SOUTH KNOX VOL. 2 NO. O 1
IN THIS ISSUE
S-D wows with ‘Oklahoma’ The corn was as high as an elephant’s eye and the wind came sweeping down the stage for South-Doyle High School’s production of “Oklahoma!” Strong performances by a talented cast on opening night last Tuesday gave a promise of good things to come for the subsequent weekend shows.
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Read Betsy Pickle on page 6
Searching for a basketball coach Critics managed to find fault with Dave Hart’s search for a new Tennessee basketball coach. I thought it was orderly enough. Seek-and-find took only one week. OK, I did flinch when the Louisiana Tech guy turned us down.
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Read Marvin West on page 5
What makes JMac run? The second-most commonly-cited reason for preferring appointed school superintendents over the elected kind is the contention that elected superintendents are forced to waste half their time campaigning (the first reason is being able to attract a better selection of candidates). De-politicizing education isn’t the primary argument for appointed supes, but it’s a pretty good one. But does it really hold up under scrutiny? If you’ve been trying to keep up with the community forums, elegant evenings, hard-hat days, ribbon-cuttings, gladsome announcements, unveilings and public chowingdowns of Superintendent James McIntyre this election season, you’re probably worn plumb out.
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Read Betty Bean on page 4
Misty’s Pet Depot Misty Lifford dreamed of opening her own business and started doing research in January 2013. Fourteen months later her dream came true. Her degree and retail management experience are a perfect fit for Misty’s Pet Depot. Misty’s dad, Bill Lifford, was a supervisor with Sea Ray boats for 40 years and had been retired for five when Misty says she “dragged him out of retirement” to become co-owner of their new business. Their priority was to find the perfect location.
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Read Nancy Whittaker on page7
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Vestival returns
Acclaimed local band Tim Lee 3 will make its Vestival debut on Saturday. Photo by Bill Foster
with a vengeance By Betsy Pickle When you put a festival in Vestal, it just makes sense to call it Vestival. But after that, anything goes. “This year, we’re having opera for the first time,” says Trudy Monaco, Vestival founder and board member of the Candoro Arts and Heritage Center, which hosts the event at the Candoro Marble building, 4450 Candora Ave. Opera, music that would sound more at home at the Grand Ole Opry and many genres in between will be presented on the three stages at Vestival, which runs from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, May 10. Admission is free, but a $5 donation is suggested. In addition to the Marble City Opera, performers will include Tim Lee 3, RB Morris, Cereus Bright, the Carpetbag Theatre, Jamie Cook, Four Leaf Peat, Jon Whitlock Trio, Cornbred Blues Band, the Jank, Pamela Klicka Jazz and the Knoxville Ramblers. Vendors throughout the grounds will offer arts, crafts, food and beverages in a family-friendly atmosphere. There will be children’s activities as well as special To page 3
Quilter Opal McCartney is the featured artist.
Dragonfly Aerial Arts returns to Vestival this year. Photos submitted
Chapman Highway Goodwill store relocating Goodwill Industries-Knoxville’s retail store on Chapman Highway will relocate to a nearby facility at 4201 Chapman Highway. The grand reopening is set for
9 a.m. Wednesday, May 7. The new location will provide a larger retail area, more natural lighting and an improved donation area – improvements that should
result in more pleasant shopping and donating experiences for Goodwill customers, according to a company press release. Proceeds from the sale of goods
New taxes or no: Both draw applause less. Vice Mayor Nick Pavlis seems By Sandra Clark Knoxville’s mayor wants a 34- solidly at her side. Mayor Tim cent property-tax hike and promisBurchett is closely es dynamic projects (along with an aligned with Knox ordinance-mandated 2.5 percent County Commiswage increase for city employees sion, a body unand a charter-mandated 3 percent likely to pass a increase for pensions). The people tax hike even if at her budget address applauded. he proposed it. Luckily, the county’s tax base has Rogero grown in the reKnox County’s mayor wants cession so that Burchett has been no property-tax increase (the last able to fund increases of $49 milone was at the beginning of Tom- lion to Knox County Schools durmy Schumpert’s second term, 15 ing his term, even without a tax years ago), promises fewer new increase. But that has come at the expense programs and no wholesale raises for county employees including of the Sheriff’s Office, where the teachers and deputies. The people bottom 90 percent are underpaid. It shortchanges Parks & Recreation at his budget address applauded. Who are these people, and why where each year Doug Bataille tries to do more and more with less and are they clapping? Mayor Madeline Rogero must less. And the school board says it’s believe she’s got five votes on not enough. Both legislative bodies will conCity Council for her budget or she would have proposed something duct hearings and vote in May.
Analysis
Rogero’s budget calls for great things including public restrooms on Market Square. That alone earned her a standing ovation. She said, “Everywhere I go I hear that we are on the right track. There is an excitement and a buzz for the good Burchett things happening in Knoxville. We need to stay on track. We need to keep the momentum building. We need to continue to invest in building a great city.” Rogero’s $200.5 million general fund budget includes increases for sidewalks and crosswalks, $1.2 million for public infrastructure improvements downtown, $300,000 for continued improvements in the Magnolia Warehouse District, $500,000 to remediate blighted and chronic problem properties, $500,000 for historic-preservation
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in this and other Goodwill stores enable Goodwill Industries-Knoxville Inc. to provide vocational services and employment opportunities for people with barriers to employment across its 15-county service area in East Tennessee. Info: 588-8567 or www.gwiktn. org. projects, $1 million for greenway corridors and improvements to Lakeshore Park, Fountain City Lake and Ijams Nature Center. Whew! Burchett’s $31.2 million capital budget has new projects as well: ■ $5 million for Ball Camp Drive phase two ■ $2.5 million for safety improvements at various intersections ■ $750,000 for expansion and upgrades to Carter Convenience Center ■ $300,000 for the development of Plumb Creek Park ■ Funding for 30 new KCSO vehicles and technology/security upgrades Burchett promises fiscal responsibility and a tight fist. Rogero promises leadership for city services “that people have come to expect and demand.” Both mayors got applause because both connect with the people they serve. Both are likable and approachable. Both work hard. Both are middle-of-the road, with Burchett leaning rightward while Rogero lists to the left. We’ve got the government we deserve. Let’s hear a round of applause.
Mother’s Day is May 11!
Happy Mother’s Day!