GOVERNMENT/POLITICS A4 | OUR COLUMNISTS A6-7 | YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS A9-10 | HEALTH & LIFESTYLES SECTION B | BUSINESS SECTION C
A great community newspaper.
bearden
VOL. 5, NO. 21
MAY 23, 2011
INSIDE www.ShopperNewsNow.com
|
www.facebook.com/ShopperNewsNow
|
twitter.com/shoppernewsnow
A message for UT: Newer doesn’t mean better By Wendy Smith
‘Above the bar’ West Valley Middle School’s production of ‘Annie, Jr.’ a huge success See story on page A-10
FEATURED COLUMNIST LARRY VAN GUILDER
Knox Heritage continues to call its annual list of endangered places the Fragile Fifteen because of a love for alliteration, says Executive Director Kim Trent. But the title barely applies to this year’s list, which includes 31 structures and two scenic areas. The preservation group took direct aim at the University of Tennessee this year for its current Master Plan, which calls for the destruction of eight buildings, including six for a new University Center. The historic character of three other buildings is also endangered by the plan. Old buildings, it seems, no longer fit the needs of the student body.
Sexual assault center has new home Therapist Amy Yerka shows how puppets can play a role in children’s therapy at the recent open house of the new headquarters of the Sexual Assault Center of East Tennessee.
By Wendy Smith
It’s a numbers game … See Larry’s column on page A-4
Bulldogs howl about school A new video promotes the academic depth, social diversity and basic fun of attending Bearden High School. Best of all, it was produced totally by students. See story on page A-9
ONLINE
The Sexual Assault Center of East Tennessee, formerly known as Safe Haven, celebrated its new location with an open house on May 12. It was an opportunity for the community to recognize and appreciate how fortunate it is to have had such services for 38 years. Knoxville was the second city in the U.S. to have a rape crisis center. The idea came from a UT student, Ali Laird, who learned about the nation’s first center, in Washington, D.C., while participating in an internship there. Laird enlisted the help of UT faculty to establish a local crisis center in 1973. Charles Reynolds, retired head of UT’s religious studies department, was one of the original founders. He remembers when the center was a phone with an answering machine in the basement of First Presbyterian Church. Someone
DO YOU
Photos by Justin Acuff
would stop by each day to check messages, he says. “There’s no comparison between the services offered then and now.” The new name is meant to reflect that the center serves an entire region. The new office, which is behind Krispy Kreme Doughnuts at 6215 Kingston Pike, Suite A, is ideal because it’s a central location on the bus line, says SACET Executive Director Belinda Jones. The center strives to serve anyone in a 15-county area, regardless
TELL US!
By Larry Van Guilder
The Shopper-News is now on Facebook!
It’s no secret that Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett’s proposed budget, notable for its austerity, has not been met with universal acclaim. That was dramatically illustrated when dozens of black and white resi-
Check us out for updates, photos and more! www.facebook.com/ ShopperNewsNow
Analysis 10512 Lexington Dr., Ste. 500 37932 (865) 218-WEST (9378) news@ShopperNewsNow.com ads@ShopperNewsNow.com EDITOR Larry Van Guilder lvgknox@mindspring.com ADVERTISING SALES Paige Davis davisp@ShopperNewsNow.com Darlene Hacker hackerd@ShopperNewsNow.com Debbie Moss mossd@ShopperNewsNow.com Shopper-News is a member of KNS Media Group, published weekly at 10512 Lexington Drive, Suite 500, Knoxville, TN, and distributed to 24,267 homes in Bearden.
dents turned out at last week’s County Commission workshop to oppose a 92 percent reduction in county funding for the Beck Cultural Center. A more surprising reaction to the budget came two days later at a community meeting called by 2nd District Commissioner Amy Broyles and 1st District Commissioner Sam McKenzie. Nearly all who attended were Knox County Sheriff’s Office employees or spouses of employees. Some characterized the mayor’s lean budget as a response to a “manufactured crisis,” and none opposed the idea of a property tax increase. Broyles intends to propose a 3 percent across-the-board pay increase
Keep Your Memories em SAFE! Preserve those old Pr reels, slides & vhs tapes today!
$
10
of whether or not they have a vehicle. SACET offers four primary services to victims of sexual assault: advocacy, therapy, education and prevention, and forensic exams that can be conducted at all area hospitals or at the center. The crisis hotline, 5227273, still exists, but it’s now monitored around the clock. There are currently 21 staff members. The center has grown to address a growing problem. The statistics are stagger-
The Sexual Assault Center of East Tennessee, which was founded in 1973, moved to 6215 Kingston Pike in February. ing: one in 10 women will be raped by an intimate partner in her lifetime; one in three girls and one in seven boys will be victims of sexual assault by age 18. SACET served 1,781 victims of both genders last year. Safety education is the key to prevention of sexual abuse, and the center provides age appropriate school programs for all grades. For older kids, that includes training on Internet safely. Children need to be able to differentiate between trusted and nontrusted adults, and recognize that
when they use social media, they don’t know with whom they are interacting, says Jones. She’d like to see the community continue to gain awareness and recognize that sexual abuse is a real issue. She also wants to assure victims that if they call or visit the center, they will be treated in a safe and secure manner and will have an advocate who will walk them through the healing process. “We’re always here, and there’s always help.”
Tax talk highlights culture clash
LIKE?
Bring your VHS, slides, film and more into the digital age.
the dealership owner would probably say that a modern showroom better showcases its vehicles. I’d prefer that both concentrate on providing a high-quality product at the lowest possible price, particularly during tough financial times. Newer isn’t necessarily better, especially on college campuses, where worldviews are formed and lifelong memories are made. Shouldn’t students learn to appreciate the past as they envision the future? Isn’t there value in graduates being able to show their grandAconda Court, 1534 West Cumberland Ave., is one of six historic buildings slatchildren beloved spots on campus? ed for demolition to make room for a new University Center. Twelve structures The UT Board of Trustees will be owned by UT are on the Knox Heritage Fragile 15 list this year. Photo submitted asked to approve the master plan in UT tearing down its 50-year-old showroom to build a bigger, flashi- June. I hope they will make a decistudent center is like an automo- er one. UT says it needs a physical sion that places a higher value on bile dealership that tears down its upgrade to be a top-25 university; heritage than flash.
OFF $50 PURCHASE
Audio & Video Conversion
$
25
OFF $100 PURCHASE
Expires 5/31/11 SN052311
686-5756
www.DigitizeItNow.com 12752 Kingston Pike, Renaissance Farragut, Ste 103, Bldg E
and their audience last Wednesday. Reflecting on the dozen years that have passed since the last property tax increase, KCSO employee Jeremy McCord said, “At some point taxes are goMcCord ing to have to go up. … We’re not a parish in Louisiana which has no money. This old Ross Perot theory of no new taxes (doesn’t work.)” McKenzie agreed. “We’re going to have to start talking about our revenue,” he said. Broyles’ assessment of the proposed budget cut to the heart of what Commissioner Sam McKenzie is shaping up as a cultural clash befor county employees in the current fore the budget comes to a vote on budget with a property tax increase June 13: “Our administration is tryto follow for FY 2013. If a tax increase ing to sell a financial crisis that isn’t translates to a pay raise, that’s reason there.” enough for KCSO employees and othBurchett strongly disagrees. er county workers to support it. Months ago the administration began But more than purely selfish mo- spreading the word that the county tives were evident as the discussion was facing a $3 million shortfall. To passed between the commissioners meet the challenge, unfilled positions
d Nominate one of ’s N “East T Best”!
Wear Else!
New & Re-Sale Clothing
Receive
50% Off Any One Clothing Item Mon - Thurs 10-6 Fri - Sat 10-7 • Sun 10-4
Purses, jewelry & formals excluded. Expires May 29, 2011. One coupon per customer, per visit with $25 min. purchase.
Now Re-Opened! Beautiful new store!
691-8494
7509 Northshore Drive • Rocky Hill Shopping Center
will remain vacant, a few employees will be terminated, and the mayor has proposed sizeable cuts in community grants and contracted services. None of these moves should surprise. Burchett’s campaign stressed his belief in small government – the smaller the better. At the same time, contracting with the Hope Resource Center, which provides counseling for unplanned pregnancies and opposes abortion, is consistent with the conservative principles of the mayor and his base. Pushing through any substantive changes to the proposed budget will be a challenge. Broyles and McKenzie may gain a couple of allies before June 13, but if the vote divides along city/ county lines, which seems as likely as any other outcome, they can’t count enough noses. The mayor’s constituency lies outside the inner city districts, and Burchett’s years in Nashville taught him how to assess the prevailing political winds. McKenzie summed up and framed the question for those who oppose this budget: “Does the mayor have six votes already?”