http://blounttoday.com/news/news/?partner=RSSblounttoday.com Stories: Newsen-usnewshttp://blounttoday.com/news/2008/dec/30/michael-bo-spears-chat-room/?partner=RSSBo Spears is more optimistic than pessimistic when it comes to everyone’s favorite topic of conversation these days: the economy. “The economy will always work itself. Our government has made mistakes, but the economy always comes back. There is a problem, and the mortgage lending side needs to be fixed, but I’m optimistic it will be fixed.” Here is Michael “Bo” Spears: colemanl@blounttoday.com (Lance Coleman)Tue, 30 Dec 2008 19:04:00 -0000urn:publicid:blounttoday.com:news-Story-14939-733406news/newsLance ColemanLocalMichael “Bo” Spears is in the Chat Roomblounttoday.commichael-bo-spears-chat-roomurn:publicid:blounttoday.com:news-Story-14939-733406Change0Usablehttp://blounttoday.com/news/2008/dec/30/catching-haven-house/?partner=RSSThe Haven House Holiday Newsletter heralded a good year for the emergency shelter and domestic violence program, with staff and board members concentrating on developing a three-year plan, partnering with Mane Support to provide equine-assisted therapy to clients, upgrading the computer system for case management tracking and receiving several grants to help sustain the program. One of the most unique fund-raising events also premiered in 2008. “Rachel Rising: A Celebration of Women in the Arts” was the project and heart of Rebekkah Hilgraves, a relative newcomer to Blount who was a victim of abuse. Rebekkah, a celebrated soprano, lost her desire for her music because of circumstances around the abuse, but has found her way back and written “Rachel Rising,” a cycle of 15 poems she wrote after surviving the domestic violence situation 11 years ago. gardner@blounttoday.com (Sherri Gardner Howell)Tue, 30 Dec 2008 18:53:00 -0000urn:publicid:blounttoday.com:news-Story-14937-733406news/newsSherri Gardner HowellLocalCatching up with Haven Houseblounttoday.comcatching-haven-houseurn:publicid:blounttoday.com:news-Story-14937-733406Change0Usablehttp://blounttoday.com/news/2008/dec/30/watching/?partner=RSSIn this high-tech age, the great cities and monuments of the world are available live via web cam to anyone with Internet access. Maryville College recently joined that revolution when they installed a web camera to give a live image of the progress on Blount Civic Arts Center at Maryville College. Right now, the camera shows the beginnings of the structure, standing before a backdrop of Maryville landmarks such as the MC smokestacks, the courthouse, and much of downtown in the distance. Tue, 30 Dec 2008 18:28:00 -0000urn:publicid:blounttoday.com:news-Story-14934-733406news/newsEmily WinsauerLocalWatchingblounttoday.comwatchingurn:publicid:blounttoday.com:news-Story-14934-733406Change0Usablehttp://blounttoday.com/news/2008/dec/30/75th-celebration/?partner=RSSMillions come to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park every year. This year, 2009, will certainly be no exception as the park prepares to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the official proclamation that gave birth to the park. The question on many’s mind this year, however, is whether one of those millions will come to the Smokies and do what no one has done since President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Will President Barack Obama be only the second sitting president in history to visit, following in the footsteps of FDR? The invitation has been sent. For now, it’s wait and see. colemanl@blounttoday.com (Lance Coleman)Tue, 30 Dec 2008 18:24:00 -0000urn:publicid:blounttoday.com:news-Story-14932-733406news/newsLance ColemanLocalA 75th celebrationblounttoday.com75th-celebrationurn:publicid:blounttoday.com:news-Story-14932-733406Change0Usablehttp://blounttoday.com/news/2008/dec/23/durward-b-swanson-chat-room/?partner=RSSDurward Swanson is well-known throughout the area as a past national president of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association. He said that on the morning of Dec. 7, 1941, the Army Air Corpsman had just lain down in his bunk after being on security all night. “I had just come out of the mess hall and had been out of there for 10 minutes. Bombs hit directly on it and killed 143 men while they were eating breakfast,” he said. Here is Durward B. Swanson: colemanl@blounttoday.com (Lance Coleman)Tue, 23 Dec 2008 15:50:00 -0000urn:publicid:blounttoday.com:news-Story-14922-733399news/newsLance ColemanLocalDurward B. Swanson is in the Chat Roomblounttoday.comdurward-b-swanson-chat-roomurn:publicid:blounttoday.com:news-Story-14922-733399Change0Usablehttp://blounttoday.com/news/2008/dec/23/favorite-christmas-memories/?partner=RSSTo celebrate the holidays, Blount Today asked four Blount County friends to share their favorite Christmas memories. We hope you enjoy them as much as we did. Tue, 23 Dec 2008 15:37:00 -0000urn:publicid:blounttoday.com:news-Story-14920-733399news/newsLocalFavorite Christmas memoriesblounttoday.comfavorite-christmas-memoriesurn:publicid:blounttoday.com:news-Story-14920-733399Change0Usablehttp://blounttoday.com/news/2008/dec/23/chamber-hosts-holiday-open-house/?partner=RSSIt was a festive afternoon Dec. 10 at the Blount County Chamber when members gathered to celebrate the holidays. The open house event at the Chamber building on Washington Street drew people from a cross section of the community from business to government to non-profit organizations and active citizens and volunteers. More than 200 people jammed into the downstairs conference room to share good conversation, delicious treats and lots of fun. Tue, 23 Dec 2008 15:01:00 -0000urn:publicid:blounttoday.com:news-Story-14915-733399news/newsLocalChamber hosts holiday open houseblounttoday.comchamber-hosts-holiday-open-houseurn:publicid:blounttoday.com:news-Story-14915-733399Change0Usablehttp://blounttoday.com/news/2008/dec/23/apd-investigate-shooting-death-68-year-old-man/?partner=RSSAlcoa police are investigating the shooting death of a 68-year-old man whose body was found in a field Saturday evening, Dec. 20. At approximately 7:53 p.m., Alcoa Police officers responded to a call of a deceased person on Sam Houston School Road. Family friends of Dwaine L. Caylor, 68, Maryville, discovered his body in a near-by field. Caylor had a gunshot wound to the chest. A firearm was located at the scene, along with Caylor’s white Jeep Cherokee. colemanl@blounttoday.com (Lance Coleman)Tue, 23 Dec 2008 14:57:00 -0000urn:publicid:blounttoday.com:news-Story-14914-733399news/newsLance ColemanLocalAPD investigate shooting death of 68-year-old manblounttoday.comapd-investigate-shooting-death-68-year-old-manurn:publicid:blounttoday.com:news-Story-14914-733399Change0Usablehttp://blounttoday.com/news/2008/dec/23/animal-foundation-receives-20000-clayton-grant/?partner=RSSThe Clayton Family Foundation recently donated $20,000 in grants to the Smoky Mountain Animal care Foundation to benefit the new Blount County Animal Center Fund. Foundation representatives said this donation comes at a critical point for the new Animal Center as completion for the 1st phase of the center is targeted for February 2009. colemanl@blounttoday.com (Lance Coleman)Tue, 23 Dec 2008 14:56:00 -0000urn:publicid:blounttoday.com:news-Story-14913-733399news/newsLance ColemanLocalAnimal foundation receives 20,000 Clayton grant blounttoday.comanimal-foundation-receives-20000-clayton-granturn:publicid:blounttoday.com:news-Story-14913-733399Change0Usablehttp://blounttoday.com/news/2008/dec/23/chota-bridge-reopens-after-quarter-million-repairs/?partner=RSSBlount County Highway Superintendent Bill Dunlap and State Sen. Doug Overbey officially reopened Chota bridge recently. Dunlap said the project took about three months. The total cost of the project was $279,000 and Blount County’s share was $60,000. The State Aid Bridge Replacement Program is an 80/20 match with the county picking up the 20 percent match, he said. colemanl@blounttoday.com (Lance Coleman)Tue, 23 Dec 2008 14:55:00 -0000urn:publicid:blounttoday.com:news-Story-14912-733399news/newsLance ColemanLocalChota Bridge reopens after quarter million in repairsblounttoday.comchota-bridge-reopens-after-quarter-million-repairsurn:publicid:blounttoday.com:news-Story-14912-733399Change0Usable