Walters State Community College students are doing their part to support service members stationed overseas. Four clubs have joined together in a month-long drive to collect items for care packages. Students have a lofty goal in this fourth year of the drive – topping the 5,000 items collected last year. Donation boxes are available on all four campuses through the end of the month.

The project is a combined effort of the Student Tennessee Education Association and the history, social science and psychology clubs. The drive got its start when a veteran told Jason Dixon, assistant professor of sociology, how much letters and packages meant to soldiers serving overseas. Dixon suggested the idea to students and they took it from there.

“Students are completely responsible for the drive to collect items. They decide where collection points will be and publicize it in their classes. I try to give them complete control,” Dixon said.

“A project this large is an excellent out-of-the-classroom learning opportunity. Students gain confidence, management, organizational skills, leadership skills and team-building skills. Individuals have even taken it upon themselves to approach corporations located here and get sizeable contributions,” he explained.

Students have added a request to the list this year – sports equipment.

“A member of one of my classes who has served suggested that we include sports equipment,” said Raquel Hall, a psychology major and a member of the Psychology Club.

“Our soldiers need to know that people back home support them,” said Megan Starnes, an elementary education major.

Alex Bauer, a pre-physical therapy major, said he is donating snack food so troops can have a little taste of home.

Items must be new and in a manufacturer’s wrapper. Suggested items include powdered drink mixes, crackers, beef jerky, trail mix, AA and AAA batteries, games, playing cards, crossword puzzles, books, scrapbooking materials, facial cleansing supplies, lotions, eye drops, tooth supplies, soap, deodorant, sunblock, note cards, pens, sports equipment, Ziploc bags and, perhaps the most valued, letters and cards of support.

Items donated will be distributed through Soldiers’ Angels, a nonprofit group formed to provide an easy way for the public to tangibly show support for troops even if they do not know an individual serving. Local recruiting stations actually recommended the Soldiers’ Angels. The organization has a warehouse/distribution center where packages are mailed in nearby western North Carolina.

“That took care of a big concern when we began. Mailing the packages would have been so expensive. We take what is collected over in one or two trips and this nonprofit handles the logistics from there, including postage,” Dixon said, adding that the cost of mailing 5,000 items might have made such a successful project impossible.

Donations from outside the college are welcome, particularly letters of support. In the past, elementary school classrooms have drawn pictures and contributed homemade cards. For details, contact Dixon at (423) 318-2569 or Jason.Dixon@ws.edu.

Chris Edington and Becci Gilmer of Crossville became the One Millionth riders on the Wild Eagle, Dollywood's newest roller coaster  

   When the Wild Eagle roller coaster pulled into the boarding area at Dollywood last week, two riders, Becci Gilmer and Chris Edington, were greeted with an unexpected surprise. As soon as the ride came to a stop confetti  began streaming down, cameras flashed, news reporters surrounded the puzzled couple and a representative of Dollywood stepped up to inform them they were the one millionth rider to ride the roller coaster.

  Gilmer and Edington of Crossville, Tennessee had been anxiously anticipating riding the Wild Eagle rollercoaster at the popular theme park. They rode in the front car of the roller coaster early in the morning and returned later in the afternoon to ride again. Having ridden in the front they decided to ride in the back this time. But the lines for the back car were too long and the couple decided to return to the front car. It was a fortunate decision.

  “We had to wait for two more turns before we could get on,” Edington said. “But, I am glad we did.”

   As the ride came to a stop the couple was surrounded by representatives of the media and Dollywood, other riders exited the ride expressing frustration for missing the opportunity to be recognized as the one millionth rider. “If I had only come up here five minutes sooner” one rider said as he departed.

  The Wild Eagle is Dollywood’s newest attraction. The $20 million ride was completed in March of this year. In only seven months  the attraction has taken one million riders over hills and loops along the track swooping down at dazzling speeds and simulating what it might be like to soar with the eagles.

  To recognize the excited couple’s participation on the park’s milestone achievement, the couple was presented with a travel voucher for $1,000 to fly to St. Louis and two passes to Silver Dollar City in Branson. In addition, they were presented with two season passes to Dollywood.

 “It was something,” said Gilmer. “We got off and everybody was screaming and there were TV cameras and reporters.. We were confused and I didn’t know what was going on. This was the smoothest ride ever. I always wanted to be on TV.  I guess I can cross that off my bucket list.”

The Oak Ridge Boys on the Red Carpet at Dollywood  

   The Oak Ridge Boys were honored Wednesday at Dollywood for their contributions to gospel music. The quartet was presented with the James D. Vaughn Impact Award in ceremony that kicked off the beginning of Dollywood’s National  Southern Gospel and Harvest Celebration.

    “We are humbled and we are honored” said Joe Bonsall of the Oak Ridge Boys. “God has been good to us. We are all singing good and all feeling good”

    The award was named in honor of James D. Vaughn who is credited with starting the gospel music genre in 1910. The Oaks gospel legacy started in World War II when the original Oak Ridge Boys began performing in Knoxville. The current line-up of the band began performing together in 1973. The Current line-up includes Bonsall, Duane Allen, William Lee Golden and Richard Sterban. The current incarnation of the group will be celebrating 40 years of performing together in 2013.

   “We are planning a tour to celebrate our 40^th anniversary together,” said Bonsall. “We are currently having a logo designed and making plans to get the tour underway.”

    While the Oaks are known for the multi-platinum hits such as “Elvira” and “Thank God for Kids”, they trace their roots back to gospel music where they got their start. In the early 70s the band scored hits with “The Baptism of Jesse Taylor”,  “King Jesus” and many others.

    The Oaks released their sixth Christmas CD this week entitled “Christmas time is Coming.” Currently the band is on a tour that will take them across North Carolina and Ohio. They will be performing in Greeneville, Tennessee in December.

    The morning started at Dollywood with the band making a brief appearance before a gathering of fans who were informed the Oaks were receiving the award. Later in the afternoon, the Oaks walked with more than 50 gospel recording artists on a red carpet that led to the Celebrity Theater where the Sothern Gospel Music Awards were held. Seven gospel artists were inducted into the Southern Gospel Music Association’s Hall of Fame.

     During the awards ceremony, the Oaks were formally presented with their award before an excited capacity crowd.                

    Dolly Parton, a past recipient of the award, was unable to attend the ceremony but made a statement on a video that was played to the audience. Parton apologized to the Oaks for her absence, but said she was proud of them and she loved them.

    “The Oak Ridge Boys are great friends of mine,” Parton said. “They have deep roots in Southern gospel and strong ties to East Tennessee. I am especially honored they will accept the great honor of the James D. Vaughn Award at Dollywood.”

   Following the acceptance of the award, the Oaks performed “Farther Along” before departing for their next concert.  The song is featured in an upcoming documentary about country music star Glen Campbell and his struggle with altzeimer’s    

   “We don’t make a living as gospel singers,” said William Lee Golden. “But, we cut our teeth on gospel music. It is a part of us. We keep it with us. We got together singing gospel music and it was our love of gospel that kept us together. We don’t do it because we have to. We do it because we love it.”

  The Federal Government has condemned the town of Centralia

   Imagine what it would be like to live in a town that had been condemned by the government. Imagine open fissures in the ground spewing up toxic carbon monoxide poison. Now, imagine how you would feel to know that as you walk down the street, the ground under your feet could collapse which could cause you to fall into a fiery pit where you would be incinerated.

  For the handful of people living in Centralia, Pennsylvania, this is a typical day. Centralia is a ghost town that was mostly abandoned by a majority of its residents who gradually left the town after a fire was ignited in the vast coal reserves that lie underneath it in 1962.

 Centralia is located in Columbia County and sits atop a vast deposit of coal. In 1962, the Centralia Borough Council hired five members of the volunteer fire company to clean up the town landfill, located in an abandoned strip-mine pit next to the Odd Fellows Cemetery. This had been done prior to Memorial Day in previous years, when the landfill was in a different location. On May 27, 1962, the firefighters, as they had in the past, set the dump on fire and let it burn for some time. Unlike in previous years, however, the fire was not fully extinguished. An unsealed opening in the pit allowed the fire to enter the labyrinth of abandoned coal mines beneath the town.

  The fire spread rapidly through the maze of mines and later became the topic of a book by David Dekok author of “Unseen Danger: A Tragedy of People, Government, and the Centralia Mine Fire.” DeKok describes the subterranean raging inferno as  “A world where no human could live, hotter than the planet Mercury, its atmosphere as poisonous as Saturn's.  At the heart of the fire, temperatures easily exceeded 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Lethal clouds of carbon monoxide and other gases swirled through the rock chambers.” 

  Efforts to extinguish the underground fire proved futile and the fire has now burned for 50 years. A seemingly endless supply of coal under the ground could burn for years to come.

   As the fire burned the residents went about their day-to-day lives. The fire was underground and thought to be of no threat to the citizens. As the fire continued to burn and the ground under the town grew more unstable, the Federal Government intervened and began claiming homes under imminent domain in 1992. The home owners were compensated for their properties and relocated to other towns.  All buildings in the town were condemned. Centralia's ZIP code was revoked by the Postal Service in 2002.

    Today, a few buildings remain. The factories where products were once manufactured sit idle. The school yard where children once played is silent. The local stores sit undisturbed years after the final sales were rung up. The local town hall sits eerily silent years after the last mayor and town officials locked the doors for the final time. The fire engines sit in the bay of the fire station useless to halt the raging inferno that lies beneath and threatens the town. The searing heat from beneath the streets, have caused the pavement and asphalt to crack and fissures have emerged spewing toxic gas into the air. The roads are now unsafe to travel and have been closed. The surface ground is now growing dangerously thin and has been known to collapse. Still. Despite these living conditions, the town is not completely abandoned.

   Today only 10 steadfast residents remain of what was once a town of 2,700. Despite perilous living conditions these steadfast residents refuse to leave the town they have called home. The federal government has demolished most of the remaining public buildings and houses. These stubborn Centralians who remain now must drive to neighboring towns to get supplies and other necessities on the roads that have begun to collapse.

  Time will tell if these residents will bow to government pressure to leave or if the fire will burn out or consume what little remains of the town. 

    Michael Williams has written a book entitled "Stranger than Fiction: The Lincoln Curse." The book is a collection of 50 strange and unusual but true stories. The stories will leave the reader convinced that perhaps Mark Twain was right when he said "truth is stranger than fiction."

    Williams has written for more than 30 newspapers and magazines including the Civil War Times Illustrated, The Civil War Courier, the Associated Press and the Knoxville Journal.

     The book is 187 pages in a softbound edition with numerous photos. The book can be purchased from amazon.com for $19.95 plus shipping and handling or you can save shipping cost and save $2 on the purchase price by ordering a signed copy directly from the author. Send $17.95 to P.O. Box 6421 Sevierville, TN. 37864.

    The book is available in Kindle on Amazon.com for $3.99. For more information visit the website www.strangerthanfictionnews.com.

The air around Centralia is becoming toxic and the roads are beginning to collapse. 

Josh Harris of Sevierville receives his keys for the new Chevy truck he won from Smoky Mountain Celebration. Marvin Maples of Volunteer Chevorlet does the honors.

Marvin Maples of Volunteer Chevorlet of Sevierville was extra happy about Smoky Mountain Celebration as he was a winner of $1,000.00.

Cody Rhodes will be among the stars of WWE to square off in Knoxville.

   The white-knuckle intensive bone crushing action of professional wrestling returns to the Knoxville Civic Center and Coliseum when the WWE Supershow takes to the ring on October 14.

    In a summer slam rematch John Cena will square off with Big Show. CM Punk will defend his WWE championship. Kane will take on Daniel Bryan and Cody Rhodes will face Sin Cara. Diva action is on the undercard and the main event features World Heavyweight Champion Sheamus defending his title against Alberto Del Rio.

  Rhodes is the Intercontinental Heavyweight Champion and the son of a wrestling legend, “the American Dream” Dusty Rhodes.

 “Dad is doing great,” Cody Rhodes said in a telephone interview. “He is working behind the scenes now for WWE helping up and coming wrestlers. He is working on development.”

 Recently, the WWE was recognized as the longest running TV series in television history having aired more than 1,000 weekly events.

  “I think that is a testament of the success of the weekly live TV show,” Rhodes said. “We don’t have an off season and that’s not a burden. It allows us to keep it fresh.”

  Rhodes defeated Ezekiel Jackson to win the Intercontinental Championship August 12. In a September 23 bout with Randy Orton, Rhodes sustained a head injury when Orton attached Rhodes and hit him with the time keeper’s bell.

  “It was an accident,” Rhodes said. “I ended up getting 18 staples in the head. Randy and I are good friends. It was unintentional.”

 While Rhodes’s Intercontinental Title will not be on the line October 14, he speculates there may be a Round Robin style tournament featuring himself, Rey Mysterio, Sin Cara and The Miz in coming months. Rhodes has feuded in the past with Big Show.

  Currently, Rhodes is aligned with Damien Sandow in a quest to get a title shot for the WWE tag team championship. Rhodes and Sandow attacked WWE Tag Team Champions Daniel Bryan and Kane on the September 24 episode of Raw and vowed to become the next champions. The team, known as the Rhodes Scholars, was entered in a Tag Team Championship tournament and defeated the Usos to advance.

  “The Supershow features the stars of Raw and Smackdown,” Rhodes said. “This event will feature the best of the best.”

  The event gets underway at 6 p.m. Tickets may be purchased at the Knoxville Civic Auditorium-Coliseum Box Office, or through Knoxville Tickets. Tickets can be charged by phone at (865) 656-4444 or toll free (877) 995-9961. For more information visit the web Site www.knoxvillecoliseum.com.

Gary Loveday of Sevierville sits atop of his brand new Harley Softail he just won at Smoky Mountain Celebration. Jeff Murrell, President of Sevier County High School Foundation, and Jimbo Conner congratulate Gary.

The First Annual Smoky Mountain Celebration held today at Smokies Stadium was a huge success. The crowd was estimated to be nearly 2,000 people. The event was conducted by the Sevier County High School Foundation and volunteers for the benefit of the minor sports programs at SCHS. At the end of the event there were 35 happy people who won one the 35 prizes valued at over $150,000.00. At the end of the day Foundation staff and volunteers were already planning how to make the event bigger and better next year. This was a great community event and very exciting.

Parking was at a premium during Smoky Mountain Celebration.

Vadene Sisk and her son Austin an ex Smoky Bear Baseballer celebrate Vadene winning of a $1,000.00 during Smoky Mountain Celebration.

More photos after the break:

 President Garfield is Shot. His death was a result of medical bungling.

  When the 20^th President of the United States James Garfield was cut down by an assassin’s bullet in 1881, doctors immediately began treating the president. Little did they realize their antiquated medical practices would result in an agonizing premature death for the president as well as an unusual defense for his assailant. In fact, some historians contend that Garfield might have survived had the doctors simply left him alone and not treated him. It was their ignorance of antiseptics that ultimately resulted in the President’s death. As an unusual side note, Garfield’s condition in his final days resulted in an invention that is now enjoyed in homes around the world.

    On the morning of July 2, 1881, Garfield was on his way to his alma mater, Williams College, where he was scheduled to deliver a speech. Garfield was accompanied by James G. Blaine and Robert Todd Lincoln, son of President Abraham Lincoln. As Garfield was walking through the Sixth Street Station of the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad in Washington at 9:30 am, he was shot twice from behind, one bullet grazed his arm and the other lodged in his back. The assassin was Charles J. Guiteau, an apparently delusional Federal office-seeker who had believed himself to be on close terms with Garfield even though he and Garfield had never spoken to each other. Guiteau  wanted to be appointed ambassador and when the appointment did not materialize, Guiteau believed he, the Republican Party, and the country had been betrayed and he began stalking Garfield.

    Guiteau was immediately pounced on by police and bystanders and subsequently arrested. Garfield lay on the floor in agonizing pain unaware of how serious his wounds were.  The first doctor on the scene was Dr. Smith Townsend. The well-intentioned doctor inserted an unwashed and unsterilized finger into the wound in search of the bullet. He unwittingly introduced an infection that was more lethal than Guiteau's bullet.

   Lincoln, Garfield's secretary of war, suggested that Dr. D. Willard Bliss, who had attended his father, be brought into the case.  Lincoln, in addition to being present when his father died, was in the station that morning with Garfield and was also with President William McKinley when he was assassinated in Buffalo, N.Y., in 1901.

   In the years following the Civil War, there was a theory in the medical community that germs could be spread by introducing unwashed hands to an open wound. It was common practice at the time for surgeons to use unsterilized instruments in multiple surgeries while wearing a bloody gown. One man who worked tirelessly to promote the theory of antiseptic surgery was Dr. Joseph Lister for whom Listerine was named. Lister taught that infection could be minimized by sterile instruments and washed hands.  Bliss, who was considered something of a quack, had little regard for the theories of Dr. Lister.

   Garfield was transported to the White House from the station. There for the next 80 days, Bliss and nine other doctors probed Garfield’s wound with dirty unsanitized hands and all were unsuccessful at locating the bullet.

  In a desperate measure to find the elusive bullet, doctors brought in Alexander Graham Bell, inventor of the telephone who attempted to locate the bullet with an electrical device he called the Induction Balance, a metal detector. Bell discovered what he thought was the bullet and had the doctors cut into the president to remove it. But, Bell was wrong. His metal detector had found a metal spring in the mattress under the president.

    Infection soon spread throughout Garfield’s body. The wound, which started as a small hole the size of a nickel, eventually became a massive canal that was red and inflamed and oozed pus constantly.              

    The infection caused Garfield’s heart to weaken. He remained bedridden in the White House with fever and extreme pain. As the heat of summer became more oppressive for the stricken President, a Navy engineer, with the help of Simon Newcomb, installed in Garfield's room an air blower over a chest containing 6 tons of ice, with the air then dried by conduction through a long iron box filled with cotton screens, and connected to the room's heat vent. This device was capable of reducing the air temperature to 20°F below the outside temperature. This crude device was the first air conditioner.

   Despite the best efforts to make the president comfortable, Garfield died on Sept. 19, 1881.He was 50 and had served a little over five months.

   At his trial, the wily Guiteau argued he did not kill the president. He only wounded him. The doctors actually killed Garfield. It was a defense that would have worked in modern times but not in 1881. He was hanged June 30, 1882, in the yard of the District Jail.

 Some historians agree that Garfield would have had a better chance of survival had the doctors simply left the bullet in his back. The ignorance of antiseptics on the part of Dr. Bliss, which resulted in the death of Garfield, led to a new phrase in the English language. Now you know the man who inspired the expression “Ignorance is Bliss.”

    Michael Williams has written a book entitled "Stranger than Fiction: The Lincoln Curse." The book is a collection of 50 strange and unusual but true stories. The stories will leave the reader convinced that perhaps Mark Twain was right when he said "truth is stranger than fiction."

    Williams has written for more than 30 newspapers and magazines including the Civil War Times Illustrated, The Civil War Courier, the Associated Press and the Knoxville Journal.

     The book is 187 pages in a softbound edition with numerous photos. The book can be purchased from amazon.com for $19.95 plus shipping and handling or you can save shipping cost and save $2 on the purchase price by ordering a signed copy directly from the author. Send $17.95 to P.O. Box 6421 Sevierville, TN. 37864.

    The book is available in Kindle on Amazon.com for $3.99. For more information visit the website www.strangerthanfictionnews.com.

This week's winner of the make me laugh for the movies contest is Teresa White of Kodak.

"For my husband's birthday our 9-year-old grandson, Cody, gave him a wallet. Cody also put an old Eisenhower silver dollar in the wallet for good luck. My husband asked him "Where did you get this old silver dollar? Cody replied "At the dollar store."

Make Me Laugh For The Movies is a weekly contest sponsored by Reel Theaters. The rules are simple. Send us a funny story, funny photo or anecdote about a personal experience and if we publish it we will send you two free tickets to Reel Theaters Movies on the Parkway.

Please make the stories brief and suitable for the family. The Sevier County News reserves the right to reject any story for objectionable content. Winners will announced each Wednesday.

Send all entries to Sevier County News

635 Wall Street,

Sevierville, TN. 37876 or e-mail themto seviercountynews@gmail.com

Reel Theaters is located at 713 Winfield Dunn Parkway in Sevierville. For more information call (865)453-9055 or visit them on the Web at reel-theatres-sevier.com.

     Officers with the Sevierville Police Department have set up a memorial fund for the family of 20-month-old Lincoln David Akers who died tragically Thursday morning, Sept. 20. Lincoln’s father, Adam Akers is an Officer and SWAT Operator with the Department.

    Lincoln was killed in his family home when a dresser fell over on the child. According to reports, Lincoln was climbing on the dresser causing it to tip over and fall on him trapping him underneath. The child’s father attempted to resuscitate the injured child to no avail. Lincoln was rushed to LeConte Medical Center by ambulance where he was pronounced dead.

    The Medical Examiner’s office ruled the child’s death as an accident. Lincoln is survived by his parents  Amanda and Adam Akers; brothers, Haydon, Mason and Cade; grandparents, Christine and Greg Akers, Shelley Major; aunts and uncles, Dory Bryant, Andrew and Amanda C. Akers.

   The purpose of the fund is to collect and provide financial assistance to the Akers family during this period of grief and mourning. The fund is being maintained at Mountain National Bank in Sevierville, TN. Money may be dropped off or checks may be mailed to:

    Lincoln Akers Memorial fund

    P.O. box 6519

    Sevierville, TN 37864

Dora Vikar Plays Jessie (Far right) in the "Toy Story" segment of Disney's "Worlds of Fantasy."           

   The magic of Disney on Ice is coming to the Knoxville Civic Center and Coliseum for eight exciting shows beginning October 17 through Oct. 21. The show is fun for the entire family featuring ice skaters from around the world.

  “This year’s show is “Worlds of Fantasy” said Dora Vikar, in a telephone interview. Vikar played Mrs. Incredible in previous years. This year Vikar trades in her elastic incredible costume for a western outfit as she takes on the part of Jessie in the “Toy Story” segment.

  “In Worlds of fantasy, Mickey and Minnie are jumping from different world in different fantasies” Vikar said. “Along the way they encounter characters from ‘Cars’, ‘Toy Story’ and ‘The Little Mermaid.’ Tinker Bell, Donald Duck and Goofy are also in the show.” 

  Fans who saw the show last year won’t want to miss this year’s show. The show changes each year with different characters and a different storyline. This year’s show features the thrilling high-speed stunts of Lightning McQueen as he and his friends, Mater and the crew of Disney/Pixar's Cars race across the ice. Fans can dive into The Little Mermaid's enchanting undersea kingdom and enter the mystical world of Pixie Hollow with Tinker Bell and the Disney Fairies as they reveal the magic that lies within. Fans will be awed by the heroic actions of Buzz Lightyear, Woody, Jessie and the Toy Story gang as they  escape from the rambunctious tots of Sunnyside Daycare and race for home, in their most daring adventure ever.

    Staging the multi-million dollar production is a daunting task. According to Vikar, the logistics involved in bringing the magic to ice is an arduous labor of love.

  “It takes about 8-10 hours to set everything up and five hours to take it down,” said Vikar. “We have about 80 people who work and travel together to put the show on.”

  Originally from Hungary, the show has given Vikar an opportunity to do what she enjoys most and to travel the world.

  “Skating is a universal language” Vikar said. “I have been with the company for 12 years and I have traveled to 31 countries around the world. I spend about 10 months of the year living out of two suitcases. We perform in about 40 cities a year. But, it’s a lot of fun.  We get to do something kids really enjoy. For two hours the kids and parents are really having a great time. This show brings back memories from their childhoods.”

 “I played Mrs. Incredible for six years,” Vikar said. “Now, I am playing Jessie. I like the part because Jessie is very energetic and crazy and I get to be on the ice a lot.”

  Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at the Knoxville Civic Auditorium-Coliseum Box Office, or through Knoxville Tickets. Tickets can be charged by Phone by calling (865) 656-4444 or toll free (877) 995-9961, through the web site below, and at all Knoxville Tickets outlets. 

Call the Coliseum Box Office Monday - Friday from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM (865) 215-8999. 

 Dora Vikar has worked with Disney On Ice for 12 years playing Mrs. Incredible and Jessie from "Toy Story"

Photos by Bill Bloodworth

 Avis Commack (9) of Akron, takes the interception 44 yards to score the first points of the game.

   The University of Tennessee Volunteers rallied in the fourth quarter Saturday to defeat the Akron Zips at Neyland Stadium with a final score of 47-26.

   Some sportswriters were expecting the Vols to handily defeat the Zips with a 33 point spread. Apparently, they had underestimated the Zips’ head coach Terry Bowden who utilized cleverly executed tactics that enabled the Zips to keep up with the Vols through the third quarter. Bowden is part of a family dynasty of college football coaches that included his father, Bobby Bowden, who has the most career wins in college football history, and his brother, Tommy Bowden, who coached Clemson. Terry Bowden led the Auburn Tigers to a National Championship in 1993. 

  Akron, a Division I team, was clearly outmanned by the Vols. Despite the logistical advantage of the Vols, the Zips managed to keep the game close throughout the first three quarters, even surpassing the Vols at times, only to let the game slip away in the final quarter.

  Akron was the first to score in the first quarter with a 44-yard interception. The extra point was good making the score 7-0.

  The Vols responded with a 13-play drive that took Tennessee to the Akron 2-yard-line. Tyler Bray passed to A.J. Johnson to score. The extra point by Derrick Brodus tied the score at 7-7.

  The Akron defense slowed Tennessee but failed to stop them. It took the Vols seven plays to cover nine yards to set up a field goal. Brodus kicked from the 37 yard line to pick up a field goal giving Tennessee the lead temporarily 10-7.

   Akron responded with a field goal of their own by Robert Stein from the 45-yard-line with 53 seconds left in the first quarter tying the score at 10-10.   

   Tennessee moved ahead once again in the second quarter with a field goal by Brodus from the 23-yard line giving the Vols the lead once again of 13-10.

   Akron  retaliated and closed the gap once again when Stein kicked a field goal from the 32-yard-line tying the game again at 13-13.

  Tennessee again took the lead with a seven play drive that covered 75 yards that resulted in a 4-yard pass by Bray to Brendan Downs.  The extra point by Brodus was good making the score 20-13. Akron closed the lead by three when Stein kicked a field goal from the 37-yard-line with 5:04 left in the half.       

  The big play of the game was a 70-yard run by Quentin Hines of Akron who ran in a touchdown with 2:14 left in the half. Stein kicked the extra point giving the Zips the lead 23-20.

   The Vols wanted desperately not to end the half with a deficit.  An eight play drive ended with a 70-yard gain but was unable to cross into the end zone. The Vols had to settle for another field goal by Brodus who kicked 22-yards to tie up the game 23-23 going into the half.

   With 6:43 left in the third Tennessee scored when Bray executed a 25-yard pass to Justin Hunter who ran in to score. Brodus kicked the extra point making the score 30-23. With both teams turning up the heat on one another, neither was able to reach the end zone again in the third.

  In the fourth quarter the Zips again cut the deficit by three when Stein kicked in a 37-yard field goal to make the score 30-26.

 Tennessee responded with seven play 53-yard drive but was unable to reach the end zone. Again, Brodus  kicked the ball through the uprights for a 28-yard field goal making the score 33-26.  

  Tennessee finally broke out in 9:02 left in the game with a 19-yard pass from Bray to Hunter. The extra point by Brodus was good giving the Vols the lead of 40-26.

  After the kick off Akron seemed to stall and was unable to make any headway. Following the punt the Vols began a five-play drive that covered 63 yards. Bray completed a 24-yard pass to Jacob Carter who bolted into the end zone. The extra point by Brodus was good making the final score 47-26.      

   The Vols defense shut down the Zips offense preventing Akron from scoring again or making any significant gains.

   "Well, it was a tough game, and I knew it would be,” said Vols head coach Derek Dooley. “They caused a lot of problems with our offense, but the disappointing part was the turnovers early in the game. We spotted them 10 points on turnovers, but I was real proud of the team in the second half. They came out and dominated the second half 24-3. So that's a good step for the team. We ran the ball well. We threw it well.

 "The worst part of the game was the two turnovers and the long run (by Akron). We just screwed it up. We slanted the line and the backers didn't adjust. We were a man free and the secondary couldn't rally to get him down. That was the bad play of the game there, but otherwise, a pretty good game."

  Coach Terry Bowden had words of praise for his team and commented about Tennessee late rally.

“I am awful proud of our young men tonight,” said Akron Coach Terry Bowden. “I am disappointed but I am proud of our players for coming in here and willing to not accept the fact that they were supposed to lose, get a guarantee and go home.

  “Tennessee had too many weapons and too many skilled people. I’ve got to commend Tennessee for paying attention between Florida and Georgia. I know what the SEC is all about.

   "We had five or six things that worked really well. We threw some routes and they half covered them. Then they memorized the things we were doing that really hurt them and made some adjustments each time they went to the bench and gradually started taking them away." 

   Justin Hunter (11) grabs this 19 yard pass from T. Bray to put the Vols up 40 to 26. 

Bray connected with Zach Rogers for a 48-yard gain to the Akron 5.

   Experiencing the detonation of an atom bomb has been compared to walking through the gates of Hell. In the history of the world only one nation has ever been subjected to a nuclear attack.  Japan was hit twice in three days with atomic bombs. To experience one nuclear attack and witness the horrors is to experience Hell on Earth. The odds of surviving an attack, the searing heat, and subsequent firestorm, are greatly stacked against someone. To experience and survive two nuclear attacks is almost unheard of. Tsutomu Yamaguchi was the only person recognized by Japan to have experienced and survived both atomic bombs, though others have claimed to have been present at both.

    In the waning days of World War II, the empire of Japan was facing the allies alone as Axis powers Italy and Germany capitulated. Numerous bombing raids on the Japanese mainland had virtually wiped out the Japanese Air Force, but the Japanese Army was still a highly trained crack unit of soldiers who were prepared to fight to the end.

    Throughout Japan was a force consisting of more than 10 million men and women who were prepared to fend off an allied invasion by fighting to the death. Such a force would have likely inflicted hundreds of thousands of casualties on an invading allied military force.

    Military advisors explained to President Harry S. Truman that a land invasion could cost as many as 100,000 American lives. It was a price the president had no desire to pay. There was another solution. It was a top secret weapon that had been in the process for months-an atom bomb.

    The Japanese and Germans had been working for months to create the bomb with no success. But, it was American scientists who created the first nuclear bomb, a weapon that would soon change modern warfare and the usher in the dawning of the nuclear age.

    On August 6, 1945, at 2:45 a.m. the Enola Gay, a B-29 super fortress taxied down a runway on Tinian Island destined for Hiroshima, Japan and history. Onboard the craft was a crew of 12 men piloted by Colonel Paul Tibbets and navigator Captain Theodore “Dutch” Van Kirk. In the bomb bay was the Little Boy, a 10-foot long, 4 ton bomb with the destructive power of 16 kilotons of TNT.

    Weeks earlier, the American Air Force had dropped thousands of leaflets over the city encouraging the citizens to evacuate the city and warning of an impending attack. The nature of  the attack nor the precise time was ever disclosed. But, the citizens had been given fair warning that doom was impending should they not heed the warning.

    At approximately 8:45 a.m. the citizens of Hiroshima were now moving around the city as men went to work, women went to market and ran errands and children left for school.

    The engines of the Enola Gay hummed as the plane climbed to an elevation above Japanese radar. The beautiful serene, peaceful blue skies and the gorgeous landscape surrounding the city were about to be transformed into a scene of Hellish proportions.  

     At approximately 9:15 the bomb doors slowly opened and the Little Boy fell toward its intended target. Forty three seconds later, the crew saw a blinding flash from an Earth shattering explosion sending enormous shock waves through the air rocking the aircraft. 

     Beneath the Enola Gay, all Hell broke loose as the tranquil serene countryside was decimated and a wave of fire swept through the city.  Moments later a massive mushroom cloud ascended more than 60,000 feet above the city.   

    Tsutomu Yamaguchi was on a business trip to Hiroshima when the bomb was dropped on the city. He was stepping down from a tram about two miles from the epicenter when the blast reached him. The tram was destroyed. Many passengers he stood near were killed or seriously injured. Yamaguchi suffered severe burns over most of his body and lost the hearing in one ear. He was temporarily blinded.

    Within hours, the magnitude of the destruction began to unfold. On the ground more than 80,000 were dead. More than 70 percent of the city’s buildings were destroyed.

    The crew of the Enola Gay landed in Tinian where they were debriefed and decorated. They were certain the war was over. But they had underestimated the Japanese whose leaders refused to surrender.

    Yamaguchi decided to return home. He wanted to escape the desolation of war torn Hiroshima and return to Nagasaki where he could recover both physically and emotionally. He arrived three days later on August 9, 1945.

    That morning, he was speaking with his supervisor at the engineering company he worked for recounting the horrors of the bombing at Hiroshima. He was in discomfort from his injuries and still wore the bandages that covered his burns. At that moment, history repeated itself when a second atomic bomb, “Fat Man” fell on Nagasaki and destroyed the city killing more than 40,000 and injuring more than 74,000 while destroying most of the city’s buildings.

    Yamaguchi suffered radiation poisoning and later went bald as a result of the second bombing.

     Finally, Japanese Emperor Hirohito asked the United States for peace thus ending the war. Yamaguchi eventually regained his sight but spent many years suffering from radiation sickness. Six decades later, in 2005, Yamaguchi began speaking publicly about nuclear warfare after his second son died of cancer earlier that year. He was an infant when the second bomb was dropped.

     In 2006, Yamaguchi was interviewed for a documentary titled “Niju Hibaku,” (Twice Bombed), telling the stories of the very few people who had survived both attacks. Yamaguchi died in 2010 of stomach cancer.

Michael Williams has written a book entitled "Stranger than Fiction: The Lincoln Curse." The book is a collection of 50 strange and unusual but true stories. The stories will leave the reader convinced that perhaps Mark Twain was right when he said "truth is stranger than fiction."

     He has written for more than 30 newspapers and magazines including the Civil War Times Illustrated, The Civil War Courier, the Associated Press and the Knoxville Journal.

      The book is 187 pages in a softbound edition with numerous photos. The book can be purchased from amazon.com for $19.95 plus shipping and handling or you can save shipping cost and save $2 on the purchase price by ordering a signed copy directly from the author. Send $17.95 to P.O. Box 6421 Sevierville, TN. 37864.

    The book is available in Kindle on Amazon.com for $3.99. For more information visit the website www.strangerthanfictionnews.com.

Gwen Ford inside the Loy United Methodist Church which is facing foreclosure

   A historic church that has served as a center of community activity for almost a century is facing the prospects of foreclosure. Time is running out for property owner, Gwen Ford, to save the Loy United Methodist Church.

   The church was built in 1909 on present day Andrew Johnson Highway in New Market. Construction was undertaken by local farmers and members of the community who volunteered to build the church.

   The church became a centerpiece for the community. Weddings, funerals and baptisms were performed there for decades. Countless prayers were sent up from the sanctuary when the community came together in the spirit of worship.

  Over the decades, membership began to decline. By 2006, there were 17 active members remaining. At that point, church leaders decided to merge with Wooten’s Chapel Church. After 97 years the doors were closed for what appeared to be the final time. That is, until Gwen Ford, founder of the God’s Country Festival bought the property in 2007.

  “When I bought it, I wanted to get back to that old time religion,” Ford said. “I wanted to return it to its former glory. I wanted it to be available for the community for family reunions, weddings and other family milestones. I wanted to have revivals there as well.”

    The pews in the church are all original as are the stained glass windows that bear the names of several families that aided in the founding of the church. The hymnals are the same ones used in the early 1960s and the piano is almost a century old.

  Ford was working as a mortgage broker at the time she bought the church. The church needed substantial repairs but she was certain she could raise the money to restore it. The furnace was outdated and needed to be replaced. There were electrical problems and flooring problems. But, those problems seemed insignificant to Ford who had faith her prayers for the money to make the repairs would be answered.

  Her prayers were answered in a most unexpected manner. In 2010, the New Market community was flooded by torrential rains that destroyed several homes and flooded the basement of the Loy Church.

  “The insurance money was enough to make those repairs and replace the furnace as well as the electrical problems,” Ford said. “It was the answer to a prayer.”

      Though her prayers for the repairs had been answered, Ford was about to face a new challenge that threatened the ownership of the hallowed property. 

  “When I bought the property I was making payments on it out of my own pocket,” Ford said. “Then the economy got worse and my finances began to suffer.”

  Ford was unable to keep up payments and the church went into foreclosure in March. Fortunately, a benefactor stepped forward and paid off the mortgage. He signed a new mortgage with Ford that has a balloon payment at the end of one year. If Ford should fail to pay the $117,000 mortgage in March, she will lose ownership of the church.

  Ford gave up the mortgage business after the economy failed to turn around. Currently, Ford works as the host of “I Believe,” a Christian themed talk show on CTN 48.The show airs Wednesdays at 7 p.m. and Fridays at 4 a.m. She continues to organize the annual God’s Country Festival which was held in Pigeon Forge several weeks ago. During the festival, Ford received an unexpected surprise.

  “I was presented with an honorary doctorate from Emmanuel Baptist University,” Ford said. “I can now legally call myself doctor.”

  Although, Ford is keeping busy with her festival and TV show, her income is a fraction of what it once was and she does not have the money to meet the financial obligations of the church.

  “I don’t make any money off God’s Country,” Ford said. “That’s a labor of love. The TV show isn’t profitable, yet. We need a sponsor for the show. My goal is to have a revival at the church on Thanksgiving Day. I would like to get back to that old time religion.”        

     Ford plans to take up love offerings at revivals and plans to begin a drive to save the quaint country church. Those funds would be applied to the balance owed on the property. Still, it is unlikely the love offerings offered at revivals would be enough to pay off the mortgage. Ford stands by her unwavering faith her prayers will be answered.

  “I don’t make any money off the church,” Ford said. “It was never my intention to make money off the church. I simply didn’t want to see it fall into disrepair from sitting vacant. I tried to maintain the place using my own funds but the economy simply hasn’t rebounded.”

  Ford is hoping the community will step up and organize an effort to save the property. Anyone who is interested in making a contribution to retire the mortgage can call Ford at 865-680-1981.  

 Cyndy Montgomery Reeves congratulates Annie Robinette and Jonathan Dean Snellings the Grand Prize winners in the competition.

   It was 'standing room only' for the first Smoky Mountains Songwriters Festival, Songwriting Competition Finale and Awards Presentation, which took place in the Magnolia Room at the Edgewater Hotel.

 “These two hours turned out to be the most awesome evening of entertainment!” remarked Cyndy Montgomery Reeves, SMSWF Founder and Festival Director.

  “It was an incredible evening," said Karen E. Reynolds, host and program director for Writers Block on WDVX. "Not only were all of the finalists incredibly talented songwriters, but the Magnolia Room was packed beyond capacity. Even with extra seats added, people lined the walls and were spilling out into the hall."

   A panel of judges made up of music industry professionals helped make the competition a quality event. Judges included: Karen E. Reynolds-Professional Singer/Songwriter, Music Industry Consultant; Barbara Cloyd-Hit Songwriter, Owner of Ready for The Row and host for the famous Bluebird’s Café;  Chris Oglesby-formerly of BMG Publishing, Publisher and Owner of Oglesby Writer Management;  Scott Southworth-Award Winning Songwriter and host of the Music Row Show on WSM in Nashville; PJ Steelman-Grammy Nominated Songwriter and Producer; Kathrine Weeks-Professional Songwriter, Concert Promoter and President of GyrlGroove; Lee Mayer-Concert Promoter, Artist Management, Booking Agent and Producer, President/Owner of Houla Entertainment; and John Condrone-Grammy Nominated and Dove Award Winner Singer/Songwriter.

   The GRAND PRIZE WINNER of the competition was Jonathan Dean Snellings from Knoxville, with his song, "CAN'T HIDE CRAZY". Dean also took home the LISTENER’S CHOICE award for the same song.   Overall Top of the Line Winner – “Hanging On” written by Annie Robinette, Bristol, TN; Overall Finalist – “These” Mason Jars” written by Regan and Tekeesha Odom of Bakersville, NC; and Overall Runner Up -  “Love’s No Accident” written by Mitch Townley, Knoxville, TN.  Additional category winners include:

   Bluegrass Category Winner - "Keep it Simple", Top of the Line"- "Why", Finalist "Let em Fly", all three written by Dan Heimsoth, Cary NC; Runner -up "Appalachian Mountains" by Dave Maggard, Sevierville, TN. 

   Country Category Winner - "Can't Hide Crazy" by Jonathan Dean Snellings, Knoxville, TN; Top of the Line - "Mason Jars" by Regan and Takeesha Odom, Bakersville NC; Finalist - "Love's No Accident" by Mitch Townley Knoxville, TN; Runner Up- "All I Really Want" by Jonathan Dean Snellings, Knoxville, TN.

   Gospel/Inspirational Category Winner: "They Didn't Know Who They Were Fooling With" by Earnest Vaughn, Cincinnati, OH; Top of the Line - "Prayer (The Steering Wheel Song)" by Mitch Townley, Knoxville, TN - Finalist - "Distance" by Scott Parker, Oliver Springs, TN; Runner Up - "All I Really Want to Know " by Annie Robbinette, Bristol, TN.

   Pop Rock Folk Category Winner: "Hanging On" by Annie Robbinette, Bristol, TN; Top of the Line - "Right Before My Eyes" by Wyatt Easterling, Nashville, TN; Finalist - "Mess of Your Heart"; Runner Up - "Away" both by Tom Paisley, Birmingham AL.

   Lyrics Only Category Winner: "Unmarked Grave" by Peter Gilman, Cullowhee, NC; Top of the Line - "The River" by Logan Heinzelman, Mt. Dora, FL; Finalist - "America's Pastime" by David Haley Lauver, Knoxville, TN; Runner- Up - "Mama's Don't Lie" by Rhonda Champion, Sevierville, TN.

"On behalf of the SMSWF, we would like to extend our congratulations to the overall winners, as well as, all of the songwriters who entered this year’s competition,” said  Reynolds.  “They are all winners for getting involved and placing their songs in our trust,” she added. 

  The second annual Smoky Mountains Songwriters Festival is set for Aug. 15-18, 2013, and will once again take place in downtown Gatlinburg,TN. Submission dates for the 2013 Songwriters Competition are expected to be announced in early December of this year. 

   Keep up with all of the festival news and announcements by visiting www.smswf.com or follow us on our Facebook page at  http://facebook.com/smswf

Tennessee's defense was unable to stop the Gators' offense from racking up 37 points at Neyland Stadium.

     The University of Tennessee Volunteers fell to the Florida Gators Saturday at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville. Vol fans were hoping Tennessee could break a losing streak against Florida that began in 2005. For the Gators, the winning streak continues.

    Last week the gators played Texas A&M and pulled off a 20-17 victory. But the Gators played a lackluster first half against Texas A&M and came back in the second half to win. During the 2011 season, the Vols were a team that played a powerful first half but fatigued in the second half. During the third quarter of Saturday’s game, it appeared as though Tennessee had fallen into the same pattern. With a team that had a history off falling apart in the second half squaring off against a team that builds momentum in the second half, Gator fans had reason to be optimistic.

  During Saturday’s game, the Vols played a well-executed first half much to the delight of more than 102,000 fans. The Gators were the first to score at 8:02 in the first quarter after a three play drive that took 1:11 off the clock when Trey Burton rushed in for a 14-yard touchdown. The extra point kicked by Caleb Sturgis was good which put the Gators up 7-0.

    The Vols were quick to retaliate with a three-play drive that covered 60 yards and ending with Tyler Bray passing to Cordarrelle Patterson who ran in two yards to score. Michael Palardy kicked the extra point making the score tied. It was the first time since 2004 the Vols scored a touchdown in the first quarter against Florida.

  In the second quarter,  the Vols moved ahead with a 16-play drive that covered 76 yards. Bray passed to Mychael Rivera who ran six yards to score. Palardy’s kick was dead center of the uprights making the core 14-7 for the Vols.

  The Gators were behind but not out. A series of plays brought the Gators to the 1-yard line. But, the Vols defense formed a human shield that proved to be impregnable and held the Gators off. The frustrated Gators had to settle for a field goal in the waning seconds of the half that made the score 14-10 at half-time.

     In the third quarter, Florida picked up another field goal when Sturgis kicked it 25 yards to score. Tennessee responded with a 12-play drive that took A.J Johnson into the end zone. Derrick Broadus missed the extra point putting the score at 20-13.      

   With 3:27 left in the third, the Gators fired back when Burton ran 80 yards for a touchdown making the score 20-19. The extra point kicked by Sturgis tied up the game.

  With 1:49 left in the third quarter, Jeff Driskel passed to Jordan Reed who ran 23 yards to score. Sturgis kicked in another extra point making the score 27-20.

   Florida turned up the heat on the Vols in the fourth quarter when Driskel  passed to Frankie Hammond who ran an impressive 75 yards to score. Sturgis kicked the extra point giving Florida an even more significant lead of 34-20.

  With 6:44 left in the game, Sturgis booted in another field goal to score making the score 37-20. The Gators maintained the lead throughout the waning moments of the game frustrating the Vols efforts to cut the Gators lead and make a comeback.

   “We had a good game going into the third,” said Vols Coach Derek Dooley. “We gave up some good plays and couldn’t recover. We’ve got to learn from this and move on.”

   The Vols were 2-0 going into Saturday’s game and ranked #23. Next week the Vols return to the gridiron at Neyland Stadium against Akron.

   Dooley noted the third quarter meltdown that led to defeat.  

   “We had a lot of mistakes defensively,” said Vols Coach Derek Dooley. “They ran a couple of run plays that gutted us. We hit a bad stretch at a bad time. They did a good job with shifts and formations.”

  Tyler Bray praised the Gators for their performance and acknowledged the Vols’ shortcomings.

  “I give Florida the credit, they did what they needed to do.” Bray said. “We lost a little juice in the end. It was disappointing. We knew it was going to be tough and we let it slip away.”         

  Coach Derek Dooley acknowledged mistakes in defense that led to Tennessee's defeat.

 Tyler Bray and Herman Lathers discuss the missed checks in Saturday's game.

    Rock and roll Hall of Famers Lynyrd Skynyrd and ZZ Topp will perform Sunday at Smokies Stadium

The sounds of classic rock will resonate through the hills of East Tennessee this Sunday when two legendary rock bands, both members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, take the stage at Smokies Stadium in Kodak.

   Legendary Southern Rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd and ZZ Topp  will rock the house at the annual Concert in the Smokies.

 “It’s always a hoot to work with ZZ Topp,” said Johnny Van Zant in a telephone interview. “We’ve been on the road with them before and we are looking forward to coming to Sevierville.”

   Lynyrd Skynyrd formed in the mid-1960s and made the music charts in the 1970s and ‘80s with classic tunes such as the “Gimme back my bullets”, “Give me three steps” and the unofficial state song of Alabama, “Sweet Home Alabama.” The band is best remembered for the immortal song “Freebird.”

  “We are coming up on 50 years since Lynard Skynard first formed” Van Zant said. “It’s amazing. We’ve now carried our music on to three generations. We call them the Skynard nation. The music is timeless. We see a fan base that includes aunts, uncles, parents and kids who are just discovering the music for the first time.”   

   Lynyrd Skynyrd was involved in a plane crash in 1977 killing three of the bands founding members including frontman Ronnie Van Zant. The crash sent shock waves across the nation among stunned fans who were devastated by the loss of the young stars and went into mourning. Following the tragedy it appeared as though the band was finished and went on hiatus. Though the band’s future seemed to be in doubt, the timeless music of Lynyrd Skynayrd continued to top album sales as fans refused to let the music die. The band reformed in 1987 for a reunion tour with Van Zant's younger brother, Johnny, as frontman. While the tour was intended as a one-time tribute, fans simply couldn’t get enough of the iconic band and the group has been touring worldwide since. Currently, only one original band member, Gary Rossington, continues to tour. Lynyrd Skynyrd was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on March 13, 2006.

  “We’ve had our tragedies and we’ve had our triumphs as well,” Van Zant said. “The loyalty of our fans is one of those triumphs. When we put the band back together in 1987, it was intended as a six-week tour. But after the six-week tour it was like the family was breaking up again. We decided to continue on.”

   It has now been 25 years since Johnny Van Zant picked up where his brother left off. And the dedicated fans continue to fill arenas around the world and continue to listen to the music that made the band iconic.

  “They say that time flies when you’re having fun. The last 25 years of my life seems like 25 seconds. I always think of Ronnie as having been like the quarterback and I am the receiver. When I go on stage he is with me in spirit.  Our latest album is ‘last of a dying breed,’” Van Zant said. “It charted at #14 and it is doing well in the U.S. and Europe.”  
      

  ZZ Topp is best known for the bluesy rock melodies that launched them to fame in the 70s and 80s. The band is best remembered for such classic rock songs such as “Sharp dressed man”, “Give it up” and of course, the ever popular multi-platinum “Legs.” 

    ZZ Top has released 15 studio albums and is among the most popular rock groups, having sold more than 50 million albums worldwide. They have won three VMAs, and in 2004, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. VH1 ranked ZZ Top at number 44 in its list of the "100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock". They have performed at many charity events and raised $1 million for the Delta Blues Museum in Clarksdale, Mississippi.

 The concert will be at Smokies Stadium in Kodak, Sunday Sept. 16 the show begins at 7 p.m. rain or shine. Tickets are on sale now at Knoxville Tickets and can be purchased by calling 865-654-4444 or 877-995-9961.  Tickets are $46.50 to $67.50.

  ZZ Topp has sold more than 50 million records worldwide

 The LeConte Center at Pigeon Forge has its fourth major booking. The National Quartet Convention has committed to weeklong events in 2014 and 2015.

 The NQC is a major event in southern gospel music. Organizers predicted the 2012 event would bring approximately 40,000 people from 40 states and several countries to Louisville, Ky.

 “The NQC is another great example of what the LeConte Center at Pigeon Forge means to the local economy,” said Leon Downey, executive director of the Pigeon Forge Department of Tourism.

 Dates booked are Sept. 21-28, 2014, and Sept. 27-Oct. 4, 2015.

 “This is great for Pigeon Forge. The National Quartet Convention represents a huge volume of room nights and restaurant business,” said Phil Campbell, president of the Pigeon Forge Hospitality Association.

 “One thing that really impressed the NQC staff was how quickly and effectively the Pigeon Forge Hospitality Association reacted to the prospect of the convention’s coming to Pigeon Forge,” Downey said. “That interest really helped NQC decide on Pigeon Forge.”

 Pigeon Forge’s quantity and variety of accommodations, the family-friendly atmosphere and the setting at the edge of Great Smoky Mountains National Park were major reasons to choose Pigeon Forge, according to Clarke Beasley, executive vice president of the National Quartet Convention.

 The LeConte Center at Pigeon Forge is scheduled to open in September 2013. Groundbreaking for the $45 million structure was in October 2011. Its primary feature is a 100,000-square-foot, clear-span hall.

 It is designed to attract trade shows, competitive events, special events, festivals and large assemblies in the style of the NQC.

 Its first booking was for the International Gift Exposition in the Smokies/Souvenir Super Show in November 2013, and its second and third bookings were with the Scott Dawson Evangelistic Association, which plans conferences each December and January, starting in December 2013.

 JD Sumner, a gospel music legend and former backup singer for Elvis Presley, founded the NQC in 1957 and co-produced it with James Blackwood.

 Lineup for the 2012 event included the Gaither Vocal Band, the Hoppers, the Kingdom Heirs, Gold City, Greater Vision, the Booth Brothers, Legacy Five, Triumphant Quartet and the Isaacs.

We should see a good day weather wise.

   The hiker that reported he had been shot on a hiking trail in the Great Smoky Mountains is now being investigated by authorities. According to reports there is more to the story than the man originally reported.

  Last week Sanford Lethco, 29, reported to Park Rangers that he had been shot by an unknown assailant while hiking off trail in Cosby. Lethco sustained two gunshot wounds to the lower leg and was flown to the University of Tennessee Medical Center, where he was treated and later released.

   Lethco later admitted to park rangers he was shot outside the park at a private residence. According to Sevier County Sheriff Ron Seals, sheriff’s Investigators have interviewed a man, who has admitted he shot into a vehicle which was leaving his residence after he caught two white males stealing items from outside the home on Saturday Sept 7th in the Boyd’s Creek area. Lethco was reportedly shot while fleeing the home that had been burglarized

   Investigators are still looking for another person of interest and witnesses to interview in the case. The investigation is still continuing at this time and more details will be released as they come available. Charges are pending in the case.

  Anyone with information on the incident is asked to call the Sevier County Sheriff’s Office.