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Today's News

  • LOOSELEAF LAUREATE: Some things you don't see coming

    You can be plodding along in the routine of life and never see a week like the  past one happen.

    Killer storms swirled all around us, but in Roane County, most of us escaped the worst of the harm.

    Then a blissfully beautiful Saturday unfolded.

    My plans involved hiking at Big South Fork, but I soon expanded my itinerary to include one night of camping.

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  • Love of llamas: Oliver Springs couple rescues gentle creature

    Tall and sensitive, llamas are often used as pack animals.

    But at a secluded farm outside Oliver Springs, the South American mammals have the run of the place.

    Owners George and Pat Brandon’s interest in llamas quickly grew into making their farm a refuge, and Indian Creek Sanctuary was born.

    The couple say there is a lot to admire in the quiet animals.

    “I just like being with them. They are calm,” George said.

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  • Got storm damage? Call the property assessor

    Roane County Property Assessor Teresa Kirkham wants to hear from people impacted by the severe weather that moved through the area on April 27.

    She is requesting that property owners with any loss or structural damage to buildings on their property from the storms contact her office at 376-4362.

    The information is necessary to ensure the 2011 appraisal information is correct.

    Kirkham said she was prompted to make the request after hearing reports about property damage while out in the public.

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  • Why so many helicopters lately?

    An increase in helicopters in the area isn’t cause for alarm.Some are TVA helicopters doing storm-damage assessments.

    “I’ve confirmed that the helicopters that you have seen have been flying the region to assess storm damage on the TVA transmission system,” said Barbara Martocci, a TVA spokeswoman.

    On Wednesday many people noticed some low-flying helicopters along the waterways of Watts Bar.

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  • A view from Lick Skillet by Gerald Largen: President shows his leadership in action

    Some friends, knowing that we have long regarded Meredith Willson’s “The Music Man” as one of the best musicals ever written, kindly gave us a copy of the programme for the current production of this work, appearing through 15 May at the Clarence Brown Theatre.
    As would be expected, the programme lists the cast members, which, if you know the story, must of necessity be unusually large, but, in addition the musicians in the orchestra are also listed.

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  • RHS reunion brings in ‘lost’ friends

    Every Wednesday, a substantial group of Rockwood High School alumni share memories and good times over a lunch at Junior’s Restaurant.
    You never know who might attend.
    Recently the group included Ray Leffew, who traveled 140 miles from Hendersonville to attend.
    “When I get hungry and want something to eat, I come,” he quipped.
    Another reason he attends is to visit with his aunt, Mary Leffew Hood, with whom he graduated in 1962.
    Charles Holt, a former New York Yankees minor-league athlete, also recently attended a luncheon.

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  • Celebrate World Press Freedom Day

    By GENE POLICINSKI
    First Amendment Center
    Thanks to the First Amendment, I’m free to write these words — and you’re free to read them.
    But for about 84 percent of the approximately 6.9 billion people with whom we share this planet, that’s not the case. They live in nations where the press is only “partly” free from government control or criminal intimidation, or not free at all.

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  • Shrine Paper Sale gearing up

    Jon Loden, left, owner of Loden’s Auto Body Center in Kingston, makes a $1,000 donation to help kick off the annual Shrine Paper Sale fund drive for Shriners Hospitals for Children.

    Roy Ford accepts the donation from Loden, who began his annual donation more than 30 years ago.

    The paper sale will be May 9-16.

    Several children from Roane and Morgan counties have been helped by the Shriners Hospitals.

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  • Spring dance next weekend

    Several hundred dancers from Roane and 15 area counties will perform during this year’s Arts in Motion spring dance concert.

    Three performances by students of the Kingston and Rockwood studios of dance and choreography are planned next weekend in Roane State Community College’s O’Brien Theater.

    Performances will begin at 7 p.m. May 13-14 and at 2 p.m. May 15.

    Dancers range from age 3 to adult with beginning to professional experience.

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  • Tennessee Technology Center graduates 73 students

    Seventy-three of the 152 students eligible for spring graduation participated in Tennessee Technology Center at Harriman commencement ceremony late last month in Kingston First Baptist Church.

    Participating in the ceremony are:

    Automotive — Timothy Elkins, Christopher Ferguson and Davis Kring.

    Business systems technology — Tiffany Adkisson, Amber Bright, Bethany Dye, Viola Edmonds, Ryan Hillis, Michelle Ray and Raeleah Sammons.

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