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Seven Days

Wednesday, July 25

Local government and business leaders gather for a big photo opportunity to dedicate a digital clock counting down to the Junior Olympics' arrival next summer. Two questions: 1.) Will we have anything else booked into our convention center by the time the clock hits zero? 2.) Is this really all our government and business leaders have to do on a Wednesday afternoon?

Thursday, July 26

Gov. Don Sundquist vetoes the state budget, on the grounds that there's not enough money in it. Boy, good thing he hasn't seen my budget...

You don't write, you don't call Dept.: The Knox County Sheriff's Department announces it has arrested two suspects in the slaying of a Ramsey's Cafeteria worker. The Knoxville Police Department is furious at being left out of the loop. The fact that the crime appears to be solved is apparently a secondary concern.

KnoxRecall's lawsuit against the Election Commission is formally dismissed in Chancery Court. Group members immediately start an effort to recall Chancellor Daryl Fansler.

Sunday, July 29

Where are the preservationists when you need them? Gatlinburg officials announce they're paving over the venerable Dinosaur Golf to make way for new commercial development.

Monday, July 30

Representatives of developer and Holiday Inn owner Franklin Haney unveil plans for something called "Henley Place" to the Knox County Tourist Commission. The drawings look remarkably like the current Holiday Inn. Asked how much the notoriously hard-to-pin-down Haney is willing to invest, architect Glenn Bullock says, uh, more than three million dollars. No, make that sixty million dollars. Yeah, that's it. Sixty mil...no, make that sixty billion dollars. Yeah.

Knoxville Found

(Click photo for larger image)

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:
Boy howdy, did this one touch a nerve. People had all sorts of stories about visiting the airplane-shaped gas station on Clinton Highway, ranging from innocent childhood excursions to, um, not-so-innocent adolescent ones. As one respondent noted, it was not (despite rumors to the contrary) built from an actual airplane. The first right answer comes from DeRoyal Industries vice president Bill Pittman, who says, "As a boy, Sunday drives entailed all parts of Knox County including the northwest suburb of Powell. This week's Knoxville Found picture is of an old fillin' station (not to be confused with a gas station) that originally sold Jet gasoline on Clinton Highway on the ridge between Callahan road and Beaver Creek Drive. The unique building design was of course a marketing ploy to draw customers. While the building ceased to serve petro several decades ago, the building continued as a flea market, convenience store and other casual businesses." Yessir. And for that bit of barnstorming, Mr. Pittman wins himself a copy of the latest tome from mystic Ram Dass, a book called Still Here. Just say "Om."

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

KNOX COUNTY PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT
Monday, Aug. 6
5 p.m.
Large Assembly Room, City County Building
400 Main St.
Park representatives will receive public input for a conceptual plan for the Seven Islands Wildlife Refuge and a proposed land exchange to assist in acquiring 400 acres of wildlife refuge.

KNOXVILLE CITY COUNCIL
Thursday, Aug. 2
11 a.m.
Parks and Recreation Adaptive Center
2335 Dandridge Ave.
A special meeting to consider a contract between the city and WC2, a non-profit organization to be responsible for building an 18-hole junior golf course near the adaptive center.

KNOXVILLE CITY COUNCIL
Tuesday, Aug. 7
7 p.m.
Large Assembly Room, City County Building
400 Main St.
Regularly scheduled meeting

Citybeat will return next week. This week, it's all about us. Our deepest apologies.

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