Joe Sullivan asks in Insights what will happen to UT President John Shumaker's initiatives now that Gov. Phil Bredesen has called for budget cuts. Bill Carey reflects on how the world has changed since his idealistic college years in Editor's Corner. Finally, Jack Neely reviews complaints and compliments from his cover story on Knoxville structures that should be torn down in Secret History.
Citybeat
Joe Tarr reports that there's more than one opinion about why TVA is raising its power rates. Barry Henderson, meanwhile, takes a good look at who's coming to the American Bowling Congress annual tournament.
Cover * IS KNOXVILLE A CREATIVE CITY?
Richard Florida's book The Rise of the Creative Class and How It's Transforming Work, Leisure, Community and Everyday Lifehas been all the talk among city planners and officials across the country. In the book, Florida argues that cities should spend effort trying to appeal to young people who work in creative occupations, since those people make up the bulk of the so-called New Economy. Scott McNutt takes a look at Florida's book and asks several prominent and not-so-prominent Knoxville residents how their town stacks up as a creative city.
Gamut * SAVING A STEEL CENTENARIAN
As the Gay Street Bridge nears its 105th birthday, it's undergoing a $16 million renovation that just passed the halfway point. Herewith, a series of photos and tidbits about the bridge, which, if it could talk, would...well, have a lot to say.
THE VALENTINE'S GIFT GUIDE!
If you've waited until now to buy a special something for that special someone, you'd normally be up a creek. But not this year! The Metro Pulse Valentine's Day Gift Guide to the rescue!
Music
Cody ChestnuTT has been described as the leader of a "black rock movement." Joe Tarr writes about the many things that have influenced the man performing at the Tennessee Theatre this week.
Backstage
Paige Travis checks out the All Campus Theatre's version of Corpus Christi and find that there's a pretty good play beneath the controversy about its portrayal of Jesus and his disciples as contemporary gay men.
Pulp
The Last Time They Met, Anita Shreve's new novel about lovers who met only three times, leaves Jeanne McDonald feeling as if she never met either of them once.
Movies
Zak Weisfeld reviews Max, a movie that takes the extremely original angle of portraying the life of Hitler as a young artist. Movie Blurbs, pg. 32: The Metro Pulse movie blurbs: "Fresh blurbs! Get 'em while they're hot!"ª
Spotlights
The Marriage of Bette and Boo delights crowds at the Black Box Theatre, the Shipping News rocks the Pilot Light, and a comedian you may of heard of named Bill Cosby shows up at the Tennessee Theatre.
News of the Weird by Chuck Shepherd
Crossword by Montford Manassas
Classifieds