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Mother Nurture: Adoptive mother, daughter share similar traits, profession on this Mother’s Day
SEVIERVILLE — They often hear that they look like each other, that they have the same mannerisms and act just like each other. That’s why many people are surprised to learn that Paula Haggard is th...
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Banquet honors administrators, educators — past and present
GATLINBURG — Six local administrators and teachers were inducted into Sevier County’s Education Hall of Fame on Tuesday evening, during the 18th annual system-wide banquet hosted by The Park Vista,...
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PF math teacher scores $30,000 technology grant
PIGEON FORGE — When students gathered in the gymnasium of Pigeon Forge Middle School on Tuesday afternoon, they had no idea what the assembly was for. When Principal Scott Hensley congratulated Li...
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Upland Chronicles: Kilby family operated Sevier County dairy farm
Although Oda Hardin grew up in Sevier County and attended Murphy College, Hiwassee College and the University of Tennessee, jobs were hard to find in the 1920s and she could not obtain a teaching p...
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Growing imaginations: Penguin Players presents ‘Otis the Tractor’ at the library
PIGEON FORGE — Preschoolers at Pigeon Forge Public Library were recently treated to a performance by the Penguin Players from Dolly’s Imagination Playhouse. The two-member cast — plus a stage manag...
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Pigeon Forge students, faculty rally to give blood for stricken classmate
PIGEON FORGE — Students and community members once again rallied for 18-year-old Pigeon Forge High School senior Jennifer McCarter this week, hosting a blood drive in her honor.
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Good news for the Stangers: Audrey’s new treatment to fight tumor is working
SEVIERVILLE — While her parents watch with indulgent smiles on their faces, Audrey Stanger quickly moves from the big leather chair she’s claimed to the floor, rolling around on the wooden surface ...
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Luncheon kicks off Wildflower Pilgrimage
GATLINBURG — The kickoff luncheon for the 62nd annual Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage was held on Wednesday afternoon, officially ushering in the week of fun-filled festivities. "It was a very good k...
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Earth Day celebration focuses on reducing, reusing, recycling
GATLINBURG — Although the weather was less than ideal on Tuesday afternoon, dozens of community members still attended the city's annual Earth Day Festival at Mynatt Park. There were crafts, games...
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Memorial March: Mountain men and women honor fallen soldiers during annual event
GATLINBURG — The streets of downtown Gatlinburg were lined with military personnel, civilians and Gold Star families on Saturday morning, eagerly anticipating the start of the annual Mountain Man M...
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Making Music: Chamber Music Series kicks off Thursday
GATLINBURG — With two concerts planned to gauge local interest, an organizer of the Gatlinburg-Pittman Chamber Music Series hopes enough people will support the event to make plans for more perform...
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Saints and Sinners: Backbeat Show Choir combines "Sister Act" with "Chicago"
SEVIERVILLE — It may seem like an odd combination, but the organizers of the production that creates a musical revue from the Broadway plays "Chicago" and "Sister Act" say they're a match made in m...
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Sky’s the limit for young entertainer
PIGEON FORGE — Skyler McAllister finds himself in a sort of limbo at the moment. The 14-year-old eighth-grader at Pigeon Forge Middle School is too old to sing as a youth performer at Country Tonit...
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Next Generation: Young Hippensteal begins own artistic journey
KNOXVILLE — You could say like father, like son. However, though both men are artistically inclined, their approach and end results are totally different. Vern Hippensteal has become well known fo...
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Upland Chronicles: Whaley was part of infamous Bataan Death March
Silas J. Whaley grew up in Big Greenbrier Cove where Whaleys were a dime a dozen. His great-great-grandparents, William and Mary Ann Ogle Whaley, settled in the Porter’s Creek section of Big Greenb...
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An Active Example: Clabo credits exercise with long life as he turns 101
GATLINBURG — A living legend marked his 101st birthday recently, with a party hosted by the Retired Citizens of the Smoky Mountains. Dozens of people filled the meeting room of the Community Center...
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Easter story in action: David Weech works up new holiday display
SEYMOUR — The High Meadows subdivision is once again the site of elaborate holiday decorations thanks to David Weech. This time Weech tackled the Easter holiday, complete with life-size, moving dio...
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McCoy's Animal Kingdom: Woman dedicates life to helping wildlife
NEW MARKET — "Will it fill the palm of your hand?" Lynne McCoy asks the caller. It's a question she'll ask many times this spring as young wayward rabbits are discovered. This particular bunny was...
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Pittman Center student proves to be a champion speller
PITTMAN CENTER — Continuing her legacy of success, Pittman Center Elementary School fifth-grader Caitlynn Marentette won first place in the Division 1 spelling category of the annual Tennessee Juni...
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Contest provides new technology for Seymour Intermediate
SEYMOUR — Though the new computer lab at Seymour Intermediate School has been in use since January, community members and school system officials gathered at the school on Wednesday to officially i...
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Nutrition Facts: Students learn how to make healthy food choices
SEVIERVILLE — As part of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture's Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) educators with the University of Tennessee Extension were in the clas...
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Tunes and Tales back for 7th summer
GATLINBURG — In preparation for the seventh annual Smoky Mountain Tunes and Tales — which fills downtown Gatlinburg with costumed musicians, performers, storytellers and artisans starting June 15 —...
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Rachel's wild ride: Reporter finds new Dollywood coaster thrilling, almost like flying
PIGEON FORGE — For the last couple of months, a lot of hype has surrounded the Wild Eagle ride at Dollywood.
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Upland Chronicles: Ogles have been making brooms for three generations
For the 75th anniversary of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, three Sevier County artisans were chosen to create limited-edition pieces for the celebration. Third- generation wood­worker Ra...
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PF celebrates 11 years as Tree City
PIGEON FORGE — Odd, little-known facts about trees rang through the auditorium at Pigeon Forge Middle School as part of the city's annual Tree City USA Arbor Day Celebration. Over 100 fifth-grader...
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Quilts of Many Colors
Kathy Furgal, left, and Sally Lane carefully lay out a quilt belonging to Dolly Parton. The quilt, made for Parton by her aunt Dora Valentine in 1974, is made up of pieces of her stage costumes and...
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Convention celebrates 38 years of magic
PIGEON FORGE — For the last 38 years, magic enthusiasts, performers and hobbyists from all over the Southeast have gathered at the Winter Carnival of Magic. The three-day convention, held at the C...
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Revolutionary War soldier gets fitting grave marker
Workers place the last tier of the new monument at the gravesite of Josiah Maples Sr. in Murphy's Chapel Cemetery on Pittman Center Road.
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Suited for Fashion: County native debuts first swimsuit collection
Jenna Brown Colina said her parents are proud that she’s finally put to use the education they helped pay for. And she’s proud that she’s crossed one thing off of her bucket list. Colina recently ...
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Upland Chronicles: Frances Ostergren still in love with painting
Frances Wade Ostergren, now 100 years old, always enjoyed sketching and painting pictures. While teaching at a rural Sevier County school in the 1930s, she sketched several of her students. France...
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Character Building: Smith puts moral spin on entertaining program
For the last two years Seymour resident G. Michael Smith has toured the country, bringing the message of his Scream N’ Shout “Kidz with Character” assembly program to kindergarten through fifth-gra...
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Fashion Forward: Ottolini adds fashion designer to resume
Artistically Charles Ottolini hasn’t stepped too far out of his comfort zone, but there may have been a few times over the last year or so that have been out of the norm for him. Ottolini is bes...
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Murphy hopes fashion show is big break
There is at least one more local designer who will be featured at the Knoxville Fashion Week event. Sevierville’s Heidi Murphy is slated as one of the designers at the children’s runway show at no...
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Wild Eagle coasts in: Statue celebrating new ride delivered to Dollywood
PIGEON FORGE — After traveling almost 3,000 miles over six days, the culmination of seven months of work and about a year of planning arrived at Dollywood on Tuesday in the form of an 8,000-pound s...
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Riders and ropers gallop through PF for 12th annual Saddle Up
PIGEON FORGE — Things were in full-swing at Clabough's Campground this weekend, where the 12th annual Saddle Up festivities continued, with free bull and pony rides; roping and branding demonstrati...
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Local man celebrates Leap Day birthday
On his first birthday, Jim Bordner was just trying to keep up with his older brothers. By his second birthday, he was in grade school. By his third, he was working a full-time job at a dairy farm....
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A family’s story: Chambers relates daughter’s journey with cancer
SEVIERVILLE — Dennis Chambers is used to standing up in front of a classroom of students, giving the day’s lessons at Sevierville Middle School. On Tuesday Chambers stepped out of his comfort zone...
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Students learn what it takes to be an author
SEVIERVILLE — Seventh-grade literature students at Sevierville Middle School were in for a treat Wednesday, when local author Lin Stepp stopped by to discuss how she came to be a novelist, her back...
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Pets Without Parents group holds first health fair
SEVIERVILLE — Pets Without Parents hosted its first animal health fair over the weekend, focusing on disease prevention; spay and neuter education; and proper animal care.
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Singing cowboy R.W. Hampton headlines Saddle Up! in Pigeon Forge
The sounds of Western swing and cowboy poetry will be heard in Pigeon Forge as the 12th annual Saddle Up! celebration kicks off on Thursday.
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