PAGE APB The Knoxville Focus June 1, 2021 June 1, 2021 www.knoxfocus.com ONLINE AUCTIONPAGE A1 June 4, 2021 The Knoxville See photos at The Knoxville fountaincityauction.com Fountain City Auction (865)474-9931 OCUS FREETake One! www.knoxfocus.com F June 1, 2021 Phone: 865-686-9970 | PO Box 18377, Knoxville, TN 37928 | Located at 4109 Central Avenue Pike, Knoxville, Tennessee 37912 KUB hears broadband comments, concerns from public By Mike Steely service to eventually serve The utility district is be installed in homes at Dr. Jerry Askew, Senior Writer [email protected] KUB’s customers in Knox proposing a three per- no cost, offer one-gig of chairman of the and portions of Union and cent increase in electric power or 2 gigs if a cus- KUB Board of A public input meeting Grainger counties. rates to all customers to tomer wants it, have no Commissioners, listens Wednesday evening at Several citizens, includ- gear up the offering tele- contracts and cost about to comments from the Grande Event Center ing Knoxville Mayor Indya vision, internet and tele- $65 per month. The broad- citizens about proposed on Clinton Highway saw Kincannon and Union phone service over a fiber band service will take sev- broadband service a good crowd of citi- County Mayor Jason optic cable. Jamie Davis, eral years to reach every from the utility. Most zens attend who mostly Bailey, told the KUB Board vice president of KUB, told home and could begin next were in favor of the expressed their approv- they support the idea and the audience the system year. idea and KUB officials al of a “Fifth Division” to a couple of speakers said already has fiber optic con- The idea of adding broad- stayed on following the Knoxville Utility Dis- they did not want their util- necting its substations. band must be approved a public session to trict. That additional divi- ity bills to go up just to sup- Davis said eventually the by the KUB Board and the answer questions. sion would be broadband port broadband service. broadband service would Knoxville City Council. Photo by Mike Steely. It was meant to be! PHOTO BY BILL HOWARD. The multi-talented Ray Hill tells members of the Cen- ter City Conservative Republican Club, including Knox County District Attorney General Charme Allen, some of his favorite stories of Tennessee statesmen of yore. Political Historian, Focus Columnist Ray Hill speaks at Republican PHOTO BY ELIZABETH HUNLEY club meeting There were even spots of Gibbs blue in the sky when the Eagles’ baseball team came off the field happy and hoist- By Bill Howard ing their TSSAA Class AA championship plaque Friday in Murfreesboro. Please see story of Gibbs’ state tourney of the Senate Appropria- run and the results of other sports at the XXVIII Spring Fling in Sports and Recreation, Section B. If funny and interest- tions Committee, which ing political stories about oversees every federal memorable characters expenditure. “President are your cup of tea, then Roosevelt called McKellar you should have been at to the White House,” said S&S Cafeteria on Kingston Hill. “He said ‘Senator, can Pike the night of May 27. you hide two billion dollars Garrett Holt officially kicks off Ray Hill, former state in the budget?’” representative, political “McKellar leaned for- historian, and political his- ward and said, ‘Of course campaign at Square Room tory writer for The Focus, I can Mr. President, but was the featured speaker where are we going to hide By Ken Lay at the monthly meeting of it?’ And he hid it in Oak the Center City Conserva- Ridge.” The result was the Garrett Holt has had a tive Republican Club, Oak Ridge National Lab. knack for leadership since According to Focus pub- “And he was hiding he was a student in West lisher Steve Hunley, Hill’s things in Tennessee all High School. Now, he’s audience covers a wide over,” said HIll. hoping to use his skills to radius.. Another story con- make Knoxville a better “This man right here is cerned Tennessean place. read far and wide,” said Cordell Hull, the longest- Holt, who was raised in Hunley. “From Washing- ever serving Secretary Knoxville, is running for the ton, D.C. to Nashville, a of State (11 years under Knoxville City Council’s Dis- lot of people read his col- FDR). He also represent- trict 6 seat. umns.” ed Tennessee in both the He is one of four can- Hill shared with the audi- House and Senate. didates seeking the seat ence of 50 or so some of According to Hill, the as he is running against the stories from his exten- ever-cautious Hull was incumbent Gwen McKenzie sive personal archives. once on a train ride with and fellow challengers Pete One concerned Demo- James Farley, FDR’s Post- Drew and Deidra C. Harper. crat Kenneth McKellar, master General. Observ- Holt has been knocking who served longer in the ing sheep along the way, on doors in the district, U.S. Congress (five in the Farley noted to Hull that but he officially kicked off House, 36 in the Senate) the sheep had been PHOTO BY KEN LAY. his campaign at a gather- than anyone in Tennessee sheared very short. ing at the Square Room on City Council candidate Garrett Holt addresses supporters at Knoxville’s Square Room history. According to Hill, Hull Market Square. Wednesday night. He kicked off his campaign for the City Council’s District 6 Seat. According to Hill, McK- replied: “At least on that “Tonight is an event with ellar was the chairman Continue on page 2 my some of my friends having a background study- Now, he said the time is as he spent some time in and my family,” said Holt ing political science. right for him to serve his Nashville and in New Jersey. who graduated from West “I was never really in to community. Now, he’s back and ready 2021 FORD ESCAPE High as the school’s vale- (political science), but I “The time is right,” Holt to go to work for the people dictorian in 2012. “For the was in the key club and I said. “I saw the seat was in District 6. past couple of weeks, I’ve was president of clubs,” he up in the district where I “If I’m elected, I will work been walking in the district, said. “Since I was in high live and I see what’s been hard every day of the term,” knocking on doors, talking school, I’ve been in leader- going on in city government Holt said. “I don’t want to to residents and listening ship and I always wanted and I decided to run. make Knoxville great. Stk#T6715 to their concerns.” to serve. “I love Knoxville. I was “It’s always been great. 2026 N Charles G Seviers Blvd . Clinton, TN Holt said he has always “I wanted to use public raised in Knoxville and I’ve I want to make it better.” wanted to serve his com- service to give back to the spent most of my life here.” Holt said if he elected, 865.457.0704 munity, despite not really city I love so much.” Holt was away briefly Continue on page 4 www.rayvarnerford.com PAGE A2 The Knoxville Focus June 1, 2021 Getting to know Amy Brooks By Mike Steely zones. In 2020, over 680 Senior Writer [email protected] acres were converted from agriculture to residential. In April Knoxville-Knox In recent years, the major- Planning got a new direc- ity of the requests to con- tor. Former Director Gerald vert agricultural land to Green retired last year and residential has occurred Amy Brooks, a 14-year vet- in the County (outside City eran of that department, of Knoxville limits). Of the was appointed by both the 40 requests received last city and county mayors. year, none were located in Brooks has been in local the City. In 2019, 53 con- planning since 2007, has versions saw only three Congratulations to Ken and Debbie on a master’s degree in urban cases in the City, compris- and regional planning, and ing 4.5 acres of that year’s their wedding Saturday, May 29. has been very busy since total 332. The Focus wishes them a lifetime of love her appointment. The Knox- These requests can be and happiness. ville Focus wanted to get to attributed to the record know Ms. Brooks and asked high demand for housing her several questions. this area has experienced Please comment on your over the last few years. position, responsibilities, etc. Amy Brooks There’s often a difference The role of the Execu- people. We dropped “Com- interests? between staff recommenda- tive Director is to lead and mission” from our name I have a lot of hobbies tions and the final zoning. What is a manage all aspects of Knox- and reserve its use for the but not a lot of time to Please comment. ville-Knox County Planning Planning Commissioners. pursue them these days. Staff is tasked with and serve as the chief advi- We also removed “Met- When not watching my kids making their best profes- Certificate of sor to the Planning Commis- ropolitan” from our name play soccer or t-ball, I try to sional recommendation sion. I am also responsible because our service area spend as much time out- based on each specific for leading our staff and col- is mainly Knoxville and side as possible with my request and the regulations laborating with elected and Knox County, not the larger family.