GOVERNMENT/POLITICS A4 | OUR COLUMNISTS A6-7 | YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS A10-11 | BUSINESS A13
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powell
VOL. 50, NO. 17
APRIL 25, 2011
INSIDE
Whale of a show Powell High School spring choral concert billed as a “Barbershop Extravaganza” Greg Householder has the details on page A-3
Running isn’t everything But winning is, according to the late Vince Lombardi. Last week Knoxville mayoral candidate Marilyn Roddy took counsel of her fears and concluded that her slim prospects of winning had taken the fun out of running. See Editor’s Corner on page A-2
FEATURED COLUMNIST VALORIE FISTER
Word pictures Local artist Kathy Thacker and Knoxville native Ann Lovell team up on children’’s books See page A-7
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Remembering Coster Shop By Valorie Fister If you want to know what it was like to work at one of the largest train maintenance sites in the South, ask James “Jimmy” Edington. The Powell resident’s 37-year career as a car repair technician, included 24 at Coster Shop before it closed in the 1990s after more than 100 years in operation. The buildings along I-275 in North Knoxville were eventually demolished to make room for a business park. But Edington, now retired, still has a commemorative brick he displays on a hallway shelf at his home. And he has many memories. “It’s dangerous work,” Edington said. “I’m surprised there were not more killed over there than what there were. “We didn’t have to have a hard hat, safety glasses, ear plugs, steel-toed boots,” Edington said of his early days. “I used to put tissue paper into my ears if I was working in under a car. Someone outside would be using a sledge hammer.” Edington worked first at Coster Shop and then at the John Sevier Terminal. As a railroad welder, Edington modified and repaired rail cars. He cut down outdated boxcars and converted them into trailers. And he inspected and tested brake lines in trains that stretched for miles. Once he twisted his ankle on the job. Another time a piece of slag hit him in the eye. He wore an eye
and gravel roads can easily wear out a truck’s front end. “The trucks, after awhile, are in bad shape,” he said. “It hit a chuck hole and that was the last chuck hole that wheel wanted to have anything to do with.” Edington remembers many events from his working days. His wife, Janice Edington, is retired after 32 years at Frontier Communications. She enjoys hearing her husband’s railroad stories. “We change the names to protect the innocent,” Janice said laughing. “There was one engineer who stopped his train on a trestle over a bridge over a $20 bet that he couldn’t swim over to a boat and back,” Jimmy said. “He swam over to the boat, but he was wore out and couldn’t get back.” “There was a supervisor on the train who got scared that he would get in trouble, so he started the train,” Jimmy said. “The engineer told the people in the boat ‘You aren’t going to believe this, but I’m the engineer in that train!’ ” Jimmy said the boaters drove him to a bank where he could get Powell resident James “Jimmy” Edington holds a piece of history from his rail- back to his engine. The Edingtons both laughed. road days. He once worked at Norfolk Southern’s Coster Shop rail yard in North And they enjoy retirement, which Knoxville which was closed in the 1990s. Photo by Valorie Fister they both started at age 60. patch for a while after that accident, about it,” Edington said. “On a side They thought about working and his eye eventually healed. back road, the front end came right part time. But with a second home And then he ran into a train out of the truck and it turned toward purchase in Florida, Janice said it’s a train and ran right into it. Of course, impossible. with a truck. “We’d have to take off work to go “That’s something not a lot of it didn’t do anything to the train.” people have done … and lived to tell Edington explained railroad dirt someplace,” Jimmy said.
A better idea for Midway By Larry Van Guilder She may be “G.R,” not GE, but Gloria Ray is inspiring some better ideas for making use of The Development Corporation’s 380-acre tract in the Midway community.
Analysis
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Ray, president and CEO of the Knoxville Tourism and Sports Corportation, is leading an 18-member committee as it explores alternative uses for the property. The committee met for the second time last week. “It’s always important to manage expectations,” Ray said, kicking off the discussion. “We’ve done such a good job of this that no one expects us to accomplish anything.” Ray’s observation was delivered tongue-in-cheek, but her wit doesn’t mask the skepticism with which some view the committee’s efforts to find a solution for Midway satisfactory to TDC and those in the community opposed to aggressive development. And if last week’s gathering is a reliable indication, even some of the major players in this dialogue are lukewarm about the committee’s prospects. Rhonda Rice, executive vice president of the Knoxville Chamber, departed midway through the meeting. TDC’s executive vice president, Todd Napier, was a noshow and Roger Osborne, chair of TDC’s board of directors, arrived more than an hour into the meeting. All of which is unfortunate,
Gloria Ray because Ray and the committee members displayed the kind of creative approach to Midway which has been in short supply at TDC and the Chamber. Ray initiated the brainstorming by soliciting suggestions for ways to “build out” what she called a “Health and Lifestyle Center.” Noting that Tennessee claims the unenviable top ranking in the U.S. for incidence of obesity, and that baby boomers are taking a greater interest in their health, Ray began by sketching out what the main facility at the center might contain. A workout center and a pool were obvious choices, and for those looking for more pampering, a spa was suggested. Branching out, retail spaces might include a restaurant serving vegetables grown from an on-site garden and a meat market featuring local products. A golf course and trails for hiking, biking and horse riding would provide opportunities for outdoor activities.
An educational unit for classrooms and demonstration projects would be complemented by rustic “cabins” for visitors who came for an extended stay. Jeff Christian, an ORNL energy efficiency expert, suggested a dual purpose solar panel sound barrier. Besides service jobs, Ray foresaw possibilities for teachers and even doctors. That sparked discussion about the shortage of nurse practitioners, and Tom Ballard of ORNL suggested that the education unit might grow into a school for the specialty. “It may be a great service and a great idea,” Ray concluded, “but can it sustain itself from a business standpoint?” Elaine Clark thinks it could with the right approach. “We have to learn how to partner with different industries,” she said, such as hospitals, schools and utilities. Ray’s “Headquarters Hill” concept generated even more ideas. Taking a cue from Indianapolis’ claim as the “amateur athletics capital of the world,” Ray envisioned Knoxville as the energy efficiency capital of the world, drawing on the technical expertise at ORNL and UT. Even Osborne was impressed – with a caveat. “I like this concept. It’s a good concept for Knoxville. … But, whether Midway is the right place to put it, I don’t know.” Ray plans to convene the committee again in May with the aim of developing a consensus proposal.
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PHS Band motorcycle run The PHS Band boosters club will hold its second annual motorcycle run Saturday, April 30, at Knoxville Harley Davidson on Clinton Highway. Registration begins at 11 a.m., lunch is at noon and the ride starts at 1 p.m. The ride is free, but donations are greatly appreciated. All proceeds go toward a trip to Hawaii for the Marching Panthers this fall. They will be representing the Powell community at the 70th anniversary observance of the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Powell Elementary to host carnival The Powell Elementary school carnival will be held 4-8 p.m. Saturday, April 30. The community is invited to attend an evening of fun, games, food, vendors, DJ, dance, magician, basket auction and a cake walk. The event is hosted by Powell PTA.
Knox North Lions plan ‘Patriotic Pet’ contest for July 4th parade The Knox North Lions Club will host a “Patriotic Pet” contest in conjunction with the Powell 4th of July parade. Bring your pet decked out in their best patriotic regalia for the contest. Winners will be determined by popular vote. It’s free to enter and votes are $1 each. The contest will be held at the post-parade festivities at Scarbro field.