Metro Pulse/Ear to the Ground

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Musical Chairs, er, Banks

The Union Planters sign atop Riverview Tower could be coming down soon, and it could start an unprecedented series of bank shiftings downtown. Memphis-based Union Planters is reportedly planning to move its East Tennessee headquarters from one of Knoxville's Butcher-era skyscrapers (if we might call it that) to the downtown Post Office after Sam Furrow completes his renovation of that historic building later on this year. If true, it would mean that Furrow pretty much has his plan wrapped up to convert the Post Office building into a multi-use facility. However, Union Planters' area president Charles Robinette says he "can neither confirm nor deny" the reports.

If Union Planters moves out, rumor has it that Birmingham-based AmSouth Bank is the most likely candidate to move into the vacated space in Riverview Tower and presumably get its name up top. That begs, in turn, the question of whose name would then go on the AmSouth building, a Cardinal Enterprises property at the corner of Gay and Union streets. We wish we knew.

The Poop Hits the Fan

The mayor's office and KUB continue to swap, well... KUB has officially appealed the $2,500 fine imposed on it last month by the city engineering department to the city's Board of Environmental Appeals. The fine was imposed on KUB for dumping raw sewage at Inskip Park in North Knoxville.

Mayor Victor Ashe, meanwhile, is increasing pressure on KUB to act faster than the utility's current capital plans call for to prevent sewage overflows. In a letter to KUB president Larry Fleming and chairwoman Gloria Ray, Ashe has asked KUB's board to start including sewage overflow information in its twice-yearly reports to City Council and for its board to "adopt a motion that will clearly set the intent to prioritize" the prevention of sewage overflows in the future. KUB, meanwhile, is about to break ground on a $3.5 million upgrade to sewage main lines that it believes will take care of the Inskip Park problem. Given that fact, Fleming isn't really sure what else the utility can do. "I'm not sure what he [Ashe] is after," Fleming says. "We have laid down a schedule, and as far as I know it is the schedule that we intend to do."

Here's How

At Monday's press conference to unveil the new angle-parking scheme on the 100 block of Gay Street, the two lawyers on City Council, Rob Frost and Mark Brown, shared a laugh at the expense of mayoral deputy Craig Griffith, who barely missed scraping the rear bumper of his Z3 Beemer as he backed into one of the new angle parking slots. Drivers will be required to back in because of safety concerns, and this configuration will double the amount of parking available on the 100 block.

Brown and Frost were standing by while Griffith—who recently testified that he, not Mayor Victor Ashe nor law director Michael Kelley, was directing the litigation in one of the Ashe administration's several lawsuits—instructed spectators to "stand back" for the parking demonstration.

The two Councilpersons shared a belly laugh when Frost quipped that the "Director of Litigation" was hard at work.

Who's That?

The night before Pat Summitt's historic 800th victory, she was sitting in the bleachers at South-Doyle High School on a scouting mission. Her presence in the gym caused the customary stir, and by halftime, she was being bombarded with requests for autographs. Fans were presenting her with programs and requests for personalized signings. One little boy was openly mystified by the commotion. He stood behind an older girl who was awaiting the Summitt signature and kept asking "Who is that? Who IS that? Who is THAT?"

Finally he gave up asking and decided to get an autograph of his own, thrusting a program toward the Hall of Fame coach, who grinned, scribbled and handed back to him a program that said "Pat Summitt—Who is that?"

Who's Who

There were a bunch of home folks in Washington last week for the festivities surrounding Lamar Alexander's swearing-in as Tennessee's junior U.S. senator. There were receptions sponsored by two Toms—Ingram and Beasley, and among the guests were Ambassador Howard Baker, former Sen. Bill Brock, U.S. Reps Bill Jenkins and Zach Wamp, former Sen. Fred Thompson, new Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist and a host of Alexander's new Senate colleagues. Also in attendance were Harry Wampler, S. Daniel Carter, Joe Bailey, and Jane Chedester. Alexander paid homage to the heart surgeon Frist's new position, saying he, Lamar, would make the incision and let Frist do the work.

Those Darn Victims!

The Jan. 13 News-Sentinel story headlined "Ethnicity behind most hate crimes in city" makes clear that prejudice against race, sexual orientation, ethnicity, or religious beliefs is what motivates hate crimes. However, the accompanying story, titled "Hate Crime Indicators" gave a different reason for such attacks. For "Causes," it read: "Victim promoting race, religion, ethnicity, or sexual orientation," making it seem as if the victim is responsible for the crime. No information was provided on whether Knoxville is considering implementing its own "don't ask, don't tell" policy.