By Rosie Moore During my 46 years living in Pennsylvania, I once lived in a house across the road from a huge Amish farm. One of my favorite pastimes was gazing out my front living room window and watching the Amish sheep graze on the pastures surrounding that farm. They came really close to the […]
By Dr. Jim Ferguson As I watched my grandson, Oakley, run towards the ocean’s edge I realized he was still a toddler. His lack of arm swing and twisting torso gave him that sweet awkwardness of little children. Watching him caused me to think about some of my elderly patients who are losing their fluidity […]
By Steve Williams If local fans of the Tennessee Vols would like an additional college football team to follow and pull for this season, may I suggest Navy. The Midshipmen have a special connection to the Knoxville area with the passing of Will McKamey this past March. The former Grace Christian Academy standout was a […]
By Alex Norman It’s always a special occasion when Peyton Manning, one of the best football players in Tennessee history, returns to Knoxville. Manning was in town last week to renew acquaintances, and to headline his own charity golf tournament, the Peyton Manning Golf Classic, which was held at Fox Den Country Club in Farragut. […]
By Joe Rector Some weeks are rougher than others. The bad ones take a toll on us both physically and emotionally. Sometimes it’s work that causes us ill; at other times, it’s money concerns that drive us into funks. For me, death has been at to root of my low mood. Three of them occurred […]
By Sally Absher When Dr. McIntyre presented his 2020 Strategic Plan to the Board of Education in May, teachers were especially concerned by one of the details listed under Goal 2, Objective 4 – “Centralize recruitment and selection,” because it appears that Central Office, and not principals, will be making hiring decisions. Apparently, as told […]
Click here to view this week’s Focus. Race to the top Part 2: Assessments By Sally Absher sallyabsher@gmail.com When most people think of Race to the Top (RTTT), they think of Common Core. But national, common assessments are perhaps a larger and more insidious part of the initiative. If Common Core is completely repealed, but […]
Publisher’s Note – I have asked our resident historian, Mr. Ray Hill, to write a special column noting the passing of Senator Howard Baker. Mr. Hill has been working on a lengthy series on Senator Baker’s career. Every member of The Focus staff joins me in sending our condolences and sympathy to Senator Baker’s family […]
By Mike Steely steelym@knoxfocus.com Two routes are main arteries to the North Knox County region: one a main highway and one a local byway with a connection to history. One is Rutledge Pike, which shoots off of Magnolia and runs as Highway 11W through upper East Tennessee all the way to Bristol. The other, Washington […]
By Ray Hill Edward Hull Crump, in partnership with U. S. Senator Kenneth McKellar, began his domination of Tennessee politics in 1932. Crump was then a member of Congress, although he served for only four years. The Memphis Boss announced he would not be a candidate for reelection in 1934. Crump had not especially enjoyed […]