Family Justice Center to focus on domestic violence awareness

This October, the Knoxville Family Justice Center (KFJC) will lead the community in recognizing Domestic Violence Awareness Month 2025 through a powerful lineup of events, outreach initiatives and a renewed focus on survivor-centered care.

The community is invited to participate. Three events are:

  • Friday, October 17, 8:30-10 a.m. – United in Faith Breakfast at Ball Camp Baptist Church, 2412 Ball Camp Byington Road in the Karns area. The KFJC is welcoming local faith leaders committed to supporting survivors within their congregations and learning how spiritual communities can be powerful allies in healing and prevention.
  • Friday, October 17, 10 a.m.- 2p.m. – Domestic Violence Awareness Conference at Ball Camp Baptist Church, 2412 Ball Camp Byington Road. An educational event featuring speakers and expert-led discussions on best practices in advocacy, prevention, and systemic response to domestic violence. Program here: KFJC 2025 DV Conference Flyer
  • Saturday, October 25, noon-2 p.m. – Trunk or Treat: Awareness Through Engagement at Knoxville Family Justice Center, 400 Harriet Tubman Street in East Knoxville. A festive, family-friendly event combining Halloween fun with a serious purpose – to raise awareness about domestic violence and connect families with local resources. Costumes encouraged!

The October 17 Domestic Violence Awareness Mini-Conference is the latest milestone in a multi-year collaboration between KFJC, UTK, and community partners, which began with a thorough needs assessment to better understand the training and service gaps within Knoxville.

This collaborative research effort shaped both the content and structure of the conference, ensuring that the topics presented reflect real-world needs identified by survivors, service providers and advocates alike.

“These events reflect our deep commitment to making sure every survivor knows they are not alone,” said Michelle Clayton, executive director of KFJC. “We’re inviting the community to learn, connect and take meaningful action.”

Sam Kimbro, director of community relations, Knoxville Family Justice Center, provided content and quotes.

And five ‘Taylors’ later …

Joyce Vance, TV legal analyst and visiting lecturer at the University of Alabama School of Law, spent the afternoon of Sunday, October 5, 2025, signing 2,300 copies of her book, Giving Up Is Unforgivable: A Manual For Keeping A Democracy. It’s due out October 21, but her local independent bookstore took preorders.

How long does it take to sign 2,300 books? Five Taylors, Vance said. That’s five listen throughs of Taylor Swift’s new album, The Life of a Showgirl.

 

In Memoriam: Attorney studied rocket science, law

Roy Aaron

Roy Lewis Aaron, 78, passed away on October 6, 2025, at his home. Mr. Aaron hailed from Kingsport, Tennessee, graduating from Dobyns-Bennett High School in 1965. He earned an aerospace engineering degree from the University of Tennessee in 1969, and graduated from the University of Tennessee College of Law in 1972.

Licensed to practice in both Florida and Tennessee, Mr. Aaron joined the Hodges, Doughty and Carson law firm in 1976 with a focus on estate planning and tax law, becoming a partner in 1980. He retired in 2017 but continued in an “of counsel” capacity with the firm.

He was a Fellow of the Tennessee Bar Foundation and the Knoxville Bar Foundation; a member of the Dean’s Circle for the University of Tennessee College of Law. He also held a leadership position with the Knoxville Stars Baseball Association and served on the advisory boards of Child and Family Services for 10 years and of the Clarence Brown Theatre for 6 years.

Roy is survived by his wife of 56 years, Paulette Abee Aaron, and their children and other relatives. A full obituary is here. Memorial service will be held on Saturday, November 8, 2025, 2 p.m. at Cedar Springs Presbyterian Church. Receiving of friends will follow in the Welcome Hall.

In Memoriam: Retired THP captain has died

Gene McNalley

Clifton “Gene” McNalley Sr. passed away on September 29, 2025, at age 91. He retired from the Tennessee Highway Patrol in 1990, having served as captain of the Knoxville Division.

As a trooper, Capt. McNalley worked to strengthen drunk driving laws and child safety seat regulations, resulting in Tennessee being the first state in the United States to make child safety seat usage mandatory.

He was proud to have been a founder of the town of Farragut. In his retirement Gene developed two of his most fervent pastimes – learning to use a PC to “surf the web” in order to stay up to date on current events, and for a time, doing his best to grow perfect grass (the non-smokeable variety).

Interment will be at East Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery, Gov John Sevier Hwy, Knoxville, on Monday, October 20, 2025, at 2 p.m. There will be a receiving of friends and family afterwards, from 5-7 p.m. at Click’s Funeral Home in Farragut. The full obituary is here.

Blotter

Sheriff Spangler asks: Are you missing any mail? Sheriff’s deputies discovered two lunchboxes, each containing check-related mail, on Sunday, October 5, 2025, in an afternoon traffic stop on Clinton Highway. Detectives have now identified multiple victims connected to the recovered mail, with the total reaching $972,051.63.

Anyone who believes they may be a victim or who has information related to this case is urged to contact the KCSO Property Crimes Detectives at 865-215-2243 or submit a tip to crimetips@knoxsheriff.org – tipsters can remain anonymous!

Notes & Quotes

Michael A. Scaperlanda, law professor, author and Chancellor at Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, will speak to the Federalist Society at noon Thursday, October 16, 2025, at the LMU Duncan School of Law, Room 201.

Pro Bono Month is October and Legal Aid of East Tennessee (LAET) has special programs planned, per Chris Berryman, director of development. Events across a 16-county area here.

Quote: The blow the Second World War dealt to humane ideals and values was so great that when it ended world leaders and their peoples were ready to declare: ‘This shall never happen again.’ In the new start that was made then, a fundamental legal structure was decided upon on the basis of ‘responsibility before God.’ It stated the connection of law and politics with the great imperatives of biblical facts. – Michael A. Scaperlanda, forward to Recovering Self-Evident Truths: Catholic Perspectives on American Law, 2007.

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