News - Friday, July 29, 2011

There was a time when the world around Lane Avery consisted of his neighborhood, his friends and his bicycle. He was born in Columbus, Ga., and grew up during the Sixties and Seventies, a time of great social upheaval in the South, but like most kids, he was preoccupied with being young. As the U.S. went through incredible birthing pains, his most vivid memories are of the endless hours he spent outside with his friends, of the famous actors he met as a result of his mother hosting a local television show, and of his five younger siblings making him yearn for elbow room.

What better way to get football fans pumped up for the upcoming season than to host a dinner where the guest of honor is head ball coach Steven Spurrier? On July 23, Spurrier visited the Chattanoogan Hotel for a night with committee members and guests of the Greater Chattanooga Sports and Events Committee (GCSEC) in the first of what is to be an annual dinner for the non-profit. The dinner will be used as a perk for existing sports committee members as well as a potential fundraising opportunity for GCSEC.

Saturday, July 29

The Tennessee River and Tributaries Association has called upon the Interstate Commerce Commission to suspend the drastic reduction in grain rates from the Midwest to the South and Southeast proposed by the Southern Railway.

Unless you live in some remote part of Alaska, you are sweating in America. Here in the Midwest is no different, and I came down to the Levison Towers to enjoy one of the few benefits of working here- free air conditioning on the weekends. As a (slight) side benefit, I also get some work done without the phone and other interruptions of regular days.

On a particularly cool, crisp fall late afternoon of 1957, my father, brother, grandfather and myself were walking from the dairy barn as we had done numerous times before on my grandfather’s dairy farm after the evening milking. The day had been much like any other, except for this evening we noticed a bright ball of light moving across the western sky as the sun was making its final departure for the day.

I have often been asked what drew me to bluegrass and Southern gospel music when I could have went so many different directions with my musical talents. I could say it was the way that the instruments and voices work together to achieve a synthesis of sound and texture that simply elates my senses. Once I get beyond the excitement I attach to the music itself, the people actually made these genres more than just music for me but established for me a way life.

The first day of fall, falls on September 23. It’s on a Friday this year. It also happens to be the day before the Arkansas-Alabama football game in Tusca-loosa. I say all this only because the heat index is something like 167 and thoughts of fall and football seem relieving. The first Razorback game is September 3, which is 36 days from today, ONLY 36 days. That same night LSU plays at Oregon.

One of Richard Lederer’s books is “Sleeping Dogs Don’t Lay (and that’s no lie).” Subtitled “Practical advice for the grammatically challenged,” it’s a good book to keep handy. I’ve an incoming note from Vicki Fewell: “Knowing what a stickler you are for proper word usage and grammar, I had to write … about … last week’s column.” In which Vicki read that Ellen the elephant “layed [sic] down on her side and died.”

With weather this hot sweeping over the South, it’s a good idea to stay out of the heat as much as possible. Although most restaurants are adequately air-conditioned, why not skip the whole “going out” to eat affair and stay home? While you’re at it, you might as well not prepare a meal either. A stop into Papa Murphy’s will prepare your dinner almost all the way, and let you finish it within the comfort of your own home.

I gained 20 pounds over the weekend. It was my choice to put on the weight and I’m glad I did. I’m also relieved that I lost the weight the same day. Do you want to know my secret? Altus. What is Altus? He’s my husband’s new workout buddy. No, he’s not a personal trainer; Altus is a 20-pound weighted vest. I’m talking about the thing like he is a real person, but once you spend all afternoon with him, like we did this past weekend, you quickly learn that he is more than just a weight-training workout.  

Is it real or is it a rumor?

1. There are commonly supposed to be 360 dimples on what type of ball? Basketball; Rugby; Golf; Cricket

2. Which of the following statements is correct in terms of equestrian statues? If the horse has one front leg in the air, the rider was wounded in battle; If the horse has both front legs in the air, the rider died in battle; Both of these; Neither of these.

Your mortgage bill came today.  The payment went up. The local energy company is asking for an increase, too. Property taxes are going up, the cost of food is rising, clothing is up, and getaway prices are in the stratosphere because – you guessed it – the price of gas is up. So what’s down?  Your paycheck and your mood.

As U.S. parents, educators and others concerned with the instruction of children in recent years assessed the state of learning in the country, they expressed a single constructive criticism: We need to teach our children to think rather than to regurgitate facts.

The 17th annual Southern Brewers Festival on August 27 will feature five musical acts including the Grammy Award winning band Los Lobos. The event will allow guests to come in contact with over 30 of the Southeast’s most notable microbreweries, have their choice of over 75 premium ales and lagers to taste, and try delightful dishes from local establishments including, Big River Grille & Brewing Works founder of the festival.

Christina Holmes wants to make one thing clear: she loves real estate. Most Realtors do, or at least few would say otherwise, but there’s something different about the way Holmes says it. Instead of emphasizing the word “I,” as though she’s trying to convince herself, she stresses the word “love.” And to make sure there’s no misunderstanding, she says it again, accentuating the key word even more: “I LOVE real estate.”

It’s not how many houses you list which makes you a Realtor. It’s not how much you advertise that makes you a Realtor. And it’s not even how many homes you sell that makes you a Realtor. It’s commitment and the willingness to go the extra mile that allows ordinary individuals to earn the prestigious title of Realtor. Although associate Broker Sharan Jackson has only been a certified Realtor for a little over a month, she’s already got commitment and service on the forefront of her mind, earning her title and setting up a sure way to go far in the real estate business.

When you’re ready to make an offer on your dream home, will you gaze into a crystal ball for mysterious guidance to determine the magical price that the sellers will accept? Oh, if only it were that easy! There are a number of factors to consider when formulating your offer, but one of the most important tools is the Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) prepared by your real estate agent.

“Cherry-ripe” Cherry-ripe, ripe, ripe, I cry, Full and fair ones; come and buy.

If so be you ask me where

They do grow, I answer: There,

Where my Julia’s lips do smile;

Two moments from my viewing of “Captain America: The First Avenger” stand out in my mind as I begin to write this review of the movie: one was near the beginning, when I realized “Captain America” was shaping up to be not just a good comic book adaptation, but a good movie; the second was when I realized the good movie I’d been watching for more than an hour was over, even though the end credits were still a long way off.