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Seven Days

Wednesday, June 21
Only when threatened by an assembly room packed with teachers demanding more school funding has County Commission shown such unanimity in approving a county budget—whisking through in eight speechless minutes what usually takes many hours of wrangling. In defending a budget that only covered $6.3 million of the school board's recommended $20.1 million increase, County Executive Tommy Schumpert pointed his finger at the state for failing to sustain its share of the budget. School Superintendent Charles Lindsey pointed his finger at Schumpert for failing to provide for even the basics, let alone "some baby steps" toward an internationally competitive school district, which Lindsey has made his mantra. But the school board has only itself to blame for having failed to take the initiative in seeking its own taxing authority that would affix responsibility for school funding where it clearly belongs.

Thursday, June 22
The State Legislature took alchemy to a new level by purporting to extract the added revenue needed to balance the state's budget out of thin air. After haplessly failing to agree on any real new source of revenue as a June 30 deadline loomed, the legislators came up with a phony one by projecting that revenues would grow by more than forecast. The state's economic forecasters were aghast, but they don't engage in horn-honking, and they don't have any lobbyists. Then again, the legislators might put teeth into their hollow mouthings by requiring that all households increase their sales-taxable spending by the projected 5.15 percent in the coming year and then by who-knows-how-much in the following years. Telling Tennesseans to spend more on their ownselves beats raising taxes anytime.

Friday, June 23
Highly-touted University of Tennessee defensive back Sterling Kazee fulfills the potential he displayed as a prep prospect in Texas by failing to attend class, leading to his dismissal from the team. Before arriving at UT, Kazee had been charged with shoplifting, an incident UT coaches claimed to know nothing about. Then, as a freshman, Kazee was suspended from the team for an undisclosed violation of team rules.

Saturday, June 24

Headline writing and story play at the News-Sentinel sank to a new low as a front page banner screeched: "Knoxville pastor under investigation." As it turned out, the governing body of the Presbyterian Church of America had voted to have its Judicial Committee assess whether Rev. John Wood, pastor of Cedar Springs Presbyterian Church, should be censured for allowing a woman to speak at a church service. God forbid.

Knoxville Found

What is this? Every week in "Knoxville Found," we'll print the photo of a local curiosity. If you're the first person to correctly identify this oddity, you'll win a special prize plucked from the desk of the editor (keep in mind that the editor hasn't cleaned his desk in five years). E-mail your guesses, or send 'em to "Knoxville Found" c/o Metro Pulse, 505 Market St., Suite 300, Knoxville, TN 37902.

Last Week's Photo:
John L. Sanders of Knoxville correctly identified the disembodied faces as decorative items above the entrance of Gay Street's Theatre Central. As our Grand Prize Winner, Mr. Sanders will be awarded a promotional T-shirt for this summer's blockbuster colonial film, The Patriot, along with a very silly piece of "parchment." Congratulations, John!

Meet Your City
A calendar of upcoming public meetings you should attend

Metropolitan Planning Commission
Thursday, August 10 * 1:30 p.m. * City-County Building
Home Depot last week applied for a rezoning to build a new store in the Bearden area, and already many are concerned that it will adversely affect some old-line locally owned Bearden-area businesses, especially Mayo's Garden Center and Parker Brothers Hardware, one of Knoxville's last remaining independent hardware stores. The new Home Depot, the fourth in Knoxville, would be built on the west side of Northshore between Kingston Pike and Papermill, and would involve razing some existing residences, cutting down several large trees, and leveling part of the hill.
A Metropolitan Planning Commission meeting to consider Home Depot's request to rezone several parcels along Brookview (off old Weisgarber) from low-density residential to general commercial was originally scheduled for July 13, but at Home Depot's request, that meeting is being rescheduled for Thursday, August 10, at 1:30 in the large assembly room of the City-County Building.

Digging Up Dirt

South Knoxville neighbors try to stop two companies from mining soil in residential zones

Two soil-mining companies in South Knoxville have come under scrutiny by county officials in recent weeks since residents there have discovered that, contrary to earlier county reports, the area isn't zoned for strip mining. Hines Fine Soil and Tommy Lambert Excavating may soon be forced to stop all mining activity on Chapman Ridge—but even if they do, there's little that can be done to restore the damage they've already done.

"What you've got is a Grand Canyon in South Knoxville," says Cherokee Trail resident Jim Rose, referring to the gashes left in the ridge, located near the Tennessee River between Alcoa Highway and Chapman Highway. Hines has operated there since the mid-1980s, removing the topsoil for sale to developers and builders.

After years of complaints from Rose and other residents that the property was zoned residential instead of agricultural, the county codes enforcement department in early June issued a citation against Hines Fine Soil for violating the zoning conditions.

The Hines company requested a rezoning that will be heard by the Metropolitan Planning Commission on July 13. Bruce Wuethrich, director of Knox County's engineering and public works department, has allowed the company to continue operation pending the hearing.

"I didn't feel it was appropriate to padlock them and shut them down," Wuethrich says. "But I told them they needed to work with us. That's not to say we're trying to force the issue to make it legal. We're trying to force the issue of whether they can operate. If they don't prevail, I'll issue an order telling them to cease and desist operating."

But if the companies are shut down—or eventually stop operating on their own—there's little chance that anything will be done to repair the scars. The state mining law, passed in 1972, provides no reclamation requirements for soil mining. While other surface mining operations must restore vegetation, soil miners are allowed to essentially walk away from a site.

"You don't know what's going to happen when they stop removing soil. That's of concern to people," says Paul Schmierbach, an environmental program manager with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation.

Janice Hines, a partner in Hines Fine Soils, says company executives have not decided what they will do if their rezoning petition is denied. The county and state require erosion-control measures to prevent water runoff into nearby water sources (in this case, the Tennessee River). But that's it. If Hines and Lambert are forced to quit operation— or even if they continue until all the topsoil has been removed from their sites—there's little incentive for them to repair the damage they've done.

—Matthew T. Everett

Crafts Czar

The Dogwood Arts Festival's new director promises changes—small changes

The Dogwood Arts Festival has a new executive director, but it's hard to tell if he'll breath new life into the event.

On his first day of work, the friendly Ed Pasley talks about getting local artists involved. "I'd like to see much greater involvement from the local arts community, and a more engaging event. By that I mean more performance," he says.

But he also says that no big changes are needed. "I don't know that a large metamorphosis is needed. This event's been going on for 40 years," he says. "[My hiring] is just another evolutionary step."

Knoxville's premier arts festival has been criticized in recent years for its tackiness and lack of imagination. The craft show might better be called the hot-glue-gun and T-shirt festival. And most days, the festival shuts down after 5 p.m., leaving Market Square a ghost town of buttoned up canvas tents.

In the past two years, organizers have made some changes. One of the biggest was adding a bluegrass festival to the opening weekend. However, other attempts were stymied. Last spring, the Tomato Head restaurant was invited to book two nights of bands in Market Square. Organizers frowned on the fact that beer would be sold and later canned all the performances over concerns that the groups might not be considered family entertainment.

A native of Burnwell, W. Va.,—coal mining country near where the Knoxville-filmed October Sky is set—Pasley has lived in Knoxville for about 3 1/2 years. He came to Knoxville as producer and creative services manager for Channel 8, where he oversaw sports specials, marketing campaigns, and other events.

Since leaving the Channel 8, Pasley's overseen the opening gala for the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, the Nine Counties One Vision TV kick-off, and the Christmas Boat Parade.

Open to ideas, Pasley says involvement from local artists could include story-telling, music, and dance. And, he says, that means nighttime entertainment. "It's festival time. That means it exists from morning until night—until late in the night," he says.

Pasley says he's now in information-gathering mode, learning the turf and gathering ideas. But anyone hoping for a revamped festival may be disappointed.

"It would be presumptuous of me to come in and say it's going to be like this that this and that. And it would cause the staff innumerable headaches," he says. "We'll have ideas within the next few weeks but it won't be wholesale change."

—Joe Tarr

Last Call?

An update on the plights of two modern Knoxville brewing institutions

More than 40 people have pledged to invest in the New Knoxville Brewing Company, which announced earlier this month that it would shut down if it couldn't raise $350,000.

Although encouraged, president Ed Vendely says the crisis isn't over yet. The potential investors—many of them committing small amounts—raised about half of what the company needs, Vendely says.

"I've gotten this far. If I can have a good week this week, it's feasible we could have all the money we need committed," Vendely says. "But it's still dire. We've got to figure out a way to get the rest of the commitments, and then put it all together."

Opening in 1996, New Knoxville has won a number of brewing awards and has a devoted following for its beers, which include India Pale Ale, Porter and Stout. It outsells Sam Adams and Sierra Nevada locally. And it's about the only product you can buy in the grocery store with Knoxville in the title.

However, the company has always struggled financially, never being able to catch up on its bills. The $350,000 would allow the company to pay its bills, launch a marketing campaign, and have some extra money to work with, Vendely says.

If Vendely can get enough money pledged, he plans to hold a meeting with all the investors to outline how their money will be spent and answer questions. "And then hopefully everyone can write checks," he says.

The many small pledges the company has received in such a short time has attracted a few people with bigger pocketbooks, Vendely says. But even if those wealthy investors save New Knoxville, Vendely says he still wants to offer the smaller investors a chance to get involved.

Meanwhile, the future of one of Knoxville's other brewing landmarks remains hazy. The Great Southern Brewing Company, 424 S. Gay St., closed April 29. New Knoxville, Regas Brothers, and others were apparently working on a deal to buy the brewpub.

New Knoxville was counting on that partnership to keep its own operation running. But for reasons the various parties won't talk about, the deal stalled.

Vendely wouldn't talk about what happened. "It's still in the works, but I can't really go into the details," he says.

Bob Krusen, brewmaster for the old Great Southern, says there are two groups currently interested in buying the pub—one headed by Regas (and involving New Knoxville and other investors), and another group headed by Krusen and Mark Harrison, the Great Southern's general manager. (Krusen is part-owner of New Knoxville and would likely continue working for the pub if either effort came to fruition.)

Krusen says he and Harrison secured the financing to buy the pub, when they hit new snags—questions over who owns various equipment in the restaurant and the lease agreement.

Although negotiations are changing daily, at press time Krusen said the Regas camp appeared close to hammering out a deal.

An avid supporter of downtown, Krusen says he regrets that the brewpub closed. "I would like all our patrons to know that we closed because we believed the business was sold," Krusen says. "Business was good and everything was running smoothly...We all miss the pub."

—Joe Tarr