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Seven Days

Wednesday, Dec. 10
Eight wrecker services bid for city contracts in the wake of revelations that four of the five former auto towing contractors overcharged their "clients" and insurance companies. Seems now that nearly everybody wants a piece of that action.

Thursday, Dec. 11
A report on TennCare concludes that the institution is "not viable" as presently constituted. It took a $2.6 million study to reach that conclusion? We could have told them that for nothing. Gov. Bredesen says, "We can fix it." Good luck, guv. We've heard that before.
Seven area counties, including Knox, sign an agreement to cooperate to help clean up the dismal air quality around here. We hope for the best, but it looks like the old paper shuffle by governmental units when they feel powerless to control the environment.

Friday, Dec. 12
The UT Board of Trustees approves a pay package for the next president that is substantially less than that offered to former, disgraced President John Shumaker, whose spending habits led to his downfall. Makes sense. Give the new prez less, and there's bound to be less to toss around.

Saturday, Dec. 13
Traditional football power Nebraska throttles the Vols in basketball, sending fans scurrying to see if UT has ever beaten Nebraska at anything.

Sunday, Dec. 14
The News Sentinel reports that some East Tennessee groups concerned with air quality here want mandatory motor vehicle emissions testing. Do tell. First we've heard of such a draconian measure. You sure? Why would it help?

Monday, Dec. 15
County Commission approves ankle bracelets as an alternative to detention for some Knox County offenders. Don't know about that. Ankle bracelets may be sexy, but how will they affect crime?

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:
The double-decker bus, located in the parking lot adjacent to New City Merchants (at Western Avenue & Broadway), received more than 20 responses. Once an ornament at the former Darryl's restaurant on Bearden Hill, the bus is currently resting until it is placed in a new, loving home (Word on the street is that it may be headed to the new Quaker Steak & Lube restaurant.). Coincidentally, the bus is also frequently used as a resting place and new home for the homeless.
Congrats to Mike Whalen who guesses, "that this is on the old London double-decker that I last saw parked at the antique store on Broadway near Western. Now give me something nice." That something nice is a copy of the Ying Yang Twins latest CD release Me & My Brother. Rollin' down the street sippin' on gin and juice or picking up girlies waiting on standby, the Atlanta-crunk stylings of Kaine and D Roc are perfect for this or any other holiday season.

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

GAY STREET BRIDGE DEDICATION
Thursday, December 18
9:30 a.m.
Gay Street Bridge entrance on Hill Ave.

INAUGURATION OF BILL HASLAM AS MAYOR OF KNOXVILLE
Saturday, December 20
2 p.m.
Market Square Stage (Bijou Theatre in case of rain.)
Reception at City County Building follows at 3 p.m.

KNOXVILLE CITY COUNCIL
Saturday, December 20
5 p.m.
City County Bldg.
400 Main St.
Main Assembly Room
Special meeting for election of vice mayor.

KNOXVILLE CITY COUNCIL
Tuesday, December 23
7 p.m.
City County Bldg.
400 Main St.
Main Assembly Room
First regular meeting of the new Council.

This Train Rolls On

Scott Miller lives his song on the Amtrak Crescent

When Scott Miller was 3 years old, passenger-train travel was dying in this country. His mother's family had worked on the railroad, and they decided Miller had to ride on a train while he still could, so they got on an L&N train traveling to Frankfurt, Ky. "The only thing I remember is puking on the dining car," Miller says.

He also remembers getting off the train and finding his dad waiting for the family. "There was my dad, and I couldn't figure out how it happened. I knew we hadn't gone in a circle."

Train travel is now more romantic and convenient than mysterious to Miller. He's got a great song about a train, "Amtrak Crescent," on his latest album, Upside Downside. And on Jan. 21 he'll climb aboard that very train in New Orleans for a two-week tour along the route, ending in New York City Feb. 11.

"I was touring through D.C., sitting on the fricking interstate, thinking, 'There's got to be a better way to get around,'" Miller says as he explains how the idea came to him. "I've used the train a few times when I travel. If you've ever traveled 95, that's a nasty, nasty interstate. [The train] is convenient.... If you're going to go somewhere, travel with everybody and party on the way."

A friend put him in touch with Amtrak, and the rail folks were thrilled with the idea, which could be a great promotion for the financially strapped train. He's offered his song to Amtrak for promotions but doesn't know if they plan on using it. He says he doesn't want to get in the middle of the politics over funding the quasi-public company. But Amtrak has been enthusiastic about the tour. "They're giving us free train rides, making a banner, giving us some radio promotion. They've been super, super cool," he says.

Miller is still frantically working out the details of the tour, which will be 12 to 15 shows along the line. Although a train might be the ideal way of moving people, transporting a band and all its equipment (about two forklift loads) is much trickier.

"I might have to cheat and have a truck shadow the train," Miller says. "Amtrak's willing to take it all on and off." But getting it from the depot to the clubs and back in each city could prove too much of a hassle.

Plans for the trip include bringing along a film crew. Miller envisions a documentary that's half rock 'n' roll, half reflection and history on passenger trains in America. He's talking to a couple of different production companies about coming along. "I don't want to make a documentary. But if I can, I'd like to make a mix of a history lesson, entertainment and a little bit of rock 'n' roll. You could make a short film out of this. It just depends on what we get," he says.

Miller wrote "Amtrak Crescent" a few years ago, while he was recovering from a broken nose and two black eyes. It didn't involve a fight, but Miller is too embarrassed to go into details, other than to say, "let's just say I fell and broke it. It involved tequila and croquet." (A source—who spoke on condition of anonymity—says the incident happened when Miller fell onto a coffee table while leaning over to kiss his future wife goodnight.)

While he was waiting for the injury to heal, everyone kept asking him what happened. Miller decided he needed to write a train song. He references the injury early in the song: Well the Amtrak Crescent is a Northbound train/ When you can't afford to stay no more in New Orleans/ So I bought the cheapest ticket and I carried my clothes/ And the blood beneath my eyes from a broken nose.

The song is littered with descriptions of the places the Crescent passes through, including Manassas, Birmingham, Lynchburg and D.C. But mostly it's about getting away from your problems: When life goes wrong it just goes on and on/ When life goes wrong this train rolls on/ Somewhere between right and wrong/ Somehow I managed to keep moving on/ Searching for anyplace but where I am/ And a first and second chance.

After the last show in New York, Miller, the band, film crew and various friends will ride the Crescent back to New Orleans, taking time to relax and reflect on trains, music and America. It sounds like a hell of a trip. The trip takes about a day and a half and costs around $206.

"This is either going to break the record or break my will," Miller says. "I don't know which."

—Joe Tarr

Whistle-Stop Impressions

Clark in Knoxville—vote for Keith!

The I-640 Expo Center is consumed with the hustle and bustle of Wesley Clark supporters. A bluegrass band plucks traditional songs while anticipation of the presidential candidate's appearance weighs heavy on the otherwise cold, antiseptic room. The atmosphere falls somewhere between a pep rally and religious tent revival. Crude, handmade posters with catchy slogans adorn the walls. "Gen. Clark Rocks!" and "Generamos con Clark!" Oh, the exclamation points! One might think he's running for class treasurer rather than leader of the free world.

The band stops for a moment, and a member of Clark's crack staff, unable to pass up the opportunity, calls for war veterans to line up along the wall for photo exploitation. Bright lights and attractive television reporters trim a room dominated by common folk and representatives of every Democratic organization from across the state. School board hopefuls are scattered throughout. What better way to get your mug in front of potential voters than by crashing a presidential candidate's party?

People continue to mill around, and the anticipation clicks up a notch. Which door will he come in? Randy Button takes the stage, and the chairman of the East Tennessee Democratic party is full of quips, jokes and anecdotes, but mostly just full of himself. "Send Tennessee values to Washington!" "Send George Bush back to the rack!" What does that even mean?

Actor David Keith and General Wesley Clark enter the room to a booming reception, "Rocky Top" playing overhead. Keith speaks for 10 minutes, and by the time Knoxville's prodigal son gets off stage, I'm ready to vote for that sumbitch.

Clark takes the podium to cries of "You're the best, Wes!" You'd think this guy was the messiah. The general is damn smooth. UT football jokes interlace his domestic policy paradigms. His plan: lower unemployment; clean the environment; send kids to college; lift kids from poverty; provide affordable healthcare. The crowd is willing to put every egg they own in Clark's basket. Can I run for president? I support education, children and puppies.

Clark closes his speech by unveiling his healthcare plan. 1.) Provide preventative healthcare by way of check-ups. 2.) Health insurance to everyone under the age of 22. 3.) Extra insurance support to the unemployed. 4.) Fix healthcare for veterans.

Before leaving the stage, again to the tune of "Rocky Top," Keith hands the general a UT football jersey with Clark across the back and the number 04. Chills. Clark acts wholly surprised and says, "This country needs a quarterback and that's why I'm running!"

I'm led down a hallway to a small room for the press where most of the media reps on hand ask probing questions of the general...most of them. Clark fields queries about the forthcoming Hague war-crimes trial, Al Gore's endorsement of Howard Dean, and domestic policy. In the midst of questions about Milosevic's crimes against humanity, a reporter from the Halls Shopper chimes in with, "Mr. Clark, my grandmother, like, loves you! Can I have my picture taken with you?" The general, of course, concedes. It's the cutest thing I've ever seen. I wanted to put her in my pocket and take her with me. I have to admit I felt uncomfortable with MSNBC standing beside me, but the young girl from Halls made me feel right at home.

—Clint Casey