Click here to see a slideshow of the the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Kingsport March .

The Tennessee/Virginia Fellowship Against Racism and the East Tennessee Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship sponsors and organizes the yearly parade on the holiday honoring King.

Monday’s parade in Kingsport drew one of its largest crowds in years. People young and old were in attendance, from grade school to high school, from middle-aged to seniors, African-American and Caucasian. Some were in suits, most dressed casual, while a few wore sweatpants.

Children could be seen carrying signs with “Peace,” “Love” and “Hope” along with banners of King’s image or the name of their organization, such as the United Religion Initiative or the Standing on the Side of Love Web site. A half dozen people played the tambourine and drums while they marched down Center Street, and the 88.3 WCQR van played gospel music. At least three canine companions joined in the hourlong festivities. The Department of Veterans Affairs, Full Gospel Mission, Central Baptist Church and the Spirit and Truth Full Gospel Baptist Church filled out the rest of the parade.

“Our special theme is still ‘Remember. Celebrate. Act. A Day On, Not a Day Off,’ ” Collins said. “One of the things that we want to encourage people to do is get more involved in the different movements that are going on in America.”

One such movement is the “Occupy the Dream” coalition, consisting of leaders from the African-American faith community and the Occupy Wall Street movement. The coalition, which kicked off back in December, called for a National Day of Action on Monday to occupy Federal Reserve banks in 16 cities across the nation to “focus attention on the gross injustice visited upon the 99 percent by the financial elite.”

“We’ve got 99 percent of the people suffering, and 1 percent of the people doing very well,” Collins said. “What can we do to make that a little better balance? What can we do to get jobs? To get the party of ‘No’ to not always say no and get some things passed that will help encourage people to get jobs and help with people losing their homes.

“We need to get some policies passed that will help America and not harm America.”

In addition to celebrating King’s life and message, Collins said the country is also celebrating the opening of the Martin Luther King Jr. memorial at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., last August. The centerpiece of the 4-acre memorial is a 30-foot-tall granite carving of King. Fourteen quotes from King’s speeches, sermons and writings are featured on the Inscription Wall at the memorial.

“I was there a couple of weeks ago, and it was just breathtaking. The structure, how they did it was immaculate. He looks so clear, and it was just a beautiful thing to see,” Collins said.

Editorial

2012-01-16T08:15:00.000-05:00

Please see the guest editorial concerning the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday from the Kingsport Times-News on the Riverview Features - Opinions -Letters to the Editor Page of the website

MLK worship service to be held Sunday

2012-01-15T10:02:00.003-05:00

• KINGSPORT — The Greater Kingsport Ministerial Alliance will hold its annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Worship Service today Sunday January 15, 2011 beginning at 4 p.m. at Bethel AME Zion Church in Kingsport. Rev. James McMillan, Jones Memorial AME Zion Church, Greeneville, will speak.

UNSOLVED

2012-01-15T09:38:00.006-05:00

Nightmare continues for families of Kingsport murder victims

‘I’m just going through the motions. I’m in survival mode.’ — Robin Caldwell

THIS STORY COURTESY THE KINGSPORT TIMES-NEWS

By RAIN SMITH
rsmith@timesnews.net

KINGSPORT — Though the holidays have passed and a new year has dawned, the families of two people murdered in Kingsport continue to be haunted by the nightmares of 2011: Their loved ones’ killers are out there, on the loose, and at any time could inflict the pain they feel upon others.

“I’m just going through the motions. I’m in survival mode,” said Robin Caldwell, whose mother, Betty Sue Short, 65, was found bludgeoned to death in her home last October. “I truly believe that all I’m going on are people’s thoughts and prayers.”

“Daily you ask why — what could someone have done to make one person take another’s life?” questions Monique Henry, five months after her brother, Jarrett Hughes, 24, was shot in his mother’s home by intruders.
“What’s done is done. We can’t bring my brother back. But we need (closure) for my mother,” said Henry.

Kingsport police say they continue to investigate the two cases on a daily basis, while family of the victims report receiving regular updates from detectives. Hughes was fatally shot on Aug. 3 in the Dale Street home of his mother — who was sleeping in another room — after two men burst through the back door.

On Oct. 16, Short’s body was discovered by her son inside her home at 361 Barnett Drive, Apartment 2. Police say there were no signs of forced entry into her residence — leading them to believe Short knew her attacker — and the murder was “extremely brutal.”

Detectives working each case say significant progress is being made. But they also believe individuals with potentially vital information have yet to come forward.

In the murder of Short, a toolbox containing two handguns and two collector knives was stolen from her residence. One knife is described as ivory bone in color and between 2 and 2½ inches in length. The second is a sheath knife, ivory bone in color.

Both were contained in individual, hardened white tubes, and police hope pawn shops or the general public may have bought or traded for the items. Kingsport Police Department Detective Randy Murray says those who may have acquired the objects second or thirdhand shouldn’t fear coming forward. Police aren’t focusing on individuals possessing the knives, but tracking down the killer who stole them.

He also put an emphasis on receiving information from residents of the numerous homes around Short’s apartment, which includes a large mobile home park. Even if you think your information is minute and mundane, or that someone has already told police what you have to share, investigators want to hear these insights.

Murray said his investigation is focusing on Short’s family and friends, with her family fully cooperating.

“Being a female, and her age, there’s a lot of public outcry, a lot of people upset,” Murray said.

Caldwell reiterates the pleas of police for more information from the public. Each time she is contacted by investigators, she hopes it’s the “hallelujah” call — delivering news that charges have been filed against a suspect.

“I have no doubt that my mother is in a better place. I just can’t fathom how somebody can take a life in their own hands,” Caldwell said.

“I’ve learned a lot during all this. It takes time, and I’m not a very patient person,” Caldwell added.

Patience is a quality echoed by the family of Hughes.

“I told the detective, ‘Just take your time,’ ” said Henry, Hughes’ sister. “I want them to dot every i and cross every t, so nothing can be thrown out (in court).”

Her heart continues to crave the daily phone calls and texts from her brother, each one closed with, “I love you.” Her son and daughter have been robbed of an unwavering supporter — their uncle in the stands every time they suited up for a basketball or football game, rooting them on.

But his presence is still felt.

“He’s always there, in the back of my head, telling me things,” said Henry.

“I don’t hate anyone — not even (the killers), because they obviously have issues they’re going through. I just don’t want it to happen to anyone else. It’s just too hard to lose a brother or a son unexpectedly. It’s hard for a person to bury their youngest child,” said Henry.

KPD Detective Cpl. Frank Light says robbery is believed to be the motive behind Hughes’ murder. When the men burst into the Dale Street home and killed Hughes, three other people were in the residence — his sleeping mother, Charlotte Erwin, and a male and female visitor of Hughes.

SUSPECTS 1 & 2 IN MURDER OF JARRETT HUGHES IN RIVERVIEW

After shooting Hughes, the two intruders are believed to have run from the home to a small red vehicle with front-end damage. One suspect is described as a black male between 25 and 28 years old, approximately 5 feet 8 inches tall, and more than 200 pounds with dreadlocks. The other is described as a black male between 5 feet 3 inches and 5 feet 5 inches tall, more than 100 pounds, with an afro.

“He may be gone, but he’ll never be forgotten,” Erwin said of her son. “He’ll be forever young.”

The community and Erwin’s church, Kingsport’s Powerful New Life Church of God in Christ, have collected money to establish a reward fund. Light said the $1,000 will be given to anyone who provides information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the murder.

Until that occurs, it’s the final words between mother and son that provide Erwin solace.

“He said, ‘Love you, Mom,’ and I said, ‘Love you, Jay,’ ” she recalls of their exchange shortly before she laid down, only to be awoken by gunfire. “I cherish those words. I hold those words close to my heart. That gives me peace in my hard days.”

Anyone with information on the murder of Hughes or Short is urged to contact KPD detectives at 229-9429.

2012 Gospel Fest at the Renaissance Center

2012-01-12T20:59:00.001-05:00

H.O.P.E. is hosting the 2012 Gospel Fest
Jan 21, 2012
Kingsport Renaissance Center
1200 E. Center St.

Doors open at 6 PM, Show begins at 7 PM

Music provided by:
Robert LaQue Hale
Mary Welch
Rebekah Morgan
Ida Machen
Revelations
and others

Reception to follow

For more information, contact:

Stella Robinette - H.O.P.E.
President & Founder
P.O. Box 7632
Kingsport, TN 37664
423.276.6541
stella@hopetricities.com
www.hopetricities.com
http://www.facebook.com/pages/HOPE-Help-Our-Potential-Evolve/280102552007014

Other MLK Day Events in Riverview

2012-01-12T12:31:00.001-05:00

In addition to the annual MLK Day Parade in downtown Kingsport, please note these other events on Monday, January 16, 2012:

MONDAY, JANUARY 16TH - MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY: New Vision Youth & Kingsport Parks and Rec Division of Community Services, in partnership with Friends of Distinction and Riverview Residents Association presents the annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Unity Luncheon,Monday, January 16th, 1:30 PM, Riverview Community Room, 301 Louis Street, Kingsport. Homemade chili beans,cole slaw, corn break, crackers, desserts & drinks - Door prizes, gospel singing by Full Gospel Mission Church Gospel Choir. Everybody welcome. For more information, contact Johnnie Mae Swagerty 429-7553 and Chassie Smiley-Freeman 224-2420.

MONDAY, JANUARY 16TH - MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY: New Vision Youth and City of Kingsport Parks and Rec Division of Community Services presents the annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Candlelight Vigil, Monday, January 16th, 6 PM, V.O. Dobbins Complex Parking Lot, 301 Louis Street, Kingsport. Theme: "Let's Walk in Unity & Love Each Other." In case of rain, vigil will be held in the Riverview Community Room. Everybody welcome! Please bring a candle and lots of love and unity and a prayer in your heart. For more information, contact Johnnie Mae Swagerty 429-7553 or Chassie Smiley-Freeman, 224-2420

Regions Presents: "Riding Forward" for Black History Month

2012-01-12T02:23:00.008-05:00

Regions and H.O.P.E. will launch the 2012 Black History Month Campaign – “Riding Forward” -- on Martin Luther King Jr. Day (January 16). This campaign celebrates the contributions of African Americans, past and present, that move us forward today. Regions is also proud to offer the Regions Riding Forward Scholarship.

Twenty-five $5,000 scholarships will be awarded to high school seniors
in Regions’ banking areas who will attend college this Fall.
Applicants will be asked to write a 500 word essay about an African
American, past or present, who has inspired them.

· The Regions and H.O.P.E. Riding Forward Scholarship Essay Contest begins January 15 and ends February 29. Contest details and full eligibility requirements are available. Copy and paste this link:

http://promo.regions.com/RidingForward/default.htm?CID=20139&V_TID=934552&ProspectID=E39E418D1C094BB6AF8E7F1DBC1A0593

Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade: "Remember! Celebrate! Act!

2012-01-08T17:22:00.001-05:00

The 12th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Parade will be held on Monday, January 16, 2011 from 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.

Parade participants will need to assemble at 11:15 a.m. at the intersection of E. Sevier & Center Street (Rikki Rhoton Allstate Insurance Co.'s Parking Lot).

The parade route will follow Center Street and end on Shelby Street (City Parking Lot between Kingsport City Hall & The Justice Center).

The theme is "REMEMBER! CELEBRATE! ACT! - A Day On, Not A Day Off.”

If you would like to enter a car, float, church/business van, bus, truck, other exhibits or take a 20 minute walk during lunch in the parade, please contact Elder-Elect Gwen Collins (TVFAR) at (423) 753-2345 or General Overseer Ronnie Collins (JGII) at (423) 956-0675 or email gacssccc@aim.com or rcollins_316@vzw.blackberry.net.

If you would like to contribute to the service activities from January 16-March 31, 2011 they are as follows: Butterball Turkey $10/family; Tools-For-School $7/child; or Diapers & Wipes $10/baby. Make your tax deductible contribution payable to: JGII, P.O. Box 3390, Kingsport, TN 37664-3390.

Parade sponsors include Eastman Chemical Company, Food City, Office Depot, Joshua Generation (JGII), My Brother's Keeper, Putting Babies First, H.O.P.E., & Upper East Tennessee Human Development Agency.

Please take time to help bring about positive change in the community in which we live and help us Change a Generation!

Ronnie W. Collins, Advanced Accountant
Eastman Chemical Company
Finance Controller - Corporate Functional Accounting & Analysis
Building 54D, 3rd Floor, Cubicle 3368
Phone: 423-229-4729, Ext. 4729
Fax: 423-224-7240
-mailto:rcollins@eastman.com

HOPE YOU'RE HAVING A WONDERFUL DAY & IT'S JUST GREAT TO BE ALIVE! ! !

Kingssport Alternative School to be named after Cora R. Cox

2012-01-06T11:09:00.000-05:00

A formal renaming ceremony likely will occur in August.

THIS STORY COURTESY THE KINGSPORT TIMES-NEWS

By RICK WAGNER
rwagner@timesnews.net

KINGSPORT — New Horizons School will have a new name come July, and it will honor one of Riverview's former outstanding residents.

The Kingsport Board of Education voted 7-0 Thursday night to approve a staff recommendation renaming the New Horizons alternative school the Cora Cox Academy effective July 1.

Mrs. Cox, originally from Camden, Arkansas, began her Kingsport teaching career at the former Douglass High School, eventually teaching second grade and special education, and after integration in 1966, she went on to teach at Ross N. Robinson and John Sevier Junior Highs.

At Johnson Elementary, as special education teacher, she was one of the first teachers of autistic children.

Mrs. Cox passed away in 1982.

The alternative school, currently named New Horizons, is considered a stand-alone school separate from Dobyns-Bennett High School.

The school in the future is to become more involved with homebound and distance/online learning, BOE President Randy Montgomery said.

BOE member Susan Lodal said a formal renaming ceremony likely would occur in August.

Kingsport's Crown Prince of Comedy: "I Feel Much Better"

2012-01-05T14:03:00.008-05:00

You never know what to expect when you interview Tim Hall, Kingsport's Clown Prince of Comedy.

During a visit on Tuesday, January 3rd, the first thing he asked me? "Why are you here?"

He wrote it down, to make sure I knew what he said.

"I'm just like all the Riverview folk you talk about in your comedy routines," I replied. "And we all have one thing in common: 'We always look out for each other.'

This was no ordinary visit, and no ordinary interview. Tim had written his question down, because he was having trouble saying it out loud.

Our interview was at his bedside in the intensive care unit at the Johnson City Medical Center.

On Friday, December 30th, Tim had emergency surgery to remove tumors from his brain.

Three of them. And one in a very dangerous spot.

"It started about a month ago, right around Thanksgiving, Calvin," he remembers. "I was walking around a lot at work and I was getting real tired.. seemed like it was a labor just putting one foot in front of the other. I'd rest a few minutes, then work a few minutes and later, I was so tired I could hardly stand up."

Tim made the decision to have an MRI done. It was a decision that most likely, saved his life.

"The MRI showed 3 tumors on my brain, the largest about the size of a nickel," Tim says. "It was about where the top of my spinal cord was. That's why when I walked, I would get so tired."

3 brain tumors that weakened and temporarily sidelined a man, who's natural gift of comedy, was suddenly no laughing matter.

"It was very delicate surgery," says Tim's brother Donovan of Nashville, who stayed at his brother's bedside both during and after the operation. "Any time you're dealing with brain surgery, one wrong move and something bad could happen. But the doctor who performed the surgery told me he'd been doing this tyhpe of surgery for 16 years.. that he's done it so many times that he knows exactly what he is doing, and that everything should come out fine."

"The doctor did pretty much what he said he was going to do."

After the surgery, Donovan caught up with the doctor for a progress report on his older brother.

"He said everything went fine, that they'll continue to do some tests over the next few weeks and draw up some reports," he said. "Right now, he doesn't have to have any radiation or chemo-theerapy, and the test results will determine where we go from here. For now, he said 'we got everything.'"

The diagnosis that Tim even had tumors in the first place, stunned his family.

TIM PERFORMING AS EMCEE OF THE DAPS BANQUET IN KNOXVILLE, SEPTEMBER, 2011

"Complete shock," says Donovan. "I mean, me and Tim talk every day, sometimes two or three times a day. We talk about health issues now.. things we never talked about growing up, but now that we're older, it just seems more important. He never mentioned that he was having weak spells, nothing about it at all. Nobody ever even suspected something this serious."

Donovan says, all of a sudden, Wednesday, just before the surgery, Tim called him.

"He said, 'I'm telling you this now.. that I'm going in Friday to have surgery. I wanted you to know that they found some tumors on my brain.' I'm like, 'wow.. you just now telling me this?' In what is Tim's way, he said the reason I'm telling you this now is that he didn't want to mess up everybody's holiday."

"Ton of bricks.. there is never a good time to tell anybody news like that."

But Tim Hall is a tough cookie. He isn't about to sit on the sidelines for long.

"I'm fine now, Calvin," he says. "I'm fine. I feel much better. God has taken care of me, and I feel much better."

INTENSIVE CARE UNIT

For Tim, he'll have sessions with a speech therapist and also a physical therapist. That's where you notice the old Tim is still around.

"He gets techniques to practice getting his voice to stabilize, especially at night when nobody is listening," Donovan says. "The therapist told him 'it's something like singing, and we'll do the techniques like we are singing.' Tim was like 'well, just in case you don't know, I DO sing.' In only the way that Tim can say it, he said 'I DO know how to do that' and the therapist laughed out loud. It was pretty cool."

"That's how I knew Tim hadn't changed."

His brother says, Tim will spend a few days in the hospital, where everybody is encouraged to visit. He wants to save home for private time for the continued therapy he'll have to have over the next few weeks, so try to see him at the hospital.

Donovan says, the whole experience with his older brother is a wake-up call for anybody suffering with unknown symtoms of a bigger problem, or anybody who ever notices different behavior in a loved one.

"This is a good example of not letting your health get the better of you," he says, "because somebody close to you will notice that something is wrong. You can't hide it. If you feel bad, get it checked out. This is definitely an eye-opener for people who are suffering and don't see a doctor to find out why."

"Perhaps Tim's experience will encourage others to either see a doctor if they feel bad, or loved ones to ask if they notice something different about you."

The message Tim has to his family, friends, loved ones and his many fans is a simple one.

"Calvin, just tell them to pray for me," he says. "Just say a prayer for me. I've been way down, and I'm slowly pulling back ujp. Just pray for me. We all need prayer in our lives. In a few months, I'll be hahaha'ing again. Tell everybody not to forget about me, hahaha."

"But how could they forget? I tend to grow on people, hahaha."

Sons & Daughters of Douglass Begin New Year with New Bank Account

2012-01-02T12:30:00.021-05:00

SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF DOUGLASS, INC. TREASURER LILLIAN LEEPER LOOKS ON AS PRESIDENT VIRGINIA HANKINS OPENS NEW BANK ACCOUNT

2012 is here, and with it comes a change for the way Sons and Daughters of Douglass, Inc. does business.

The change involves switching over to a new bank to handle the alumni association's business affairs.

The new bank is Green Bank.

"We opened up the new account at Green Bank," says president Virginia (Jenny) Hankins, "because the wife of one of our alumni (Frank Horton's wife, Dee Dee Horton) is an employee of Green Bank, and the bank has always supported our reunions. The bank we were using, has never supported our reunion with financial incentives in any way whatsoever."

"We, as a non-profit corporation, get better service, and there is a good possibility that we can get Green Bank to sponsor some of our reunion events. Also, Dee Dee is a professional event planner, who we hope will continue to support us."

LEFT TO RIGHT: TREASURER LILLIAN LEEPER, PRESIDENT VIRGINIA HANKINS AND FINANCIAL SECRETARY OZINE BLY

"Once an organization receives financial support from a major corporation," Hankins continued, "it makes it easier to get support from others. I believe this is a good move for the Douglass High School alumni and their Board of Directors. We now have a personal connection with our new bank, and look forward to a wonderful relationship."

To the Family of Lorraine Worley Perry:

2011-12-29T01:49:00.002-05:00

Please accept my deepest and heartfelt comfort about the death of Lorraine. I was saddened to hear about her untimely death. I always remember the years we spent at Douglass with Lorraine and James, especially in English class, and the many high school activities that we all attended. Lorraine was very funny and warm and kind.

With deepest sympathy,
Dr. Rosemary Gray
1964 GraduateDouglass High School
Kingsport, Tennessee

New Year's Eve Party Announcement

2011-12-28T12:15:00.001-05:00

"Friends for a Safe New Year's Eve" Present:

New Year's Eve Party (Drug & Alcohol-Free) on December 31st, 2011.
A New Year's Eve party for all area high school students, grades 9 through 12.
Balloon Drop at the Stroke of Midnight.

Location: Rascals, 125 Cumberland Street, Kingsport from 9 PM to 1 AM
Admission: $10 (includes food, party favors, fun and music).

Music provided by DJ (A-Dogg) of Nashville, TN.

Parents & community policing will be on hand as chaperones.

Sponsored by Parents of DB Students.

For more information, contact Johnnie Mae Swagerty, 429-7553 or Rascals, 378-5050.

Parathlete to speak at HOPE event

2011-12-26T10:46:00.001-05:00

COURTESY THE KINGSPORT TIMES-NEWS

Kingsport native Blake Leeper, a member of the 2012 United States Paralympic Team, will speak at 6 p.m., Thursday, December 29, 2011 in the second-floor auditorium of the Kingsport Renaissance Center, 1200 E. Center St., in a program sponsored by HOPE (Help Our Potential Evolve).

Leeper, who was born without legs from the knee down, grew up playing sports. At Dobyns-Bennett High School, he played right field and second base on the baseball team as a sophomore. He joined the varsity basketball team as a senior.

At the University of Tennessee, where he was studying applied physics, Leeper became involved in track and field and discovered a special kind of prosthetic made strictly for running. Michael and Gilgia Prumbs of Kingsport’s Pro Balance and the Challenged Athletes Foundation helped Leeper land his first pair of “Cheetah Legs.” A few months later, he joined the Paralympic Team..

Leeper is currently training for the 2012 Paralympic Games to be held in London, where he will compete in the 100- and 200-meter races as well as the 4 x 100 relay. In May, he competed in the 2011 BT Paralympic World Cup in Manchester, England, earning a bronze medal in the men’s 100 meter.

The Paralympic Games were first organized in the late 1940s for injured World War II veterans returning home. Today, the Paralympics are elite sport events for athletes with a disability, emphasizing the participants' athletic achievements rather than their disabilities.

Earlier this year, Leeper spent a couple of days in Haiti visiting with and encouraging children who lost limbs in last year’s devastating earthquake. He went as a representative of the San Diego-based Challenged Athletes Foundation that helps provide opportunities and support to people with physical disabilities, allowing them to pursue active lifestyles through physical fitness and competitive athletics.

H.O.P.E. is a non-profit community organization with the driven desire to enrich the lives of the people of the city community of Kingsport and the surrounding areas. Its purpose is to educate youth and enhance the lives of all people who become involved in any of our programs offered by the organization.

Leeper is the son of Billy and Edith Leeper, and the grandson of William and Lillian Leeper, all of Church Hill.

Leeper’s appearance is sponsored by the city of Kingsport, Eastman Chemical Co., Food City, Elixir Group, TriSummit Bank, WKPT TV-19 and Walmart.

Parks and Rec hosting events for kids at V.O. Dobbins

2011-12-24T21:00:00.000-05:00

• KINGSPORT — The Kingsport Parks and Recreation Department has scheduled a number of activities at the V.O. Dobbins Sr. complex over the school system’s Christmas break.

On Tuesday, there will be an Open Gym held from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Children can shoot basketball or play volleyball or corn hole.

On Wednesday from noon until 2 p.m., there will be a Wii Bowling tournament for children ages 9 to 12. The movie “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” will be shown following the tournament.

On Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m., there will be a Family Game Night, and hot dogs and drinks will be provided for the first 80 in attendance.

On Friday from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m., a 3-Point Contest will be held. For more information contact Tyson Keller at 224-2489.

Let's Party: Alumni Board Christmas Get-Together

2011-12-24T16:06:00.001-05:00

The Sons and Daughters of Douglass Alumni Board held a little Christmas get-together on Stone Drive in Kingsport on Saturday, December 17, 2011.

Click here to see a slideshow of the Alumni board's holiday party.

Names had been drawn previously, and during the dinner, presents were given to board members by those who drew names.

It has been a good year for the Sons and Daughters of Douglass Alumni, and next year looks to be even better. At the present time, we are studying various community functions that the Board is considering making contributions to. Those that qualify, represent neighborhood-minded events that make the Riverview and Douglass communities better places to live and be a part of.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the Board of Directors representing the Sons and Daughters of Douglass, Inc.!

Douglass Alumni Passing

2011-12-23T15:08:00.001-05:00

Just received word that Lorraine Worley (Perry) - Douglass Class of '64 passed away in Detroit. The obituary is now posted at the PASSINGS AND OBITUARIES link.

"We Wish You A Merry Christmas: 'Joyous Holiday Singing from the Kids'"

2011-12-23T00:18:00.012-05:00

THIS PICTURE COURTESY THE KINGSPORT TIMES NEWS

"We put all of our little voices together, and one big, beautiful sound comes out."

Residents of the Riverview Community can thank the New Vision Kids for spreading Christmas cheer this season. Many of them were greeted at the front door by New Vision Christmas caroling this week.

It's a yearly tradition.

"We've been Christmas caroling door-to-door for the past 8 years," says New Vision Kids director Johnnie Mae Swagerty, who partners with South Central Community Development for the event. "The kids really enjoy singing the Christmas songs. It's part of their continuing holiday activities."

The kids sing with a purpose.

"We do this in memory of Mrs. Julia Evans," Swagerty says. "Before she passed away, she would put on a coat and come outside with us, and would just never want us to leave. She'd pull me aside and say, 'Johnnie Mae, please don't ever stop doing this.. these carolers are beautiful. Keep it going for the seniors who can't get out. Nobody may ever get to see anybody, except these children singing to them. All they have to do is get to the door. They need that,' she'd say."

"Keep it up," she'd say, "and we always have, in memory of Mrs. Evans."

THIS PICTURE COURTESY THE KINGSPORT TIMES-NEWS

The weather cooperated, as 26 New Vision kids and 7 adult chaperones began their trek at 4 P-M on Monday, December 19th. First on the visiting list were the non-profit agencies in the V.O. Dobbins, Sr. Complex.

"We started singing with the Big Brothers-Big Sisters office, then Kingsport Tomorrow," Swagerty says. "Then, the Boys and Girls Club and Head Start, the VFW and we finished with UETHRA (Upper East Tennessee Human Resources Agency), all of the non-profit organizations. They gave us candy and told us to be sure and come back next year. Everybody really enjoyed the songs.. it really put them in the holiday mood."

Click here to see a slideshow from the New Vision Kids' Christmas caroling in the Riverview neighborhood. These pictures are courtesy Chassie Smiley-Freeman.

The singing then moved over to Dale Street, with "Jingle Bells," "The First Noel,"and "We Wish You a Merry Christmas."

"Every year, Ms. Barbara Bristol welcomes us with open arms," she says. "Mrs. Ethel Ruth (Russell) always comes out... Mrs. Mary Skaggs comes out, Sheila Leeper.. Sissy Graves always comes out when she hears us outside, Valerie Williams and her family. Ms. Roberta McClintock always comes to the door to listen, my sister Tish Hayes and my mother Pastor Geraldine come out. Ms. Mary Carpenter always comes out, her and her family. Mrs. (Jean) Clark wasn't home, but we still stopped at her house and her neighbors came out. Ms. Kathy Cox is new on Dale Street.. she said 'if I'd known y'all were coming, I'd have had y'all some hot chocolate.' On Maple Street, Jenny Hankins was out listening, Ms. Hardie came to the door and listened. Richard Hicks had been sick, but he was glad to hear us and Angel Pruitt.

"We also went by Twinkle and Will McClintock, and Ms. Chi-Chi ALWAYS gets a thrill out of hearing the kids.. she comes to the door and really enjoys it."

Then it was on to Riverview.. and more of "Rudolph, The Red-Nose Reindeer,""Away In A Manger,""Joy To The World," and most any other Christmas song you could think of.

"We stopped by Ms. Betsy and Mr. Jack Pierce," Swagerty says, "and the kids sang around their Nativity Scene in the front yard. They really enjoyed it. We went down to Dunbar Street, and swung down to Mrs. Roberta (Big Mama) Deal and Charlene opened up the door and we just sang and sang. Jerri Leeper came out and Olivia Swafford did, too."

We stopped by 'Miss Toots' (Mamie Gillenwater) and she invited us in. We sang 'Jingle Bells' to her and as we were leaving, she said 'don't ever stop doing this caroling, it's beautiful. She also got in a request for her Christmas present: a fried fish sandwich. Please fry me one. I had promised her from our last fundraiser. Before this year is out, I WILL fry up a fish sandwich for 'Miss Toots.'"

"Everywhere we sang, people were so overjoyed to see us," she says, "and the one thing they kept saying was 'don't ever stop doing this because most people don't go caroling anymore."

That does bring up an interesting point. We've checked, and there doesn't seem to be any other organizing Christmas caroling group going door-to-door in Kingsport. No where.... except in Riverview.

"I don't know why there aren't more door-to-door groups," Swagerty says. "Some of them are too busy, I guess, or they don't want to walk so far in the weather. Used to be when we were growing up, you'd see them in just about every neighborhood. We kept it going in Riverview, because it came from church.. the churches always organized door-to-door caroling in Riverview. Sometimes, there'd be 3 or 4 groups from separate churches on different days. Riverview has always had caroling, so we bundle up the kids to protect them on cool days so they won't catch cold, then off we go."

"If folks around Kingsport want to go with us, they're very welcome," she says. "

"Two years ago, we went to Rotherwood Estates and sang door-to-door, and the folks there enjoyed it. It was a pleasant surprise for them, and we try to go to nursing homes, too when time lets us."

'With our dedication to Mrs. Evans, the New Vision Kids will always be singing door-to-door," says Swagerty. "She was always one of our big symbols of family, and with the New Vision kids and the Riverview neighborhood, we are all still family, and that's important. Family in the community is what motivates us."

"8 years is a long time to do something," she says. "Our little sopranos, altos, tenors and basses get together, to bring cheer to the community, and it's worth it."

"It's a Christmas present to our neighbors."

The Christmas Lights of Riverview

2011-12-19T19:57:00.002-05:00

The Riverview community is really in the Christmas spirit this year.

Everywhere you turn, homes in the Riverview neighborhood, including crosstown on Dale, Maple, Oak Streets and Sevier Avenue are adorned with colorful Christmas lights.

We visited every home in the neighborhood to capture the spirit of the Riverview Christmas season for you.

Click here to see a slideshow of the Christmas lights in Riverview. The street where the home is located on, is in the caption.

It's Christmas lightings and sightings in Riverview, guaranteed to get you in the holiday spirit.

Some homes have simple strands of lights.. others are much more decorated, with nativity scenes and festive furnishings.

It's enough to turn the heads of both children and adults alike.

Visit the slideshow of Christmas lightings and enjoy the wonders of the holiday.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all... a good night!

"The Candy Maker's Dream" Highlights the New Vision Team

2011-12-19T19:49:00.001-05:00

Colorful characters, sensational singing, and an exciting atmosphere.

That's the scenario behind the New Vision Kids' visit to the Lamplight Theater in Fall Branch on Saturday, December 17, 2011, to see the live performance of "The Candy Maker's Dream." The play is a heart-warming Victorian Christmas musical based on the legend of the candy cane.

"It's the life of Christmas," says Johnnie Mae Swagerty, director of the New Vision Kids group, "the whole candy cane story that the kids like. Who doesn't like candy canes at Christmas? The play offers an explanation to where they come from, that the kids can identify with."

Click here to see a slideshow of the New Vision Kids' visit to see The Candy Maker's Dream" at the Lamplighter Theatre.

This is the last season — at least for the next few years — audiences can catch a performance of the original theatrical production, written by Billy Wayne Arrington, president and founder of Vision Productions Inc., which manages the LampLight Theater. The theater rotates its Christmas shows every two to three years, so after the curtains close on this season’s production of “The Candy Maker’s Dream,” opening Friday, it will be replaced next year with something new.

“The Candy Maker’s Dream” is set in Wooster, Ohio, in the mid-1800s. It’s the story of Gertrude Imgard, a German immigrant’s daughter, as she reaches out to a confectioner salesman and two young orphan friends. Through the compassion of Rose, a music teacher, and the faith of Gertrude, hearts are destined to change with a visit from a special angelic messenger.

Gertrude meets Cecil Higgenbotham, a confectioner from Indiana who is in Wooster for a sales meeting. Gertrude introduces him to both candy canes and Christmas trees. She also introduces Cecil to Gabby and Darby, orphaned brothers living on the streets of Wooster. The audience learns that Cecil is an orphan himself, raised in an orphanage in England.

The production features five original songs, plus traditional English carols.

The Imgard family is credited with bringing the candy cane to America. The bent sugar stick treats were a popular holiday confection throughout Europe, and Gertrude Imgard’s father August, a German-Swedish immigrant, decorated his Christmas tree by hanging the treats from its branches in the late 1840s. The tradition quickly spread across the United States.

This is the second visit to the Lamplighter Theater for the New Vision kids.

"They've been very good all year long and this summer," Swagerty says, "and this is our way of rewarding them for their good behavior. "We also appreciate Billy, the owner and play director, for helping us through a donation to get the kids here. He held a junior camp this year in Pigeon Forge that the kids really liked, too. He's really a blessing to the New Vision youth, and we really appreciate it. They are really good people here at the theater."

The New Vision Kids' visit of 35 kids and 7 adults to the Lamplighter Theatre was sponsored by Kingsport Weed & Seed, the New Vision Youth group, and the South Central Kingsport Community Development Corporation.

New Vision Kids Take a Sleep-over Back in Time

2011-12-19T11:44:00.007-05:00

It's a step back in time for the New Vision kids in Kingsport.

Make that several steps.

A day of Christmas fun for the children of the community continued, with a visit and a sleep-over at the Mystery of Natural History Museum in downtown Kingsport. For those of the older generation who remember, the Museum is housed in what used to be the old Woolworth's store on Broad Street.

Click here to see a slideshow of the New Vision Kids' visit and sleep-over at the Mystery of Natural History Museum in downtown Kingsport.

Mary McNabb owns and operates the museum, and has turned the old building into a catacomb of exhibits, live animals, and skeletal replicas of some of our planet's first inhabitants.

The kids were delighted by the full Natural History Museum that featured
STAN- Tennessee's only T-Rex display.

"Some of the kids did not know about dinosaurs being among the first creatures on earth," says Johnnie Mae Swagerty, New Vision Kids director. "It was very educational, even to the rock samples on display. They were fascinated to find out that much of the stone is just like the countertops in their homes, little things like that. That's where it comes from."

There were plenty of rock and mineral displays, live animals, a NASA space exhibit with meteorites, and more for the kids to enjoy and ask questions about.

The fun continued into the night for the kids.

"The sleep-over began with hot dogs, chips, and different kinds of dessert," says Swagerty. "Later on, we had games, and activities that kept them busy, but kids will be kids. They were excited to be able to run around and get all that energy out. Bethel (AME Zion Church) invited us to Christmas dinner on Sunday, and they're going to be ready for that."

The director of the Mystery of Natural History Museum is under the direction of Mary McNabb, with curator/preparator Danielle Thornburg. The museum technologist is Robert Segelhorst, and Al McClain is the facilities manager.

From Ms. McNabb comes this note: "Our museum is owned and operated by Kingsport Museum Association, a non-profit entity formed by citizens dedicated to bringing life and redevelopment to downtown Kingsport."

"Our objective is to keep our local natural history museum in Kingsport
and establish additional museums as planning and funding permit.
Our desire is to make downtown Kingsport a destination for
museum-goers nationwide."

"We are a community organization and need the help of all our public spirited citizens to survive, and we would love to have your help as an association member, contributor, display sponsor, or volunteer."

Please call or come by to discuss your future as part of this endeavor, and your contributions are tax deductible."

"This was the first time for the New Vision Kids to attend the museum," Swagerty says, "and judging from their reaction, it won't be the last. As the museum grows, this will become an annual event for us."

River rescue

2011-12-15T10:36:00.001-05:00

PICTURES COURTESY NED JILTON II - KINGSPORT TIMES-NEWS, DECEMBER 15, 2011
Emergency personnel, 2nd picture below, launch a raft to rescue a stranded motorist Wednesday evening at the new boat ramp off Netherland Inn Road. According to police, 90-year-old Herman Logan of Kingsport had been fishing and was preparing to leave when his truck rolled into the Holston River with him in it. ‘It looks like his brakes failed and he just rode it all the way into the river,’ Kingsport police officer Brad Conkin said. At right, rescuer Kevin Risney talks with Logan as he sits atop his truck waiting for the raft. 3rd picture below left, emergency personnel help Logan to an ambulance. The Kingsport Police Department, Kingsport Fire Department, Kingsport Lifesaving Crew and Sullivan County EMS responded to the 6:15 p.m. incident.

Minutes of the Sons & Daughters of Douglass Board Meeting - 11/19/11

2011-12-14T10:55:00.000-05:00

11-19-2011

Members In Attendance For Pancake Breakfast: Virginia Hankins, Ruth Russell, Thelma Watterson, Sheila Leeper, Andra Watterson, Calvin Sneed, Ozine Bly, Wallace Ross, Jr., Sandra Wilmer, Pamela Sensabaugh; Andra Watterson, Linda Bly, Frank Horton, Dee Dee Horton, Joy Hankins, Johnnie Mae Swagerty, New Vision Youth, and Vicki Smith.

Members In Attendance For Mtg: Ruth Russell, Pam Sensabuagh, Ozine Bly, Andra Watterson, Calvin Sneed, Frank Horton, Wallace W. Ross, Jr., Vicki Smith, Jenny Hankins, Kathy Evans, Lillian Leeper, Sandy Wilmer, Linda Bly, and Joy Hankins.

Old Business

Call to Order - Virginia Hankins, President

Prayer - Wallace W. Ross, Jr., Sergeant-at-Arms

Golf tournament for 2012 and Jenny has been getting letters ready to go out to sponsors. Our goal is $50,000 which is noted in the letter along with other amounts listed.

Calvin explained that Doug had sent in paperwork to the Corporations Division at the Tennessee Secretary of State's Office to change our name and that information has been received. Jenny sent in the letter for the name change along with the amendment to the charter to the Division of Charitable Solitations, but at the present time that office is not showing up as being received. Calvin will follow-up and fax a copy of the information needed to the Division of Charitable Solicitation.

Frank made a suggestion to send any mail out certified so we can receive notification of receipt. Vicki will be responsible to send out any documents via certified mail. Lillian stated that the bank information was correct regarding the cable transfer.

New Business

Calvin suggested linking up with and promoting other programs in the community. In doing so, (we) Sons & Daughters of Douglass, will be listed as a sponsor. Calvin made a motion that as we contribute to programs that do benevolence here in the community. Joy seconded and motion carried with (1) abstained. Jenny praised everyone for working together today and making the event a success! She stated that the alumni should stay active in order to network within the community.

Suggestions for other fundraisers were discussed for upcoming year. We do have a working office and will continue to keep the telephone service. Jenny stated that she and Wallace met with two gentlemen from Springville, TN that was inquiring how our alumni association began. They looked at our website and were inquisitive on trying to organize and revive their old school. A state historical commission representative has contacted Calvin regarding information on some of the Rosenwald schools in the area.

For future meetings here in the V.O. Dobbins building, Wallace will wait downstairs for all members to enter. This is to ensure the safety of all tenants in the building. Report from our treasurers on our fundraising today was $221 (bucket donations), $235 in checks, and $1,375 in money. We want future fundraising to include more seniors and maybe transport them to the event. The three top fundraisers were Vicki Smith, Thelma Watterson, & Virginia Hankins. Jenny opened discussion for dollar amount to give New Vision Youth and all agreed on $100.00. The children worked really hard and were excellent with their customer service skills.

Net of $1,110 after all expenses deducted. Treasurers are keeping their financial report for each meeting logged in a notebook. Kudos to our President, Jenny Hankins for her radio interview regarding the pancake breakfast. Tax-exempt number will have to be changed along with our name.

A picture is needed of our President and Treasurers opening our new account with Green County Bank.

A check will be submitted to the Chamber for our membership dues. The next meeting will be Saturday, January 21, 2012.

Joy made a motion for the alumni to have a Christmas party and bring a gift. Each person is responsible to pay for their meal. Frank seconded the motion and motion carried. Christmas gathering for the alumni will be at Longhorn’s Steakhouse on Saturday, December 17, 2011. Thelma will call to reserve seating and everyone will meet @ 7:00 p.m. A total of 17 names were drawn with a $10 limit for gifts. Please inform Thelma if you’re bringing a guest so there will be adequate seating.

No further business to discuss. Sandra made a motion to adjourn and motion seconded by Ruth. Our next alumni meeting to be held on Saturday, January 17, 2012 @ 1:00 p.m.

Meeting Adjourned.

Minutes Submitted By: Vicki Smith, Secretary

A Holiday Tradition: South Central Christmas Celebration for Seniors

2011-12-12T01:31:00.000-05:00

Seniors 55 and up came together in friendship and fellowship at the annual South Central Holiday Christmas Celebration.

The event was held Saturday, December 10, 2011 in the Douglass Room of the V.O. Dobbins Sr. Complex in Riverview.

Click here to see a slideshow of the South Central Christmas Celebration for Seniors. These pictures provided by Virginia "Jennie" Hankins.

About 120 people attended the gathering, and all told, everybody had a good time.

"We don't always get to come together as a community to celebrate something," says Jeannie Hodges with the South Central Kingsport Community Development Corporation, who sponsored the event partnered with the New Vision Kids and Kingsport Parks and Recreation. "At this kind of event at Christmastime, there's good fellowship among the neighbors, getting to see each other and just be around each other."

"Sometimes, it's the first time they've seen each other in a long time.

In the past, there was been a dinner-type atmosphere, but Hodges says, this year, she planned something different.

"We planned to have food," she says, "but it was a different kind of dinner this time, not the traditional meal you'd see at Christmas. We catered meatballs, chicken fixed in a couple of ways, pinach dip, potato salad, barbeque, deviled eggs and two or three desserts. We also gave away door prizes, had games for the seniors, and everybody also got to take home a goodie bag. Van (Dobbins, Jr.) was the Secret Santa this year. He brought by some items that went into the goodie bags that everybody loved. Nobody was expecting it.. even me."

The Seniors Christmas Celebration was started more than 10 years ago by South Central's Mary Jane Carnes. "It was a fun thing to do in Riverview," says Hodges, "an outing for some of the seniors that don't get out much. Everybody always looks forward to it."

It was also a good time for the seniors and the youth of the neighborhood to socialize with each other.

"It's a way for the youth to give back to the community," Hodges says. In everything they do, the message is to always honor the seniors. The New Vision kids wait on them like they do at other events, bringing them food, tea, napkins, and just seeing to their needs. That's good positive reinforcement that gets passed on down through the generations."

"Best of all, the kids love it, and the seniors appreciate the attention."

The audience was treated to music and praise from the Shiloh Youth Praise team, and the New Vision Kids performed a skit about Christmas. They took each letter in the word "Christmas" and explained what the meaning of the season is, using the letters.

Hodges says, she was pleased to see new seniors at the event this time, that hadn't been to the previous get-togethers. That, she called a blessing, because often, everybody doesn't get to see their neighbors as much as they want to.

Christmastime is the perfect season to renew and progress those old friendships.

Tail of the Turkey Bowl: One Bowl Game That's Already Been Played

2011-12-11T15:41:00.015-05:00

A turkey and a football.

What do they have in common?

Neither can fly. In fact, both need considerable help getting off the ground.

Both are very valuable. But together? You bet!

The return of a former Riverview neighborhood tradition brought both the turkey and football together over the Thanksgiving weekend.

PART OF THE DOUGLASS BALLFIELD, WITH THE RIVERVIEW APARTMENTS IN THE BACKGROUND

"The Turkey Bowl was a community thing every Thanksgiving," says Fredrick Smith, who remembers it well while growing up living in the Riverview Apartments across from the Douglass Ballfield. "Back in the day, men would gather either before or after Thanksgiving dinner, and they would play tackle football in the ballfield. First, two or three people in the same family would get out there and play, then two or three others passing by would see the action and join in. Next thing you know, there was a bunch of us out there, banging heads and just having a good time.

The competition was quite intense, as Smith remembers.

"There were some altercations," he laughs. "There was full-blown tackling and full contact to the ground. Everybody came out to play. My father Fred played in the Turkey Bowls, my stepfather, a lot of my older cousins.. then, neighbors, dudes from 'cross town. We always had enough to make two full teams. In the end, we all really had fun and it was something that everybody looked forward to."

Over the years, as the neighborhood changed, so did the Turkey Bowl. Eventually, it went away.

But not for good.

Fredrick Smith and many of the residents who remember it, have brought the Turkey Bowl back.. this time with a purpose.

"We put a little twist on it," Smith says. "I wanted to give people a reason to come out again and socialize in the re-emerging Riverview."

Click here to see a slideshow of the 2011 Turkey Bowl in the Douglass Ballfield in Riverview. Pictures courtesy Josh Harwood, Model City Sports.
Click here for more stories and pictures from Model City Sports.

The result was a toy drive to benefit children in the community who Smith says, "might not have be able to get anything for Christmas, or maybe not get as much as they were expecting. Everybody playing on the field, or anybody watching in the stands had to bring a toy that would be given to underprivileged kids this Christmas."

No hard hits on the field this time, though. The new Turkey Bowl was flag football, designed to involve many of the young men in the neighborhood.

"We wanted the young guys to come out and participate," he says. "We got the kids involved, and we did it flag football so that everybody could have a good time, but not get hurt, and we made it a toy drive for the needy kids."

Smith found a lot of support for the new Turkey Bowl in Riverview.

"All I did was say, 'hey, we're gonna have a Turkey Bowl involving flag football for the kids,' and when folks found out about the toy drive, everybody jumped on the bandwagon. Trippy Deal brought out his music, he provided that free of charge. Lisa Williamson came out with the food, she sold some stuff, she gave some stuff away.. we also had some cash donations that added on top of what we collected for the Turkey Bowl. It was a community event, and we want to keep it something that the community can get involved in, not just for the day we play, or the season we play in, but through the year leading up to it."

Smith says, the children growing up in the neighborhood will be reap the benefits.

"Short term the needy kids will get toys for Christmas," he says. "Long term, events like the Turkey Bowl, show the kids that, you don't have to be rich to give back to the community.. you just have to have the time."

"If you wait until you're rich... you might not ever be able to do it."

Bethel Stewardess Board Program on Sunday

2011-12-09T11:07:00.000-05:00

CLICK ON THE POSTER TO MAKE IT LARGER

Blake Leeper Coming Home to Speak

2011-12-07T11:08:00.008-05:00

CLICK ON THE FLYER TO MAKE IT LARGER

Neighborhood Watch meeting scheduled

2011-12-07T11:06:00.002-05:00

• KINGSPORT — A Borden Park and Lincoln Area Neighborhood Watch meeting will be held Tuesday, Dec. 13, at 6 p.m. at Calvary Baptist Church, 1238 Pine St., Kingsport. All area residents are invited to attend. A representative from the Kingsport Police Department will be present to answer questions and listen to concerns.

Moving on: Cathey leaving Kingsport schools for Nashville post

2011-12-07T10:41:00.001-05:00

Damon Cathey will be heading the Inspirational School Partnership in Nashville.

THIS STORY COURTESY THE KINGSPORT TIMES-NEWS

By RICK WAGNER
rwagner@timesnews.net

KINGSPORT — Kingsport Assistant Superintendent of Schools Damon Cathey is leaving the city school system for a job in Nashville, Cathey announced in a letter to staff and faculty Tuesday.

Cathey will be heading the Inspirational School Partnership, a public/private partnership in Nashville.

His resignation is effective Dec. 30, the same date that Superintendent Richard Kitzmiller is retiring after more than three decades with the school system. Kitzmiller has been superintendent since 2002.

“We’ll miss our friends and community here in Kingsport. It’s been an invaluable experience working with folks focused on learning and making students successful,” Cathey said in an afternoon phone interview.

Two Kingsport Board of Education members said Cathey was not among the 15 or so people consultant Wayne Qualls has discussed with board members as the school system’s possible next superintendent, but they believe he is an excellent educator.

“Right now, we are really trying to find someone who has superintendent experience,” BOE Vice President Carrie Upshaw said Tuesday.
Cathey has served as a teacher, assistant principal, principal and assistant superintendent.

“I’m just very sad to see him go,” Upshaw said. “I wish him every success. I think he will be wonderful wherever he goes and do a wonderful job.”

Cathey’s move will leave the system as of Dec. 31 with no assistant superintendent, unless one is appointed, and under the leadership of an interim superintendent the BOE appointed at its Dec. 1 meeting.

John Adams Principal Dwain Arnold was appointed interim superintendent but has no interest in seeking the position full time. Cathey has been a finalist for two Tennessee superintendent positions in the past year or so.

Kingsport City Schools spokesman Andy True and BOE President Randy Montgomery said it was unclear Tuesday if and when an interim assistant superintendent would be appointed.

“Dr. Cathey has served the students of Kingsport well for the past five years,” Montgomery said. “He’s a good man, and I wish him well.”

Montgomery said it would be up to Arnold to determine whether an interim assistant is needed since the BOE hires the superintendent and the superintendent hires the rest of the school system employees.

Cathey and his wife have three children in the Kingsport system, and his wife is a school-based family liaison at Jackson Elementary School. Cathey said she and the children would remain in Kingsport at least until the end of the 2011-12 school year, giving his children continuity for the year and his wife a chance to continue her work at Jackson and volunteer work on a community garden.

Kingsport BOE considers naming school after beloved Cora Cox

2011-12-05T23:59:00.004-05:00

PORTIONS OF THIS ARTICLE COURTESY THE KINGSPORT TIMES-NEWS

The Kingsport Board of Education is reviewing a recommendation from a committee charged with renaming the New Horizons Alternative School.

Tammie Davis, supervisor of elementary programs and professional staff, said the “overwhelming” response from students, staff and faculty was to leave the name as is.

But because that doesn’t comply with school board policy saying schools are to be named after someone who had an impact on the school system and/or community, the committee recommended the school be named after the late Cora Rogers Cox, a teacher in the system from 1944 to 1982.

Cox, born Cora Rogers in 1916 in Camden, Arkansas, died of cancer in August of 1982, shortly after she retired from teaching. She taught in Nashville, before coming to continue her teaching career at the old Douglass High School (Kingsport's African-American elementary/high school before the system integrated in the 1960s), where she met her future husband John Cox. After integration, Mrs. Cox taught at Ross N. Robinson and John Sevier Junior Highs, and finally Johnson Elementary, where, as special education teacher, she was one of the first teachers of autistic children. She did additional study at the University of Tennessee, the University of Virginia, Agricultural and Industrial State, and at the Judevine Center for Autistic Children in St. Louis, Missouri.

Mrs. Cox was twice named "Teacher of the Year" in Kingsport, and in 1976 named Tennessee "Teacher of the Year". She was one of four finalists for National Teacher of the Year in 1977.

She also was an elder at First Presbyterian Church on Church Circle, the outstanding East Tennessee State University alumna of 1977 (she received her masters in education from ETSU that year, and eventually her doctorate in education), and was also an adjunct faculty member at Steed and Carson-Newman colleges.

Mrs. Cox initiated the Head Start program in the Kingsport area, established scholarship funds at Dobyns-Bennett High School in memory of her late husband, and contributed liberally to programs of the Boys Club.

BOE member Betsy Cooper said Mrs. Cox loved storytelling and dancing. Children just loved her gentle patience. Cooper also said she found a photograph of Cox leaving a church service with former President Richard Nixon, with a cutline saying she told him she prayed for him during the Watergate investigation that was the beginning of the end for his presidency.

The committee is to recommend a full name for the school to the board at a voting BOE meeting.

The next scheduled meeting of the Board will be its January business meeting on Thursday, January 5, 2012 at 7:00 p.m. in the Field House Alumni Hall.

We'll keep you posted.

Dream Matchup Will Not Happen

2011-12-03T22:44:00.006-05:00

The "Dream Matchup" will not happen this political season. And given the currrent mood of the country, it may not ever get this close to happening again. This, despite the fact that only a few short weeks ago, it seemed entirely probable.

The battle pitting African-American Republican Herman Cain versus African-American Democrat Barack Obama was effectively eliminated, with the decision of Cain on December 3, 2011 to suspend his campaign.

Cain says, on the advice of his family, he is ending his campaign for president in the Republican field.

Questions about infidelity have dogged Cain for several weeks; in fact, they were among the issues that first surfaced, as he made a campaign swing through Tennessee, ending in Rogersville.

HERMAN CAIN ANSWERS QUESTIONS FROM CALVIN SNEED AT ROGERSVILLE APPEARANCE

As his poll numbers began to climb upward, Cain refused to discuss with this reporter any of the questions that began dogging him when asked about them, preferring to address the dream matchup that would have pitted two African-Americans leading the two largest political parties into an historic race for the presidency of the United States.

"It says that America does not care about color," Cain told your Douglass website reporter, "it ain't about color. It wasn't about color when Barack Obama got electd. This just puts an exclamation point: it ain't about color. It's going to be ideas and leadership, against ideas and leadership, and I'm going to win that battle."

For Cain, the battle ended abruptly at what would have been his national headquarters in Atlanta on Saturday, December 3rd, 2011.

A defiant Herman Cain suspended his faltering bid for the Republican presidential nomination, amid a drumbeat of sexual misconduct allegations against him, throwing his staunchly conservative supporters up for grabs with just one month to go before the lead-off caucuses in Iowa.

Cain condemned the accusations as "false and unproven" but said they had been hurtful to his family, particularly his wife, Gloria, and were drowning out his ability to deliver his message. His wife stood behind him on the stage, smiling and waving as the crowd chanted her name.

"So as of today, with a lot of prayer and soul-searching, I am suspending my presidential campaign because of the continued distractions and the continued hurt caused on me and my family," a tired-looking Cain told about 400 supporters.

Cain's announcement came five days after an Atlanta-area woman, Ginger White, claimed she and Cain had an affair for more than a decade, a claim that followed several allegations of sexual harassment against the Georgia businessman.

"Now, I have made many mistakes in life. Everybody has. I've made mistakes professionally, personally, as a candidate, in terms of how I run my campaign. And I take responsibility for the mistakes I've made, and I have been the very first to own up to any mistakes I've made," he said.

But Cain intoned: "I am at peace with my God. I am at peace with my wife. And she is at peace with me."

AMBER WHITE ACCUSES CAIN OF 13-YEAR AFFAIR - PICTURE COURTESY WSB-TV

White's attorney said a in statement after the announcement that Cain had disparaged his client and should apologize. Cain had called her a "troubled Atlanta businesswoman" whom he had tried to help.

"We continue to encourage Mr. Cain to retract these statements and apologize for the way he has characterized these women in the media," Buckley said. Cain's campaign had no immediate response.

Cain's announcement provides a new twist in what has already been a volatile Republican race. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has, so far, been the biggest beneficiary of Cain's precipitous slide. Polls show Gingrich and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney atop the field in what is shaping up as a two-man race heading into early voting states.

But others, such as Texas Gov. Rick Perry and Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann, will likely make a strong play for Cain's anti-establishment tea party backing as they look to rise as a viable alternative to Romney, whose conservative credentials are suspect in some GOP circles.

Cain said he would offer an endorsement, and his former rivals were quick to issue statements on Saturday praising his conservative ideals and grassroots appeal.

At a tea party rally in Staten Island, Gingrich praised Cain for bringing optimism and big ideas to the race.

"He had the courage to launch the 9-9-9 plan, which, whether you liked it or disliked it, was a big idea and started to elevate the debate toward big solutions and not the usual nitpicking, consultant-driven negativity," Gingrich said. He was referring to Cain's catchy but controversial plan to scrap the current tax code for a 9 percent tax on personal and corporate income as well as a new 9 percent national sales tax.

Some disappointed Cain supporters were clearly in search of a candidate on Saturday following his withdrawal.

"I don't know where I will go now," Janet Edwards, 52, said following Cain's announcement. "I guess I have to start looking at the rest of them."

Cain told supporters he planned to continue his efforts to influence Washington and announced "Plan B" - what he called a grassroots effort to return government to the people.

"I am not going to be silenced, and I am not going away. And therefore, as of today, Plan B," he said.

Plan B includes formation of TheCainSolutions.com, which he described as a grassroots effort to bring government back to the people. It would also continue to push his signature 9-9-9 plan.

Cain's announcement was a remarkable turnabout for a man that just weeks ago vaulted out of nowhere to the top of the GOP field, propelled by a populist, outsider appeal and his tax overhaul plan.

Saturday's event was a bizarre piece of political theater even for a campaign that has seemed to thrive on defying convention.

Cain marked the end of his bid at what was supposed to be the grand opening of his new campaign headquarters in Atlanta. Minutes before he took the stage to pull the plug, aides and supporters took to the podium to urge attendees to vote for Cain and travel to early voting states to rev up support for his bid.

"Join the Cain train," David McCleary, Cain's Georgia director, urged the audience.

Volunteers had been up through the night preparing the former flooring warehouse to open as the new hub of Cain's early-state outreach.

He marveled at rising from a childhood in Atlanta marked by segregated water fountains and poverty to what he called "the final four" of the presidential contest.

The former Godfather's Pizza chief executive, who has never held elective office, rose just weeks ago to lead the Republican race. But he fumbled policy questions, leaving some to wonder whether he was ready for the presidency. Then it was revealed at the end of October that the National Restaurant Association had paid settlements to two women who claimed Cain sexually harassed them while he was president of the organization.

A third woman told The Associated Press that Cain made inappropriate sexual advances but that she didn't file a complaint. A fourth woman also stepped forward to accuse Cain of groping her in a car in 1997.

Cain has denied wrongdoing in all cases and continued to do so Saturday.

Polls suggest his popularity had suffered. A Des Moines Register poll released Friday showed Cain's support plunging, with backing from 8 percent of Republican caucus goers in Iowa, compared with 23 percent a month ago.

The Associated Press contributed to this article

Letter to the Editor

2011-12-03T21:18:00.000-05:00

Folks, please see the latest Letter to the Editor at the Riverview Features - Opinions - Letters to the Editor link.

It raises an opinion that others in the community may have.

"Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree......"

2011-12-03T00:46:00.000-05:00

'We Love a Parade - Especially a Christmas Parade"

2011-11-29T01:08:00.000-05:00

Santa Claus arrived in the usual pomp and circumstance on Saturday, November 19, 2011 that only Kingsport has to offer.

Click here to see a slideshow of the floats, the units and the people of the Kingsport Christmas Parade, 2011.

After all, the Model City is probably the only city in the world where Santa arrives via a rail passenger car, pulled by two diesel locomotives from Shelbiana, Kentucky, through Southwest Virginia, dropping off goodies to the kids along the way, then arrives at the Kingsport depot, and mounts a fire truck in the city's annual Christmas Parade.

LITTLE MISS VISION 2011 AUTUMN WATTS IN THE CHRISTMAS PARADE - HER CHAUFFEUR IS RODRICK MCGUE

Just like thousands of people lined the tracks of the old Clinchfield Railroad, thousands more lined the streets of downtown to watch and applaud floats, exhibits and parade marchers.

We were also able to catch the Dobyns-Bennett High School Band, just before they took off for the Big Apple to perform in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Like many communities, Kingsport does a lot to bring residents to its downtown, and the annual Christmas parade is no exception.

The Christmas season is officially here. Just remember: Jesus is the Reason for the Season!

News Station Mislabels Shoppers

2011-11-28T14:38:00.001-05:00

CLICK ON THE PICTURE TO MAKE IT LARGER

This news pic is from WBAL-TV, the NBC station in Baltimore.

There's a very important word missing from the caption.

The copy editor at this station, probably meant to caption it "Black FRIDAY holiday shoppers."

Ouch.

DB Band in the Macy's Day Parade

2011-11-24T20:08:00.024-05:00

THIS PHOTO COURTESY THE KINGSPORT TIMES-NEWS

The Dobyns-Bennett High School Marching Band was selected to appear in the Macy's Day Thanksgiving Parade in downtown New York City on Thanksgiving Day, 2011.

Click here to see the announcement about DB being selected to march in the parade.

The magic day arrives.. in front of thousands of spectators in New York City, and millions of viewers on both NBC and CBS, the DB Band makes its way down Broadway.

Click here to see the DB Band marching at Times-Square in New York City .

This clip courtesy CBS-TV.

Here's coverage from another angle.

Click here to see the DB Band marching at Times-Square in New York City. This clip courtesy NBC-TV.

Congratulations to the Dobyns-Bennett High School Marching Band, under the direction of Lafe Cook.

Don't forget to catch pictures of the band in the Kingsport Christmas Parade, held downtown on Saturday November 19th. Those pictures are forthcoming.

Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser: Everybody 'Flipped' Over Our Pancakes

2011-11-20T18:39:00.002-05:00

"The Queen Bee was pleased with the Worker Bees who did such a good job at Applebee's."

That was the general feeling that Sons and Daughters of Douglass Alumni President Virginia 'Jenny' Hankins had, after the Pancake Breakfast fundraiser that the alumni group held at Applebee's in Kingsport on Saturday, November 19, 2011.

The event was the first such independent fundraiser for the Douglass alumni association, outside of the Reunions every two years.

Click here to see a slideshow from the Pancake Breakfast.

"The success of this Pancake Breakfast was a good show of cooperation," Hankins says. "It shows that the Douglass Alumni Association, the 'Sons and Daughters' is still strong. It shows that everybody on the Board is willing to work, even the alumni from out of town. They came and pitched in, rolled up their sleeves, and just dug right in."

While there was plenty of digging in for the workers, visitors who paid a 5-dollar donation, got to dig into some delicious pancakes.

"I probably flipped over 200 pancakes back there," says alumni Vicki (Woods) Smith. "They were mixed pretty good, and they rose up nice and fluffy. Van (Dobbins, Jr.) supplied plenty of sausages, both flat and link) and with the syrup and butter, it made for a good combination."

Hankins was particularly impressed with the New Vision Youth who helped out. Members of the group served as hostesses and waited on tables, with folks who had orders in, getting their pancakes deliveried with a smile and encouragement.

"Johnnie Mae (Swagerty)'s New Vision Youth kids were just phenomenal," she says. "To see them going back and forth from table to table, making sure everybody got their orders and that everybody was fed, was heart-warming. They even helped us by standing out on the street corners with posters they'd made, advertising the event. That brought several visitors in. It was cool that early in the morning, but a couple of them were out there anyway."

"Those kids taught us a thing or two about common courtesy and how to be cordial to people."

There was a steady stream of traffic all morning at Applebee's.. folks coming in with their pre-sold tickets, others just stopping by to make a donation.

"The Applebee's people were wonderful to us," Smith says. "They were so courteous. I'm sure they're used to working in a confined space anyway and I'm sure we were in the way as they were trying to get their things ready for the 11 o'clock lunchtime crowd, but they were so gracious and helpful. It didn't hurt us at all, but I didn't mind slipping them a couple of pancakes because they were so nice to us."

She recalls meeting one familiar face in the back.

"I ran into a young man named Brian that used to work with my son Ryan at the I-Hop," she says. "I asked him how my pancakes were, he said they were good, and I said 'uh huh.. that's where my son got it from."

Hankins also had lots of praise for the Applebee's management.

"Every time I talked to Tim, the manger," she says, "he was alwasy very helpful. Bobby, who opened up for us, went over everything, showed us where things were, and how to operate things. We had the cooking experience within our group, the assemble, and some of our people even worked in restaurant clean-up, so we knew how to work the dishwashers and things. Everything went very smoothly."

"If you couldn't make the Pancake Breakfast," Hankins says, "you missed a lot of camraderie and good fellowship.. seeing the alumni in the community you hadn't seen in a long time stopping by."

She says, watch for more fundraisers like this in the future. Proceeds from this event "will help supply our office with needed materials we need to administer some of our programs that we'll be contributing to. We want to help the different organizations in Riverview and Kingsport and donate to them.. the New Vision Kids, the programs for senior citizens, different groups."

Although Hankins says everybody was 'busy as little beavers,' it was fun to see the beavers and the 'bees' come together for a good fundraising cause.

Does This Bring Back Memories? Riverview 1968 and 2011 - New Memories to be Made

2011-11-17T11:41:00.001-05:00

This was flooding in Riverview in 1968. The corner of Carver Street and Douglass Street. Stormwater runoff had no place to go, and the kids had a blast....

...and then there's flooding in Riverview in 2011, November 16th to be exact. This is Martin Luther King Dr. at Carver Street. Pictures courtesy the Kingsport Times-News

Above, vehicles from the transportation department of the city of Kingsport block Martin Luther King Drive to allow deep water to go down after a day of rain Wednesday. At right, a car raises a splashy bow wave as it plows into standing water on the flooded street.

Turkey Bowl in the Douglass Ballfield

2011-11-16T15:22:00.002-05:00

Pictures from the 2011 V.O. Dobbins Fall Festival

2011-11-14T13:02:00.000-05:00

Click here to see a slideshow of pictures from the Fall Festival on the Douglass Ball Field.

Thanks to Chassy Smiley-Freeman, with Kingsport Parks and Recreation for these pictures.

Sons and Daughters of Douglass Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser This Coming Weekend

2011-11-13T19:31:00.001-05:00

Folks, please don't forget about our Pancake Breakfast this coming weekend.

It's the first major fundraiser for the Sons and Daughters of Douglass, outside of raising funds for yearly scholarships for our graduating seniors.

We're only asking for a 5-dollar donation (that's f-i-v-e) that will get you a ticket to the best pancakes and sausage you've ever eaten. All the proceeds go towards the operation and programs of the Douglass Alumni Association, D.B.A. the Sons and Daughters of Douglass, Inc., a non-profit 501(c)3 charity.

The Sons and Daughters of Douglass Pancake Breakfast will be held at Applebee's, at the corner of Eastman Road and E. Stone Drive in Kingsport, this Saturday the 19th, from 7:30 AM to 10:30 AM. There will also be a Sons and Daughters of Douglass Board meeting at Applebee's, at 10:30 AM.

Tickets can be purchased prior to the Breakfast from any Alumni Board member, and will also be available on Saturday morning. Just drop by.
If you cannot attend, but want to support your alumni association, your five dollar donation will still be greatly appreciated. Just drop your check or money order in the mail, made out to:

Sons and Daughters of Douglass, Inc.
(and mail it to)
Ste. 104
301 Louis Street
Kingsport, TN 37660

See you Saturday! And come on an empty stomach!

The End of the Twin Riverview Swimming Pools

2011-11-13T19:12:00.001-05:00

A few years ago, Riverview's old swimming pool was closed and filled in.

Nobody was happy to see it go.

A few days ago, Riverview's new twin swimming pools were filled in.

Nobody was happy to see them STAY.

The city of Kingsport is in the final stages of filling in and closing two retention ponds on Louis Street on either side of the V.O. Dobbins Sr. Complex. Government regulations require retention ponds to catch stormwater runoff from roofs, parking lots or land changes during and after new building construction, and then channel that runoff into the nearest storm drains.

The two ponds at Dobbins were the source of many neighborhood complaints relating to flooding, insects and child access.

"They should have never put those ponds in there in the first place," says Jack Pierce, whose home sits directly across the street from the biggest runoff pond. "I think they did have good intentions when they first put them in.. I don't think they meant any harm to the neighborhood. It was just a bad idea, and we're glad they finally saw the light."

It probably wasn't the LIGHT the city saw.. more like, the PIPE.

"About 10 years ago, we had done some sanitary sewer rehabilitation in Riverview," says Dan Wankel, Kingsport's stormwater engineer. "But then, we discovered an unused 24-inch pipeline, just lying there underneath the water lines and the sewer pipe that we had the retention pond tied into. That pipeline we found out, eventually turns into a 30-inch line, and then a 36-inch main down Industry Drive that empties directly into the South Fork Holston River. Tying all the runoff from the Dobbins parking lots and the roof runoffs from the neighborhood into that unused 24-inch main, we determined we didn't need the retention ponds anymore."

"I was able to convince T-DEC (the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation) that, with the receiving stream being the South Fork of the Holston itself being so close by, and no creeks or streams to empty into first, that we could tie the stormwater runoff directly into the river, without impacting any surrounding property."

Having the pond filled in, takes a big worry off its nearest neighbor.

"I've seen water six feet deep in there," says Pierce, "and kids could have gotten in there and drowned. The set-up the city had, wouldn't carry the water away fast enough."

The backed-up runoff ultimately emptied into the river through the main that we found overflowing along Industry Drive one super rainy day. The pressure was so great, that water runoff leaked heavily at the junction manhole to the river. Although the manhole held in place, had it blown, the blast would have blown it over the ridge to Dunbar Street, 500 feet away.

"We put a project together using different funding sources," Wankel says, "and were able to put in the connecting pipe that drains from the parking lots directly into that unused 24-inch main, and then fill in the land above it. The connection was made on Jack's side of the street, because that's where the pipe is."

Pierce says, he doesn't expect too much work out of his mosquito killer this coming spring and summer.

"Still water breeds mosquitos," he says, "and since the water would still be in the pond for several days, bugs would swarm for days."

"It could be nice to sit out on the porch pretty soon."

NAACP Details Problems with Voting Rights Changes

2011-11-10T16:23:00.000-05:00

THIS LETTER FROM THE NAACP DETAILS THE ORGANIZATON'S OPPOSITION TO SITUATIONS LIKE THE ONE THIS PAST WEEKEND, THAT'S PLAGUING OUR RIVERVIEW SENIORS' RIGHT TO VOTE

Dear Calvin,

If Charles and David Koch have their way, millions of eligible Americans won't be able to cast a vote in 2012.

In recent years, the billionaire political operatives have used their vast fortunes to finance the drafting, promoting and introduction of model bills restricting people's ability to vote, and so far legislatures in 38 states have introduced Koch Brothers-supported legislation. All told, this is the most aggressive and widespread attack on the right to vote since the voting rights restrictions that paved the way for segregation.

This week, Brave New Films debuts a new video shining the spotlight on the Koch Brothers and their role in the voting rights attacks. "Koch Brothers Exposed" is a call to action for all Americans concerned about protecting this most fundamental of rights.

Click here to watch the video and then sign the Stand for Freedom pledge today to fight back.

The voter suppression laws take many forms: prohibitive voter registration requirements, sharply reduced early voting periods, government-issued photo ID requirements, and discriminatory laws that disproportionately deny voting rights to people with felony convictions.

As I note in the video, these attacks on voting rights are only the beginning. The reason that you take away somebody's right to vote is so that you can take away the rest of their rights.

Everything we care about is at stake: the right to equal opportunity, the right for every child to attend a quality school, for clean water to drink and clean air to breathe, and basic protection of civil and human rights.

The NAACP is organizing aggressively to stop these rollbacks. On December 10th, International Human Rights Day, we will organize a series of rallies and events around the country. In New York City, we will begin our march at a demonstration outside the Koch brothers' offices, and continue on to a rally at the United Nations Building.

Please join the resistance against these fundamental attacks on human rights. Click this link to watch this new video from Brave New films, then sign the Stand for Freedom petition today and share it with your friends, colleagues and family members.

The NAACP has never stood on the sidelines when the extremists of any era attacked the voting right of Americans. We will fight the Koch brothers and their ilk, and with your help, we will prevail.

Standing for Freedom,

Ben

Benjamin Todd Jealous
President and CEO, NAACP

Riverview Seniors Up in Arms About Voter Picture I-D

2011-11-07T20:19:00.239-05:00

"Our folk died, just have the right to vote years ago.. why change the rules now?

Mrs. "Miss Pinkie" Horton

It was a cool, sunny Saturday morning, when Mrs. "Miss Pinkie" Horton set out to take her sister-in-law Bernice to get a new photo I-D. A photo I-D is now required to be able to vote in Tennessee.

"I saw it in the paper that she needed to have that, and I've always voted at the Civic Auditorium," she says, "so we went there."

Apparently unbeknownst to 84-year-old 'Miss Pinkie' and 77-year-old 'Miss Bernice,' photo I-D's are only being done at Tennessee's driver license centers on the first Saturday of every month to avoid the long lines during the week. Furthering the mixup, somehow they got re-directed to the V.O. Dobbins Sr. Complex, a building totally locked up for the weekend.

"I've always had a driver's license that did not require a picture," says 'Miss Bernice.' "Having a picture cost more, and any little place where I could save money, I do. My license with no picture has always been my identification. It's crazy for them (state lawmakers) to require photo I-D's now. I wondered why they did that, and, thinking about it you know, I think I know why now."

Thinking about a change that did not seem necessary, the two sisters-in-law were in complete agreement about why a photo I-D is now required to vote in Tennessee. In fact, they are quite blunt about it.

"I think they're trying to keep black folk from voting for Obama," says Miss Pinkie. 'Miss Bernice' was just as vocal.

"I think they (state lawmakers) are just putting one more thing in the way to keep the black seniors and the other elderly, from being able to vote," she says.. "because they know we're voting for Obama."

TENNESSEE STATE CAPITOL, NASHVILLE

The photo I-D measure was sponsored by House Republican Caucus Chairman Debra Maggert (R-Hendersonville), who says the law is "a needed tool to prevent voter fraud." A story in the Knoxville News-Sentinel reported that Tennessee Republicans have said there have been episodes in the past, plus other cases that have likely gone undetected because the state has not required voters to present a photo I-D. ABC News reports that states with strict voter photo I-D laws more than tripled in 2011.

Meanwhile, Tennessee Lieutenant Governor Ron Ramsey (R-Blountville) has gone so far as to offer rides to anyone needing to get to the driver's license centers to get a photo I-D for people who need one to vote.

Two sisters-in-law from Kingsport's Riverview community would have probably taken him up on that offer.

Since 'Miss Pinkie' is still driving at the age of 84, she already had a photo I-D in the form of a Tennessee driver's license, so for her sister-in-law, Douglass website manager Calvin, who was working at V.O. Dobbins that Saturday, directed them to the Tennessee driver's license center for Sullivan County, the only authorized place to get a state-issued photo I-D on the first Saturday of every month.

That center is 14 miles from Kingsport, just north of Blountville on U.S. Highway 11-W.. an almost 30-mile round trip for the Riverview seniors.

"Traffic wasn't too bad," says 'Miss Pinkie.' "People zoomed by us, but that was all right. We can't get in a hurry, and I don't like to drive very fast."

'MISS BERNICE' AT THE DRIVER LICENSE CENTER - PICTURE COURTESY WCYB-TV

As luck would have it, a news crew from WCYB-TV, Channel 5 was at the driver's license center, doing a story on photo I-D's. 'Miss Bernice' was interviewed for the story, but because the story was aimed from a positive viewpoint on the ease of getting a photo I-D on Saturday, she says, she did not get to tell the reporter what she really thought of the new requirement. She says, she was disappointed that she was never asked if there was a negative aspect to having to have a photo I-D to vote.

"If they would have asked me that, they might have heard a different story," she says.

'Miss Bernice' did receive a driver's license with her photo on it, but says, she felt as if she was being held hostage having to pay extra for her picture, just to be able to vote.

"It was a put-down for me," she says. "Saturday was the only I could do it, and then I had to catch a ride, drive 30 miles, to get a photo I-D on a driver's license that I don't need. We had to use the gas and risk all those fast drivers and it was like, nobody was listening to us once we got there. They were nice enough, but I don't like being forced to get one just to vote."

"No matter," she says. "I'm voting for Obama anyway."

'MISS BERNICE' & 'MISS PINKIE' LEAVING THE DRIVER'S LICENSE CENTER - PICTURE COURTESY WCYB-TV

The irony of the situation is not lost on the seniors.

"Why is a photo I-D necessary now?" 'Miss Bernice' wants to know. "I was able to vote before and nothing was wrong. We had to sign our name, we had to prove our address, we had to show where we had voted before, and that was it. Now we have to show them a picture of us. What was wrong with the other stuff? We're the same people we were before. What difference is it gonna make?"

"They're trying to pull the wool over our eyes," 'Miss Pinkie' surmised. "You have a spirit about you, that tells you what people are up to. They're trying to keep our folk from voting for Obama again. Our folk died just to have the right to vote. We (African-Americans) had to have a special law back in the 60's just to be able to vote (the Voting Rights Act of 1965)."

After that 30-mile round trip they had just made, 'Miss Pinkie' ventured a sobering observation.

"Seems like you almost have to die now just to be able to vote."

Fall Flowers in Riverview

2011-11-06T17:25:00.001-05:00

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PANSIES AT THE DOUGLASS HISTORICAL MARKER IN RIVERVIEW, SIGNALING THE COOL WEATHER OF FALL, FORECASTING THE CHILL OF THE UPCOMING WINTER.

Reading to the Little Ones

2011-11-06T16:38:00.001-05:00

THIS PICTURE COURTESY THE KINGSPORT TIMES-NEWS -- CLICK THE PICTURE TO MAKE IT LARGER

Still standing: Central’s Gudger shares story with police across Southeast

2011-10-30T11:20:00.000-04:00

‘If she would have gotten there a little later, we’d have had a dead principal.’ — Sheriff Wayne Anderson

THIS STORY COURTESY THE KINGSPORT TIMES-NEWS

By RAIN SMITH
rsmith@timesnews.net

It’s been 14 months since a gunman entered Sullivan Central High School in Blountville, igniting a nearly 15-minute standoff with police before he was shot and killed.
But for the Sullivan County officer who stepped between the man and school Principal Melanie Riden, attempting to coax him to hand over his weapon as police swarmed the facility and students huddled in classrooms, time has not dulled the memories.

With that vividness still intact, Officer Carolyn save lives if the nightmare scenario unfolds in their community.
“Some people probably want to know why I didn’t shoot right off,” says Gudger, a 15-year veteran of the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office and school resource officer. “All of (the presentations and interviews) afterward have been more nerve-racking than the actual event.”

From the Tennessee Sheriffs’ Association in Nashville to a national conference for school resource officers in Orlando, Fla. — and many stops in between — Gudger has been sharing her experiences and fielding questions. Anderson accompanies her to outline how the events unfolded and chronicle his department’s response.
“The thing we stress is train, train, train,” said Anderson. Gudger and Sheriff Wayne Anderson have been speaking to law enforcement agencies throughout the Southeast. The goal: Provide insights that can and plan with your schools.

“What we try to do is teach them it will happen. It’s going to happen, in your community, and you have to prepare for it.”
Thomas Richard Cowan, 62, of Kingsport, was fatally shot once two other officers converged on his and Gudger’s position inside the school. Gudger doesn’t profess to have all the answers, or have written the gospel on handling such a situation. As Cowan demanded to speak with the FBI, U.S. marshals and eventually the sheriff, she simply replied it would be done after he handed over his weapon.
But she does concede that sharing her experience can’t hurt her brethren in the field.
“Seeing others’ reactions helps,” she said. “I watch that silly show “Cops.” I say, ‘I wouldn’t have handled it that way.’ Or ‘Here’s what I would have done.’ I think most (officers she speaks with) look at it that way.”

The events of that day have earned Gudger induction into the American Police Hall of Fame in Titusville, Fla. She was one of eight finalists for a national competition from “America’s Most Wanted” and served as grand marshal for the Food City 250 at Bristol Motor Speedway.
But Gudger says the biggest changes she’s experienced aren’t the media exposure, both locally and nationally, but how she now internalizes stressful situations she faces.
“One side of me (during the incident) was, ‘Why haven’t you shot?’ The other side was calm,” recalls Gudger. “I listen to the calm more than I used to.”

Gudger and Anderson say they still don’t have a concrete explanation for what motivated Cowan to enter the school with two loaded guns, pointing one at the principal’s head. There’s talk that students had been making fun of his brother, a custodian at the school, and the gunman was angry with the school administration.
But they know the staffing of a school resource officer saved lives. Gudger, one of four SROs within the county, had been dealing with an issue at a middle school and arrived at Sullivan Central minutes before Cowan entered.
“If she would have gotten there a little later, we’d have had a dead principal,” Anderson said.

Ahough the timing that day was serendipitous, police can’t bank on such strokes of luck. That’s why Anderson lobbied this spring for funding to place school resource officers in all county schools, not just the four high schools.
The proposal was not accepted.
“I was so disappointed, not only in the County Commission but the school board,” Anderson said. “At first everyone was really interested and thought it was really needed. Then there were some critics that questioned if (Cowan) really wanted to hurt someone.
“Well, he had two loaded guns and pulled one on an officer and a principal. So he definitely was there to do harm.”
Anderson said the start-up for eight additional SROs would have cost $500,000, then tallied approximately $350,000 in subsequent years. The SCSO applied for grants to fund the positions, but as with many agencies looking for federal funds in a recession, was denied.
Anderson said he’ll again seek the money from the Sullivan County Commission in next year’s budget.
“Everyone says it’s a tight budget time, but to me our children are a priority,” Anderson said. “Maybe there’s a mind-set it won’t happen again, and hopefully it won’t, but it certainly could.”

2012 Scholarship Program for Low-Income Minority Students

2011-10-28T16:25:00.000-04:00

Eligibility: Gates' non-profit organization is giving away 1,000 scholarships for the 2012 school season. Bill Gates' Millennium Scholarship Program (GMS) will select 1,000 talented students next year to receive a good-through-graduation scholarship to use at any college or university of their choice. Scholars will also be provided with personal and professional development through their leadership programs along with academic support throughout their college career.

The program, funded by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, was established to provide outstanding low income minority students with an opportunity to complete an undergraduate college education in any area of interest. To date, the program has given scholarships to more than 15,000 students. Continuing scholars may request funding for a graduate degree program in one of the following disciplines: education engineering, library science, mathematics, public health or science

To apply, click here .

Deadline: The deadline for submitting an application is Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Elizabeth McMeekin, Program Manager
Neighborhood Opportunity Network Sites
A Partnership of Montgomery County, Maryland DHHS, IMPACT Silver Spring and Anchor Nonprofits
Phone: 240-777-3043

New Vision pageant raises $1,000-plus

2011-10-26T13:19:00.001-04:00

• KINGSPORT — Checks were presented Tuesday by New Vision Youth to three organizations that were the recipients of a recent fund-raiser. The Gents to Gentlemen Male Pageant, held on Oct. 15 and sponsored by New Vision Youth, raised more than a $1,000 that was distributed equally to the Kingsport Parks and Recreation Department, Kingsport Community Ministry Center and Berry’s Pharmacy.

Breast Cancer Awareness at Central Baptist Church

2011-10-26T13:04:00.000-04:00

Excluding skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common form of cancer among women in the United States (men get it, too). 230,480 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed in this country before this year ends.

Many groups, including the local Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure office located in the V.O. Dobbins Complex Tower, say it's important to catch breast cancer early with self examination.

On October 23, 2011, the Central Baptist Church in Riverview-Kingsport held a Breast Cancer Awareness service for our friends and neighbors who have breast cancer, and also those who lost their lives to the disease.

Click here to see pictures of the Breast Cancer Awareness Service at Central. These pictures were taken by Donna Morrisette.

Please contact the American Cancer Society and the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure agencies, to ask about self-examination techniques to help you spot breast cancer signs.

It could save your life.

An Open Letter to the Douglass-Riverview Community

2011-10-24T12:37:00.003-04:00

FROM THE PRESIDENT'S DESK:

TO OUR FELLOW ALUMNI, FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS IN THE DOUGLASS-RIVERVIEW-SOUTH CENTRAL COMMUNITY:

The Sons and Daughters of Douglass Alumni Executive Board is aware of an appearance scheduled for early November in Kingsport and Johnson City of Dr. Umar Abdullah Johnson, descendant of Frederick Douglass, a name we hold dear to our hearts, as our former School is named in his honor.

While we acknowledge the historical lineage of Dr. Johnson with Frederick Douglass, after further and careful examination of Dr. Johnson's views on race relations and black/white society, we the Sons and Daughters of Douglass Executive Board, on behalf of our alumni, feel that his appearance would not be appropriate for our approval and support.

Therefore, the Sons and Daughters of Douglass, Inc (also known as the Douglass Alumni Association - Kingsport) will NOT be a participant in Dr. Johnson's appearance, nor do we endorse, approve of, or otherwise support his appearance for our community or our children.

We also need to make mention that Sons and Daughters of Douglass, Inc (also known as the Douglass Alumni Association - Kingsport) has no control over the Douglass Community Room, nor the V.O. Dobbins Sr. Complex that it is housed in, including the ballfield, gymnasiums, rooms and offices. We are tenants in the building and we are governed by the same rules and regulations as all the other tenants.

Respectfully Submitted
Virginia (Jenny) Hankins, President
Sons and Daughters of Douglass, Inc.

Sons and Daughters of Douglass Board Meeting Minutes, October 15, 2011

2011-10-21T01:21:00.000-04:00

10-15-2011

Members In Attendance: Virginia Hankins, Ruth Russell, Lillian Leeper, Thelma Watterson, Sheila Leeper, Andra Watterson, Calvin Sneed, Ozine Bly, Wallace Ross, Jr., Sandra Wilmer, Pamela Sensabaugh; Andra Watterson, Linda Bly, and Vicki Smith.

Meeting was called to order by President, Virginia Hankins

Prayer

Financial report given by Lillian Leeper

Old Business/Unfinished Business

Swearing in of Officers – Pam Sensabaugh, - Correspondence Secretary, and Wallace Ross, Jr.,- Seargent-At-Arms was done by Andra Watterson.

Our ad in Shiloh’s anniversary book was shown to the group.

Telephone – Calvin explained the bundle that we are currently using versus changing plans and the cost involved. Weighing options as to whether there will be a savings if we change plans. Changing plans to eliminate the phone and keep the internet will not be a significant savings. Alumni will revisit in January whether or not to continue with the plan we have now.

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Pancake Breakfast – Pancakes, Sausage, Coffee on Saturday, November 17, 2011 7:30 – 10:30 @ Applebee’s on E. Stone Drive/Eastman Road. Each member is responsible for 10 tickets (donation of $5.00) total amount of tickets on hand = 300 Volunteers are needed to cook, serve, greet, and publicize the event.

Sponsors needed for Golf Outing on October 6, 2012 (tentative date). This is a listing of the previous sponsors: Green Bank, Eastman, Braden’s Barbeque, Rick Spivey, Food City, WKPT, Nathan Vaughn (State Farm Insurance).

New Business

Report from tenants meeting - Douglass Alumni Association is able to hold a total of four meetings per year without charge. We are non-paying tenants and we have to follow the guidelines the same as all other tenants.

Request to co-sponsor Dr. Umar Johnson - Dion Russell (Dinky) has asked the alumni to co-sponsor the event featuring Dr. Umar Johnson. The only day available open that we can co-sponsor is that Saturday. Motion was made by Peaches to work with Chassy Smiley to reserve the building and Calvin seconded the motion. Motion carried.

Points of Interest from the President

President is asking for all alumni to come out and support the pancake breakfast. This will be our first fundraising event for 2011. Lillian made a motion that funds generated from this event be used to open our account with Green Bank. Calvin seconded the motion and motion carried.

The alumni office would like to catalog all of the past alumni booklets, if any alumni has extras please let us know. There will be a brief meeting after the pancake breakfast on November 19, 2011.

Meeting Adjourned

Minutes submitted by: Vicki Smith, Recording Secretary

1st Annual "Gents to Gentlemen Pageant" - Showcasing Boys to Men

2011-10-20T13:30:00.006-04:00

Who says beauty pageants have to have just women and young ladies as contestants?

The mold was broken on Saturday, October 15, 2011, when the first annual Gents to Gentlemen Pageant was held at the Kingsport Civic Auditorium.

"Men can be beautiful in their own way," says Johnnie Mae Swagerty, who organized the pageant. "This kind of pageant done just like the pageants for women, showcases their abilities and personalities. We always have the pageants for the women, pageants and proms for the little kids, but nothing for the men in the community."

"Hopefully, people will come out and support the men folk when we have the next pageant."

Click here to see a slideshow of the 2011 Gents to Gentlemen Pageant.

The event was sponsored by New Vision Youth, Taylor-Hamilton Insurance, and Kingsport Parks and Recreation, and hosted by Kingsport funnyman Xavier "Tim" Hall. The small admission fee was actually a donation for programs in the community.

"We put this pageant together as a fund raiser to help 3 organizations," Swagerty says. "KCMC, which is the Kingsport Community Ministry organization.. that's the organization that will pay your light bill or your gas bill in the summer or winter months when in need. Then, Kingsport Parks and Recreation for summer equipment, basketballs, tennis, and baseballs. And also, Berry's Pharmaceuticals.. they're the folks who help all the seniors with their prescription medicines. A lot of seniors cannot afford their meds the way the economy is right now, and Berry's sells them either at a discount, or by account."

"Hopefully, the money raised will help our seniors out, when they need it the most."

Judges for the event were Sandi Peters of the Title Max office in Kingsport... Carolyn Clay Gudger with the Sullivan County Sheriff's Department... Debbie Arnold, R.N. with the Holston Valley-Wellmont Hospital Emergency Room, and Mary Alexander of Northeast State College.

From ages 4 to 50+, the pageant contestants had a blast, strutting their stuff down the runway of the Auditorium, to the cheers and encouragement of the audience. The categories were Gents, from kindergarten through elementary school: then middle school entrants; and then high school candidates. From there, adult men had their own categories.

The categories were Mr. Gent (kindergarten through high school), Best Total Package (ages 4 to 15 years old), Best Total Package (ages 39 to 50+).. Best Dressed 4 to 15 years old, and 39 to 50+.. also, Mr. Gentleman (middle and high school).. Mr. Man (middle and high school).. Mr. Wiseman (adult men).. Mr. Senior Citizen (adult men).. then, Mr. Smiles, Mr. Photogenic, Mr. Congeniality and Mr. New Vision Youth (all boys and men in these categories).

In the Mr. Gent (Kindergarten-Elementary) category, contestants were Wyatt Peters, Brian Riley, Johnathan Russell, Preston Fullen and Gabriel Marshall. The winner in this category was Gabriel Marshall.

In the Mr. Gentleman (Middle and High School) category, contestants were Jay Petty, Brandon Pruitt, Tyrik Hale, Chris Greer, Savion Camp and Ray Petty. The Mr. Gentleman winner was Brandon Pruitt, and Mr. Man was Savion Camp.

In the Mr. Wiseman and Mr. Senior Citizen (adult men) categories, the contestants were Tony Adams, Chuck Russell, Pastor Lawrence Myrick, Brad McKee, Jason Lester, Jimmy Harrell and B.T. Tartar. Selected Mr. Wiseman was Brad McKee, and Jimmy Harrell was picked as Mr. Senior Citizen.

In the other categories, the Mr. Smiles, Best Total Package (ages 4 to 15), Mr. Photogenic and the People's Choice winner was all Wyatt Peters. Pastor Lawrence Myrick got the award for Mr. Photogenic, ages 39 to 50"+. Myrik Hale received the Best Dressed Award for ages 4 to 15 years old, and Jasn Lester received the Best Dressed Award for ages 39 to 50+. Mr. Congenialty winner was Brad McKee, and Mr. New Vision Youth 2011 winner was Chris Greer.

Swagerty says, she's hoping that folks will come out and support the men in the next pageant. She says, in one case, one woman entered her husband, her son, AND 2 of her nephews in the pageant categories. Another one told us, her daughter has won all kinds of pageant, but this was the first time, her SON ever won a pageant.

"We had a good crowd, and lots of good entrants this year," she says. "I see the Gents to Gentlemen pageant getting bigger and better next year, once folks know about it and come out to support it."

"We are glad to have everybody's support."

Fall Festival at the V.O. Dobbins Sr. Complex

2011-10-19T01:31:00.002-04:00

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Herman Cain Comes to Rogersville; Addresses Racial Criticism

2011-10-18T21:24:00.001-04:00

"It ain't about race."

Those words from Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain to your Douglass website reporter, when his campaign swung through Rogersville, Tennessee on Saturday, October 15, 2011.

We asked Cain what he feels about the historical significance that two African-Americans could possibly face each other, representing the country's two top parties for the presidency of the United States.

"It says that America does not care about color.. it ain't about color," he says. "It wasn't about color when Barack Obama got electd. This just puts an exclamation point: it ain't about color. It's going to be ideas and leadership, against ideas and leadership, and I'm going to win that battle."

Cain has drawn criticism from, some in the black community for his views on race.

At an earlier campaign stop in Harriman Saturday, Cain accused liberals of playing the race card "until it's the joker in the deck."

"America isn't worried about color. It's worried about content, character and ideas," he said. "It ain't about race."

In relation to that, Cain was asked what he would differently from President Obama.

"Lead," he said simply. "I'm going to lead. I'm going to surround myself with the right people. That's the problem we have now, I'm going to focus my people, and I'm going to solve stuff."

During the impromptu news conference, Cain was quick to defend his 9-9-9 plan, which would replace the complex U.S. tax code with a 9 percent income tax, a 9 percent corporate tax and a new 9 percent national sales tax. When asked if his 9-9-9 tax plan would place the federal, state and local sales tax at near 20 per cent in Tennessee (including Tennessee's state sales tax between 7 and 9.25%), Cain says his tax proposal would not affect states or municipalities.

"That's an irrelevant comparison," he said. "You're going to have your state tax no matter what. I want to make the federal piece better. The federal piece replaces... the 9-9-9 replaces the federal piece.. doesn't have anything to do with the state piece."

Cain also attacked some of the more conservative magazines, who have been reporting that the 9-9-9 tax plan is going to hurt the middle class.

"They are dead wrong.. sorry about that," he said. "The reason they are dead, dead wrong, is because they're not doing the math correctly. If they understood better taxes that are going to be taken out of products, 9% is simply a visible tax. The embedded taxes that are in products and goods and services right now, we're just going to make it visible."

Riding high in the polls, Cain met enthusiatic supports in the Rogersville City Park. The Kingsport Times-News picks up the story after the news conference, as Cain spoke to the crowd of supporters.

THIS STORY COURTESY THE KINGSPORT TIMES-NEWS

By HANK HAYES
hhayes@timesnews.net

ROGERSVILLE — GOP presidential contender Herman Cain told a cheering crowd of more than 1,000 people Saturday that “message over money” is fueling his surge in the polls.

Click here to see a picture slideshow of the Cain rally at the Rogersville City Park .

"We’re not going to outraise anybody ... (but) we’re going to raise some cain, that’s what we’re going to do,” the Georgia businessman, ex-radio talk show host and former Godfather’s Pizza chief executive shouted at Rogersville City Park on the last leg of his Tennessee bus tour.

Cain’s main economic message: Throw out the current tax code and implement his “9-9-9” plan — a flat nine percent tax on business, income and sales — in the first 90 days of his administration.

Tax deductions for businesses buying U.S. goods will be allowed, and that should put domestic products on more level footing, Cain insisted.

“We can make stuff just as good as anybody else in the world,” he said. “When you take out those embedded taxes, we can compete anywhere in the world. ... We can leave everybody in the dust with 9-9-9.”

Cain said the plan meets five objectives: transparency, efficiency, fairness, simplicity and being revenue neutral.

State government in Tennessee is mostly paid for by a 7 percent sales tax, and many localities have a local option sales tax of more than 2 percent.

When asked for a response about the possibility of having a combined federal, state and local sales tax rate approaching 20 percent, Cain said: “That’s an irrelevant comparison. You’re going to have your state tax no matter what. I want to make the federal (tax) piece better. ... It doesn’t have anything to do with the state piece.”

Cain, now in a dead heat with GOP presidential front-runner Mitt Romney, told followers they are the reason he’s moving up the ladder in the polls.

“You are part of this sleeping giant that has awakened ... this sleeping giant called ‘We the people,’ ” Cain said. “The skeptics, the pundits and some people in the media, they still don’t get it. I saw it coming a year ago when I first started traveling around the country talking to people. ... It took some folk in the media and in the (Washington, D.C.) beltway, ... it took them until two weeks ago to wake up to what you all already knew. You already knew you were sick and tired of business and politics as usual.”

Cain noted conservative commentator George Will said it best: “When Herman Cain won the Florida Straw Poll, the liberals’ brains exploded. ... The long shot kept moving up and up, and all of a sudden he moved to tie Mitt Romney. ... Not only did all the liberals’ brains explode, all the establishment brains exploded.”

Cain pointed out campaign fund-raising numbers showing four other GOP candidates raising more money than him don’t tell the whole story. (They say) this guy Cain raised a piddling $2.8 million,” he said. “One of the Fox News anchors said ‘He’s winning and he doesn’t have any money.’ ”

Cain said his GOP opponents now try to take him on during debates. “Did y’all notice that big bull’seye on my back?” he joked. “(The other candidates) took a lot of shots at me the other night. I felt like the star of the show. They’re going to try to shoot at 9-9-9, but they’re going to lose.”

Cain said people at the grassroots level, meanwhile, are tired of America being a “nation of crisis” — in the economy, entitlement spending, energy, illegal immigration, foreign policy and leadership.

“The American people are saying we’re sick of it,” Cain stressed. “We are on a track to socialism, and this president (Democrat Barack Obama) knows it and he’s very arrogant about it. ... People went from concern to fear because we have a president and administration that does not care for the voice of the people.”

Obama’s proposed $450 billion jobs plan won’t work for the same reasons the $1 trillion stimulus plan didn’t work, Cain said. “Fourteen million people are still looking for work,” Cain said. “Most of (the stimulus money) was used to pay off his union buddies. And he did it arrogantly. ... He thinks the American people are stupid enough to believe that if a trillion dollars didn’t work, maybe about $450 billion might work. But you ain’t stupid.”

Whitesburg welder David O’Pry, who was at the Rogersville City Park more than three hours before Cain spoke, said Obama’s Environmental Protection Agency has killed his business. “I watched my business go to a bust because the regulations this president put into place. ... It’s more difficult, and more expensive for me to operate,” O’Pry said.

Cain said the news media wants people to believe he can’t beat Obama — who is outfundraising all GOP candidates — in a general election contest. “They think I’m in this to get a TV program,” Cain told the crowd.

Cain declared his health would not be an issue. “I’ve been cancer free for five years,” he said.

Hawkins County GOP Chairwoman Cecile Testerman predicted the Republican nomination race in Tennessee would be between Cain and Romney. “I think he’s very electable,” she said of Cain. “Absolutely electable. I think if he was to win the Republican nomination, I think he could win against the current president.”

Women of Excellence: Food in the Spotlight

2011-10-18T17:53:00.000-04:00

The Riverview and Tri-Cities communities recently came together to help a local sorority chapter celebrate outstanding women in the area.

It was the 11th Annual Women of Excellence Banquet, held in the Douglass Room of the V.O. Dobbins, Sr. Complex on Saturday, October 1, 2011. The banquet honored local women in the fields of business, education, community and lifetime achievement. It was sponsored by the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Pi Omega Omega Chapter.

(to see pictures of the event, click here)

Linda Calvert is one of the eight members of the chapter, which has members in both Kingsport and Johnson City.

"Normally, we have had the banquet at one of the restaurants," she says, but this year we decided to combine it with an event we've held in the past, called 'A Taste of AKA.'

As you can imagine, the 'taste' was all about food.

"This year, we did a taste of the seasons," Calvert says. "At one exhibit was an example of the Christmas influence, with items to eat that you would find at a typical Christmas meal and party. Then we had a Thanksgiving exhibit, and you noticed there were collard greens sweet potato casserole, and various traditional Thanksgiving meats. At the springtime Easter table, was baked ham, potato salad. Then, our summer picnic table of the 4th of July and Labor Day, featured things like watermelon and buns, so you just knew there must be some barbeque somewhere nearby."

The event was a unique one in Riverview's cultural life.

"It gives us the opportunity to show off our culinary skills," says Calvert, "and it also stimulates socal networking with food, which is a natural. It also gives us a chance to bring people together this time of the year in the fall, where we're just off of summer, but it's not really cold yet."

"It gives the people in Riverview and the surrounding communities something to come out to, and celebrate."

The local sorority chapter also handed awards.. Presented the Education Award was Dr. Angela Lewis, associate dean of the College of Education at ETSU... Winner of the Business Award from the chapter was Aundra Wilcox with the office of Small Business Development at the Kingsport Chamber of Commerce... Mrs. Alma Brown, community activist, was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award because of her associations with several community organizations.... and the Community Service award went to Lottie Ryans with CenturyLink, who is serving a third term with the Johnson City Board of Education. She's active with the Workforce Development agency, as well as the Johnson City Chamber of Commerce. Unfortunately, she was not present for this picture.

Imani Johnson was presented the 2011 Scholarship from the sorority chapter. The award was presented to her parents, as Imani is away, getting settled in at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville where she is considering career study in Criminology and Psychology. She attends the Thankful Baptist Church in Johnson City. Also, young women in the community were also acknowledged in the sorority chapter's new signature program for the term 2010-2014. It's called Emerging Young Leaders, a leadership program for girls. Several young women taking part in the program were also on hand to be recognized.

Eastman purchases Borden Mill property; no manufacturing plans for the site

2011-10-14T16:07:00.005-04:00

RIVERVIEW'S CORPORATE NEIGHBOR BUYS UP LAND NEAR NEIGHBORHOOD

THIS INFORMATION FROM JEFF FLEMING, KINGSPORT ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER FOR DEVELOPMENT

KINGSPORT -- Eastman Chemical Company has taken steps to redevelop a former textile plant adjacent to its main campus, recently purchasing Borden Mill, a 37 acre industrial property just off Lincoln Street. The facility will be used to expand Eastman’s growing operations.

Corporate officials say their plans for the site are not final; however, they do not anticipate the site will be used for manufacturing.

"We do not expect to use the property for manufacturing purposes,” said Parker Smith, vice president and general manager of Worldwide Manufacturing Support and Quality. “This large piece of property will provide us with opportunities for additional growth right next to our plant site. At the moment, we are continuing to discuss how best to use the facility going forward, but we have no firm plans at this time."

Borden Mill was constructed in 1924 by the Borden family, founders of American Printing Company in Fall River, Massachusetts, and according to some sources the largest producer of printed cloth in the early 20th Century.

Just 10 years later, by 1934, all the Fall River mills were closed as jobs were moved south, including to Kingsport, in search of cheaper labor, lower transportation costs and greater productivity.

By the late 1940s, according to TENNESSEE -- A Guide to the State, Borden Mills was producing 900,000 yards of cloth a week and employed 1200 people.

Later in its history a succession of owners operated the facility, including JP Stevens (JPS Textiles) and finally Chiquola Fabrics, who purchased the plant in 1999, later closing the plant in 2003.

Densely wooded Borden Park, including two acres now owned by Eastman, was established by American Printing decades ago. The City of Kingsport owns and maintains the majority of the site for recreational purposes, including tennis courts, playgrounds and picnic shelters.

“I cannot imagine a more fitting reuse for Borden Mill than redevelopment for Eastman,” City Manager John Campbell said Friday. “We are very excited about the possibility and look forward to partnering with the company going forward as their management team develops and finalizes their plans for the site.”

Hickman - Hickman Wedding

2011-10-12T15:34:00.020-04:00

One of our Douglass alumni is a proud new in-law.

Mr. and Mrs. Donald Hickman of Maryville sent us notice of the happy union of their daughter Alane, to Alexander Hickman of Middletown, Ohio on September 10, 2011.

This is the article in the Maryville Daily Times about the wedding. Please click on the pictures to make them bigger.

Click here to see a video of the wedding ceremony.

Donald Hickman is former inspector general for the Tennessee Valley Authority, and is the parlimentarian for the Sons and Daughters of Douglass Alumni Executive Board of Directors; and Jan Hickman, regional manager for Continental Airlines, is active in several organizations in the Knoxville community.

Congratulations to the Hickman's!

Douglass Alumni Board Meeting

2011-10-11T21:41:00.002-04:00

The working board of Sons and Daughters of Douglass, Inc. will meet October 15 at 1:00 in the Eastman Board Room at the V.O. Dobbins Sr. Complex.

We will be making final plans for our upcoming fund raiser in November. It is important that all active members attend.

Thank you,

Jenny Hankins

Localpalooza: A Local Festival with a 'Lotta-palooza' of Fun!

2011-10-11T21:40:00.001-04:00

Local talent... local food... local bands... local flavor.

Visitors to Main Street in downtown Kingsport recently experienced all this at more at the 'local' festival called Localpalooza.

Click here to see pictures from the Localpalooza Festival in downtown Kingsport on September 24th.

Localpalooza is the brainchild of Billy Cody, organizer of the event, who found himself with a lot of time on his hands, but a dedication in his heart.

"I got laid off," he says. "and I had all this time with nothing to do. I had always been thinking that there was a need for a local musical festival to spotlight some of the local bands in this area. Funfest was the only local venue where the smaller, less visible bands could be seen, but Funfest is a once-a-year event. I thought it'd be great if we could showcase them more than time, and the idea for Localpalooza grew out of that."

The festival had a little bit of everything, in addition to the music.

For families, food vendors set up stands, and if it could be fried, spread out, dished up, decorated, whirled around or stuck on a stick, they found it for sale and edible. One of the vendors was the 'food coach' operated by members of the Great Commission Church in Borden Village.

Cody has a specific demographic he wants to reach with the festival.

"I targeted the 30 to 30-something crowd," he says. "We had local bands like Rainroad Angles, Shake Ragg, Wolf Creek and Goldrush in the afternoon, and then Quarter Bounc, Twitch, Sloe Gyn, Tattoo Bruise and Citizen Kane playing in the evening. People got to hear these local folks and they didn't have to wait for Funfest, or try to see them in some of the local bars. It's hard for the 18-to-35 demographic to find a place to enjoy them without a hassle."

Gent to Gentlemen Pageant , Saturday, October 15th

2011-10-11T13:29:00.000-04:00

The City of Kingsport Parks and Recreation—Community Centers, New Vision Youth and Taylor Hamilton Insurance, presents:

GENT TO GENTLEMEN MALE PAGEANT

Saturday, October 15, 2011
7 PM at the Civic Auditorium

Entry Fee $10 per male

Entry fee covers all 10 categories to enter
All proceeds will go to City of Kingsport, Parks and Recreation, Berry’s Pharmacy and KCMC

All Males ages 5-18 yrs of age are welcome to participate

For more information or to pick up an application contact: Johnnie Mae Swaggerty 429-7553, Mary @ Taylor Hamilton Insurance 246-3810, Michelle Turner 817-3293, Chas @ V.O. Dobbins Center 224-2489, and Kristie @ Civic Auditorium 229-9457

Sons & Daughters of Douglass Board Meeting Minutes

2011-10-10T19:56:00.001-04:00

September 17, 2011

Members In Attendance: Virginia Hankins, Ruth Russell, Lillian Leeper, Sheila Leeper, Douglas Releford, Andra Watterson, Calvin Sneed, Ozine Bly, Johnnie Mae Swagerty, Wallace Ross, Jr., Joy Hankins, and Vicki Smith.

MEETEING CALLED TO ORDER by Virginia Hankins, President

Prayer by Ruth Russell

Minutes were read by Vicki and Doug made a motion to accept minutes with corrections. Lillian seconded the motion. Minutes were accepted with the following corrections: all correspondence will be mailed to 301 Louis Street, Suite 104 Kingsport, TN 37660 and the bank we’ll change our account to, will be Green County Bank (Green Bank).

Installation of New Officers for 2012-2013 – Andra Watterson asked all newly elected officers to stand and raise their right hand to agree to abide by the bylaws and uphold the offices of the Sons & Daughters of Douglass Alumni Board

Financial Report given by Lillian as follows:

Checking Account Report 7/31/11-9/17/11

Beginning Balance on 8/1/11 $5,670.90 (with the following deductions)

Scholarship Check -$500.00
Church Ad -$50.00
Floral Expense -$40.00
(2) Books of Stamps -$17.60
Silent Auction -$678.35

Balance $4,384.95

Checks that have been sent out but not yet processed are:

2 Scholarship = $1,000
Internet/Phone = $209.64 (2 months)
Scholarship Fund Report 7/31/11-9/17/11
Beginning Balance $3,264.71
Interest Paid $0.34

Deposits

7/1911 $ 100.00 (donation)
8/15/11 $ 828.35 (donation of $150/silent auction-$678.35)

Balance $4,193.40

Doug made a motion to accept the financial report as a true report and Andra seconded the motion.

Financial report accepted and discussion to use cashier’s checks for the scholarship recipients.

Discussion:

Everyone’s help is needed to keep our mailing list updated. Pam is continually updating the alumni mailing and we need everyone’s help to keep this list current.

Calvin will post a letter regarding alumni dues on the website, e-mail, and Facebook.

Request for alumni to help a student with book fees, who had not applied for a scholarship. Doug made a motion to continue with scholarship committee guidelines and deny the request. Sheila seconded the motion and motion carried.

1 year celebration on completion of the renovation of V.O. Dobbins, Sr. Complex will be held on Wednesday, September 21, @ 4:00 p.m. in the Douglass room.

Letter was received regarding a tenants meeting in the building to address any concerns.

Suggestion to do online banking and to keep a notebook with all expenses.
File folders and ink for printer are items needed for the office

Letter to be sent to the division of charitable solicitation and gaming on our name change.

We’ll receive a yearly notification from the Chamber every July.

We will continue with Bank of Tennessee until all transactions are completed, and open new account with Green County Bank.

Tax return – Doug will help Jenny with return (short form)

Talked about current operating expenses and Calvin will call David Olterman @ Charter regarding our bundle package.

Fundraising – Calvin explained that grants are not to be used for operating expenses, but grants are available for us. Doug is familiar with the grant-writing process.

Fundraisers suggestions: Fish Fry, Spaghetti, Car Wash, & Pancake Breakfast. Joy made a motion to have a breakfast and Sheila seconded the motion. Motion carried. Pancake breakfast @ Applebee’s on Saturday, November 19, 2011 from 7:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Each member will be responsible for a total of 10 tickets @ $5.00 each. Motion made by Vicki to accept this proposal and Calvin seconded. Motion carried. We will purchase a total of 300 tickets. Johnnie Mae volunteered the New Vision Youth as servers for this event as part of their community volunteer services. Publicity will be via flyers, radio, television, newspaper, & churches.

Johnnie Mae updated the alumni regarding the Ebony Club merging and the majority voted not to merge at this time, but continue to work together every reunion year.

Doug made a motion to adjourn the meeting and Calvin seconded the motion. Motion carried and the next meeting to be held Saturday, October 15, 2011 @ 1:00 p.m.

MEETING ADJOURNED.

Minutes submitted by: Vicki Smith, Recording Secretary

God's Beautiful Angels

2011-10-10T03:01:00.000-04:00

FROM VIRGINIA "JENNY" HANKINS

Daughters of the Elks at their Memorial Service at St. Mark's United Methodist Church, Kingsport, Sunday, October 9, 2011.

Dobyns-Bennett Marching Band "Salute to Heroes" @ the UT-Buffalo Football Game

2011-10-04T12:57:00.005-04:00

PHOTO COURTESY JILL COOKENOUR THROUGH THE KINGSPORT TIMES-NEWS

It was a stirring performance that either raised goose bumps on your arms, or sent tears down your face.

The Dobyns-Bennett band performs its "Salute to Heroes" during halftime at the Tennessee game Saturday at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville. The performance spotlighted the fight songs from each branch of the U.S. Armed Forces.

The tribute was, in a word... wonderful.

Click here to see the D.B. Marching Band "Salute to Heroes, during the half-time show at the UT-Buffalo game. This video from Jeff Fleming.

End of a Short, Historic Era: Knoxville's African-American Mayor Reflects

2011-09-30T06:00:00.001-04:00

AS KNOXVILLE MAYOR DANIEL BROWN'S TERM AS EAST TENNESSEE'S FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN MAYOR DRAWS TO A CLOSE, WE LOOK BACK AT THE HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS ACHIEVEMENT

ALL PHOTOS EXCEPT THE LAST ONE, COURTESY THE KNOXVILLE NEWS-SENTINEL

"Since I was a youngster, I liked reading about current events."

Growing up in East Knoxville, Daniel Brown had a dream. He was just a little boy in a comfortable home on East Vine Street in the African-American neighborhood of the city. He wanted to be in public life, helping people in his community.

A generation later, he helps them and thousands more.

He is the mayor of Knoxville, Tennessee. The first African-American mayor in the city's history. The first African-American mayor of a major city in all of East and Middle Tennessee.

And he is very humbled by the distinction.

"I don't think of myself as Knoxville's black mayor," he said in a recent interview with the Sons and Daughters of Douglass website. "I am everybody's mayor, charged with representing all the citizens of the city. It's a responsibility I accept freely and understand completely, because it is understanding that has brought African-Americans as a people to where we are today. There's still work to be done, but we are moving in the right direction."

To nurture the dream that would ultimately lead him to public service, Brown credits the only three influences in his early life.

DANIEL BROWN, BEING CONGRATULATED BY FELLOW KNOXVILLE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, UPON HIS SELECTION AS KNOXVILLE MAYOR

"Home, school and church," he says proudly and immediately. "I grew up in a very good home with my mother, my grandmother and my two brothers. My father passed away when I was 10 years old and my mother was determined that we boys would have a strong father figure in our lifes. Our stepfather worked for the Southern Railroad, and both he and my mother gave us, what I consider, a normal life growing up."

"We would have family discussions at the dinner table every night about different current events," Brown remembers. I always like to read the newspaper, and read about what was going on around the country and the world. It always fascinated me, and we all formed opinions about current events. There were some lively discussions that now, I can appreciate having back then."

It was at school that young Daniel Brown first learned how to put his inquisitive mind to work.

AUSTIN-EAST HIGH SCHOOL IN KNOXVILLE, THE FORMER AUSTIN HIGH SCHOOL WHERE MAYOR BROWN WENT TO SCHOOL

"We grew up not too far from the old Austin High School, later Austin-East High School," he says. "It's now Vine Middle School, and it's good to see it still educating young people. As I grew up, I started watching CNN, C-SPAN, and listening to the local news, then the national news. As I got older, I started being able to put local politics in perspective and how they relate to national and world politics."

"It was very eye-opening."

Although he does remember some African-Americans being on the old Knox County court, now the county commission, Brown says he remembers the African-American pioneers that paved the way for people of color in Knoxville's mostly all-white political structure.

THEOTIS ROBINSON, JR ------------------------------------------ CASEY JONES

"The first black person on (the Knoxville) city council was Theotis Robinson," Brown says, "and Casey Jones replaced him on council. Casey and I were the same age, but he graduated a year ahead of me in high school. Prior to that, we didn't have many people of color running for anything."

Brown says, he never thought it possible that an African-American could ever sit in the most important chair in Knoxville.. that of the mayor's office.

"As you know, there is not a majority black population inside the Knoxville city limits, and most cities with African-American mayors have a majority black population, or at least 40 per cent," he says. "Since we don't have at least that percentage in Knoxville, so I didn't think it would happen for quite a while, if it happened at all. I think Casey did run for mayor one, and there may have been others back in the 1800's, but these days African-American mayors are elected in cities that have large or majority black populations, which is not here in Knxoville."

So, how did it happen? It is almost as if Knoxvillians went to sleep one night and woke up the next morning with the first African-American mayor East Tennessee has ever had.

Turns out, it took the Knoxville city council to bring about the distinction.

MAYOR BROWN, BEING CONGRATULATED BY KNOX COUNTY MAYOR TIM BURCHETT (LEFT), AND NEW TENNESSEE GOVERNOR BILL HASLAM (RIGHT)

"Mayor Bill Haslam had just been elected governor of Tennessee, and left a number of months on his term," Brown says. "By the Knoxville city charter, council has to select one of its members to fill out the term until the next election. 5 of our members offered their names to serve as interim mayor, including me, and then we voted."

It took eleven rounds of voting in the selection process, and each time the name Daniel Brown stood out.

DANIEL BROWN, BEING CONGRATULATED BY FELLOW KNOXVILLE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS UPON BEING SELECTED MAYOR

"My numbers were pretty high each round," Brown recalls. "I started out with, I think, 2 votes from my fellow council members, then 3, then back to 2, then it jumped up to 4. It would take at least 5 votes, and I consistently stayed at 4. Some of the other council members eventually dropped out, and when one last person withdrew, that put me over the hump with the 5 votes I needed."

"I really didn't know it that day, because we weren't supposed to talk to each other," he says. "I always said to people 'I knew I had at least one vote and that would be my own, but I didn't know how the others voted until the end."

"As they say.. the rest is history."

Mayor Daniel Brown's brief, historic term will end on December 17th. In fact, there will be a runoff in the race for Knoxville mayor on November 8th, between Madeline Rogero and Mark Padgett.

"We were asked by the vice-mayor back during the selection process, if we planned on running for a full term as mayor," Brown remembers. "All of us, including me, said no, and I'm going to try to remain true to that. I do have a lot of people asking me every day, encouraging me to run, but I think, no. I answered no, so I don't think so."

KNOXVILLE - KNOX COUNTY, CITY-COUNTY BUILDING

So, what is it like being the mayor of East Tennessee's largest city?

"We have some very good people," Brown says. "They are very familiar with our policy. Mayor Haslam had left a letter on the desk to whomever the mayor would be when he left. It said 'keep some good people around you, and don't take yourself too seriously.' That's good advice. Right now, we're working on the city budget, and many cities are having to raise taxes.. they're laying off city workers. We are not having to do either of those, which is a good thing."

In fact, Mayor Brown submitted a budget of $172.1 million, that features no layoffs, a 2.5 percent salary increase for city employees, $11 million towards employee pensions ($2 million more than the current year), and $34.3 million in capital projects all across the city. His budget will have to be approved by the city council.

Where does Knoxville's African-American mayor see the city in 20 years?

"That's an interesting question," Brown says. "I think that Knoxville is on the cutting edge where we're developing downtown, where people are actually moving to and living. There are more shops and more actcivities going on, and we also need to recruit new industries to increase employment. The city grew by 4,000 people with this last census, and it's obvious that people like our valleys with the University of Tennessee, Oak Ridge. They like our mountains at Gatlinburg. Our place in the next 20 years should be in the areas of technology and sustainable growth to support that."

Although Mayor Brown is mayor of all of Knoxville, he has not forgotten his roots. East Knoxville has never escaped the grips of crime.

"I can remember the perception about East Knoxville, but you have crime everywhere, and a lot of it as everybody knows, is drug-related," he says. "The best way to attack crime anywhere is through neighborhood organizations. In East Knoxville, you have a lot of decent, hard-working folk who live there, and the perception that it is crime-ridden is incorrect. Calvin, you should know that, you were in the news media for many years. The biggest problem anywhere in the city is drug use, drug sales, and I don't know how to combat that. If I did, I could make a million. We have a lot of good, hard-working police officers who do know how to fight it, and they're doing the best they can, but we need residents to help be their eyes and ears when they're not in an area."

Mayor Brown is also aware of the traditions in the African-American community, particularly having gone to Austin High School on the former McCalla Avenue, now Martin Luther King Drive.

DOUGLASS FOOTBALL TEAM PRACTICE

"I remember that we played Douglass in Kingsport in football and basketball," he says. "I also remember when we played Booker T. Washington down in Chattanooga in football. I wasn't on the team, but I went as a spotter and reporter for the newspaper. It was a close game and we did win, but people started throwing rocks at us. There were some gret rivalries at all these black schools from Kingsport and Johnson City, on down to Chattanooga."

"I'm glad that Douglass High still has their alumni association," says Brown. "It's good to keep those associations going, because folks need to stay in touch with their histories. I've got some good friends in the Douglass association. We need to stay connected with our histories, not just in Black History Month, but all year long. It's important not just for the adults, but for the young people, too."

The mayor also found the idea of one building housing all of a municipality's non-profit agencies intriguing, but admits, in a city the size of Knoxville, it would not be practical.

"That idea works better in smaller communities," he says. "It's a great way to save money, but in bigger cities, the size of the agencies all under one roof, might be cost-prohibitive. I think it's great that Kingsport was able to adapt a building to help its citizens centralize their non-profit needs, and I think it's admirable that they were able to put the old African-American school building to good use. There is always a use for historical buildings like that, especially in the black community."

PICTURE AT RIGHT COURTESY WBIR-TV

It's impossible to tell if we have heard the last of Daniel Brown in the politics of East Tennessee government. But one thing is for sure. He knows his place in history, because that history is NOW.

"You have to have a steady home life, a steady educational foundation, and a steady life in the church community," he says.

"No city can survive without those, and hopefully we can continue to offer those opportunities for the citizens of Knoxville, Tennessee."

Happy Anniversary, V.O. Dobbins Sr. Complex/Douglass School Building!

2011-09-28T21:20:00.000-04:00

Pictures are ready from the anniversary celebration a week ago Wednesday, September 21, 2011, for the one-year anniversary of the completion of the V.O. Dobbins Sr. Complex in September 2010, and the 60th anniversary of the Douglass School Building, which accepted its first students and teachers in September, 1951.

Please click here to see pictures from the anniversaries party!

These pictures are courtesy Chassie Smiley-Freeman of Kingsport Parks and Recreation.

2011 Youth Gospel Explosion Concert

2011-09-27T15:37:00.000-04:00

Time: Friday 4 PM - 8 PM and Saturday 12 PM - 8 PM
Location: Riverview / Douglass Ballfield

COME ENJOY & SUPPORT OUR YOUTH HERE IN KINGSPORT!!!

There will be free food & prizes for all the children!!!

FLAVOR MENU --- Big fish (whiting & talipia), fried wings, smoked barbeque (chicken salad, pork & ribs), homemade peach cobbler, beans, fries, macaroni salad and slaw.

We have lots of special guests:

NEW RECORDING SAXOPHONIST: Casey McClintock
SOLOISTS: Mrs. Carol Green, Louisville, Kentucky
CHOIRS, QUARTETS, AWESOME PRAISE DANCERS, PRAISE TEAMS & MUCH MUCH MORE!!!

No Memory to Lose: Walking to Remember Alzheimer's Patients

2011-09-25T03:00:00.000-04:00

"We are here to stimulate awareness about Alzheimer's Disease. It is hereditary, and anybody can get it at any age, and when it does, it hits like a ton of bricks."

That's the message Virginia (Jenny) Hankins and dozens of other walkers want to get out, as they got ready to take part in the annual Alzheimer's Walk fundraiser in Kingsport. The walk organized on Saturday morning September 17, 2011 along the Greenbelt that follows Reedy Creek at the Eastman Road bridge.

"We're walking for my grandmother Mrs. Eula Cartwright, my mother Imogene Hankins and my aunt Eula Leeper," Hankins says. "All three suffered from Alzheimer's Disease and it was very devastating."

"This is our (group's) way of supporting the programs the local organization offers."

Click here to see a slideshow of pictures from the 2011 Alzheimer's Walk along the greenway in Kingsport.

"The Alzheimer's Walk in Kingsport has been around since 1998," says Tracey Kendall, manager of programs and education for the Alzheimer's Association of Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia. "The awareness is growing at a tremendous rate, because more people are becoming affected, either by a family member or a friend. Often, families are thrown into turmoil because now they have a family member to care for. The numbers continue to grow in a ripple effect."

The Great Commission Church had a group in the walk. "I'm walking for Mrs. Ruby Brown, the church's First Lady's mother," says Octavia Hampton. "She suffers from Alzheimer's, and, having been a very independent lady, driving herself anywhere she needed to go, it seems like just overnight, the disease took over. At first, she was staying with our Pastor (Matthew Thomas) and First Lady (Pamela), but then as the disease progressed, it go to where they coudn't handle the care and needs that she had. They placed her at Preston's Place II over there on John B. Dennis."

Both Hampton and Hankins joined over 200 walkers walking the greenway in support of the local Alzheimer's chapter. "This is probably our record-breaking year in Kingsport as far as participants," Kendall says. "Our fund-raising goal for Kingsport and the entire Tri-Cities is $165,599 dollars, and right now, we're tracking far short of that. The economy has something to do with that, but we have until June of next year to meet that goal, so our fundraising is not over."

"Today was the 'big event,'" she says, but the fundraising continues. We need it so badly."

Most of the money raised by the Kingsport Alzheimer's Walk stays local, Kendall says. "The only portion of our money that goes out of the area is our researching. Obviously, we're not Nashville, we're not Emory in Atlanta, so we don't have big research projects going on, but we do help support those projects in bigger cities."

The Alzheimer's Walk has a two-fold purpose, Kendall says, "...to raise awareness, and to raise funds. "The more awareness we draw to the cause, the more people will be diagnosed early and can be treated quickly. That extends the quality of life, because there is no cure for Alzheimer's. The yearly walk is the way we fund our mission.. we want to make sure we are there to answer questions, provide interviews, and most importantly, SUPPORT."

"Without the funds raised by the walk today, we would not be able to support those programs."

Those programs are very appreciated by walkers today, and potential families tomorrow.

"To have your loved one there, but not there," Hankins remembers, "yeah... it was very hard to deal with."

Click here to go to the Alzheimer's Association chapter office based in Johnson City. That office and the website serves upper East Tennessee, Southwest Virginia, East Tennessee and other areas in the Mid-South.

D-B Scores and Highlights!

2011-09-24T23:17:00.002-04:00

A reminder that Dobyns-Bennett scores and highlights are available at Model City Sports.. click the icon in the left column to go to Model City Sports, and see Coach Graham Clark get his 200th win!!!

Building on the past

2011-09-23T22:39:00.000-04:00

THIS STORY COURTESY THE KINGSPORT TIMES-NEWS
Photos by Ned Jilton II —njilton@timesnews.net

A reception Wednesday marked a double milestone for the V.O. Dobbins Sr. Complex.

Sixty years ago, in September of 1951, the Douglass Elementary/High School opened its doors to African-American students. This month also marks the one-year anniversary of the completion of the building’s renovation.

Above, Virginia Hankins, seated, president of ‘The Sons and Daughters of Douglass,’ and Wallace W. Ross Jr. look over the circular bench which has engraved the names of all the teachers at Douglass High School and the Oklahoma Grove School.

At left, former Douglass teacher and retired guidance counselor at Dobyns-Bennett High School Jill Ellis talks to the gathering during the anniversary festivities.

High school students get lesson in finance

2011-09-21T13:37:00.000-04:00

Goal of the HOPE program is to give life lessons to students, make them self-sufficient, and help them find money for higher education, including through employment.

THIS STORY COURTESY THE KINGSPORT TIMES-NEWS

By RICK WAGNER
rwagner@timesnews.net

KINGSPORT — A group of area high school students got a lesson in personal finance Monday afternoon at a local bank, plus $10 to open a savings account there.

It was part of the inaugural HOPE Educational Summit for 2011-12 in which 25 Kingsport area high school students are participating.

Stella Robinette, president of the nonprofit HOPE — which stands for Help Our Potential Evolve — said the goal of the new program is to give life lessons to students, make them selfsufficient, and help them find money for higher education, including through employment.

“They are our future leaders right here,” Robinette told the group of students and some of the sponsors and presenters of the program at TriSummit Bank in downtown Kingsport.

Monday’s class, taught by Cindy Lemons, TriSummit consumer relationship manager at the downtown branch, was a basic primer in personal finance, explaining about checking accounts, savings accounts and other financial basics.

Robinette told the group that after the $10, the students had to earn the money that went into the savings account.

“This is something that is a huge hole out there in the school systems, education,” Ted Fields, executive vice president of TriSummit over the bank’s Kingsport branches, said of a lack of basic knowledge about personal finance.

Lynn Shipley, founder, president and CEO of TriSummit, said his son got a rude awakening with his first paycheck because of the taxes, insurance and other deductions from his check.

“He called and said, ‘What’s all this stuff?’ ” Shipley said of deductions from a paycheck. “You need to understand personal finance.”

TriSummit is a sponsor of the program, as is the city of Kingsport, Eastman Chemical Co., the Wal-Mart on Fort Henry Drive, the Kingsport Firefighters Association, and Mark Freeman and Associates, an architectural firm, as well as others, Robinette said.

Some of the students have connections with the Boys and Girls Club and Girls Inc.

“My hat is off to Stella Robinette and TriSummit Bank for their involvement in this most worthwhile project,” Kingsport Mayor Dennis Phillips said. “Any advantage we can give to our young citizens is well worth the time and effort involved.”

Victoria Price, 16 and a junior at Dobyns-Bennett High School, volunteers to help at Girls Inc. She plans to go to college and earn a degree in social work.

Sierra Evans, 17 and a D-B senior, is captain of the color guard of the D-B marching band.

“I look forward to going and visiting the colleges” and looking into fund-raising opportunities for college, Evans said.

She said her plans are to go to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and study to become a physician’s assistant.

Robinette said HOPE grew out of an annual Black History Month celebration and became a 501(c)3 not-for-profit group about a year ago and recently adopted a logo.

The 25 students, ages 14-18, are of various backgrounds, races, religious denominations and locations, including two from Sullivan North High School, one from Volunteer High School and the rest from D-B.

Robinette said the requirements for being eligible for a slot in the program are that the students pay attention, listen, be ready to become leaders, and have no disciplinary problems or other such troubles in their background.

Firefighter Kevin Mitchell of the Kingsport Firefighters Association is to teach the students CPR, and they also will get child care and lifeguard skill classes and visit a Board of Mayor and Aldermen meeting.

In addition, they are to go to seminars on how to fill out a job application, put together a résumé, apply for college, and learn about possible grants and scholarships.

Robinettte said the plan in the spring is for the group to stop at as many universities and colleges as possible from Kingsport to Nashville, including Vanderbilt University and Tennessee State University in Nashville.

Also, Gray-based Town & Country Realtors agent Lisa Lohoff is to give students input on buying their first homes.

In addition to the educational summit, Robinette said HOPE will continue to hold job fairs and help with job hunting resources for felons entering the work force.

For information on the program or applying for a slot in the program, contact Robinette at 276-6541 or 342-7505 or by e-mail at stellarobinette@yahoo.com.

To make a financial donation to the program, contact Lemons at 392-5631 or clemons@trisummitbank.com.

From the President's Desk

2011-09-20T15:26:00.000-04:00

On behalf of Douglas Releford, past president, and Virginia (Jenny) Hankins, newly elected president, we would like to thank each and everyone who helped to make our reunion a success.

For fear of unintentionally omitting someone we will not name names. Attendance at the reunion was slightly less than we had anticipated, but none the less we all had a magnificient time.

To those of you who sponsored holes and carts for the golf outting, many, many thanks go out to you. To the ones who planned and organized the event, I don't think words can express the gratitude we have for your persistence to make this event a success.

This year we had a better response from patrons as well as participants. As a result of the golf outtings' success we are planning to have it yearly. The proceeds will allow us to aid more students as they begin their journey to a higher education.

Virginia (Jenny) Hankins, President
Sons and Daughters of Douglass, Inc.

Happy Anniversary, V.O. Dobbins/Douglass Building!

2011-09-19T14:51:00.001-04:00

There will be a reception on Wednesday, September 21, 2011, to celebrate a double milestone in the history of Riverview and Kingsport.

In this month, September of 1951, the Douglass Elementary/High School opened its doors to African-American students and parents of the Riverview Community.

Also, the V.O. Dobbins, Sr. Complex will be honored on the one-year anniversary of the completion of its renovation in September, 2010.

Over the long, hot summer of 1951, parents and neighborhood citizens volunteered to help move needed contents of the old Douglass School at the corner of East Sevier Avenue and East Center Street, into the new modern facility at 301 Louis Street. Many of our seniors remember that wonderful time as being the opening of a brand new world to African-American children. There was all new equipment in the chemistry labs, there was a new P-A system, the auditorium was a soundproof, state-of-the-art room which magnified sound, not muffled it, and a new film projector in the upper booth. The cafeteria had all new ovens, sinks and a dishwasher-dryer combination, just like other Kingsport city schools. The building was a blessing to the community.

An interesting note from the Kingsport Board of Education minutes of meetings just prior to the opening, it was determined that the party line that the construction company was sharing with a nearby resident in Riverview would go back to that resident once the building was finished in the next two months, but that, as a school, Douglass needed its own phone line. The measure was approved.

Little tidbits of information like that, are what led to the charm and historical significance of the building.

Years later, after the school closed in 1966 and after years of neglect and deterioration, the city decided to save the building from the wrecking ball that was about to fall, with the idea of expanding the Headstart program, adding another gymnasium, increasing the use of the building by Parks and Recreation, and building an addition to house all, if not most, of Kingsport's non-profit agencies.

Begun in early February, 2009 with the demolition of the Douglass Bandroom, and proceeding through the demolition of the historic Douglass Auditorium in March, 2009, the construction of the 3-story non-profit tower and renovation of the existing building took many long hours of buzzing, heavy pounding of steel (beginning at 6 AM every weekday morning and Saturday) and the laying of that steel into place over most of the next 18 months, at a total cost of just over $9.2 million dollars.

The Riverview neighborhood and the Kingsport community are invited to come celebrate these two milestones in the history of our city, on Wednesday, September 21, 2011 from 4 PM to 5 PM. The commemoration will be held in the Douglass Community Room of the V.O. Dobbins Sr. Complex, and Kingsport Vice Mayor Tom Parham will say a few words on behalf of the city.

Please come out, and say HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the V.O. Dobbins Sr. Complex, and our beloved Douglass School!

Kingsport’s Kitchen of Hope gets reprieve once more

2011-09-19T01:29:00.000-04:00

>‘You don’t have to tell me that the economy is bad or that people are struggling. I see it every day.’
— Geraldine Swagerty

THIS STORY COURTESY THE KINGSPORT TIMES-NEWS

By KEVIN CASTLE
kcastle@timesnews.net

Ned Jilton II —njilton@timesnews.net:
Volunteers Karen Mokry and Charlene Harris prepare potatoes with chili at the Kitchen of Hope in Kingsport recently.

KINGSPORT — Geraldine Swagerty has seen her allvolunteer soup kitchen teeter on the brink of closure several times since opening 12 years ago. Each time, the odds seemed to be stacked against her. Then something happens.
“It’s got to be God wanting to keep it open. Do you have a better explanation for it?” she asked. “I know it’s him because we are still cooking meals.”
An insurance company that provides a policy for the Kitchen of Hope in downtown Kingsport informed Swagerty in July that unless a new hood ventilation system was installed to meet state code, the kitchen would have to close.

Elizabeth Hartman works to get the desserts ready at the Kitchen of Hope

An appeal from a volunteer worker at the kitchen has gotten the Sevier Avenue location a reprieve, and the Kitchen of Hope is still feeding the hungry thanks to a local contractor who agreed to get the parts and labor, all at a reduced cost.
“Nellie (Vaughn), who does a lot for us, made the call to the insurance company, and we worked out a plan and schedule they agreed to,” said Swagerty, 75, who noted that an estimated $6,000 project to install the new ventilation hood and venting ducts has been cut in half thanks to a donation of personal service.
“We’ll have to pay it in installments, but we’ll get it done. We’ve made it this far,” said Swagerty, who also serves as pastor of Full Gospel Mission, which houses the kitchen in its basement.
The reason Swagerty continues this mission — which has been hurt by theft, equipment failures, reduced donations, and her own health problems — walks through the door six days a week.
“We are now averaging 100 people a day over two and a half hours of serving meals. I don’t think we have had a day where we have not had any less than 60 people per day, even in bad weather. You don’t have to tell me that the economy is bad or that people are struggling. I see it every day, but that is why this kitchen was opened,” Swagerty said.
How does the Kitchen of Hope keep everyone fed? Swagerty does like everyone else, she searches for sales at Kingsport grocery stores and buys in bulk.
“I hit the sales, and we get enough of those staple foods to last us awhile,” she said. “We’ve learned about stretching every dollar till it breaks because we have to spend the rest on upkeep and things we have to do to keep the dining room and kitchen up to standard.”
Never satisfied with resting on her laurels, Swagerty already has identified her next mission — finding a large building in Kingsport that can be a halfway house for women.
“You find all kinds of places that can help a man down on his luck, but not that many for a woman,” said Swagerty.
“I want it to be a place where a woman can have a roof over her head and learn the things she needs to get a job and not have to rely on anyone but herself. I hope I can see that prayer open one day.”
Contributions to the organization can be sent to: Kitchen of Hope, c/o Full Gospel Mission; 740 E. Sevier Ave.; Kingsport, Tenn. 37660.

Dobyns-Bennett Classes of '71, '70, and '72 Reunion

2011-09-15T19:10:00.000-04:00

The Dobyns-Bennett High School Class of 1971 is holding its 40th year Reunion the weekend of the 30th-1st in Kingsport. The class is also inviting the DB Class of '70 and the DB Class of '72, to join them in the festivities. The schedule is as follows:

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30TH:

Class of 71', Class of 70', Class of 72: Gathering at the D-B Ball game Friday night @ 7:30 PM, J. Fred Johnson Stadium.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1ST:
Dinner and a D-J, Meadowview Resort and Convention Center. The times are 6:00 PM social hour, 7:00 PM dinner and 8:00 PM D-J. We will have a brief program probably around 7:45. The cost is $50 per person.

Little Miss Vision Pageant Meeting

2011-09-12T15:19:00.000-04:00

Little Miss Vision Pageant wants all the Parents to come out and join them for a Meet and Greet. Saturday September 24, 2011 4pm at Douglass Building. Refreshments will be serving. So Parent of Girls from 5-12 years old come out and get more information about our Pageant!!!!

DB Band Tribute to 911

2011-09-12T12:05:00.000-04:00

Click here to see the Dobyns-Bennett Band tribute to the 10-year anniversary of 911, 2011.

Sons & Daughters of Douglass Board Meeting Scheduled for Saturday

2011-09-12T11:54:00.000-04:00

The Sons and Daughters of Douglass will have a board meeting this Saturday, September 17 @ 1:00 in the Eastman Board Room at the V.O. Dobbins Complex. We need to have a swearing in of new officers at this meeting. To the old officers, we need your presence at the meetings. Your input is still valuable to the organization.

Everyone please check the "Too" list and see who was omitted. If you think of anyone, please forward this note to them or send me their E-mail address or phone number (Wallace Ross, Sandy Wilmer,and Van Dobbins and anyone else I may have overlooked). I will call Pam, Andrea, and Ethel Ruth.

Also we are having pot-luck, so get your favorite food ready to bring to the meeting.

Please have all financial reports submitted to Lillian and Ozine before Saturday's meeting.

Thanks,
JennyH

Educational Summit Program

2011-09-12T11:53:00.002-04:00

Monday, Sept. 19, 4pm we will hold a press conference at TriSummit Bank, 422 Broad Street to announce the launch of a new program sponsored by HOPE and TriSummit Bank.

The “Educational Summit” is a collaborative effort of several community businesses and organizations to educate youth and help them develop themselves into self sufficient individuals.

Throughout the next few months students of the Educational Summit will attend seminars, visit a variety of business and attend public forums in an effort to help them understand what opportunities are available to them once they graduate high school.

The first class will be held at TriSummit Bank and will review with the students various banking knowledge and terminology. Also included in the course study will be:

-CPR classes.
-Training on childcare and lifeguarding skills.
-Visit a Board of Mayor and Alderman meeting.

For more information contact Stella Robinette 423-276-6541

Prostate Cancer Screening

2011-09-09T11:31:00.000-04:00

Saturday, Sept. 10 - 4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

WANTED: All Concerned Men
Men and Prostrate Cancer
Saturday, Sept. 10 - 4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Douglass Room at V.O. Dobbins Ctr.
301 Louis Street

Presenter: Kathy Visneski - Oncology Clinical Nurse Specialist, Kpt. Hematology and Oncology

"The Best Protection Is Early Detection"

Sponsored by: New Vision Youth, Kingsport Parks & Recreation Comm. Services and South Central Kpt. Comm. Dev. Inc.

Contacts: Johnnie Mae Swagerty (423-429-7553)
Chasity Freeman (423-224-2489)

Little Miss Vision Holiday Sale

2011-09-06T12:29:00.002-04:00

Little Miss Vision Pageant is selling African American Holiday Expression. Now through Nov.1 2011. Get your order in! Contact to order on Facebook- Little Miss Vision Pageant, Lillian Leeper, Andra Watterson, Pat Watts, Joni Hughes, Pat Winton, Anthony Adams, Lillian Price and Tonia Leeper. Email us your order uleeper@yahoo.com or terellleeper@chartertn.net.

Kingsport Hobby Lobby Roof Collapse

2011-09-03T21:56:00.001-04:00

CLICK ON THE LINK TO SEE THE REPORT FROM SATURDAY, SPETEMBER 3, 2011:

WJHL-TV Report on Kingsport Hobby Lobby Roof Collapse

Dobyns-Bennett Football

2011-09-03T12:29:00.001-04:00

For Dobyns-Bennett football and other D-B sports highlights, please click on the "Model City Sports" icon, in the column to the left.

Josh Harwood has all the sports you want, right there!

He's even got pictures of the action!

Bethel AME Church Homecoming Announcement in Kingsport

2011-09-02T13:14:00.003-04:00

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Jay’s Day set for Friday at Dale Street Park

2011-09-01T11:09:00.000-04:00

• KINGSPORT — Jarrett A. Hughes “Jay’s Day” will be held Friday from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Dale Street Park. There will be a live performance by OWC — Officially Well Connected from Nashville. The group will perform gospel music. Free hot dogs, chips, baked beans and a drink will be provided. The public is encouraged to bring a lawn chair to enjoy the evening and a purple balloon to tie on the playground fence in memory of Hughes, who was shot to death in his family’s home in August. For more information contact Johnnie Mae Swagerty at 429-7553 or Jarvis Shivers at 297-9052.

2011 DAPS Winners

2011-09-01T10:32:00.000-04:00

CLICK ON THE PICTURE TO MAKE THE PICTURE BIGGER AND SEE THE NAMES OF THE WINNERS

These are the 2011 winners of AHERN's Distinguished African-American Pastor, Professional, Student and Reporter Awards. The awards were presented at a banquet at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Knoxville on August 19th, 2011.

Not shown is Calvin Sneed, 2011 DAPS Reporter of the Year - he's the one taking the picture.

Dobbins Mural: "Just 'Paint' On, A Happy Face!

2011-09-01T01:40:00.001-04:00

LOOKING ACROSS THE JALISSA FERGUSON PLAYGROUND IN THE DOUGLASS BALLFIELD -- THE EASTMAN CHEMICAL HEADQUARTERS BUILDING IS IN THE BACKGROUND

It's no secret that the Riverview community is tied directly to its next-door neighbor.

Not only is Eastman Chemical Company headquartered in the community, but a wall of the neighborhood's Douglass School literally faces it right across the street.

So what does Riverview, Eastman Chemical and a wall all have in common?

"The city of Kingsport wanted to do a mural on the side of the V.O. Dobbins Sr. Complex, that makes the building look better on the side that faces Eastman and the entrance to the community," says Kathy Blair of Murals & More in Jonesborough. "Since the Headstart entrance is on that side of the building, the city wanted to incorporate the idea of industry and the idea of kids learning."

Click here to see the progress on painting the Headstart Mural, the finished product, and other murals painted in Kingsport.

The result is a huge mural by Murals & More costing $9,800, on the cafeteria side of the former Douglass School building at the Headstart entrance, facing the Eastman Chemical headquarters. The money came from the "Percent for Art" program, in which a portion of the renovation costs of the building are designated to pay for artwork and other cultural items in the building. As with the Douglass Teacher's Bench, Kingsport has a city ordinance that allows a small percentage of funds for a capital project to be set aside and used for art purposes.

The mural is a combination kids-industry theme, but getting to that point, proved to be the biggest challenge for Murals & More.

"The most difficult thing we had to do," says Mrs. Blair, "was combining the sophisticated look of a bustling industry, with what we call, the 'kidsey' look. When the kids come into the building, the wall is the first thing they see and when folks look at the entrance, we wanted them to see that industry begins with the imagination of children."

Oddly enough, the Douglass building lent itself to the mural-making process. It does that through a series of "interruptions."

"The wall has several protrusions, several things that stick out from it," she notes. "One of the pipes that comes out of the building shoots bubbles almost up to the roof as part of its operation.. you've got bubbles passing up past what used to be a balcony there. Plus, there are two big vents and a big, ugly box and two big round things, I think they're a couple of fans that vent the cafeteria through the outside wall that stick out, and it's a very bland, boring, industrial kind of look. It's not stimulating to a child's mind at all."

"We wanted to incorporate the 'interruptions' into the mural somehow."

So what Mrs. Blair did, was dream up a sequence that would stimulate ANY imagination.

"We made the upstairs a fake balcony with stack stone and columns to match the building, and we used the idea of gears and levers connected by pulleys and ropes," she says.

Combining the "kidsey" look and the "sophisticated" industrial look proved a challenge.

"It's easy to make it all 'kidsey' looking, or all 'sophisticated industry' looking, but putting them both together was hard," says Mrs. Blair.

All of that looked fine on paper, but putting it to brick was an even bigger challenge.

"It was seven weeks of hard work," she says. "First, we painted the bricks with two coats of a good white primer, then we started with our regular house paint. We use Benjamin Moore Exterior house paint. The wall ended up with two good coats of primer, and at least two coats--some places, even three coats of Benjamin Moore paint on top of that."

Much of the time, the weather did not cooperate.

"The weather was our worst enemy," Mrs. Blair says. "Seems like, ever time we do the side of any building, we end up being out there in 105-degree heat index, in 90-degree-pus air temperature. We had that solid for about 3 and a half weeks, every single day. Whenever you put paint on the side of a building that's hot enough to fry and egg on, the bricks just suck up all the paint and you can hardly smear enough paint to stay in place. It's difficult to blend in the paint when it's that hot, but we didn't have any choice. We can't control the weather."

What resulted from all the hard work, is a colorful mural, unusual in its theme, but unique in its approach.

"This is a one-of-a-kind mural that Riverview residents, the city of Kingsport and the surround industries including Eastman, can be proud of," says Mrs. Blair.

Riverview has been the recipient of another mural that is equally as eye-catching. Murals & More also painted the sides of the Riverview Splash Pad building in a safari theme 5 years ago. It was the company's first project on the list in the "Percent for Art" program. In 2006, the city demolished the Riverview Swimming Pool and replaced it with a safari-themed splash pad. Murals & More was hired to paint the four-sided safari mural on the sides of the old swimming pool building. The vibrant colors have proven to be a draw for kids to the Splash Pad.

Another Murals & More painting that has people turning their heads, is a huge mural on Clay Street that raised eyebrows first, then raised spirits.

"That original building on Clay Street had another building torn off of it, leaving a really ugly side with columns that helped support the wall of the building torn off," she says. "Even before the city commissioned us to paint a mural, we had to go in and repair some of the columns, so the mural wouldn't have jagged edges to it. The city wanted us to do another kind of 'kidsey' scene because that part is the Kingsport Child Development center, so we had to also design something that looked good in the other part of downtown."

Murals & More used locals' love of trees to stand out in the painting.

"We made every one of the columns that were sticking out, a tree, and the fact that the columns were sticking out, made the images 3-D images," she says. "In between, we painted treehouses and rabbits, ponds with ducks, racoons in the trees, in a kind of country setting. That's also the new educational corridor in the Clay Street area, and everybody seems to enjoy seeing the mural. It looks so much better than the ugly wall that was there before."

Both murals are examples to the spirit of the communities they serve.

"Dobbins is a wonderful community center now," says Mrs. Blair. "The renovation really improved the area, and the showcase of artwork around the building has increased the value of the neighborhood. I had been reading the history of the Douglass School on the Historical Marker, from when the building first became a school. It's remarkable that 60 years after it was built, the building is still in the business of educating students."

"We hope our mural helps to give the building a new lease on life, along with the renovations."

Local Grandparents Day Celebration

2011-08-30T18:46:00.001-04:00

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Central Pastor Celebrates 2nd Anniversary in Kingsport

2011-08-29T13:17:00.001-04:00

Church members, family and friends at the Central Baptist Church in the Riverview Community gathered for a weekend of celebration, as Pastor Ricardo and First Lady Chaka Dorcean observed the 2nd anniversary of their arrival in Kingsport. Events were held at the church on Carver Street on Saturday and Sunday, August 27th and 28th, 2011.

Click here to see a slideshow and pictures of the 2nd Anniversary Celebrations for Pastor Ricardo and First Lady Chaka Dorcean at Central Baptist Church.

Our thanks to Donna (Sensabaugh) Morrisette for taking these wonderful pictures, and allowing us to share them with everybody.

Several events commemorated the celebration, including First Lady Dorcean's Night in Central's old sanctuary with Minister Kim Morrison of the University Park Baptist Church of Charlotte as guest speaker.

Visiting church for the Sunday services was the St. James Baptist Church of Richmond, Virginia, with the Reverend Kevin Sykes, preaching both the morning and afternoon services.

Happy Birthday, Mrs. Wanda McMiller!

2011-08-29T11:36:00.001-04:00

Happy 70th birthday to Mrs. Wanda McMiller!

Her birthday party celebration was held Saturday, August 27th, 2001 in the Douglass Room at the V.O. Dobbins Sr. Complex.

From the family: "Thanks to all who came to share our Mother's 70th birthday celebration with us. We realize that this celebration would not have been successful without your presence."

Click here to see a slideshow and pictures from the birthday celebration for Mrs. Wanda McMiller.

Happy Birthday, Mrs. Betsy Pierce!

2011-08-29T11:36:00.000-04:00

Family and friends celebrated the 78th birthday of Mrs. Betsy Pierce on Saturday, August 27th, 2011.

The party celebration with a Hollywood theme, was held at Betsy and Jack Pierce's home on Louis Street in Kingsport.

Click here to see a slideshow and pictures from the birthday party and celebration for Mrs. Betsy Pierce.

Shiloh Baptist Church celebrating 75 years

2011-08-26T11:35:00.000-04:00

KINGSPORT — Shiloh Baptist Church will commemorate its 75th church anniversary with special worship services at 10:45 a.m. and 3 p.m., Sunday.

Organized in 1936, Shiloh has been led by six pastors that included almost 50 years of leadership by the Rev. C. Dorsey and the Rev. J. Bratton Gaines.

The congregation has been led by the Rev. Dr. Kenneth Calvert for the past 20 years.

The Rev. Dr. Linda W. Calvert will give the morning anniversary message. Special music will be provided by Mr. Christmas Martin.

Rev. C.C. Mills, Jr. will deliver the afternoon message, and music will be provided by the Friendship Baptist Church, Greeneville.

Dinner will follow the morning service. The church is located at 712 E. Sevier Ave.

Festival Going in Chattanooga

2011-08-25T01:24:00.001-04:00

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The Chattanooga Times-Free Press did not caption everybody in this picture from the recent Bessie Smith Heritage Festival, held at the museum in downtown Chattanooga the weekend of August 20th.

If you look closely at the person at the right in the above picture with the flowery shirt, it is none other than our own Douglass Sons & Daughters Alumni President Virginia (Jenny) Hankins of Kingsport, strolling along, sampling the music, food, sun and fun of the festival.

Meeting scheduled on benefit pageant

2011-08-24T11:23:00.000-04:00

• KINGSPORT — A meeting will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. Thursday at the Civic Auditorium to discuss the “Gents to Gentlemen Male Pageant” set for Oct. 15th. Pageant participants will be able to turn in their applications and fees and get information about the event. Contestants will be separated into age divisions, and different awards will be presented for various categories such as Mr. Congeniality, Best Dressed Male, Mr. Smiles, and Mr. Photogenic. The entry fee is $10, and proceeds will go to Berry’s Pharmacy to help the needy pay for health care needs; the Kingsport Ministry to help the needy pay utility bills; and Kingsport Parks and Recreation for sporting equipment, and the Kingsport Community Ministry Center. The event is being presented by Kingsport Parks and Recreation, New Vision Youth and the Taylor-Hamilton Insurance Agency. For more information, call 429-7553 or 246-3817.