News
May 1, 2024 by Alan Sloan
KNOXVILLE — Roughly 17 years after throwing his last pitch as a reliable four-year arm on the Tennessee Vols Baseball team from 2004 through 2007, this former All-state pitcher at Farragut High School — staff ace on the Admirals 2003 Class AAA state championship team — is making a quite different kind of pitch as vice president for affordable housing with DGA Residential Development Group in Knoxville.
“I’ve been doing work with housing development since 2010; doing it for a long time,” Cobb said during his roughly four-minute address during Mayors’ Leadership Summit on Homelessness” held recently in The Foundry in downtown Knoxville.
Praising the “collaboration that the city and county both had … we leveraged $2.5 million to break ground on 280 units here in the city at the end of last year,” he added about new, more affordable housing. “Those funds were instrumental.”
Cobb said he recently received information “that opened my eyes to some things about what you were just speaking on — the eviction process.”
Beyond downtown Knoxville, “we were releasing up a property out in the county that we’re really proud of,” Cobb said, adding that he learned, “‘Hey, there’s a lot of people out here … that have this need or are living in cars and what-not that have been (evicted) for some reason or another.’
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May 1, 2024 by
Knox County Sheriff’s Office currently is investigating a shooting in which a woman reportedly was struck in the foot while in McFee Park late Sunday morning, April 28.
The woman, no name released by KCSO, was reportedly transported to a hospital, where her injuries were reported as “non-life threatening.”
On Monday, April 29, KCSO reportedly said the incident was believed to be accidental.
Reports stated Sheriff’s Office units were dispatched to McFee Park around 11:30 a.m. Sunday. KCSO reportedly stated it was unknown from where the bullet came, as the park is near a wooded area.
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May 1, 2024 by Tammy Cheek
Farragut Board of Mayor and Aldermen members expect to act on their FY 2025 budget when they meet 6 p.m., Thursday May 9, in Farragut Community Center.
They will have another workshop before they receive the final draft Friday, May 3, so they could mull over the numbers then have a final workshop before the May 9 meeting.
“We’ve been overviewing the budget for the FY ’25 going all the way back to February of this year,” Town administrator David Smoak said during a workshop Thursday, April 25. “This is a final run-through of our program changes, any changes that we’re making that regard personnel, merit increases, (cost of living) increases, things like that … will be proposed for next year.
Regarding personnel, he said there are four positions to be added to the budget: two Public Works technicians, information technology technician and a new administration position.
Along with some policy changes, “we are taking on additional responsibilities with McFee Park, with McFee property, with some property on Brooklawn right-of-way as well,” Smoak said. “We do need additional (Public Works) personnel to handle that.”
The total cost for the two PW positions is $147,000.
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May 1, 2024 by
• At 12:32 p.m., Sunday, April 28, a complainant/victim called Knox County Sheriff’s Office Teleserve Unit to report her vehicle as stolen from a North Campbell Station Road sport bar. She advised an unknown suspect took her 2013 Chevrolet Camaro.
Complainant/victim said her sister saw the suspect get into the vehicle and drive off, but said “it happened so quickly she was unable to get any identifiers,” the report stated. “The complainant advised she believes she left the keys on the bar due to them no longer being in her possession.” Total value of loss was listed at $5,000.
• At 1213 p.m., Saturday, April 27, a KCSO unit responded to a Kingston Pike address in reference to a burglary. “Once on scene I made contact with (complainant), who (said) she works for Y-12 Credit Union, who also owns the property at the listed address.
Complainant said when she arrived at the property “she found two broken glass doors and a broken window,” the report further stated. Complainant said when she walked the property “she found seven broken TVs in the hallways. The building has been abandoned for several years, but was last seen undamaged sometime (the) week (before).” Complainant said the damage totaled to $5,000 for the doors, $1,000 for the window and $700 for the TVs.
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May 1, 2024 by
• Dixie Lee Farmers Market, on The Renaissance Farragut grounds along Kingston Pike, opens for Saturday business May 4, and will remain available each Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon through Oct. 26.
Founded in 2008 by Jeff and Ginger Cannon (as stated on Town of Farragut’s website), “Our sole purpose is to strengthen our community by providing you with a place to buy local, top- quality fresh produce directly from the people who grew it,” a family press release stated. “In doing this, we hope to give an opportunity to our local farmers, gardeners and crafts persons to promote their products.
“It will strengthen our local commerce by buying from your neighbors, as well as offer our families a healthier lifestyle,” the release further stated. “Providing this forum helps farmers and families from local communities to deal directly with each other rather than through third parties, and to get to know and learn from one another.
“Interacting in this environment will teach children to preserve the integrity of our agricultural heritage. This will not only strengthen our community physically and mentally but spiritually as well.”
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