PAGE APB The Knoxville Focus January 27, 2020 January 27, 2020 The Kwww.knoxfocus.comnoxvil lele PAGE A1 PAID FOR BY THE COMMITTEE TO ELECT JOHN R. WHITEHEAD OCUS FREETake One! www.knoxfocus.com F January 27, 2020 Phone: 865-686-9970 | PO Box 18377, Knoxville, TN 37928 | Located at 4109 Central Avenue Pike, Knoxville, Tennessee 37912 5G tower Tony Norman kicks off plans upset re-election campaign Farragut By Mike Steely residents Senior Writer By Mike Steely [email protected] Senior Writer [email protected] District 3 school board incum- bent Tony Norman drew a crowd Some Farragut homeown- Wednesday evening in a cam- ers are finding markings in their paign kickoff event at the Hol- lawns and are upset about the iday Inn on Cedar Bluff Road. planned location of 5G towers The well-respected former Knox there. They stood before the County Commission Chairman mayor and aldermen Thursday and former Knox County Schools evening to ask for help but found biology teacher drew praises there’s little the town can do from supporters including Law other than seek help from their Director Richard (Bud) Arm- state lawmakers. strong, and Deputy Law Direc- Although the tower placement tors David Buuck and Daniel was not on the agenda the cit- Sanders. izens demanded some type of Residents and supporters action during the public forum. from his district loudly applaud- Eleven sites were approved ed Norman’s address where he earlier in the month by the Farra- spoke of the changes he helped gut Planning Commission and the bring about on the board of edu- towers would be built on public cation. Norman said the school right of way in the town. Some board was divided and in dis- 120 people attended the meet- array when he was elected. His ing and heard Town Attorney Tom election and the election of Hale tell them there’s little the other reformers tipped the scale town can do to stop the towers. to public representation and led If the Board of Mayor and to the retirement of Superinten- Aldermen fail to vote within 61 dent Jim McIntyre. days then Verizon’s application “The administration did not Tony Norman addresses a big turnout at his re-election reception for his 3rd District school board seat. for eleven towers would auto- understand what it meant to matically be approved. Two other be in the classroom. They didn’t He asked his supporters to questions that Norman was Early voting for the primary companies, AT&T and T-Mobile, appreciate the classroom, the help him continue working for quick to answer. “I’ve got to begins February 12. Norman may also apply for the small 5G teachers or the working teams,” the needed changes for the bet- have a lot of help to do this. The has one primary opponent and towers. Norman said, adding, “I think terment of students, teachers, people after me want me gone,” whoever wins the March 3 pri- One resident, Bill Bryant, said we’ve been able to change the employees and the administra- he said of the effort to unseat mary will become the new rep- his lawn has been marked for a direction of this system.” tion. Attendees asked several him from the school board. resentative for the 3rd District. tower but the neighborhood has underground utilities. He called on help from the area’s state leg- islators to protect Farragut home Free Remote owners. IMG Academy pulls away Laura Squire told the meeting she feels “violated” with the pro- Area liferation of the towers. from Catholic late, wins 71-53 “We only have the powers Medical By Steve Williams given to us by the state,” Attor- ney Hale said. Knoxville Catholic took a shot at one of the “No one understands it, what is Clinic this nation’s premier high school basketball teams Sat- a ‘right-of-way?’” Squire inquired, urday afternoon and gave them all they wanted. encouraging the body to go to the week IMG Academy got out of town with a 71-53 win, state and see about opting out of By Mike Steely but it wasn’t easy for the tall and talented squad the tower placements. Senior Writer from Bradenton, Fla. “State law trumps ours,” Town [email protected] “I thought we played toe to toe with one of the Administrator David Smoak said Knoxville and East Tennes- best teams in the nation until 2:55 to go,” said Cath- of the difficulty of the town to see will be the focus of a FREE olic Coach Mike Hutchens. fight the state and federal regu- Medical Clinic Friday through A standing room only crowd of 1,625 watched the lations. Sunday at the Jacobs Building battle that saw the Fighting Irish (15-4) overcome a One resident said the power- in Chilhowee Park. Last year’s 12-point deficit at halftime and take a 45-43 lead PHOTO BY DAVIS CLEM ful little towers cause cancer and clinic served 1,543 people late in the third quarter. IMG Academy’s Jaden Springer, a UT signee, asked that the towers be located seeking medical, dental and IMG Academy (14-4) retook the lead, but Catholic misses an acrobatic slam on this play but was still in commercial areas only. eye care. This year the clinic will still had a chance to make it a two-score game with impressive in his team’s 71-53 win over Catholic Mike Mitchell said that state also spay or neuter pets during 2:45 remaining, but twice missed the front end of Saturday afternoon. Irishman B.J. Edwards, who Senator Richard Briggs is asking 1-and-1 free throw opportunities. for a resolution for the town to the three days. has an offer from UT, watches on the play. He led The 6-10 Moussa Diabiate from Paris, France opt out. He called the 5G towers It’s an early morning clinic Catholic with 17 points. was a force inside and led IMG with 20 points. Duke a “massive overkill” of data and parking there ends at mid- commitment Mark Williams, a 7-footer from Virgin- “That kind of game is only going to make us better capacity and added, “There’s no night on the first night. Ticket ia Beach, added 14 points and point guard Jaden and that game was great for basketball in Knoxville. need for those in a residential distribution begins about 3 Springer, a Tennessee signee and crowd favorite, That’s probably the most talent between two teams neighborhood.” a.m. and patients are served chipped in 11. that’s ever been on a high school floor in the City of He said the state legislators in numerical order according to Sophomore guard B.J. Edwards, who has offers Knoxville.” don’t understand the impact their ticket. Clinic doors open from UT and Auburn, led Catholic with 17 points. IMG Coach Sean McAloon was impressed by that residential towers on right- at 6 a.m. and the process is Blue Cain added 12 and 6-9 senior power forward Catholic. of-ways will have on Farragut. repeated each day. Akeem Odusipe 10 before fouling out with 6:48 left “What we did had a lot to do with them,” he said. Mitchell said the towers will Patients are asked to choose in the game. “Their zone was very good and active. We turned the reduce home values as much as between dental or vision ser- Hutchens said “their size and depth” was the dif- ball over way too much, but that’s a credit to them. 21 percent. vices. More information can be ference. They did a good job of being super active and we Several other homeowners available by calling (865) 579- “They’re amazing,” he added. “That’s why they are didn’t do a very good job of finding guys that were spoke against the location of the 1530 or going online to www. one of the top 12 teams in the country now and won wide open. But we did enough to be able to pull away 5G towers. It was noted that the ramusa.org/clinic-schedule/. the national title last year. towards the end.” Continued on page 6 She did it! New Construction - Halls After serving Knoxville for over 20 years, Angie Gibson Page Pratt has opened her own company... Cell (865) 898-4558 Text “angie2sell” to 85377 to HUGE AUCTION view all my listings FRIDAY, Jan 31 at 6PM Over 400 lots! See pictures at fountaincityauction.com Bethany Springs (865)474-9931 All Brick, open floor plan, ASSOCIATES 4 BR, 2.5BA 3232 Tazewell Pk, Knoxville, TN 37918 (865) 688-3232 865.548.1968 [email protected] MLS#1089805 $359,900 Each office is independently owned and operated. PAGE A2 The Knoxville Focus January 27, 2020 Former Mayor Travel, school activities reported to Audit Committee By Mike Steely Rogero to Senior Writer incidents of claiming unreason- with cost saving measures. Fuller- said the audit looked at the coun- [email protected] able mileage, self-authorized ton wants to remind department ty’s 88 schools and found fewer receive $3,001 travel, lodging and meals exceed- heads that travel cards are avail- violations than last year. He said The Internal Auditor’s Office of ing allowable amounts or being able and should be used for larger that, combined, the schools have Will the Knox County Commission Knox County presented its find- reported for deductions even expenses, and require employees more than $10 million in their per month ings on county travel expenses when free.