Your input requested on Kingsport's New Public Library

Kingsport is planning a significant investment in its public library. Should it be downtown? An expansion of the existing facility? A totally new facility? We'd like to have your input.

Click here (survey open through November).

Kingsport son's journey to find his real passion

On my facebook page, I have posted "When you find a job and a passion that are one and the same, the blessings go both ways. Never choose a career for the money. Be passionate about what you do and your career will find you." (life-changing advice from my brother circa 1982). Below is another story of that sort - Jeff

Jeff, although my son Trey never actually lived in Kingsport after we transferred here in 2006, he visits frequently. This whimsical interview explains how Trey went from Rice U economics grad to OU law school to finding his real passion, which is cooking. On 11/6 Laura and I will be traveling up to the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY for his graduation. He is presently applying for jobs at fine dining establishments in NYC, Charleston, SC, Houston, TX and others. This spring he completed a 5 month externship at Stella! Restaurant in New Orleans, LA. Obviously we are very proud of him for this and all of his other accomplishments. I know you probably get more "stuff" from people than you can possibly publish on your blog, but I thought I would forward it on to you any way for your own interest if nothing else. If you have any questions, let me know.

Father's are allowed to be proud of their kids accomplishments, aren't they? Please read the attached about my son Trey. He graduates from the Culinary Institute of America on 11/6 and plans to become a chef.

http://blogs.houstonpress.com/eating/2009/10/trey_smith_us_potato_board_rec.php

Thanks,

Roger Smith
K1 Machine Area Manager
Domtar Paper Company LLC
100 Clinchfield St. Kingsport, TN 37660
423-392-2738 (office direct)
roger.smith2@domtar.com
423-335-0476 (cell)

Kingsport's E. Ward King to be posthumously inducted into Tennessee Aviation Hall of Fame

The board of directors of the Tennessee Aviation Hall of Fame has named the 2009 class of inductees who will be honored and enshrined on Nov. 14 at the Tennessee Aviation Hall of Fame’s Annual Gala, held at the Tennessee Museum of Aviation in Gatlinburg.

The Tennessee Aviation Hall of Fame was established to recognize, honor and enshrine individuals whose leadership in or for aviation, whether by exceptional service or extraordinary achievement, has made an enduring contribution to aviation for Tennessee, our nation or the world. It was established in 2001 as Tennessee’s Official Hall of Fame by the 102nd General Assembly, and those inducted are recipients of Tennessee’s highest honor in aviation or aerospace. This institution will record their achievements and perpetuate the memory of those enshrined for all time.

On Nov. 14, Jim D. Ethridge and three other distinguished Tennesseans will take their place in history as they are enshrined into the Tennessee Aviation Hall of Fame.

Ethridge learned to fly in his hometown of Union City in 1959 and received his private pilot checkride from aviation legend Evelyn Bryan Johnson on Jan. 19, 1960. He later served alongside Mrs. Johnson on the Tennessee Aeronautics Commission. His pilot ratings include commercial fixed-wing single, multi-engine and instrument ratings and commercial helicopter. Ethridge has owned and flown a variety of piston, turbo-prop, jet and helicopter aircraft.

In 1995, Gov. Don Sundquist appointed Ethridge to the Tennessee Aeronautics Commission, where he served two consecutive five-year terms — twice as commission chairman. During his service on the commission, the Tennessee Office of Aeronautics was elevated to division status within the Tennessee Department of Transportation.

Prior to completing his second term on the state aeronautics commission, Ethridge was appointed to the Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority. Memphis International Airport is known as “America’s Aerotropolis.” It is the only airport in North America considered to be an “aerotropolis,” a world-class facility serving more than 10 million passengers a year and the largest air cargo airport in the world for nearly two decades. Ethridge has chaired the MSCAA long-term planning and development committee and its general aviation committee.

He was elected the 2008 chairman of the Commissioner’s Committee of the Airports Council International-North America, the North American branch of Airports Council International headquartered in Geneva, and he became a voting member of the Airports Council Board in Washington. He expanded the lobbying efforts of commissioners of major airports in the U.S. and Canada focused upon guiding legislation in Washington to benefit airports and air travelers.

Also being inducted is Jennifer C. Baker of Nashville, who has been a staunch advocate of the aviation maintenance professional for more than 30 years. She was named the Federal Aviation Administration’s Tennessee Aviation Safety Counselor of the Year in 1999 and serves on many aviation industry advisory committees. Nashville’s Baker’s School of Aeronautics enrolls over 1,100 students annually who travel to Tennessee from more than 125 countries around the world.

Kingsport entrepreneur E. Ward King (1896-1977) will be posthumously inducted. King founded Southeast Airlines in 1956. The airline provided service from Memphis to Tri-Cities and included stops at Jackson, Dyersburg and Union City, Clarksville, Nashville, Tullahoma, Chattanooga and Knoxville.

Another inductee will be Murfreesboro resident William H. Pickron, who completed pilot training in 1942 at age 19, making him the youngest pilot in the U.S. Army Air Corps. After a distinguished 26-year career in the U.S. Air Force, Lt. Col. Pickron became the chief pilot for the State of Tennessee and for 12 years he flew Tennessee governors, cabinet members and staff.

Aviation legend and Tennessee Aviation Hall of Fame member (2002) Evelyn Bryan Johnson of Morristown will be honored at this year’s gala. Mrs. Johnson will celebrate her 100th birthday Nov. 4. Plans are being made to encourage a reunion of her friends and former flight students during the TAHF Gala.Mrs. Speer is executive director of the Tennessee Aviation Hall of Fame. She is also manager of Everett-Stewart Regional Airport in Union City.

Kingsport native inducted into Florida Nurse's Hall of Fame

FNA CELEBRATES 100 YEARS OF ADVOCACY
FNA Recognizes 100 Great Nurses, Hall of Fame Inductee and Legislator of the Year.

Charlotte Dison Inducted Into FNA Hall of Fame

On September 24, 2009, FNA inducted Charlotte Dison, RN in the FNA Hall of Fame. Charlotte is the image of a transformational leader who has shaped the lives of countless RNs and professional nursing within the state of Florida. Her work also extends nationally and internationally through the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Magnet Recognition Program. Through literature, conferences and other mediums, Charlotte led nursing through patient education, infection control, cardiac rehabilitation and oncology programs, architectural designs and renovation of patient care units and nurse-physician collaboration. She provided an empowered work environment and demonstrated business etiquette and professional ethics.

Charlotte Dison, RN is regarded as one of the pillars in the community and an advocate for RNs who temporarily left the clinical setting. Her proactive approach and commitment to education and patient care has not gone unnoticed. She is an inspiration to all nurses with her professionalism and commitment to nursing, and is an outstanding role model for the thousands of nurses whose lives she has touched throughout her career. FNA welcomes Charlotte Dison, RN into the FNA Hall of Fame.

Charlotte has a home in Kingsport, Tennessee, as well.

Kingsport students named National Merit Scholars

For Immediate Release – Kingsport City Schools
Contact: Amy Greear, Community Relations Coordinator (423) 378-2123
October 15, 2009

Students Recognized In National Scholarship Program

KINGSPORT – Four Dobyns-Bennett High School students have been named as semi-finalists for the 2010 National Merit Scholarship program.

Those named as National Merit Scholarship Semi-Finalists are Matthew Tate Dougan, son of Todd and Jennifer Dougan; Allison Elizabeth Jack, daughter of Bob and Laura Jack; Eric Chase Lyons, son of Steve and Lisa Lyons; and Aditya Suresh, son of Arun and Raji Suresh. These four students will compete with the top high school students in the nation for some 7,000 Merit Scholarship awards worth more than $33 million.

In September, about 16,000 students, or approximately one-third of the 50,000 high scorers, are notified that they have qualified as Semifinalists. To ensure that academically able young people from all parts of the United States are included in this talent pool, Semifinalists are designated on a state representational basis. They are the highest scoring entrants in each state. The National Merit Scholarship Corporation provides scholarship application materials to Semifinalists through their high schools. To be considered for a Merit Scholarship Award, semi-finalists must advance to the finalist level of the competition by fulfilling several requirements. About 90 percent of the semi-finalists are expected to attain finalist standing and approximately half of the finalists will be selected as Merit Scholarship winners.

The nationwide pool of semi-finalists, which represents less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest scoring entrants in each state. More than 1.5 million juniors in nearly 21,000 high schools entered the 2010 National Merit Program by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) which serves as an initial screening of program entrants.

In addition, 10 Dobyns-Bennett students were named 2010 National Merit Commended Students for their outstanding performance on the PSAT. Those students include Candace Dale Ballard, daughter of Joseph Falardeau and Georgette Ballard; Elizabeth Camille Browning, daughter of Jerry and Christine Browning; Julie Madsen Gilmer, daughter of John and Karen Gilmer; Katherine Elizabeth Jones, daughter of Bob and Beth Jones; Timothy Brett Mallinak, son of Timothy and Debra Mallinak; Jason Alexander Michael, son of Gary and Jule Michael; Gabriella Marie Provenzano, daughter of Daniel and Martha Provenzano; Wilson Taylor Raines, son of Chris and Allyson Raines; Jiten Solanki, son of Chandra and Bharti Solanki; and Elizabeth Marie Tennant, daughter of Brent and Mary Tennant.

For more information on the National Merit Scholarship, please contact the Dobyns-Bennett High School Counseling Office at (423) 378-8409.

-KCS-

Nov 6: Crooked Road Exhibit/Concert at RenCenter

Cultural Arts Division
Kingsport Renaissance Center
1200 East Center Street
Kingsport, TN 37660

For Immediate Release:
Contact: Bonnie Macdonald
Cultural Arts Administrator, City of Kingsport
423-392-8414


Art Nights/City Lights Presents The Crooked Road Exhibit and Concert featuring Dale Jett and ‘Hello Stranger’ along with ‘Whitetop Mountain Band’

Friday, November 6 7:30 PM
Kingsport Renaissance Center Theater
Tickets Available 423-392-8416 or 423-392-8417

The Cultural Arts Division of the City of Kingsport is pleased to present The Crooked Road: Exhibit and Concert on Friday, November 6, 2009 at 7:30 PM at the Kingsport Renaissance Theater. The concert will feature music of Dale Jett and ‘Hello Stranger’ as well as the ‘Whitetop Mountain Band’. Tickets are $12 for Adults, $10 for Seniors/Students and can be purchased by call the Central Box Office at 423-392-8417 or on-line at www.KingsportARTS.org.

Singer and musician, Dale Jett is a native of Southwest Virginia. He is a third generation member of the legendary Carter Family. The son of Janette Carter, the grandson of A.P.and Sara Carter, his roots have been heavily steeped within the heart of his family's musical heritage. Growing up within the Carter Family, Dale has been influenced by many musicians and styles of music.He began playing guitar in his late teens when Elizabeth Cotten taught him his first chords - left handed, upside down. Later, he added his own style of Autoharp playing to his repertoire. But, it is ultimately his voice that arrests you. It is powerful and compelling, yet at the same time, delicate and haunting. Like his grandfather, Dale is a "collector" of songs. His dedication to the preservation of traditional music, the love of Carter Family songs, and his admiration of other songwriters are evident in his performances . His choices are eclectic; his performances and recordings encompass a unique combination of traditional songs blended with a mix of others that extend the boundaries of conventional country. Whether playing an original tune, or that of others, his music will ring true to the soul.Dale helped emcee and performed at the Carter Family Fold for over 30 years, along with his wife, Teresa, and long time friend, Oscar Harris.

The Whitetop Mountain Band is a family-based band from the highest mountains of Virginia. Whitetop, Virginia is an area rich in the old time music tradition; this band has deep roots in mountain music. The members have done much to preserve the Whitetop region’s style of old time fiddling and banjo picking and are legendary musicians and teachers of the style.
At the same time, Whitetop Mountain Band shows are very versatile and entertaining containing everything from fiddle/banjo instrumentals to powerful solos and harmony vocals on blues, classic country, honky tonk, traditional bluegrass numbers, old timey ballads, originals, and four part mountain gospel songs. Shows also include flat foot dancing. The band is well known for their high energy and charisma on stage.

The Whitetop Mountain Band is one of the most popular dance bands of the Appalachian Mountains. They have a great following at square dances all over Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Kentucky at venues like the Carter Family Fold. The band has also performed at all sorts of venues throughout the United States from festivals to concerts, competitions, and colleges. The Smithsonian Folklife Festival, National Folklife Festival, World Music Institute in NYC, Carter Family Festival, Dock Boggs Festival, World Fair, Virginia Arts Festival, Floydfest, Ola Belle Reed Festival and Merlefest are a few of the many festivals the band has performed at. They recently were featured on the NCTA Crooked Road Music tour of California, Nevada, Oregon, and Idaho in October 2007. In September 2007, Members also toured the United Kingdom and Ireland playing the Cornish Bluegrass Festival and Open House Festival along with venues through England, Wales, and Ireland. In January 2008, members of the band also played at the Illawarra Folk Festival and Tamworth Country Music Festival in New South Wales, Australia. The band has also taught and been master musicians/dancers for workshops and classes in fiddle, banjo, guitar, vocals, and dance all over the US. Some of these include Swannanoa Gathering in Asheville, NC, Cowan Creek Music School in KY, Mountain Music School in Big Stone Gap, and Mt. Rogers Combined School.

The band currently has recordings on the Arhoolie Record Label and Virginia Foundation of the Humanities. The band has also been recorded by JuneAppal, Heritage and been on compilations for Rounder Records.

The Whitetop Mountain Band has been featured in many books, magazines, and tv/radio shows about Appalachian music such as The Guide to the Crooked Road, A Hotbed of Musicians, Strings of Life, In Good Keeping, Country Music Television, Travel Channel, PBS, Old Time Herald, and many tv news and radio programs.

Residents of Southwest Virginian and Northeast Tennessee have an ear for music, and the new exhibit at the Kingsport Renaissance Center’s Atrium Gallery showcases the long history of picking and singing in the mountains. Musical Styles Along the Crooked Road is open through December 6

Musical Styles Along the Crooked Road presents the rich variety of roots music western Virginians sing and play—fiddle and banjo tunes, bluegrass, ballads of love and death, sentimental mountain songs, blues, and gospel. The exhibit includes rare film footage and photographs of historic Crooked Road musicians.

The Renaissance Center is a center for arts and senior citizen’s activities, and as a facility for business meetings, parties, receptions, classes, showers and day long seminars with breakout rooms. The facility includes a 350 seat theatre, three story skylit atrium, art gallery, gymnasium, meeting rooms and offices. The Renaissance Center is located 3 miles off of Interstate 26, 1200 East Center Street. For tickets or more information call 423-392-8414.

Bonnie Macdonald
Kingsport Renaissance Center Cultural Arts Division
1200 E. Center St. Kingsport, TN 37660
423-392-8416
www.KingsportARTS.org www.KingsportParksandRecreation.org
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