(Left to right) State Rep. Dennis Powers presents a river rock, painted as an owl, to Sen. Lamar Alexander as State Rep. Jerome Moon from Blount County looks on.

NASHVILLE, TN (SPECIAL TO WLAF) – Lamar Alexander, who served three terms in the U.S. Senate and two as governor of Tennessee, was honored on Monday afternoon in a joint convention of the General Assembly.

During Alexander’s visit on Monday, State Rep. Dennis Powers presented Senator Alexander with a river rock painted as an owl to be used as a hearth stone. “I wish I could take credit for this being a La Follette Owl from my alma mater (La Follette High School), but it was actually a painted sand rock by Manya Pirkle, the first person born in Norris, and a souvenir of the Museum of Appalachia in Norris,” said Powers.

Powers, the former Owl, expressed his thanks to Elaine Meyer of the Museum of Appalachia in helping to acquire this memento, because Alexander is such an avid supporter of the museum. “Senator Alexander, a Maryville native, has served not only as U.S. Senator, but as Governor and Secretary of Education, and we wish him well in his retirement,” added Powers. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 04/13/2021-6AM)



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