Powell/Norwood Shopper-News 032316

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POWELL/NORWOOD VOL. 55 NO. 12

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BUZZ Powell reunion

March 23, 2016

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gets new look

Panther football field

The Powell High Alumni Reunion will be held Saturday, April 2, at the Jubilee Banquet Facility, 6700 Jubilee Center Way. Registration begins at 4:45 p.m., with a buffet meal at 6. Cost: $24 plus alumni fees of $10. Info: Lynette Brown, 9477371 or LBrown8042@aol.com.

Ted Hall to speak at prayer breakfast News anchor Ted Hall will speak at the annual prayer breakfast sponsored by the Halls Business and Professional Association. The event starts at 7:30 a.m. Friday, March 25, at Beaver Dam Baptist Church. Ted Hall returned to Knoxville as news anchor for WVLTTV in 2014 after working for seven years as news anchor at WXIA in Atlanta. Before that he was a reporter and anchor at WBIR-TV in Knoxville for 18 years. He and wife Lesa lived in the Brickey area. Tickets for the catered event are $10 and available from Sue Walker at swalker@tindells. com or 922-7751 or at the door. It is open to all.

Egg Hunts ■Bells Campground Baptist Church Easter Event, 10 a.m.noon Saturday, March 26, 7816 Bells Campground Road. Includes: skits, singing, craft, an egg hunt for ages 0-fifth grade, refreshments and door prizes. Info: 947-6254. ■Big Ridge State Park Easter egg hunt, Saturday, March 26. Rain or shine. Schedule: 10 a.m., 2 years old and younger; 10:30 a.m., 3-4 years old; 1 p.m. 5-7 years old; 1:30 p.m., 8-10 years old. Bring your basket. Prizes; Easter Bunny. Meet at the Park office. Info: 992-5523. ■Children’s Easter party, 10 a.m. Saturday, March 26, sponsored by Trentville UMC and Pleasant Hill UMC. Info: 933-5041. ■Community Easter egg hunt, 11:30 a.m. Sunday, March 27, Powell Presbyterian Church, 2910 W. Emory Road. Info: 938-8311; www. powellpcusa.org. ■Easter Eggstravaganza, 10 a.m.noon Saturday, March 26, Bells Campground Baptist Church, 7815 Bell Campground Road. Activities include: puppets, skits, a craft and an egg hunt for children through 5th grade, followed by a hot dog lunch. ■Easter Eggstravaganza, 11 a.m. Saturday, March 26, Union Baptist Church, 6701 Washington Pike, for kids pre-K through 5th grade. Info: DiscoverUnion.org.

(865) 922-4136 NEWS (865) 661-8777 news@ShopperNewsNow.com Sandra Clark | Ruth White ADVERTISING SALES (865) 342-6084 ads@ShopperNewsNow.com Patty Fecco | Tony Cranmore Beverly Holland | Amy Lutheran CIRCULATION (865) 342-6200 shoppercirc@ShopperNewsNow.com

Construction crews are tearing up the Powell High School football field for the installation of a new turf field, sponsored by Pilot/Flying J and the Haslam Family Foundation. Powell is among the first schools to get a new field, although the grant provides new fields for 13 public high schools and $100,000 per school for academic programs. Photo by Ruth White

Emory Road apartments density is ‘done deal’ By Sandra Clark Powell residents raised three issues when Gerald Green, executive director of the Metropolitan Planning Commission visited with the Enhance Powell committee of PBPA last week. First was concern about the density of a 220-unit apartment complex on 14 acres on Emory Road near Central Avenue Pike. Green said that site was designated for multi-family use in the north county sector plan and the zoning and approval of a site plan was done in 2015, before he arrived in town. “So, it’s a done deal,� said one neighbor. “Yes,� said Green. He distributed the site plan which showed above-average construction materials, a pool and dog park. Residents also asked about Dr. Jim Sternberg’s request to rezone 35 acres on Emory Road as general commercial. This is a contentious issue with the land currently zoned for a town center. Planners now say the site is too small for that mix of residential and commercial use. And Sternberg has not secured funding for the development. MPC staff recommended against Sternberg’s request and

the MPC denied it. Sternberg, through attorney John King, then appealed to Knox County Commission. On a motion by District 7 comDoc Sternberg missioner Charles Busler, the commission sided with Sternberg and sent it back to MPC for more study. Green said curb cuts on Emory Road and hodgepodge development without a plan are staff concerns. “He could sell the land in half-acre lots.� Sternberg said he’s already rejected two potential buyers, a cutrate grocery store and low-income housing. He prefers to develop the tract with entrances off Star Mountain Road (which serves the Powell branch library and Powell Animal Hospital). “I live in this community,� he said. “I’m not going to do anything just to put a dollar in my pocket.� Sternberg said since the town center rezoning some 10-plus years ago his land has been taxed at commercial rates, “and I’m still baling hay.� In response to a question, he said it’s not economically feasible

to develop the land as single family residential. Enhance Powell members were generally favorable to Sternberg’s rezoning, but most preferred deed restrictions to prevent intense land use, such as the high density apartments planned just up the street. Green said later he is meeting with Dr. Sternberg next week to

discuss possible deed restrictions. The land extends from Emory Road to Beaver Creek and from Star Mountain Road to the real estate company located in the former home of Sally and A.B. Bell. Justin Bailey talked briefly about a neighborhood conservation district for “downtown Powell� to encourage business and preserve Powell’s oldest buildings.

Feel the ‘Buzz’ for next schools super By Betty Bean

In February, school board member Terry Hill’s colleagues tasked her with vetting candidates for interim schools superintendent and reporting back April 4 with a recommendation for her colleagues. There are several candiBuzz Thomas dates, but almost nobody is talking about anyone but Great Schools Partnership president Oliver “Buzz� Thomas for the job. Thomas gained frontrunner status because he is intimately fa-

miliar with the workings of Knox County Schools, well liked and, in many respects, highly qualified. Board chair Doug Harris kicked that perception up a notch when he undercut Hill by declaring Thomas the best choice before the vetting process had begun. Harris is not running for re-election and is the de facto leader of the fivemember majority that will control the board until new members are seated in September. Hill, who is not a member of the majority coalition, declined to comment on the process. The search for an interim leader became necessary when Superintendent James McIntyre announced in January that he will

resign in July, citing the political reality that after the August elections, his supporters will no longer dominate the new school board. The interim superintendent will take over when McIntyre departs. The initial list of nominated candidates included Knox County Finance Director Chris Caldwell, Human Capital Strategy Director Rodney Russell, Secondary Schools Supervisor Danny Trent, Assistant Superintendent Bob Thomas, retired administrator Ed Hedgepeth and perennial candidate George Hamilton. Caldwell wasted no time saying thanks but no thanks. Sources say Russell and Hedgepeth have now done the same, leaving Buzz

Gerald Green of MPC talks with Lee Robbins following the Enhance Powell meeting at Powell branch library. Photo by S. Clark

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Thomas, Bob Thomas (who was strongly considered for the superintendent’s job in 2008 when McIntyre was selected) and Trent as the remaining viable candidates. But the smart money is on Buzz Thomas. “Buzz has that vision and the ability to sell that dream. He believes in what he does so deeply that people want to be a part of it. That’s a unique personality,� said board member Patti Bounds. “The first time I met Buzz, I sat there in his office and thought to myself, ‘Why did we go all the way to Boston to get Dr. McIntyre when Buzz is so highly qualified?’ To page A-3


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