Bearden Shopper-News 123013

Page 1

VOL. 7 NO. 52

IN THIS ISSUE

Fitness

www.ShopperNewsNow.com |

Preserving

Special Section

December 30, 2013

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Foust’s Talahi

Get fit for the new year

See special section inside

The gift that keeps giving back Sometimes, the best gifts are those that we need rather than want. Last summer, my family received one such gift in the form of a cat. My 11-year-old immediately christened the stray orange tabby “Ginger,” which was fine until the vet announced that Ginger was a neutered male. His name was henceforth “Bubba” – a manly name for a not-so-manly cat.

Read Wendy Smith on A-3

Homeownership is about people The camera finds Bob Temple, probably because he’s having so much fun. It’s 10:30 a.m. and he’s chowing down a full plate of ham, potatoes and peas. “Breakfast or lunch, Bob?” “Brunch,” he smiles. Temple is an unsung hero of Habitat for Humanity’s local work.

Read Sandra Clark on page 5

Butch Jones’ first year

An early shot of Talahi Park captures the vision of developer Robert Foust, who bought 100 acres adjacent to Sequoyah Hills for a development called Talahi in 1926.

By Wendy Smith It has been 87 years since Robert Foust purchased 100 acres at the bottom of Cherokee Boulevard. He had a grand vision for a subdivision for the well-to-do called Talahi, and at the heart of the development was a distinctive communal area – Talahi Park. Foust’s attention to detail is evident from the text of a multi-page brochure that advertised the new subdivision: “Nothing has been done ruthlessly, not a tree has been disturbed nor a branch cut without forethought for the finished picture.” Aside from some haphazard landscaping, the park has had no upkeep since 1926. But the Se-

Landscape architect Stephen Hackney, Sequoyah Hills Preservation Society board member Joyce Feld, Kingston Pike Neighborhood Association board member Lisa Walsh and Sequoyah Hills Preservation Society president Melinda Ethier are working to restore Talahi Park. Photo by Wendy Smith quoyah Hills Preservation Society and the Kingston Pike Neighborhood Association have joined forces to restore Foust’s dream. The effort has received tremendous support from the neighborhood, says Melinda Ethier, president of the preservation society. Approximately $114,000 of the $150,000 goal for the first phase

has been raised. Talahi Park stretches from the Sunhouse Fountain on Cherokee Boulevard to Panther Fountain at the center of the Talahi Drive roundabout. A fenced area between the two fountains is called Papoose Park. Foust imagined a specific use for the space: “Here has been planned a play-

Building a dream, one Lego at a time By Betsy Pickle

The best thing Butch Jones did during his first year at Tennessee was win friends and influence people. That combination provided a comfortable security blanket against the shrapnel of a disappointing season that looked worse than the record. Nobody that matters blamed Butch.

Read Marvin West on page 5

Righting the record Victor Ashe’s histrionic column about Fort Sanders (published in Dec. 23 ShopperNews) requires some clarification. The current discussions about the property owned by Covenant Health on Highland Avenue and 18th Street have not been conducted in some kind of secret black box.

Read Jesse Mayshark on page 4

10512 Lexington Dr., Ste. 500 37932 (865) 218-WEST (9378) NEWS news@ShopperNewsNow.com Sherri Gardner Howell Wendy Smith | Anne Hart ADVERTISING SALES ads@ShopperNewsNow.com Shannon Carey Jim Brannon | Tony Cranmore Brandi Davis | Patty Fecco

ground for the younger children – Papoose Park – so designated. Here a wading pool awaits them, a brooklet for their sail boats, a sandpile with its myriad fascinations, handsome little shelter houses. Happy play days in the open, safety from hurrying traffic.” Today, the park is the site of a To page A-3

Chris Howard with Bricks 4 Kidz shows some of the Lego Mosaics he designed and built. Photo submitted

Chris Howard is building his way toward his dream job, one Lego brick at a time. “I have always been a Lego lover,” says Howard, 37. “I’ve always been passionate about playing and building. “I never got rid of my Legos from when I was a kid, and I always kept building stuff. I had done some Lego artwork on the side – portraits and small sculptures – and I was interested in doing that fulltime, but I didn’t really have the cash in the bank to quit my day job and do

the Lego art.” He tried to come up with a way to teach Lego projects in afterschool programs and camps. “As I was developing my business plan, I found Bricks 4 Kidz,” he says. “They had basically already invented this wheel that I was thinking about inventing. It was a no-brainer to buy into the program and open a franchise.” Bricks 4 Kidz (Bricks4kidz.com/Knoxville) is playtime with an educational component. It offers afterschool programs, To page A-3

State parks set ‘first hikes’ of 2014 Tennessee State Parks will sponsor free, guided hikes on New Year’s Day. Norris Dam: Meet at the Andrew Ridge Trailhead off the West Campground Road at 12:01 a.m. on Jan. 1 for a 1.8 mile hike. Be sure to bring a headlamp or flashlight with extra batteries. Dress for the weather with layers of warm clothing. Info: 865-426-7462. Big Ridge: Let’s work off those holiday meals with a nature hike along the Chestnut Ridge Trail. Everyone is invited to meet Ranger Wilson at the CCC stone building at 2 p.m. for this approximately two-

mile hike. Wear sturdy footwear and dress for the weather. Info: 865-992-5523. Fort Loudoun: No reservation required, just meet at the park visitor center at 10 a.m. for a wintertime hike on the Ridge Top Trail. Be sure to wear warm clothes and sturdy shoes for this 1.5 mile moderately strenuous hike. Info: 423-884-6217. Cove Lake: Kick off the New Year with a 5k fitness walk. Meet at 10 a.m. at the recreation building trail head and walk the entire 3.1 paved trail. We will see a variety of waterfowl species and

Happy New Year!

other unique aspects of the park. Be prepared for the cold weather. Following the hike we return to the recreation building where we can enjoy some hot chocolate and coffee. Info: 423-566-9701. Burgess Falls: Kick the New Year off right with a hike to the Jewel of the Eastern Highland Rim – Burgess Falls. Ranger Miller will lead hikers on a 2-mile trek above the gorge as the Falling Water River plunges 300 feet over four waterfalls, through Hemlock and Beech Forest before its confluence with the Caney Fork. This guided hike will cover

the history of the park, common flora and fauna of the area and ongoing conservation projects. January days are typically brisk and blustery in this area, so check the forecast beforehand and come prepared for the weather. The 2014 First Hikes are designed for all ages and abilities. Some hikes will be approximately one mile in length and tailored for novice hikers, while others are lengthier and geared toward more experienced hikers. Details are on the website http://tnstateparks. com/about/special-events/1sthikes.

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