Swept Away

The radio and TV ads were ominous: special education money being wasted; federal funds unaccounted for; the D.A. looking into it. Yup, WVLT Channel 8 sounded like it had a pretty hot school system scandal on tap last week for its Thursday and Friday night broadcasts. But the ads, broadcast on several major Knoxville radio stations, didn't mention which school system. Turns out it was Union County, which has about 3,100 students. And that ticked off Mike Cohen, media maven for Knox County schools. "They intentionally made people think it was Knox County," he fumed, noting a lot more people probably heard the ads than actually saw the reports. "It's grossly irresponsible." Is it possible that in a ratings sweeps month Channel 8 was setting a bait-and-switch for the 100,000 or so parents of Knox County students? No way, says Channel 8 news director Dave Winstrom. "I would hope people would watch a story for the interest of the story, whether it's Knox County or Union County or whatever."

Pat Summitt, Dadgummitt

UT women's basketball coach Pat Summitt issued perhaps her clearest answer yet to those who assume that she'd consider it a step up to get a job coaching a men's team. In a lengthy story in the New York Times Tuesday, Summitt said the following:

"We've not had the opportunities our male counterparts have had in athletics and in corporate America, even, until late. My whole thinking along that line is that you have an opportunity during your time on earth to make a difference for women. What would it matter if you made a difference for men? It's not like they need it."

Phttt, You Were Gone

Metro Pulse readers' favorite restaurant of 1997 is outta here. We wanted to call owner Kelly Henderson and get her to say it ain't so, but the telephone has been turned off at the Sunspot. Look for the Cumberland Avenue eatery to be auctioned March 7 at 10 a.m. How could this happen to such a popular, happening place? Scott Simon of Alfred A. Robinson Company, says he's auctioned off 80 restaurants, "And 78 of them have been poorly managed."

Phttt, So Were You

County commissioners attending committee meetings last week were taken by surprise when County Executive Tommy Schumpert handed them sealed envelopes announcing the sudden departure of Schumpert's administrator Russell Treadway. When questioned, Schumpert said Treadway left "by mutual decision..." Word is, however, that Schumpert has been doing a slow burn ever since the county's attempt to site a baseball stadium on Lovell Road went sour. Schumpert & Co. backed off the plan after getting yelled at during an acrimonious community meeting here awhile back, and sources say "...Russell was supposed to step up in front of the bullet and didn't."

Treadway, however, says he's "Not sure I know the full reason," and concedes that his departure was "sudden," effective Feb. 16, and was the result of a Feb. 9 conversation, during the course of which the Lovell Road public hearing "was mentioned." Treadway, who has a doctorate in political science and was city manager of Sevierville for 16 years, was popular with many commissioners and had worked for Knox County for 3 years. Leaving a job in this fashion "is a first for me," he says.