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Bad Signs
A few years back, we told you about how county sign inspectors were trying to outlaw the sign sitting out in front of Eddie Harvey's farm on Washington Pike. It's an old marquee that Eddie (famed race car pioneer and proprietor of Eddie's Auto Parts) salvaged somewhere, and Eddie and his outspoken wife, Barbara, use it to post messages of community interest. At that time, the Harveys were using it to marshal the opposition to H.T. Hackney's plan to put a wholesale distribution center in the heart of the Ritta community. Well, the sign is back in business. These days, it says "Welcome to Ritta. New home of murderers, rapists and molesters. Concerned? Call 524-4735."
The sign refers to the county's plan to start housing maximum security prisoners in the Knox County Detention Center on Maloneyville Road. When the detention center was in the planning stages in the late '80s, then-County Executive Dwight Kessel promised Ritta residents that maximum-security inmates would not be jailed in their community. Now, after more than a decade of wrangling, the county is poised to override the Kessel promise, and Barbara Harvey is one of the organizers of a community meeting being called to protest that decision:
"The way I understand it, we're considered the place of least resistance. So maybe we need to resist a little."
Talking the Talk
Mayoral candidate Bill Haslam appeared on Hallerin Hill's radio talk show last week, and may have picked up more than he bargained for as a result of the appearance. Haslam was spared the kinds of questions Hill asked his opponent, Madeline Rogero, the previous day (e.g. "What is your favorite color?"), but he did get a call from relentless anti-tax guy Lloyd Daugherty, who wanted to know Haslam's opinion of a state income tax. Haslam, after a few moments of throat-clearing, said he has no position.
As a result of the exchange, City Council member Steve Hall, an ultra-conservative Republican, says he is exploring the notion of throwing his hat in the ring—the right-wing ring—if he can raise enough money to make the effort worthwhile.
"I've got the same problem everybody else does—it's going to take a lot of money to run against Haslam, but I've had a lot of people asking me if I'd consider it since Haslam was on the radio last week. They thought he was a lot more conservative than he is. I'm going to be looking at this for the next six weeks and make a decision."
Hall said he would run on a low-tax platform, and stress his business experience, if he decides to get into the race.
No More Calm and Quiet
After more than a month's absence, the clank and whine from construction on Market Square is once again penetrating Metro Pulse's windows. Work was temporarily halted when the existing utilities underneath the square were found to be inadequate for projected future usage. Despite the delay, the official line is that the project is still on schedule to be completed in time for the Dogwood Arts Festival. We're pleased; the construction noise drowns out the clamorous bickering among the fractious property owners on the square.
February 13, 2003 * Vol. 13, No. 7
© 2003 Metro Pulse
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