DaviDson County • DiCkson County • Cheatham County • Williamson County PUBLICORDS REC NOW IDE INS West SEPTEMBER 24 - 30 , 2010 www.westviewonline.comview VOL. 34, NO. 37 SLOW AHEAD SEPARATE PATHS, ONE GOAL OLD BELLEVUE HIGH has been gone for 30 years, but now two groups are hoping to get a replacement built. Page 2 ONE MORE TIME BELLEVUE CENTER owners have a new Dec. 31 deadline from Metro to move forward with redevelopment. Page 3 HIGH-PROFILE PROJECTS BELIE ‘DIRE TIMES’ FOR Page 24 CONSTRUCTION SIGN ME UP FAIRVIEW RESIDENTS can give police, firefighters helping hand via CERT program. Page 14 INSIDE Editorial News From… Sections Vet’s View ....................................3 Fairview .....................................14 Health and Fitness ......................6 Dave Ramsey ..............................4 White Bluff ................................23 Public Notices .............................7 Nashville Nostalgia ......................4 Business Services .....................12 Karlen Evins .................................4 Community Calendar ..................5 © 2010 Westview Newspaper, LLC • 8120 Sawyer Brown Rd. • Nashville, TN 37221 • 615.646.6131 • westviewonline.com Page 2 www.westviewonline.com SEPTEMBER 24 - 30, 2010 Two groups seek new Bellevue High Both face long odds including tight Metro budget, low potential enrollment, greater need for new elementary, middle schools By Judy Sarles Correspondent Two groups are taking separate paths to and starting to look down the road at the the same goal of placing a public high school middle school age as well, another facility for once again in Bellevue. them.” One group is placing an emphasis on im- Lack of funding and similar proposals in proving Hillwood High School and bringing other areas of Metro also hurt Bellevue’s enrollment at the school to capacity in order chances. to establish a need for Bellevue high school. “Given the current economic conditions The other is concentrating on getting the high of this city, it’s not very feasible that it will school built as soon as possible. happen at all in the near future,” Simmons Metro Councilmember-at-Large Charlie says. “That’s not to say that in 10 years things Tygard, a Bellevue resident, has been meeting might change and it may be different.” with members of both groups about several Although it might take 10 years or more Metro school system issues, including a future before Bellevue parents receive their wish for Bellevue high school. Metro a high school, some of them are willing to put councilmen Bo Mitchell and time and effort into the initiative now because Eric Crafton, District 9 School they know the importance of having a quality Board member Kay Simmons, school nearby. A neighborhood high school and Director of Schools Jesse would make the community attractive to home Register also have participated buyers and strengthen existing home values, in the group talks about a new they say. Simmons high school. “I would like to see a neighborhood high “I don’t think it’s an issue school in Bellevue,” Crafton says. “You’ve that’s on the front burner, but in a lot of peo- got people at the far edge of the 22nd and 35th ple’s minds, it’s a discussion that the school districts that have to be on the bus a long time I would like to see a board and the community need to have – a to go over to Hillwood High School. I think it thorough discussion to discuss all the issues,” would be good for the community. The com- neighborhood high school in Tygard says. munity supports that.” Bellevue. You’ve got people The court-ordered closing of the original Some Bellevue parents “ Bellevue High and a couple of other Nash- believe the best way to reach at the far edge of the 22nd ville neighborhood schools in 1980 was the that goal is to concentrate on result of a federal lawsuit seeking to racially boosting enrollment at Hill- and 35th districts that have and economically balance the city’s public wood, which has improved to be on the bus a long time schools. academically in the past few Although he favors reviving Bellevue High, years through support from to go over to Hillwood High Tygard is aware of more pressing educational Mayor Karl Dean and the School. I think it would be needs in the community. Enrollment contin- Crafton leadership of Principal Steve ues to rise at Harpeth Valley Elementary and Chauncy. However, Hillwood good for the community. The Gower Elementary, as well as at Bellevue still has problems to overcome, including a Middle School, so adding an additional el- reputation for incidents of student violence community supports that.” ementary and middle school might be a higher and disorder. Eric Crafton, Metro Councilman priority. “Hillwood is slated for $10 million in reno- Also, Hillwood High School, where Bellev- vations over the next 10 years, but the changes ue students are currently assigned, is at about are more cosmetic. They’re not going to solve 70 percent of capacity. It would have to be at some of the inherent problems,” Tygard says. full capacity before the School Board would Hillwood High is 50 years old, and sections consider funding a high school in Bellevue. of it are a converted elementary school. The “I’d love a high school, but we’ve got so high school has large classrooms but narrow many young children now starting in the hallways, which are unsuitable for high school system that we’re going to have an immedi- students who need room to move around be- ate need for an elementary school in the near tween classes. The $10 million is not going to future,” Mitchell says. “With the increased make those hallways larger, Tygard notes. numbers at the elementary school level, Simmons would like people to realize that they’re eventually going to cycle through the Hillwood is a good, safe school, and the system to the middle school. So we’re having perception of it is changing. This year, the a numbers issue at the elementary school right now, and we need to be thinking proactively CONTINUED ON PAGE 13 SEPTEMBER 24 - 30, 2010 www.westviewonline.com Page 3 85,000-plus POW/MIAs New deadline for mall owners By Bill Lewis must not be forgotten Correspondent Last Friday was the third JPAC dig sites. So how, then, The company that hopes to transform the nearly Friday in September. “So does the public even know vacant Bellevue Center Mall into an outdoor shop- What, Ol’ Vet?” you may ask. about all these unaccounted- ping center has a new deadline for qualifying for a Several years ago, the U.S. for loved ones of families from $12 million tax break from Metro. Congress decreed that each all our 50 states? The answer, If Inland Western Real Estate can’t show “sub- third Friday in September of course, is not an easy one. stantial progress” by Dec. 31, the city will move would forevermore be desig- People are busy with their forward with plans to build a new Bellevue public nated as “POW-MIA Recog- daily lives, and something library somewhere other than the mall, says Janel nition Day.” To say that the called “POW-MIA Recogni- Lacy, spokeswoman for Mayor Karl Dean. day has generally since gone tion Day” easily does get lost “Either it’s moving forward or it’s not,” Lacy unnoticed by the public is an in the shuffle. says. understatement. Congress, some would say, Inland had agreed to locate the library in its new A nice exception, however, has done its part by sponsoring shopping center in return for the Metro tax break. is a luncheon honoring surviv- such a day and by annually ap- But Inland and a previous developer repeatedly ing U.S. former prisoners of propriating the JPAC budget. missed the mayor’s deadlines for arranging financ- land’s local representative and believes the com- war held annually at the Alvin Next, the various veteran ing of the mall’s redevelopment. Now city officials pany is “on track. It sounded like in a couple of C. York VA Medical Center organizations remind their are tired of waiting. week that they would make an announcement.” in Murfreesboro. Vet’s View several million total members “We had to act. We’ve got a community that has A spokesman for Chicago-based Inland was not did not attend this one, but has about the importance of keep- waited patiently for a library for a long time,” says available for comment. attended several in the ing such a day alive. At-Large Council Member Charlie Tygard. Tygard is hopeful Bellevue Center will be re- past. Luncheons such But, sadly, there it This week Dean presented the Council with a developed as an outdoor shopping center. It’s un- as these (and break- usually ends, except capital spending plan that includes $1 million for likely that the mall could follow the example of fasts and dinners, for for the hearts and finding a library site somewhere in Bellevue other Hickory Hollow Mall, which may find new use as that matter) are at minds of those thou- than the mall. Money for construction of the build- home to Nashville’s flea market and as community once nostalgic and sands of families ing would be included in next year’s city budget, college classroom space. beneficial for those mentioned above. says District 35 Councilman Bo Mitchell. If Bellevue Center remains nearly vacant, it could who are present. It is important “We’ve got Plan B if the developer fails to meet have a negative effect on the community, he says. It is a haunting, ter- Vet’s to note that the the deadline, says Mitchell, who encouraged the “Any time you have vacant buildings, wear and rible and sad statistic View Vietnam govern- mayor’s office to be prepared with an alternative tear will come into play.