VOL. 7 NO. 38
IN THIS ISSUE Huber explains Westland Cove Last week we wrote about the Emory Church Road area apartment and marina complex proposed by developer John Huber. Named Westland Cove, it would contain 12 apartment buildings, each four stories high, and a 75-boat marina. The MPC deferred rezoning until November to give Huber time to meet with neighbors. To kick start the conversation, we invited him to present the proposal here.
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Story and map on page A-5
Foodies’ delight The food choices were delicious and plentiful. The weather was incredible. The beer and wine were flowing, and the Chillbillies kept the tunes cranked up. Taste of Turkey Creek hit the success button on all levels, especially when the dollars were counted and $10,000 was presented to The Pat Summitt Foundation, which raises money to fight against Alzheimer’s disease.
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Moving violations Campaign to end texting while driving kicks off at Farragut High By Sherri Gardner Howell If you want to know who is teaching young drivers to text while driving a car, don’t bother looking at peer pressure as the main culprit. Look instead at a “P” a little closer to home. Parents. In an early morning Driver’s Education class on Sept. 19 at Farragut High School, almost every
hand in the room shot up when Alan Hill, a representative from AT&T, asked: “How many of your parents text while driving?” The setting for the discussion was more than informational. A national campaign kicked off Thursday to try to make progress in ending texting and driving. Called It Can Wait, the campaign is encouraging drivers across the country to take a pledge to never text and drive. At Farragut, one of three high schools visited by representatives from AT&T, the message from Hill and AT&T Pioneers JoAnne Lane and Juli Whitehead was also for
Kortney Halliburton goes to the itcanwait.com website to take the pledge to not text while driving. The Farragut High School sophomore heard a presentation in Driver’s Ed as part of a national campaign that kicked off last week. Photos
To page A-3
by Sherri Gardner Howell
Talent of West Knox band is less than subtle
Details on A-3
Tennova wins rezoning battle The pressure cooker has whistled on the stewing battle between Tennova and West Hills residents. Council voted 5-3-1 to rezone 60 acres of the 100-acre Waterhouse farm on Middlebrook Pike. West Hills’ own district council member, Duane Grieve, made the motion for rezoning, and Sandra Clark puts the vote into political context.
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Recap on A-4
NEIGHBORHOOD BUZZ
Speak up or shut up Knox County Schools will hold a series of community meetings to learn what’s good, what’s not and what’s next for the school system. All are open and begin at 6 p.m.: Oct. 3 – South-Doyle Middle School (3900 Decatur Road): Oct. 7 – Carter Middle School (204 North Carter School Road) Oct. 15 – Farragut High School (11237 Kingston Pike) Oct. 21 – Karns High School (2710 Byington-Solway Road) Oct. 24 – Halls Elementary (7502 Andersonville Pike) Oct. 29 – Austin-East Magnet High School (2800 Martin L. King, Jr. Avenue) Child care and light refreshments will be provided. Info: knoxschools2020.org/.
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Subtle Clutch members Jonathan Bailey, Devin Badgett, Briston Maroney and Eli Fox perform at the Cook Loft on Gay Street. The young band, which has created a social media buzz, will open for Johanna Divine at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 26, at the Knoxville Botanical Gardens. Photo by Wendy Smith
By Wendy Smith They may not be old enough to drive, but that won’t keep Devin Badgett, Jonathan Bailey, Eli Fox and Briston Maroney from their upcoming musical gigs. They make up the band Subtle Clutch. In spite of their youth – all are 14, except for Briston, who is 15 – the boys cause a stir wherever they play. It’s no wonder, since they perform with a passion and level of sophistication that doesn’t normally come along until adulthood. Jonathan plays the guitar and mandolin. Eli plays the banjo, dobro and harmonica. Devin plays the guitar and ukulele and shares vocal responsibilities with Briston, who also plays guitar. They are most easily classified as a blue-
grass band, but their repertoire includes covers of radio favorites like “Radioactive” by Imagine Dragons and “Gone, Gone, Gone” by Phillip Phillips. The history of the band is, of course, brief. Devin, Eli and Briston have been friends since their middle school days at the Episcopal School of Knoxville. They performed together for the first time in April when Eli organized a fundraiser for WDVX as part of a school project. In June, while Briston was out of town, Eli’s friend Jonathan joined him and Devin for a street performance on Market Square. The boys made such an impression that they were asked to take the stage at the Kuumba Festival, which was happening the same
day. Jonathan has been part of the group since then. Their quick fingers belie their musical experience. Briston, who began strumming the guitar at age 6, has played the longest. Jonathan has played guitar for four years and the mandolin for two. Eli began picking the banjo two years ago, and Devin has played guitar for less than two years. Their music may be soulful, but if they’ve suffered, it’s mostly from hitting the books. All four attend private schools. Jonathan attends CAK; Eli attends Webb School of Knoxville, and Briston attends Knoxville Catholic High School. Devin attends McCallie School in Chattanooga. Their soulful sound comes from listening to other artists, Devin
Thank you, teacher!
By Jake Mabe and Sandra Clark
We asked and you responded. This story touches off a multiweek series called “Thank you, teacher!” Here’s the deal: Teachers call and talk anonymously – because all who spoke to us are palpably fearful about repercussions – about issues facing Knox County Schools. Due to the tremendous response, we’re giving you a quick highlight of what we’ve heard and asking quick questions. In the coming weeks, we are going to delve into specific issues in depth.
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Here’s a sample of what we heard: A 20-year teacher dislikes the “exit ticket” kids are required to fill out – what they have learned today – before leaving class. Huh? An EXIT ticket? Adds that kids are being tested way too much, a refrain we heard repeatedly. Another teacher said she administers 62 different tests plus TCAPS. Friday is “test day” and often the students leave school crying, “and I do too.” Crying?! She gives three tests called
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CARE, which are administered individually, and also does weekly CARE tests in reading and spelling. She does 12 timed math tests and 8 other math tests. TCAPS last an entire week. A kindergarten teacher says 1st grade test results were pushed back to kindergarten teachers for evaluation purposes, even though the kids were disbursed. Now kindergarten kids who cannot read will be tested – one teacher with 20 kids – and wordy questions can’t be explained or even repeated. Evaluations are set for
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admits. The internet is helping Subtle Clutch get more exposure. A local blogger wrote about the band after seeing them perform at Market Square, which helped them secure a gig at a recent open house at the Cook Loft on Gay Street and a Nov. 23 performance at the Vienna Coffee House in Maryville. The band has a YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/user/SubtleClutch, and a Facebook page. The YouTube site features a video of one the band’s original songs, “Railroad,” written by Briston. The group also performs a song written by Eli. The street performances and internet exposure are paying off. To page A-3
fall and spring. What’s right? “Fabulous teachers and principals, all concerned about students.” What’s wrong? Over-testing. Said the rubric for teacher evaluation has 19 “indicators,” each with 3-8 “descriptors.” One assistant principal frankly admitted not understanding the evaluation language. A 27-year teacher said there’s too much change, too quickly. “I don’t have a problem with Common Core, but what they are asking teachers and principals to do is literally impossible.” Sees a disconnect between the schools To page A-4
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