By Ray Hill For decades the Bankhead family was one of the most politically prominent in the state. Today, perhaps the best-known member of the family is the late actress Tallulah Bankhead, yet Miss Bankhead’s father William was Speaker of the U. S. House of Representatives while her Uncle John was the United States […]
By Richie Beeler There’s a new church emerging in America. It’s the one your founding fathers feared most. The religion that is rearing its head in the 21st century bears little resemblance to the one protected by the First Amendment. There is no protection for this one. Or from it. America now has what amounts […]
By Dr. Jim Ferguson Have you ever gone to the refrigerator and found something unidentifiable in a Tupperware container? There’s a great line by Walter Matthau in the Odd Couple movie. His character Oscar is hosting a poker party and announces to his buddies, “I’ve got green sandwiches and brown ones.” As I recall there […]
By Alex Norman New Tennessee head coach Butch Jones knows the importance of recruiting to the success of a football program. So it was no surprise that he talked about recruiting in the early stages of his introductory press conference on December 7th. What was a surprise, at least compared to the reported indifference of […]
By Steve Williams Just when University of Tennessee sports fans needed a lift, the men’s basketball team hit a couple of bumps in the road. An 85-80 loss to Memphis followed by a 92-74 beating from Ole Miss in the SEC opener – both in front of home crowds – wasn’t what the patient needed […]
By Tasha Mahurin Bill Wright coached the University of Tennessee’s baseball team from 1963 until 1981. The program’s longest tenured coach, he is a member of six different halls of fame. Although long before he led the Vols baseball team, he was a star athlete on the basketball court. A 1941 graduate of old Knoxville […]
By Tasha Mahurin Thirty-year-old Amanda Harmon is finally fit. “I began to struggle with weight in my early twenties,” Harmon told The Focus. “My weight ‘yo-yoed back and forth by as much as 30lbs. I was unable to maintain it.” Through diet and consistent exercise, she was able to overcome her health challenges. Now, Harmon […]
By Joe Rector It’s that special day when people everywhere wake to a new beginning. The first day of a new year is a time when folks reassess their lives and make plans for improvement. I did it as well. For years I promised myself each January 1 to lose weight. All my life I’ve […]
By Steve Hunley, Publisher Superintendent of Schools Dr. James P. McIntyre is beginning to promote his “State of the Schools” address. This has become an annual event and not only promotes McIntyre, but helps to set the table for the expected request for more money for the school system. Last year, McIntyre unveiled his new […]
By Ralphine Major It was a P. Graham Dunn creation made in America, and I thought it was beautiful. P. Graham Dunn is one of my favorite styles of Christian art. The simple Christmas plaque with lyrics set against a soft blue background struck a chord with me. The song that brings us comfort in […]
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