By Sally Absher The Knox County School Board of Education had two back to back meetings last week, with the Sept. 2 Work Session meeting followed by the Sept. 3 Regular monthly meeting. Two new board members and two returning board members were sworn in by Juvenile Court Judge Tim Irwin in a ceremony immediately […]
By Steve Hunley By Steve Hunley, Publisher publisher@knoxfocus.com The Knox County Board of Education, as expected, deadlocked while attempting to elect a new Chair. Incumbent Chairwoman Lynne Fugate announced she would not be a candidate for reelection as she had recently come to the conclusion she had become a divisive figure. The allies of superintendent […]
By Sally Absher One of the features of BOE meetings is public forum – when any citizen can come and speak for up to 5 minutes about issues that concern them. Every once in a while, a speaker is so articulate, so concise, and so timely, that everyone in the audience is speechless. Such was […]
By Sally Absher At the end of last Wednesday’s Regular Meeting, the BOE took up the reorganization of the Board. Eight of nine members were present. (Member-elect Patti Lou Bounds is on an extended trip overseas, and does not return until September 8). John Fugate nominated Mike McMillan, Amber Rountree seconded. Karen Carson nominated Lynne […]
By Steve Hunley I can’t help myself, but I have been thoroughly amused by the uproar about the “side” agreement between the superintendent of schools and the Knox County Board of Education. The Focus was writing about this two and a half years ago. Mike McMillan was the only member of the Board who protested […]
By Sally Absher sallyabsher@gmail.com The Knox County School Board of Education had two back to back meetings last week, with the Sept. 2 Work Session meeting followed by the Sept. 3 Regular monthly meeting. Two new board members and two returning board members were sworn in by Juvenile Court Judge Tim Irwin in a ceremony […]
By Ray Hill Woodrow Wilson was the first Democrat to be reelected to a second consecutive term since Andrew Jackson. He had campaigned on the slogan, “He Kept Us Out of War” in 1916 and the President faced a serious opponent in the person of Charles Evans Hughes. Hughes is the only person in American […]
“Poor Richard’s Almanac” will give you a versatile idea on the subject of weather. Started by Benjamin Franklin in 1732, it appeared continuously until 1758. It offered a mixture of seasonal weather forecasts, practical household hints, puzzles and other amusements. Benjamin adopted the pseudonym of “Poor Richard” for this purpose. I thought of the subject […]
By Dr. Jim Ferguson Recently, a patient came to me seeking a miracle; and I didn’t have one. Desperate people often search for a magic medicine or a cure. I now know what this feels like, and hopefully it will allow me to a more empathetic person and a better doctor. Sympathy implies concern for […]
By Joe Rector Our lives are sometimes difficult. All of us experience problems, but a few have much harder times than others. That’s when angels appear. Yes, I firmly believe that God brings folks into our lives who serve as angels and who make our lives better. One of them is a well-known figure in […]
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