VOL. 8 NO. 7 NEIGHBORHOOD BUZZ
Westland Cove opponents appeal to BZA Opponents of Westland Cove will be back at the county’s Board of Zoning and Appeals at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 26, at the City County Building to pick up where they left off after a four-hour debate in January. That vote was delayed because two BZA members were absent. John Huber and his attorney, John King, are proponents of the project, which flew through the Metropolitan Planning Commission 13-2 and squeaked by County Commission 6-5. Huber wants to build up to 312 apartments and a marina with 75 boat slips and dry storage for another 131 boats on the flatland of the 70-acre Melgaard farm. Wayne Kline, representing several clients, and landowners Michael and Sherry Whitaker are appealing MPC’s approval of Huber’s use-on-review plan, which credited him with higher density in exchange for not disturbing land on the steeper slopes. The property is at 909 Emory Church Road near the interchange of Pellissippi Parkway and Westland Drive.
New Play Festival schedule The Tennessee Stage Company will present the world premiere of “Tic Toc” by Gayle Greene at Theatre Knoxville Downtown, 319 N. Gay St. Shows are at 8 p.m. March 7, 8, 13, 14, 15, 20, 21 and 22 and 3 p.m. March 9, 16 and 23. Tickets are $15 ($12 for students and seniors). There is no admission charge for other festival events. Staged readings will take place at Theatre Knoxville Downtown. “I Am the Way” by Scott Strahan will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 15. “Birds on the Bat” by Craig Smith will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 22. The remaining table readings are: ■ “Let Them Eat Cupcakes” by Leslie Agron at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 18, at Farragut Branch Library and 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 23, at Lawson McGhee Library. ■ “Found Objects” by Marilyn Barner Anselmi at 10:15 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 22, at Lawson McGhee and 11 a.m. Saturday, March 1, at Bearden Branch Library. ■ “A Cocaine Comedy” by Harrison Young at 1:15 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 23, at Lawson McGhee and 2 p.m. Saturday, March 1, at Bearden Branch. – Betsy Pickle
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They who traveled far … By Sherri Gardner Howell Friends and family agree: Limon Bacon Jr. never sat still. More than just an “out and about” guy, however, those who knew the long-time Farragut resident say he put his boundless energy to work for projects important to the community. Bacon, who died in June at age 83, will be honored with a special presentation during “Reflections on Community Contributions,” this year’s Black History Month celebration, sponsored by the Farragut Folklife Museum. The program and reception, which will also include a presentation by Beck Cultural Exchange Center Executive Director Robert Booker, will begin at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 23, at Farragut Town Hall. Bacon’s roots ran deep in Farragut, says JoAnn Bacon, the only child of Limon and Pauline Bacon. “The old Bacon home place off Loop Road is still there,” says JoAnn, who lives in Atlanta. “We just recently put it on the market. My mother, Pauline, still lives in the community, not too far from the home place.” Limon Bacon’s father, Limon Sr., raised hogs in the community and was best known as a school bus driver. “My grandfather owned his own school bus and was the first African American in the community to drive the school route, maybe the first in Knox County,” says JoAnn. “He and my father were like two peas in a pod, very close.” Limon Jr. was an electrician by
profession, working for years and spearheaded the upkeep at Pleasretiring from Robertshaw Controls ant Forest. The historic cemetery when he was in his early has two sides, with the 70s. “He didn’t wait black section being until he retired to east of Concord be involved in the Road. Moulden c o m m u n i t y,” and Bacon says JoAnn. would hold “It was somefundraisers thing he did to collect all his life. money to He was alhelp with ways out the mowthere, aling and ways enmainte gaged.” nance, G ets a y s ting a JoAnn. l i o n’s First share of Choice his attenC om mu tion were nity Credthe needs at it Union, his church, a not-forConcord AME profit coopZion; Pleasant erative, began Forest Cemetery in 1934 as Fuland the First ton Employees The late Limon Bacon Jr. will Choice ComCredit Union. be honored during the Black munity Credit Limon served History Month celebration at Union. as a director Farragut town hall on Feb. 23. Photo submitted “He was so and vice presifond of the little dent for years. church and was JoAnn Bavery active in keeping it in good con, who has a bachelor of nursshape, making sure things were ing and a master’s of public health ready for services and joining in to from the University of Tennesdo maintenance on the church and see, grew up off Loop Road and property,” says JoAnn. “The cem- remembers when she left her etery, too, on Concord Road was a all-black school and entered Farragut as a sixth grader. “I graduspecial project for him.” Joining with his life-long friend ated from the ‘old’ Farragut High Hughie Moulden, who lived in the School in 1972,” says JoAnn. “I Blue Grass community, Limon actually started my education in
a one-room school house in Farragut, located where the Methodist church is now. In 1965, I went to Farragut with school integration.” Although African American students were few and far between in her classes, JoAnn says she doesn’t remember any problems, due in large part, she says, to her parent’s attitude. “We knew just about every African American in our community, which wasn’t a lot of people,” says JoAnn. “There were maybe half-a-dozen who graduated with me from Farragut in 1972. “But my father’s outgoing personality and his interaction in the community was across the color lines. He never met a stranger, interacted with everyone and treated everybody the same. I remember his friendships with the men in the Presbyterian church in the community. They would regularly have meals together and work on projects together. “My father was a kind, gentle and loving person, and I am honored that he is being recognized and that we can be there for this event.” The reception for “Reflections on Community Contributions” begins at 2 p.m. on Sunday, with the presentations to follow at 3. Booker will discuss the life of the late Carl Cowan and his influence on the Knoxville community in his keynote address. Patricia Dulaney will provide piano music, and refreshments will be served. The event is free. Info: Julia Barham, museum coordinator, at 966-7057 or julia. barham@townoffarragut.org
On stage Parkhill follows ‘accidental’ path from history to Shakespeare, N ew Play FFestival New By Betsy Pickle Growing up in South Knoxville near what was then the Ijams family home, Tom Parkhill carved out his own trails in the not-so-urban wilderness. As an adult, he has carved out a career in the jungle of the acting business – theater, for the most part, but with forays into film. He is legendary in certain circles for appearing in 1986’s “King Kong Lives,” director John Guillermin’s sequel to his more successful 1976 “King Kong” remake. “I was in the movie from the first day of shooting till the last day of shooting,” says Parkhill, who is credited as “Radioman.” “I didn’t do that much in it, but I was there.” What isn’t as widely known is that while he was shooting in Wilmington, N.C., his hotel neighbor was Ozzy Osbourne, who was in town filming a role in the horror film “Trick or Treat.” “His suite faced the beach,” says Parkhill. “My small room around the corner faced the parking lot. But we were right there, me and Ozzy.” He says the rock musicianturned-reality star was very neighborly. “There was a party in his suite
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every night. He graciously invited me over a lot. I behaved very modestly and went to bed early.” That’s the official story. But Parkhill clearly survived, and though he continued to travel for jobs in theater and film, he eventually settled down in Knoxville and became the founding artistic director of the Tennessee Stage Company. TSC is beloved for putting on Shakespeare on the Square each summer on Market Square. But its winter tradition is the New Play Festival. Gayle Greene’s “Tic Toc” is this year’s featured production and will have its world premiere with a March 7-23 run at Theatre Knoxville Downtown. Table readings of other new plays will take place at various Knox County libraries Feb. 18-March 1, and staged readings will be held March 15 and 22 at Theatre Knoxville Downtown. TSC’s first production in November 1989 was “The Foreigner,” the award-winning 1984 play by Larry Shue. Its second production in December 1989 was a world premiere of a new play. “Developing and producing To page A-3
Tom Parkhill visits his old stomping grounds – the area at Ijams Nature Center near where he played as a youth and where the Tennessee Stage Comte pany p pa an often used to perform a version of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” for cchildren. hi Photo by Betsy Pickle
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