Cpl. Gerald E. King Returns Home- (September 16, 2005)- The remains of a Knoxville soldier killed in battle will be laid to rest during a military funeral tomorrow at New Gray Cemetery in Knoxville. But this soldier wasn’t killed in Iraq. He was Marine Corporal Gerald E. King and he was killed in Vietnam more than thirty-seven years ago. WUOT’s Matt Shafer Powell has this story…
Gulf Coast Pets (September 13, 2005)- According to the Knoxville chapter of the Red Cross, nearly 6000 evacuees from Hurricane Katrina have arrived in Knoxville within the last two weeks. But that's only part of the story. Many of the families that came here had pets with them. Pet Safe Village---a private boarding and grooming business in West Knoxville-- has taken in 18 dogs and cats while their families wait to get more permanent housing. WUOT's Ann Lloyd has the story...
278th Casualties (August 24, 2005)-On Monday, two soldiers from the
Knoxville-based 278th Regimental Combat Team died in Iraq. 27 year-old
Specialist Joey Hunt of Sweetwater and 34 year-old Sargeant Victoir Lieurance
of Seymour were killed when their vehicle hit a roadside bomb outside the
Iraqi city of Samarra. Two other soldiers were badly wounded in the blast.
This morning, the wives of other 278th soldiers gathered in Sweetwater to
grieve the loss and to show their support for the soldiers’ families. WUOT’s
Matt Shafer Powell has more…
The Body Farm (June 24, 2005)- Few people call the University of Tennessee Anthropological Research Facility by its name. Instead, it's known around the world as "The Body Farm", a small patch of woods on the south side of the river in Knoxville. It's a place where the ground is littered with human corpses---and curious researchers trying to discover the mysteries of death. A word of warning---neither the Body Farm, nor the descriptions that follow are for the faint of heart. With that said, we have this report from WUOT's Matt Shafer Powell...
Buford Delaney exhibit (June 3, 2005)- Many locals may not know the name Buford Delaney, but the Knoxville native was an important figure in 20th century art. The first major retrospective of Delaney’s work from the 1940’s through the mid 60’s is currently on display at the Knoxville Museum of Art. It shows how the African-American artist absorbed ideas from several important art movements. WUOT's Ann Lloyd reports...
HIDTA Funding- NPR (June 1, 2005)- President Bush has proposed increasing drug enforcement spending by two percent. But some programs could see dramatic cuts. In the state of Tennessee, authorities count on that money to help pay for the seizures of methamphetamine labs. Last year, Tennessee ranked second nationwide in the number of meth labs seized. Matt Shafer Powell reports from member station WUOT in Knoxville...
Bribery arrests (May 26, 2005)- Four Tennessee state lawmakers and one recent state Senator have been arrested on charges of bribery. The federal indictments follow a two-year FBI sting known as “Operation Tennessee Waltz”. WUOT’s Matt Shafer Powell has more details…
Mold in Morristown School (May 2, 2005)- As the weather warms, many public
buildings around the country are gearing up for the battle against mold. More
and more serious respiratory problems are being attributed to mold growing
within schools and offices. The Hamblen County School system in East
Tennessee has spent several years fighting an on-going mold problem. But so
far, they've had little success. WUOT's Ann Lloyd reports...
Kenny Mays 2005 (March 21, 2005)- In a March 2003 story about Life After
Prison, WUOT introduced listeners to a man named Kenny Mays. Mays was an
habitual criminal from Knoxville who had spent most of his adult life behind
bars. At the time, he and his wife Lula were trying to live a quiet life,
away from the alcohol, drugs and other destructive influences that continually
haunted his best attempts to stay out of prison. But like nearly forty-five
percent of Tennessee’s ex-convicts, Mays ended up back in prison. Today, he’s
serving time at the Brushy Mountain Correctional Complex in Morgan County.
WUOT’s Matt Shafer Powell has this latest chapter in Kenny Mays’ life…
Click here to listen to the
original profile of Kenny Mays from March 2003.
Libba Moore Gray (February 25, 2005)- This weekend, the Appalachian Ballet
Company will perform a tribute to the late teacher, actress, dancer poet and
children’s author Libba Moore Gray. Gray died ten years ago after a fight
with cancer. But as WUOT’s Matt Shafer Powell reports, her legacy continues
to live on through her family, her friends and the creative mark she left on
East Tennessee…
Blacks in the Bible (February 11, 2005)- Black History Month is often used to commemorate the work of prominent black Americans such as Martin Luther King, Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman. But an art exhibit opening in Knoxville this weekend celebrates the contributions of blacks from a much earlier time. The “Blacks in the Bible” exhibit recognizes black characters from the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. The idea that blacks were an integral part of the Bible story is one that has only recently gained acceptance. And as WUOT’s Matt Shafer Powell reports, there are still some who resist it…
Bat Boy (February 4, 2005)- Over the years, grocery shoppers may have noticed
the pulp-paper headlines about a strangely fanged, pointy-eared character.
Now, from the front page of the tabloids to center stage of the Morristown
Theatre Guild, comes Bat Boy. WUOT's Ann Lloyd reports...
Tennessee Theatre Re-opening (January 14, 2005)- After a year and a half of
renovations, Knoxville’s historic Tennessee Theatre re-opens this evening.
The opening-night gala will feature a cocktail reception, a stage show
featuring some of East Tennessee’s most popular performers and visits from
Governor Phil Bredesen, Congressman Jimmy Duncan and many others. WUOT’s Matt
Shafer Powell has this look at Knoxville’s Grand Old Palace…
Wilma Dykeman profile (December 13, 2004)- One of the region’s most prominent
literary figures recently celebrated her eighty-fifth birthday. Author and
Lecturer Wilma Dykeman has spent her life observing and writing about the
people and places of Southern Appalachia. She’s authored or co-authored
several books and dozens of articles for publications like the New York Times
Magazine, Reader’s Digest and Harpers. WUOT’s Matt Shafer Powell recently sat
down with Wilma Dykeman to talk about her life, her career and her fascination
with the world around her…
Irradiated Lunches (November 24, 2004)- One year ago this week, health
officials determined Mexican green onions caused hundreds of cases of
Hepatitis A in Tennessee, Georgia and North Carolina. 81 people became ill
after eating at one Knox County restaurant. One man died. It took Federal and
state authorities two months to pinpoint the source of contamination. Experts
say food borne illnesses are likely to rise in the US because more and more
raw fruits and vegetables are imported from third world countries. But a
potential answer to reduce this threat is also a controversial one. WUOT’s Ann
Lloyd has this report...
Prom of the Stars (November 15, 2004)- This past Saturday night, nearly four
hundred people from all around East Tennessee gathered at the Holiday Inn in
downtown Knoxville to take part in a prom. But this was no ordinary prom.
Most in attendance were either physically or mentally disabled. As WUOT's
Matt Shafer Powell reports, the "Prom of the Stars" is the high point of the
year for many of those who attend. And for some, it represents the chance to
feel normal in a world that doesn't always see them that way...
Prom of the Stars- NPR version (December 4, 2004)
Tenn Care Announcement (November 10, 2004)- Governor Phil Bredesen announced today that he will dismantle Tennessee's ailing Tenn-Care healthcare plan unless opponents to his proposed reforms drop their court challenges. In the event that Tenn-Care is eliminated, Bredesen says the state will replace Tenn-Care with Medicaid, a scaled-back program used by most states. WUOT’s Matt Shafer Powell has more on today’s announcement…
Republican Take-Over (November 3, 2004)- Last night in Knoxville, East Tennessee’s Democrats gathered to watch the returns and celebrate their victories. But in reality, there were more moral victories than practical ones. And beneath the celebratory atmosphere, there was a sobering reality: Not only was their presidential candidate losing the election, but voters in Tennessee had put control of the state Senate in the hands of the G-O-P for the first time since Reconstruction. WUOT’s Matt Shafer Powell has this story...
New Market Train Wreck (September 24, 2004)- . One hundred years ago today, two passenger trains collided head-on near the town of New Market, Tennessee. The New Market Train Wreck claimed at least sixty-four lives, making it the deadliest train accident of its time. But long after the tracks had been cleared and the dead had been buried, the wreck continued to haunt the conductor who survived it. WUOT’s Matt Shafer Powell has this story…
Green Power (September 13, 2004)- University of Tennessee students will meet with administration officials today to persuade the university to explore the use of alternative sources of energy. Since last spring, student environmentalists and administration officials have been at odds over the implementation of a student fee to pay for so-called "green power". Despite recent discussions, the relationship between the two sides is still tenuous. WUOT's Matt Shafer Powell has this report...
Austin Homes (August 27, 2004)- Yesterday, commissioners from Knoxville's Community Development Corporation unanimously voted to demolish 23 buildings in the oldest section of the Austin Homes housing project. But some residents are rallying to save the 63 year old apartments and grant them historic status. WUOT's Ann Lloyd has the story...
War Dogs (August 18, 2004)- The War Dog Memorial was dedicated yesterday at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine. The memorial honors hundreds of military dogs that served in American Armed Forces from the Second World War to the present. WUOT's Ann Lloyd has the story...
Tennessee Charter Schools- Part 2 (August 17, 2004)- Tennessee's charter schools have started their second academic year. The 2004-2005 calendar starts with eight schools ---twice what the state had last year. The eligibility for students in Tennessee is currently limited to those attending a failing school. But advocates of charter schools hope the academic results will force the legislature to loosen the eligibility requirements. In the second part of a series on Tennessee's charter schools, Jeff Bossert of WKNO in Memphis looks at the history of the law, how it's interpreted and what efforts are being made to change it...
Tennessee Charter Schools- Part 1 (August 16, 2004)- The backlog of bills facing Tennessee legislators when they return in January includes one impacting the eligibility of charter school students. The state's first four charter schools opened last year, despite the opposition of many Democratic lawmakers, as well as state and local education groups. Four more are opening in Memphis this fall. But attempts to open them in other parts of the have failed, partly because of the tight eligibility requirements of the state's charter school law. In part one of a two-part series, Jeff Bossert of WKNO in Memphis looks at the successes and failures of Tennessee's charter schools...
Agee's Neighborhood (August 13, 2004)- Author and poet James Agee immortalized the city of Knoxville, Tennessee in a novel depicting his childhood at the turn of the century. That novel -- A Death in the Family -- won Agee a posthumous Pulitzer prize. But in the city Agee recreated so painstakingly in his book, it's difficult to find traces of the author's boyhood. Even the neighborhood he grew up in has been disappearing house by house. But a group of Agee fans has been working to change the way the city honors this native son. Reporting for WUOT, Christine Jessel has the story...
Cow Drop (July 26, 2004)- Gambling for a good cause is once again allowed in Tennessee. In the recently ended legislative session, lawmakers approved lottery-type fund raising events for non profit organizations. WUOT's Ann Lloyd attended one of the first legal raffles in the state over the weekend... and has this report...
Autism in Schools (July 23, 2004)- Throughout the 1990's, the number of children receiving special ed services for autism disorders in the U-S jumped more than four hundred percent. Experts argue over whether the hike is due to an actual increase in autism cases, a much more liberal diagnosis or greater awareness. Whatever the case, the increase has placed a new demand on public school systems, who are obligated to provide special education services for children diagnosed with the disorder. When districts and parents disagree over those services, they often end up in court. WUOT's Matt Shafer Powell reports...
Jewish Camp (July 16, 2004)- For the past two weeks, five Israeli teenagers have been in Knoxville learning about American Jewish life as part of a cultural exchange program. This weekend, they and their local teen hosts, travel home for a similar experience in Haderia, Israel. For the unique summer experience of Camp Tea-KUN a-LUM, the 10 students and their adult leaders worked on community service projects, attended classes and connected socially and spiritually. WUOT's Ann Lloyd reports...
Bush Visit (July 13, 2004)- President Bush made a stop at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory Monday. He saw first hand some of the 55-thousand pounds of Libyan weapons components brought there in December. Afterwards, the president gave a speech. WUOT's Ann Lloyd heard his address and filed this report...
Guitar Camp ( June15, 2004) This month, nearly a thousand guitar, mandolin and banjo-pickers from around the world will gather in Maryville to take part in Steve Kaufman's annual Acoustic Camp. Most are amateur musicians from a variety of backgrounds. While there, they'll spend several days focused on one thing---learning new ways to make music. Last year, WUOT's Matt Shafer Powell attended "finger picking guitar camp" and filed this report..
The 278th goes off to war (June 4, 2004) Next week, members of Knoxville's 278th National Guard Armored Cavalry Regiment will begin to load up their equipment, say goodbye to their families and head off to war. The 278th is Tennessee's largest Guard unit with nearly four-thousand citizen-soldiers from every corner of the state. WUOT's Matt Shafer Powell recently spent some time with members of the unit as they prepare for an assignment that will change their lives...
Five Points (May 21, 2004) Government officials joined local business representatives this morning to celebrate the ground-breaking of a six million-dollar shopping center in East Knoxville. The grocery store is the first component of an economic revitalization project in the Five Points neighborhood. For those on hand, today's ceremony represented much more than a chance to kick off the project---it was an opportunity to respond to a recent report that calls the neighborhood "the most dangerous in Knox County". WUOT's Matt Shafer Powell was there...
Clinton Desegregation (May 17, 2004)- On this date in 1954, the U-S Supreme Court decision "Brown versus the Board of Education" set the stage for desegregation in America's schools. Two years later, Clinton High School in East Tennessee became one of the first public schools in the South to integrate blacks with whites. On an August day in 1956, Alfred Williams was one of twelve black students from Clinton who stepped into the school---and into the history books. WUOT's Matt Shafer Powell has this look at the decision that changed Alfred Williams' life...
489th Civil Affairs interview (May 12, 2004)- While the war in Iraq wages around them, members of Knoxville's 489th Civil Affairs Battalion attempt to rebuild the country from the inside, building schools and hospitals and providing such imperative needs as electricity and water. WUOT's Matt Shafer Powell recently spoke with a member of the unit---Army Specialist Patrick Deem of East Knoxville---as he stood on a rooftop in Baghdad...
Gay Prom (May 10, 2004)- Several high school students from Knoxville attended their prom this past weekend. At this time of year, that's not particularly unusual. What's unusual is the kind of prom. WUOT's Ann Lloyd reports...
Christopher Watts NPR (May 4, 2004)- The U.S. Navy has lost several sailors during the Iraq War, among them Petty Officer 2nd Class Christopher Watts. He was one of four Americans killed last month when a boat loaded with explosives was detonated in the Persian Gulf. Christopher Watts was 28 years old, a native of Knoxville, Tennessee, where Matt Shafer Powell reports from member station WUOT...
Jobs Now (April 21, 2004)- Over the past year, nearly 70 local governments and businesses pledged nearly $11 million dollars to an ambitious economic development plan in East Tennessee. The five year program is called "Jobs Now". At Tuesday's annual meeting, investors heard a lot of good news... but some problems are still ahead. WUOT's Ann Lloyd has the story...
Presidential Selection (April 21, 2004)- Today in Knoxville, the University of Tennessee's board of Trustees named the university's 23rd president. University of Connecticut Provost John D. Peterson outlasted 46 other candidates to lay claim to the position. WUOT's Matt Shafer Powell attended today's board meeting and has this report...
University Presidents (April 19, 2004) This week, members of the University of Tennessee's Board of Trustees will name the university's twenty-third president. The successful candidate will replace John Shumaker, who resigned from the presidency last August amid allegations of irresponsible spending. Like Shumaker before him, the new president at U-T will be expected to raise money for the university. But he'll have to do it under an unprecedented level of public scrutiny. WUOT's Matt Shafer Powell has more...
MBA competition (April 7, 2004)- Each year graduate students from around the world are presented with the challenge of finding ways to help a non-profit organization. It's called the MBA Case Competition and takes place in Washington DC. The non-profit organization this year was National Public Radio. Five University of Tennessee students were among those making presentations. WUOT's Ann Lloyd reports...
Slave cemetery (February 26, 2004) For more than a century, one of East Tennessee's largest slave cemeteries lay hidden beneath brush and leaves on the Department of Energy's K-25 campus. But a few years ago, the cemetery was re-discovered. Now it has quickly become one of Oak Ridge's most popular places to visit. WUOT's Matt Shafer Powell has this report...
Traveling Trunk (February 18, 2004)- In 1999, the Knoxville Hate Crimes Working Group introduced the Traveling Trunk to educate local students and others about the dangers of intolerance. The trunk is full of artifacts and symbols that tell the tale of man's capacity for racial and ethnic violence. By the end of this month, 10-thousand people will have seen the trunk. This week, WUOT's Matt Shafer Powell got a chance to see it...
Overcrowding (January 26, 2004)- This evening, residents of West Knox County will meet to discuss the problem of overcrowding in the Farragut Schools. Farragut is one of the fastest-growing communities in Tennessee. But the schools are having a difficult time accommodating this influx of new students. As WUOT's Matt Shafer Powell reports, some members of the community say it's time to re-examine whether that growth is doing more damage than good...
Drug Compounding (January 19, 2003) The science of Pharmacology has seen great changes in the past fifty years. Medicines once were missed for individual patients. But when large-scale drug manufacturing began, the old ways faded. Now, custom-made pharamaceuticals are coming back---through compounding. WUOT's Ann Lloyd has the story...
Education Summit (January 16, 2004)- Parents, educators and community leaders from all over Knox County took part in an "Education Summit" in Knoxville this morning. The goal was to solicit opinions from the community to improve education in Knox County. WUOT's Matt Shafer Powell was there...
Music of Motown (January 13, 2004)- Maryville College offers students a unique look at the social and cultural life of Black America from the late Fifties to the early Seventies. A three-week class titled "The Music of Motown: A Black Historical Perspective" shows how the Motown sound reflected the turbulence and hope of that era. It was to have been limited to fifteen students, but it was so popular that thirty-four were allowed to take it. WUOT's Ann Lloyd has this report...
No Child Left Behind (January 9, 2004)- President George W. Bush was in Knoxville yesterday to commemorate the 2nd anniversary of the "No Child Left Behind" Act. The law was designed to make public schools more accountable, establish qualification requirements for teachers and raise academic standards in the classroom. But critics of the law say the standards aren't realistic and schools are being unfairly punished. WUOT's Matt Shafer Powell has this report...
Hatchie
River (December 30, 2003) The Hatchie River in West Tennessee
is the longest free-flowing body of water in the lower Mississippi
valley. For nearly two centuries, the streams and rivers flowing
into it have been channelized---changed by man to suit his needs.
But that wear and tear is threatening the animals, plants and
people who depend on the Hatchie. Now, some University of Tennessee
students are joining forces with conservation groups, the government
and private landowners to evaluate the damage---and look for
ways to save the Hatchie's fragile ecosystem. From WKNO in Memphis,
Jeff Bossert reports...
Knoxville's Lost Veterans (November 11, 2003)- The U-S Department of Veterans Affairs estimates there are nearly 300-thousand homeless veterans living on America's streets and in its shelters every night. Many suffer from mental illness or an addiction to drugs or alcohol. But others are simply down on their luck, living a life they never imagined. In this Veteran's Day report, WUOT's Matt Shafer Powell takes a look at some of Knoxville's homeless veterans---and some of the people who are trying to help them restore their pride...
Meiji Gakuin School (October 29, 2003)- In 1989, Meiji Gakuin University in Tokyo established America's first accredited Japanese high school in the East Tennessee town of Sweetwater. Most of the students come from large Japanese cities to live and study in this town of about five thousand people. This arrangement has created an interesting cultural dichotomy in Sweetwater. But enrollment at the school has declined in recent years and the university's Board of Directors is considering a plan to close it. WUOT's Matt Shafer Powell has the story...
Love Your Body (October 16, 2003) Along with all the traditional cosmetic ads and weight-loss ads vying for womens' attention, there's a new message: healthy bodies are good bodies. Today is Love Your Body Day. The celebration is a project of the National Organization for Women. WUOT's Ann Lloyd has the story...
Election Results (October 1, 2003)- Last night, voters in Knoxville chose former Pilot President Bill Haslam to replace outgoing mayor Victor Ashe. But the race between Haslam and former County Commissioner Madeline Rogero was closer than many pre-election polls had predicted. WUOT's Matt Shafer Powell and Ann Lloyd have coverage...
Embedded journalists (September 24, 2003) When American and British troops moved into Iraq this past spring, they brought with them more than guns, tanks and ammunition. They brought more than 600 journalists. They became known as embeddeds---reporters and photographers who accompanied soldiers on the drive to Baghdad. At times, the images they sent home were breathtaking and exciting. But some argue they were also distorted by journalists who crossed the line of objectivity by becoming a part of the story, rather than observing it. WUOT's Matt Shafer Powell reports...
TVA Rate Increase (August 8, 2003)- The Tennessee Valley Authority's Board of Directors is considering an increase in the amount it charges most of its utility customers. If approved, it would be the second residential rate hike in the last six years. In 1997, the T-V-A passed a similar hike to help pay down its debt. WUOT's Matt Shafer Powell has this report...
Poor People's March (August 13, 2003) Nearly fifty people on a national march against poverty walked through Knoxville yesterday. The "Poor People's March for Economic Human Rights" originated in Marks, Mississippi on August 2nd and will end in Washington D-C on August 23rd. Aside from bringing attention to the issues of the poor and homeless, the march is meant to commemorate the 35th anniversary of Martin Luther King's poor people's campaign of 1968. WUOT's Matt Shafer Powell has more...
Boyce McCall/George Hamilton, Sr. (August 21, 2003)- The race for mayor of Knoxville is often characterized as a contest between Madeline Rogero and Bill Haslam. But in truth, it’s a four-person race. That’s because a local electrician named Boyce McCall and a substitute teacher named George Hamilton Senior are also on the ballot. Their campaign methods and expectations are very different from those of Haslam and Rogero. But their passion for making a difference in Knoxville is very much the same. WUOT's Matt Shafer Powell has this profile...
Elkmont (August 11, 2003)- Before there was a Great Smoky Mountains National Park, there was the Tennessee town of Elkmont. It lay Southeast of Gatlinburg, high in the hills on the Little River. Through its evolution, Elkmont was a small farming community, a logging camp and a vacation getaway for the Knoxville elite. However, the tiny mountain town now faces extinction. For twelve years now, families have been forbidden to use the 100 year old community. Elkmont is a ghost town. It can neither be resurrected nor rest in peace. WUOT's Ann Lloyd reports...
Zero Tolerance (July 9,2003) This evening, the Knox County School Board is expected to approve changes to its tough zero tolerance discipline policy. The policy has been in effect since 1995 and prescribes an automatic one-year suspension for certain student offenses. From the beginning, it’s been the subject of widespread criticism and several lawsuits. But supporters say the policy is effective and shouldn’t be changed. WUOT’s Matt Shafer Powell has the story...
Bowling (June 30, 2003) The American Bowling Congress tournament has been in Knoxville for five months. It's wrapping up on Sunday. The 100th annual tournament began in February. WUOT's Ann Lloyd has more...
Guitar Camp (on-line only, posted June 2003)- This past month, nearly a thousand guitar, mandolin and banjo-pickers from around the world gathered in Maryville, Tennessee to take part in Steve Kaufman's Acoustic Kamp. Most are amateur musicians from a variety of backgrounds. While there, they spent several days focused on one thing---learning new ways to make music. Matt Shafer Powell of member station WUOT in Knoxville went to "finger-picking guitar" week and filed this report...
Cerebral Palsy Therapy (May 30, 2003) Tomorrow, a Jefferson County boy is headed to Poland for a month-long physical therapy program. Eight year-old Eric Smelcer has cerebral palsy, a disorder of the brain that prevents him from walking or speaking. Eric and his mother Sheila will spend all of June working at the EuroMed Rehabilitation Center. WUOT's Ann Lloyd has this report...
Tritium (May 15, 2003) In 1953, President Dwight Eisenhower designed a program he called "Atoms for Peace". It called for a strict separation between government nuclear weapons production and "peaceful" commercial power plants. In 1996, Secretary of Energy Bill Richardson reversed America's nuclear policy. His decision will allow dual use of nuclear power reactors. That opens the door for commercial plants to produce weapons components. That new policy will directly affect East Tennessee. WUOT's Ann Lloyd has the story...
Union County Lawsuit- NPR (May 12, 2003)- In the East Tennessee town of Maynardville, nearly 2000 public school children attended a Christian tent revival this Spring. It·s an annual event; students from nearby Union County Schools are allowed to go during school hours. But this year, the parents of one Union County student are challenging the school district·s role in the revival meeting in court. They are Pagans and they claim the revival is just one way the school crosses the line of separation between Church and State. From member station WUOT in Knoxville, Matt Shafer Powell has the story..
Public
Safety Collaborative (May 7, 2003)
Public Safety officials from Knoxville are in Washington today as finalists
in a contest that judges innovative government programs from across the country. The
Knoxville Public Safety Collaborative is one of fifteen programs in the running
for the 100-thousand dollar prize grant. The Innovation in American
Government Award is often described as the ·Oscar· of government
award programs. WUOT's Matt Shafer Powell has the story...
Cloned
Cows (April 3, 2003)
Dolly the Sheep made scientific history in 1996 when she became the world’s
first mammal cloned from an adult. Just last month, Dolly died. She was six
years old. Since the initial success with Dolly, scientists around the world
have been exploring many animal health issues through cloning. What they
learn could lead to safer and more efficient food production. One of the
most significant cloning experiments is happening in Knoxville. WUOT’s
Ann Lloyd has more…
Affirmative
Action (April 1, 2003)
Today, the U-S Supreme Court begins to hear arguments in two cases against
the University of Michigan. The plaintiffs in those cases claim the university’s
admissions policy is unconstitutional because it uses race as a factor in
accepting students. The case is receiving a lot of attention, especially
in Tennessee, where a ruling could drastically change the way the state’s
universities recruit students. WUOT’s Matt Shafer Powell reports…
Life
After Prison (March 11, 2003)
According to the Tennessee Department of Correction, nearly forty-
five percent of felons who are released from Tennessee prisons end up back
in prison within three years. It’s a problem that’s felt on nearly
every level of society, from the courts and the legislature to the taxpayers
who foot the bill. But at the core of the issue are the nearly 11-thousand
felons who are released each year from Tennessee’s jails. Outside the
prison walls, they face an avalanche of temptations and challenges, where
the wrong choice could send them back to prison. WUOT’s Matt Shafer
Powell reports…
Highlander
Institute (February 28, 2003)
Spread out over 106 acres of woods and pastures, on top of an East Tennessee
mountain, is one of the world's foremost Civil Liberties research centers.
It's called the Highlander Center and scholars and activists from around
the globe go there to learn the basics of civil activism. WUOT’s Ann
Lloyd reports…
Black
and Muslim (February 26, 2003)
In the year and a half since September 11th, America’s Muslims have
become targets of negative stereotypes, discrimination and even physical
abuse. It’s an experience that many African-Americans say they can relate
to. So for those blacks who are also Muslims, it’s been a particularly
turbulent time. But some say it’s drawn them closer to their faith.
And in a strange way, closer to their neighbors. Tonight, the Muslim Student
Association at the University of Tennessee will host a panel discussion on
being “black and Muslim”. This afternoon, we hear from one of the
nearly one thousand African-American Muslims living in East Tennessee. In
this audio diary, Umoja Abdul-Ahad speaks about his faith, the stereotypes
he faces as a black man and as a Muslim, and the good that has somehow come
out of September 11th…
Forty-Three Club (February 7, 2003) In February of 1943, construction began on a highly-secret government facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Before the end of World War Two, the facility and its employees would play a major role in the development of the world’s first atomic bomb. This week, officials at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory are hosting a series of events to commemorate the facility’s sixtieth anniversary. Yesterday, several of the original participants in what was known as the Manhattan Project gathered to look back on the mission that changed the world. WUOT’s Matt Shafer Powell reports from Oak Ridge…
Corpus Christi (January 30, 2003) The University of Tennessee’s All Campus Theatre begins a short run of the play Corpus Christi by Terrence McNally. McNally’s play has become the object of fervent protests in the five years since it first debuted at the Manhattan Theatre Club in New York. At the time, death threats against Theatre Club officials nearly cancelled the play’s first run. In Fort Wayne, Indiana, state legislators tried to have the courts put a stop to a student presentation of the play. And in London, a Muslim group issued a fatwa---a death sentence—for McNally. The reason for the firestorm is simple. Corpus Christi is a play that strikes at the core of what so many people hold sacred---their religious beliefs. WUOT’s Matt Shafer Powell reports…
Bredesen
Preview (January 18, 2003)
Former Nashville mayor and businessman Phil Bredesen becomes the 48th governor
of the state of Tennessee. But like many other governors entering office
this year, Bredesen is inheriting a full plate of challenges. First, he faces
a budget in which tax revenues are diminishing even while costs continue
to rise. A similar situation last year resulted in a partial shutdown of
the state government and a hike in the state sales tax. He’s also faced
with the task of stabilizing TennCare, the state’s publicly-funded health
care system. The much-maligned system is reeling from skyrocketing health
care costs and an attempt by the state to remove nearly 200-thousand people
from the TennCare rolls. WUOT’s Matt Shafer Powell reports…
Fifth
Avenue Motel (December 20, 2002)
The neon marquee on Knoxville’s Fifth Avenue Motel looks like something
from a 1950’s postcard, offering such temptations as “Air Conditioning”, “TV” and “Tile
Baths”. But for the last twenty years or so, that marquee at the corner
of Fifth and Broadway has done little but illuminate the dark side of urban
life on the sidewalk below. The corner has become a magnet for prostitutes,
drug dealers and the homeless. In the meantime, the motel itself has degenerated
to a point where the city’s Codes Enforcement Division shut it down.
On a Friday last month, workers padlocked the doors, posted signs, surrounded
the motel with razor wire fence and covered the windows with plywood. Finally,
the power was cut off and the marquee went dark. WUOT’s Matt Shafer
Powell has the story
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