Tennessee
Picking to learn, these kids are carrying on a Tennessee bluegrass tradition
![Picking to learn, these kids are carrying on a Tennessee bluegrass tradition](https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/cb5e4cf/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1920x1008%200%2036/resize/1200x630!/quality/90/?url=http://ewscripps-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com/93/5b/868e153144c98aca3fe5b22758ec/bluegrass-one.jpg)
GRANVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — It’s a style of music that includes a stand-up bass, the banjo, the mandolin, the guitar, and the fiddle. It has been passed down for generations.
Now, someone is taking steps to ensure this music continues to be passed down.
The T.B. Sutton General Store in Granville, Tennessee is a place of history and barrels of delicious candy. It’s also a place where people come in for a little music.
“We welcome you tonight to Sutton Ole Time Music Hour here at T.B. Sutton General Store,” show host and manager Jimmy Bilbrey said as the broadcast recording began.
The crowd applauded.
The show goes from the store to radio stations all over the world.
“It happens every Saturday night,” Jimmy said. “We have ole time bluegrass groups here.”
“Make welcome, the Tenos!” he said, welcoming a band to the stage.
Saturday night, Jimmy brought up another act, this time a very special one with a younger performer.
One of those performers was 13-year-old Jacob Thomas of Kingston. Jacob spends time with his dad fishing, and with his mom Amanda and his little sister Alissa in front porch bluegrass jam sessions.
“Sometimes it turns out really cool,” Jacob said. “Sometimes it turns out, ‘what the heck was that?’”
Jacob’s been playing mandolin since he was 8.
“I went to see Sam Bush,” he said. “Seeing him play, the way that his hands moved, I was very intrigued.”
“He started picking up basic melodies right away,” mom Amanda remembered. “I was over-the moon-happy.”
“How many of your friends play mandolin?” we asked Jacob.
“None,” he said. “Sometimes it makes me feel a little sad because by the time this generation goes, there might not be anyone wanting to carry on bluegrass music at all. They think it’s a dying music for kids my age.”
That’s why, back at the store, Jimmy launched Sutton’s Bluegrass For Kids. Each week, a kid will play a song with the scheduled act on the show.
“It’s just a shot in the arm for their confidence, getting them up in front of an audience,” Jimmy said. “It’s really a neat thing to see the young people taking it up. It’s been a blessing all the way around.”
“They’re trying to get more kids interested in bluegrass music,” Jacob said.
“We’re going to have our special guest come up and play his mandolin for ya,” Jimmy told the crowd. “Let’s make welcome Jacob Thomas!”
30 young performers have taken part in Bluegrass For Kids so far, and its growing.
“It makes me proud knowing I’m carrying on music that’s been going on for who knows how long,” said Jacob.
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Tennessee
Tennessee State Parks provides new all-terrain wheelchairs at additional state parks – KTVZ
![Tennessee State Parks provides new all-terrain wheelchairs at additional state parks – KTVZ](https://ktvz.b-cdn.net/2024/06/WTVFTNstateparkswheelchairs-300.jpg)
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NASHVILLE, Tennessee (WTVF) — Tennessee State Parks are providing new all-terrain wheelchairs at state parks!
You may remember this story from last summer, where our Cole Johnson showed how the wheelchairs were helping those at Radnor Lake State Park.
The new additions announced this week will bring the total chairs to 22. The chairs are designed to navigate a wide range of terrains and give visitors the opportunity to access recreation that they would’ve been unable to access prior.
The chairs are free and are available for kids and adults.
You are allowed to request a wheelchair upon arrival to the park, but its advised to give advance notice to the park you’re visiting so that you can ensure there’s one available for use.
The wheelchairs are available at the following parks:
Cedars of Lebanon State Park Cordell Hull Birthplace State Park David Crockett State Park Fall Creek Falls State Park Fort Pillow State Historic Park Harrison Bay State Park Indian Mountain State Park Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park Nathan Bedford Forrest State Park Sgt. Alvin C. York State Park Booker T. Washington State Park Cove Lake State Park Cumberland Mountain State Park Cummins Falls State Park Chickasaw State Park Henry Horton State Park Long Hunter State Park Natchez Trace State Park Radnor Lake State Park Tims Ford State Park Lamar Alexander Rocky Fork State Park Warriors’ Path State Park
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Tennessee
What guaranteed admission to University of Tennessee? You now need a test score (and more)
![What guaranteed admission to University of Tennessee? You now need a test score (and more)](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/authoring/authoring-images/2024/05/11/PKNS/73653058007-1183-20240510-rss-ac-graduation.jpg?auto=webp&crop=3236,1821,x0,y168&format=pjpg&width=1200)
University of Tennessee Knoxville parking: Walk or drive to campus?
Tennessee Volunteers say parking is tough this semester. We experimented to see if it’s faster to walk to campus or drive and look for parking.
The University of Tennessee System has standardized its language across all campuses to include standardized test scores in its guaranteed admissions requirements for top-performing high school seniors.
The biggest change to the guaranteed admissions policy, which is less than one year old, most applies to the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. The flagship campus previously did not require an ACT or SAT score for guaranteed admission. UT Chattanooga, UT Martin and UT Southern did.
The ACT and SAT score requirements, which vary between universities, are in addition to requirements related to student performance and class standing.
Previously, UT Knoxville only required a 4.0 cumulative GPA or that students finish in the top 10% of their class for guaranteed admission. Other campuses had their own requirements, including a lower GPA benchmark and an ACT score.
Here’s how the new policy, approved at the UT System Board of Trustees meeting June 25, will work for students applying for fall 2025:
For UT Knoxville
- Students must get either a 4.0 cumulative grade-point average (GPA) or finish in the top 10% of their high school graduating class.
- And students need a 24 ACT composite score (or an SAT score of 1160-1190 or higher).
For UT Chattanooga, UT Martin and UT Southern:
- Students must get either at least a 3.2 cumulative GPA or finish in the top 10% of their high school graduating class.
- And students need a 23 ACT composite score (or an SAT score of 1130-1150 or higher).
The original guaranteed admissions policy was approved in September 2023 as a way to give top-earning high schoolers in Tennessee the opportunity to receive early admission to any UT campus across the state.
Why the University of Tennessee changed the guaranteed admissions policy
Only 30% of Tennessee high schools reported class ranking data to UT for the high school graduating class of 2024, according to UT Knoxville Chancellor Donde Plowman. That’s just 226 of 740 high schools.
The original guaranteed admissions policy also was challenged by the lower requirements from UT Martin, UT Chattanooga and UT Southern. Their policies, which required a 3.2 GPA and 23 ACT composite score, were so close to standard admission criteria that prospective students were worried no guaranteed admission would mean no admission at all, according to Bernie Savarese, vice president for academic affairs, research and student success for the UT System.
When the UT System Board of Trustees kicked off its annual meeting June 24, Savarese presented a different version of the proposed changes that would have made 4.0 the required GPA for all campuses. The top 10% criteria also would have been dropped.
But because the guaranteed admissions policy is so new, the board was hesitant to make such drastic changes. The policy needs more time for data to accrue before it can be reevaluated at a higher level, trustee Jamie Woodson said during the meeting.
Keenan Thomas is a higher education reporter. Email keenan.thomas@knoxnews.com. X, formerly known as Twitter @specialk2real.
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Tennessee
How the Humane Society protects outdoor dogs in Tennessee
As winter tightened its grip on Tennessee earlier this year, an HSUS-led initiative brought warmth to pets and the hearts of their owners. Across the state, families in under-resourced areas began receiving visits from local animal care centers, delivering insulated doghouses for their beloved companions, all provided free of charge.
While hundreds of thousands of dogs live outdoors in rural and urban areas across the country, the lack of a clear legal definition of adequate shelter for outdoor dogs in Tennessee had left both animals and their owners uniquely vulnerable. The law was open to interpretation by pet owners, law enforcement agencies and the courts, making it tough for authorities to enforce and for pet owners to understand. This ambiguity meant that enforcement efforts could sometimes be too harsh or not protective enough, causing harm to both people and animals. It also left many owners unsure if what they had—or what they could afford—qualified as adequate shelter for their pets.
But thanks to our advocacy and the support of state legislators, Tennessee became the newest state to define what constitutes proper shelter for dogs. The legislative win creates clear and reasonable expectations for the humane treatment of dogs, laying the groundwork for a more compassionate and equitable approach to animal welfare.
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