Shopper Blog: Sutherland Avenue sign memorializes 4 Medal of Honor recipients

BEARDEN

Sutherland Avenue sign memorializes 4 Medal of Honor recipients

John Shearer, Shopper News

Sutherland Avenue in recent years has seen signs announcing new restaurants and other businesses, as that area of immediate West Knoxville has developed and become trendier.

But another kind of sign was recently put up to recognize the past.

This summer, a historical marker was erected by the Pond Gap community and its neighborhood association to honor the four Medal of Honor recipients connected with the Tennessee-affiliated 117th Infantry Regiment, 30th Division.

The sign, which was placed alongside the 3300 block of Sutherland Avenue near the armory and headquarters of the 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment, was dedicated during a special event on July 16 involving National Guard troops from the 278th.

“We had a wonderful ceremony and had a tour of the inside,” said neighborhood association leader David Williams, adding that 278th commander Col. Timothy Schubert and other Guard members enjoyed learning more as well about the Pond Gap community. “It gave us a warm feeling.”

The sign recognizes three members of the 117th who received the Medals of Honor during World War I – Sgt. Edward Talley, Sgt. James E. “Buck” Karnes, and Pvt. Calvin John Ward. Also recognized is Pvt. Harold G. Kiner from Oklahoma, who received his medal posthumously after sacrificing his life to save other soldiers near Palenberg, Germany, in October 1944 during World War II.

Talley, who was from Russellville, Tennessee, was recognized for his actions near Ponchaux, France, in October 1918, while Karnes was recognized for courageous actions in capturing an elevated position from German forces near Estrees, France, the same week. The latter was from Knoxville and has the Alcoa Highway bridge over part of Fort Loudoun Lake near the University of Tennessee campus named for him. Ward, from Morristown, was cited for similar heroic actions in the same battle.

The armory was initially built at the site shortly after World War II and had an addition a couple of decades or so later, according to Williams, who said he could tell where the old and newer sections were during the tour.

Just as Sutherland Avenue is diverse with the Guard headquarters, restaurants, businesses, West High, and the UT intramural fields, so, too, has the armory site been the scene of a variety of places.

Williams – who was also recently instrumental in getting some honorary street signs put up nearby recognizing the old baseball field where some early interracial baseball games took place – said the site was the old airport and airfield in the early 20th century. And before the armory opened, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus would be staged there in a big top format.

Williams said he remembers his father telling him the performing animals would be marched down Sutherland from a downtown railroad station, creating quite a scene.

One old Knoxville newspaper article from 1948 talks of the armory being under construction and that it already had four M-4 Sherman tanks parked there. They would be used for mechanical study and field maneuvers.

The original armory was to open about May 1 of that year and was being built where a veterans vocational building had stood before being destroyed by a fire.

And now a sign has been erected nearby to tell of those who heroically withstood enemy fire.

WEST KNOXVILLE

Tiny Mitsubishi fire truck delights many

Nancy Anderson, Shopper News

What is that thing driving down Hardin Valley Road from time to time? It’s a 1994 Mitsubishi Minicab fire truck belonging to Hardin Valley resident Joseph Smith (USAF, Ret.).

At 130 inches, the fire truck is hardly larger than a living room loveseat. Smith imported the vehicle from Virginia for a mere $11,000 and refurbished it with a tiny ladder, hose and tools. The only thing he didn’t replace was the gasoline-operated pump for fire hydrants. This was kept by the seller to put on a new tiny fire truck for service in Japan.

“I had to find little tools, like a little ladder, tiny bolt cutters, shovel, that sort of thing. All of it had to make sense on a tiny fire truck,” said Smith.

Smith said a vehicle has to be greater than 25 years old to be a Classic Car and thus street legal in the U.S. At 29, the real fire truck was in use in Japan only last year. All the bells and whistles still work. It’s licensed, registered, and insured.

The tiny vehicles are used in place of standard-sized fire trucks and construction vehicles in narrow streets. Of course, larger fire trucks are used also, but this little guy is the talk of the town.

“What I really love about it is that when I take it to car shows, it’s the only one of its kind, it gets lots of attention. I’m a car guy and I really enjoy something different. Nothing against a Camaro and the like, but you see them around. You don’t see a Mitsubishi fire truck,” said Smith.

The little truck certainly is eccentric. It has a three-cylinder, 45-horsepower engine. The steering column in on the right side of the truck, and the tiny engine is beneath the driver’s seat.

“It is a lot of fun; it attracts a lot of attention. When I first got it, the fire truck had only 6,500 miles on it. Of course, the odometer reads kilometers. We’ve put on a few miles having fun.”

The fire truck has a name – “Fire Bug.” When seen on the street, Smith said he’d love a “hello.”

NORTH KNOXVILLE

First Hispanic Heritage Art Contest kicks off

Carol Z. Shane, Shopper News

On Aug. 31, the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley hosted the kickoff event at its Lonsdale location for the first Hispanic Heritage Month Art Contest in Knoxville, sponsored by UScellular.

Conceived to take place during Hispanic Heritage Month, which officially runs Sept. 15-Oct. 15, the contest has been previously held in other states. The Knoxville contest includes all area Boys & Girls Clubs.

Haskell Vinson, area sales manager for UScellular in western North Carolina and East Tennessee, was very pleased with the turnout and the enthusiasm among the kids from the Lonsdale area, which has a large Guatemalan community.

“They got to collaborate and engage in different activities about Hispanic heritage. It makes them feel like they’re part of the community. It gives them a chance to celebrate where they come from and go back to the piece of it that they sometimes miss.”

The young artists will create original 8.5 x 11 pieces of artwork in recognition of influential Hispanic and Latino icons with emphasis on STEM fields – science, technology, engineering and mathematics – including historical figures, world leaders, scientists and educators.

Up to 10 finalists will be chosen by representatives from the club and local UScellular leaders based on creativity, quality, interpretation, clarity of theme and overall impression. Then, the finalists’ artwork will be digitally displayed in select UScellular stores throughout Knoxville.

From Sept. 15-22, anyone age 18 and older can vote online to select the winners. The top three vote-getters will be announced in October and will receive prizes that include $250 for first place, $150 for second and $100 for third.

“We are thrilled to partner with Boys & Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month and honor the talented youth in our community,” said Thomas White, director of sales for East Tennessee at UScellular. “As we take the opportunity to highlight the contributions that Hispanic people have made to STEM, we’re always so impressed by the imaginative, inspirational and insightful artwork that club members create for this beloved contest.”

UScellular has a long history with Boys & Girls Clubs. The company has sponsored Black History Month art contests for years, and in 2022 it donated $30,000 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley.

“We wanted to keep involved,” said Vinson. “We thought this would be a great way to move this forward.”

The kids were provided with art materials and reference sheets featuring Hispanic STEM leaders. “A big piece of this is education,” Vinson said.

Lonsdale also has large Black and African refugee populations. “The diversity was what we really wanted to focus on,” Vinson said. “Diversity is what makes our country great. We wanted everybody to know and celebrate Hispanic heroes.”

Starting this Friday, you can view the artwork online and record your vote. Visit newsroom.uscellular.com/hispanic-art-contest/.

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WEST KNOXVILLE

HVA student a published author at 16

Nancy Anderson, Shopper News

Hardin Valley Academy sophomore Brandon Dowty just hit a milestone many only dream of during their adult working life, much less as a high school student. Dowty wrote a science fiction novel, excerpts from which will be published in the 2023 YoungArts Anthology.

In addition to the publication, Dowty won a cash prize and a medal.

“I was really surprised and pleased,” said Dowty. “Getting published is hard.”

Dowty has written a number of stories, but finally hit the mark with “Adriel’s Tomb.” It’s a story surrounding a plague (similar to the Black Death) which causes people to rise up and kill the afflicted.

But, Dowty said, it is not a postapocalyptic novel. The story takes place on the planet Adriel. Two brothers set out to find a cure and help people along the way.

“The lesson of the story is acceptance. One of the brothers is afflicted with the plague and is shriveling up unnaturally all the while,” Dowty said.

“Acceptance is important. If you can’t accept people as they are, it leads to hatred and ultimately collapse.”

Dowty said “Adriel’s Tomb” is really all the ideas he’s had for a book morphed into one work.

“I’ve been trying to write a book for years. I have pieces and ideas and so I just gathered them all for this effort.

“Of course, current affairs played a part. The pandemic gave me ideas. I thought if I came up with something more mature and darker, people would like it better,” he said.

Dowty has a number of hobbies, including reading, topography, history, writing and caring for “Howie,” his ball python, and maintaining his greater than 4.0 GPA.

He said he hasn’t made his mind up about college yet but is leaning toward becoming an electrician just in case his writing career doesn’t pan out.

“I’ll get there,” Dowty said, “it just takes determination and practice.”

Next on the agenda for Dowty is a few revisions to his manuscript, then finding a literary agent to get his novel published in its entirety.

POWELL

Beaver Creek youths stay local, find mission trips meaningful

Al Lesar, Shopper News

When B.J. Mathis planned his youth group’s mission trip this summer, he went out of the box a bit.

The trip was to their own backyard.

Instead of venturing to some faraway areas to help the impoverished or underserved, the Beaver Creek Cumberland Presbyterian Church youngsters spent two weeks in July making Knoxville a better place.

“Last summer, this group went to West Virginia and worked in Appalachia,” said Mathis, 39, who was hired in October. “It was meaningful and touching, but it didn’t make a difference once they got back here.

“There are way more opportunities here that could give the experience of missional living.”

The eight days − Tuesday through Friday for two weeks − were transformative for the 39-year-old Mathis, who has been a youth pastor for 17 years.

“There was a little trepidation on my part,” Mathis said. “I ran it past the parents first. We have needs in our own backyard. The experiences we had validated what I was telling (the parents).”

Many projects

Mathis’ army of 25 youngsters (middle school and high school ages) had a wide variety of opportunities to spread the word and enhance the community.

Partnering with Knoxville Dream Center, a food truck visits the church every Tuesday at 5 p.m. About 40 clients come to collect the groceries. Members of the youth group were there to help the physical loading and unloading of food, share a conversation and even take time to pray with those so inclined.

Serene Manor Medical Center provides care and compassion to the lives of the indigent in Knoxville. The youngsters spent some time visiting and playing bingo with the residents.

“It was a very positive experience,” said Mathis, who added that Diet Coke and Mountain Dew were favorites of the residents. “There were snacks and prizes. Everyone was having fun. We had an uplifting presence, and we’ll be back.”

The group was a part of the Under the Bridge ministry, which focuses on the city’s homeless.

Then, there was time spent cleaning the church and fixing things that needed repair. Also, the group was divided and assigned homebound members of the church to share a meal with.

Caring is key

Having had 16 years of experience as a youth pastor in central Tennessee, Mathis was ready for a challenge at a new church. He understood the secret to getting established.

“I’ve learned that (the youngsters) don’t care how much you know until they know you care,” he said. “They have to trust that you care about them.

“I was a kid who always wanted all the answers. I enjoy young people’s willingness to try to do anything. They’re flexible at that age. They’ll explore bigger things. I want them to experience God, not just talk about faith. I like the wiggle room there is with youths.”

Mathis spent two weeks getting to know Knoxville, and took the youth group along with him. They all came away with a better understanding of the service infrastructure − and themselves.

OPINION

Second time around harder than the first

Leslie Snow, Shopper News

I remember being good at it. Like Mary Poppins good.

I would pick up the three kids from school carrying an oversized purse stuffed with peanut butter sandwiches (crusts removed), spill-proof drinks, and a variety of toys designed to keep my little hellions occupied on the drive home. If that didn’t work, I would rummage through my bag of tricks to find a story about “Big Red,” our faithful nine-passenger SUV, rescuing us from some imaginary bad guy.

And I had rhymes for days. I could make up a song on the spot to drown out all the “Ethan’s looking at me” cries coming from the back seat. I had a penchant for “would you rather” games, too, and the kids seemed to love them. “Would you rather have salt or pepper? Dogs or cats? Liverwurst or onions?” The possibilities were endless.

If the day was particularly challenging, I would recite personal limericks to make the kids laugh. I still remember one of Zack’s favorites.

“There once was a boy named Z, who played soccer with glee, he kicked with his left, kicked with his right, and scored with his hairy knee.” It wasn’t poet laureate material, but it served its purpose.

And it was those kinds of fond memories that made me believe I could pick up my grandchildren from school a couple days a week without any problem. I still saw myself as Mary Poppins, grayer and softer around the middle maybe, but resourceful, quick with a rhyme, and still carrying an oversized handbag. It was a bit shocking, then, to discover the truth; past performance is not an indication of future results.

It was 98 degrees outside the first day I picked up my grandchildren from school. Clara thought it would be fun to hide in the way back of the car while Elliott said the five scariest words a 2-year-old can utter. “I do it myself, Yaya.”

And by “do it myself,” Elliott meant crawl under the row of car seats as slowly as possible then stand on his seat kicking his legs wildly.

That’s when the shouting began.

Clara shouted, “Come find me” from the back seat while I shouted “Can you get in your seat like a big girl?” And Elliott shouted “I kicking! I kicking!”

By the time I coaxed them both into their seats, I was breathing hard and drenched in sweat. Undaunted, I cheerfully passed out snacks and pulled out of the parking lot.

We had traveled about a mile when Elliott proudly called out, “I did it!” − the second-scariest sentence a 2-year-old can utter.

I looked in my rearview mirror to see what exactly he had done, and saw him pull out the seat belt that was meant to secure his car seat.

“Elliott,” I asked fearfully, “did you unbuckle your car seat?”

He smiled proudly, “I did it! I did my seat!”

Daunted, I pulled over, buckled him in again, and said in a desperate, fake-cheerful voice, “Why don’t we sing songs the rest of the way home?” And they complied, happily.

Elliott sang “Old MacDonald” at the top of his lungs while Clara shouted the words to some made-up song called “loud toots.” And it wasn’t a song about trains.

When I finally got home, I couldn’t decide what I needed more, a glass of wine or a shower. But I learned some valuable lessons that first day. I learned that I am not the gray-haired Mary Poppins after all and that raising kids is nothing like riding a bike.

Leslie Snow may be reached at snow column@aol.com.

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