NEWS
from
Knoxville Zoo · P.O. Box 6040 · Knoxville, TN
37914 MEDIA RELATIONS OFFICE · 865.637.5331, ext. 377 Fax:
865.637.1943
Join Dora the Explorer for a Day of
Adventure at Knoxville Zoo!
September 10, 2009 Contact: Tina Rolen,
865.637.5331 ext. 377 Cell: 865.640.0351, trolen@knoxville-zoo.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE KNOXVILLE, Tenn.—
Hola amigos! Join Dora the Explorer, everyone’s favorite seven-year-old
adventurer, for an exciting day at Knoxville Zoo on Sunday, September
20 from 12:00 p.m. until 4:00
p.m.
Dora the Explorer, straight from her popular
Nickelodeon show, will be at the zoo meeting her fans-and don’t forget
your camera, because she’ll be posing for photos, too! After stopping
by to say “Hola” to Dora, be sure to visit los animales de Knoxville
Zoo and Wee Play Zoo and The Clayton Family Kids Cove are fun places to
play the day away, too!
Dora is the star of Dora the Explorer,
an animated television starring the seven-year-old Latina and her
friends. As Dora explores her world, her pre-school
viewer are encouraged to respond to Dora and
participate in her adventure with physical activity. Along the way,
kids learn Spanish words and phrases as well as math skills, music, and
physical coordination. The show teaches children how to observe
situations and solve problems, and have fun as they do!
This special meet and greet with Dora the
Explorer is included with general zoo admission.
Special thanks to Comcast and Domino’s Pizza
for making Dora’s visit possible. Stop by the Plaza Pavilion for
special coupon offers from Domino’s.
Knoxville Zoo is located off exit 392 from
Interstate 40 and is open every day except Christmas Day. The zoo is
nationally accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)
and is committed to the highest standards in animal care and
well-being, ethics, conservation, and education. Currently, the zoo is
open weekdays from 9:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays
from 9:30 a.m. until 6
p.m. Admission and ticket sales stop
one-hour before the zoo closes. Next-day admission is free after
3:00 p.m. For more information, please call
865.637.5331 ext. 300 or visit www.knoxville-zoo.org
###
Four Suspects Arrested for Involvement in Multi-Million Dollar Mortgage Fraud Scheme
Four individuals suspected of a multi-million dollar mortgage fraud scheme in Shelbyville, Tennessee, were arrested today, without incident, by special agents of the Knoxville Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Chattanooga Resident Agency and investigators with the Bedford County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO). William Thomas McMahan, age 52, of Murfreesboro; Roger Dwight Ritch, age 52, of Shelbyville; Carrie Cameron Galvin Snow, age 40, of Murfreesboro; and Jonathan B. Henderson, age 39, of Murfreesboro were indicted by the federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Tennessee in Chattanooga and charged with one count of violating Title 18 United States Code Section 1344 and one count of violating Title 18 United States Code Section 1956. The indictment of a fifth defendant remains under seal. The indictments are the result of a 16-month joint investigation by the FBI, the BCSO, and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Criminal Investigation Division.
The indictment alleges that the defendants devised a scheme to obtain financing under false pretenses for purchasers of residential properties developed by American Value Homes, a construction company owned by defendant Roger Ritch. The indictment further alleges that as part of the scheme, the defendants, doing business as Mortgage Processing Services and Value Title, prepared loan applications containing false information, misrepresented the down payment amount made by borrowers, and falsely represented the employment status and income of borrowers. The scheme involved sales of houses by American Value Homes totaling approximately $30 million. Foreclosures on the fraudulent loans have resulted in a loss to lenders totaling approximately $2.4 million.
Cuatro sospechosos detenidos por su participación en fraude hipotecario que envuelve varios millones de dólares
All defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
Museum of Appalachia to honor veterans, military
Free admission for our country’s servicemen and women on Veterans Day
NORRIS, Tenn.: In honor of our country’s armed forces, the Museum of Appalachia will offer free admission to veterans and active-duty military on Veterans Day, Tuesday, Nov. 11.
“We appreciate those who risk their lives for our country,” said Elaine Meyer, the Museum’s executive director, “and this is one way to recognize these people and show that we realize the sacrifices they’ve made.”
The Museum’s mission is to preserve and pass along the Appalachian heritage to younger generations. Among historical offerings of particular interest to veterans are extensive displays on the Revolutionary War, Civil War, and other military ventures. A relatively new exhibit honors an East Tennessee man who died in Vietnam, representing area servicemen and women who served in the military during that conflict.
The Museum also houses exhibits on early gun-making, blacksmithing, sawmilling, carpentry, coopering, leatherworking, molasses making, and other pioneer skills.
Visitors may take a self-guided tour of the Museum’s extensive village-farm complex with some three dozen historic log buildings, display halls filled with authentic Appalachian artifacts, and gardens and farm animals in a picturesque setting, all surrounded by split-rail fences.
Musicians play daily in one of the cabins, offering traditional Appalachian music and general information on the Museum and its artifacts.
Shoppers may browse the unique hand-made items in the Gift, Craft, and Antique Shop at the Museum—or simply rest at the cozy fireside in wooden rockers. Hot, country-style lunches are served daily from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Museum restaurant; home-made cakes, pies, cookies, and other treats are available all day.
Memberships in the Museum, a not-for-profit organization, are also available; these memberships help the Museum carry out its mission while providing “season passes” and other benefits for members. As an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, the Museum also offers Smithsonian memberships.
Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily (except closed Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day). The Museum is located 16 miles north of Knoxville, one mile east of I-75, exit 122. For more information, call 865-494-7680, or visit the website at www.museumofappalachia.org <http://www.museumofappalachia.org> .
Coming Events to the Great Knoxville Area
Special Hispanic Heritage month celebration at the Home Depot in Lenoir City on Saturday September 13 from 12 to 3 PM.
• Food from Cinco de Mayo Restaurant
• Music by Fiesta Ritmo Entertainment
• Games, children activities, and raffles
• Home Improvement Workshop, and
• more.
Home Depot associates will be there to help you both in English and in Spanish.
09/22/2008
A panel of Latino leaders in business, nonprofits and community affairs will speak about their experiences and perspectives on how Latin Americans are being received as new neighbors in our communities. The evening will include a reception with information booths hosted by Latino organizations in this region.
Alumni Gym at Maryville College
September 22, 2008
7:00 p.m. Community Forum and Panel
Purpose: To help our communities better understand the experiences of some Latin Americans since they have been living and working in East TN, and to explore ways to further generate community understanding and inclusiveness.
The community forum and panel is free and open to the public. During the day there will be day-time presentations and discussion for church leaders about serving with Latin Americans in our communities. Registration for this day event, New Neighbors in Appalachia, is required.
For more information, visit: http://www.maryvillecollege.edu/about/csc/index.asp
Hosted by the Center for Strong Communities at Maryville College, with co-sponsors League of Women Voters of Blount County and Leadership Blount.
09/27/2008
Market Square
September 27, 2008
11:00 to 8:00
www.holafestival.org
A celebration of diversity and a cultural salute to our East Tennessee community. Live music, dancing, food, arts and crafts, Kids on the Block puppets, Parade of Nations, Zoomobile and much more!
Where else in Knoxville could you not only eat salsa, but dance to it, Zumba or rumba, listen to the sounds of the Andes, “travel” and learn geography and about different cultures, enjoy zoo visitors, get important information on education, health, classes, kids safety and more, so much more?!
Pellissippi State president visited Belgium
Knoxville, TN—Allen Edwards has been committed to bringing the world to Pellissippi State Technical Community College since 1993, when he was named president of the institution. Among the many international opportunities for students he has been behind: a sports exchange program with Cherbourg, France; choir tours to Poland and France; and study abroad through the Tennessee Consortium for International Studies, a statewide organization Edwards co-founded that is housed at the college.
Now Edwards is taking his knowledge of and enthusiasm for community colleges to the world. Later this month, he is scheduled to speak at a two-day European Union conference in Brussels, Belgium.
Edwards and other speakers at the June 23-24 Forum on the Future Workforce: New Strategies for New Demographics will offer solutions for Europe’s dilemma: a dwindling workforce coupled with low birthrates that is threatening economies.
The conference is sponsored by the European Commission and AARP International. The European Commission is the executive branch of the EU, which is composed of 27 nation states. Sessions will be presented by speakers of English, French, German, Italian and Spanish.
“Europe is not growing,” he said. “The population is very stagnant and is in many cases on the decline.”
Edwards will discuss the role community colleges can play in keeping older workers’ skills current, thereby keeping people in the workforce longer.
The number of young workers needed to support those who retire has declined so much that the EU has set two goals for 2010: The Stockholm Target aims to increase the average employment rate among people ages 55-64 years to 50 percent, and the Barcelona Target seeks to delay retirement by five years.
“The European Union is looking for policies to implement that would help sustain their workforce,” he said. “My role is to talk about the community college providing access to retraining employees. I think the key thing about community colleges in America is that we’re so readily available to the people.”
Conference topics include Combating Age Discrimination and Promoting Age Diversity in the Workplace, Lifelong Learning and Training, Financial Considerations for Working Longer and Making Workplaces and Working Time More Accommodating.
Edwards is co-founder and president of the International Association of Colleges, an organization for community and technical colleges that has hosted conferences on technical educational issues in South Africa, the Netherlands, Great Britain and the United States.
The IAC co-sponsored the 2008 World Congress and International Association of Colleges Conference in New York in February.
MUJERES DOMINICANAS SON CELEBRADAS EN ÚNICA EXPOSICIÓN FOTOGRÁFICA EN NUEVA YORK
Por tiempo limitado, empezando el 19 de agosto hasta el 30 de septiembre, 2008, la compañía Dominicana de alimentos MercaSID y Aceite Cristol desvelarán el Proyecto “MUJER Dominicana en Nueva York”, una gran exposición fotográfica que enfatiza las vidas y logros de mujeres Dominicanas a través de la Diáspora.
La exhibición- la primera de su tipo, consiste de 125 hermosas y llamativas, fotografías de tamaño póster, perfiles biográficos, entrevistas grabadas y videos, enfatizando las vidas individuales, luchas, y perspectivas de las mujeres Dominicanas.
Traída desde la República Dominicana a la Ciudad de Nueva York por tiempo limitado, la exposición viajará a la Ciudad de Nueva York con la intención de entrelazar las luchas de las mujeres que han restado en la isla y las que migraron- particularmente a los Estados Unidos, donde se encuentra la mayor población fuera de la República Dominicana.
QUE: Proyecto “MUJER Dominicana en Nueva York”
QUIEN: Fotografías de Nicole Sánchez y Giovanna Bonnelly
DONDE: Washington Heights Campus, CUNY, Amsterdam Plaza,
Avenida Amsterdam entre las calles W. 138th and 136th
CUANDO: 19 de agosto al 30 de septiembre, 2008
BOLETOS: ¡¡Entrada GRATIS!!
Para más información, por favor contacte a Fernanda Zapata @ 718-636-6044
Don’t Mess With American Ingenuity
By Douglas E. Schoen
What if I told you that labor unions, small-business associations, drug companies, physicians’ groups, prominent academics, and the Bush administration were all lined up against a major piece of federal legislation currently winding its way through congress?
Would the convergence of these normally disparate interests make you suspicious of the legislation, sight unseen?
It should. All these groups have publicly opposed the Patent Reform Act, a bill that’s supposedly aimed at modernizing America’s patent system. Backed by several large technology companies, the measure passed the House last September and is currently under consideration in the Senate.
To be sure, the U.S. patent system is in need of change; it’s costly, complicated and litigious. But the Patent Reform Act goes overboard with its overhauls, drastically weakening intellectual property protections and jeopardizing future innovation.
Take, for instance, a provision in the bill reworking the way that patent-infringement damages are calculated.
Currently, damages are based on the market value of the product as a whole, factoring in the patented innovation. Generally speaking, courts have asked how much money the patent holder would have made if the infringement hadn’t occurred. The dollar answer is roughly equivalent to how much the infringer owes the innovator.
The bill would narrow that calculation to consider only the economic value of the patented innovation itself, not the value of the product on the whole.
That switch might make sense for, say, patented parts in mechanical products. It’s relatively easy to appraise a particular kind of rudder, for instance, outside the total value of the airplane it’s used in.
After all, a Boeing 747 with a different rudder is still a Boeing 747.
But the switch is illogical when it comes to other products, like pharmaceuticals. Active drug ingredients normally aren’t worth a dime outside the context of the drugs they’re in. What’s more, it’s effectively impossible to parse out the benefits of a particular patented portion of a drug.
Thus, the new standard would both drastically decrease the monetary value of a slew of U.S. pharmaceutical patents and reduce the damages for infringing on those patents.
Consequently, a chilling question arises: Would you invest nearly a billion dollars — the average cost to bring a new drug to market — on a new medication if a counterfeiter could copy it the second it went on sale and pay you only a small fraction of his profits as penalty?
If you wouldn’t, do you think America’s pharmaceutical companies would?
The benefits of medical innovation cut across party lines. Undermining the patent protections that drive that innovation is bad news for everyone. No wonder the Patent Reform Act is finding opposition across the political spectrum.
Douglas Schoen was a campaign consultant for more than 30 years and is the author of Declaring Independence: The Beginning of the End of the Two-Party System.
leave a comment