Author: Vivian Underwood Shipe

By Vivian Shipe KNOXVILLE, TN — It was a cold  overcast Saturday afternoon, but many trunk and treat events were being held around the city. One special one in particular was held in the inner city of Knoxville in the Burlington District. Co-hosted by Dr. Dasha Lundy and Community Leader and Businessman David Rico Gillette; the first annual Burlington DUE Something Trunk and Treat event drew over 300 children and many families from around the city to this historic area of the city which is being revitalized. Members from around the city also dropped off candy for this very different…

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By Vivian Shipe KNOXVILLE, TN — The annual Power of the Purse fundraiser final figures are in. The annual fundraiser to feed seniors in Knoxville topped all previous years with the September event  raising over 50,000.00 dollars. A smaller five dollar sale was held the following week which helped pushed the final totals over 50K. The event also set an attendance record as 500 tickets were sold to the prestigious event which was held at Rothchild’s Banquet Hall. Hosted by the CAC Office on Aging, the event raises funds to feed seniors in Knoxville/Knox County thru it’s Mobile Meals program.…

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By Vivian Shipe KNOXVILLLE, TN — The panelists who came before the people at the first of five town hall meetings held at St Luke’s Episcopal Church, brought much needed information to the people of East Knoxville on affordable housing. The goal of the town hall meetings are to show the different faces of those who need affordable housing and to let the people speak about what  they are experiencing and their needs. Among those who came to share and answer questions vetted to them about difficulty getting housing were Alice Clarke, a grand parent raising her grandson,  Keira Wyatt…

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By Vivian Shipe KNOXVILLE, TN — Beginning in October, a series of town hall meetings will be held in each section of Knoxville and central downtown. The goal: to listen to what the community says needs to be done about the need for more affordable housing in Knoxville and Knox County.  The city has seen unprecedented growth over the last few years. The downtown area has been revived with apartments and condos being leased as fast as they are  renovated or built. The city is drawing  new business and developers and is listed on the 2018 Forbes list as number…

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By Vivian Shipe KNOXVILLE, TN — The combined classes of Austin-East Magnet High School gathered together last Saturday at Beck Cultural Center to begin a week of celebration of their inception. In 1968, the white high school, East High School Mountaineers and the black high school, the  Austin High School Panthers would be combined together as the country moved to integrate the school system. The result of this merger would be Austin East High School. The new mascot would be a roadrunner. The celebration was held with the blessings of the current principal Nathan Langlois who,  along with the rest…

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By Vivian Shipe KNOXVILLE, TN — They are some of the most powerful women in Knoxville and East Tennessee. They stay busy but found the time to sit down with 32 women from across Knoxville to share and give some insight about who they are and how they handle the high profile jobs in which they serve.  During a women’s leadership luncheon held at Rothschild Catering and Conference Center, the event: Women Who Bring Justice, sponsored by Ignite Women; featured Knoxville’s Chief of Police Eve Thomas and US District Judge Pamela Reeves. The women fielded questions about their careers, background,…

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By Vivian Shipe KNOXVILLE, TN — On August 31st, Evetty Satterfield raised her hand and before a packed assembly of witnesses, was sworn in  as a member of the Knox County school board. Satterfield is the only African American on the School Board and is a graduate of the EMERGE program, a national initiative to train Democratic women to run for office. The youngest member of the board,  the community showed it’s confidence in her ability as  Satterfield won her race by over 67  percentage points. She will represent district one; one of the largest districts of Knoxville that also…

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By Vivian Shipe KNOXVILLE, TN — It was a great cause for celebration. So much so, advocates and members of the state pre arrest team drove up from Knoxville to witness the ground breaking of the second behavior care center to be built in Tennessee. It’s a concept that is being done all across the state and will hopefully be copied nation wide . The concept requires collaboration from all organizations of the judicial system, the jail, DA, judges, community organizations, churches, and advocates. The goal: to keep the mentally ill out of the jails and get them the help…

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By Vivian Shipe KNOXVILLE, TN — In front of hundreds of witnesses, Mayor Madeline Rogero unveiled an historical street sign in front of Eternal Life Harvest Center.  Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero said: “Rev. Davis was a man of deep faith who dedicated his life to serving others. Over the years, his ministry and community outreach touched the lives of many Knoxvillians. James H. Davis Drive was named after the founding pastor, Dr. James H. Davis.  The Mayor, Church, city officials and the community came together to celebrate with the family and unveil and celebrate the life of a man who made a…

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By Vivian Shipe KNOXVILLE, TN — Two months after a huge parade for the unveiling of the statue commemorating the vote by Harry Burns sealing the women’s rights to vote, on the 98th anniversary, the statue base was revealed during the annual History Fair. The base has engravings of the letter from Feb Burns to her son encouraging him to do the right thing and the history and the donors. The next unveiling will be of the community donors in the form of bricks leading to and surrounding the statue.

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