Farragut Shopper-News 071614

Page 1

VOL. 8 NO. 28

IN THIS ISSUE

Briggs is better

www.ShopperNewsNow.com |

July 16, 2014

www.facebook.com/ShopperNewsNow

The constant artist

Never say there’s not a dime’s worth of difference between state Sen. Stacey Campfield and his challenger, County Commissioner Dr. Richard Briggs. Shopper publisher Sandra Clark makes the case for Richard Briggs.

Read Clark’s editorial on page A-4

NEIGHBORHOOD BUZZ

Farragut principal Reynolds moved Superintendent James McIntyre has moved longtime Farragut High School principal Michael Reynolds to Central High School as head principal. Reynolds will be the third principal at Central in three years. As Reynolds usual, McIntyre gave no explanation for the move and no notice to the Farragut community. Reynolds assembled a stellar faculty at Farragut High and the school has consistently earned recognition in national publications ranking public high schools under his leadership. – S. Clark

Turkey Creek Road to close Turkey Creek Road will be closed for up to 28 days to improve a slope that leaves large amounts of dirt on the sidewalk and road after heavy rains. Town Engineer Darryl Smith described the project following the approval of a bid made by Whaley & Sons at last week’s Farragut Board of Mayor and Aldermen meeting. The slope was left when the road was reconstructed in 1997 to limit the impact on the property at 11625 Turkey Creek Road. The problem will be corrected by cutting the steep slope back and stabilizing it with plant material. Smith says that maintaining traffic while excavating would be difficult and could stretch the length of the project. “This is the rip-theBand-Aid-off approach,” said Smith. The sidewalk, curb and gutter will likely be destroyed during the work, but replacement is included in the contract. The work could begin within a few weeks, but it will depend on the contractor’s schedule, he said. The project will be completed by October. – Wendy Smith

10512 Lexington Dr., Ste. 500 37932 (865) 218-WEST (9378) NEWS news@ShopperNewsNow.com Sherri Gardner Howell ADVERTISING SALES ads@ShopperNewsNow.com Shannon Carey Jim Brannon | Tony Cranmore Patty Fecco

A detail from “Something’s Blooming Out There” shows how Schaefer pushed paint through paper doilies to create texture.

Mary Agnes Schaefer makes world around her more beautiful By Betsy Pickle Most people like to make new friends. Mary Agnes Schaefer makes friends – and then sells them. Schaefer’s “Fabric Friends” – fabric dolls rather than paper dolls – are just one of many artistic endeavors the energetic Farragut resident pursues. She also paints on canvas and on gourds – many of which she and husband Bob raised themselves. She sometimes gets wild and adds other media to

Mary Agnes Schaefer’s Best in Show winner from “Alchemy: The Magic of Art and Flowers” hangs over her fireplace. Photos by Betsy Pickle

her canvases and gourds. She’s turned “egg gourds” into Christmas ornaments. She quilts. She makes stationery. She won both Best in Show and a first prize at the recent “Alchemy: The Magic of Art and Flowers” show at the town hall but couldn’t attend because she was babysitting grandchildren in Virginia. The Farragut Arts Council stalwart lives by an idea an art teacher once shared with her. “Mary Agnes, let’s just make the world more beautiful and just paint forever.”

The first thing a visitor notices about her home is all the purple. Schaefer loves it in every shade, on pretty much any surface, outdoors and indoors. But after the purple emerges the art – her paintings pulling the eye from every direction, her women made from gourds beckoning from the flat surfaces. So many colors – so much to see – and yet the effect is soothing, satisfying, and not at all unsettling. Schaefer loves it, and she says her husband has been very supportive

of her design sensibilities. The Schaefers have lived in Farragut for 20 years. They were living in Albany, N.Y., when Bob retired from Aetna, but they decided to enjoy their retirement years in the South when several of their children (and grandchildren) settled in East Tennessee. (One daughter’s shop, Annabell’s Emporium in Loudon, carries many of her creations.) Schaefer says that East TennesTo page A-3

Planning commission explores changes to R-6 zoning By Wendy Smith The town of Farragut has just two apartment complexes − Lanesborough Apartments near Grigsby Chapel Road and Derby Run Apartments, across Kingston Pike from Click Funeral Home. But that number will double if two developers get the zoning changes they want. Apartment complexes have been proposed for sites on Campbell Station Road and Grigsby Chapel Road. Both developers have applied for zoning changes that would allow reduced setbacks, narrower buffer strips, taller buildings and fewer parking spaces. The Farragut Municipal Planning Commission took a road trip last week to get a visual representation of the proposed changes to R-6 zoning. From a bus, they

Farragut Municipal Planning Commission members look at the proposed site of an apartment complex on Grigsby Chapel Road. Photo by Wendy Smith

The planning commission has discussed the proposed changes at two meetings, but the bus trip helped commission members to have better awareness of what those changes would look like, says Community Development Director Mark Shipley. The group looked at a variety of buffer strips. Some, like a 25foot buffer between Park Place subdivision and the adjacent Ford property, were young and created entirely with new plants. Others, visited Farragut’s apartment com- zoning requirements for apart- like the 50-foot buffer between plexes as well as nearby Knox ment buildings are more relaxed County complexes. Knox County than Farragut’s. To page A-3

The Ed and Bob show comes to County Commission By Betty Bean It’s been a year or so since Bob Thomas and Ed Brantley worked together, but the two longtime morning-drive radio stars will be colleagues again once they’re sworn in as Knox County Commissioners Sept. 2. In the meantime, they’ve had a couple of dinners with the other two new commissioners-elect (Charles Busler and Ran- Ed Brantley and Bob Thomas dy Smith), and they plan another in August, which gal now, although come they know is perfectly le- September, sunshine laws

Photo by Betty Bean

will come into play and put constraints on their get-

SUMMER SALE! Preserve those old reels, slides & vhs tapes today!

togethers. But they are adamant about one thing: “If the two of us are at the Vol Market No. 3 having a hot dog, which we do every week, and somebody calls in (to complain), or if somebody sees us at Wright’s Cafeteria, where we take my mom for lunch, well, that’s not going to stop,” Thomas said. “That’s silly. We’re going to stop being friends? Not going to happen.” Thomas and Brantley will represent the 10th and 11th at-large districts,

Statement Necklace Sets

20% OFF ENTIRE PURCHASE

Bring your VHS, slides, film and more into Cannot be combined with any other discounts or offers. the digital age. Coupon must be presented at time order is dropped off. Discount will

686-5756

$

25

with coupon Values to $39 Expires 8/31/14

Foster' s 7023 Kingston Pike

SN07/16/14 SN 07/16/14 Expires 07/22/14

www.DigitizeItNow.com 12752 Kingston Pike, Renaissance Farragut, Ste 103, Bldg E

To page 3

Fine Jewelry

not be applied to previous orders or orders that are being processed.

Audio & Video Conversion

respectively (a distinction without a difference, since at-large commissioners represent the entire county). Thomas ran unopposed; Brantley was victorious over a primary opponent. Neither is opposed in the August general election. In addition to being on-air personalities, both have run businesses, both are grandfathers and both want to attract more and better jobs to Knox County

In the West Hills Center

Great selection of styles and colors!

584-3966

www.fostersjewelry.com


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.