By Ralphine Major The new gospel singing group that Walter Maples helped to start in 2004 needed a name. They were all choir members, but no longer all members of the late Charlie Hatchett’s department. Thus, the inspirational group “The Old Time Singers” or TOTS was formed. TOTS originally began with Dorothy Johnson, soprano; Mary […]
Mike and Lettie Steely celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary April 1st in Washington, D.C., where they lived during the first years of their marriage. The Steelys have two adult sons, Michael Howard and Burton Ross, two grandchildren, Bethe and Gage, and two step-grandchildren, Julia and Sean. Mike, a writer for The Knoxville Focus, was a […]
By Steve Williams Powell High head softball coach Jeff Inman said it had been a “hard week” with all the games his team had played. Some also might have called it an eye-opening week as Inman’s young Lady Panthers moved to the top of District 3-AAA. Freshman standout Allison Farr hurled a two-hitter and struck […]
Drop the beer distance ordinance? Council says ‘Not Yet.’ By Mike Steely steelym@knoxfocus.com It is apparent that the distance between a beer retail store and places like schools, hospitals, churches and mortuaries may someday be changed but a 5-4 vote Tuesday evening by the city council keeps the 300 foot requirement. The close decision not […]
Powell Orange’s 6U coed team was the youngest of the teams to win a Knox County tournament championship in local youth basketball this season. See team photos of all seven Knox County champions and the 11 Knoxville champions on Page C2 in this week’s issue of The Knoxville Focus.
By Ken Lay After opening the 2016 season by losing four of its first six games, the Farragut High School softball game is in the midst of a three-game winning streak. The Lady Admirals (5-5 overall, 3-1 in District 4-AAA) opened the week with a 14-0 victory over rival Bearden Tuesday night at Bellamy Field. […]
By Ralphine Major You may be one of the Focus readers who has been privileged to hear them sing in one of the more than 175 churches or assisted living facilities over the years. I have always known them as “The TOTS,” an acronym for “The Old Time Singers,”— though they have playfully said it […]
By Ken Lay Bearden High School boys soccer coach Ryan Radcliffe finally saw his team produce the results he wanted when it focused and went back to basics. “Credit Gallatin,” Radcliffe said after his Bulldogs notched a 4-1 win over the Green Wave Thursday night in the opening round of the Bearden Invitational at […]
By Steve Williams Youth sports have always meant a lot to Joe Ward and still do. Ward played his first basketball game as an 11-year-old in the Griffin (Ga.) Spalding County Parks and Recreation Department’s youth program in the mid-1970s. He went on to earn Coaches’ All-SEC first-team honors at the University of Georgia under […]
By Ray Hill Few men have been as colorful as John Nance Garner of Texas. Garner spent thirty-eight years in Washington, D. C., and the last eight as vice president under Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Yet, Garner shunned the limelight, preferring to make his considerable presence felt in the corridors of power and hidden offices of […]