|
THE STANDARD BANNER
Grave talk from the
Body Farm guy
Dr. Bass to make presentation, sign books here
November 28
October 30, 2007
Page 6A
Dr. Bill Bass,
a man personally responsible for having trained over a quarter of the
practicing forensic scientists today, will conduct a book signing
and make a presentation on his decades of work in Jefferson
City for his newest non-fiction work, Beyond the Body Farm, that
he co-authored with Jon Jefferson. In this riveting book, the bone sleuth explores the rise
of modern forensic science, using fascinating cases from his career to take
readers into the real world of C.S.I.
Dr. Bass will
be making the appearance on November 28 in support of the Safe Harbor
Child Advocacy
Center and their work
to serve child-victims of sexual abuse and other forms of severe abuse in
the Fourth Judicial District, including Jefferson, Grainger, Cocke and
Sevier counties. “There is no
scientist in the world like Dr. Bill Bass”, notes Barry Fain, Board President for Safe Harbor.
“He is a pioneer in forensic anthropology and created the world's
first laboratory dedicated to the study of human decomposition on three
acres of land on a hillside in East Tennessee across the river from the University of Tennessee
- Knoxville.”
Dr. Bass is a
world-renowned forensic anthropologist and founder of the University of Tennessee's
Anthropology Research Facility - The Body Farm. He is the author or co-author of more than
200 scientific publications, as well as a critically acclaimed memoir about
his career, Death's Acre. Bass
is also a dedicated teacher, honored as National Professor of the Year by
the Council for Advancement and Support
of Education.
“During
fifty years as a forensic anthropologist, I’ve seen the bodies and
bones of too many abused children,” says Bass. “In my job, I
speak for the dead. Safe
Harbor’s mission is to
protect the living.”
Jon Jefferson,
the co-author of Beyond the Body Farm,
is a veteran journalist, writer, and documentary filmmaker. His writings
have been published in the New York Times, Newsweek, USA
Today, and Popular Science and broadcast on National Public Radio. He is
also the writer and producer of two highly rated National Geographic
documentaries about the Body Farm.
“One of
the saddest things I’ve ever seen was the battered skeleton of a
toddler, who endured years of bone-breaking abuse before he died,”
says Jefferson. “If Safe Harbor
can prevent even one case of terrible child abuse like that, it will have
made a huge difference in the world.”
“We are
very pleased to have Dr. Bass join us again for a book signing and
presentation on his life’s work in forensic anthropology”,
concludes Fain. “This is the
fourth time we have had an opportunity to partner with him in our district
and the second time, now, in Jefferson
City. I
can’t wait to buy my copy of Beyond
the Body Farm on November 28th at the event. I had a hard time putting the other ones
down, even to sleep.”
The event
takes place from 6:00-9:00pm on November 28 at Stokely Cafeteria on the
Carson-Newman campus in the small dining room on the West side. Admission is a charitable donation to the Safe Harbor Child
Advocacy Center
of $10 for adults and $5 for students, with a valid student ID. Receipts will be available, if requested,
for tax purposes. Books-A-Million
will be onsite with copies of the authors’ books for sale with a
portion of the proceeds also being donated to Safe Harbor.
To learn more
about the Safe
Harbor Child
Advocacy Center
and their work to serve the child-victims of sexual abuse and other forms of
severe abuse in our area, visit their website at www.SafeHarborCAC.com
or contact their executive director, Donna J. Koester,
by phone toll-free at (866) 774-1778 or by e-mail at Donna.J.Koester @ SafeHarborCAC.com. Safe
Harbor is an IRS
approved 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Donations to Safe Harbor
are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
© Copyright
2007 The Standard Banner
******************************************************
THE MOUNTAIN PRESS
First
women's expo includes exhibits from hair color to canine adoptions
SEVIERVILLE - Hundreds of
women, and plenty of the men who love them, strolled through the city's new
events center Thursday during the first Today's Woman Show sponsored by the
East Tennessee Radio Group's MIX 105.5, and The Taste of Home Magazine
By: CANDICE
GRIMM, Staff Writer
October 13,
2007
Tina Wallace, senior account executive,
said the event was an overwhelming success, with about 70 vendors displaying
and selling products that target women. Local personality Steve Hartford
broadcast from the show Thursday.
"We offered it as a way for
businesses in the area to market themselves because there are a lot of
businesses in town that people still don't know about. It was open to any
market that targets women," said Wallace.
Among the businesses offering
information and samples of their products and services were Tennessee Laser
& Skin Rejuvenation, Smoky Mountain Salon and Spa, Colour
Bar & Spa, Advantage Hair Salon & Day Spa, Curves, Permanent
Cosmetics by Amanda, and Change Of A Dress.
Everywhere one looked there were women getting their nails or makeup done,
enjoying chair massages, and sampling sandwiches, soups and dips offered by
a number outlets including The Old Mill.
There were also opportunities to
learn about some serious issues affecting women. Both Donna Koester,
executive director of Safe Harbor Child Advocacy
Center, and Amy Kingery, development
specialist for the Dr. Robert Thomas Foundation, were excited about being
able to spread the word about the good their organizations do in the
community. Koester said she had signed up quite a few volunteers, and Kingery said, "It's a great venue for telling
people about who we are and what we do."
Karen Melbardis,
a volunteer for Sevier County Food Ministries, was also there to distribute
information about the ministries' work in helping the hungry of Sevier County. "We don't turn anybody
away, and I think that's why when people get on their feet, they come
volunteer at the ministries," said Melbardis.
Everybody loves companionship,
and Jayne Vaughn, executive director of the Sevier County Humane Society,
was there to offer information on finding the most loyal kind of love - that
of a homeless dog or cat. "We're promoting adoptions and talking about
the humane society and the services we provide," said Vaughn.
To cap off the day a cooking show
was held by The Taste of Home Cooking School. Wallace said, "All 750
tickets were sold out a week ago. We're very excited about today's show;
this was more traffic than we had anticipated, and we hope to grow it every
year."
© The
Mountain Press 2007
*****************************************
THE MOUNTAIN PRESS
Experts
hope to raise awareness to help protect children in need
September 27,
2007
SEVIERVILLE - Meeting the needs
of children and helping to protect them from the things that can hurt them
will be the focus of a special program Thursday aimed at parents and others
who are interested in the care of young ones.
The public forum is dedicated to issues
facing children, such as abuse, mental health, alcohol and substance misuse,
sexually transmitted diseases, Internet predators and services available to
help young people in need.
That's a lot of material to cover in a three-hour program. The speakers
include people with special knowledge in the area of children's services.
"We hope we have a good turnout," Donna Koester, director of Safe Harbor Child
Advocacy Center
in Sevierville, said. "This is not a training program. This is for the
general public."
Speakers include:
* A woman whose daughter was abused by the woman's new husband
* Sevierville Police Chief Don Myers and Blount County investigative officer
Kelly Hoard discussing how to protect children from Internet predators
* Cindy Perry, executive director of the Legislature's Select Committee on
Children and Youth, discussing children's mental health needs
* Trudy Hughes, director of the child advocacy center in Blount County, who
will talk about how to recognize signs and symptoms of child abuse
* Sandy Chambers, director of Sevier County's juvenile probation department
* District Court Judge Dwight Stokes of Sevierville, discussing problems
that bring children into his court
* Kim Loveday, director of the Sevier County
Family Resource Center, who will discuss resources available to children and
their families
* Dr. Deborah Horton of the Sevier County Health Department who will discuss
three priority children's health issues: substance abuse, teen promiscuity
and pregnancy, and sexually trabnsmitted diseases
The program will be from 9 a.m. to noon
at First United Methodist
Church in downtown
Sevierville. It's free and no tickets or preregistration are required. There
will be refreshments available.
Each speaker will talk 15 or 20 minutes and gather at the end of the morning
to answer questions from the audience.
Koester said there will be plenty of material and handouts for those
attending.
"This is the first time
we've done a public forum," Koester said. "All of our training so
far has been for those who work in children's services or law
enforcement."
State Sen. Raymond Finney,
R-Maryville, helped put the event together and scheduled a similar one for Maryville Wednesday
afternoon.
The program is sponsored in part by The Mountain Press. Lori Tucker of
WATE-TV in Knoxville
will serve as moderator.
© The
Mountain Press 2007
*****************************************
SEYMOUR HERALD
It Shouldn’t Hurt
to be a Child!
Safe Harbor co-hosts public forum on child welfare issues
September 26, 2007
The Safe
Harbor Child
Advocacy Center
is co-sponsoring a FREE public forum on issues facing children in Tennessee's Fourth
Judicial District. The forum will be moderated by Lori Tucker of
WATE-TV 6 and is open to anyone with a vested interest in children's welfare
from around the district.
Topics scheduled to include: A
Victim's Journey; Protection and Safety of Children; Children's Mental
Health Needs; Substance Abuse and Children in Need; Current Priority Health
Issues for Our Children; Recognizing Signs and Symptoms of Abuse; Services
Available for Children in Our Community; and Tennessee Law Pertaining to Our
Children.
The forum will take place at
First United Methodist Church of Sevierville, located at 214 Cedar Street, Sevierville,
TN 37862.
If you have a vested interest
in helping the children of Tennessee's
Fourth Judicial District, please make plans to attend and provide your
input.
© The Seymour Herald 2007
*****************************************
STANDARD BANNER
Gayle Davis joins Safe Harbor board
July 26, 2007
Page 16A
Gayle Davis, a
Grainger County resident, former Grainger County public health nurse and retired
ANCC certified psychiatric and mental health nurse at Lakeshore in
Knoxville, has joined the board of directors for the Safe Harbor Child
Advocacy Center, serving Grainger, Jefferson, Cocke and Sevier
counties.
During her 35
years of public service, Davis worked in many of the newly developing and
pioneering areas of nursing. Davis
and her husband, a Grainger County native, now make their home on the Davis
Family’s farm in Rutledge.
“For years, I enjoyed serving the people of Grainger County as a
public health nurse and, hopefully, I can again serve the citizens of my
home county as a board member of Safe Harbor”, says Davis.
“We are
very pleased that Gayle agreed to accept a nomination to our Board of
Directors”, notes Barry Fain,
Board President for Safe Harbor.
“Upon her nomination, she was approved by unanimous vote of the
board members at our June meeting. We
are looking forward to Gayle’s input and helping us keep
Grainger County’s interest represented
in our operations.”
Davis will be
serving as one of Grainger County’s three representatives on Safe
Harbor’s governing board. Each
county has three representatives on the board to provide equal
representation for the full judicial district. “One of the things we have tried to
keep consistent is that each county will have the same amount of
representation and votes in matters before our board, so that everyone knows
that no one county will have more influence than the other”, adds
Fain. “Combating child sexual
abuse takes a team approach and that is what we try to demonstrate with our
governing structure and practices.”
Safe Harbor is
a non-profit organization dedicated to serving child-victims of sexual abuse
and other forms of severe abuse and neglect in the four counties comprising
Tennessee’s Fourth Judicial District.
Safe Harbor’s work begins from the onset of each case,
assisting in the investigation with the allegations of abuse and continues
with the child-victim throughout the process, to include post-trauma
counseling.
To learn more about Safe Harbor,
contact their executive director, Donna Koester, by phone at (866) 774-1778
or by e-mail at Donna.J.Koester @ safeharborcac.com or
visit their website at www.SafeHarborCAC.com. Whether we realize it or not, everyone has
something to offer in making the lives of children that have fallen victim
to sexual abuse and/or severe physical abuse better. Contact them today to learn how your
business or you can make a difference.
© Copyright
2007 The Standard Banner
******************************************************
STANDARD
BANNER
Check for Safe Harbor
Bill Whitworth of Red
Dragon Martial Arts in Jefferson City presents
a check to Barry Fain, representing money raised for Safe
Harbor
Child Advocacy Center
through Red Dragon’s recent tournament.
Karate students raise
money for Safe Harbor
June 21, 2007
Page 10A
It was “The Tournament of Champions”, in
more ways than one. Forty-eight
students at the Red Dragon Martial Arts Center turned out on May 5 to
support the Safe Harbor Child Advocacy Center, and test their own skills. This tournament marks Red Dragon’s
second such event supporting Safe Harbor and its mission to serve child-victims of sexual abuse
and other forms of severe abuse and neglect in Tennessee’s Fourth
Judicial District, including Jefferson County.
Students of all ages faced off in areas such as the red
belt challenge, submission grappling, padded weapons sparring (chux, sticks and sword) and forms competition. A portion of each student’s
enrollment fees for the events was earmarked to support Safe Harbor. Students ranging from age three to
the mid-teens enlisted for events that day, making their contribution to Safe Harbor
and getting to match skills with their fellow karate students.
“We are very grateful to Bill Whitworth and his
students at Red Dragon Martial Arts in Jefferson City for their continued
support”, notes Barry Fain,
President of the Board of Directors for Safe Harbor. “A great deal of their curriculum
enforces the ideal of helping others and this tournament is a fine example
of putting their teachings to work. We
look forward to a continued relationship with Red Dragon Martial Arts in the
years to come.”
To learn more about the Safe Harbor
Child Advocacy Center and their work to assist child-victims of sexual abuse
and other forms of severe abuse and neglect in Jefferson County and the other three counties of Tennessee’s
Fourth Judicial District, visit their website at www.SafeHarborCAC.com
or call them toll-free at (866) 774-1778.
To learn more about Safe Harbor’s Community Partner, Red Dragon Martial Arts,
visit their site at www.rdkarate.com or give them a call at (865)
475-8510.
If your business or you are interested in partnering
with Safe Harbor to serve child-victims of severe abuse by raising
funds, increasing awareness or in other ways, call Safe Harbor
today at (866) 774-1778. “It
should never hurt to be a child”, concludes Fain. “We all have something to offer to
support children that have been victimized by sexual abuse.”
©
Copyright 2007 The Standard Banner
******************************************************
STANDARD BANNER
Seventy-five attend
seminar on child sexual exploitation
June 7, 2007
Page 7A
Seventy-five participants came from all over Tennessee
and, even, North
Carolina. But, seven came from right here in Jefferson County’s criminal justice system, including the district
attorney’s office, law enforcement, juvenile court and child
protective services, for a unique training opportunity May 22-24 by the National Law Center for Children & Families. Participants joined together for three
days at the Music Road Hotel & Convention Center to delve into one of
the most serious issues, if not the most serious issue, facing society today
- the sexual exploitation of children.
Courses topics included: Sex Offender Management at the
Local Level, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children Resources,
Interview Strategies in Child Exploitation Investigations, Child Pornography
Prosecution, Understanding and Recognizing the Signs of Trafficking in
Persons, Obscenity Investigation and Prosecutions, Coping Techniques for
Professionals in Exploitation Cases, Referral of Cases for Federal
Prosecution, The Adam Walsh Child Protection Act of 2006, Dangers of Online
Social Networking, On-Scene Forensics and Technology Used by Sex Offenders,
Role of Child Advocacy Centers in Sexual Exploitation Cases, and Computer
Facilitated Crimes Against Children.
Instructors included nationally renowned experts in their
fields, including a retired FBI agent, a practicing Assistant U.S.
Attorneys, a Special Deputy U.S. Marshal, former assistant general counsel
from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and a host of others
pioneering work in the field of sexual exploitation.
This intensive three-day seminar was hosted by the Safe Harbor Child Advocacy Center, a non-profit organization serving Tennessee’s Fourth Judicial District, including Jefferson,
Grainger, Cocke and Sevier counties. Barry Fain, Safe Harbor’s board president, made the initial contact with
the National Law Center to bring the seminar to the
area. “One of our goals with Safe Harbor is to bring high quality training opportunities, like
this seminar on child sexual exploitation, to our area for investigators and
prosecutors to use in the field to combat severe child abuse and
exploitation”, says Fain.
“The more we can make available to them, the better they will
be prepared to confront an ever changing threat. A significant focus of this seminar dealt
with the constantly evolving threat of online enticement of children.”
Law enforcement and prosecutors are also able to use the
training received at this seminar to count toward their annual requirements
for POST and MCLE, respectively.
Post-seminar remarks by investigators include comments
like “The training was very informative and covered many aspects that
had not been covered at any of the trainings that I had gone to
previously”, while another stated, “These sessions have been
wonderful. They have been extremely
informative and we've heard from some really great speakers with real
experience about what they're talking about. We're definitely better
prepared to deal with these kinds of situations now.”
To learn more about Safe Harbor and their work to help combat child sexual abuse and
other forms of severe abuse and neglect, visit their website at
www.SafeHarborCAC.com or call their offices toll-free at (866)
774-1778. To learn more about the National Law Center for Children & Families, visit their website at
www.NationalLawCenter.org or call (703) 548-5522
© Copyright
2007 The Standard Banner
******************************************************
SEYMOUR
HERALD
Confronting the
challenge – child sexual exploitation and obscenity crimes
Submitted Reports
June 6, 2007
Safe Harbor
Child Advocacy
Center and National
Law Center for
Children & Families attendees at the conference
paid close attention.
Seventy-five participants came from all over Tennessee
and, even, North
Carolina. But, eight came from right here in Sevier
County, including the district attorney’s office, law
enforcement and the Safe Harbor Child Advocacy Center, for a unique training | 
