http://www.metropulse.com/news/stories/city-beat/?partner=RSSMetroPulse Stories: Citybeaten-usstories/city-beathttp://www.metropulse.com/news/2012/may/23/former-lady-vols-sports-information-director-debby/?partner=RSSThe sudden retirement of Lady Vols Sports Information Director Debby Jennings was announced last week in a terse, three-paragraph press release that shocked fans of the women’s program—they feared that Jennings’ retirement was not voluntary. A May 18 letter to University of Tennessee Chancellor Jimmy Cheek from Jennings’ attorney, David Burkhalter, will likely confirm their worst fears, with its threat of possible legal action. Betty Bean reports. Wed, 23 May 2012 14:01:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24633-734646stories/city-beatBetty BeanKnoxville, TNFormer Lady Vols Sports Information Director Debby Jennings Considers Legal Action Against UTMetroPulseformer-lady-vols-sports-information-director-debbyurn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24633-734646Change0Usablehttp://www.metropulse.com/news/2012/may/16/proposed-school-budget-hike-includes-unprecedented/?partner=RSSIf School Superintendent Jim McIntyre has his way, what started as a pilot iPad program at Pond Gap Elementary School this year will be extended to every student in all 87 of Knox County’s public schools by 2015. That means procuring some 56,000 iPads or similar devices—making it the biggest endeavor of its kind in the country. Will Knox County residents foot the bill? Joe Sullivan looks at the potential payoffs. Sullivan@MetroPulse.com (Joe Sullivan)Wed, 16 May 2012 16:07:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24618-734639stories/city-beatJoe SullivanKnoxville, TNProposed School Budget Hike Includes Unprecedented iPad ProgramMetroPulseproposed-school-budget-hike-includes-unprecedentedurn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24618-734639Change0Usablehttp://www.metropulse.com/news/2012/may/16/new-studies-reveal-rising-number-homeless-families/?partner=RSSLast Wednesday on Market Square, the Knoxville-Knox County Homeless Coalition and the University of Tennessee jointly released two studies with powerful—and dismaying—statistics about the local homeless population. kennedyr@metropulse.com (Rose Kennedy)Wed, 16 May 2012 16:03:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24617-734639stories/city-beatRose KennedyKnoxville, TNNew Studies Reveal a Rising Number of Homeless Families in KnoxvilleMetroPulsenew-studies-reveal-rising-number-homeless-familiesurn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24617-734639Change0Usablehttp://www.metropulse.com/news/2012/may/09/david-bolt-earns-national-acclaim-his-solar-power/?partner=RSSDavid Bolt has the distinction of having the first electric meter in Harriman, if not all of Tennessee, to spin backwards. It has been doing this since 2006, and this is a good thing. Since figuring out how to create a Net Zero Energy house and sell back excess electricity to the power company, he’s been helping other property owners do just that with his Vestal-based business, Sustainable Future. Rick Held finds out why he was a recent White House honoree. Wed, 09 May 2012 15:23:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24587-734632stories/city-beatRick HeldKnoxville, TNDavid Bolt Earns National Acclaim for His Solar-Power Business, Sustainable FutureMetroPulsedavid-bolt-earns-national-acclaim-his-solar-powerurn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24587-734632Change0Usablehttp://www.metropulse.com/news/2012/apr/25/mulchpocalypse-2012-how-did-pile-bark-turn-fire-br/?partner=RSSThe mulch fire was pretty much all anyone talked about last week, other than Pat Summitt’s retirement. It was understandable, given the thick wood smoke that spread across town for days, making living rooms smell like fire pits and lungs feel like they’d smoked a pack of cigarettes. gervinc@metropulse.com (Cari Wade Gervin)Wed, 25 Apr 2012 14:39:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24522-734618stories/city-beatCari Wade GervinKnoxville, TNMulchpocalypse 2012: How Did a Pile of Bark Turn Into a Fire-Breathing Dragon? MetroPulsemulchpocalypse-2012-how-did-pile-bark-turn-fire-brurn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24522-734618Change0Usablehttp://www.metropulse.com/news/2012/apr/18/ut-professors-biosolar-advances-make-old-energy-so/?partner=RSSAt first glance, UT’s Dr. Barry Bruce doesn’t come off like a guy whose work could one day change how we approach solar energy. He seems a bit laid-back for a researcher, with a vague Lebowski-like quality emanating from somewhere between his unkempt hair and his sandals. But Bruce is a hands-on researcher and instructor in a field that seeks to harness one of nature’s Philosopher’s Stones to help address our ever-growing energy needs, as David Doyle reports. Wed, 18 Apr 2012 14:48:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24486-734611stories/city-beatDavid DoyleKnoxville, TNUT Professor’s Biosolar Advances Make an Old Energy Source New AgainMetroPulseut-professors-biosolar-advances-make-old-energy-sourn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24486-734611Change0Usablehttp://www.metropulse.com/news/2012/apr/18/city-council-votes-unanimously-approve-non-discrim/?partner=RSSCity Council voted unanimously, and without discussion, to approve an ordinance prohibiting discrimination on the basis of ethnic origin, disability, sexual orientation, and/or gender identity in hiring. Wed, 18 Apr 2012 14:38:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24485-734611stories/city-beatBetty BeanKnoxville, TNCity Council Votes Unanimously to Approve Non-Discrimination Hiring Policy MetroPulsecity-council-votes-unanimously-approve-non-discrimurn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24485-734611Change0Usablehttp://www.metropulse.com/news/2012/apr/11/proposed-south-knoxville-apartment-complex-sparks/?partner=RSSA proposed apartment complex along the river in South Knoxville may sound like a good use of long-empty property. It may also help restart the city’s much-delayed South Waterfront Vision Plan. However, residents in the adjacent Island Home neighborhood find the developer’s plans to be less than enticing. Mike Gibson reports. mconnergibson@gmail.com (Mike Gibson)Wed, 11 Apr 2012 15:13:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24469-734604stories/city-beatMike GibsonKnoxville, TNProposed South Knoxville Apartment Complex Sparks Community Opposition MetroPulseproposed-south-knoxville-apartment-complex-sparksurn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24469-734604Change0Usablehttp://www.metropulse.com/news/2012/apr/04/revamping-strip/?partner=RSSIt seems inconceivable that you could take an oft-traveled four-lane road, add a huge shopping development and a slew of new housing at the mouth of its messiest juncture, narrow it to two lanes plus a middle turning lane and expect a happy result. But Knoxville city planners say they’ve done their homework—and that the Cumberland Avenue Corridor Project will change traffic patterns for the better on the University of Tennessee’s perpetually harried Strip. Mike Gibson reports. mconnergibson@gmail.com (Mike Gibson)Wed, 04 Apr 2012 15:09:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24441-734597stories/city-beatMike GibsonKnoxville, TNRevamping the StripMetroPulserevamping-stripurn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24441-734597Change0Usablehttp://www.metropulse.com/news/2012/mar/28/tuning-wivks-future/?partner=RSSSince Cumulus Media’s purchase of WIVK last fall, dozens of staffers have left or been pink slipped. The latest firing of award-winning operations manager Mike Hammond and other local talent raises concerns over whether the station will continue its storied tradition of community involvement. Mike Gibson listens in. mconnergibson@gmail.com (Mike Gibson)Wed, 28 Mar 2012 17:26:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24416-734590stories/city-beatMike GibsonKnoxville, TNTuning In WIVK's FutureMetroPulsetuning-wivks-futureurn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24416-734590Change0Usablehttp://www.metropulse.com/news/2012/mar/21/knoxville-takes-aim-derelict-properties-new-ordina/?partner=RSSAfter spending eight years in development, the city will soon have four new ordinances to deal with cases of extreme blight. City Council voted unanimously to approve the measures on first reading Tuesday night. gervinc@metropulse.com (Cari Wade Gervin)Wed, 21 Mar 2012 15:09:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24384-734583stories/city-beatCari Wade GervinKnoxville, TNKnoxville Takes Aim at Derelict Properties With New OrdinancesMetroPulseknoxville-takes-aim-derelict-properties-new-ordinaurn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24384-734583Change0Usablehttp://www.metropulse.com/news/2012/mar/14/cornerstone-foundation-study-knoxvilles-potential/?partner=RSS“Greater Knoxville: Community Research 2012” is the latest attempt by the Cornerstone Foundation, one of Knoxville’s major philanthropic organizations, to make some sense of this perpetually puzzling place. Since the 1990s, Cornerstone has conducted careful studies of metropolitan Knoxville’s wants and needs. Jack Neely gives this year’s 90-page ring-bound report a read. neely@metropulse.com (Jack Neely)Wed, 14 Mar 2012 15:43:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24361-734576stories/city-beatJack NeelyKnoxville, TNCornerstone Foundation Study on Knoxville’s Potential Raises Interesting ProposalsMetroPulsecornerstone-foundation-study-knoxvilles-potentialurn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24361-734576Change0Usablehttp://www.metropulse.com/news/2012/mar/07/questions-faith-pastor-tim-tatum/?partner=RSSAs part of Metro Pulse’s ongoing discussions with local religious leaders, we present a rural Baptist minister who’d like to reclaim believers who’ve been hurt before. Already full-time pastor at the 140-strong congregation at Thorn Grove Baptist Church in rural Strawberry Plains, Tim Tatum’s the brains—and heart—behind a new venture. His smallish church is starting a second entity, the nondenominational Carter Community Church, to reach out to those who have given up on the Protestant faith. Rose Kennedy profiles. kennedyr@metropulse.com (Rose Kennedy)Wed, 07 Mar 2012 15:42:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24336-734569stories/city-beatRose KennedyKnoxville, TNQuestions of Faith: Pastor Tim TatumMetroPulsequestions-faith-pastor-tim-tatumurn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24336-734569Change0Usablehttp://www.metropulse.com/news/2012/feb/29/planet-wants-re-envision-region/?partner=RSSWhen Plan East Tennessee—PlanET for short—kicked off last October, the three-year regional planning initiative for Anderson, Blount, Knox, Loudon, and Union Counties drew comparisons in some places to the vague agenda launched by Envision Knoxville at the same time. Both are envisioning processes looking to better the community in as-yet unspecified ways. But as Cari Wade Gervin finds, PlanET’s planners are taking it very seriously. gervinc@metropulse.com (Cari Wade Gervin)Wed, 29 Feb 2012 17:16:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24309-734562stories/city-beatCari Wade GervinKnoxville, TNPlanET Wants to Re-Envision the RegionMetroPulseplanet-wants-re-envision-regionurn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24309-734562Change0Usablehttp://www.metropulse.com/news/2012/feb/22/new-grant-may-help-young-victims-dating-violence/?partner=RSSWhile the numbers didn’t increase in the two years between the 2009 and the recently released 2011 Knox County Schools Youth Risk Behavior Surveys, almost 10.7 percent of high schoolers surveyed reported being hit, slapped, or physically hurt on purpose by their boyfriend or girlfriend during the 12 months before the survey—two years ago it was 11.7 percent. Rose Kennedy looks at what these numbers mean in real life. kennedyr@metropulse.com (Rose Kennedy)Wed, 22 Feb 2012 16:16:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24272-734555stories/city-beatRose KennedyKnoxville, TNNew Grant May Help Young Victims of Dating ViolenceMetroPulsenew-grant-may-help-young-victims-dating-violenceurn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24272-734555Change0Usablehttp://www.metropulse.com/news/2012/feb/15/technology-talk-dominates-knox-county-school-board/?partner=RSSThe Republican presidential primary is getting all the attention for the upcoming March 6 election, as early voting gets underway this week. But while not as high-profile, the three local school board races are swinging into high gear these last few weeks of campaigning. Here’s what the candidates have to say about the local education issues they feel are most important, as Cari Wade Gervin reports. gervinc@metropulse.com (Cari Wade Gervin)Wed, 15 Feb 2012 16:35:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24251-734548stories/city-beatCari Wade GervinKnoxville, TNTechnology Talk Dominates Knox County School Board RacesMetroPulsetechnology-talk-dominates-knox-county-school-boardurn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24251-734548Change0Usablehttp://www.metropulse.com/news/2012/feb/07/ktsc-claimed-economic-impact-events-it-didnt-actua/?partner=RSSThere are a lot of pages in the Knoxville Tourism and Sports Corporation documents released late last Wednesday night. There are contracts and board meeting minutes and financials and stacks and stacks of spreadsheets. But when you look at the documents where KTSC claims credit (and economic impact) for particular events, not all the ones listed were actually booked by KTSC—and the actual event organizers claim KTSC had no involvement whatsoever, as Cari Wade Gervin reports. gervinc@metropulse.com (Cari Wade Gervin)Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:19:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24215-734540stories/city-beatCari Wade GervinKnoxville, TNKTSC Claimed Economic Impact From Events It Didn't Actually BookMetroPulsektsc-claimed-economic-impact-events-it-didnt-actuaurn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24215-734540Change0Usablehttp://www.metropulse.com/news/2012/feb/01/edwin-rocky-wynder-1928-2012/?partner=RSSRocky Wynder’s long career linked the era of tent vaudeville and black speakeasies to a time of upscale-restaurant jazz nights in a reborn downtown. He began his career before rock ’n’ roll, and dabbled with R&B, but always favored jazz, especially the small-band, bold-but-often-wistful form known as bebop. He was its most charismatic local proponent, and, for students of jazz, an authentic connection to a vigorous era. neely@metropulse.com (Jack Neely)Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:38:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24198-734534stories/city-beatJack NeelyKnoxville, TNEdwin “Rocky” Wynder, 1928-2012MetroPulseedwin-rocky-wynder-1928-2012urn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24198-734534Change0Usablehttp://www.metropulse.com/news/2012/jan/25/non-profit-diaperlove-provides-diapers-needy-famil/?partner=RSSMegan Mullins was browsing Craigslist, looking for baby things, when one “Wanted” plea seemed to leap off the screen: a woman who had just recently moved to town, in desperate need for diapers for her toddler. Mullins responded, and discovered an unmet need among Knoxville’s working poor and homeless, who can’t afford diapers, or can’t buy them with WIC funds. Thus began an unusual charity, as Rose Kennedy reports. kennedyr@metropulse.com (Rose Kennedy)Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:47:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24175-734527stories/city-beatRose KennedyKnoxville, TNNon-Profit diaperLove Provides Diapers to Needy FamiliesMetroPulsenon-profit-diaperlove-provides-diapers-needy-familurn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24175-734527Change0Usablehttp://www.metropulse.com/news/2012/jan/11/university-commons-vs-cumberland-corridor/?partner=RSSThe announcement that a major development involving the Florida-based Publix grocery chain and international retail Godzilla Walmart would be lumbering toward central Knoxville was startling news in itself. But this 211,000-square-foot development is proposed for the foot of Cumberland Avenue, just as the city’s beginning practical work on a long-discussed plan to give the Strip a pedestrian-friendly college-town feel—not exactly the familiar Walmart way. Can the two projects coexist? Jack Neely considers the possibilities. neely@metropulse.com (Jack Neely)Wed, 11 Jan 2012 15:54:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24122-734513stories/city-beatJack NeelyKnoxville, TNUniversity Commons vs. Cumberland CorridorMetroPulseuniversity-commons-vs-cumberland-corridorurn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24122-734513Change0Usable