GOVERNMENT/POLITICS A4 | OUR COLUMNISTS A6-7 | KIDS A9 | HEALTH & LIFESTYLES SECTION B | BUSINESS SECTION C
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VOL. 5, NO. 28
JULY 11, 2011
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Golf cart allows adaptive play Debuts today at Concord Park By Natalie Lester
Celebrating seniors
See the My Life Special Section
When Billy Sunday came to town See Dr. Tumblin’s story on page A-6
FEATURED COLUMNIST LARRY VAN GUILDER
News flash Burchett ain’t Ragsdale See page A-4
After spending 11 years away from the game, Ron Dillon is finally able to dust off his golf clubs and get back to the greens. Dillon had a stroke 15 years ago and now suffers from paralysis on his left side. “When I first had my stroke, the doctor told me I would never walk, drive a car or play golf again,” he said. Yet today at 10 a.m., Dillon will officially return to the game Tony Valentine he loves with the official release of the SoloRider 3400 golf cart at the Concord Park par-3 golf course. The cart positions paraplegics over the ball so they can drive it down the fairway or sink a putt. It has a patented swivel seat with an electric stand-up mechanism, which allows the golfer to swing out and up over the ball to a hitting position. The steering, acceleration and braking of the vehicle are controlled by hand, so no leg movement is necessary to drive. “The cart is excellent, because you are strapped into the seat and can stand up over the ball,” Dillon said. “I can hit it just like a normal person would.” According to the Adaptive Golf Foundation, almost anyone can swing a golf club, regardless of their level of disability, and golf improves strength, balance, sensation and coordination. The cart was a joint purchase of the Knox County Parks and Recreation Department and the Patricia Neal Rehabilitation Center. Dillon had spent some time on the cart during a few training sessions for course workers and Patricia Neal therapists. He said the par-3 course was a perfect home for it because of the size of the course.
Ron Dillon, who suffers from left side paralysis, aims to sink a putt at the Concord Park par-3 golf course. Dillon is using the SoloRider 3400 adaptive golf cart, which was a joint purchase by Knox County Parks and Recreation and the Patricia Neal Rehabilitation Center. Photo by N. Lester “I can’t hit it as far as I used to,” said Dillon, who now swings with one hand. “I might reach 200 yards at most, so the par 3 works great. Par 4s and 5s would be hard because of the distance.” Concord Park golf manager Tony Valentine is looking forward to the new golfers the cart will bring to the Farragut course. Valentine has been golfing for nearly 50 years, but he said the cart brought a new perspective even to his game. “When I first started training, I hadn’t thought about what life would be like in these conditions,” he said. “Now I have tried to swing a golf
club one-handed and putt standing on one foot. It makes me that much more thankful for my circumstances and abilities.” The cart will be used on a reservation-only basis for individuals who are at least 13 years old and 60 inches tall. Players who are over 16 may use the cart alone. It will cost $10 for golfers over 18 and $12 for those who are under 18. “Golf is perfect for people of all ages,” Valentine said. “And now, at Concord Park, it is a game for people with all different physical abilities.”
Homeowners oppose tall sign at Sherrill Hill
High sign seeks sign off By Betty Bean
ONLINE
The Council of West Knox County Homeowners voted unanimously last week to urge City Council to turn down a request for a 50-foot sign at the entrance of the Sherrill Hill development at the corner of Moss Grove Boulevard and Kingston Pike. On Friday, attorney Arthur Seymour Jr. said the Atlanta-based property owners are “re-evaluating” their request. “There are plenty of 50-foot signs around,” said Seymour. “We are not asking
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for a variance of any sort. Our request is within the city code.” The Metropolitan Planning Commission has already approved the towering sign, which is to be located on property that was annexed into the city, but is surrounded by neighborhoods that are outside the city limits. The neighborhood’s appeal will go to City Council on July 26, and CWKCH To page A-3
The size of the proposed sign at Sherrill Hill compared to other signage in west Knoxville.
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School board OK’s school design we can move forward with a bid,” said KSC facilities manager Doug Dillingham. The school board has budgeted $17.1 million for construction and the new school is expected to open in August 2013. By Sandra Clark Board member Lynne Fugate The Knox County school board has approved architect Lanny thanked Cope and the neighbors Cope’s design for a new elementary for working out “the best possible school at Northshore Town Cen- outcome.” And Superintendent Jim ter near Pellissippi Parkway. “Now McIntyre said, “We didn’t want to
Rework satisfies neighborhood concerns
compromise safety for children or drive up costs. We have accomplished this.” The compromise essentially flipped the school on the site, putting the front door on the back side, away from Thunderhead Road. As the accompanying site plan shows, most of the paved parking is away from the neighborhood. Cope said the car queue will hold 60 vehicles with al-
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most 100 parking spaces designed on the driveway for evening events. The masonry will be in two colors to match the color scheme of the commercial building on Thunderhead Road at Northshore Drive. The school will use geothermal heating.
SEE SITE PLAN ON PAGE A-3.
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