The Offending Item (Which Was...?)

Naturally, no one old enough to read should suspect Metro Pulse would have anything good to say about Scott Davis. The recent item appearing in "Ear to the Ground" [Vol. 8, No. 24] was yet another in many assaults on Mr. Davis who has had the sheer effrontery to challenge Tommy Schumpert who is unanimously supported by the oligarchy Metro Pulse likes to pretend it disdains. The offending item, I believe, was written by Jesse Fox Mayshark; the very same Jesse Fox Mayshark who wrote the fawning cover story on Tommy Schumpert. Indeed, the story on Schumpert was so laudatory I think Mr. Mayshark may well have a future as a romance novelist.

I find it rather amusing Mr. Mayshark is reduced to commenting upon items appearing in The Knoxville News-Sentinel rather than original reporting. Of course, I dare say Mr. Mayshark could not allow any opportunity to criticize Scott Davis go past without jabbing his doll with another pin.

It is remarkable to think any mention of our local economy being anything less than robust is sinful. Indeed, the venerable News-Sentinel recently said in its own editorial pages: "the hemorrhaging of the center city's business and enterprises—to other cities, to the suburbs..."; Mr. Mayshark must think all is well in SchumpLand where millionaires play, businesses close, and bureaucracy reigns.

Furthermore, Mr. Mayshark does not seem to recall the Schumpert administration has its own problems with presenting factual information. Director of Finance Kathy Hamilton predicted a tax increase when the County Commission defied Schumpert by giving a small raise to our law enforcement officers; Ms. Hamilton also bellowed a tax increase was imminent if Schumpert were forced to return those funds taken illegally from the accounts of Sheriff Tim Hutchison. Ms. Hamilton's portrayal of Chicken Little was widely heralded throughout the news media, yet not a peep from Metro Pulse when Schumpert presented a budget with no tax increase to pay for the heresy committed by the County Commission for following the law.

In short, it seems to me Mr. Mayshark illustrates his own points with a crayon rather than the mighty pen.

Ray Hill
Knox County Republican Ticket Chairman
Knoxville

Vultures of Greed

This letter is to thank Jack Neely for his support of a beleaguered neighborhood during what well might be called the Second Assault on Ft. Sanders ["Learning How to Say No," Vol. 8, No. 24]. My family has owned property in this area for over a hundred years, and my mother (92) and I live in a house my grandfather built for his bride. It breaks our hearts to see the destruction of the neighborhood we have always called home.

House after house, tree after tree, this historic section of Knoxville is vanishing forever despite the valiant efforts of several groups and many individuals who care enough to continue to fight for it. Knoxville is a city developed to death, and the current vultures aren't even from this area.

I have a message button which describes the relationship of Knoxville to developers, but I'll leave the message to your imagination saying only that it makes a reference to the world's oldest profession.

While Knoxville devours itself, prostrate before unbridled greed, other cities are proudly preserving their treasures and welcoming tourists to share their heritage.

Ralph F. Waldron, Jr.
Knoxville