By Dr. Harold A. Black blackh@knoxfocus.com haroldblackphd.com I am disappointed in the generations that have come after mine. When I was teaching, I would tell my students that the world was made up of three types of people: the one percent that make things happen,...
By Dr. Jim Ferguson A writer is rarely satisfied with his prose. I am always looking for a better word or better phrasing of my stories. Perhaps The Focus publishing deadline serves a purpose and, at least for this writer, forces closure on what might be a...
By John J. Duncan Jr. duncanj@knoxfocus.com My father told me many years ago that people forget you when you leave office faster than the ripples disappear when you throw a rock in the water. Former Congressman John Kasich said a friend of his told him, “When you...
By Tom Mattingly If you’re so inclined, cast a glance toward North Florida today (Dec. 27, 2021) and remember a significant moment in the history of Tennessee football. The final game of the Doug Dickey era at Tennessee (Sept. 19, 1964–Dec. 27, 1969) came at the Gator...
By Mike Steely Senior Writer steelym@knoxfocus.com Russell Kuhlman, president of the Old Gray Board of Trustees, noted the many improvements and restorations at Old Gray Cemetery this past year. In a letter to friends of the cemetery, Kuhlman said generous...
Triplett looking to take ‘next step’ in seeking seat on school board By Ken Lay Steve Triplett officially kicked off his campaign for a seat on the Knox County Board of Education Thursday night. Triplett aspires to represent District 7 in North Knox County of the...
By Steve Hunley Double Standards and Lack of Institutional Knowledge Readers will recall Gina Oster, candidate for the Knox County Commission to succeed term-limited Randy Smith in the Third District, was a candidate for the GOP nomination for the Tennessee House of...
By Steve Williams Halls High cheerleaders have been spreading a lot of joy during the holidays. It’s something cheer coach Cheri Duncan’s squad annually does as Holiday Helpers and The Focus likes to shine a spotlight on all local high school student-athletes for...
By Ray Hill Patrick Jay Hurley was one of those who exemplified the promise of America, coming to the United States as an infant with his parents the same year he had been born in County Waterford, Ireland. During his eighty years, Patrick J. Hurley was a highly...
By Dr. Harold A. Black blackh@knoxfocus.com haroldblackphd.com Merry Christmas. There is little doubt in my mind that we are governed badly at the federal, state and local levels. Recent history simply reinforces that certainty. I no longer trust the judgment of the...
Since 1982, Smoky Mountain...
By Steve Williams Karns is...
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By Adam Sullivan It’s not...
Rosie Moore celebrated her...