Plan to Spend Extra Income Passes by Mike Steely [email protected] Be Used for Several Projects
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September 22, 2014 www.knoxfocus.com CANTRELL’SPAGE A1 HEAT & AIR SALES • SERVICE • MAINTENANCE Family Business Serving You Over 15 Years 5715 Old Tazewell Pike 687-2520 Cantrell’s Cares FREE September 22, 2014 Plan to spend extra income passes By Mike Steely [email protected] be used for several projects. Those Finance Director, who told the council the an obligation to keep our public facilities include the Promenade Roof demolition city has “the highest fund balance in his- in tip top shape,” Nick Pavlis said. Mayor Madeline Rogero’s plans to use and patio renovations at the Promenade tory” and added that it also has a historic Duane Grieve said the city can “get $4.3 million in unexpected tax revenue Garage, Phase One streetscaping at East bond rating. He said the city would actu- more bang for our buck this year than for several projects got some kick-back Jackson Avenue, incorporating City Fleet ally be saving money by investing it in the next year.” from Councilman Nick Della Volpe Tues- services into the city’s new Public Works proposed projects, which would be more Della Volpe questioned York about how day during the city council meeting. Complex, matching funds for an advanced expensive next year. much of the current fund balance is not Della Volpe suggested saving 25% for a traffic management system, reconstruc- Council members spoke up in sup- already obligated to future projects and “rainy day” and said he doesn’t “know why tion of the pedestrian bridge from Locust port of the mayor’s proposal. George called again for saving 25% of the unex- we have to spend all that money.” Street to Henley at the Convention Center, Wallace called it “a frugal way to spend pected new money. He was the sole vote The mayor proposed, and the other streetscaping on the Clinch Avenue via- money.” Brenda Palmer said it was “good against the motion, which will face one council members agreed, that the extra duct, and repaving the cart paths at the use, allows us to stop deferring mainte- more reading before being final. money is the state’s “Hall income tax” on city’s two golf courses. nance.” interest and the dividend income should Mayor Rogero called on Jim York, “Our fiscal house is in order. We have Continue on page 2 ETSPJ receives Ground breaking signals start of Halls greenway award for #knoxwx project By Focus Staff Eight years ago he was not even on the landscape of Knox County and east Tennessee. Now he’s affectionately known as “Dan the Man” and seems to be everywhere. The man is Dan Andrews. From West Islip, New York, he came to town in 2007, with his Dan Andrews retired parents and other family members and made their home in a quiet subdivision in Farragut, Tenn., near the Loudon County line. Dan arrived without a job and not a lot of direction for employment. He attended Islip Senior High School and earned a bachelor’s in psychology at State University of New York at Old Westbury. Although his past work history in New York was vast, including working with a volun- teer fire department, he had great difficulty finding Photo by Dan anDrews. employment in Knox County, but he knew he liked taking pictures. Mayor Tim Burchett and communications manager Michael Grider take a closer look at the Halls greenway. He was noticed by a local book author who invited By Ken Lay him to do some work with her, and the rest is histo- been tabled for some time, construction of the green- greenway project but he ry. Now at most major events involving government A Thursday morning from the Parks Department way and to protect a wet- said that the construction and civic events, Dan is there. You may not always ground breaking ceremony on Tuesday, just 48 hours land area. would not be easy. see him but you can see his photographs online at marked the beginning of a before the ground break- The greenway, however, “We need to clear that danandrews.com and on the pages of The Knoxville long-awaited greenway in ing. encountered delays due to area so we know what we Focus and online at http://www.knoxfocus.com/ He the Halls Community. “It was brought to us issues regarding wetland have to work with,” he said. is the governmental and entertainment reporter for The ceremony was held at Tuesday and I don’t know mitigation. The Tennes- “An ideal time to do this The Knoxville Focus. the future site of the future how long Parks had it,” see Department of Envi- would have been during Dan has evolved and become involved in journal- Clayton Park, which will be Sivyer said. “We’ll hope- ronment and Conservation the construction of the ism to a much larger degree than a photojournalist. located on Norris Free- fully get this thing done by halted the greenway proj- Wal-Mart. He has risen to be a respected overall journalist, and way between Maynardville the end of the year but that ect while those issues were “It’s not going to be the currently is vice-president of East Tennessee Society Pike and Emory Road. The depends on the weather. dealt with. easiest project.” of Professional Journalists (ETSPJ). greenway will connect Halls “It’s a good project for Much of the issues sur- Before construction His ETSPJ membership has already paid dividends. Middle and High Schools to everyone involved and it rounding the wetland miti- begins, work crews must This year his chapter received a “Circle of Excellence Clayton Park. will be especially good for gation have been resolved clear brush in the area, Award” for a small chapter of fewer than 75 mem- Project Manager Chris the people of Halls.” and that permitted Knox which has accumulated bers, the highest honor bestowed by the Society of Sivyer from Knox County In July, the county was County to proceed with last since the Halls Wal-Mart Professional Journalists. The organization received Engineering said his depart- prepared to take owner- week’s ceremony. was completed. this prestigious award as a result of the #knoxwx pro- ment inherited the green- ship of property owned Sivyer said he looks for- gram that Dan created. During bad weather condi- way project, which has by TTC Halls, LLC to begin ward to undertaking the tions the ETSPJ encourages all citizens, government officials, and news media outlets transmitting hazard- ous weather information on social media to include the #knoxwx. This includes traffic delays, pictures, and videos of what is going on. The Zoo, Powell Drive, Sunshine notices “While I developed the program, it was and is truly a By Mike Steely community effort. The process involved working with [email protected] are living trees trained and pruned “long” street to be built in Knox government officials, community organizers and local into clearly defined shapes. County. It stretches from Clin- reporters. It took a lot of work to get people on board. The entrance to the Knox- That could include representa- ton Highway near the new Food However, the ETSPJ board backed the project and con- ville Zoo may get a dressing up. tion of animals or other shapes. City in Powell northeast to even- cept the moment I presented it,” said Andrews. Newly-selected zoo chairman The commission voted to put tually connect with West Emory However, Dan’s ambitions don’t stop there. He wants Eddie Mannis told commission $650,000 on the agenda for Road. The new road bypasses to expand the membership of the ETSPJ chapter to last Monday that the zoo wants today’s regular commission meet- the “downtown” section of Powell include more diverse members of local journalists. to look “a little like Disneyland” ing. The funding, to be used over which is along Emory and makes Personally, his ambitions have been directed toward and that county funding would three years, goes to a beau- getting from I-75 to Clinton High- encryption communication. He now has his own, “Dan “help us with a nice portal.” tification program there. way much easier and faster. Andrews Secure Communication Page” which can be Mannis said the improvements The zoo may not be the only One of Knox County’s new com- found @ http://securecommunication.blogspot.com/ may include “sculptured topiaries” place in Knox County to get an missioners, Charles Busler, focused He states, “As a journalist, communication is key. and such beautification is part of appearance modification. on Powell Drive and presented his Continue on page 3 the zoo’s strategic plan. Topiaries Powell Drive may be the newest Continue on page 3 PAGE A2 The Knoxville Focus September 22, 2014 Focus on the Law Termination of Parental Rights Before a child chapter is full happen where an infant child’s guardian ad litem, these grounds are as fol- severe abuse including may be adopted, of terms, some is being surrendered by or the department (of lows: Abandonment by the knowing or failure to parental rights defined and a mother in a private Children’s Services) have a parent in jail who had protect a child from seri- must be termi- some not, that adoption, for example. standing” to file a termina- engaged in conduct that ous bodily injury or psy- nated. “Paren- make this a When there is no agree- tion petition. The allega- exhibits wanton disre- chological abuse. There tal rights” are the highly technical ment or where the exact tions in the petition must gard for the welfare of the are numerous appel- rights to act as topic.