Sunday, October 30th, 2005

Our executive director had a letter to the editor in the Knoxville News-Sentinel today asserting that the proposed Tennessee bottle bill will eliminate Tennessee's comprehensive litter control effort and replace it with a bottle and can recycling program.  Also, the letter contradicts recent stories in the news that legislators who are not supportive of the bill are uninformed about its benefits.  Tom wrote that legislators know a lot about the details of the bill and have a lot of legitimate reasons to be cautious about it.  Here is a link to the website that is cited in the letter: www.tnbottlebill.com.  Here is the letter:



Tom expects to be severely criticized by bottle bill supporters who prefer the bill get passed without a public discussion of how the program will actually work and its limitations on controlling the litter problem.

- posted by KKB staff at 11:15 AM

Tuesday, October 11th, 2005

The 25th Annual Orchids & Onions Awards Banquet was held today at The Foundry at World's Fair Park.  The event kicked off with co-chairs Sam Maynard and Gary Loe.  Local TV personality Bill Williams gave a keynote talk followed by the pledge to the Flag presented by the UT Air Force ROTC Color Guard.  Maynard Elementary teacher Michael Rodgers entertained with several songs. 



KKB board president Cassandra McGee joined Gary Loe to emcee the rest of the program.  KKB's Hall of Fame Award was presented to Mike Chase of Copper Cellar Corporation for donation of the Calhoun's Volunteer Appreciation Trash Bash for more than 10 years.  That event is the highlight of the spring cleanup season.  The Community Service Award was presented to Ruth DeFriese for her lifetime of work to promote conservation, preservation and beautification of the environment.

Diana Morgan, Education and Community Activities Coordinator for the Knoxville News Sentinel presented Environmental Achievement Award for an individual to Ruth Anne Hanahan, Senior Research Associate at the UT Water Resources Center for her work in developing community-based partnerships to protect watersheds.  The Environmental Achievement Award for an organization went to The Beaver Creek Watershed Association for its unique partnership with property owners, community groups, business and government to restore and protect Knox County's biggest watershed.  The Environmental Achievement Award for a business went to Cortese Tree Specialists for their work in protecting Knoxville's and Knox County's urban forest.

Cassandra and Gary presented the Butterfly Award to the Joy of Music School on Ailor Avenue.  This building received the Onion Award last year and has been transformed into a very nice facility.



Mary Lou Horner as "Auntie Litter" presented the 2005 Onion Awards to a “Misplaced Welcome Sign” [below] in South Knoxville.  Visitors to the Smokies who take Chapman Highway to Knoxville see a welcome sign in front of a junkyard as they enter Knox County.  Keep Knoxville Beautiful urges all those responsible for welcome signs, landmark signs and anything else intended to make tourists feel good about the community to make sure those signs are in front of something beautiful instead of an eyesore.



Other Onions went to a closed business, Polaris of Knoxville [below left, top], that has 10-foot high weeds and peeling paint, an older residence (now zoned commercial) at 2545 E. Magnolia Avenue [below right, top] that is also covered with weeds, the Jackson Avenue Warehouses [below left, bottom] in downtown Knoxville and the old Pete Moore Appliances [below right, bottom] building on North Broadway.

The Orchid Award for Multi Dwelling Units was presented to The Pines Apartments [below left] on Frances Road and the first Orchid for Existing Structures went to Broadway Antiques and Vic & Bill's Deli [below right].



The second Orchid Award for Existing Structures went to the Jacob Building [below left] at Chilhowee Park and the Orchid for Notable Neighborhoods [below right] went to Historic Fort Sanders Association.



Lamar Outdoor Advertising presented the Historic Preservation Award to the Cruze Dairy Farm [below left] in East Knox County. 



The Knoxville News Sentinel presented the Orchid Awards for the Central Business District to Sapphire on Gay Street and 29 Market Square.



The Blue Ridge Companies presented the Orchid Award for Landscaping to James Agee Park [above left] and the UTK Pedestrian Mall [below right].



CH2M HILL presented the Orchid Award for New Construction to Colony Place [above left] in Bearden and the Fountain City Branch Library [below left].



Cassandra and Gary presented the People's Choice Orchid Award to The Tennessee Theatre [above right].

- posted by KKB staff at 11:30 PM

Thursday, October 6, 2005

The regular monthly meeting of the board of directors was held today.  The board approved the Butterfly and People's Choice award winners and reviewed all the finalists for the Orchids & Onions Awards.

- posted by KKB staff at 1:15 PM

Monday, October 3, 2005

KKB's Orchids & Onions committee met today and reviewed the final plans for award program set for October 11th.