The ShopperNews is growing, and we want you to grow with us! We are now delivered to homes in Old North, south Knox, east Knoxville and all of south and east Knox County. The communities have a lot in common. They are vibrant, historic areas filled with fascinating people and interesting stories – and too often those stories go unreported. Not anymore.
We’re a community newspaper, and we believe in celebrating community. You may be familiar with other editions of the ShopperNews and our mission to share the heartbeat of each community. This one is all yours. At the Shopper-News, we try not to preach. We simply find those who know what’s best for their
VOL. 1 NO. 1
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IN THIS ISSUE
Restore Mary Vestal Park!
Betsy Pickle visits the Vestal Community Organization and the Sierra Club picnic in Holston Park. Did someone say free food?
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See Betsy’s report on page 3
NEIGHBORHOOD BUZZ
East Towne Merchants to meet
East Towne Area Merchants will meet 8-9 a.m. Monday, Aug. 19, at the Cracker Barrel on Millertown Pike. Steve Borden, TDOT regional director, and Dave Brace, who heads the Knoxville Public Service Department, will attend to discuss clearing brush, business visibility, signs and a wish list. Nick Della Volpe, who represents the area on City Council, says the 120 merchants located at the East Towne exit of I-640 account for $2.6 million in local property taxes, generate more than $10 million in state sales tax, and provide some 2,000 jobs. He’s asking for brush clearing to increase visibility and two-way mall roads.
Candidates to spar
Alice Bell/Springhill Neighborhood Association will meet at 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 19, at New Harvest Park, Washington Pike just east of Target. Guests will be candidates for City Council 4th District Nick Della Volpe and Rick Staples. Ronnie Phillips will show the overall plan for his property on Washington Pike.
P.O. Box 18295, Knoxville 37928 (865) 922-4136 NEWS news@ShopperNewsNow.com Sandra Clark | Betsy Pickle ADVERTISING SALES ads@ShopperNewsNow.com Shannon Carey Jim Brannon | Tony Cranmore Brandi Davis | Patty Fecco
family, their block, their county. We find them and tell their stories. We care about what goes on in schools and neighborhoods, about the debates in meeting rooms and restaurant booths. We think you do, too, and we hope this is “the beginning of a beautiful friendship.” While dozens of hardworkers make the paper and bring it to your home, the four folks you’re most likely to see are:
Sandra Clark: Publisher of Halls Shopper since 1971, she says there are two rules of good newspapering: Show up and spell the names right. So if you want us to show up at your place, just give a call. Betsy Pickle: A journalist with 30-plus years of experience, Betsy grew up in east Knoxville and has lived in south Knoxville for 21 years. A member of First Baptist Church and a mentor at an elementary school, she will cover the east and south communities and south area schools. Ruth White: 11-year veteran of Shopper-News, specializes in
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school coverage and photography. Ruth raised three great kids – Joe, David and Caroline – and when they left home she learned to bake cookies. Gourmet cookies. Get to know Ruth White as she covers area schools. Nancy Whittaker: She will cover business news and maybe sell an ad. She just joined us after a stint in property management with Holrob. There are many more featured columnists and writers. You’ll enjoy their work as you renew acquaintance with old friends such as sports guy Marvin West and meet new ones like Jake Mabe. Contact us at news@Shopper NewsNow.com or 865-342-6610.
August 19, 2013
Rogero makes neighborhood connection By Betsy Pickle When Mayor Madeline Rogero brought her “Neighborhood Connections” series to her home turf, south Knoxville, last Tuesday, she felt the love. But she also felt the frustration many south Knoxvillians have over the roadblocks to building a thriving community. Rogero reeled off a checklist of projects completed or in the works in SoKno that the city has funded or supported, and many of the price tags, i.e. investments, were impressive. But when she opened the floor to attendees, residents had nearly as many concerns as she had accomplishments. While the atmosphere at Woodlawn Christian Church was consistently cordial, such omnipresent clouds as the effects of the Henley Bridge closure and the fate of the James White Parkway extension cast shadows on the 90-minute meeting. Defunct businesses on Chapman Highway and blighted properties in the area were a sore spot. Sidewalks, road improvements
and problems at city parks got their share of discussion. Residents were happy to hear that KAT is looking to create a “super-stop” in south Knoxville so that riders don’t have to travel downtown on one SoKno line to transfer to another SoKno route. At least 11 neighborhood groups were represented, and Rogero mustered a huge amount of support from her staff, city officials and City Council – with about 30 attending – to show that the city is serious about doing right by south Knoxville. Rogero and Vice Mayor Nick Pavlis, the 1st District council member, urged people to keep things in perspective and insisted that south Knoxville is no longer “the redheaded stepchild” of the city. Attendees seemed happy with the tone and substance of the evening. “It was a great meeting,” said Janice Tocher of the south Woodlawn Neighborhood Assocation. Mayor Madeline Rogero feels the love at her South Knox Neighborhood “These are exciting things.” Connections meeting last week. Photo by Betsy Pickle
City opens Loves Creek greenway By Sandra Clark The city of Knoxville has opened a half-mile crushed-limestone trail at Loves Creek which Mayor Madeline Rogero says will extend eventually to Knoxville Center mall and the New Harvest Park. “It started as a dream,” said 4th District City Council member Nick Della Volpe. He and his neighbors actually cut portions of the trail by hand. At the recent ribbon-cutting, Della Volpe related the history of Buffat Mill, built in 1870, and said the old mill site is still there. The trailhead is near the county-owned Spring Place Park where parking is available. Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett help cut the ribbon, and council members Finbarr Saunders and Daniel Brown attended, as did County Commissioner Ed Shouse and former commission chair Thomas “Tank” Strickland.
within city limits. Inmates from the Knox County Work Release Center cleared brush while Knoxville’s Public Service Department executed all other construction. “The greenway will offer citizens another opportunity to stay healthy,” said Burchett. A highlight was an original composition, “Loves Creek,” performed by Julianne and Scott White. The catchy tune and lyrics inspired toe-tapping and Rogero’s comment: “Y’all have set a new bar for ribbon-cuttings.” The Whites are members of the Knoxville Songwriters Association. The new greenway is part of a 10-year city/county Greenways Mayor Madeline Rogero and Recreation Director Joe Walsh are flanked by City Council members Finbarr Saunders (left) and Nick Della Volpe (right) Master Plan, monitored by Knoxville Parks and Recreation Direcfollowing the ribbon-cutting for the Loves Creek Greenway. Photo by S. Clark tor Joe Walsh and Knox County Parks and Recreation Director “This was a tag-team project crews built the trail for an es- Doug Bataille. Info: 311 or www.cityofknoxwith multiple city and county timated $35,000 on the Knox departments,” said Rogero. City County property that resides ville.org/greenways/.
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