Table of Contents: Nov. 17-23, 2011

COVER STORY

17,000 Species — and Counting
More than a decade ago, scientists in the Great Smoky Mountains set themselves a daunting task: Count every kind of plant and creature living in the national park. Since then, the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory has nearly doubled the number of known species in the Smokies. The project, the first of its kind in the world, could provide crucial data about the effects of climate change, pollution, and invasive species. But as Jesse Fox Mayshark reports, it is fighting for increasingly scarce resources, and struggling to find enough scientists to complete the work.

KNOX TRIAGE
Weekly Plan-It: Highlights of the Week Ahead
Street Talk: Garry Noland, stargazer and telescope operator at Marble Springs

NEWS & VIEWS

Citybeat: Dirty Boys
For the second time in two years, local environmental groups are suing a Campbell County mine operator for allegedly fouling the waters. Cari Wade Gervin takes a look at the case.

Citybeat: Long Slog
It’s been a difficult year for the Hillside and Ridgetop Protection Plan, which has yet to be adopted by either County Commission or City Council. Jesse Fox Mayshark tracks its slow progress toward Monday’s Commission meeting.

Ear to the Ground
A million-dollar mayor’s race, Bud Gilbert loses his license, the city wins a pension suit, Tennessee School for the Deaf wins a championship, and Rick Perry skips town.

Secret History
Jack Neely on the mental institution that made Bearden.

Frank Talk
Frank Cagle sees positive news for women in politics.

Sideways Glance
Rikki Hall says absentee landowners help fuel rural poverty.

Ask Doc Knox by Z. Heraclitus Knox
Divining Downtown

Soluble Solutions by Pink Lady
Turkey Day Toddlers

GAMUT: ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Music: On Tour
Gold Leaves

Eye on the Scene
Opera Consort, K-Town Christmas

Local CD Review
By Lightning

CD Reviews
Atlas Sound and Miranda Lambert

Thrift Store Finds by Anthony Nownes
Hilly Michaels

DVDs
Magic Trip, Going Places

Movies
Take Shelter

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