PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID KNOXVILLE TN PERMIT # 109 I Can Get it SOLD! Call me today and put 26 years of EXPERIENCE in ACTION! VALARIEALARIE THOMPSON [email protected] www.valariethompson.com farragutpress.com • @farragutpress • @farragutpress1 • © 2021 farragutpress all rights reserved • 50¢ Offi ce: 865-694-8100 • Direct: 865-414-1776 ISSUE 32 VOLUME 33 FARRAGUT, TENNESSEE THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 2021 • 1A Founders Park at Campbell Station art School mask future? Henderson, Horn sound off MICHELLE HOLLENHEAD ■ [email protected] Knox County Board of Education members debated its current mask policy for nearly three hours last week, then spent an additional two hours hearing from more than 20 parents pre- dominantly opposed to continued masking next school year during the Board’s monthly scheduled work session Wednesday, April 7. Michelle Hollenhead Spurring the commentary was a mask policy “sunset” clause intro- duced by Betsy Henderson, BOE District 6 representative (cov- Horn ering Hardin Valley and Karns communities) pertaining to Policy C-240, which was Chalk Talk See MASK POLICY on Page 4A Kristi Lynch of Farragut took advantage of a sunny afternoon Tuesday, April 6, to create her entry for this year’s Dogwood Arts Festival virtual Chalk Walk event. The artist spent more than two hours in Founders Park at Campbell Station creating a vivid depiction of Tennessee’s State Wildflower, the Tennessee Echina- Independence Day Parade cea, which she said also grows in her own yard. to return Saturday, July 3 ■ STAFF REPORTS Online vaccine sign-ups easier [email protected] After COVID-19 concerns cancelled last year’s an- nual Town of Farragut Independence Day Parade, thanks to Du, FHS sophomore officials are preparing to host the popular event this MICHELLE HOLLENHEAD year — but on Saturday, July 3, as Independence Day, ■ [email protected] July 4, falls on Sunday. The parade, which runs from 9:30 to roughly 11:30 Now that everyone in Tennessee age 16 and older is eligible for a.m., will travel from the Farragut High School park- the COVID-19 vaccine, a Farragut High School sophomore is of- ing lot to Kingston Pike, then head west to Boring fering assistance to anyone experiencing difficulties with online Road, the end for each parade entry. vaccine sign-ups. Kingston Pike will be closed from Concord Road to Nolan Du, 15, worked with fellow FHS 10th-grader Kate Ford Boring Road (about 1.4 miles) starting at 8:30 a.m. un- to develop a website and program, Vaccine Initiative, as part of til around noon, according to Sue Stuhl, Town Parks a non-profit organization called Students for Betterment, which & Recreation director. Du founded. • Parking for parade participants (and spectator Du said he was watching the news and saw where someone parking) will be available in the main Farragut High his age was “doing the exact same thing in Chicago, and he had School parking lot (senior/teacher lot in the circle) Michelle Hollenhead helped over 1,000 people get registered. and can be accessed from the school entrance off Nolan Du, FHS sophomore, with the QR “I thought it would be great to have this same type of service North Campbell Station Road or at the Farragut Mid- code that takes vaccine seekers to a See VACCINE SIGN-UPS on Page 3A website he co-created for sign-up help. See PARADE TO RETURN on Page 2A Grigsby Chapel Road ‘eligible’ to add traffic ‘mitigation’ MICHELLE HOLLENHEAD ficially meet “warrants,” or specific criteria that indi- pel seemed to indicate a need for traffic mitigation, ■ [email protected] cates traffic mitigation options should be considered coupled with complaints and concerns Grigby Chapel if not outright implemented. residents previously voiced. Farragut’s Board of Mayor and Aldermen discov- Traffic mitigation options for both intersections “Thank you (Town engineer) Darryl (Smith) and ered last week that Grigsby Chapel Road is now eli- suggested by Childers included traffic signals, round- (Town administrator) David (Smoak) for responding gible for traffic controls at two intersections. abouts, four-way stops and existing side-street stops. quickly to my meltdown,” Meyer said. “I just hope the During its regularly-scheduled budget workshop Already included in the Town’s 2021-22 budget (cur- folks in the North Ward feel vindicated by the data.” Thursday, April 8, the Board went over traffic studies rently being discussed through ongoing budget work- “I would like to see us put both signals in the bud- for intersections at Fretz Road (completed about two shops) is CIP funding for a traffic light at Fretz Road. get,” Vice Mayor Louise Povlin said. weeks ago) and St. John’s Court (completed Monday, Alderman Scott Meyer strongly requested the traf- A discussion and public hearing on BOMA’s FY 2022 April 5), which were provided by Alan Childers of fic studies be done during a Thursday, March 25, Cap- CIP is on the Farragut Municipal Planning Commis- Cannon & Cannon. ital Investment Program 2022 Budget meeting, after sion agenda Thursday, April 15, during which specific Data collected indicates both intersections now of- reporting his own experiences along Grigsby Cha- projects likely would be discussed. bbusinessusiness ccommunityommunity ssportsports “I now get to work with my colleagues across ORNL “My teachers and counselors have been constant “These guys don’t quit, and this is the best group of to bring biology and ecology together in exciting ways supporters in everything I wish to pursue. I have guys that I’ve ever coached. .... These guys play hard that help understand the world around us. ...,” always believed they would have my back ...,” and they play together. ...,” -Dr. Stan Wullschleger, who takes on a new and challeng- -Owen Cianciolo, a talented area high school senior who -Tyler Roach, head coach of team pulling off a special ing role involving “national concerns” he’ll address. (Read has a lofty place among his school’s top achievers. (Read come-from-behind feat to win against an outstanding op- story beginning on page 5A) story beginning on page 3B) ponent. (Read story beginning on page 1B) Hibachi Style Dining Sushi Bar • Full Bar Holiday Parties • Take-Out Available Lunch—Monday – Friday 11 – 2 • Sunday 11 – 2:30 Dinner—Monday – Thursday 5 – 10 • Friday 5 – 10:30 • Saturday 4 – 10:30 • Sunday 4 – 10:00 226 Lovell Road (at Parkside Drive) 675-0201 • 118 Major Reynolds Place (At the Top of Bearden Hill, Kingston Pike) 584-4898 2A • FARRAGUTPRESS THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 2021 KCSOreports • At 10:11 p.m., Sunday, April 11, a Knox said “several times that she just wanted her County Sheriff’s Office deputy was dis- lawyer,” the report stated. After being placed patched to Cotton Eyed Joe’s, 11220 Outlet into custody, she refused to consent to a blood Drive, in reference to a hit-and-run. Complain- test. She was read implied consent and again ant/witness said a black Nissan Sentra with refused. Arrestee was transported to Roger D. a male driver was leaving Cotton Eyed Joe’s. Wilson detention facility without incident. While turning out of the business property, • At 5:48 p.m., Tuesday, April 6, an officer “the suspect revved his car to a burnout and responded to Tennova Turkey Creek Medi- lost control of his vehicle and ran through two cal Center on reports of a hit-and-run in the sections of the wooden fence along the road at employee parking lot. Victim/vehicle owner Photo courtesy of First Utility District of Knox County Cotton Eyed Joe’s,” the report stated. The sus- said she had been on the premises since about Officials with First Utility District of Knox County are honored for pect fled the scene before officers arrived. Esti- 7:50 a.m. When she got off work and made it their performance in the EPA’s Area-Wide Optimization Program. mated amount of damage to the fence was listed back to her vehicle, a 2014 Kia Optima, she no- From left are Jimmy Miller, Jordan Durham, Travis Nicely and at $700. ticed the passenger side rear fender/bumper Craig Mayes, environmental compliance officer. • At 5:04 p.m., Thursday, April 8, a com- had been hit. No estimated amount of damage, plainant contacted KCSO Teleserve Unit to dollar-wise, was listed. Victim had no suspect report a worthless check from Smart Bank, vehicle or suspect information at the time of 11216 Kingston Pike. Complainant advised the this report. Meeting EPA ‘drinking water suspect successfully cashed a counterfeit check • At 10:09 a.m., Friday, April 9, the victim for $2,384.61. He advised the check was a Smart called KCSO to file a report regarding a theft Bank check with a current account holder’s at a Rockwell Farm Lane address. According to goals,’ FUD earns certificate information on it. Complainant was able to the victim on Feb. 22, she was moving into a res- STAFF REPORTS provide the listed suspect’s name and driver’s idence at this location and hired a company to ■ [email protected] license number. He said the incident was caught move her belongings. She said when the movers by cameras inside of the bank and the footage finished, the lead mover used his phone to call Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation could be held for an indefinite amount of time the company to let them know they were done. has honored First Utility District of Knox County for its perfor- pending detective review. According to the victim, she had only paid them mance in meeting drinking water goals in a U.S. Environmental • At 1:50 a.m., Wednesday, April 7, two of- the initial $75 when she reserved the service.