VOL. 52 NO. 32
www.ShopperNewsNow.com |
IN THIS ISSUE
Miracle Maker
Dr. Jim McIntyre says he’s as enthusiastic about the new school year as “any in my career.” Knox County Schools has made gains on test scores every year since McIntyre arrived as superintendent in 2008.
➤
August 12, 2013
www.facebook.com/ShopperNewsNow
Welcome to Bobcat Country!
See Sandra Clark’s story on A-9
New traffic pattern at HES Dr. Chris Henderson reports that Halls Elementary School will have a new traffic pattern this school year. Motorists will now enter from the north, above the tennis courts, merge, and exit at the south end of the campus.
➤
Central High alum Tina Greer, new principal Dr. Jody Goins and new assistant principal Russ Wise get acquainted at a reception last week to welcome Goins to the community. More photos on A-12. Photo by Ruth White
See the map on page A-8
NEIGHBORHOOD BUZZ
Mabe to be guest on WDVX show Shopper-News features editor Jake Mabe will be the special guest on the WDVX “East Tennessee Quiver” at 10 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 15. He will be talking about local musicians he’s covered throughout his career as well as highlighting Elvis Presley’s lesser-known songs with show host Bradley Reeves. Listen at 89.9 FM, 102.9 FM or online at www. wdvx.com.
Church dedication Crossroads Apostolic Church’s building dedication will be held 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 18, 4111 McCloud Rd., at the intersection with Andersonville Pike. Pastor David Triplett of Eagle Bend Apostolic Church of Clinton will be the guest speaker.
Frontier job fair Frontier Communications will sponsor a job fair for athome sales positions from 9 a.m. until noon and 3-7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 13, and Thursday, Aug. 15, at 2104 Emory Road in Powell. The full-time positions start Sept. 23, and previous call center experience is a plus. Info: www.frontier.com/careers.
7049 Maynardville Pike 37918 (865) 922-4136 NEWS news@ShopperNewsNow.com Sandra Clark | Jake Mabe ADVERTISING SALES ads@ShopperNewsNow.com Shannon Carey Jim Brannon | Tony Cranmore Brandi Davis | Patty Fecco
Beaver Creek
grant-funded projects completed By Jake Mabe Projects along Beaver Creek funded by a $919,000 “clean water” grant secured in 2008 have been completed. Knox County watershed coordinator Roy Arthur, who is the grant’s project manager through the Beaver Creek Task Force, says the grant was awarded through the Tennessee Department of Agriculture’s 319 grant program. “Every state gets an allotment every year and the state decides how to allot it,” Arthur says. “This grant was run through UT and the Tennessee Water Resources Research Center, who was the administrator. We focused on sediment reduction into Beaver Creek.” Partners included Knox County Stormwater, Hallsdale Powell Utility District, the Tennessee Water Resources Research Center and other UT departments and,
early on, TVA. Arthur said a watershed plan was created to focus on three areas – runoff from agriculture, stream bank erosion and sediment input from residential areas. “We did not address construction runoff. That is handled by Knox County Stormwater.” Arthur says a major component was community engagement/education. “These included, for students, the Adopt-A-Watershed program in six schools on or near Beaver Creek (Gibbs High, Halls High, Powell Middle, Powell High, Karns High and Hardin Valley Academy), and for adults, we held a variety of programs that focused on more specific areas rather than just general watershed education.” The agriculture runoff portion of the plan included fi xing pasture input problems on 23 farms along
feet of bank erosion problems, including on school property.” The last two projects funded by the grant are the cistern system installed this summer at Halls High School’s greenhouse and the Harrell Road Stormwater Park, which is still under construction. At the latter, Arthur says 1,700 feet of 18inch pipe was installed to reroute stormwater from Painter Farms subdivision through a created wetland pond, rerouting 355,000 gallons of water in a one-inch rain. “Before, all of that was going straight into the creek. Now, it’s filtered into ponds. These projects are all designed to provide some flood mitigation. Because we don’t have a large swath of land anywhere along Beaver Creek, we have to create storage on a small scale wherever we can. The more we can put into storage, the more it’s going to help prevent flooding.”
Tennova project delayed, hearing set By Sandra Clark Knoxville City Council has delayed rezoning land on Middlebrook Pike near West Hills subdivision where Tennova wants to build its flagship hospital. The project would result in the closure of the old St. Mary’s Hospital in North Knoxville. The vote is now set for Sept. 17. Knoxville Vice Mayor Nick Pavlis has set a council workshop for 5 p.m Thursday, Aug. 29, in the Main Assembly Room, City County Building. Rocky Swingle spoke on behalf
of opponents: “This is a serious issue that deserves full discussion.” Wesley Neighbors Community Association voted 91-7 against the hospital, Swingle said, even though Tennova has met numerous times with residents and has made several concessions to minimize the impact on residents. “We’ve got 200 yard signs up in West Hills and 300 names on our petition (against the project),” Swingle told the council. “Yes, it’s a $300 million investment by Tennova and several temporary
Let us care for your WEDDING GOWN… before & after the wedding Dr Drapes • Bedspreads • Comforters • etc.
922-4780 Convenient Drive-Thru
Beaver Creek from Gibbs to Solway. “We also held farmers’ breakfasts for education purposes and the last one we held was attended by 120 people.” The stream bank erosion portion of the plan included the signature project of fixing major erosion along Beaver Creek in Mill Run subdivision in Halls as well as creating a 3,500-foot riparian zone. The residential portion of the plan was undertaken in cooperation with Knox County Stormwater’s Environmental Stewardship Program. Arthur says it included installing 23 rain gardens in residential areas designed to capture and infiltrate the first one inch of rain off of 1,000 square feet of a roof top. “Eroding ditches (3,000 feet) were also turned into grass-lined swells, and we fi xed 2,000 square
Check us out on Facebook!
hallscleaners.net
(construction) jobs and increased taxes, but those taxes and temporary jobs are not free. “The biggest cost is the closure of St. Mary’s, followed by the diminution of the quality of life in West Knoxville.” He asked council to fund both a traffic and environmental impact study. MPC Director Mark Donaldson said a “thorough traffic study, the most intensive study our rules permit,” will be required at Tennova’s expense. Attorney John King, speaking for Tennova, said his client did
ROOFING
not want a postponement because “time is money.” Tennova has been “very communicative with multiple meetings,” King said, and had hoped for just a two-week delay (because the district’s council member, Duane Grieve, was out of town). City Council also postponed a vote on proposed apartments at Northshore Town Center until Sept. 3. Rezoning for Westwood on Kingston Pike (new home of Knox Heritage) was approved.
Stay strong, live long. Free fitness consultation.
RE-ROOFS • REPAIRS • METAL WINDOWS • SIDING
24 Hr. Emergency Service Will work with your insurance company Insured, licensed & bonded • Locally owned & operated Member BBB since 2000 FREE ESTIMATES!
524-5888
exthomesolutions.com
Tennova.com
859-7900