Farragut Shopper-News 022513

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A great community newspaper

VOL. 7 NO. 8

IN THIS ISSUE

February 25, 2013

Hopi handiwork

Outdoors Outdoor Living Special Section Find out where the wild things are and much more in this month’s “My Outdoors.”

See the special section inside

Coffee Break

Arleen Higginbotham loves all the things “to do” she finds in Farragut. As an administrative assistant with the town’s Parks and Leisure Services department, she also has a hand in keeping a fun calendar and the special events rolling for residents. Meet Arleen this week in Coffee Break.

See story on page A-2

Messing with Lakeshore Park Hard to imagine why state Rep. Steve Hall who represents the neighborhoods surrounding Lakeshore Park off Lyons View Pike (such as Westmoreland, Riverbend and Rocky Hill) would sponsor a Stacey Campfield bill to sell the property owned by the state adjacent to the park to the highest bidder and thereby prevent this property from being added to the existing city park. It seems sure to alienate many of his constituents, writes park proponent Victor Ashe.

See Victor’s column on A-4

Meet Tom Dillard Tom Dillard flashes a slightly embarrassed grin upon hearing that a lot of his peers consider him the gold standard by which other lawyers are measured. “I hope that doesn’t mean that gold is losing its value,” he said. “At a certain age, if you don’t get disbarred or prosecuted, people do give you some respect. But I sure appreciate that, and I’ve been very fortunate.” Betty Bean profiles local lawyer Tom Dillard in this month’s LawDogs.

See story on page A-5

10512 Lexington Dr., Ste. 500 37932 (865) 218-WEST (9378) NEWS news@ShopperNewsNow.com Sherri Gardner Howell Suzanne Foree Neal ADVERTISING SALES ads@ShopperNewsNow.com Shannon Carey | Patty Fecco Jim Brannon | Tony Cranmore Shopper-News is a member of KNS Media Group, published weekly and distributed to 29,974 homes in Farragut, Karns and Hardin Valley.

Hopi flat baskets are used mostly for ceremonies then tossed into the audience. They’re also given as trophies.

Jim Dodd has a collection of Southwest contemporary Native American art and is sharing a small portion of his collection for an exhibit at Farragut Town Hall through the end of February. He holds a carved wooden kachina, which is a ceremonial doll. At right is a small Navajo rug, Hopi pottery vase and flat ceremonial basket. Photos by Suzanne Foree Neal

Dodd’s collection has grown from one rug to hundreds By Suzanne Foree Neal It started innocently enough, with a trip to a museum during a visit to Arizona. Twenty years later, Farragut Rotarian Jim Dodd has more Southwest contemporary Native American art than he has space to display it. His collection now numbers more than 200 pieces. His first purchase was a small Navajo rug. “I just got interested,” he says with a smile. “The little rugs are usually made by girls learning to weave.” Now he mostly collects pottery and baskets and favors work by the Hopi Indian tribe. “They are the most prolific in the Native American world. It’s important to buy things from Native American artists while they’re still alive and practicing their art.” Dodd says there are only about five Native American women still

making baskets styled like the baskets of old. “Baskets have been replaced by Tupperware containers,” he says with a laugh. “Mostly what they make are in the flat style for ceremonial use.” Most of the Native American artisans are women, but a few men have recently become known for their pottery. In some cases, the craft has been handed down through the family, which gives Dodd a focal point for his collection. Dodd favors Hopi pieces made by one family and can name every artist in the family – from the late patriarch to the children and in-laws. He searches out pieces made by this family. “Any art you buy, the key is you must like it. If you’re buying it to make money, you’re buying it for the wrong reason,” he says. Recently, he’s done most of his buying through eBay or auction houses in Phoenix and Santa Fe. He’s looking forward to a trip to Dallas to buy in person and hopes to find some pieces by his favorite

Everett project: Developers urged to meet with town over road improvements By Suzanne Foree Neal Farragut Municipal Planning Commission members have seen plans for residential development of a parcel on Everett Road come and go, then come and go again. Farmstead Development LLC is hoping “third time’s the charm,” but in order to move ahead, they have to get over a very uncharming hurdle: Everett Road improvements. Farragut MPC board members say they are thrilled at the prospect of someone developing the property, but for now, the agreement with a previous developer for improvements to Everett Road remains attached to the site plans. Developers Daniel Burton and Matt Varney of Farmstead gave members a traffic study for the new development they have named Split Rail Farm, but planners and staff did not have time to review it before last Thursday’s meeting.

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The developers say their traffic impact of 290 trips a day doesn’t warrant any improvements to the road. FMPC members don’t appear to agree. While Varney and Burton have reduced the number of houses from 98 to 49, the board says something still has to be done about the narrow road, and they don’t want the town shouldering the entire cost of improvements. Commissioner Noah Myers, who is also a developer, urged Varney and Burton to sit down with the town staff and try to hammer out some sort of shared cost agreement. Varney and Burton want an agreement quickly, saying that every day they don’t break ground is costing them money. With rising oil prices pushing the cost of asphalt up, Varney said the price tag to do those improvements could go up by as much as $250,000.

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Matt Varney and Daniel Burton of Farmstead Development LLC wait to address the Farragut Municipal Planning Commission at last Thursday’s meeting. They are trying to get relief from improvements to Everett Road agreed to when the property was under development by a now bankrupt developer. Photo by Suzanne Foree Neal The item was on the MPC agenda for Thursday, but town administrators asked for a postponement. “We’ve worked with developers in the past to get roads improved,”

Town Administrator David Smoak told the commission. “Obviously, the road is a concern for us. We want to see what we can do for all More on A-3

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artists. Popularity of Native American art changes Two examples of Native American pottery collected by with the times, Jim Dodd include a Hopi tall pot and a Jemez pot. he says. At one point, baskets will be selling for high prices, ner gets a really big basket, and the and pottery is a deal, then things baskets get progressively smaller change. While Dodd says jewelry for slower runners. Dodd says they is the most common type of Native may give out as many as 40 baskets American art, it doesn’t interest at one race. The baskets can also be used him as a collector. From time to time he changes almost like currency. Dodd says out pieces displayed in his home, when a couple marries, they will but the vast majority of his collec- ask someone to host their wedding. tion is stored. While the Southwest That person provides a cow, a sheep dominates the collection, he does and hog for the wedding feast withhave about a dozen Cherokee masks out any mention of money. “The and a few Cherokee baskets. “They bride and her family are to give the just don’t have the variety of items value in baskets to that person within three years.” that appeal to me,” he says. Because of this practice, men Hopi tribe members perform a lot of ceremonial dances, and, at the often end up with a lot of baskets, end of the dance, toss handmade and Dodd likes to deal with the men flat baskets into the audience. “The when buying. “You might get a better Hopi men love to race, and they get price from the men,” Dodd says with the flat baskets for prizes instead of a chuckle. “The women know how trophies,” Dodd explains. The win- much work goes into making one.”

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