VOL. 11 NO. 9
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Fairways & Greens is up to Par
FIRST WORDS
Avon Rollins: words of wisdom By Reneé Kesler
The Beck Cultural Exchange Center, “the place where African American history & culture are preserved,” bid its final farewell to Avon William Rollins Sr., former executive director of Beck, on Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2016. Renee Kesler Mr. Rollins was at the forefront of the Civil Rights Movement and was always willing to share words of wisdom. While I was privileged to have the opportunity to engage in numerous in-depth inspirational conversations with Mr. Rollins over the years, perhaps the crowning moment for me came exactly Rollins Sr. five months prior to his death. On Thursday, July 7, 2016, at Beck, I had the privilege of moderating a conversation with eight extraordinarily wise and insightful people: Dessa E. Blair, Robert J. Booker, Luther W. Bradley, Ether R. Jackson, Theotis Robinson Jr., t h e Rev. W. Eugene Thomas, Lawrence B. Washington and Avon W. Rollins Sr. The documentary “East Tennessee Voices: Eighth of August Celebration of Emancipation,” was produced in partnership with East Tennessee PBS and the East Tennessee History Center. The documentary highlighted the significance of the 8th of August in Tennessee history. It was Aug. 8, 1863, that Military Gov. Andrew Johnson freed his own slaves in Greeneville. Further, in keeping with Emancipation Day or the Day of Freedom, in Knoxville, Chilhowee Park was open to African Americans only one day a year, Aug. 8, and this continued until 1948. As you might imagine, during the filming there were amusing bloopers. If you could have been a fly on the wall you would have witnessed heartwarming laughter and real entertainment. At one point the filming had to stop because we could not halt chuckling at a gesture made by one of the eight. To page A-3
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By Margie Hagen
Cameron Page shows the swing that has made him a standout on the Farragut High School golf team.
Ask any golfer what the secret to playing great golf is and you will get as many answers are there are golfers. Books on golf and instruction outnumber books written about any other sport. For members at Fairways & Greens golf center in West Knoxville, practice time can be anytime, even when the weather doesn’t cooperate. It’s practically “Disneyland” for golfers, with an indoor/outdoor facility, lighted Bermuda tees, short game practice area, and indoor putting and net stations. A fitness center with locker room and showers along with professional instruction are part of services available. Farragut High School junior Cameron Page has been playing since he was 8. Now a member of the FHS golf team, Page comes to Fairways & Greens on a regular basis to keep his game finely tuned. “I can practice even when the weather is bad,” says Page, heading outdoors to hit drives under covered tees. Wayne LeBlanc comes about three to four times a week. He says others might prefer to go shopping, “but this is what I do.” More than a hobby, practice is a way to keep improving his game. To page A-3
Orchid awards at Keep Knoxville Beautiful By Sandra Clark The orchids of Keep Knoxville Beautiful may be coming to northwest Knox County when the organization holds its annual dinner 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 7, at The Standard. Ticket info: keepknoxvillebeautiful.org. The nominees for Redesign/Reuse include the Powell Airplane Service Station and also the Depot at Powell Station. Both are competing with properties across town including Rahman Dermatology, Geo Hair Lab, the Locust Street Pedestrian Bridge, Lululemon Athletica, Patricia Nash
Designs, Premier Surgical Associates at Papermill, The Daniel, The Mill and Mine, the Kennedy-Walker-Baker-Sherrill House, the 6th Avenue Warehouses, and the 1894 Saloon Building. Awards also will be given for environmental stewardship, new architecture, outdoor spaces, public art and restaurant/café/bar/brewery. “Each year the list of nominees reveals a snapshot of the progress and values of our developing city,” said KKB’s executive director, Patience Melnik. The most interesting (how in the world do
you pick the winner?) competition is for new architecture, where the Market Square restroom facilities square off with the UT Student Union and the Haslam Music Building. The Mary Lou Horner Beautification Award will be granted to a former Orchid winner whose property remains Orchid-worthy. Horner, a KKB founder, branded the annual event as “Orchids and Onions,” and she reveled in presenting “onions” to businesses needing improvement. The East Tennessee Community Design Center judged each category.
Assessor’s office is set for reappraisals By Sandra Clark The real estate market has perked up, just in time for state-mandated reappraisals. Property Assessor John Whitehead says the overall result must be revenue-neutral (the commission can’t use reappraisals to sneak in a tax increase) but that doesn’t mean an individual’s property value, thus real estate taxes, won’t rise or fall. The county commission is obligated to adjust the tax rate after Whitehead certifies the reappraisals on May 20. Whitehead outlined the appeals schedule for the Powell Republican Club, meeting Feb. 16 at Shoney’s. Reappraisals will be completed in March. Notices will go out the first week in April, and Whitehead’s staff will hear informal appeals during April. “You can text, email or phone. We may get 1,000 calls per day,” he said.
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Whitehead will open three sites for the informal appeals – Fountain City and Cedar Bluff branch libraries and his office in the City County Building. The month of May is “cleanup,” with notices sent again to property owners whose appraisals were changed. “On May 20, we certify our tax roll to the county Board of Equalization. Then you can appeal to Whitehead them.” Taxpayers still unhappy can appeal to the state Board of Equalization, which will conduct hearings in Knoxville. A fourth appeal can go to the state Appeals Commission in Nashville. The final step is the full state Board of Equalization. “It’s like the U.S. Supreme Court,” Whitehead said. “Nine out of 10 cases
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they won’t hear; they’ll just affirm the Appeals Commission.” After this chain of appeals, taxpayers can file a lawsuit in Chancery Court in Knox or Davidson County. In response to questions, Whitehead said Knox County has some 190,000 parcels. He said it’s toughest to appraise farm land because there are so few comparables. Whitehead has worked in the assessor’s office for 38 years, joining the staff of the late Edward Hill after returning from Vietnam. He sat out eight years while Phil Ballard served two terms, and returned to office in 2016 after a narrow Republican Primary victory over Ballard’s chief deputy, Jim Weaver. “I’m having a good time,” he said. “We’ve got a great group with everybody pitching in and doing a good job.” Info: knoxcounty.org/property or 865-215-2360.
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