VOL. 8 NO. 16
‘ROUND TOWN
➤ Make a splash The splash pad at McFee Park will open at 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 26. Regular splash-pad operating hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. The two picnic pavilions at McFee Park may be reserved up to a year in advance by calling Ashley Lanham at 2183375 or may be used on a first-come, first-serves basis if they have not been reserved. McFee Park is at 917 McFee Road.
➤ Hit the trails One of the newest volunteer opportunities available to Farragut citizens is the Trail Volunteer program, a partnership between Knox County, the city of Knoxville, the town of Farragut, Ijams Nature Center, Outdoor Knoxville and Visit Knoxville. Coordinated by Knox County Parks & Recreation, the Trail Volunteer program offers local trail and greenway users the opportunity to make the community park system a friendlier, cleaner, more inviting place to bike, run and play. For a few hours each month, trail volunteers will work on the town’s four main greenways (Grigsby Chapel, McFee, Parkside and Turkey Creek) to: • Greet all greenway users and act as goodwill ambassadors for our community. • Inform users about the park and greenway system, greenway directions, etiquette and rules. • Assist users who are lost, need bike repair, provide first aid (when trained) and assist local governments or land managers concerning maintenance and illegal activity. Complete program details and the application form are available at www.knoxcounty.org/parks. The program requires volunteers to be at least 18 years of age, to own a cell phone, to pass a national background check and to attend a training session. After training is complete, volunteers will receive a complimentary T-shirt and jacket to wear when serving. Info: Farragut Parks and Leisure Services Department at 966-7057.
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Wild about wildlife Rehabber takes care of critters until they can live on their own By Betsy Pickle What some view as pests, Tissi Smith sees as creatures who need her help. “My husband calls it a hobby. I call it a calling,” says Smith, who has been taking care of injured and orphaned animals and releasing them back into the wild for more than 30 years. Spring is typically Smith’s busy season. She’s had as many as 60 baby opossums to nurture at a time – that’s quite a chore when a 3 a.m. feeding comes around. “Usually what happens is, people will find (an opossum) dead in the road, and they’ll see babies running around because the babies will come out of the pouch or get knocked out of the pouch,” says Smith. When the good Samaritan starts looking for help with the babies, “that’s how they find me,” says Smith. “Or they take them to the (University of Tennessee) vet school, and the vet school will call me or one of the other rehabbers.” Smith, a member of the East Tennessee Wildlife Rehabilitation Council, has a permit to possess wild animals at her West Knoxville home. It is illegal to keep them – even for lifesaving purposes – without a license.
Sibling baby opossums – including a female missing most of her tail – require around-the-clock feedings.
Throughout the state, there are only 60 licensed wildlife rehabilitators, Smith says. To earn a permit entails “200 hours of tutelage under another licensed rehabber.” The only exceptions are rehabilitators who are licensed in another
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Tissi Smith holds easygoing Marco Polo, an opossum raised by humans and no longer suited for life in the wild. He is going to become an education animal. Photos by Betsy Pickle state and veterinarians. Smith recently got a phone call from someone in Obion County in West Tennessee who had rescued a baby squirrel, and she had to refer them to a rehabber in Kentucky because she was closer than any in
Tennessee. “That’s why people raise them themselves – because they can’t find anybody,” she says. “Sometimes, by the time somebody gets To page A-3
Volunteers worth a million By Sherri Gardner Howell held April 4 at Fox Den When you run on a steady stream of volunteer spirit, it’s always good to say “Thanks.” The town of Farragut said thank you with style, pomp and circumstance to the volunteers who work with town personnel all year as part of the Farragut’s Unsung Navy (FUN) Volunteer Program. The annual volunteerappreciation banquet was
Country Club. Keeping the Farragut Navy theme alive, “ranks” were once again given out to those who have served the town with hard work and longevity, and service awards were given to those coming up the ranks. Duties include docents, gift-shop hosts, auxiliary staff to various town To page A-3 Dee Henning was recognized for 20 years of service to the town. From left are Henning, Mayor Ralph McGill and aldermen Bob Markli, Jeff Elliott, Dot LaMarche and Ron Honken.
The legacy of Black Wednesday four countywide officeholders – all having been “invited to leave” by the court following their disregard of the charter amendment imposing a two-term limit, adopted by voters in 1994. Sheriff Tim Hutchison was replaced by his handpicked successor, Jimmy “J.J.” Jones, who in turn hired Hutchison until the new pension kicked in – a lifetime pension that started for Hutchison at age 54 at $80,000 per year and escalates annually. Register of Deeds Steve Hall This spring’s ballot is littered with names from Black Wednes- was replaced by his chief deputy, day. And that’s remarkable. Some Sherry Witt, who in turn hired participants were tainted to the Hall, who continues to be empoint of political destruction; oth- ployed in the office. Both Jones and Witt are runers skated with no apparent fallout. Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2007. ning for what amounts to a third That’s the day 19 Knox County term, and both are likely to win. County Clerk Mike Padgett commissioners met to select eight replacement commissioners and was replaced by sitting Commis-
By Sandra Clark
When we read in another paper about “Black Friday,” we knew it was time to revisit our county government’s worst day. Betty Bean writes about Black Wednesday in her column (page A-4), and two ex-commissioners (Phil Guthe and Mark Harmon) actually published books about it.
Analysis
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sioner Billy Tindell. Padgett is unopposed as the Democratic nominee to regain his old job this year. Trustee Mike Lowe was replaced by his chief deputy, Fred Sisk, who hired Lowe back. Sisk did not seek election when John Duncan announced for the job. Lowe is headed to court on criminal charges; Duncan resigned after paying bonuses people had not earned; and the commission appointed Craig Leuthold, a commissioner during Black Wednesday, to the job. He’s on this year’s ballot. Others with a Black Wednesday connection: Michele Carringer, who was appointed to replace Scott Moore after he was ousted, seeking election as a commissioner at-large. Mike Hammond, a commissioner on Black Wednesday, is a candidate for Criminal Court Clerk.
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Phil Ballard, also a BW commissioner, is the property assessor, up for re-election in 2016. Greg “Lumpy” Lambert, Larry Clark, Ivan Harmon and Mark Cawood are Black Wednesday commissioners who voted for Jones and now work for him. Other voting commissioners with ties to the sheriff were Paul Pinkston, whose wife worked in inmate medical services, and Scott Moore, whose wife went to work for the sheriff after Black Wednesday. Guthe writes about commissioners who: “… have no particular background, education or training for the position. … Only a fraction of eligible voters choose a relative unknown with perhaps questionable talent from a short list.” Whether they advocate for government big or small, once in office, most never want to leave.
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