City Clerk Elected President of Clerks’ Association

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Kingsport’s City Clerk Angie Marshall accepted a new role as president of the Tennessee Association of Municipal Clerks and Recorders (TAMCAR) last week.

Since 2010 Marshall has worked as the City Clerk and has been a member of TAMCAR. She has steadily climbed her way up TAMCAR’s chain of succession since being elected as secretary several years ago.

“When I was elected as secretary, I knew the role of president was inevitable and I have anxiously been looking forward to the challenge,” Marshall said. “I have forged so many valuable friendships across the state during the last eight years and I know that these relationships will help me move our organization forward.”

Marshall has a long resume of public service. She holds degrees in criminal justice and public management from ETSU and has worked for three different municipalities since beginning her career in 1996. Her career has included not only clerking, but a long stint as a police officer in Oak Ridge. She came home to Kingsport when the City Clerk/Deputy City Recorder position opened up eight years ago.

TAMCAR provides continuing educational opportunities and certification credits to clerks across the state of Tennessee. Marshall’s ambitions as president include increasing membership, as well as attendance at TAMCAR’s twice-yearly conference.

While Marshall is excited to serve as TAMCAR’s president, she’s not done moving upward. She has her sights set on the International Institute of Municipal Clerks (IIMC) as well, from which she received a Master Municipal Clerk designation last year.

“My goal is to eventually serve on the IIMC board as well, so that I can benefit not only clerks in Tennessee, but around the world,” Marshall said.

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Kingsport Farmers Market Holds 1st Annual Fall Festival

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The Kingsport Farmers Market will hold its 1st Annual Fall Festival on October 20, 2018, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Kingsport Farmers Market.  Along with your favorite vendors, we will be celebrating the fall harvest with live music, kids’ activities and more.  Food City will have their smoker on site, and they will also be sponsoring a caramel apple bar where you can create your own flavor combinations while supplies last.

Come check out the sculpted pumpkins on display from Bortz Graphics and learn carving techniques for your own pumpkins as they conduct demonstrations!  Don’t forget to bring your own carved or decorated pumpkin to enter in our contest!

As we think of fall and setting back our clocks, we should also think about checking our smoke detectors.  Keep Kingsport Beautiful and the Kingsport Fire Department will be at the Fall Festival from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. distributing smoke alarm batteries to Kingsport citizens, which are provided by the 2018 Duracell/Keep America Beautiful 9V Battery Grant Program.

For more information on the 1st Annual Fall Festival, contact Kristie Leonard at 423-224-2821. For more information on the Kingsport Farmers Market, or to sign up for our monthly newsletter, please visit kingsportfarmersmarket.org.

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Create Awesome Gifts – Resin Coasters!

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Create your own unique hand-crafted gifts while learning about three new craft styles – resin, alcohol ink and acrylic pouring.

Instructor, Elena Corradino will be teaching a hands-on class about how to create 9 pieces of art using these three styles. Each participant will make two acrylic pour bisque coasters, four porcelain alcohol ink coasters, and three silicone mold coasters.

Participants will be allowed to keep the provided respiratory mask and silicone mold. Project safety, mixing techniques and possible mistakes – all while creating your own hand-crafted and practical works of art!

The cost of the class is $98 per person and includes all materials. The class will be held on October 27 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the 2nd level studio space at the Kingsport Carousel, 350 Clinchfield St.

Pre-registration is required. To register for the class or for more information, please visit EngageKingsport.com or call 423-392-8414.

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4th Annual Pumpkin Plunge At The Kingsport Aquatic Center

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The Kingsport Aquatic Center’s 4th Annual Pumpkin Plunge is set for Saturday, October 13.

From 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., children ages 12 and younger are invited to plunge into the Palmer Center Foundation Warm Pool and retrieve a pumpkin to decorate, participate in Halloween games and swim in the indoor pools.

Admission is $5 per person if you purchase your ticket in advance, and $7 per person on the day of the event. Tickets can be purchased at the KAC front desk or online.  Everyone is welcome to swim during the Pumpkin Plunge Party with the entry fee, but only children ages 12 and younger will be allowed to decorate the pumpkins.

To purchase tickets, visit https://bit.ly/2Mw1pKZ. For more information about the Kingsport Aquatic Center, visit www.swimkingsport.com or call the Aquatic Center at 423-343-9758.

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Dobyns-Bennett Culinary Arts Students to prepare locally sourced meal

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Come celebrate the harvest season at the first annual Farm to Table Dinner at the Kingsport Farmers Market on November 1st. Enjoy a meal prepared by Dobyns-Bennett Culinary Arts students and instructors to raise funds for the Dobyns-Bennett Career and Technical Education Programs.

The Kingsport Farmers Market and Kingsport City Schools will host the farmers’ market-themed event focusing on community connection, locally grown food awareness and a fun fall celebration.

The dinner starts at 6:00 p.m. at the Kingsport Farmers Market, 308 Clinchfield St.

The menu will be comprised of regional and seasonal food featuring salad, baked spaghetti with roasted vegetables, fresh bread and apple crisp for dessert. All ingredients for the meal are locally sourced from the Dobyns-Bennett greenhouse, school garden or the Kingsport Farmers Market – a true Farm to Table experience.

Tickets are $25 per person in advance only. All event proceeds support the Dobyns-Bennett Career and Technical Programs. Tickets are now for sale at the Kingsport City Schools Office at 400 Clinchfield St., Suite 200.

For more information, call Misty Keller at 423-378-2147.

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5th Annual Drool Paw-ty Hosted At Kingsport Aquatic Center

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The Kingsport Aquatic Center’s Outdoor Water Park has gone to the dogs. Dogs and their owners are invited to the 5th Annual Drool Paw-ty on Saturday, October 6th from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Owners can bring their dogs to swim at the Outdoor Water Park for the final swim of the season.

Admission is $5 per dog and humans are free. Dogs must be up-to-date on current vaccines. Proof of vaccines is required for entry. A dog tag is not sufficient – you must bring your records or a receipt from a veterinarian.

Admission is two dogs per human and handler must be 18 years old and have leashes with them. No humans will be allowed to swim in the Outdoor Water Park during the event.

For more information, please call 423-343-9758 or visit www.swimkingsport.com.

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Inventor Center Sneak Peek

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Kingsport’s Creative Community has been quietly but diligently at work, planning, plotting and preparing for a new meeting and making space.

The Inventor Center – a hub for blending of 21st century modern tools, traditional arts and cutting edge entrepreneurial resources, is under construction and the public is invited for a Sneak Peek.

The Sneak Peek will begin at 3:00 PM with welcome by Heath Guinn and remarks by Mayor John Clark at 3:15 PM. Take a look at the renovations, talk with makers, enjoy snacks and see a few demonstrations. The Inventor Center Sneak Peek is at 118 Shelby Street and an opening date is expected mid-November.

Inventor Center will be a place to learn, innovate and create with membership opportunities and a la carte workshops and classes. More information on equipment, memberships and classes will be available at the Sneak Peek.

Also making an appearance at the event is Downtown Kingsport Association’s mobile parklet. The mobile parklet will be moved throughout Kingsport with its first stop being at Chef’s Pizza.

For more information on the Inventor Center, please visit https://engagekingsport.com/the-inventor-center/ or call 423-392-8414.

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Genealogy… Life in the Past Lane Workshop Series

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Genealogy of families is not only important, but also fun to discover! During Family History month, the Kingsport Public Library will be hosting its fourth annual genealogy workshop series every Thursday in October from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. The workshops are free and you do not have to register to attend.

The genealogy workshop series will feature three speakers on key topics of interest for those looking into their family’s history and genealogy. These topics are geared to all levels of experience and offer something for everyone, from beginners to advanced genealogy enthusiasts.

Speakers and topics will include the following:
October 4th and 11th:  Janie Sherman, Professional Genealogist:
  • A Re-Introduction to Genealogy:  Secrets From a Professional Genealogist

Fast-paced FUN, two-part workshop that will enthuse the new or seasoned genealogist alike providing not only a soup to nuts overview in genealogical process, procedure and organization with document examples and handouts, but will provide clues and insights that make research productive, professional and rewarding.  Bet you don’t know!!

October 18th: Joseph Penza, Archivist for Elizabethton-Carter County:
  • The World Wide Wayback Machine:  An Introduction to Historical Research on the Web

Want to explore what the web has to offer for learning about and enjoying the past?  This workshop will teach you how to use the resources available at websites such as the Tennessee Electronic Library, the Library of Congress, Google Scholar and eBooks, as well as some local and university archives and of course how best to take advantage of your local library catalog.  No experience required!  Let’s research and have fun!

October 25th: Jessica McNeely, Holston River Regional Library:
  • Tracing Hard to Find Ancestors:  From Females to Criminals and Beyond!

In genealogy research there are often ancestors that are harder to find than others.  Join us at this session to learn tips and tricks for finding your female ancestors, criminals, the mentally ill, and even traveling performers!

Visit www.kingsportlibrary.org or call the reference desk at 423-224-2539 for workshop details.

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New Weekly KATS Pass

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Riders have asked and KATS has answered – a new $5 weekly pass will be available for riders to take advantage of starting in October.

“We’ve wanted to offer a weekly pass for a while,” said Chris Campbell, public transportation manager of KATS. “We’re pleased that we can now provide our riders with this option. It’s great for our riders that want to try our services out or just need our services for a short time.”

Riders can purchase a weekly pass from the KATS Station. After purchasing the pass, the rider will have it stamped with a special code, validating the pass for that week. KATS also offers a monthly pass, costing only $20.

If you have any questions, please contact KATS at 423-224-2613 or stop by their current location at 109 Clay Street.

For more information, please visit www.kingsporttransit.org/.

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Bays Mountain Park Membership Fees Set To Increase

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After holding steady for over a quarter century, Park membership fees are set to increase effective January 1, 2019. After much consideration at its August meeting, the Bays Mountain Park Association Board voted to approve the first increase in membership fees since June 1992. While each membership level awards free park entry and a 50% discount on zip line rides (seasonal), the new fees and benefits structure are as follows:

  • Individual – $30.00 Receive up to two passes per public program (planetarium, nature, and barge ride). All tickets subject to availability and weather permitting (for nature, barge ride, and zip line).
  • Family – $50.00 Receive up to six passes per public program. All tickets subject to availability and weather permitting (for nature, barge ride, and zip line).
  • Supporting – $100.00 Receive same benefits as Family level, plus the option to adopt one of our resident animals. If adopting, you’ll receive a certificate of adoption, plus a bio and picture of your chosen animal. All tickets subject to availability and weather permitting (for nature, barge ride, and zip line).
  • Life – $1,000.00 Receive all of the above benefits plus one private summer barge ride. Barge must be reserved in advance and must take place at 6:00 p.m. June through August. All tickets subject to availability and weather permitting (for nature, barge ride, and zip line).

Although it has been 26 years since the last membership fee increase, the decision to raise these prices was not easy. Recently, meeting the commitments and goals of the Bays Mountain Park Association has become increasingly challenging. Those goals include supporting the Park financially in maintaining and operating the Nature Center and programs, including summer day camp. The Association employs two part-time staff to assist in Nature Center operations, and up to eight seasonal employees. The increased fees will help ensure each of these commitments and goals can still be met.

Known as one of the best bargains in Kingsport, it is hoped the new fees will be viewed in the same way. For many, the cost of a Family membership can be met in just two visits when taking advantage of the offered benefits. The support of Park members is even more vital today with many updates still ahead for the Park. The Bays Mountain Park Association Board and Park staff appreciate the community’s support and hope we can continue to enjoy your friendship and support for years to come.

For more information on Bays Mountain, please visit baysmountain.com or call 423-229-9447.

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