Mcmillan and Underwood Meet at Gibbs
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March 5, 2012 www.knoxfocus.com PAGE A1 INSIDE B Business C Sports D Health & Home MONDAY March 5, 2012 FREE- Take One! Game On Against Cancer ARMSTRONG VISIts WITH to raise funds for Thompson GOVERNOR HASLAM Cancer Survival Center By Tasha Mahurin [email protected] Knoxville’s “go-to” store for home entertainment, Games and Things, has teamed up with a number of local sponsors to host a dynamic fundraiser for Thompson Cancer Survival Center. Scott and Lisa Mellon, who have owned Games and Things for 32 years, were inspired to host the event after Lisa’s own health journey led to treatment at the Thompson Cancer Survival Institute. “After spending some time at the center for treatment, I knew I wanted to do something. I called Covenant to see what we could do to help,” Lisa told the Focus. The couple was able to channel their expertise in home entertainment and gaming to create a unique event for a wonderful PHOTO BY DAN ANDREWS. cause. Candidate for Law Director Bud Armstrong shares a moment with Governor Bill Haslam following a Romney rally at the Turkey Creek Public The event, appropriately Market last Friday. entitled “Game On Against Cancer”, will feature an evening of celebrity gaming. Participants will be able to challenge a local celebrity to a game of table tennis, billiards, poker, darts or black jack. Mayor Madeline Roger, Mayor Tim Burchett, McMillan and Underwood Bruce Pearl, Abby Ham, Hallerin Hill, Con Hunley, Bill Landry and a host of other Knox-famous celebrities are among those who have Meet At Gibbs stepped up to the card table to show their support The Forum That advertisement from four years for this compelling cause. Wasn’t ago when the same crew (save for “We’re grateful that we Williams) endorsed Bill Phillips. had such a great response By Focus Staff Underwood won the coin toss, from our local celebrities but chose to allow McMillan and want to thank them The long awaited forum between to open the forum. McMillan for coming out to be part the two candidates in the Eighth immediately said if reelected of this fun-filled night,” Lisa District for the Knox County Board his top priority will be to build a added. of Education whimpered more than new Gibbs Middle School so that Proceeds from the event sizzled. It was a curious affair, local children aren’t bussed long will go to help fund two which allowed incumbent Mike distances out of their community. important programs at McMillan and challenger Conley After McMillan’s opening remarks, Thomspon Cancer Survival Underwood the opportunity to Underwood gave his own opening Center- the Thompson Cares answer questions from students statement and said children Fund and the Fellowship and the audience. need to be taught personal Center. The Thompson The forum was organized by responsibility and that it wrong Cares Fund provides Ahnna Estes of the Knoxville to bully. McMillan made the financial assistance for Chamber and Jimmy Hipshire of the observation he believes bullying patients who are in crisis Gibbs High Family and Community in our schools is a bigger problem and need help to meet Engagement Committee. PHOTO BY DAN ANDREWS. than the administration believes the expenses of basic Evidently advertising for the it to be. necessities like housing, 8th District School Board member and candidate Mike McMillan gives event was nonexistent as the When asked if the school transportation, medical his opening statement at the forum at Gibbs High School on Thursday moderator lamented the fact budget, which is almost two- supplies and medication. evening. there wasn’t solitary parent thirds of Knox County’s entire In 2010, over $55,000 in from the Gibbs community capacity of parents and students retired central office administrator. annual budget, was increased aid was provided through in attendance. The fact the from Gibbs, the crowd looked like The old school system trifecta and the two candidates could the fund. organizers selected a night for a nursing home for retired school was represented by Mullins, as direct the spending, McMillan The Fellowship Center the debate at Gibbs the same administrators and officials. The neither Jim Williams nor Tommy said he would put it in classrooms; provides a free “home- night there was a choral concert King of the Pensioners, sometime Everett was present. The three adding teachers where necessary, away-from-home” for causes one to wonder about Superintendent Roy Mullins, was have recently been featured in improving reading skills for patients and families who their collective planning skills. in attendance as was Conley an ad for Conley Underwood, Rather than an audience filled to Underwood’s Aunt Shirley, another which was strikingly similar to an Continue on page 2 Continue on page 2 Expires 03-09-12 PAGE A2 The Knoxville FOCUS March 5, 2012 The winter that never came An unfamiliar winter for the mid-South? to as ‘La Nina.’ 2012 has known as ‘blocking.’ In other Well, that is an answer been a La Nina winter. words, when cold air spills that might actually require Historically, that usually into the East out of Canada several questions. So let’s means mild weather for at - which it often does in the path take them one at a time. least the southern half of winter months - this high Is it global warming? the United States. But the pressure ridge in the North My cell ones from By Richie Beeler Well I wouldn’t ask that exact effect that La Nina Atlantic effectively blocks phone rang as good ones is question too loudly on the has on weather in the East the cold air’s exit out to we were leaving the feeling other side of the Atlantic. is difficult to prove. A mild sea, sometimes locking it the doctor’s they impart If you are a snowboarder, That region of the world has winter such as this one in place over the eastern office. The to those who skier, or just a lover of all endured one of its harshest depends on other factors US for days or even weeks. message was read or hear things winter, the 2011- winters in decades. Below that may or may not even It is this long term presence brief and totally their words. In 2012 season has been zero temperatures have be related to the Southern of cold air that provides unexpected. “An Unfamiliar By Ralphine Major a downright bummer. For killed hundreds in eastern Oscillation. the setup for frequent “Mike Hearn [email protected] Path,” this the past three months, Europe. Snow has fallen in Has this been our mildest snowstorms. has a brain teacher draws By Sarah Baker most of the eastern United London, Spain, Portugal, winter ever? Believe it or In the winter of 2011, tumor,” the the reader into bakers@knoxfocus. States, including us folks Italy and even northern not, no. As recently as 2005 the NAO remained mostly voice said. We were her family’s daily details in com here in East Tennessee, Africa. Power outages have and 2006, the continental negative. That is why we stunned and knew that dealing with cancer. has languished in one of crippled millions in Russia US experienced two of the had numerous chances the Hearns must be Lori introduces readers the mildest, wettest, most and Ukraine. warmest January’s ever of snow here in East devastated. The news put to Mike and Micki Duncan uneventful winters in recent That is not to say that recorded, with hardly a Tennessee. Now it is true a damper on an otherwise a n d K e n t a n d A m y W i l l i a m s , memory. the global climate as a single instance of cold that we haven’t really had beautiful spring day. Thus, the first two couples the The warm winter whole has not experienced weather. While the winter ‘the big one’ in a number of began a precious family’s Hearns contacted with weather has also been a a warm period over the of 2012 has been above years. But again, that can journey of “an unfamiliar their dreadful news--two real downer for weather past decade. Certainly normal, there have been involve numerous factors path.” This former church great choices! Mike is an geeks (like yours truly) and it has. But one definitely occasional invasions of coming together in just the administrator’s battle with engineer who enjoys flying, professional forecasters. cannot conclude that this cold air that have helped right way and at just the brain cancer is chronicled and Micki works with the It just kind of goes with year’s mild winter in North balance the climatological right time. But in 2012 the in a book that his wife, Lori, school system and is also the territory that if you’re America was the result of averages. NAO has been relentlessly wrote. (Focus readers may a wedding planner. Kent a meteorologist you look global warming. So what’s the culprit? positive, offering no recall reading about Mike is the Pastor of Pastoral forward to winter when Can we blame it on El Well, again there may not extended periods of in the “Silent Witness” Care at Wallace Memorial many of the more exciting Nino? This became almost be a simple answer. But cold and allowing little column on 2-27-12.) This Baptist Church, and Amy and unpredictable weather a cultural catch phrase here’s the simplest one opportunity for a major working mother’s book is a teaching assistant.