|
|
| |
|
|
 |
|
| |
Bethel’s Amanda Thomas Advances to Hollywood Round on
“American Idol” |
|
|
 |
Bethel College student Amanda Thomas
sings in a recent performance for Renaissance. Thomas
auditioned for “American Idol” in Memphis and advanced
to the Hollywood round.
By Linda Bolton
linda@mckenziebanner.com |
Bethel College junior Amanda Thomas and friends were
glued to the television in her college apartment Tuesday
night, January 23 to watch the singing sensation make
her deput performance on “American Idol” auditions in
Memphis, which was aired by Fox.
“We all screamed when we saw me on there,” said the
20-year-old student from Bartlett.
Amanda was among 16,000 performers who auditioned for
season six in the FOX reality TV singing competition at
the FedExForum in Memphis last September. She succeeded
in advancing to round two, which was also held in
Memphis.
During the second round, she said she, her mother,
Cheryl Thomas and grandmother, Shirley Luckey, who had
gone to the auditions to support her, all screamed when
they learned she was one of 350 chosen to advance to
round three in Hollywood, California.
For the Memphis auditions, Amanda had the opportunity to
perform before Simon, Paula and Randy. She sang a medley
of five different types of music, including opera,
country, broadway, pop and rock – all performed in 30
seconds.
“Randy said it felt like he was changing radio stations
because of the rapid pace,” said Amanda.
She said Simon, who is usually the most critical of
performers, called her audition “weird,” but said he
enjoyed the opera and all the other songs.
Paula told 20-year-old Amanda she “was very ambitious”
and said she enjoyed it.
“I was kind of in shock, with a gasp, when they said
‘Welcome to Hollywood’,” said Amanda upon learning she
had earned her “golden ticket” to Hollywood.
In November, she made the three-day trip to California
alone and performed “Someone to Watch Over Me,” in the
soon-to-be broadcast Hollywood round. Although she was
cut from the show before finals, she said, “There were a
lot of very cool, really nice people out there. It was
just an overall pleasurable experience for me.”
During the Hollywood competition, Amanda said she was
asked, “What are you going to do after this
competition?”
“I told them I am going to continue college, but that if
I don’t make it in performing in general, I want to be a
voice teacher.”
Randy replied, “You could help out a lot of people with
this competition.”
At Bethel, Amanda is a music major and in her third year
as one of the featured singers with Renaissance, the
college’s upbeat, entertaining “performance troupe” that
uses choirs, ensembles and soloists to showcase the
talent of its students. She will be joining Renaissance
for its spring tour as the group performs in New
Orleans, Alabama, and Mississippi and for the summer
tour, which includes performances in Minnesota.
“The thing I enjoy most about Bethel is Renaissance,”
said Amanda. “I also enjoy the small town atmosphere and
how one-on-one the teachers are here.
Amanda is also the daughter of James Thomas of Bartlett.
She has one older brother, Jim, who is also a singer,
and a younger brother, Raymond, who she describes as a
hip-hop dancer and karate kid.
Amanda said she will keep trying and plans to audition
for next season’s American Idol.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Land Purchases Continue for Watershed Lake |
|
|
|
|
|
By Joel Washburn
washburn@mckenziebanner.com |
HUNTINGDON (January 23) Members of the Carroll County
Watershed Authority were informed that land purchases
continue for the construction of the proposed 1000-acre
recreational watershed lake in the Leach Community.
Of the 51 land parcels needed, 12 have been purchased,
11 are awaiting contract negotiations, 24 are ready to
close, and four are awaiting appraisals. Kevin Young,
project engineer, said the Authority lacks the purchase
of one parcel in the footprint of the proposed dam,
which will run parallel to U.S. 70. Once that parcel is
purchased, his firm, J.R. Wauford and Associates, will
conduct an engineering survey of the dam site and bar
area, from where the fill dirt will come. They will
review approximately 200 acres, which must be partially
cleared with a bulldozer to facilitate the survey. That
survey will take approximately two weeks and will be
followed by an approximate six-week geotechnical study
in which bore tests will be conducted to determine the
best location for the dam.
Donnie Bunton with the Tennessee Planning Office, said
development of the Planned Growth Area is continuing.
Appointments to the Carroll County Planning Commission
are awaiting official approval of the Local Government
Advisory Planning Committee in Nashville, which was
scheduled to meet January 24. Bunton said the county
Planning Commission met several times informally to
discuss zoning for the area around the lake. Discussion
of subdivision regulations will be addressed in upcoming
meetings, along with a proposed major road plan for the
area.
As part of the agreement to construct the lake, the
Watershed Authority must return a portion of Crooked
Creek to wetlands. Approximately 300 acres will be
planted in trees on a 400-acre mitigation site. Young
said he believes some funding from the U.S. Department
of Agriculture may be available to assist with the
wetland project.
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
McKenzie Shooters Featured in International Sports
Apparel Magazine |
|
|
|
|
|
By Joel Washburn
washburn@mckenziebanner.com |
Beretta's new sports apparel magazine features
members of the McKenzie trap-shooting team.
From the halls of McKenzie High School, to the shooting
ranges throughout the states and now to the glossy pages
of Beretta's sportswear magazine, the McKenzie
trap-shooting teams keep advancing their name and fame.
The current international, 2007 of Beretta captures
the beauty and skill of this extraordinary group of
young people.
Laura Beth Fowler, Rachel Chandler, Samantha Doster,
Candice Ridley, Linley McClain, Lacey Lane, Elizabeth
Russell, and Carson Rider are featured as models for
Beretta sportswear.
The McKenzie High School students traveled to Nashville
in the fall of 2006 to participate in the fashion shoot.
In a full-page layout, Laura Beth is featured modeling a
travel vest with matching skirt and a short sleeve polo.
The MHS senior is shown walking along a gravel road
bordered by tall grasses. She is additionally featured
sporting fashionable protective eyewear on page 42 and a
Beretta Team shirt (in pink) on page 46.
Page 36 reads, "Meet the McKenzie Girls - Championship
Shooters. The Tennessee' McKenzie High School Girls Trap
Team has been in the national spotlight lately for its
all-girl championship team. Affiliated with the
Scholastic Clay Target Program, the team takes part in
trap shoots and hunting trips. 'Everyone thinks this is
a male-dominated sport,' said team member Elizabeth
Russell. 'But it is fun for women, too.'
"A love of the outdoors and an introduction to the sport
by a father or grandfather gave them an early interest
in shooting, but these girls are more than just
championship shooters. All of them are honor roll
students and active in community life. Their coach,
Lance Rider, is equally proud of the team's involvement
in projects like the Make-A-Wish Foundation as he is of
their shooting achievements."
Page 37, opposite the story about the girls' team, is a
full-page layout of photos of the McKenzie girls -plus
Carson Rider. Rachel Chandler, Samantha Doster, and
Laura Beth are readying for a hunting trip as they load
their Land Rover. Each is modeling Beretta team wear
shirts. In photo two, Carson models a sleeveless Beretta
shirt. In photo three, under the heading "The McKenzie
Team," Rachel, Samantha, Candice, Linley, Lacey, Laura
Beth, and Elizabeth model various Beretta sportswear. In
photo 4, Samantha, attired in a Beretta short-sleeve
shirt, enters the driver's seat of the Land Rover. In
photo 5 and 6, Rachel and Carson wear Beretta sportswear
while carrying their Beretta shotguns.
On page 2, Carson is photographed from a side view as he
aims his Beretta shotgun.
Page 46 features the fashions for the ladies in pink.
Linley, Lacey, and Elizabeth are featured wearing the
Beretta wear in two photos - one showing the front and a
shoulder-up view from the back revealing the Beretta
insignia.
In coming months, the group will be featured in National
Geographic magazine. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
