UT SPORTS TENNESSEE TITANS Honoring her Don’t forget coach, mentor Conklin, Ryan Former Lady Vol Kyra Elzy’s Yes, Tannehill, Henry are top SEC Win Challenge raises free agent priorities. But these money for Alzheimers. guys aren’t far behind. P44 P23 January 31-February 6, 2020 Vol. 46 | Issue 5 KNOXVILLE EDITION www.TNLedger.com The power of information. KNOX • ANDERSON • JEFFERSON • CAMPBELL • CUMBERLAND CLAIBORNE COCKE • GRAINGER • HAMBLEN • BLOUNT • LOUDON • MONROE • MORGAN • ROANE • SCOTT • SEVIER • UNION Ledger FORMERLY WESTVIEW SINCE 1978 Eagles soaring to a higher purpose Pigeon Forge rescue rehabilitates, inspires Story by Nancy Henderson begins on page 2 ern Express, Inc, Photo by Adam Taylor Gash |The Ledger ROGERS COLUMN Hampshire Insurance Company, Western Express, Inc, Def Atty(s): John W Barringer, 08/30/2010, 10C3341 October 8 - 14, 2010 Patricia McClarren vs Star Insurance Company, Westwood Challenger, a bald eagle, soars through the hallways of the Church Of Christ, Law & GovernmentPublicPltf(s): James T Collins, Def(s): Star Insurance Company, Westwood Church Of Christ, Def AEF to land on the arm of Al Cecere, founder of the AEF Is Amtrak really Atty(s): David John Deming, 08/30/2010, 10C3343 Pltf(s): James A Richard Dicaire vs Cbs Personnel Holdings Inc, Cbs Personnel Services LLC, Kilgore Group Inc Collectively RecordsStaffmark, Staffmark Investment LLC, Pltf Atty(s): n/a, Def(s): Cbs Personnel Holdings Inc, Cbs Personnel a possibility? 08/26/2010, 10C3303 Services LLC, Kilgore Group Inc Collectively Staffmark, Staffmark James T Collins vs Rogers Group Inc, Investment LLC, Def Atty(s): Stephen B Morton, 08/26/2010, Pltf Atty(s):inside n/a, Def(s): Rogers Group Inc, & Def Atty(s): online Heather E Hardt, 08/26/2010, 10C3308 James A Wells vs Jenco Construction Inc, We seem to have what Wells, Pltf Atty(s): n/a, Def(s): JencoTNLedger.com Construction Inc,Pltf(s): Def Atty(s):Judy R Lawson, Jennifer S White, 08/25/2010, 10C3282 Jessica Grimwood vs Intrepid USA Healthcare Services, Amtrak wants. But is it PersonalPltf(s): Jessica Finance Grimwood, Pltf Atty(s): ................................ n/a, Def(s): Intrepid USA 3 enough to restore service CommunityHealthcare Services, Calendar Def Atty(s): Clifford .......................... Wilson, 08/27/2010, 4 Judy R Lawson vs Nursing & Oneida, News PltfBriefs Atty(s): David ....................................... Harold Dunaway, Def(s): Nursing & Oneida, Def 20 through Tennessee? Newsmakers ...................................21 Jordan Sanders vs Dillons Welding Inc and Employers, P4 Public RecordsPltf(s): Jordan Sanders, .................. Pltf Atty(s): Donald6-19, D Zuccarello, 26-41 Def(s): Behind the Wheel ..........................43 Page 2 www.TNLedger.com/Knoxville JANUARY 31-FEBRUARY 6, 2020 Hall nds career challenge, inspiration with Eagles By Nancy Henderson A few months ago, Jessica Hall discovered an urgent message on the American Eagle Foundation’s voicemail from a high school teen named Adam. e young man was practically begging Hall and her sta of avian caretakers to bring their most famous bald eagle, Challenger, to his school’s homecoming event. “But he was talking so fast I couldn’t hear the name of the high school,” says Hall, 42, who recently became executive director at AEF. Before she had a chance to return the call, the boy’s teacher emailed with the same request. “I looked down at her email signature, and it didn’t have the school, but it had her number,” Hall adds, noting that AEF doesn’t normally arrange for yover events at high schools. “So I called her back and, come to nd out, it was Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, which in 2018 experienced the worst school shooting in U.S. history.” e school’s mascot happened to be an eagle. “We want to create an experience for the students here that they can put in their memory box that is not linked to the tragedy,” the teacher said. “Something that allows them to be kids in the moment.” “OK,” Hall replied without hesitation. “We’ll be there.” A 22-year veteran of corporate America, Hall joined the nonpro t AEF in May. e Pigeon Forge-based foundation, which rehabilitates and cares for injured native birds of prey and those that have imprinted with humans too much to return to the Photograph provided wild, currently houses about 60 vultures, Jessica Hall, executive director of the American Eagle Foundation in Pigeon Forge. crows, hawks, golden eagles and what is billed as the world’s largest population people, whether it’s her sta , her teenage important to me , that I’m invested. I run co ee giant’s East Tennessee market. Along of non-releasable bald eagles housed at twins or a group of grieving students in more on genuine human connections than the way, Hall honed her birdwatching skills Dollywood’s Eagle Mountain Sanctuary. Florida who say watching an eagle soar I do on anything else. at fuels me. but didn’t have time to dedicate herself to Other birds, including Challenger, live overhead will help them heal. “Because I’ve been a single parent for the hobby as much as she’d like. at the main AEF o ce, which is home “When we have an opportunity to meet so many years and I have deliberately not A single mother since her son Isaiah to an avian care barn, rehab center and or talk, I want people to feel connected,” sought out a relationship,” she adds, “I and daughter Sophia were just 18 months quarantine area. AEF also operates Wings she says, noting that this is not the same think that’s why I’m able to give that to old, Hall took a break from her dream job of America, the bird of prey show at as networking. “I just really strive to make other people.” in 2013 when Isaiah, who is on the autism Dollywood. sure that I’m present at every conversation , Growing up in unincorporated Karns spectrum, began an intensive therapy For Hall, life is all about relating to that I am there , that what you’re saying is and Seymour near Knoxville, Hall also program designed to help him build felt a connection to animals. An avid meaningful relationships. reader, she often took her books outside “Cognitively he can tell you the scienti c and sat under the trees in the sprawling facts about black holes and temperatures wooded area behind her family’s house, and aerodynamics,” she says. “But he has a where hawks and songbirds perched in the hard time making connections human to branches. human. “At the time, I didn’t know what “ at was probably the best year of my [species] they were, but I just loved the entire life, getting to watch him grow like freedom and how they could move from that. [Being a mom] is probably for me the place to place and stop when they needed most ful lling role that I’ve ever held. It to and y when they wanted to.” without a doubt is my purpose. … I know When it came time to choose a career, that sounds cheesy, but it’s always been the however, she followed a more predictable three of us, me and the twins, and we call path, studying business and corporate ourselves e ree Musketeers. Being the communications at the University of leader of e ree Musketeers for me has Tennessee with the goal of becoming a been the most incredible journey ever.” high-ranking Starbucks manager until a When it was time to reenter the personal tragedy forced her to drop out. workforce in 2015, Hall took her sister’s In 1997, her passion for co ee led her suggestion and applied for a job at family- to Books-a-Million, for whom she opened friendly Dollywood, where she produced Joe Muggs cafes across the Southeast. two major entertainment projects, Great Photo by Adam Taylor Gash |The Ledger Starbucks came calling in 2001, and she Pumpkin LumiNights and the Christmas- Challenger has met the last two presidents, Donald Trump and Barack Obama, and frequently flies spent the next 12 years helping expand the at large events including UT football games. EAGLES >> PAGE 24 JANUARY 31-FEBRUARY 6, 2020 www.TNLedger.com/Knoxville Page 3 You need a plan Rejection still hurts Don’t just ‘wish,’ act now for Every no is a step better finances in retirement closer to getting In a previous column, I detailed retirees’ the job you want biggest lifestyle regrets, Related link Job searching can truly be gut such as not traveling 8 Ways to Increase Social Securi- wrenching, especially if you haven’t more before their ty Bene ts http://bit.ly/increase-so- looked in a while. health gave out and cial-security-bene ts e pain is there with every interview LIZ not communicating WESTON that doesn’t turn into something, even PERSONAL clearly with a partner covered, such as eye care, dental care and if it’s a job you didn’t really want. FINANCE about what they hoped hearing aids. But Medicare itself also ANGELA Not only do you wonder what’s retirement would be COPELAND has premiums, and those can rise with wrong, your friends and family might like. CAREER income, thanks to the income-related Ledger vocalize the same concerns – to your Now we’ll cover the money moves CORNER monthly adjustment amount – known as face. It makes you wonder if you picked retirees wish they hadn’t made. e big IRMAA. the right career, if you should go back ones, of course, are starting to save too The power of e standard premium for Medicare to school or if you should give up completely.