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Letters to the Editor

Piling Neglect on Neglect

The only purpose of empowerment zone funds is to usher in long overdue economic development to the poorest sections of the United States of America. Within Knox County, an area within the city of Knoxville has been identified as such and selected by the U.S. Department of Housing Urban Development to be an empowerment zone. The poorest and most neglected areas of the empowerment zone are the African-American neighborhoods. In the Prospectus For Empowerment, the Partnership for Neighborhood Improvement outlines a process that continues the neglect.

Metro Pulse in the Feb. 15 issue quoted Robert Booker as saying: "Nobody has been left out [of EZ benefits] because the system hasn't even started yet...." According to Metro Pulse, Booker continued—saying that it's unfair for critics to say they've been excluded, since the initial spending was spelled out in the beginning.

On the contrary, the system has started and we were left out. PNI did not select an African-American institution or organization to be an implementer for the empowerment zone project. PNI did not select a neighborhood within the empowerment zone for an economic development project. PNI assigned $2.3 million to redevelop abandoned industrial sites, such as the Coster shop, three of which are located outside of the empowerment zone, but not one dollar to develop a site within the zone. And none of the $7.3 million thus far spent has gone to empower African-American institutions, organizations or to develop any neighborhoods throughout the zone.

The initial spending being "spelled out" in the Prospectus in no way makes it right, nor does it make "unfair" the criticism of the process. Was it unfair to criticize slavery and segregation because it was "spelled out" in the U.S. Constitution? No. But it was cowardice not to. It is much easier to apologize for those in control than it is to demand that those in control be equitable.

But the beat goes on.

Zimbabwe U. Matavou
Knoxville

UT's Road Monster

I read with great interest the [Feb. 22] Metro Pulse cover article on the lack of walkers and walking facilities in Knoxville. The article was well-written, informative and, unfortunately, completely true.

I work as a Spanish instructor at UT. Since I live in the Fort Sanders area, I can happily walk down the hill to my classes every workday. But I never cease to be amazed at how UN-walker-friendly the UT campus can be with its wide roads where speed limits are enforced only on the first day of classes and the traffic cops regularly shout at students for jaywalking while ignoring illegally parked cars on the only bike trail on campus next to the Hodges library.

Crossing a street in downtown Manhattan would probably be less stressful than trying to cross Volunteer Boulevard during rush hour!

It would be nice if the administration would build an attractive pedestrian bridge across Volunteer Boulevard similar to the one that spans Cumberland Avenue (instead of throwing away millions on a four-lane highway to connect the campuses). Speed bumps might not be a bad idea either to slow down all the SUVs roaring through. Unfortunately, instead of being an example to the community of how we can create a walker and biker-friendly haven, UT planners and administrators have decided to turn the campus into a monster of wide roads with few true green spaces.

Samuel Manickam
Knoxville

Fat City off the Hoof

Knoxville is fat! One only needs to walk into the Kroger on Broadway or any of the fine all-you-can-eat buffets spread throughout town to verify this. As a fit person from an unfit family, I possess a hyper-awareness of the dangers of mistreating the body/temple.

What a simple solution you have found [Cover story, Feb. 22] to alleviating many of my concerns. Bring Walking Back! Make it popular. Save some lives. Help people feel better. Knoxville lacks sidewalks. Knoxville needs sidewalks. Although bike lanes on streets would help, too. Knoxville's neighborhoods and planned communities are sorely in need of just simple sidewalks. It's difficult to popularize walking when there are so few places to walk.

William Perkins
Knoxville