By Sarah Baker Russia’s recent shocking encounter with a meteor brought some much needed attention to my hometown of Middlesboro, Kentucky. Just under two hours north of Knoxville, my hometown of about 10,000 residents is nestled against the Tennessee and Virginia borders. The attention was justified because Middlesboro is considered the site of one of […]
By Tasha Mahurin “We just did it in the name of the Lord,” Brian Beals said. “Because, for a change, He had something to smile down about on us for. Instead of frowning at us, this is one time; He maybe smiled because we did a good thing.” Beals and Larry Moore are members of […]
By Sharon Frankenberg, Attorney at Law In last week’s column, I focused on tips for landlords. This week I would like to focus on tips to prevent common mistakes made on the tenant’s side of a lease transaction. Before you decide to rent, evaluate the unit’s location carefully. Is the neighborhood safe? Do you have […]
By Steve Hunley Last week was an interesting one in politics and brings to mind either The Biggest Loser or perhaps Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? Choosing just precisely who is the biggest loser isn’t easy. The County Commission heard a resolution to have an elected superintendent and make the elections partisan; there […]
By Joe Rector A good friend of mine enlightened me on an important factor in life. Joe Dooley and I were discussing politics and world events. At one point, he looked at me and stated, “Everything in life is a bell-shaped curve.” Now, most people know that I am a failure in the area of […]
By Ray Hill An imposing statue dominates the State Capitol in Nashville, yet few recognize the figure staring off into the distance, overlooking the street where he was murdered in downtown Nashville. Edward Ward Carmack was by profession a newspaperman, but he was also a successful politician, serving as a Congressman and U. S. […]
By Steve Hunley The Knoxville News-Sentinel has just released a new poll sponsored by its political partner, the local Chamber of Commerce. Not surprisingly, this poll claims that after polling 900 registered voters, that a majority would gladly pay more taxes if it all went to education. Bull. When The Focus started a weekly poll, […]
By Steve Hunley One of the cardinal rules of politics is never to propose a tax increase right before the elections. Evidently that is a rule little understood by The Knoxville News-Sentinel and the Chamber of Commerce. Of course the two have long been in lock-step together and now might as well be Siamese twins, […]
By Dr. Jim Ferguson I get as frustrated as anyone else when I hear that our government has given some researcher precious resources to study the mating preferences of fruit flies or build robot squirrels; I didn’t make these up. And there are hundreds of even more wasteful programs. For the last three years Senator […]
By Alex Norman Former Vols running back Gerald Riggs Jr. is preparing for another season in professional football. This winter he’s been working out with former Vols strength and conditioning coach Johnny Long. Riggs has also been seen honing his craft at the University of Tennessee football complex. When you examine what Riggs has dealt […]
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