Today, Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation Commissioner Betsy Child kicked off State Natural Area week at House Mountain in northeast Knox County. Present at the kickoff were Knox County Solid Waste Director John Evans, County Commissioner Mike Arms (representing Mayor Ragsdale), County Parks & Recreation Director Doug Battaile, Tisha Calabrese of TDEC and UT Environmental Geology Professor Dr. Mike McKinney. There were several others there as well, especially Boy Scout Brady Sharp and his parents. Brady did extensive trail work on House Mountain working toward Eagle Scout status.

Saturday, March 27, 2004

My wife and I picked up some super mulch at the Knox County Greenwaste facility. The price was right ($9 a scoop), they had a great selection and it doesn't have that funny smell a lot of other mulch has. Anyway, the point is we had to drive through the beautiful Karns community and on the way saw County Commissioner and KKB Board Member Mark Cawood out with a bunch of volunteers picking up litter. I offered him some words of encouragement but did not have a camera to record the event. Karns looks even better now!

Tuesday, March 23, 2004

Bob Santore asked if Keep Knoxville Beautiful will help write a request for the State of Tennessee Urban Forestry grants program for a tree planting at South Doyle Middle School. Today, Bob showed Sam Adams of Cortese Tree Service and Monte Stanley of Stanley's Greenhouse his vision for the new trees. We will be submitting a proposal on behalf of the South Knox Beautification Committee for funding for 85 new trees for South Doyle Middle. (l-r below is Sam Adams, Bob Santore and Monte Stanley.

Sunday, March 21, 2004

KKB had an information booth at the 10th Annual Women Today Expo at the Knoxville Convention Center, March 19, 20 and 21st. Everybody was there over the three day event. Thousands saw our booth and hundreds stopped to talk about everyone's favorite spring topic - The Great American Cleanup™. Pictured below at the KKB booth are our intern Brad Foster, program coordinator Annie Morton, famous person Keith Richardson at the HUD booth and KKB board member Susan Long at the Baptist Health Systems booth with a couple of friends.

Saturday, March 20, 2004

Thanks to KKB board member and Bearden neighborhood activist Terry Faulkner, there was a great article in the News Sentinel about the Lyons View/Kingston Pike intersection improvements by TDOT, the City of Knoxville and KAT. When you visit the area you will see substantial landscaping, historic markers and improved bus stops. What you won't see are overhead utility lines. Developer Nick Cazana, who recently purchased Western Plaza, invested his own money to move the utility lines under ground. Shots below are of the TDOT crews planting new trees and shrubs.

Thursday, March 18, 2004

From the studios of 100.3 The River... Many thanks to Phil Williams, Gina Haus and David Hendley for pitching Earthfest 2004 this morning on their show. In case you missed their interview (what could you possibly have been thinking?) with Tom Salter (our executive director) and Abby Blackburn (now working at Rock-Tenn but also KKB's former program coordinator), Earthfest 2004 is set for World's Fair Park, Saturday, April 24th, 10 am to 10 pm. The theme is "what's in your water?" and there will be tons of exhibits, great food, super kid's activities and a terrific line up of local bands followed with a concert by national recording artist Shawn Mullins. Pictured below (l-r) is Phil Williams, David Hendley, Gina Haus and Abby Blackburn.

Tuesday, March 16, 2004

Kickoff Day! We had a super kickoff for the 2004 Great American Cleanup™ in Knoxville. After heavy rain all night and cool breezes all morning, the sun came out and the wind died down just in time for our 2:30 pm kickoff in South Knoxville. More than 50 people attended with VIP guests including Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam, County Commissioners Paul Pinkston, Mark Cawood, Mary Lou Horner and David Collins. City Council members Joe Hultquist and Chris Woodhull attended. Also present were Knox County Court Clerk Cathy Quist and the Sheriff's Office was represented by Dwight Van de Vate and Martha Dooley.

Speakers included KKB Board Member and Great American Cleanup™co-chairman Tim Wheeler who introduced Mayor Haslam, Joe Hultquist, Paul Pinkston, Monte Stanley and Kara Webb. Hulquist and Pinkston represent South Knoxville on City Council and County Commission respectively. Monte Stanley spoke about the commitment of the citizens in the Old Sevier Neighborhood to their annual cleanup campaigns. Kara Webb of Enterprise Rent-A-Car spoke about her company's commitment to making the communities where they operate better for everyone.

Others in the crowd included County Solid Waste Director John Evans, City Public Service Director Bob Whetsel, Bob Santore of the South Knoxville Beautification Committee, several members of the Knoxville Tree Board, several members of the Haslam Neighborhood Services committee, members of several UTK fraternities and sororities and many others.

KKB Board Members included Martha Dooley, Page Pratt-Greene, Cassandra McGee, Mark Cawood, Dave Collins, Tim Wheeler, Mary Lou Horner, Sam Maynard, Johnnie Conner and Janet McGaha.

Saturday, March 13, 2004

Knox County, the City of Knoxville, Cornerstone Foundation, East Tennessee Community Design Center and the Center for Neighborhood Development held their first annual neighborhoods conference today. Keep Knoxville Beautiful had an information table and as always with neighborhood leaders, litter was really popular. Many people stopped by to chat and pick up information on the 2004 Great American Cleanup™. KORRnet had a booth to promote neighborhood websites. I ran into Stephen Whitson from my own neighborhood. He is the current president of the Crestwood Forest/Hidden Valley Neighborhood Organization and has big plans to revitalize the group. Pictured below are: (l-r) KORRnet Director David Massey, City Councilmen Joe Hultquist and Steve Hall, Stephen Whitson, County Mayor Mike Ragsdale and me.

Saturday, March 06, 2004

Let the cleanups begin... The kickoff for the 2004 Great American Cleanup is still 6 days away, but we are pleased to report another list of groups that have signed up: East Tennessee Clinical Research, Karns Middle School National Honor Society, Sterchi Elementary, Ritta Elementary, Austin East Magnet HS Future Business Leaders of America, Plantation Springs, West High Parent Teacher Group, Wrights Ferry Landing, Lonas Drive Community Association, Nature's Way Montessori School, and the Halls Business and Professional Association. The Halls B&P did a cleanup today on Maynardville Highway and Scott Frith & Mike Blankenship inspected the trees planted last fall. Here are some before, during & after pictures from Halls.

Wednesday, March 03, 2004

Tom and Cortney looked at several sites in South Knoxville to make a final decision on the location for the Great American Cleanup™ kickoff set for Tuesday, March 16, 2004 at 2:30 p.m. Here are the directions to the location: from downtown, cross the Henley Street Bridge, turn left on Blount, pass Baptist Hospital, continue on Sevier, pass Holston Gas and the Pilot Station. On the right look for a laundromat. We are going to do the press conference at the vacant lot next to the laundromat. After the press conference the VIP's will pick up some of the litter near there. The whole thing should last no more than an hour. Everyone is invited. KKB will provide all the supplies for picking up trash.

Tom and Cortney met with Mike Edwards, CEO of the Chamber Partnership about KKB plans for a Clean Business Program. Mike will find a Partnership volunteer to work with KKB on pitching the concept to Chamber members. The concept is simple - businesses pledge to 1) pick up litter on their own property on a regular basis, 2) make sure company trash containers are secure, 3) provide trash cans for customers if their product or service produces waste on site and to 4) make sure anything hauled in a company vehicle is properly secured from falling or flying out. Mike believes that litter presents a negative image and we need to improve the "curb appeal" of the entire community.