VOL. 7 NO. 17
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April 29, 2013
Note-worthy hero
IN THIS ISSUE
A Farragut Rossini? A longtime Knoxville event may be looking for a new home, and Farragut could be considered as a venue. Knoxville Opera Executive Director and Conductor Brian Salesky only let the cat’s whiskers out of the bag during a community grants workshop presentation before the Farragut Board of Mayor and Aldermen on April 25.
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See the story on A-5
Gun ordinance dies a quick death Handgun ownership will not be required of Farragut residents, after quick action by Mayor Ralph McGill. He called for a voice vote on the proposal at last week’s BOMA meeting and prevailed 4-1 with only Bob Markli voting yes.
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Read about it on page A-5
Lakeshore Park Columnist Victor Ashe updates readers on negotiations between the city and state on transferring property at Lakeshore Park.
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Read Victor on page A-4
Recruiting You may have heard that recruiting is the lifeblood of Tennessee football. Butch Jones and his people are on the case. Their start is encouraging. There is a catch: They still must identify and sign more and better players than Alabama, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina and opponents of that ilk if they hope to whip them on the field.
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Edie Volk takes a short break at the Symphony Show House, a major fundraiser for the Knoxville Symphony League, to talk about her honor as one of Home Federal’s Hometown Heroes. Photo by Sherri Gardner Howell
When Edie Volk received the Hometown Hero award last week, she was serenaded by three siblings from the Knoxville Symphony Youth Orchestra and congratulated by Maestro Lucas Richman. From left are Jenna Walters, Volt, Josiah and Jonathon Walters and Richman. Photo submitted
Read Marvin West on A-6
NEIGHBORHOOD BUZZ
Murrell wins CTE Goes Live contest West High School junior Logan Murrell won the CTE Goes Live contest April 19. Murrell has performed since age 2 and has a long-term goal to study music production at MTSU. As the contest winner, she receives a complimentary trip to Nashville to professionally record a song at Nash 10 Studio. The event is held annually by Knox County CTE students.
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form,” says Edie Volk. Her fondness for music and volunteer work led her to join the Knoxville Symphony League. Her passion and dedication, particularly in programs for young people, inspired the KnoxBy Betsy Pickle Edie Volk and her hus- ville Symphony Orchestra band, Gil, grew up with mu- to nominate her for Home sic in their lives. She took Federal Bank’s Hometown piano lessons; he played Heroes honor. And her achievements violin. Neither “stuck,” but that doesn’t keep the couple and impact resulted in Home Federal selecting from loving music. “There’s a lot about mu- her as one of the 10 comsic to enjoy and appreciate munity volunteers who are even if you don’t have the finalists in the third annutime or the talent to per- al Hometown Heroes pro-
Edie Volk makes symphonic impact without striking a chord
gram. Volk was presented with a plaque last week, and the league will receive a $2,500 check for its programs. All of the honorees will be announced by Monday, May 6, and one of them will be named the ultimate winner and receive $5,000 for his or her organization. Three siblings who participate in the symphony’s youth orchestra performed at Volk’s presentation. “I was really pleased they were there,” says Volk. “That’s what it is all about.” Volk majored in English
at San Diego State University in California and taught for several years before becoming a full-time mom. Fittingly, she has served as the league’s vice president of education for about six years. “I really enjoy it because we get to organize and plan the programs for the elementary schools in Knox County for our Classroom Connections program,” says Volk. Elementary school music teachers use a lesson plan that incorporates excerpts of classical pieces, and members of the league and KSO musicians visit the classrooms to talk about the music, the instruments and the symphony.
Then more than 8,000 elementary students get to hear the orchestra play the full pieces – and see their friends from Classroom Connections – at one of five concerts presented at the Civic Auditorium. “They’re all jabber, jabber, jabber when they come in, and you could hear a pin drop in that auditorium when it’s ready to start,” says Volk. “The kids are so caught up in it, it’s just amazing. “It’s really rewarding that the kids get so excited about this program.” Volk has been the driving force behind raising the level of donations for Knoxville More on A-3
‘Micro markets’ influence residential real estate picture By Sherri Gardner Howell Suzy Trotta, Realtor with Coldwell Banker Wallace & Wallace, confirmed what most who have ever bought or sold a home always thought was true: There are some neighborhoods that hold their value better than others, no matter the age of the houses and development. It is called a micro market and most areas of Knox
County have one, two or is a micro market, Trotta several. “A micro market said. “With the golf course is just that little pocket of and the houses – usually a neighcountry borhood – that has a club, you unique community,” Trotta are buying a lifestyle, explained in a telephone interview. “The houses usunot just a house.” ally sell quicker and hold their value better than othVillage er neighborhoods that have Green is the same age homes but not Suzy Trotta another one. “Vilthe same community.” In Farragut, Fox Den lage Green is a very ‘walk-
able’ neighborhood,” she explained. “You can walk to Fresh Market, to the library, to the park. They have a pool and very active, friendly groups within the neighborhood that make it highly desirable for some buyers. These micro markets aren’t for everyone, but for a segment of the home-buying population, they have a huge appeal.” Homeowners and poten-
tial home buyers need to keep things like micro markets in mind when evaluating the housing market, said Trotta. “You can’t just listen to figures on the national news and know how the real estate market is doing in your area. Even in Knox County, you can’t say, ‘Here are the numbers, so this is the whole picture.’ There are game-changers at every level.”
Hummin’, strummin’ and yummin’ By Anne Hart
If the mere thought of good barbecue makes your mouth water, and if the idea of live music by performers with several popular bands gets your toes tapping, this weekend should be total bliss for you. The “First Annual Rocky Top Hummin’ & Strummin’ BBQ Cookoff” is set to open at 6 p.m. Friday on the 100-acre campus of the Episcopal School of Knoxville and will continue noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday. Tickets are $10 per day or $15 for two days and may
be purchased at the gate. Sponsored by the Rotary Club of West Knoxville and benefitting its projects at home and globally, the two-day event is sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbecue Society. It will feature 50 barbecue cooking teams from across the country vying for $10,000 in prizes and the chance to compete at the annual Jack Daniels BBQ Cookoff, a worldwide competition held in Lynchburg in the fall. But don’t think this event is just about cook-
ing. That’s the centerpiece, of course, but there will be plenty of opportunity for public participation, including a chance to judge the barbecue, to buy food and drink from on-site vendors, and maybe even to learn secrets from some of those barbecue experts. Proceeds from this event, which has been chaired by Oliver Smith IV and made possible through the work of dozens of volunteers, will benefit Rotary projects. Info: www. rockytopbbq.com.
Coming home
For Nashville singer/ songwriter and “American Idol” performer Kendra Chantelle, it will be a homecoming when she appears live onstage Chantelle with her band at West Knox Rotary’s big barbecue cookoff event on Friday, May 3. She’s a Loudon County native and a 2006 gradu-
ate of Loudon County High School who attended Maryville College on a choral scholarship before taking her dream to Music City. “It’s always fun to play close to home,” says Chantelle. “I expect a lot of friends and relatives from Loudon County will turn out. I’m bringing my band, and we are all very excited about playing this event.” Kendra will perform from 7-9 p.m. Friday. On Saturday, live music starting at noon will be by the Early Morning String Dusters, Second Opinion and Kounterfitterz.
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