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Non-Human Services Dept.
TVA’s layoffs this spring did not discriminate in terms of life forms. The agency is also laying off its potted plants. According to an April memo, “TVA will remove TVA-owned and leased interior potted plants (both live and replica) in most corporate offices.” It’s a system-wide sacking, and Knoxville plants are getting the pink slip. The reason for the reduction, according to the memo, is that “Removal or replacement of these plants enables TVA to reduce services from outside vendors that provide plant care and replacement and pest-control services.”�
In some cases the plants will be replaced with inert historic artifacts, some of them from TVA’s historical collection, which is also being dismantled for cost-cutting purposes. Artificial plants will be “redistributed” to replace live plants in TVA’s public lobbies, including the Knoxville headquarters. TVA extends placement assistance to the real plants, offering them new employment with non-profit agencies, such as schools or Habitat for Humanity. Meanwhile, in-office photosynthesis hasn’t ceased completely; individual employees are still permitted to maintain their own desk plants.
Mixing Music with ’Tics
In the air-conditioned Bonnaroo press tent this past weekend, thirsty journalists prodded musicians again and again with questions about their political views. Headliners of this week’s Sundown, Los Lonely Boys lead singer Henry Garza was befuddled by those questions, as it seemed he hadn’t watched the news, ever. Dave Matthews protested that he didn’t expect anyone to mind his political opinions, but that if no one ever voted in another election again they should vote in the upcoming one. The most important issue to Gillian Welch? Freedom of speech, most especially when it comes to music. Chris Robinson, lead singer of New Earth Mud, and the now-defunct Black Crowes, went on a self-righteous spiel, saying he had given up on politics altogether. He also wore sunglasses inside. Perhaps 19-year-old Nellie McKay was the most articulate of all. With her Southern drawl and perfect posture, she said that gay-marriage rights were most important to her, as she’d just finished a lovely string of gigs in gay bars.
It’s That Last .2 Mile That Gets You
Knoxville proper hasn’t had its own marathon since a relatively brief experiment with the classic 26.2-mile race in North Knoxville in the late 1960s. Since then, the region has seen occasional marathons, but they’ve been run mainly in rural areas.
The lack of a true urban marathon has been a rather sore point, considering that Knoxville hosts one of the larger track clubs in the nation and hosts dozens of shorter races every year. However, word’s getting around that the Knoxville Track Club will host a Knoxville Marathon in the near future. The prospective date for the big race is Sunday, March 20, 2005. UT and the City of Knoxville are involved in discussions, and some of the ideas being tossed around are that the race may be accompanied by live bluegrass bands and may have its finish line inside Neyland Stadium.
June 17, 2004 • Vol. 14, No. 25
© 2004 Metro Pulse
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