POWELL
Sheldon the pig is in hog heaven with his owners in Powell
Al Lesar, Shopper News
Anyone in Powell who needs their day brightened needs to head to the Raccoon Valley area and look up Sheldon.
He’s sure to bring a smile to your face.
Sheldon is a 150-pound mini-pig that’s a cross between a Juliana and Vietnamese pot belly. He has been the domesticated, indoor house pet of Eric and Tricia Seivers for almost nine years.
The Seiverses came to Powell from northern California last June. They’ve had Sheldon (named for the smart but sometimes irritating character in the TV show “The Big Bang Theoryâ€) since he was 6 weeks old.
“This is the first pig we’ve had, but we did our research before we got him,†Eric Seivers said. “Pigs are very smart and they’re very clean.â€
Sheldon handled the weeklong relocation trip well. It took an animal transport company a week to get him from northern California to Powell, but it was worth it.
“It was hard to get Sheldon in the crate,†said Seivers. “But it was no problem at all to get him out of it.â€
‘A neighborhood sensation’
At 7:30 every morning, Sheldon runs down the ramp of his house and goes on patrol in his yard. He loves the attention of people passing by and giving him an occasional carrot along with the kids saying hello to him as they head to school.
By 9 a.m., he’s ready to go back in the house. He usually comes back out in the afternoon.
“A friend of my wife said that Sheldon has become a big hit on the I Love Powell Facebook group,†Seivers said. “People would post pictures of him. He’s a neighborhood sensation.
“We’ll put him in his vest and his hat in cold weather and people will love it.â€
In California, Eric and Tricia would put a harness on Sheldon and walk him through the community. Here’s, he’s got plenty of fenced-in land to roam, so there’s no need for walks.
Seivers said housebreaking was a simple process — taking between a week or two.
Like having a toddler
Tricia Seivers’ work as a dog trainer for about 25 years has come in handy with Sheldon.
“He’s super smart, it’s like having a toddler,†Eric said. “We taught him to get up and down the ramp. He can sit, spin left and spin right.â€
Sheldon, who has a life expectancy of between 15 and 20 years, sleeps in a dog bed. At about 8 p.m. each night, he bundles up in his blanket and puts himself to bed. He’ll sleep straight through until 7:30 a.m. At 7:30, though, he wakes up ready to eat.
His favorite food is watermelon. Add in Cheerios, carrots, blueberries and bananas.
“Pigs can gain weight fast, and it’s hard to take off,†Seivers said.
Sheldon does have a stubborn streak. If he wants to go outside, wants a treat or isn’t ready to take a bath when the Seiverses want him to, he will grunt and squeal as if he’s in the most terrible pain ever.
“He can be stubborn,†Seivers said. “He’s not destructive at all. All he wants are belly rubs.
“Pigs tend to be herd animals, but Sheldon is happy being a single pig. You can tell he’s not depressed. His tail wags and his ears are up.Â
“For him, he’s in hog heaven.â€
FARRAGUT
Seniors show up and don’t slow down at West Knox center
Nancy Anderson, Shopper News
Sunlight spills across the activity room as laughter rises over a shuffle of cards and the soft rhythm of a morning yoga class at the West Knox Senior Center. Growing older doesn’t mean slowing down, it means showing up.
Coordinator Darrell Gooding transferred from the Frank R. Strang Senior Center when it closed in 2020. The West Knox Senior Center opened during the pandemic in March of 2020, offering a much larger space with enhanced programming and − thankfully − parking.
The West Knox Senior Center is one of the most active and well-used senior centers in Knox County. Gooding played a significant role in shaping it into a high-volume, community-centered facility with a strong mix of recreational, wellness and support services serving 3,000 to 4,000 seniors each month.
Gooding had to think fast to provide remote programming when the center first opened. He said he was concerned for the seniors dealing with social isolation. He began remote programming with a Zoom trivia game.
Gooding enjoys a good game; his office and several bookcases at the center hold a plethora of engaging games.
“I had to adapt several games and crafts to make them suitable for Zoom. At first, the center was really slow, but we had to keep working because it’s important for seniors to avoid social isolation,†Gooding said. “After the pandemic, our seniors came back and you could tell some had deteriorated. Many of them have built themselves back up with our exercise classes, fitness room, and just being around like-minded individuals in the same chapter of life.â€
The 12,605-square-foot facility offers a multitude of programming − fitness, including a fitness room with treadmills and weights; socials, cards, dancing, billiards, pickleball and everything in between − that enhances the physical, emotional, and social well-being of those over 50. It features a gymnasium, large event hall, and multiple classrooms and activity rooms.
West Knox Senior Center also provides outreach services from the Office on Aging, helping seniors navigate Medicare and insurance, housing, transportation, and legal services.
In addition to stellar programming, the facility offers a large library featuring current authors. Carol Hulton, a retired librarian, established the library and reports that 90 to 110 books a month come out of the library.
Gooding said he enjoys all the programming but is especially proud of Color, Coffee and Chat.
Part-time assistant Cindy Petty leads the program, which has rapidly grown to require a much larger room.
“I really like this program because coloring is great for stress management, fine motor control and concentration. Mental health sources talk about how beneficial coloring is. This is a fun and highly social program that’s especially good for seniors,†Gooding said.
The West Knox Senior Center is at 239 Jamestown Blvd., Suite 101. It is open Monday through Friday 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call 865-288-7805 for more information.
Info: https://www.knoxcounty.org/seniors/west.php
HALLS
New storefront is icing on the cake for Baked by Grace
Al Lesar, Shopper News
Besides helping her daughter with the opportunity of a lifetime, Jessica Strunk is getting the kitchen in her home in Heiskell back to where she’s allowed to use it.
Considering that, this is a win-win situation.
For more than a year now, Strunk’s daughter, 15-year-old Sara Grace Nirmaier, has used that kitchen to make her business, Baked By Grace, happen.
In late February, Nirmaier moved her entire business, which has grown exponentially, to a storefront in Maynardville at 3933 Maynardville Highway. It was the former location of Butterblume Bakehouse, so it is already equipped for large-scale baking.
“It’s been nerve-wracking,†Nirmaier said of the commitment she has made. “I’m excited that this is going to happen.â€
Nirmaier’s baking evolution has gone at warp speed. From baking 150 mini bundt cakes for her mother’s wedding in October 2024, to developing a following from farmers markets over the summer, to having trouble keeping her farmstand stocked because of the popularity, to a storefront that will put her work on display.
No way to pump the brakes
While getting her business into high gear, Nirmaier is also working on finishing her freshman year of studies as a homeschooler. In fact, Strunk said that by the end of this year, Nirmaier will have completed half the credits needed to graduate from high school.
“She’s constantly got her earbuds in, listening to the homeschool lesson,†Strunk said.
“I listen to the lesson while I’m baking, then take the test when I’m done,†Nirmaier said.
“I couldn’t hold her back if I wanted to,†Strunk said. “I’ve tried to pump the brakes with her, but she gets bored. Her brain operates on a different level.â€
While math has been her toughest class, Nirmaier has also taken economics, chemistry, the equivalent of four semesters of Bible study, English and the other necessary core classes.
“In my free time, I like to sew quilts, aprons and bread bags — small stuff,†Nirmaier said. “I like to draw and paint, mainly religious portraits.â€
Better equipment, more options
Thanks to the equipment in the new facility, Baked By Grace can expand its offerings.
There are two commercial ovens, which hold 20 baking pans each, as well as a conventional oven. Three commercial refrigerators, a powdered-sugar sifter, two freezers, several cake decorating tables, a three-bay sink, some big mixers, a bakery display cooler and plenty of storage offer possibilities that didn’t exist at home.
“Gracie has a plan to incorporate Jesus into her bakery,†Strunk said. “There’s going to be a prayer wall where people can post their prayer intentions.â€
Cinnamon rolls, brownies, cream horns and custom cakes are the big sellers now. Nirmaier expects that to carry over into the storefront, which has been up and running since mid-March. She also offers cheesecakes, cookies, pastries, bagels and breakfast items.
New to the lineup will be daily lunch specials, which can be eaten at the six tables in the front area of the bakery, as well as take-home meals.
Nirmaier will handle the baking. She has recruited her mother, sister, grandmother and aunt to take care of the front of the house, since someone age 18 or older always has to be with her.
NORTH KNOXVILLE
Get outside and collect wildlife data for City Nature Challenge
Jack Coker, Shopper News
There’s something special about springtime in Knoxville. The dogwoods are in bloom, the days are stretching longer, and across our neighborhoods life is popping up in ways we often overlook.
Later this month, the city is inviting residents to slow down and take notice. From April 24–27, Knoxville will participate in the 11th Annual City Nature Challenge, a worldwide “bio-blitz†to observe wildlife and collect data for the world’s largest wildlife census. The idea is to encourage us to get outside, observe the natural world and share what we find.
Whether it’s a butterfly in your backyard, a bird on your morning walk or even fungi along a trail, every observation contributes to a global effort to better understand biodiversity. Debbie Sharp with the city’s Office of Neighborhood Empowerment says the event is designed to be both accessible and impactful. “This is a fun way to get people outside enjoying nature, while also helping gather information about local wildlife,†Sharp said.
Participation also supports Knoxville’s broader environmental goals. Data collected during the challenge helps the city work toward certification as a wildlife habitat through the National Wildlife Federation and contributes to the Mayor’s Monarch Pledge, an initiative focused on supporting pollinators like butterflies and bees. Locally, the effort is supported by a strong network of partners, including Zoo Knoxville, Ijams Nature Center, Discover Life in America, the Tennessee Butterfly Monitoring Network, Seven Islands State Birding Park, and the Harvey Broome Group of the Sierra Club. Together, these groups are helping organize events, provide guidance and encouraging participation across EastTennessee.
Residents can simply download the iNaturalist app, snap photos of plants or animals they encounter and upload them to the platform. Observations from Knox County and surrounding counties will all count toward the challenge.
If you’re looking for a reason to get outside later this month, this is a good one. Bring your family, take a walk and see what you can find. You might be surprised by how much life is already right in front of you.
