VOL. 7 NO. 26 NEIGHBORHOOD BUZZ
July 4 parade The town of Farragut’s 26th annual Independence Day Parade is 9:30 a.m. Thursday, July 4. The route goes from Kingston Pike at the Farragut High entrance to Boring Road. Kingston Pike will be closed 8:30 a.m. to noon from Boring to Concord roads.
Miracle Maker
Sometimes all you need is an outstretched hand, a bridge, if you will, to help you reach your destination. The Knox County Schools Summer Bridge Program is designed to do just that. Atrisk 8th grade students give up eight weeks of their summer to participate in the program, which aims to qualify them academically for the 9th grade. Karns High School assistant principal Mike Toth is the principal of the program at Halls High this summer.
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See Jake Mabe’s story on A-11
Kindness for all There are Little Leagues that give every player a trophy. Careful with fragile psyches. Emphasize equality. Do not damage self-worth. Phil Steele, distinguished sportswriter and magazine publisher, uses that mentality in picking preseason football all-Americans. Almost everybody who can line up properly is an honoree – 120 of ’em. Let there be kindness for all.
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Russell house saved
Farragut to buy historic home for $1.25 million By Suzanne Foree Neal
Farragut’s Board of Mayor and Aldermen took the first step toward purchasing the historic Avery Russell house at the corner of Campbell Station Road and Kingston Pike for $1.25 million at its June 24 meeting. Acquisition of the house has been a priority for the last three years. The house, built in 1835, is a signature structure in the town and one of only a few remaining Federalist style houses of that era still standing in this area. Investment in the house and site for the town over four years is projected to be $2.6 million. The house, owned by Charlie Russell and his sister, Ann Owens, is significant not only for its history but because it sits in the heart of Farragut’s town area. Prior to the meeting, town attorney Tom Hale was tasked with doing some due diligence on the property and making a recommendation to the board. Hale said he turned first to Bill Nixon, who is a member of the town’s economic development committee and offered his services for free. Nixon enlisted Frank Sparkman of Sparkman and Associates Architects who made a presentation to the board as to the viability of the house. Arthur Seymour Jr. represented the Russell family at the meeting. Nixon was asked to evaluate all options. “Moving it would be very difficult and expensive,” he told the board. “Yes, we could move it, but the house would lose its National Register of Historic Places designation. Subdividing it for some commercial use would be
Frank Sparkman of Sparkman and Associates Architects gave an assessment of the Avery Russell house at the corner of Campbell Station Road and Kingston Pike. He said the house has “good bones” and not to save it would be “a terrible loss for the community.” difficult to do because it is only 2.1 acres, and Farragut has a minimum of 1 acre to subdivide. The rest would be an L-shaped lot and not useable. The property should stand as one.” The site is surrounded by traffic and vacant properties
on adjoining corners. Nixon’s suggestion was that the town could buy the Russell House for a museum house and the rest of the property could be used for additional municipal space. He suggested a new building, reminiscent of the
style of the house, that could be used for the Farragut Folklife Museum, Knox County Sheriff’s office and a visitor center. Sparkman, a restoration architect, said the house has been an important place in town since it was built by David Campbell. It served as a fort and later an inn for travelers headed to Knoxville from Middle Tennessee and for anyone traveling farther north. “It still has vestiges of an inn,” he said. “It is the most prominent and visible site in the town that reflects the history of the town.” In keeping with the historical designation, modern additions would need to be removed, said Sparkman, and deciding what it looked like in its heyday without photographs is a bit like being a detective. The most urgent fi x is a new roof. There’s some deterioration to the house, but Sparkman said it has “good bones.” Nixon and town administrator David Smoak said they met with representatives of White Realty, owners of the adjacent Village Green Shopping Center. There’s a “handshake deal” to create better access to the site with a shared driveway. Those working on the proposal and the BOMA expressed excitement over the future for the house. Sparkman commented that, when finished, the project could be more economically viable than Knoxville’s Ramsey House. The Russell heirs have signed off on the sale, and the town will have 60 days to iron out details. If everything is in order, Farragut will pay $500,000 at closing and make To page A-5
Water dragons
See Marvin West’s story on A-6
A blade of grass
KARM race doubles donations
I remember fondly that Jack Paar (late night TV show host from the ’60s) confessed on the air that he worried about the Holland Tunnel because it had to go to New Jersey by itself. Now that is a world class worrier! I can relate. I have confessed in this space (quite often) that I am a worrier. It’s genetic; what can I say? I know that! I also know that it is sinful.
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July 1, 2013
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See Lynn Hutton’s story on A-6
NEIGHBORHOOD BUZZ
Happy July 4th The Shopper News offices will be closed Thursday, July 4, for Independence Day.
The Rowback Throwback team from WBIR-TV enters a dragon boat for the second heat. While Rowback didn’t win overall, captain Marvyl, who dressed as Rosie the Riveter, won best team captain. Photos by S. Clark
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The fierce dragon drew 62 teams and more than 1,000 spectators to The Cove at Concord Park to raise funds for Knox Area Rescue Ministries.
By Sandra Clark The 41-foot Hong Kong style dragon boats glided quickly across the waters of Loudon Lake on June 22, and the ripples were felt all over Knox County. Knox Area
Rescue Ministries sponsored the KARM Dragon Boat Festival and made year 11 one to remember. At reporting time, KARM had doubled last year’s fundraising total and exceeded its own 2013 goal,
DEAL OF THE W WEEK!
raising more than $251,000 to help serve the poor and needy in Knox County. Race winners and more photos are in Farragut Faces on page A3.
SALES • SERVICE • MAINTENANCE
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