Karns/Hardin Valley Shopper-News 081215

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VOL. 9 NO. 32

BUZZ Haslams at Botanical Gardens Gov. Bill and Crissy Haslam will join Mayors Tim Burchett and Madeline Rogero to dedicate the new Visitors Center at the Knoxville Botanical Gardens, 2743 Wimpole Ave, 10 a.m. Friday, Aug. 14.

Bruce comes back

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August 12, 2015

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And the winner is …

Karns!

Former UT coach Bruce Pearl was in town last week for a check presentation to a charity he helped launch.

Read Bill Dockery on page A-4

Why is everybody pickin’ on Finbarr? Just before he walked into the Oakwood Lincoln Park Neighborhood Association meeting last Monday, people were wondering aloud why city council member Finbarr Saunders has drawn opposition while his at-large colleagues are running unopposed. When Saunders took a seat, someone asked him that question. “I don’t know,” Saunders said. “Marshall Stair and George Wallace are unopposed, and I’ve got three!” So why has Finbarr Saunders, who occupies Seat C, emerged as the Charlie Brown of the 2015 city council races?

Read Betty Bean on page 5

Car show coming The first-ever Travis Wegener Car Show to benefit Powell Station Park is 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 15, at Food City on Clinton Highway. Sponsored by the Tennessee Valley Mustang Club, the show is free to spectators. Lunch will be available. Details on Page A-5.

Central’s Sports Hall of Fame The first class of the Central High School Sports Hall of Fame will be inducted at 9 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 22, at the school. Honorees include coach Joel Helton, coach Bud Bales, coach Tommy Schumpert, Tony Cosey, and Lorie Compton Rheinecker. Tickets are $25 which includes breakfast. Anyone interested in attending may purchase tickets at Central High School or you can contact athletic director J.D. Lambert at james.lambert@knoxschools.org. Lambert said nominations and selections will come from the C Club, membership open to those earning a CHS varsity letter.

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Squeals of delight were plentiful as kids pushed hundreds of numbered plastic balls through the lion’s mouth to victory at Roaring Down the River held Aug. 8 at Karns Community Pool. Photos by Nancy Anderson

By Nancy Anderson Last Saturday was a big win for the Karns Lions Club as Roaring Down the River, the closing ceremony of a major fundraising push to help build a playground and walking track for the Karns community, brought in well over $25,000. According to Rick Dailey, Li-

ons fundraising chair, the Lions Club will need to get their paws on at least $75,000 more to complete the project, but with proof of overwhelming community support, the project now qualifies for a number of grants. “We’re very pleased with the support we’ve gotten from Karns businesses. Nearly every business

in the community has sponsored this event or outright donated to the playground. It’s just been incredible. We haven’t counted the exact amount raised, but it is well over $25,000 and now that we can prove there is community support and financial good faith, we’re going after several grants this September.

“Hopefully, we’ll hear back about them in January and will be able to at least start preparing the land for construction by next spring.” Hundreds of supporters dropped by the pool to enjoy bouncy houses, laser tag, a game To page A-3

Long detour discourages Everett Road residents By Wendy Smith Oakley Downs residents will ultimately benefit from the town’s $3.9 million Everett Road improvement project. But until the one-mile construction zone is reopened, they’re worried about whether they’ll have adequate emergency services, and how often they’ll have to refill their gas tanks. Mark Delph lives in Oakley Downs, which is north of the construction zone. His neighbors, along with other Everett Road residents north of the project, have to drive north on Everett, then south on Watt Road, to get to Kingston

Pike. It’s a detour of several miles, and the closure is expected to last for another 15 months. And the Delphs learned just last week that Knox County Schools has consolidated its bus route to one trip, which would require their middle school son to get on his bus two hours before school begins. “My youngest child will board the bus 10 minutes earlier, however, my middle school child is expected to board the bus along with him, an hour earlier than his prior bus schedule, for this new detour route, said Deborah Delph. “This is extremely upsetting as he is

boarding the bus at 6:30 a.m. and his school starts at 8:30 a.m. He can’t even enter his school, Farragut Middle, until 7:30 a.m.” She said KCS has been unresponsive to her request for a “short bus” to pick up middle school kids in Oakley Downs. But safety is Mark Delph’s biggest concern. Increased traffic on the north end of Everett, which is steep and curvy, is bound to cause accidents, and the risk will be greater during winter months. The detour will automatically create delays for emergency vehicles, and any problem on Everett Road could make service impos-

sible, he says. Two tractor trailer trucks have jack-knifed on Everett after ignoring detour signs, and his family couldn’t get home for two hours after a tree fell across the road. He’d like for one lane of Everett to remain open to give those who live north of the closure direct access to Kingston Pike. “There are homes inside the construction zone that will need access, so there will obviously be some access available.” The construction project is Farragut’s largest ever capital imTo page A-3

Knox County expands parks, greenways By Sandra Clark West Knox is getting a pocket park on land the county bought for flood control. Dunn Park on Ebenezer Road near West Valley Middle School will be a very small park, compatible with its residential neighborhood, according to Doug Bataille, senior director of Parks and Recreation for Knox County. He spoke Aug. 4 to the Council of West Knox County Homeowners. “We acquired this property several years ago, and we will propose development in the next year or two.” Another small park will be built at the corner of Hardwick and Bridgewater. “We want to meet with the neighbors” before plans are finalized, he said. Some have requested parking for the First Creek greenway, but Bataille thinks a better use might be a greenway trail entrance (for those

Harrell Road Stormwater Park is the project currently underway. Located off Emory Road in Karns, the park is a remnant of Painter Farm subdivision, acquired from developer Scott Davis through Legacy Parks Foundation. Through grants, Knox County Engineering and Public Works and Parks and Recreation have developed two detention ponds and planted over 100 trees in the park. Doug Bataille at CWKCHO A natural stone trail with permeable pavers has been installed, within walking distance) without and the park lacks only parking. “Beaver Creek runs along the parking. Margot Kline, president of the edge of the property,” said Bataille. council, said it’s important to have The county has built creek access parks and greenways easily acces- for canoes and will build a second sible: “It’s hard to overcome that put-in/take-out at the Sportspark on Oak Ridge Highway. five-mile drive to Concord Park.” Plumb Creek Park off Lovell Bataille said his department constructs parks in-house and Road is in line for attention when tries to finish one project before Harrell is done. The land was acquired three years ago on a trade. starting another.

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“We sold five acres with frontage on Ball Camp Pike and got 33 acres of rolling farm land, perfect for a passive park,” said Bataille. He sees a possible 10-acre dog park at Plumb Creek, saying Randy Boyd’s company, PetSafe, has committed future funding over five years to build dog parks in Knox County. The dog park at Concord Park has over 30,000 visits a year. “People ask why we build parks for dogs, but those parks are for people who have dogs,” he said. “Dog parks are a great place to meet your neighbors; they’re great ice-breakers.” Bataille also sees a disc golf and foot golf course in this park, which he says has “enormous oak trees” that have grown up around “Volkswagen-sized rocks.” He wants to wrap the park with a walking trail. To page A-3

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