By ELLEN BROWNStaff Writer

SEYMOUR — Amanda Jerviss is a chiroprac-tor by trade, but she is passionate about overall health as well.

Jerviss presented “Hidden Health Hazards in the Home” Saturday afternoon at the Seymour Public Library, alerting community members to possible harmful prod-ucts they use every day and what they could use as healthier substitutes.

“The Environmental Protection Agency has shown that indoor air levels of many pollutants may be 2-5 times and, occasionally, 100 times higher than outdoor lev-els,” Jerviss reported. “This raises concerns with the average family that spends 90 percent of their time indoors.”

Glass or general pur-pose cleaners have ammonia, a powerful

By ELLEN BROWNStaff Writer

GATLINBURG — Nearly 800 chil-dren and their families traveled to the Smoky Mountains for the Gatlinburg Gymnastics Classic held over Valentine’s weekend at the Gatlinburg Convention Center.

“For 10 years, we’ve had this here,” said Kerma Headrick, co-director of the event. “It’s a good winter destina-tion, and the families can enjoy all of the attractions here.”

More than 13 states were repre-sented, including Pennsylvania, Texas and Louisiana. Participants were both males and females, ages 5-18, compet-ing in various levels of the sport.

“This is a chance for the gymnasts to compete against other kids who aren’t in their own sandbox,” said event co-director Tracy Counts, who is also owner of Gymnastic Counts Gym in Maryville. “It’s a chance for other cit-ies to experience the hospitality and craftsmanship here, as well as enjoy

By DEREK HODGESStaff Writer

SEVIERVILLE — It’s certainly common knowledge around Sevier County that most of the people who live here aren’t from here, but few have come from as far away for a Smoky Mountain home as Henry Le and Phoenix Nguyen.

Both started their lives on the other side of the world and, because Le (pronounced like the American name “Lee”), the owner of Sevierville’s Sassy Nails, demurred when he was asked about doing an interview for Meet Your Neighbor, deferring to girlfriend Nguyen (pronounced like “win,” it’s the most common surname in Vietnam), we’re intro-duced to both today.

As it turns out, the couple has a very similar history, though it wasn’t until fate brought them together a few years ago that they realized it. Each is the child of a Vietnamese mother and an American father, the products of those common couplings GIs made during their time in the Southeast Asian nation. They also both escaped tremendous poverty in their home country thanks to

a federal program that offered American homes to the children of servicemen.

Listening to the two describe their early childhoods in Vietnam, a land devastated after centuries of strife and oppression, is some-thing like watching an episode of that old television show, “Queen for a Day,” each seemingly outdo-ing the other with stories of hard-ship.

“We were poor. We didn’t have anything,” Le says as he polishes the nails of a customer at Sassy Nails. “I remember when I was a kid we would walk out into the ocean when it was low and we would throw out nets. I would go out with my grandmother and she

was probably 68 then, but she had to do it because it was how we got food.”

At a time when American chil-dren were working to master roller skates and stressing about the care of their Pet Rocks, Le’s life was focused on survival. That meant doing whatever it took to find a meal for the day, which he would share with his family before either staying up a bit longer if they had money for oil for their lamps that night or going to bed early.

“I remember one day I went out and I walked 10 miles because I was trying to find food,” Le says. “We didn’t have cars and only the rich people had scooters then. I

See DREAM, Page A4

The Mountain Press■ Sevier County’s Daily Newspaper ■ Vol. 26, No. 46 ■ February 15, 2010 ■ www.themountainpress.com ■ 50 Cents

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Because of an early dead-line, some late-breaking stories and lottery numbers may be omitted from today’s edition.

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TodaySnow

High: 32°

TonightSnow

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5Reflectionsat UAHFriends family say accused professor showed no hint of violence

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“Shorty” Ogle, 87Jennifer Waser, 19

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5Putting on thedog (show)Westminster ready for 134th annual event this week

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See GYMNASTS, Page A4See HAZARDS, Page A4

Derek Hodges/The Mountain Press

Sassy Nails owner Henry Le works on local resident Tammy Goins’ hands. Le says he’s come a long way from the poverty-stricken Vietnamese village he grew up in.

Living an American dream

Snowrefusesto goaway

Staff report

The snow, it seems, just does not want to go away this winter.

With a handful of events having already occurred in the valley this winter, the National Weather Service in Morristown was calling for more snow last night and early this morning, with a possibility of addi-tional accumulation later today.

David Gaffin, a meteo-rologist at the NWS in Morristown, said Sunday afternoon that Sevier Countians who live below 2,500 feet above sea level will likely awaken to a blanket of white, with 1-3 inches possible.

“The heaviest snow should fall around sun-rise,” he said. “We will likely see snow through-out the morning. It should taper off toward early afternoon, although there will probably be bands of snow showers moving through the area through-out the day.”

Gaffin said the national park could see 4-8 inches of snow, with some of the extremely higher eleva-tions, such as Mount LeConte, receiving up to a foot.

Partly cloudy to mostly cloudy conditions will pre-vail throughout the week, he said. More snow is a possibility for next week-end, although it’s a little too early to get a precise forecast.

“It’s going to stay could, with temperatures below normal,” he said. ... “Another system will be moving into the area next weekend (that could produce frozen precipita-tion).”

“I had to go down and wait for people to leave, then I would get their leftovers in the bag. I took them home and that’s

what we would eat that day. It was terrible.”

— Phoenix Nguyen

From Vietnamese poverty, couple finds happiness here“... When I was a kid we would walk out into the ocean when it was low and we would throw out nets. I would go out with my grandmother and she was probably 68 then, but she had to do it because it was how we

got food.”— Henry Le

Hidden health hazardshighlighted

Gymnastson their toesfor Classiccompetition

Ellen Brown/The Mountain Press

Sarah Headrick, left, 12, Erin Grimm, 11; and Audrey Anderson, 11, all of Maryville,, take a break from competing at the Gatlinburg Gymnastics Classic held at the Convention Center on Saturday.

The Mountain Press ◆ Monday, February 15, 2010

Submitted reports

GATLINBURG — Patrick Malone of RE/MAX All Pro Realtors has earned the Short Sales and Foreclosure Resource cer-tification.

The National Association of Realtors offers the c e r t i f i c a -tion to those who want to help both buyers and sellers nav-igate com-p l i c a t e d transactions.

According to a recent NAR survey, nearly one-third of all exist-ing homes sold recently were either short sales or foreclosures — the new “traditional” transac-tion. Realtors who have

earned the SFR certifica-tion know how to help sellers with short sales as well as help buyers pur-sue short sale and fore-closure opportunities.

The certification pro-gram includes training on how to qualify sellers for short sales, negoti-ate with lenders, protect buyers and limit risk, and provides resources to help Realtors stay current on national and state-specif-ic information.

Submitted report

BRENTWOOD — Many people enjoy the convenience of doing all their banking over the Internet, but some consumers worry about the safety of their online transactions. The Tennessee Society of CPAs recommends that you ask these ques-tions to ensure that your online bank deal-ings are secure.

Do I know who I’m dealing with?

Many legitimate banks offer online options, but there are also a few scammers out there using the Internet to cheat people out of their money or gain access to their personal informa-tion so that they can use it in illegal transac-tions.

Before you open an account with an unknown organization, read up on the infor-mation they provide online to see how long it has been in business and whether they are regulated by state and federal banking author-ities. You can also find out more information in the “Bank Find” sec-tion of the Web site of

U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, a government agency, at www.fdic.gov.

If the bank’s name is a familiar one, be aware that some con artists use sound-alike names that trick people into believing they are deal-ing with a well-known organization. Double check the full organiza-tion name and spelling to be sure you’re work-ing with the right bank.

Is it FDIC-insured?You should only deal

with a bank if your account there is insured by the FDIC. If you have up to $250,000 in an FDIC-insured bank account, including a checking or savings account or a certificate of deposit, the FDIC will reimburse your money if the bank fails. Look for the FDIC logo on the bank’s site and for the words “Member FDIC” or “FDIC insured.”

It’s also a good idea to go to www.fdic.gov to locate the bank on the FDIC’s list of insured institutions. Remember, too, that according to the FDIC, banks char-tered overseas may not benefit from FDIC insurance. If you’re

considering an overseas bank, find out if your money will be covered.

How can I fend off phishing?

“Phishing” is a com-mon scam in which consumers receive an e-mail purportedly from a legitimate orga-nization — such as their bank — asking them to confirm personal infor-mation. Those who are taken in by these scams may end up unin-tentionally revealing their account numbers, Social Security number or other confidential details to thieves who will use the informa-tion to engage in illegal transactions.

Banking onl ine doesn’t make you more vulnerable to phishing attacks, but it’s certain-ly a problem you should be aware of. The best defense is to call your bank’s customer service number and verify that

any communication you receive is legitimate.

Will my personal information be pro-tected?

There are many ways in which online organi-zations secure the infor-mation they receive, including passwords and data encryption. For your own peace of mind, it’s a good idea to find out in advance what measures the bank will take to ensure that your account number or other personal informa-tion does not fall into the hands of identity thieves.

Also, whether you bank online or at a bank branch, the orga-nization is required by federal law to inform you of its privacy pol-icy, including whether it shares your informa-tion with others. You have the right to ask the bank not to share details about you.

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Submitted

Members of East Tennessee Area Council of American Business Women’s Association installed new officers for 2010. From left are President Darlene Milks from Sevier Chapter; Vice President Millie Stout from Smoky Mountain Chapter; communications officer Gloria Christiansen from Sevier chapter; and treasurer Gail Braunsroth from Karns Chapter. Shirley Bumgardner, president of Karns Chapter, installed the officers.

ABWA installs new officers

Ensure online bank dealings secure

Patrick Malone earnsforeclosure certification

Malone

Sevierville PD setsshoplifting preventionprogram for Feb. 25

Submitted report

SEVIERVILLE — The Sevierville Police Department has scheduled a shoplifting prevention class and Business Watch Program presentation from 7-9 p.m. Feb. 25 at the Sevierville Civic Center.

Sgt. Rebecca Cowan will teach the class. There is no charge for the class. Call and register

so that appropriate supplies of materials can be available. To register or receive additional infor-mation, contact Cowan at 868-1866 or e-mail to rcowan@seviervilletn.org.

The shoplifting prevention class is designed for business owners and retail workers. The class has been updated. Topics to be covered include shop-lifting related laws, owner rights, commonly stolen items, police officer procedures, methods and tools used by shoplifters, and shoplifting prevention. All types of retail businesses will benefit from this pre-sentation.

Nationally, less than 4 percent of the billions of dollars lost each year to shoplifters is recovered. It is estimated that for every dollar that is recovered, over $27 is lost due to retail theft.

The Business Watch Program was started by the department in 2006. The main component of the program is a system for timely communication among businesses in the event that a shoplifting, robbery or other crime occurs. Currently, the pro-gram has over 150 business members.

Sen. Corker to addressChambers event Tuesday

Staff report

The Gatlinburg and Sevierville Chambers of Commerce will host the first “Two Chambers, One Voice: 2010 Legislative Series” Tuesday with U.S. Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn.

The event will be held at Calhoun’s Banquet Hall.Corker will give an update on the developments in

Washington and answer questions from the audience. Registration begins at 11 a.m., and the program should end

at 1:30 p.m. Advance reservations are required. The cost is $15 for Chamber members, $25 for others. Call 436-4178.

Monday, February 15, 2010 ◆ The Mountain Press

Submitted reports

PIGEON FORGE — The Sevier County Economic Development Council, along with the cities of Gatlinburg, Sevierville and Pigeon Forge, will hold the 13th annual Sevier County Job Fair from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on March 11 at the Holiday Inn Convention Center in Pigeon Forge.

“We are extremely excited to host this event in conjunction with the three cities. It has been extremely successful the past 12 years and we anticipate another great event,” said Jack Delozier, chairman of the economic develop-

ment council. Over 800 job seekers attended the event last year, and many companies hired employees that day.

This event is open to any business within Sevier County that has at least three job openings. The cost for a booth is $150. There will be over 40 booth spaces avail-able.

Businesses may call the Economic Development Office to reserve their $150 space at 428-2212. The deadline for busi-nesses to register for the job fair is March 1.

Admission by those seeking jobs is free.

Job seekers may visit www.seviercountyjobs.org for more informa-tion.

Submitted reports

Tennessee State Bank has recognized Scott Henry and David Grindstaff as 2009 staff members of the year.

Both were selected by fellow employees.

“We are very honored and privileged to have both David and Scott working for Tennessee State Bank. They both represent the bank in the most positive, effec-tive and professional way. Both employees are very deserving of this recognition and we are very proud that they are a part of our TSB fam-ily,” said President/CEO Todd Proffitt.

Scott Henry, commu-nity banking officer at the Wears Valley branch, has been with Tennessee State Bank for four years. He is a native of Sevier County and a graduate of Gatlinburg-Pittman High School.

He and his wife Melanie have four daughters: Ashley, Kelsey, Sophie and Rylee.

Henry is a youth league football coach as well as a basketball and softball coach. Outside of sports, Henry is associ-ate pastor and youth pas-tor at Richardson’s Cove Baptist Church.

“First and foremost, I want to thank the Lord for the opportunity to work for Tennessee State Bank. It is truly a blessing to work for and with won-derful people such as my fellow employees and co-workers. I am extremely honored to receive this award and I am looking forward to another great year at Tennessee State Bank,” he said.

Grindstaff has been with TSB for six years

and is assistant vice president, credit analyst in loan review at the cor-porate office in Pigeon Forge. Grindstaff has been in banking for over eight years.

He received his bach-elor’s degree from UT and his MBA from Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro. Grindstaff is from Knoxville.

“I am very grateful to be a part of the TSB family. I have been provided many opportunities to grow in my career and I am very thankful for that. I am humbled and honored to win such an award that so many others also deserve,” he said.

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Tennessee State Bank honored Scott Henry, left, and David Grindstaff, right, as 2009 staff members of the year. Todd Proffitt, center, is presi-dent and CEO of the bank.

Henry, Grindstaff honoredas TSB staff members of year

Here are some questions to askyour CPA during the tax season

From Submitted Reports

Tackling your tax return can be a challenging task.

That’s why it’s a good idea to arrive at your tax return preparation appointment ready with questions that will help clarify the issues that concern you most. The Tennessee Society of CPAs offers these tips on what to ask your tax preparer at tax time.

What are your qualifications?There are many different types of

tax preparers out there, so it’s good to find out who you’re working with so you’re sure your return is handled correctly. To begin with, ask about the preparer’s education and licens-ing, and what steps were necessary to achieve them.

A CPA, for example, is a tax and finance expert who must pass a rig-orous examination and qualify for state licensing, which means these professionals have the most compre-hensive and up-to-date knowledge of tax laws and filing procedures. In addition to asking about licensing and education, find out how long the person has been preparing returns and whether he or she usually works with clients whose financial situa-tions are similar to your own.

What will I have to pay in taxes this year?

Your CPA will discuss your total tax payment and whether you will owe addi-tional taxes this year or get a refund. Most important, he or she can also explain how your income and expenses affected the taxes you will pay so that you can better understand the steps nec-essary to minimize your taxes if possible in the future.

How can I lower my taxes?Ask your tax preparer if you are

eligible to make contributions to an individual retirement account. If you

are, taking that step before April 15 can help lower your taxable income — and your taxes. Otherwise, there’s not much you can do to reduce the taxes on the return you are preparing now.

However, your CPA can discuss your opportunities for cutting your 2010 taxes. There are many strate-gies you can use to reduce some of your tax burden, ranging from small adjustments to more serious steps. Your CPA can describe which ones apply in your situation.

What tax law changes will affect my return this year?

Congress has been very active in passing new tax and economic stimulus and recovery legisla-tion during the last year. In par-ticular, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 made numerous changes for taxpayers. That means there may be new rules that will have an impact on people such as first-time homebuyers, new car purchasers, those who are paying or saving for higher education and anyone receiving unemployment ben-efits, among other taxpayers. There are also important new credits and subsidies for small business own-ers. Your CPA can explain the new regulations and discuss how to take advantage of any tax saving opportu-nities now and in the future.

What if I think I made a mis-take on last year’s return?

The IRS will often catch math errors and alert you to them. They may also get in touch with you if they believe there is information miss-ing from your return. If you left out income or didn’t claim a credit or deduction, it’s also possible to file an amended return correcting the mistake. Your CPA can discuss your options if you find yourself in this situation.

13th annual Sevier County Job Fairis set for March 11 in Pigeon Forge

“I can unlock great information with my finger”

The Mountain Press ◆ Monday, February 15, 2010

walked everywhere.”Meanwhile, in another vil-

lage, Nguyen was also doing her best to survive. Each day her mom would send her down to the restaurants in town where the wealthier people and tourists would eat, with a small plastic bag.

“I had to go down and wait for people to leave, then I would get their leftovers in the bag,” Nguyen says. “I took them home and that’s what we would eat that day. It was terrible.”

Nguyen as a child helped support her family, taking a job as a maid and nanny for a well-to-do family. When she accidentally dropped one of the youngsters one day, her bosses threw her out.

“I was afraid of what my mother would say, so I hid behind the house and I was crying,” Nguyen says. “One of the neighbors went to my mother and said, ‘Why is your daughter crying behind your house?’”

Each of them were lifted from the poverty and brought to America, where they resettled and started build-ing their lives. Nguyen has since met and keeps in touch with her GI father, though Le still has heard nothing of his dad.

On arriving in the U.S., Le started working at a Chinese restaurant, where he made $800 a month. He only spent $100 of that on him-self, though, having learned to live frugally from his start. He sent the other $700 home to his mother, who later complained he wasn’t keeping it for himself.

“She told me, ‘You should save that money and buy a plane ticket back so you can visit us,’” he says. “I said, ‘I know how poor you are there. A plane ticket costs $1,600 or $1,700. I’d rather send that money home to you so you can have it.’”

Le might have made a different choice if he knew what the future held. Only a year after he moved across the world, his mother died,

a victim of cancer. He never saw her again after boarding the plane for America.

From his first American home in Houston, Le even-tually moved to Nashville. About that time he befriend-ed Nguyen, who was living with her family in Atlanta.

He worked with a compa-ny in the capital city until he was laid off. It was then that family members who had a nail salon there invited him to come try his hand at the trade.

Le found he had a tal-ent for making customers’ hands and feet sparkle, and turned nail work into a career. He eventually moved to Sevier County to take another job in a salon here, convincing Nguyen to leave her home in Atlanta to move to the Smoky Mountains with him.

“I didn’t want to move up here at first and none of my family wanted me to move,” Nguyen says. “I didn’t want to leave Atlanta. Now, I love it here. The people are so nice here, not like in Atlanta. Sometimes (Le) talks about moving back to Atlanta when the kids grow up and I say, ‘I’m not going back there.’”

After a few years, Le took over the salon at Sassy Nails and the couple has built a pretty good life for themselves, a long way from the poverty they experienced in Vietnam.

“Everything is better now. We’re not rich, but we’re happy,” Nguyen says. “He loves his job. He tries to do the best he can for his customers. He doesn’t care about the money. He just cares about the customer. He tries to make them happy.”

He seems to be doing a fine job at that as far as dedicated folks like Tammy Goins are con-cerned.

“I’ve been coming here for two years and I won’t let anybody else touch my hands now,” Goins says. “Henry’s the best in town. This is the best nail salon in town.”

n dhodges@themountainpress.com

eye and respiratory irritant that may trigger asthma and can typically lead to bronchi-tis and pneumonia. A natu-ral, healthier solution Jerviss suggested was water and white vinegar or lemon juice mixed for cleaning windows, and baking soda or Borax as a general all-purpose clean-er.

Toilet bowl deodoriz-ers and fumigants have Paradichloro-Benzene, a proven carcinogen (or can-cer-causing agent). Jerviss recommends using baking soda or vinegar instead.

Furniture polish, heavy-duty cleaners and car wax have petroleum distil-lates that are eye, skin and respiratory irritants. They may also have traces of Benzene, a carcinogen. The natural solution is to use any citrus oil-based products, cedar oil, olive oil, white vinegar or a mix of olive oil and lemon juice.

Household bleach is a corrosive eye, skin and respiratory irritant and is especially hazardous to those with heart conditions or asthma. Instead, Jerviss

said, use Borax soap, bak-ing soda or hydrogen per-oxide.

“It’s hard to change everything at once, but just a few changes can make things a lot better,” she told attendees.

Rachel Mancini of Maryville agreed — after she switched to natural cleaners, she said her head was no longer congested or stuffy.

Many cosmetics, lotions and shampoos contain parabens, the controver-sial chemicals that many argue may cause cancer. Jerviss recommended numerous natural prod-ucts, including Pacifica, a lotion found at Sephora; Alvera deodorant; and Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps.

She also advocated using flavored liquid Stevia or honey instead of Splenda or other artificial sweeten-ers, which increase acids in the body.

Marilyn Hutchinson of Seymour was also pleased she took the time to attend.

“I wanted to be made aware of things I could do to improve my health,” she said.

n ebrown@themountainpress.com

the sport of gymnastics. It’s exciting that we have other states joining us, and we have national-ranking judges.”

Counts fell in love with gymnastics as a child, when she watched the sport on TV.

“My mother said I went into the backyard and tried to do what I saw,” she said with a laugh.

She competed on the gymnastics team at East Tennessee State University, and when the school’s team disband-ed, transferred to James Madison University to compete.

“Gymnastics is a sport where strength and grace come together,” Counts said. “It’s a popular sport to watch, very intriguing.”

Gymnasts are judged on a number of differ-ent things at these meets, including level of difficul-ty, good form and artistic ability.

Headrick said there were no Sevier County participants in the event this year. “Local” gym-nasts were from Knoxville and Maryville.

“I love my floor rou-tine, and I love getting to show it off,” said 12-year-old Sarah Headrick of Maryville, who competes at Level 7 (the highest is Level 10). “Balance beam is also fun — it’s a chal-lenge to stay on.”

E l e v e n - y e a r - o l d Audrey Anderson, also of Maryville and Level 7 competitor, favors the vault and the bars.

“With the vault, you have to run your hardest and punch hard, and with the bars, you have to grip

on tight and know how to swing.”

They were joined by fellow Gymnastic Counts gymnast and Level 7 com-petitor Erin Grimm, 11, whose confidence shines when she does her floor routine to “New York, New York.”

“It’s fun to show off,” she said with a grin. “The judg-es always smile at me.”

Even with her experi-ence, Counts says that coaching gymnastics con-

tinues to keep her on her toes.

“You can’t get bored — you have to be stra-tegic. I love that a girl can be strong and femi-nine at the same time in gymnastics. I also see the discipline that this sport requires carrying over to their academics.”

The Gymnastics Classic will continue through Monday.

n ebrown@themountainpress.com

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O B I T U A R I E S

Parlone Richard (Shorty) Ogle

Parlon Richard (Shorty) Ogle, 87, of Pigeon Forge died Friday, Feb. 12, 2010. He was a veteran of World War II.

Survivors: wife, Hettie Ogle; children: Melvin, Mike and Carol Ogle, Judy McCarter; 22 grand-children; many great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren, great-great-great-grandchildren and great-great-great-great-grandchildren; daughters–in-law, Betty Huskey, Leeroy Ogle and Darlene Ogle; brother, Shelby Ogle; sisters, Unalee Huskey and Dolly Ogle; several nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews.

Funeral service 7 p.m. Monday at Atchley’s Smoky Mountain Chapel with Rev. Ralph Burke officiating. Interment 1 p.m. Tuesday at Smoky Mountain Memory Gardens. The family will receive friends 5-7 p.m. Monday at Atchley’s Smoky Mountain Chapel in Pigeon Forge.

n www.atchleyfuneralhome.com

Jennifer Elizabeth WaserJennifer Elizabeth Waser,

19, of Kodak, passed away Friday Feb. 12, 2010. She was a 2009 honors graduate of Family Christian Academy. She was a student at Walters State Community College and employed by Wilderness Resort at the Smokies. She attended Kodak Community Baptist Church.

Jennifer is survived by: parents, Thomas and Joyce Waser; sis-ters, Laurie Daniels and husband Timothy, Faith Waser; brother, Benjamin Waser; grandparents, Walter and Sally Howe, Joan Waser; great grandparent, Donna “G.G.” Howe; several aunts, uncles and cousins.

Funeral service 11 a.m. Wednesday in Atchley ’s Seymour Chapel with Rev. Kent Loveday, Rev. Kevin Childs, and Rev. Gary Smith officiating. Interment to follow in Atchley’s Seymour Memory Gardens. The family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m. Tuesday at Atchley Funeral Home, Seymour.

n www.atchleyfuneralhome.com

GYMNASTS3From Page A1

HAZARDS3From Page A1

Ellen Brown/The Mountain Press

Amanda Jerviss, a Seymour chiropractor, pre-sented “Hidden Health Hazards in the Home” Saturday at the Seymour Public Library.

DREAM3From Page A1

Schools face budget holes as stimulus endsSAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The

nation’s public schools are falling under severe financial stress as states slash education spending and drain federal stimulus money that staved off deep classroom cuts and widespread job losses.

School districts have already suffered big budget cuts since the recession began two years ago, but experts say the cash crunch will get a lot worse as states run out of stimulus dollars.

The result in many hard-hit dis-tricts: more teacher layoffs, larg-er class sizes, smaller paychecks, fewer electives and extracurricular activities, and decimated summer school programs.

The situation is particularly ugly

in California, where school districts are preparing for mass layoffs and swelling class sizes as the state grapples with another massive bud-get shortfall.

The crisis concerns parents like Michelle Parker in San Francisco, where the school district is prepar-ing to lay off hundreds of school employees and raise class sizes because it faces a $113 million bud-get deficit over next two years.

“I’m worried they’re not going to have the quality education that’s going to make them competitive in a global society,” said Parker, who has three kids in district elementary schools.

Around the country, state gov-ernments are cutting money for

schools as they grapple with huge budget gaps triggered by high unemployment, sluggish retail sales and falling real estate prices. A recent report by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities found that 41 states face midyear budget shortfalls totaling $35 billion.

“The states are facing a dis-mal financial picture,” said Jack Jennings, president of the Center on Education Policy.

The Obama administration’s $787 billion federal stimulus pack-age provided roughly $100 billion for education, including $54 bil-lion to stabilize state budgets. In October the White House said the stimulus created or saved 250,000 education jobs.

Monday, February 15, 2010 ◆ The Mountain Press

By DESIREE HUNTER and KRISTIN M. HALL

Associated Press Writers

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — An Alabama professor accused of shooting six colleagues was vocal in her resentment over being denied tenure and the looming loss of her teach-ing post, though relatives and students said she had never suggested she might become violent.

Not even Amy Bishop’s husband knew she might turn violent, accord-ing to the man’s father. Everyone from family and friends to her students at the University of Alabama in Huntsville said the intelligent and at times awkward teacher seemed normal in the hours before police say she opened fire in a faculty meeting Friday afternoon, leaving three dead and another three wounded.

Jim Anderson — the father of Bishop’s hus-band, James Anderson — told The Associated Press on Sunday his son had no idea Bishop was plan-ning the bloodshed she’s accused of.

“He knew nothing. He didn’t know anything,” the father said. He said that the police had spoken with his son at length and that “they are doing a good job.”

Indeed, there were many things Bishop apparently did not reveal to those around her.

In 1986, Bishop shot and killed her 18-year-old brother with a shotgun at their Braintree, Mass., home. She told police at the time that she had been trying to learn how to use the gun, which her father had bought for protection, when it accidentally dis-charged.

Authorities released her and said the episode was a tragic accident. She was never charged, though police Chief Paul Frazier on Saturday questioned

how the investigation was handled.

Some of Bishop’s col-leagues, including William Setzer, chairman of the department of chemistry, told The Associated Press they did not know about her brother’s death.

Police say the gun she’s accused of using wasn’t registered, and investiga-tors don’t know how or where she got it.

Bishop, who has four children, was arrested soon after the shooting and charged with capital murder. Other charges are pending. Her husband was detained and questioned by police but has not been charged.

James Anderson said his wife had an attorney but would not say who it was. He declined further com-ment to The Associated Press on Sunday. However, he told the Chronicle of Higher Education earlier in the day that he had no idea his wife had a gun — nor did he know of any threats or plans to carry out the shooting when he dropped her off at the fac-ulty meeting Friday.

Just after the shoot-ing, Anderson told the Chronicle, she called and asked him to pick her up. She never mentioned the shooting, he said.

Even in the days and hours before the shoot-ing, Bishop’s friends, col-leagues and students said she was acting like the intelligent — but odd — professor they knew.

UAH student Andrew Cole was in Bishop’s anat-omy class Friday morning and said she seemed per-fectly normal. Kourtney Lattimore, 19, a sophomore studying nursing who had Bishop for anatomy and physiology courses, said

she didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary.

“She was fine. It was a normal day,” Lattimore said.

Bishop had worked closely for three years with Dick Reeves, who had been CEO of BizTech, which had been working with her to market a cell incubator she invented to replace tradi-tional equipment used in live cell cultures. Bishop often mentioned the issue of tenure in their discus-sions, Reeves said.

“It was important to her,” he said.

However, the two had spoken as early as Wednesday, and Reeves said she showed no signs of distress.

Tenure — a type of job-for-life security afforded academics — is often a stressful process for any-one up for review, Setzer said. Bishop was up front about the issue, often bringing it up in meetings where the subject wasn’t appropriate.

“That was another thing that made her different,” Setzer said. “In committee meetings she didn’t pre-tend that it wasn’t happen-ing or anything. She was even loud about it: That they denied her tenure and she was appealing it, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.”

Some have said the shootings stemmed from Bishop’s tenure dis-pute, though authorities have refused to discuss a motive. Andrea Bennett, a sophomore majoring in nursing and an athlete at UAH, said a coach told her team that Bishop had been denied tenure, which the coach said may have led to the shooting.

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Free 32 oz Fountain Drink Or 16 oz. Coffee Offer Expires 3/31/2010 www.murphyusa.com

February 17, 2010 All DayLarge 1 Topping Pizza

Bread Sticks & Sauce $4.99Chip Kain from 106.3 ESPN Radio

will be doing his show live from Hanks 3-6p.m.

741 Dolly Parton Parkway(across from Food City)

Sevierville, TN 37862453-9999

NAACP gives several statelawmakers failing grades

CLARKSVILLE (AP) — The NAACP has given several members of Tennessee’s congressional delegation failing grades on civil rights issues.

The group’s annual report, called the NAACP Civil Rights Federal Legislative Report Card, gives four of Tennessee’s U.S. House members and both senators failing grades on their voting record on more than 20 issues.

The Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle reports that some of the legislators say the test is subjective and should be considered among other evaluations.

The House members were graded on 25 votes and the Senate on 21 votes.

When grading senators, the NAACP weighed, among other issues, expanding children’s health care, Hillary Clinton’s confirmation as Secretary of State, gun and voting rights in the District of Columbia and extending unemployment benefits.

House evaluations considered the delay of the digital TV transition, the Congressional Black Caucus budget for 2010, imposing the death penalty on hate crimes, the Sudan crisis plan and health care reform.

Tennessee Republicans received nota-bly lower scores than Democrats, even though the NAACP billed the report

as nonpartisan. The highest of the Republican lawmakers in Washington from Tennessee was Sen. Bob Corker, who was given a 43 percent failing grade.

Laura Herzog, communications direc-tor for Corker, said the first-term sena-tor makes decisions on each issue objec-tively, looking at both sides of the issue.

“In the end, his vote is based upon what he believes is in the best long-term interests of Tennessee and the country,” Herzog said.

Jimmie Garland, Montgomery County’s chair for the NAACP, said Tennessee traditionally has scored low in the evaluation, and seeing low grades “is nothing new.”

“The question is ’why didn’t you vote for that?”’ he said. “They are still human rights issues or civil rights issues.”

U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn’s spokes-man Claude Chafin called the test sub-jective and said voters should look at other evaluations, too. Chafin said Blackburn regularly receives high marks from conservative groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, the National Taxpayers Union, Club for Growth and the American Conservative Union.

Chafin also said the evaluation is also not nonpartisan, as the NAACP claims.

Associated Press

Students, faculty, and others leave after meeting to remember and mourn the three faculty slain, and three others wounded last Friday dur-ing a shooting at University of Alabama in Huntsville, Ala., on Sunday.

Alabama prof’s family, friends: No hint of violence

JONESBOROUGH, Tenn. (AP) — An eastern Tennessee county had no Democrats file for local offices on the ballot in the fall elections.

Washington County Democratic Party Chairman Adam Dickson told the Johnson City Press that the lack of filers marks a “sad day” for the local party. But, Dickson said, he’s looking forward to fielding candidates for sheriff, coun-ty clerk, Circuit Court clerk, property

assessor, county mayor and other offices in the 2012 elections.

Party officials met Saturday morn-ing in Jonesborough to put together a slate of candidates, but no one stepped up to appear on the ballot for county offices.

Democrats will field a candidate for state representative. Todd Mrozek is challenging 7th District representative Matthew Hill, R-Jonesborough.

Eastern Tenn. county sees no Democrats for office

The Mountain Press ◆ Monday, February 15, 2010A6 ◆

6 Monday

Departments:News: Ext. 214; e-mail: editor@themountainpress.comSports: Ext. 210; e-mail: mpsports@themountain-press.comClassifieds: Ext. 201 & 221Commercial Printing: Ext. 229

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Lottery NumberS

Because of an early dead-line, some late-breaking stories and lottery num-bers may be omitted from today’s edition.

Saturday, Feb. 13, 2010

10-14-30-40-51 x4

■ ober ski report

Base: 57 to 82 inches

Primary surface: Machine groomed

Trails open:All (Grizzly closes at dusk; Mogul Ridge not groomed)

toDAy’SbriefiNg

CeLebritieSiN the NewS

toPStAte NewS

The Mountain PressStaffPublisher: Jana Thomassoneditor: Stan VoitProduction Director: Tom McCarterAdvertising Director: Joi Whaleybusiness manager: Mary OwenbyCirculation Distribution manager: Will Sing

SubscriptionsCarrier Delivery (where Available): $11.60 per 4 weeksin-County mail: $13.08 per 4 weeksout-of-County mail: $19.60 per 4 weeksPostmaster: Send address changes to The Mountain Press, P.O. Box 4810, Sevierville, TN 37864

(ISSN 0894-2218) Copyright 2008 The Mountain Press. All Rights Reserved. All property belongs to The Mountain Press and no part may be reproduced without prior written consent. Published daily by The Mountain Press. P.O. Box 4810, Sevierville, TN, 37864, 119 River Bend Dr., Sevierville, TN 37876. Periodical Postage paid at Sevierville, TN.

how to reach us:Phone: (865) 428-0746Fax: (865) 453-4913

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office hours:8 a.m. to 5 p.m. WeekdaysLocated at 119 Riverbend Dr., Sevierville, TN 37876

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■ “Valentine’s Day”LOS ANGELES (AP) —

The star-studded romance “Valentine’s Day” wooed audiences with a $52.4 mil-lion opening weekend, eas-ily grabbing the No. 1 spot over the holiday that shares its name, according to stu-dio estimates Sunday.

Directed by Garry Marshall, “Valentine’s Day” was a celebrity bonanza. The cast includes Ashton Kutcher, Jessica Alba, Jennifer Garner, Anne Hathaway, Julia Roberts, Jamie Foxx, Queen Latifah, Jennifer Biel, Shirley MacLaine, Taylor Swift and Taylor Lautner.

“Valentine’s Day” dis-tributor Warner Bros. esti-mated its love story will be in the $60 million range after Presidents Day on Monday. That would break the Presidents Day week-end record of $52 million set by “Ghost Rider” over the four-day holiday week-end in 2007.

“We have the support of everyone from Russia to Europe. And I believe we’ll get the support of China to continue to impose sanctions on

Iran to isolate them, to make it clear that in fact they cannot move forward.” — Vice President Joe Biden as U.S. officials sought to shore up support Sunday for a tougher stand

against Iran’s nuclear program.

“(There’s) no cover-up, no missing records. If they’re missing, they’re missing since I

retired.”— retired braintree, mass., Police Chief John Polio,

disavowing he had any role in smoothing over charges against a university of Alabama-huntsville professor, who

is charged with killing three colleagues last week, that he shot in killed her brother in massachusetts more than

20 years ago.

“In the end, solving our fiscal challenge — so many years in the making — will take both

parties coming together, putting politics aside, and making some hard choices about what we

need to spend, and what we don’t.”— President barack obama

LOCAL:Snow

High: 32°Low: 20°

Wind 10-20 mph

Chance of snow

70%

■ Lake Stages:Douglas 957.5 D1.1

© 2010 Wunderground.com

Today's ForecastMonday, Feb. 15

City/RegionHigh | Low tempsForecast for

Chicago31° | 16°

Washington36° | 23°

Miami74° | 52°

New Orleans49° | 38°

Atlanta34° | 29°

Raleigh45° | 29°

Memphis36° | 27°

Showers Rain T-storms Flurries Snow Ice Sunny Pt. Cloudy Cloudy

Weather Underground • AP

toDAy’SforeCASt

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■ tuesdayMostly cloudy high: 35°Low: 24°■ wednesdayPartly cloudyhigh: 38°Low: 22°

Local■ SeVierViLLe

Literary Festivalset for Feb. 27

Literature, local lore and food combine for the first Rose Glen Literary Festival on Feb. 27 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Walters State Community College.

The program will include lectures, book signings and a luncheon.

All of these authors have either written books about Sevier County or are from here.

Tickets for the luncheon are $18 each and include lunch, souvenir soup bowl and a program with speaker Lyn Bales. Call the Sevierville Chamber of Commerce at 453-6411.

■ gAtLiNburg

Corker speakerat Tuesday event

The Gatlinburg and Sevierville Chambers of Commerce will host the first “Two Chambers, One Voice: 2010 Legislative Series” Tuesday with U.S. Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn.

The event will be held at Calhoun’s Banquet Hall.

Corker will give an update on the develop-ments in Washington and answer questions from the audience.

Registration begins at 11 a.m., and the program should end at 1:30 p.m. Advance reservations are required. The cost is $15 for Chamber members, $25 for others. Call 436-4178.

■ SeVierViLLe

City to observePresidents Day

The City of Sevierville will observe Presidents Day today.

Closed: City Hall, Civic Center, Police Department records division, Water and Sewer Department offices

Bulk waste/junk collec-tion services will not be available. Commercial gar-bage Dumpster service will take place as usual.

The Community Center and Eagle’s Landing Golf Club will be open.

■ SeVierViLLe

Free jazz concertplanned at WSCC

Walters State Community College will host a free jazz concert in observance of Black History Month at 6 p.m. today in the Conner-Short Center. The band will fea-ture Charlie Rule and his fellow musicians.

The public is also invited to tour displays of African-American art and African culture in all three buildings on the Sevier County campus.

Admission to the con-cert and the art exhibit is free.

State■ KiNgSPort

Police officer in shooting

Law enforcement offi-cials are investigating a shooting involving an eastern Tennessee police officer and a man killed after a domestic violence call.

The Kingsport Times News reports that a Kingsport police offi-cer responded to a call around 1:30 p.m. Saturday of a woman running from a man who beat her. Kingsport Police Chief Gale Osborne says the man had a gun and pointed it at the officer.

The officer, whose name has not been released, shot and killed the man, Osborne said.

The chief said he con-tacted the Sullivan County District Attorney’s Office and then the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, which was handling the probe.

thiS DAy iN hiStory

Today is Monday, Feb. 15, the 46th day of 2010. There are 319 days left in the year. This is Presidents’ Day.

■ Locally a year ago:The issue of security at

Sevier County Courthouse has recently led to increas-ing, or including new measures such as closing off some entrances to the courthouse, banning of possession of firearms in the courthouse by anyone other than law enforce-ment, increased number of deputes assigned to the courthouse, metal detec-tors used at entrance to courtrooms, cameras throughout the building, panic buttons in all offices and some special protec-tions for judges.

■ today’s highlight:On Feb. 15, 1898, the

U.S. battleship Maine mysteriously blew up in Havana Harbor, kill-ing more than 260 crew members and bringing the United States closer to war with Spain.

■ on this date:In 1933, President-elect

Franklin D. Roosevelt escaped an assassina-tion attempt in Miami that mortally wounded Chicago Mayor Anton J. Cermak; gunman Giuseppe Zangara was executed more than four weeks later.

In 1961, 73 people, including an 18-member U.S. figure skating team en route to Czechoslovakia, were killed in the crash of a Sabena Airlines Boeing 707 in Belgium.

■ ten years ago: Republican presidential

rivals George W. Bush and John McCain fought over campaign financing and the tenor of their nomi-nation contest in a testy debate in Columbia, S.C. that included Alan Keyes.

■ five years ago: Defrocked priest Paul

Shanley was sentenced in Boston to 12 to 15 years in prison on child rape charges.

■ thought for today: “We live by encourage-

ment and die without it — slowly, sadly and angrily.” — Celeste Holm, American actress.

OAK RIDGE (AP) — Bernice Koprince is using a national display to help keep the memory of her son alive.

Lance Cpl. William Koprince Jr., 24, died Dec. 27, 2006, in Iraq by a roadside bomb. His parents have focused on the Field of Flags as a way to turn his death into something educational.

“I meet so many people and when I tell them that my son was killed in Iraq and they can put a face with someone who per-sonally bought their free-

dom, they break down and cry,” said Bernice Koprince of Oak Ridge.

The Oak Ridger reports that the Field of Flags has been seen at more than 30 churches, mostly in Connecticut. The flags have also appeared in North Carolina, Virginia, Florida, Maine, Delaware and Pennsylvania. A large billboard listing all the names of lost servicemen and women accompanies the exhibit.

The national travel-ing exhibit of more than 5,300 flags will soon

cover the lawn around Parkway Presbyterian Church in west Knoxville. Each flag represents an American serviceman or woman who died in Iraq or Afghanistan.

Forty-six flags will represent those men and women from East Tennessee who paid the ultimate price for free-dom.

The Field of Flags originated in 2005 at the Somers Congregational Church in Somers, Conn. Members of the church’s Memorial

Garden Committee placed 2,231 American flags, one for each American casualty in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“This is a prayer chain from church to church to support the families who have lost someone,” said Anne Kirkpatrick, who travels with the flags. Jo-Ann Hornyak also joins her. Both women from the Somers church pay their own expenses to each destination. Designated churches keep the flags for about a month.

Field of Flags honors military dead

S u N r i S e i N t h e S m o K i e S

7 Opinion Mon.

One of the best groups of people to hike with here in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park are members of the Retired Citizens of the Smokies.

I’ve hiked with them for several years and have learned more about the park and it’s people than I ever thought I would.

They usually meet on Fridays at 9 a.m. in Gatlinburg, and carpool to their des-tination hike. Hikes are usually around five or six miles round trip.

In their news-letter, they will rank the hikes from easy to strenuous, so people will know if they’re up to it or not. They meet on the second Tuesday of each month for their longer hike for those with a little bit more energy and stamina.

In checking some of the records in their early history, I found that they first met in January 1970. Through the years their name had changed to encompass a broader geographical area. They were first call Retired Citizens of Gatlinburg, because that’s where most of them were from. Later on they became the Retired Citizens of the Smokies.

According to what I could uncover, a Rev. Dan Jones was one of the first mem-bers, keeping a diary of the minutes and a mention of some of the other members at that time. I’ve seen a commenative marker coming out of Mynatt Park in Gatlinburg with a sign mentioning Dan Jones on one of the trails.

They’ve had several different hike lead-ers throughout the years. The current outdoor activities chairman is Ray Sellers; a retired national park ranger who has seen duty all over America in some of the nation’s finest parks. I first met Ray when we both worked at The Happy Hiker back in the 1990s.

Ray can outhike me any day of the week, which is a little embarressing for me, but more power to him.

I’ve met so many nice people from this group that I just don’t have space enough to mention them all. One person I have to talk about, though, is Herb Clabo. Herb was born in the park in the Roaring Fork area, on the one-way loop road. To hike with him and listen to the stories he tells growing up in the park would mesmerize me. It’s one thing to look at pictures and old stills, but quite another to hear living history from an original. I believe he would qualify as a geneologist of Gatlinburg’s citi-zenry, by anyone’s standard.

By the way, he will be 99 years old in April. Keep hiking, Herb!

One of the reasons I like hiking with this group is that they take me to places that I couldn’t find on my own. I’ve discovered many remnants of old homesteads, usually nothing more than a chimney pile, but, coupled with Retired Citizens’ interpreta-tion, I get my money’s worth.

Some of the places I’ve been to I can’t really find on the map, but it’s all good. I’ve discovered not only old forgotten homesites, but waterfalls and views that I didn’t know existed.

Most of the members of the Retired Hikers are indeed retired. You don’t have to be retired to belong and hike, which is why I joined them.

For $10 a year, you can hike and enjoy the benefits of belonging to this great group of hikers and great people in gen-eral. You get several newsletters a year advising you of the hikes and where they take place. Usually all you need is a small backpack and some water and a snack to get you through the several hours you’ll be on the trail.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the members who passed away last year in 2009: Jerry Drown, Marian Oates, Charles Redick and Priscilla Sherrick. Not being able to hike with old friends is always depressing, which is why it’s always good to see new members.

The current roster of members stands at around 200. Not all of them show up each week to hike, and some are no longer able to hike, but still they pay their dues and are a part of the group — at least in spirit. There are usually about 12 to 15 on any given hike, but I have seen it as high as 50.

This Friday’s hike (Feb. 19) will meet at the Park and Ride across from Food City next to City Hall in Gatlinburg at 9:30 a.m. It’s a 4.4-mile hike. Eat a hearty breakfast and enjoy the Smokies.

— Dan M. Smith is a Cincinnati native and Gatlinburg resident. He is the author of the forthcoming book “So Far from Forfar.” His son is serving in the Air Force. E-mail to dan0729@yahoo.com.

Mountain Views■ The Mountain Press ■ Page A7 ■ Monday, February 15, 2010

c o m m e n ta ry e d i t o r i a l

P o l i t i c a l v i e w

m o U n ta i n m U S i n G S

editorial Board:◆ Jana Thomasson, Publisher◆ Stan Voit, Editor◆ Bob Mayes, Managing Editor◆ Gail Crutchfield, Community News Editor

State legislators:◆ rep. richard montgomery

1-800-449-8366 Ext. 1-5981; 207 War Memorial Bldg., Nashville TN 37243rep.richard.montgomery@capitol.tn.gov

◆ rep. Joe mccord1-800-449-8366 Ext. 1-5481; 207 War Memorial Bldg., Nashville TN 37243rep.joe.mccord@capitol.tn.gov

◆ Sen. doug overbey1-800-449-8366 Ext. 10981; 320 War Memorial Bldg., Nashville TN 37243sen.doug.overbey@capitol.tn.gov

Federal legislators:◆ U.S. Sen. Bob corker

(202) 224-3344; 185 Dirksen Senate Office Bldg., B40A, Washington, D.C. 20510

◆ U.S. Sen. lamar alexander(202) 224-4944; S/H 302, Washington, D.C. 20510

◆ U.S. rep. Phil roe(202) 225-6356; 419 Cannon House Office, Washington, D.C. 20515

◆ U.S. rep. John J. duncan Jr.(202) 225-5435; 2267 Rayburn Office Bldg., Washington, D.C. 20515

letters to the editor policy and how to contact us:◆ We encourage our readers to send letters to the editor. Letters must contain no more than 500 words. No more than one letter per person will be published in a 30-day period. Letters must be neatly printed or typed and contain no libel, plagiarism or personal attacks. All letters are subject to editing for style, length and content. Statements of fact must be attributed to a source for verification. All letters must be signed and contain a phone number and address for verification purposes. No anonymous or unveri-fied letters will be printed. No letters endorsing candidates will be considered. The Mountain Press reserves the right to refuse publication of any letter. E-MAIL LETTERS TO: edi-tor@themountainpress.com or MAIL LETTERS TO: Editor, The Mountain Press, P.O. Box 4810, Sevierville, TN 37864. For questions, call (865) 428-0748, ext. 214. The Mountain Press and its publishers do not necessarily agree with the opinions expressed in letters and columns on this page.

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establish-ment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;

or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peacably to assemble and to petition

the government for a redress of grievances.”—United States constitution, amendment one

Editor’s note: The Mountain Press is occasionally offering an eclectic mix of newsy tidbits, anecdotes and one-liners.

You’ve literally got to see it to believe it. Sean Paul, the new magician who has been performing at Magic Beyond Belief since Feb. 1, and his wife, Juliane have a “mental telepathy” segment in their performance that defies the imagination. He goes into the audience and asks members to hold up items. Juliane, blindfolded on stage, indenti-fies them. Must be magic. ...

The city of Sevierville is planning to remove a dying tree from Cemetery Park soon, and it will require lane closures on the 448 bypass and Main Street. The date has not been set. ...

While there were plenty of local folks cheering for the Colts in the Super Bowl, Pigeon Forge Assistant City Manager Eric Brackins wasn’t among them. The man who holds one of the only NCAA football national champion rings in East Tennessee says he was cheering for the Saints “because of the

story and all that city’s been through.” ...Many people are still mourning the

loss of Atlanta Bread Company at Waldens Landing in Pigeon Forge, but workers are at the site now installing the fixtures for what is apparently going to be a new Five Guys Burgers & Fries location. The burger chain has become famous, particularly in its native area of Washington and Georgetown, for offering flavorful foods and fries cooked in lower-fat peanut oil. ...

The city of Sevierville has secured native Dolly Parton to star in a television ad campaign to promote tourism here. But a city ordinance will not allow the city to post banners celebrating the 25th anniversary of Dollywood in Pigeon Forge. How about this for a congenial solution? Sevierville could pay for ad space on a couple of billboards within the city limits promoting that very thing. ...

In what may be a record for opening and closing a restaurant, Fuji, the Japanese steakhouse which opened just a few weeks ago on the Parkway in Sevierville across

from the Belk shopping center, has shut down. ...

Just a hunch on our part, but the price of a dozen roses is probably a lot cheaper today than it was over the weekend — and you can probably find great savings on Valentine’s Day chocolate and cards. ...

Speaking of prices: A gallon of regular unleaded gasoline cost $2.54.9 on Gleason Drive at Weigel’s in West Knoxville last Monday. On the same day, at a Weigel’s on Dolly Parton in Sevierville, the price for a gallon of regular unleaded was $2.29.9. ...

Sevierville Alderman Travis McCroskey is looking to ad to the city. The planning commission reviewed his request for annexation of property he owns on East Mount Road. The move must be approved by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen as well. McCroskey said he was hoping to develop the land as com-mercial property. ...

“American Idol” fans, do you wonder what Simon would say about a pre-famous Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin or Tom Petty?

On Sunday you’ll meet our new-est collection of Unsung Heroes. We hope you’ll agree they are deserving of recognition. And we hope you’ll agree there are many, many more equally deserving Unsung Heroes throughout our county.

When we started seeking reader input for Unsung Heroes four years ago, it was to spotlight citizens who do good things to help people, but don’t receive the attention they deserve. That’s mostly because these are people who don’t seek attention or recognition, but do what they do out of a sense of duty and a desire to give back.

Since that first batch of Unsung Heroes in 2006, we have annually selected six to eight citizens for the award. Each year our readers are

kind enough to nominate people from throughout the county.

We can’t choose them all, of course, and the ones not selected are worthy of the recognition. What this annual effort does show is that we have a lot of people who are true Unsung Heroes, who take meals to the homebound, cut grass for the elderly, serve their com-munities as volunteer firefighters and youth sports coaches, and who see a need and work to meet that need.

Every single recipient of the award this year was nominated by a reader of this newspaper. Over the years that’s where nearly every single nomination has come. We wanted this award to be one that came from you, not us.

You know who is out there doing good deeds. You know who is unself-ishly serving their community with

a spirit of giving. You know who the Unsung Heroes are.

Thanks for coming through again this year. The people we chose from among the nominations are good people who are doing good work above and beyond their jobs and family lives. All of our selections this year share in common a desire, a calling, to give back, to serve others, to help people who need assistance.

Now is the time to start thinking abut the 2011 Unsung Hero nomina-tion process. We want a great selection from which to choose the winners. We need you for that to happen.

This is an award that comes from the community, not the newsroom or advertising department or circulation department or press crew. It always will be so.

Retirees stillenjoy hikesin Smokies

Heroes among usYou’ll appreciate and praise the latest batch of Unsung Heroes

Here’s an act you’ve got to see to believe

8 Monday

Sports■ The Mountain Press ■ A8 ■ Monday, February 15, 2010

Visit: The Mountain Press.comView/Purchase Sports & News Photos

Associated Press

Tim Burke of the U.S. aims his rifle in the men’s 10 km sprint event at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics in Whistler, British Columbia on Sunday.

Day 2 opens with biathlon surpriseBy JAIME ARONAP Sports Writer

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Here’s a comfort-ing thought for Americans Tim Burke and Jay Hakkinen as they deal with their also-ran status in the men’s biathlon 10-kilometer sprint, an event they were hop-ing to win medals in: Norwegian great Ole Einar Bjorndalen stunk it up, too.

Winner of a record nine Olympic biathlon medals, Bjorndalen had the worst finish of his Olympic career, landing in 17th in a race blurred by a heavy, wet snowfall.

Burke, the first U.S. biathlete ever to lead the World Cup stand-ings, endured the same muck and wound up 47th. Hakkinen was 54th, and lost his status as the American with the best-ever fin-ish in an Olympic biathlon event. Jeremy Teela was ninth to match Hakkinen’s best.

Vincent Jay of France won the event, ahead of Emil Hegle Svendsen of and Jakov Fak of Croatia. They were all among the first 10 starters, before the snow began to cause problems.

Bjorndalen’s performance was the equivalent of Michael Jordan getting benched in the final two minutes of a playoff game. Not only does it not happen, it’s hard to even imagine it happening.

In 11 events over three Olympics, Bjorndalen finished lower than fifth only once — he

was 12th in this same event in Turin. His three penalties from the prone position matched the most of all 87 competitors and his four total penalties tied for second-most.

Four more gold medals were to be awarded on Day 2 of the Vancouver Olympics, which opened with more warm weather (52 degrees early in the after-noon) and the United States atop the medal list with four.

Among the things to watch: A somber men’s luge, the debut game for the U.S. women’s hock-ey team, and figure skating crank-ing up.

There’s also Canada’s ongoing quest for the first gold medal won on home snow or ice, with the best chance for a drought-buster coming in men’s moguls, where a native Canadian competing for Australia is among the top chal-lengers.

———Nordic CombinedAmericans were in good shape

to vie for their first Olympic med-als in Nordic combined, with Todd Lodwick, Johnny Spillane and Brett Camerota in the top 11 going into the cross-country por-tion. Billy Demong was 24th.

Lodwick and Spillane broke their skis while training at the jump hill Friday and had to use backups Sunday.

Camerota, who jumped early and got to sit in the leader box for a few minutes, predicted an

American breakthrough in the European-dominated sport.

“We’re ready to go,” he said. “I think today’s going to be our day.”

———DownhillIt’s almost getting to the point

where it will be news when they do ski in Whistler.

The Alpine schedule was wiped out yet again, this time keeping the women from a training ses-sion because of heavy rain and snow.

The women’s downhill race — Lindsey Vonn’s signature event — is scheduled for Wednesday, leaving only two more days to get in at least one training run, as the rules require.

The men’s downhill was sup-posed to have provided the first medal of these Olympics, but now it’s slated to begin Monday. Drier, cooler air is expected Monday, although it remains to be seen if that will be enough to make the course fit for competition.

“They’ve got some challenges because the top of the hill has been receiving snow, the middle has been a mixture of snow and rain, and the bottom has been pouring rain,” U.S. men’s head coach Sasha Rearick said. “Three different approaches they need to take on the hill, and they’ve been applying that very well.”

———LugeOfficials in the republic of

Georgia are planning to make sure Nodar Kumaritashvili is remembered in fitting fashion, announcing plans to build a luge track in his home town and to hold an annual competition in his honor.

Kumaritashvili was from Bakuriani, a top ski resort in the Caucasus Mountains. He died Friday after crashing during a training run, prompting changes to make the course shorter and slower.

The women’s event begins Monday and many of the com-petitors don’t like the new setup.

German standout Natalie Geisenberger said racing on the new track is “not fun.” She adds that if a switch in the name of safety was to be made, it should have been done a year earlier, “not when one is dead.”

American world champion Erin Hamlin said it’s extremely dif-ficult to figure out how to handle the new start position.

———HockeyUh-oh, Canada: Sidney Crosby

got hurt in his final NHL game before coming to the Olympics.

Crosby, the biggest star on a Canadian roster filled with big names, was seen wincing in pain and slamming his stick in frustra-tion after blocking a shot off his right shin in the second period of a game against Nashville. He returned to the ice for his first shift of the third period.

Lady Volspull awayfor routof Gators

By BETH RUCKERAP Sports Writer

KNOXVILLE — Up by just six points at halftime against Florida, Tennessee seemed bound for another one of the close calls that have become the norm in Southeastern Conference play.

Coach Pat Summitt preached once again to the fifth-ranked Lady Volunteers about the importance of playing with full effort for 40 minutes.

“I was not happy,” Summitt said. “I told them, ’We’re not going anywhere in the tourna-ment unless we invest in being a 40-minute team.’ There’s a reason that we have eight championships. We have to change our level of commitment.”

This time, the Lady Vols listened, shooting 64.5 percent and limiting the Gators to 21.2 percent as they beat Florida 83-44 on Sunday.

Nearly half of all SEC games played this sea-son have been decided by single digits, and SEC-leading Tennessee (23-2, 11-1 SEC) has played its part.

The Lady Vols needed a reverse layup by Angie Bjorklund with 2.3 seconds left to pull out a 66-64 win over Florida in Gainesville on Jan. 14. Bjorklund also hit a game-winning 3 in a 61-58 win at Mississippi on Thursday.

Bjorklund still did her part in beating Florida (13-12, 6-6), but this time she helped by scoring 24 points, including six 3-pointers. Kelley Cain added 19 points, Shekinna Stricklen sank 12 and Alicia Manning added 11.

“It feels good,” Bjorklund said. “I think once our team got together at halftime and everyone committed to defense and rebounding, that made a huge difference. We need to keep it like that more often and focus on playing a 40-minute game.”

The teams traded the lead eight times and tied three times in the first half. Stricklen grabbed the ball from Tessah Holt and hit a layup to cap a 10-0 Tennessee run and give the Lady Vols a 31-21 lead with 2:06 in the first half.

Layups by Trumae Lucas and Jennifer George helped Florida trim the margin, and Tennessee led 34-28 at halftime.

“I thought we showed a lot of fight in the first half,” Gators coach Amanda Butler said. “In the second half the fight wasn’t there, the intensity wasn’t there. The things that you have to do to compete with a team like Tennessee, especially on their home court, weren’t there.”

The Lady Vols stopped relying so much on their post game after halftime and found some perime-ter shooting that had been missing recently, opening the half on a 12-3 run that included 3s by Bjorklund and Manning.

The Gators could only manage 16 points after the break, going long stretches between each basket, and never made it to the free-throw line. Steffi Sorensen led Florida with 12 points.

“This doesn’t count, though,” Summitt said. “It counts when we have 40 minutes of busting it up-and-down the court, defending and rebound-ing at both ends.”

Daytona 500 halted twice for track repairDAYTONA BEACH, Fla.

(AP) — The Daytona 500 was halted twice because of a pothole in the pave-ment, a significant setback for NASCAR’s version of the Super Bowl.

The race had not resumed when The Mountain Press went to press early Sunday because of the imminent threat of bad winter weath-er.

It was unclear how or when the hole developed on an area between turns one and two, but officials stopped Sunday’s race with 78 laps remaining in the 200-lap season-opening race.

Cars parked on pit road for about 30 minutes, then NASCAR allowed drivers to get out of their cockpits for a break.

Track workers started try-ing to patch the hole, which was about 18 inches long and 8 inches wide, but it was unclear how long it would take. The delay had already lasted more than 80 min-utes.

NASCAR chairman Brian France said moisture and cooler-than-normal tem-peratures have made repairs difficult.

“The normal solution you would patch the track with

is not working,” France said. “But we’ve actually turned the corner. We’re on our third different solution. Normally, we would have had this resolved a lot quicker. That’s the problem. The good news is we will get it solved.”

The 2 1/2-mile, high-banked superspeedway was last paved in 1978 and is scheduled for $20 million

repaving in 2012. But offi-cials said it could be moved up if necessary.

Clint Bowyer was leading the race, followed by David Ragan, Kasey Kahne, Carl Edwards and Elliott Sadler.

“I saw that hole,” Bowyer said. “It was getting blacker and blacker and blacker. I knew it was getting bigger.”

Several drivers feared

the delay would force the race to finish under cooler temperatures and maybe even darkness — both of which would cause sub-stantial changes to driv-ing conditions. And leav-ing the hole with speeds reaching nearly 200 mph was not an option.

“You can’t bounce through this place with holes in it,”

Kahne said.NASCAR superstar

Dale Earnhardt Jr. said last February that Daytona International Speedway was long overdue for a new sur-face.

Earnhardt reiterated his stance during the break Sunday, saying there was about “2 1/2 miles of hole.”

“It’s so damn slick,” he said. “It shouldn’t be like this. It’s 2010.”

Earnhardt guessed over his radio that the track had been repaved in the late 1980s or early 1990s.

“Maybe we’ll try to Google it later,” he told crew chief Lance McGrew.

Not every driver was as eager for new asphalt on NASCAR’s most famous track. Two-time NASCAR champion Tony Stewart and Carl Edwards said they like the slick surface. New pavement could mean con-siderably different racing at Daytona.

“That patch is right about were the right-side tires would run if you were down on the yellow line,” McGrew said.

The last time a NASCAR race was stopped because of a hole in a track came at Martinsville in 2004.

Associated Press

Kevin Harvick, left, talks with Elliott Sadler, right, during the sec-ond red flag delay in the NASCAR Daytona 500 auto race at Daytona International Speedway on Sunday

Monday, February 15, 2010 ◆ The Mountain Press Nation/World ◆ A9

MARJAH, Afghanistan (AP) — Two U.S. rockets slammed into a home Sunday outside the southern Taliban stronghold of Marjah, killing 12 civilians after Afghanistan’s president appealed to NATO to take care in its campaign to seize the town.

Inside Marjah, Marines encountered “death at every corner” in their second day of a massive offensive to capture this bleak mud-brick city filled with booby traps, hardcore Taliban fighters and civilians unsure where to cast their loy-alty.

Marines confronted a fierce sandstorm as they ducked in and out of doorways and hid behind bullet-riddled walls to evade sniper fire. To the north, U.S. Army troops fought skir-mishes with Taliban fighters, calling in a Cobra attack heli-copter against the insurgents.

Insurgents littered the area with booby traps and explo-sives before the offensive, and the sound of controlled deto-nations — about three every hour — punctuated the day along with mortars and rocket fire.

“Our children are very scared by the explosions. When will it end?” asked Zaher, a 25-year-old poppy farmer who like many Afghans goes by one name.

The civilian deaths were a blow to NATO and Afghan efforts to win the support of residents in the Marjah area, a major goal of the biggest ground offensive of the eight-year war. Marjah, which had

a population of 80,000 before the offensive, is a Taliban logis-tical center and a base for their lucrative opium trade which finances the insurgency.

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Associated Press

Wearing booties to keep his feet clean, Jazz, an Old English Sheepdog, foreground, is held by his owner Rick Douglas in the lobby of the Pennsylvania Hotel on Sunday.

Putting on the dog (show)Westminster ready for 134th annual event this week

By BEN WALKERAP National Writer

NEW YORK — She is a hot dog, this little Sadie.

Tongue out and wagging tail up, the perky, 4-year-old Scottish terrier has won more than 100 best in show ribbons and is the overwhelping favorite to com-plete dogdom’s Triple Crown this week at Westminster. She’s already charmed the judge, in fact.

What in the show world could go wrong for America’s top dog at America’s top pooch pageant?

Well, plenty.Two years ago, she got spooked

at Madison Square Garden. Her handler’s new shoes were too squeaky, the wooden boards cov-ering the ice hockey rink thumped too loudly. There was a stray TV monitor that threw her, too.

Then last February, she had a potty accident on the green car-pet while coming out to take her place in the final ring.

Come Tuesday night, it could be Sadie’s turn. Or not. Because inside those purple and gold ropes, the show world revolves around one guiding principle.

Dog on the day.“That’s what we always say,”

said David Frei, longtime host of the Westminster telecast on the USA Network and CNBC. “It doesn’t matter what you’ve done in the past. It’s what you do

inside that ring on any given day.”

So maybe there’s room for another contender, perhaps a prize Doberman pinscher, a familiar puli or a sweet golden retriever.

Dogs from 173 breeds and vari-eties begin competing Monday morning, with three newcomers to Westminster: the Irish red and white setter, the Norwegian buhund and the Pyrenean shep-herd.

There are a full 2,500 entries — up from last year, when a slow economy took a bite out of the show — including a 12-year-old shiba inu and 10-month-old miniature bull terrier. Australian shepherds are the most popular with 44 while there were just two kuvaszok.

The hound, toy and nonsporting groups will be judged Monday. The sporting, working and terrier groups go Tuesday. Then short-ly before 11 p.m., judge Elliott Weiss will make his pick for best in show.

Chances are, Weiss will see Sadie among the final seven — oddsmaker John Avello play-fully lists her as the easy 8-to-1 favorite at the Wynn Las Vegas casino.

Weiss chose Sadie as best in show at an event in North Carolina in September. It’s com-mon for top judges to see the best dogs at competitions around the

country during the year.Plenty of judges have picked

the coal-black Sadie, whose registered name is Roundtown Mercedes of Maryscot. She won the prestigious National Dog Show in November and the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship in December.

“Incredible,” praised Clint Livingston, handler of a golden retriever called Treasure who is the country’s No. 4-ranked show dog.

Sadie got rankled during terrier judging at Westminster in 2008 and was the runner-up. Trying to prepare her for all sorts of future distractions in the big ring, han-dler Gabriel Rangel took to hav-ing strangers feed her treats.

Last year at the Garden, Sadie won the terrier group. “Maybe I should take a Scotch,” Rangel said.

An underdog, so to speak, wound up winning best in show. Crowd favorite Stump, a 10-year-old Sussex spaniel, took the rib-bon and silver bowl. He’s now retired, living a dog’s life in Texas.

Scotties have won best in show at Westminster seven times, sur-passed only by 13 wins for wire fox terriers. Then again, not since a perfectly primped bichon frise called J.R. in 2001 has America’s reigning No. 1 show dog won Westminster.

“Dog on the day,” Frei said.

U.S. rockets slam into Afghan home; 12 killed

Controversial billboards link abortion, raceacross Georgia

ATLANTA (AP) — The message on dozens of bill-boards across the city is provocative: Black children are an “endangered species.”

The eyebrow-raising ads featuring a young black child are an effort by the anti-abortion movement to use race to rally support within the black community. The reac-tion from black leaders has been mixed, but the “Too Many Aborted” campaign, which so far is unique to only Georgia, is drawing support from other anti-abortion groups across the country.

“It’s ingenious,” said the Rev. Johnny Hunter, nation-al director of the Life Education and Resource Network, a North Carolina-based anti-abortion group aimed at African-Americans that operates in 27 states. “This cam-paign is in your face, and nobody can ignore it.”

The billboards went up last week in Atlanta and urge black women to “get outraged.”

The effort is sponsored by Georgia Right to Life, which also is pushing legislation that aims to ban abor-tions based on race.

Black women accounted for the majority of abortions in Georgia in 2006, even though blacks make up just a third of state population, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Nationally, black women were more than three times as likely to get an abortion in 2006 compared with white women, according to the CDC.

“I think it’s necessary,” Cheryl Sullenger, senior policy adviser for Operation Rescue, said of the billboard cam-paign. “Abortion in the black community is at epidemic proportions. They’re not really aware of what’s actually going on. If it shocks people ... it should be shocking.”

Anti-abortion advocates say the procedure has always been linked to race. They claim Planned Parenthood founder Margaret Sanger wanted to eradicate minorities by putting birth control clinics in their neighborhoods, a charge Planned Parenthood denies.

“The language in the billboard is using messages of fear and shame to target women of color,” said Leola Reis, a spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood of Georgia.

The Mountain Press ◆ Monday, February 15, 2010

Editor’s Note: The com-munity calendar is printed as space permits. Only noncommercial, public events held in Sevier County will be considered. They are listed by date. To place an item phone 428-0748, ext. 214, or e-mail to editor@themountainpress.com. Items may be faxed to 453-4913.

Monday, Feb. 15Bariatric Surgery

Bariatric Surgery Support Group will meet again at 7 p.m. March 15 at Echota Resort Clubhouse on Highway 66. 453-6841 or 712-3287.

Angel FoodAngel Food orders: n 2-5 p.m., Gum Stand

Baptist Church, Pigeon Forge. 429-2508.

n 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. River of Life Outreach, 110 Simmons Road, Seymour. 679-6796.

n 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and 4-7 p.m., First Smoky Mountain Church of the Nazarene, 2652 Upper Middle Creek Road. 908-1245.

Blood DriveMedic blood drive 10

a.m. to 6 p.m., Walters State Community College, Maples-Marshall Hall.

Seymour Story TimePreschool story time 11

a.m., Seymour Library. 573-0728.

Women’s Bible StudyGarlands of Grace

Women’s Bible study:n 10 a.m. Seymour

Heights Christian Church, Chapman and Boyds Creek Highway

n 1 p.m. Gatlinburg Inn

GatekeepersGatekeepers men’s Bible

study, 6:30 p.m., 2445 Scenic Mountain Drive, Sevierville. 310-7831.

Tuesday, Feb. 16Hot Meals

Hot Meals for Hungry Hearts served from 5:30-6:30 p,m. Second Baptist Church, Pigeon Street just off Chapman Highway.

CrewettesSevier County Crewettes

meets at 7 p.m. at Rescue Squad. 453-3861 or 453-8572.

RepublicansSevier County Republican

Party meets at 6 p.m. at courthouse. Guest speaker, alternative medicine spe-cialist and political advo-cate Greg Samples. 453-3882 or 368-3833.

Old Harp SingingOld Harp shape note sing-

ing 7 p.m., Middle Creek United Methodist Church. 428-0874. Tunebooks pro-vided.

Al-Anon FamilyAl-Anon Family Group

meets at 11 a.m., First United Methodist, Pigeon Forge. 428-7617 or 680-6724.

Angel FoodAngel Food orders:n 1-4 p.m., Gum Stand

Baptist Church, Pigeon Forge. 429-2508.

n 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and 4-7 p.m., First Smoky Mountain Church of the Nazarene, 2652 Upper Middle Creek Road. 908-1245.

Blood DriveMedic blood drive 10

a.m. to 6 p.m. Food City, Seymour.

Optimist ClubNorthview Kodak Optimist

Club meets 7 p.m. at the Optimist building. Carolyn Davis, guidance counselor at Northview Middle, to speak.

Community DinnerBurchfield Methodist

Church community fellow-ship dinner 6 p.m.

Women’s Bible StudyGarlands of Grace wom-

en’s Bible study:n 1 p.m. Foxtrot Bed

and Breakfast, Garrett, Gatlinburg

n 6:30 p.m. Pigeon Forge UMC

GatekeepersGatekeepers men’s Bible

study 6:30 p.m., 1328 Old Newport Highway, Sevierville. 908-0591.

Wednesday, Feb. 17Sevierville Story Time

Preschool story time, 10:30 a.m. Sevier County Main Library. 453-3532.

St. Paul EpiscopalAsh Wednesday service

6:30 p.m. at St. Paul Episcopal Church, 1028 Boyds Creek Highway, Seymour.

Middle Creek UMCWorship services at 6:30

p.m. at Middle Creek United Methodist Church, 1828 Middle Creek Road, Pigeon Forge. 216-2066.

Mental Health DayFree Mental Health

Awareness Day 10 a.m. Feb. 19, Senior Center on Chapman Highway. $4 lunch begins at 11:30 a.m. RSVP by today for meal to 453-8080.

Thursday, Feb. 18Submarine Veterans

Smoky Mountain subma-rine vets meet at 6 p.m., Islamorada Restaurant. www.SmokyMountainBase.com or 429-0465 or 692-3368.

ABWA American Business

Women’s Association meets at Holiday Inn Pigeon Forge. Networking 6 p.m., dinner meeting to follow. www.abwasevier.org.

Library MovieAnna Porter Public Library

will show the movie “Star Trek” at 6:30 p.m. 436-5588.

TOPSTOPS weight loss chap-

ter meets at 6 p.m., Parkway Church of God in Sevierville. 755-9517 or 429-3150.

Radio ServiceSevier County Emergency

Radio Service meets at 7:30 p.m., EOC office on Bruce Street. 429-2422 or www.freewebs.com/aresra-dio.

DARGreat Smokies chapter,

DAR, meets at 10:30 a.m., Pigeon Forge Library. Speakers Drama Robeson and Betty Watkins on “A Visit from the Klukwan Girl.” 774-2236.

Human ResourcesSmoky Mountain HR

Association meets at 8 a.m. Sevierville Police Chief Don Myers to speak about safety issues in workplace. For meeting location, 286-1438.

Women’s Bible StudyGarlands of Grace wom-

en’s Bible study:n 9 a.m. UMC Pigeon

Forgen 2 p.m. Blue Mountain

Mist B&B, Pullen Road n 6:30 p.m. Sevierville

UMC, Conference Room

Hot Meals Smoky Mountain Area

Rescue Ministries provides hot meals 5:30-6:30 p.m., First United Methodist Church in Sevierville and Kodak United Methodist Church in Kodak.

Friday, Feb. 19Kodak Story Time

Preschool story time 11 a.m., Kodak Library. 933-0078.

Mental Health Awareness

Mental Health Awareness Day 10 a.m., Senior Center on Chapman Highway. Free. Wade Horton of Peninsula Outpatient Center to speak. Programs and materials on depres-sion. 453-8080.

Saturday, Feb. 20Angel Food

Angel Food pick-up:n 8-11 a.m., Gum Stand

Baptist Church. 429-2508.n 10 a.m. to noon, River

of Life Outreach, 110 Simmons Road, Seymour. 679-6796.

n 8-10 a.m. First Smoky Mountain Church of the Nazarene, 2652 Upper Middle Creek Road. 908-1245.

n 9:30 to 11 a.m., Basic Life Ministries, formerly TFH. 286-9784.

Thomas BenefitRescheduled benefit auc-

tion and chili supper for Bill Thomas today. 3 p.m. auction and 5 p.m. chili supper at Rescue Squad, Dolly Parton Parkway. Gospel singing planned. 806-4250 or 429-1742, 453-9544 or 774-9435.

Sunday, Feb. 21Gatlinburg FUMC

Gatlinburg First United Methodist Church offers 6 p.m. fellowship of contem-porary music, worship, fol-lowed by meal. 436-4691.

Monday, Feb. 22Women’s Bible Study

Garlands of Grace Women’s Bible study:

n 10 a.m. Seymour Heights Christian Church, Chapman and Boyds Creek Highway

n 1 p.m. Gatlinburg Inn

GatekeepersGatekeepers men’s Bible

study, 6:30 p.m., 2445 Scenic Mountain Drive, Sevierville. 310-7831.

Tuesday, Feb. 23Hot Meals

Hot Meals for Hungry Hearts served from 5:30 to 6:30 p,m. Second Baptist Church, Pigeon Street just off Chapman Highway.

Al-Anon FamilyAl-Anon Family Group

meets at 11 a.m., First United Methodist, Pigeon Forge. 428-7617 or 680-6724.

Women’s Bible StudyGarlands of Grace wom-

en’s Bible study:n 1 p.m. Foxtrot Bed

and Breakfast, Garrett, Gatlnburg

n 6:30 p.m. Pigeon Forge UMC

GatekeepersGatekeepers men’s Bible

study 6:30 p.m., 1328 Old Newport Highway, Sevierville. 908-0591.

Wednesday, Feb. 24Middle Creek UMC

Worship services at 6:30 p.m. at Middle Creek United Methodist Church, 1828 Middle Creek Road, Pigeon Forge. 216-2066.

Blood DriveMedic blood drive 11 a.m.

to 7 p.m. Smoky Mountain Knife Works, 23320 Winfield Dunn Parkway, Sevierville.

Thursday, Feb. 25TOPS

TOPS weight loss chap-ter meets at 6 p.m., Parkway Church of God in Sevierville. 755-9517 or 429-3150.

Hot Meals Smoky Mountain Area

Rescue Ministries provides hot meals 5:30-6:30 p.m., First United Methodist Church in Sevierville and Kodak United Methodist Church in Kodak.

Women’s Bible StudyGarlands of Grace wom-

en’s Bible study:n 9 a.m. UMC Pigeon

Forgen 2 p.m. Blue Mountain

Mist B&B, Pullen Road n 6:30 p.m. Sevierville

UMC, Conference Room

Blood DriveMedic blood drive 8

a.m. to 5 p.m. Pi Beta Phi Elementary School, Gatlinburg.

Midway FCEMidway Family,

Community and Education Club meets 1 p.m., Mountain National Bank, Kodak Branch. Senior nutrition program by Sevier County Agent Linda Hyder.

Friday, Feb. 26Consignment Sale

Oak City Baptist Church children’s consignment sale 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. today and 8-3 Saturday. Visit www.oakcitybc.org or call 603-1388.

Puttin’ on RitzRSVP by today to attend

Puttin’ on the Ritz, 6-10:30 p.m. March 6, Sevierville Civic Center. $50, includes meal, dancing, entertain-ment. 428-0846, 397-5556 or 603-1223. Proceeds ben-efit Relay For Life.

Saturday, Feb. 27 Skywarn Class

Sevier County Emergency Radio Service three-hour Skywarn class at 10 a.m., Rescue Squad. Free. 429-

2422 or e-mail to n4jtq@live.com.

Relay BreakfastRelay for Life pancake

breakfast 7-9:30 a.m., Old Mill Square Pottery House Café and Grille.

Literary Festival Rose Glen Literary

Festival 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at Walters State Community College, Sevierville.

Chili Supper/AuctionPigeon Forge Little

League Football Booster Club chili supper/auction 6 p.m. at middle school cafeteria. $5 at door.

Sunday, Feb. 28Gatlinburg FUMC

Gatlinburg First United Methodist Church offers 6 p.m. fellowship of con-temporary music, wor-ship, followed by meal. 436-4691.

Colonial DamesJohn Ogle Chapter of

Colonial Dames of the XVII Century meets at 2 p.m., Sevier County Librrary. Film of national headquarters to be shown.

Monday, March 1Prayer In Action

Prayer In Action meets at 6 p.m. Pigeon Forge UMC.

Nondenominational.

GateKeepers GateKeepers men’s

community Bible study, 6:30 p.m., 2445 Scenic Mt. Drive, Sevierville. (865) 310-7831.

Gold Wing RidersGold Wing Road Riders

Assn. meets at 6:30 p.m. at IHOP Sevierville. 660-4400.

Women’s Bible StudyGarlands of Grace

women’s Bible study:n 10 a.m. Seymour

Heights Christian Church (enter last door on right side), Chapman and Boyds Highway, Seymour

n 1 p.m. Gatlinburg Inn, Gatlinburg

Tuesday, March 2American Legion

American Legion Post 104 covered dish dinner meeting 6 p.m. at Post home. 908-4310 or www.amlgnp104tn.org.

NARFE National Assn. of

Retired Federal Employees meets 6 p.m. at Holiday Inn Pigeon Forge. 453-4174.

Kindness Counts Kindness Counts meets

7 p.m. at Sevierville IHOP. 654-2684.

MARDI GRASWEEK LONG

FAT TUESDAY’S FEBRUARY 16TH

HURRICANE SPECIALS

TRYOURKINGCAKE.

FIND A SURPRISEGET A PRIZE.

OPEN MONDAY - SATURDAY 11AM- 10PM

Great Food and a Fantastic View of the Smokies

Call (865) 933-7244 to make your dinner reservations.2430 Winfield Dunn Parkway, Kodak, TN

A10 ◆ Local

10 Monday

Chapter 7 • BANKRUPTCY • Chapter 13

FREE CONSULTATION / PAYMENT PLANSSTOP:

FORECLOSURES

LAWSUITS / COLLECTIONS

REPOSSESSIONS DEBT

PAYCHECK GARNISHMENT

CREDITOR CALLS

RELIEF:

SAVE HOME-AUTO

GET A FRESH START

ELIMINATE & CONSOLIDATE

DEBT

(865) 428-5263www.GoBankruptToday.com

320 Wears Valley RoadPigeon Forge, TN 37863

Catherine B. Sandifer, Esq.admitted in Tennessee & Florida

“We are a debt relief agency. We help people file for bankruptcy under the Bankruptcy Code”

$150 Off YourFirst Months Rent

Smoky Crossing865-573-4801 www.SmokyCrossing.com

Expires March 4, 2010

Phone 865-428-4126 Cell 258-1907

Local-Investor General Contractor28793

David Eledge3415 Jones Cove RoadSevierville, TN 37876

ELEDGE HOMES

HOMES & SITES AVAILABLE

Los RancherosMexican Restaurant

Buy One Get One FREE Entreeof equal or lesser value with purchase of two drinks.Expires March 8th, 2010. Limit one coupon per table.

Now Serving Margaritas!Full Bar

Happy Hour Everyday 5 pm -7 pm

C O M M U N I T Y C A L E N D A R

Who ya gonna call? If you have a problem with the delivery of your morning Mountain Press , please call the Circulation Department at 428-0746, ext. 239 & 231 Monday - Friday and your paper will be delivered to you on the same day. Newspapers from calls after 10:00 a.m. will be delivered with the next day’s paper. On Saturday, Sunday and holidays you may dial 428-0748 extensions 239 & 231. If complaints are received between 8:00 and 10:00 a.m., papers will be delivered the same day. Newspapers from calls received after 10:00 a.m. will be delivered with the next day’s paper. This applies to in-county home delivery only.

Sevier County’s Only Daily Newspaper

STANLEY LANDSCAPING

Lic & Insured 254-3844Senior Discounts

115 ROOFINGSERVICES

Computer ServicesPC setup, repair, virus

removal, speed-up, retrieve lost documents/pictures. Network setup, repair. Will train in PC basic skills, word, excel,

emails, internet. Free estimate. 865-774-7394.

113 MISC. SERVICES

HOUSE KEEPERWeekly, Bi Weeklyor Onetime Spring

CleaningCindy Parton

256-0215

111 HOME & OFFICECLEANING

Replacement WindowsRemodeling

Cleaning ServiceLawn Service LandscapingShingles and Metal Roofing

256-282-9488FREE ESTIMATES

106 HOMEIMPROVEMENTS

Junk HaulingResidential-Commercial

Property Clean-outs Same Day Service

Great RatesCall for Free Estimates

Sevier Cleanup(865) 441-2059

Knoxville Skylights5 Star Skylight Specialist

New Installs, Replacements,

Sun TunnelsLic. Bonded & Insured865-438-9030

106 HOMEIMPROVEMENTS

Professional Painter for hire1st class

guaranteed work.Over 25 yrs. exp.Phone Sam

865-453-6811

DCC ConstructionResidential & Commercial

Licensed & Insured865-360-4352

106 HOMEIMPROVEMENTS

Quality Work - Reasonable Prices

KELLY’S HOMEIMPROVEMENT

Licensed & InsuredCall Ty 368-2361

• Carpentry • Electrical • • Plumbing • Kitchens • • Bathrooms • Painting •

106 HOMEIMPROVEMENTS

105 YARD & TREESERVICES

105 YARD & TREESERVICES

105 YARD & TREESERVICES

Call.Classifieds: 428-0746

Collect.

Drive A Hard Bargain...Advertise in the Classifieds!

Call 428-0746

HandymanKitchens, Bath, Decks, Windows,

Doors, Trim, Sheetrock,Painting, Plumbing & Electrical,

Vinyl & Laminate Flooring

ALL REPAIRS24 HOUR

865-740-7102755-0178

Mike’sPlumbing

865-428-6062

Specialize In All Phases Of Plumbing

Repair & Replacement Including Dishwasher,

Garbage Disposal& Heat

Water Heater Installation

Inside and OutAnytime Day Or Night

away unwanted items in the Classifieds.

CART

Sevier County Schools is currently seeking a sign language in-terpreter for a hearing impaired student. For more information, please call the Depart-ment of Special Education at 453-1036 or 453-1037 and ask for Dee Kilpatrick.

Sevier County Health Care Center

Seeks energetic, outgoing, highly organ-ized individual to fill the role of Activities Assis-tant. The perfect candi-date will have a strong work ethic with a posi-tive outlook, be flexible and must love working with senior adults. Aminimum of a high school diploma or G.E.D. is required with some college being a plus. Experience in a long-term care setting is a plus. The usual hours are 8:00-5:00 Mon. through Fri. and every third Sat. Sched-ule is subject to change. Apply in per-son, Mon. - Fri. be-tween the hours of 10:00 and 3:00 or fax resume to Jennifer Moffett (865)453-7148.

Reservationists need-ed for area resort. Experience prefer-red. Must Work nights and week-ends. Fax Resume to 865-908-1247

Quality Control Earn up to $100 per day. Evaluate retail stores. Training provided. No expe-rience required. Call 877-696-8561.

Permanent Part time 20-32 hrs per week nights & weekends o f f i c e / f r o n t desk/reservation experience prefer-red. Email grain-water@hotmail.com or fax 865-428-8765.

236 GENERAL

MOTIVATED TELEMARKETERS.

Faith Based, Non Profit Humanitarian Organization in Sevierville TN. Is in need of Dynamic Individual to take on the challenging role of a Direct-Di-al, out bound Call Center Telemark-eter. Full time po-sitions available. Looking for Candi-dates with previ-ous Telemarketing Experience, Great Communication/Phone Skills, Strong follow through and closing skills! Scrips will be pro-vided for these po-sitions. Experience preferred, but will train the right can-didate. Offers a pleasant working environment, com-petitive hourly wage, plus com-mission bonus. 868-5200.

Cabin CleanersSeeking highly moti-

vated, detail orient-ed cleaners with strong work ethic.

Able to work weekends & holidays. Bene-fits offered.

Apply at Timber Tops, 1440 Upper Middle Creek Rd., Sevier-ville; email kcarpenter@tim-bertops.net; Fax 865-868-0836

236 GENERAL

ClassifiedsCorrections

After the first insertion, want ads scheduled to be published again on Tue., Wed., Thu., or Fri. may be canceled or corrected between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. on the day prior to publication. For ads on Sat., due Thu. prior to 3 p.m.; for Sun., Fri. prior to 10 a.m. and Mon., prior to 11 a.m.

Notice of typographical or other errors must be given before 2nd insertion. The Mountain Press does not assume responsibility for an ad beyond the cost of the ad itself and shall not be liable for failure to publish an ad for a typographical error.

Deadlines

Online http:// www.themountainpress.com

OR, www.adquest.com All line ads published in The Mountain

Press are placed FREE on a searchable network of over 500 newspapers’

classifieds located at http://www.themountainpress.com.

WANT TO KNOW WHEN A CLASSIFIED ITEM IS AVAILABLE?

Go to http:// www.adquest/request/ to register your request and we will notify

you by e-mail when it becomes available in the Classifieds .

Edition Deadline Sunday Friday, 10 a.m. Monday Friday, 11 a.m. Tuesday Monday, 10 a.m. Wednesday Tuesday, 10 a.m. Thursday Wednesday, 10 a.m. Friday Thursday, 10 a.m. Saturday Friday, 10 a.m. Good News in the Smokies Thursday, 10 a.m.

PHOTOS SUBMITTEDIf you submit a

photo for publication,

please pick it up after it runs

in the paper within ONE MONTH ofpublicationdate. Our

photo files will be discarded each month.Thank You!

110 SPECIALNOTICES

does not recommend or endorse any

product, service or company. For more

information and assistance regarding the investigation of

FINANCING, BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES AND

WORK AT HOME OPPORTUNITIES, this newspaper urges its

readers to contact the Better Business

Bureau, 2633 Kingston Pike, Suite 2,

Knoxville, TN 37919, Phone (865)692-1600.

Unauthorized use of The Mountain Presstubes for circulars

or any other advertisementauthorizes a

minimum $250 charge for which

the advertiser will be billed.

110 SPECIALNOTICES

110 SPECIALNOTICES

Found: Cat, gray, part Persian, long hair, declawed, spayde. 865-617-8222

107 LOST & FOUND

Invitation to Bid

Sevier County Elec-tric System is accept-ing proposals from metal roofing contrac-tors for removal and partial replacement of a standing seam metal roofing system, includ-ing removal and re-placement of insula-tion. Please submit proposals to the busi-ness office at 315 E. Main Street, Sevierville TN no later than 3:00 P.M. on Friday, Febru-ary 19, 2010. Propos-als must be in a sealed envelope marked front and back “Garage Met-al Roof.” All bidding contractors will be re-quired to provide a val-id State of

Tennessee contrac-tor’s license number and proof of insurance. Please contact Allen Robbins at (865)453-2887 for details of the proposed work.

02-12-201002-15-201002-17-2010

LEGALS

NOTICE TOCREDITORS

Estate ofLESTER RUSSELL

CLONINGERLate of Sevier

County,Tennessee

Notice is Hereby Given that on the 14 day of JAN 2010,Let-ters Testamentary, of Administration, in re-spect to the Estate of LESTER RUSSELLCLONINGER de-ceased, were issued to the undersigned by the County Court Clerk of Sevier County, Ten-nessee.

All persons, resident and non-resident, hav-ing claims, matured or unmatured, against her Estate are required to file the same in tripli-cate with the Clerk of the above named Court within four months from the date of the first publication (or of the posting, as the case may be) of this notice, otherwise their claim will be for-ever barred.

All persons indebted to the above Estate must come forward and make proper set-tlement with the under-signed at once.

This 14 day of Janu-ary, 2010.

(Signed)Carla NicholsAdministrator

Estate ofLESTER RUSSELLCOLNINGER

By:Rebecca SloneAttorney

By: Joe Keener County Clerk

02/15/2010

LEGALS

Legals

100 Announcements

200 Employment

300 Services

400 Financial

500 Merchandise

600 Rentals

700 Real Estate

800 Mobile Homes

900 Transportation

C o r r e c t i o n sO n l i n e After the first insertion, want ads scheduled to be published again on Tue., Wed., Thu., or Fri. may be canceled or corrected between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. on the day prior to publication. For ads on Sat., due Thu., prior to 3 p.m., for Sun., Fri., prior to 10 a.m. and Mon., prior to 11 a.m.

Notice of typographical or other errors must be given before 2nd insertion. The Mountain Press does not assume responsibility for an ad beyond the cost of the ad itself and shall not be liable for failure to publish an ad for a typographical error.

http://www.themountainpress.com OR, www.adquest.com

All line ads published in The Mountain Press are placed FREE on a searchable network of over

500 newspapers’ classifieds located at http://www.themountainpress.com

WANT TO KNOW WHEN A CLASSIFIED ITEM IS AVAILABLE?

Go to http://www.adquest/request/ to register your request and we will notify you by e-mail when it

becomes available in the Classifieds.

D e a d l i n e s Edition Deadline

Sunday Friday, 10 a.m. Monday Friday, 11 a.m. Tuesday Monday, 10 a.m. Wednesday Tuesday, 10 a.m. Thursday Wednesday, 10 a.m. Friday Thursday, 10 a.m. Saturday Friday, 10 a.m. Good News In The Smokies Thursday, 10 a.m.

A publication from The Mountain Press

To The Classifieds!

Call428-0746

People

Respond

The Mountain Press Monday, February 15, 2010 Classifieds 13

14 Classifieds The Mountain Press Monday, February 15, 2010

(Answers tomorrow)TRILL ELOPE NETHER SEXTONSaturday’s Jumbles:

Answer: Another name for a witch —A “HEX-PERT”

Now arrange the circled letters to form the surprise answer, assuggested by the above cartoon.

THAT SCRAMBLED WORD GAMEby Mike Argirion and Jeff Knurek

Unscramble these four Jumbles,one letter to each square,to form four ordinary words.

GINVY

ALCAN

SUCLEM

PLALAP

©2010 Tribune Media Services, Inc.All Rights Reserved.

NE

W B

IBLE

Jum

ble

Books G

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o:http://w

ww

.tyndale

.com

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AAns:

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE’S SALE

Sale at public auction will be on March 9, 2010 at 2:00PM Eastern Standard Time, at the front door, Sevier County Courthouse, Sevierville, Tennessee pursuant to Deed of Trust executed by Jeffrey J. Laporte and Jacqueline H. Laporte to Wesley D. Turner, Trustee, on February 2, 2005 at Book Volume 2174, Page 748conducted by Shapiro & Kirsch, LLP Substitute Trustee, all of record in the Sevier County Register�s Office.Owner of Debt: Deutsche Bank National Trust Company, as Trustee in trust for the benefit of the Certificateholders for ABFC 2005-AQ1 Trust, Asset-Backed Certificates, Series 2005-AQ1The following real estate located in Sevier County, Tennessee, will be sold to the highest call bidder subject to all unpaid taxes, prior liens and encumbrances of record:Described property located in the Sixth (6th) Civil District of Sevier County, Tennessee, to wit:Lot 69, in the Homestead in Wears Valley, Unit 3, Phase 1, as shown on revised map of resubdivision of Lots 60, 69, and 70 as of record in Plat Cabinet 33, Page 33, in the Register�s Office for Sevier County, Tennessee, to which map specific reference is hereby made for a more particular description.Together with and Subject to terms and provisions of declaration of agreement for non-exclusive ingress and egress easement for the common use and benefit of the owners of Lots 68 and 69, recorded in Book 1352, Page 128, in the Sevier County Register�s Office.

Street Address:4476 Whetstone Road Sevierville, TN 37862

Current Owner(s) of Property: Jeffrey J. Laporte and Jacqueline H. Laporte, husband and wifeThe street address of the above described property is believed to be 4476 Whetstone Road, Sevierville, TN 37862, but such address is not part of the legal description of the property sold herein and in the event of any discrepancy, the legal description herein shall control.SALE IS SUBJECT TO TENANT(S) RIGHTS IN POSSESSION.All right of equity of redemption, statutory and otherwise, and homestead are expressly waived in said Deed of Trust, and the title is believed to be good, but the undersigned will sell and convey only as Substitute Trustee.The right is reserved to adjourn the day of the sale to another day, time, and place certain without further publication, upon announcement at the time and place for the sale set forth above.If the highest bidder cannot pay the bid within twenty-four (24) hours of the sale, the next highest bidder, at their highest bid, will be deemed the successful bidder.This property is being sold with the express reservation that the sale is subject to confirmation by the lender or trustee. This sale may be rescinded at any time.This office is a debt collector. This is an attempt to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose.

Shapiro & Kirsch, LLP Substitute TrusteeLaw Office of Shapiro & Kirsch, LLP

6055 Primacy Parkway, Suite 410Memphis, TN 38119Phone 901-767-5566

Fax 901-767-8890File No. 09-023641

February 15, 22 and March 1, 2010

RV Sites starting from $285 & UP on

Indian Camp CreekMonthly or Yearly

Rentals.Utilities & wifi

Bathhouse & Laundromat Furn

Near the Park Off Hwy 321850-2487

831 MOBILE HOMEPARK LOTS

HOME SHOWPRIVATE

APPOINTMENTS

2010 Singlewides & Doublewides

Call for your special appointment.865-453-0086

829 MANUFACTURED

HOME SALES

First Time BuyersYour Job isYour Credit

New Single Wides& Double WidesCREDIT HOTLINE865-453-0086

NEW HOME1900 Sq. Feet

1/2 Acre-ReadyEasy- Loan by

Phone865-453-0086

829 MANUFACTURED

HOME SALES

829 MANUFACTURED

HOME SALES

Building for lease for-merly Creekside Wedding Chapel. Parkway Gatlin-burg 850-2004.

721 COMMERCIALPROPERTY

House for sale Gatlin-burg-Hidden Hills 3BR/2.5Bth two car garage 3300 square feet with full basement Luxury at its best, Asking $399,900. Knox MLS #695438 Call Brackfield & Asso-ciates Thomas King 865-654-0588 or 865-691-8195

**Historic Home For Sale**

3BRHardwoodFloors,8ft.ceiling,crown

molding,sunroom,garage,basement,mature plantings

Large fenced corner lot, Downtown

Sevierville, close to schools.654-7907

**************************

710 HOMES FORSALE

HUD PUBLISHER’S NOTICEAll real estate advertised herein is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation, or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, family status or national origin, or intention to make any such preferences, limitations or discrimination. State laws forbid discrimination in the sale, rental or advertising of real estate based on factors in addition to those protected under federal law. We will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All persons hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis. To complain of discrimination, call HUD Toll-free at 1-800-669-9777, The Toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275.

Really Nice 2BR 1BAClose in. Fully fur-nished. Fp, on river Nice lawn. $800 month 865-453-5363

Large home on lake for lease in Kodak area. Minutes from Exit 407. 4BR 4+ BA, large deck, 2 fireplaces. $2000 per mth. 850-2483

Kodak 3BR 2BA $850 plus dep. Very nice. No pets. 865-933-6544

Hwy. 321 Pittman Cen-ter area. 1&2 BR cabin on creek, fully furnished. Util-ities included. $225 & $250 wk. 850-2487.

House 2BR Close to Sevierville. Sewer & water furnished. C/H. W/D hook up. $625 + dep. No pets. 453-9269 or 382-1966

Gatlinburg 1BR home furnishes $600 a month. Monthly or Yearly 865-712-0160

3BR/1BA, large house in Sev. $700/mo. 850-2487.

3BR 1BA fireplace Pi-geon Forge 1400 sq ft. $750 mth. Credit check & ref-erences required. Call Bonnie 865-908-6000.

699 HOME RENTALS

Hwy 321Pittman Center area.

1&2 BR cabin on creek.Fully furnished.

Utilities included.$225 & $250 wk.

850-2487

3 BD / 2 BA$745/mo.

Call for pet policy.

865-908-6789

Small house on Parkway for lease.

Great for small business.

With living quarters.

850-2487

NICE, CLEAN IN KODAK4 BD / 2 BA + GARAGE

4 MILES FROM EXIT 407

$950/MONTH + DEPOSIT. NO PETS.

865-712-5238

865-898-7925

$1050 mo.1st/last/dep/no pets

NEAR WAL-MART3Br/2Ba 2400 Sq. Ft. & Full Bsmt, Corner Lot, Fenced, Huge Mstr &

Kitchen All Appls, W/D

1BR log cabin Pigeon Forge $650 mth. Hannah- Pristine Realty 865-556-2150.

$550 to $950+. Wanda Galli Realty Exec. 680-5119 or 774-4307.

699 HOME RENTALS

Kodak 3+2 $550 2+2 $450 + dep. No pets. Very nice. 933-6544

In Seymour area, 12x36, 1BR 1BA. No pets. $375 mth $275 damage dep. 654-2519

2BR old house, some furniture. Also, 2BR mobile home on Price Way. Call 865-654-8702

698 MOBILE HOMERENTALS

Top of the Line! The CottagesLarge Furnished 2B 2B

Fp, jac, hdwd, all appl, w/d, 2 car ga-rage, pool. Availa-ble Feb 1. $1000 mth. 453-7400.

Studio condo on Pkwy, furn, util inc, wifi, cbl, indr pool $200/ wk 540-397- 4977

697 CONDORENTALS

View Mt. LeConte from outside your new basement apartment or walk to the Old Harris-burg Covered Bridge. Fully fur-nished, the three large rooms in-clude a big whirl-pool tub and a full bathroom. Just right for the perfect single person with good references, $1000 will move you in with monthly rent then $650. Phone 429-4325 and leave a return number if no an-swer.

RIVERWALK1BR/1BA TO 2BR/2BA$545.00 to $695.00865-429-2962

696 APARTMENTSFOR RENT

Nice res. area off Hwy 66 2BR 2BAFurn/unfurn with utilities & laundry. Pets welcome. 1 yr lease $875. 865-774-3553

Mountain View Town-home apartment for rent 2BR 1.5BA. Newly re-modeled with hard-wood flooring & new carpet. Locat-ed in Gatlinburg. 1st mth rent & se-curity deposit re-quired. For more information call 8 6 5 - 8 6 8 - 0 4 4 9 Mon-Fri 8:30am-5:30pm or 865-356-3015 after hours & weekends

Large 1BR apt. Water & appliances furn. No pets. 865-680-3078

GATLINBURG Trolley rt. 1or 2BR unfurn. No pets. 865-621-3015

Apartments for rent. 2 BDRM, $425-$675. Locations in Sev-ierville & Pigeon Forge.

House for rent. 3 B D R M / 2 B A , $1000/month. 429-3201.

2BR Apartments for Rent $475, $500 & $550 a month. 908-7805 or 368-1327

1 & 2 BR avail.Some Pets OK.

$400 UPWATER INCLUDED

Murrell Meadows1/8 mile fromWalters State

College

Allensville RoadWalk to lake

2BR/2BA Houseon a cul de sac,

Immaculate cond. $600

WATER INCLUDED

Reasonable Rates

654-7033

Spacious & Quiet!2 BR / 2 BA

Apts. for Rentin Wears ValleyFrom $650/mo.12 Mo. LeasePets Allowed

(865) 329-7807

finchumproperties.com

SEVIERVILLERENTALS

Apartments,mobile homes and trailer lots

for rent453-2959

696 APARTMENTSFOR RENT

CONVENIENTLY LOCATED IN SEVIERVILLE

2 bedroom 1.5 bath townhomesCall 428-5161

$550/MO

Light 6, Pigeon ForgeDuplex, 2BR/1BAAll Appl. W/Dry

Large Family Rm,Wood Flrs.,

$525 mo1st/Last/Dep.

865-898-7925

NICE, CLEAN1 BR / 1 BA

IN SEVIERVILLE$380.00 + DEPOSIT

NO PETS865-712-5238

1BR in Pigeon Forge. $350 mth. Credit check & references required.Call Bon-nie 865-908-6000.

1BR Apt. near Gat. W/D, DW, water, private ent. $ 5 7 5 / m o . , $ 5 7 5 dep. 556-1929.

1 & 2 BR Apt. From $395. Water/Sewer Inc. Patio Mtn Views. 908-2062

696 APARTMENTSFOR RENT

Gatlinburg Walking distance to town. Low weekly rates. Furn/cable TV, mi-cro, fridge, phone. 1 person $140 week. 436-4387

ROOMS FOR RENTWeekly

Low Rates$95.00 + tax

436-5179

Greystone RentalsRed Carpet Inn349 East Parkway

Gatlinburg, TN

Affordable Housingin Gatlinburg

Rooms for rent, weeklyrates, furn., cable TV.

436-4471or 621-2941

DOWNTOWN SEVIERVILLE

428 Park Rd. CHEAP- $100 weekly Includes All Utilities.

Cable, Laundry, Kitchens, Clean Rooms, NO PETS.800-359-8913

near trolley stop

Weekly RentalsIncludes

Family Inns WestPigeon Forge •86 5-45 3-4905

Phone, Color TV,Wkly HousekeepingMicr./Frig. Available

$169.77+

693 ROOMS FORRENT

Spacious 1BR/1BA$495 a mon., 2BR/2BA $695 a mon. Exc. Cond. C H/A. W/D Conn., D/W Vaulted Ceil-ing, Front porch, Rear patio, Lawn, Trash and City Water Inc. 705-0387

For rent in Seymour 2BR duplex Newly renovated 551 Hutchinson Ave Apt 2. $450 mth $500 dep. 865-679-5024.

Duplex availableRiver Trace 2br/1ba1 car garage $665.00865-429-4470

3BR Duplex Hard-wood, All applian-ces. $500 deposit $750 rent. In Sey-mour off Chapman919-1324

610 DUPLEX FORRENT

Office for rent in Sey-mour. 424 Mary-ville Hwy Unit 1. 600 sq ft. $400 mth. $400 dep. Newly renovated. 865-679-5024.

Prime Retail SpaceFor Rent

In Pigeon ForgeParkway with

Frontage1000sf

386-1655

Office & StorageSpace for Lease

Different sizes for lease

850-2487

1500 sf office space/ 1500 sf warehouse space. $1500/mo 2 miles from pkwy. 865-573-6859

605 BUSINESSRENTALS

For Sale A-1 pre-owned dryers,

washers, ranges & refrigerators

All with warranty. Cagles Furniture and Appliances

453-0727

NEW YEARS SPECIAL2 new recliners

$398Cagles Furniture &

Appliances2364B Pittman Center Rd.

453-0727

589 FURNITURE

Firewood for sale. All hardwood. $45 rick. 865-977-8903

556 FIREWOOD

500MERCHANDISE

Cabin/Condo Mgmt Business. Investor seeking local man-ager/partner for new cabin/condo rental manage-ment business. Some experience preferred. Email Mark mark.old-ham@uniguest.com

439 BUSINESSOPPORTUNITY

SELF STORAGE Convenient Location!

411 South, left on Robert Henderson Rd.,

1/4 mile on right at Riverwalk Apts.

429-2962

10X10 or 10x20

356 STORAGEBUILDINGS

307 CHILDCARE

Baskin Robbins Shift Managers needed for both Pigeon Forge locations and the Turkey Creek location in Knoxville. Mgt Ex-perience Preferred. Must pass Back-ground Check in-cluding CREDIT, DRUG and CRIMI-NAL and have a stable work history with GREAT REF-ERENCES!

242 RESTAURANT

Massage Therapist needed full time for area resort. Hourly plus commission. Fax resume to 865-908-1247

241 PROFESSIONAL

Exp Desk Clerk need-ed Apply in person Colonial House Motel Pigeon Forge.

238 HOTEL/MOTEL

Staff Accountant

Star Construction, LLC, a subsidiary of Dycom Indus-tries, Inc., has an immediate opening for a Staff Account-ant.

Duties include but not limited to perform-ing reconciliations, preparing sales tax returns for 7+ states and numer-ous localities, busi-ness licenses for multiple locations, fixed assets, and assisting controller with month end close including heavy journal en-tries. Duties will al-so include review of payroll tax and backup for payroll administrator for weekly processing of multi-state pay-roll of 400+ em-ployees. This po-sition will require extensive experi-ence in GL Ac-counting, taxes, and payroll. Posi-tion will include some limited travel to sites throughout the southeast.

The successful candi-date will have a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Business with 1-3 years experience in the above du-ties, have a strong knowledge of Ex-cel, be detail ori-ented, and be able to work in a fast pace environment. ADP payroll, FAS fixed asset soft-ware and Solomon accounting soft-ware experience a plus.

Star Construction, LLC offers a competi-tive wage and ben-efit package, which includes health in-surance, vacation, and 401(K). For immediate consid-eration, please send your resume, along with your salary history and requirements to:

Star Construction, LLC6621 Asheville

HighwayKnoxville, TN 37924

Attn: Human Resources

Fax: (865) 766-8321E-mail: laura.henry@

star-llc.net

No phone calls please.

Local cabin company taking applications for Reservationist, Assistant Manager, and Cleaners. Ap-ply in person at: 333 Ski Mtn. Rd. Gatlinburg.

236 GENERAL

1,800 sq. ft.2 Baths, PF/Gat

LEGALS

New Homes for Rent.

3BR/2BA starting at $700 - $850 & $1000

per month. No pets.

865-850-3874

Enrolling:Ages 6wks.-

Pre-KindergartenHOURS

6:30am-6pm105 Long Springs Rd.

Sevierville

429-4470 www.seviervilleapartments.com

*1br/1ba, 784 sq. ft. *2br/2ba, 1114 sq. ft.

*screened porch *large closets

*outside storage *TVA energy efficient *professional decor

*fully equipped kitchen *washer/dryer conn. *Pool & Clubhouse

*some pets welcome *vaulted ceiling & skylight

$545-$735

Sevier County’s Best for the 12th Year!

Thank You Sevier County For Voting

Corporate Units Available

For Rent2BR 1BA duplex in the

Boyd’s Creek area.Close to new school but away from traffic. nice

backyard. $550mo.

865-748-5341

Monday, February 15, 2010 ◆ The Mountain Press Comics ◆ A15

15 Comics

Dear Annie: I’m 17 years old and, in a few months, will be graduat-ing and going away to college. I’m very excited about it.

My only concern is my boyfriend. I love him, and we’ve been together a long time. “Nick” is a year older, has a job (I have a job, as well.) and goes to the local community college. He wants to live with me next year. I am not opposed to this. Nick doesn’t have a happy home life, and I don’t believe either of us will be attracted to someone else.

We have already had months of planning and will be able to support ourselves, and I would rather move in with him than live in a dorm. Nick can transfer and work at the same company as a full-time employee until we save enough for him to take night classes.

I haven’t told my mother. She will be pay-ing for my tuition and dorm, and I plan to pay for everything else. She thinks highly of Nick and knows he would never do anything to hurt me. I don’t want to disap-point her, nor do I want her to think less of me. What should I tell her? -- Worried

Dear Worried: The truth and your reason-ing behind it. But first consider what your deci-sion means. How will you feel if Nick decides to keep working and never finishes his educa-tion? What happens if one of you finds the new environment has many “attractions” you hadn’t considered? Also, dorm living is a good way to acclimate to college, meet new people and be part of campus life. Will you regret missing out

on that? If your mother refuses to pay your rent, can you still afford it? Think about these issues, and then ask your mother to set aside a few quiet moments to have an hon-est discussion on the sub-ject.

Dear Annie: What is the etiquette concerning a hostess who frequently uses her laptop or texts others while entertaining company?

My husband and I have been invited to a friend’s home a couple of times in the past few weeks. After dinner and cleanup, this hostess plops down on the couch and proceeds to use her laptop or send text mes-sages to other friends. I find this rude.

Should we leave right after dinner so as not to interrupt her activities? I am afraid she would be insulted. What would you do? -- Ignored Friends

Dear Ignored: Your friend may be occupying herself in the hope that you will get the hint and leave. So accommodate her. Politely. Say, “We can see that you are busy, so we’ll be going. It’s been a lovely evening. Thank you.” Frankly, staying through cleanup is usually sufficient visit-ing time. If your friend seriously protests your departure, it means she has no clue that she is being rude. Either way, there is no reason to stay if she continues to be unavailable.

Dear Annie: This is in response to “Sad

in Ohio,” whose abra-sive mother picks fights and has no friends left. You said Mom may be depressed or have an underlying mental illness. Your advice is right on.

We lost our diffi-cult mother last year. She didn’t want us to visit unless it was at her request. Although we called, she did not answer her phone unless she wanted to talk, and because of this, we had no idea she had passed away a few days before Thanksgiving. When she died, it took two days for the police to contact us because Mother did not have our phone numbers anywhere nearby.

My mother was not diagnosed with any mental illness, but my siblings and I knew that something was wrong. We simply could not get close enough to do any-thing about it. We are glad she is now at peace. -- Pennsylvania

Dear Pennsylvania: How sad that some people are unable or unwilling to reach out to family or friends when they need them most. We are sorry for your loss.

Annie’s Mailbox is written by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar, longtime edi-tors of the Ann Landers column. Please e-mail your questions to annies-mailbox@comcast.net, or write to: Annie’s Mailbox, c/o Creators Syndicate, 5777 W. Century Blvd., Ste. 700, Los Angeles, CA 90045. To find out more about Annie’s Mailbox and read features by other Creators Syndicate writ-ers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.cre-ators.com.

A d v i c e

t o d Ay ’ s p u z z l e

Family Circus Close to Home

Zits

Blondie

Baby Blues

Beetle Bailey

Garfield

Barney Google and Snuffy Smith

For Better Or Worse

Tina’s Groove

Daughter doesn’t want to upset mom with her college living arrangements

The Mountain Press ◆ Monday, February 15, 2010A16 ◆

16 Monday

At F

ort Sanders Sevier Medical Cente

r

Tristyn Slade12/21

Sarah, Sevierville

Conner Lee12/22

Samantha & Justin, Sevierville

Jayden Ryan Lucious & Kailey Serenity12/23

Amanda, Sevierville

Olivia Jean Alice12/23

Mary & Michael, Sevierville

Jaxson Pless12/26

Kalli & Daniel, Sevierville

Bryson Hunter & Breanna Kenzy12/26

Ashley & Kenneth, Sevierville

Liam Lee Coder12/27

Jennifer & Shane, Sevierville

Riley Leeann12/28

Jennifer & Shane, Sevierville

Grady Mackendon12/28

Megan & Brandon, Sevierville

Edgar Lynwood III1/6

Krista & Edgar, Sevierville

Charles Edward Jr.1/6

Tatiana & Charles, Knoxville

Isabelle Mae1/6

Sheena, Pigeon Forge

Jeric Michael1/6

Jessica, Sevierville

Kielee Lynn1/7

Samara & Justin, Sevierville

Olivia Geneva1/7

Samantha & Albert, Kodak

Alexus Lee1/7

Chelsie & Dustin, Sevierville

Case Bentlee1/7

Kendra & Eric, Pigeon Forge

Noah Charles1/8

Sara & Charles, Strawplains

Phallyn Bryher1/8

Rachael & Ramon, Sevierville

Allen Riley12/21

Frances, Sevierville

Kortnie Michele12/29

Ashley & Bennie, Sevierville

Cearra Jean12/29

Ellen, Sevierville

Franklin Russell12/29

Sherry & Benjamin, Pigeon Forge

Kylee Jade1/1

Katrina, Sevierville

Britini S’Alacia Monique1/5

Kadeshia & Morrease, Gatlinburg

Trenton Blaine1/9

Rebekah & Rodney, Sevierville

Lillian Marie1/9

Casey & Michael, Cosby

Riley Paige1/12

DonAndra & Donny, Newport

Renesmee Izabella1/12

Jesika & james, Strawplains

Teagan Claire1/13

Amber & Jordan, Sevierville

Marissa Marley1/15

Adrian & Daniel, Sevierville

Lily Carolyn1/13

Cindy & Jason, White Pine

Xzavier William Lee1/14

Brittany & Cody, Kodak

Brooklyn Reece1/15

Sara Thomas, Sevierville

Julia Grace1/16

Heather & Greg, Sevierville

Emily Rose1/16

Tashia & Michael, Sevierville

Dalton Oakley1/16

Brittany & Christopher, Sevierville

Sophia Alexeevna1/19

Tatiana & Alexey, Pigeon Forge

Maxwell Creed1/18

Amanda & Steven, Sevierville

Brie Elizabeth1/19

Joanie & Christopher, Maryville