VOL. 52 NO. 34
IN THIS ISSUE
A judge’s trial
On the morning of June 11, 1992, in the wee hours before dawn, Carolyn Susano awoke in time to see her husband dive through the screen of a window in their second floor bedroom. Charles Susano, a lifelong sleepwalker, woke up on the ground, Carolyn, their youngest son and a neighbor surrounding him. He didn’t know how he got there. And he couldn’t get up.
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See Betty Bean’s story on A-5
Miracle Maker There’s nothing common about the enthusiasm over the Common Core initiative at Pleasant Ridge Elementary School. It started at the top, with principal Jessica Birdsong’s gut reaction to the state’s new educational mandate.
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See Betsy Pickle’s story on A-9
Godspeed, Sam Sam Hardman has left a gaping hole in the heart of Halls, one that a hundred other people couldn’t fill if they tried. He was that special. Mr. Hardman died Aug. 16 at age 95.
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See Jake’s story on page 3
NEIGHBORHOOD BUZZ ■ Tennova wants to rezone land on Middlebrook Pike for a new flagship hospital, closing ER f unctions at the former St. Mary’s. City Council will hold a workshop on rezoning the Middlebrook Pike land at 5 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 29, in the City County Building. Both sides will speak. ■ Baptist Hospital’s former employees are holding a reunion from 1-5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12, at Tennova South Ambulatory Care Center, 7323 Chapman Highway, to mark the 5-year anniversary of the closing of Baptist Hospital. The reunion is open to anyone who worked at or was associated with the hospital, which operated from 1948 to 2008 at 137 Blount Avenue. Registration deadline is Sept. 12 at http://bhetreunion.eventbrite. com/, 335-5275 or 218-7535 and leave your name, number and address. Mail donations to BHET Reunion Fund, c/o Patsy Boling, P.O. Box 611, Powell, TN 37849.
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A fresh look at the Halls Connector By Sandra Clark Don’t be rushing out to dig up the daisies and dogwoods in the median of Hwy. 33 through Halls. The proposed Halls Connector would eliminate the green space between south- and northbound lanes, but the funding is not in place to build the road. Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett and his staff briefed County Commissioner R. Larry Smith on Aug. 19, and Smith relayed information to the Halls Business and Professional Association on Tuesday. The estimated cost of construction is $11.5 million with another $600,000 for right-of-way. Knox County already has spent about $1 million to the engineering firm of CDM Smith. County engineer Cindy Pionke explains the project like this: “The Halls Connector project is a joint county/TDOT project, but not in the usual way. The county part is that we have paid or are going to pay 100 percent for all of the work required prior to the actual construction of the project. That means we have done the necessary environmental work to receive a Categorical Exclusion, preliminary design, and next month we will be submitting the right-ofway plans to TDOT for their review and comments. “Knox County is expecting TDOT to ask the state legislature for funding of the construction when they meet this winter. … We are hoping that TDOT will be constructing the project next summer. “As part of our project, we are leaving the existing southbound roadbed in on the south side of Norris Freeway. During the meeting with the mayor, Doug Bataille
This map shows extent of the Halls Connector project. Map submitted (director of parks and recreation) asked that the roadbed be narrowed to look more like a trail and not a 2-lane road. “Commissioner Smith asked if the roadbed to the north of Norris Freeway would be demolished or remain. I told him I would have to review the design plans as I did not know for sure. “As (Smith) looked at the plan I had for the meeting (see attached map), I pointed out that the existing median on Maynardville Highway is to be removed as part
Why a blueway? By Jake Mabe As Knox County explores the possibility of designating Beaver Creek as a blueway – basically, a greenway on water – one might ask, “Why?” For three good reasons, Knox County Watershed Coordinator Roy Arthur told the Halls Business and Professional Association at Beaver Brook Country Club last week. “One, it draws people into your community. Two, it will raise your property values. And three, it pulls businesses into the communities.” Not to mention the fact that – as Arthur stated in an earlier in-
terview with the Shopper-News – when Beaver Creek becomes navigable for small crafts such as kayaks and canoes, debris jams must be removed, which are currently causing both localized flooding and bank erosion along Beaver Creek. “When a tree falls over the creek, it catches everything flowing down the creek, including couches and cars.” Arthur said removing debris jams would also improve the creek’s water quality and create a more natural flow. While residents with property adjoining the creek own some of
the land underneath it as well as the banks, the water itself is considered “waters of the state.” Arthur said if Beaver Creek is designated as a blueway, signs would be posted at launch points and be given to property owners who want them alerting blueway users that exiting their crafts at any point along the blueway would be considered trespassing. He said that if anyone had an accident while using the blueway, Knox County would be liable, not the property owner. “People could fish out of their craft if they so desire.” If the county green-lights the blueway, the first phase would be built at Harrell Road Park in Karns. The second phase would be built at Clayton Park in Halls.
process was done in 2010. For the last two years we have been asked by TDOT to specifically rank a list of projects that were being proposed for funding by the state legislature.” He said federal funds through TDOT were being proposed to be used to build the Halls Connector, through the National Highway Systema funding program called MAP 21, which has been expanded to include major arterial routes, which includes Highway 33.
Knox County Watershed Coordinator Roy Arthur speaks to the Halls Business and Professional Association on the proposed Beaver Creek Blueway. Photo by Jake Mabe
Develop and Demonstrate Loyalty. Loyalty is not unilateral. You have to give it to receive it. The family business model is a successful one because it fosters loyalty and trust. Surround yourself with people who are better than you are. Seek out quality people, acknowledge their talents and let them do their jobs. You win with people. (Number 3 of Pat Summitt’s “Definite Dozen” rules to live by)
By Betty Bean
NEWS news@ShopperNewsNow.com Sandra Clark | Jake Mabe ADVERTISING SALES
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of this project.” Mike Conger, an engineer with the Knoxville Transportation Planning Organization (TPO), said the TPO is aware of the Halls Connector but has not been asked to rank it against regional priorities. “We have changed our process for listing regional priority transportation projects,” Conger said. “We used to develop a list of priority projects that we would present to TDOT and elected officials and the most recent list under that
Dismantling the house that Pat built
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August 26, 2013
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Hank Peck and Jenny Moshak in Moshak’s 2008 Mercedes File photo by Betty Bean
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Gen. Robert R. Neyland required his teams to study his Seven Maxims and apply them to the game of football. Pat Summitt required her teams to study her Definite Dozen and apply them to their lives. Unlike the General’s rules, the Definite Dozen were not sport-
Stay strong, live long.
specific. They were Summitt’s tested and true keys to success, and she practiced what she preached. She acted on this principle while celebrating Tennessee’s eighth national championship in 2008 by naming Jenny Moshak the season MVP. To page A-3
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