NORTH / EAST VOL. 3 NO. 16
BUZZ
Summer Camp! ➤
See pages 10-11
Pl i with Playing ith th the community band It can get a little raucous on Saturday mornings around My Place. That’s when about two dozen musicians pull out their scores and start practicing for the community band at My Place, a performance and art space on Hall of Fame Drive.
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Read Bill Dockery on page 3
Building Gibbs a middle school Building Carter a school carried the risk that every community in the county would expect similar miracles, even though Mayor Burchett sought to tamp down expectations by warning that Carter was a one-time deal because there’s nothing left to sell. The only thing that’s surprising about the folks at Gibbs asking for a middle school is that it took this long.
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Read Betty Bean on page 5
Cheating no more Wonderful, isn’t it, that Tennessee basketball will never again by plagued by cheating disorders. No more penalties or embarrassment, so ordained, more or less, by athletic director Dave Hart, who really likes his job, especially on the second and fourth Fridays of each month.
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Read Marvin West on page 4
New movies Four movies opening this week seem like the calm before the storm: no superheroes, no car chases, no drug dealers. There will be violence – two of them are set during times of war – but don’t expect gangs or buckets of movie blood.
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Read Betsy Pickle on page 8
Smokey Mountain Meats opens Smokey Mountain Meats has just opened in Knoxville providing high quality bulk meats … steaks, beef, sausage, chicken and pork ... and vegetables. The business is located at 5708 Kingston Pike across from Bearden Elementary school; hours are Monday-Friday 11-6, Saturday 9-2 and Sunday 12-4. Info: page 6.
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April 22, 2015
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A-E principal selection top concern at East Knox citizens’ forum By Betty Bean Concerns about who will replace Austin-East High School principal Benny Perry when he retires at the end of the year emerged as the top issue at the East Knoxville community meeting called by County Commissioner Sam McKenzie, City Council member Daniel Brown and school board member Gloria Deathridge at the Beck Cultural Exchange Center last Thursday. For example: One of the written questions from the audience, addressed to Deathridge and Clifford Davis, former Knox County Schools executive director of secondary education, who will become Superintendent James McIntyre’s chief of staff later this spring, asked:
County Commissioner Sam McKenzie, City Council member Daniel Brown and school board representative Gloria Deathridge at a citizens’ meeting moderated by Juanita Cannon Photo by Betty Bean “How important is it that A-E has a principal from our community?” The questioner went on to observe that all the other schools in the district have Caucasian principals. “I would like to see someone of color,” Deathridge said, adding that the applicant must also be
qualified and experienced. “This is not a position of training. We need someone who can relate to the community.” Another commenter said the principal’s selection needs to send a message: “To let everyone know that we
are just as professional and intelligent as anyone else.” The speakers praised Perry, who was named principal in April 2008, when the school was under threat of state takeover under No To page 3
Current human rights forecast is ಫcloudyಬ By Bill Dockery Much like this spring’s weather, the climate for human rights in Tennessee is cloudy with occasional rain and thunder. So said the executive director of the state’s Human Rights Commission after a meeting Thursday during which she reviewed a recently completed status report on human rights in the state and sought further comments from members of the public. “We have laws on the books that we are charged with enforcing, but we also have attempts to repeal laws that affect access to employment and housing and public accommodations,” said Beverly Watts, executive director of the Tennessee Human Rights Commission, speaking at the Beck Cultural Exchange Center. “That’s the thunder we hear from time to time.” The report, released in November 2014, is the result of hearings in Memphis, Chattanooga, Knoxville and Nashville. At more than 200 pages, it contains 57 testimonies about rights issues as voiced by 47 individuals. The commission had asked citizens to identify the human rights
The Housing Office of the Tennessee Human Rights Commission gathers for a photo after an update on the commissionಬs rights report released in November 2014: Cynthia Bates, Sheena Foster, Saadia Williams, housing office manager Richard Gadzekpo, Laura Burch, state commission chair Annazette Houston and executive director Beverly Watts. Photo by Bill Dockery issues facing their communities, recommend possible solutions and the barriers to them, and provide examples of any effective programs that could serve as a model for other communities. Watts said the report was not about individual complaints but rather a global perspective on the state’s human rights issues. “We passed along actual complaints to the appropriate agencies, but we wanted people to address the overall issues,” she said.
“We came to follow up on the report we compiled last year, and we want your input on any issues that have surfaced since the report was published,” said Watts. “We know of one issue that has come up since then: a justice-law enforcement issue. The death of black men at the hands of law enforcement is a tip-of-the-iceberg issue.” Watts said that commercial and social media had raised justice issues after shootings of black men
in Florida, Missouri, New York and South Carolina. She also noted that other issues were surfacing, including violence against women, discrimination against pregnant women, Internet and technology access in classrooms and neighborhoods, and gender issues, as well as immigrant status. “The legislature is trying to decide where to put a monument to To page 3
Fourth and Gill sanctuary
By Cindy Taylor
When Jim Klonaris first spotted his home in the historic Fourth and Gill neighborhood, it was love at first sight. For wife Lori it was sight unseen. Klonaris made an offer and put everything in place to purchase the house before he told Lori, who was on a weeklong mission trip at the time. “Fortunately, my wife has complete trust in me,” said Klonaris. “All she requested was that I create for her a sanctuary in the backyard.” But the couple did so much more than that during renovations, which they are close to completing three-and-a-half years since the purchase. They have done most of the work themselves with the help of friends, calling in experts only when needed. The couple tried West Knox living but never really felt at home Jim Klonaris in his backyard sanctuary with Historic Fourth and Gill Home there, and it was far from their Tour co-chairs Jenny Wright and Sean Martin Photos by Cindy Taylor
business. As owners of Café 4 on Market Square, they became enamored with downtown Knoxville. They looked at condo and loft living in the area but really wanted outdoor space. “We fell in love with the uniqueness of downtown, which was foreign to us but very endearing,” said Klonaris. “It continued to pull on our heartstrings. My son had bought a house in the Fourth and Gill area, and I found a fi xer-upper close to his and planned to flip it.” Jim put an offer on the house, but during a drive through the neighborhood he saw a house with a “for sale” sign in the yard. He was invited inside, and even though the colors of the house were not appealing, Klonaris recognized great bones. He withdrew the other offer and purchased what would To page 3
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