Norris City Manager Bailey Whited shows a slide of a plan for improvements to the city park next to the Norris Community Building during a parks workshop held last Tuesday, April 7. - G. Chambers Williams III
The Norris City Council on Monday night gave preliminary approval to a potentially $1 million-plus plan to upgrade the city park next to the Norris Community Building, adding new restrooms, pickleball courts, and a basketball court – in addition to the existing two tennis courts.
On a unanimous vote, the council agreed to send the so-called Norris Sports Complex plan to the engineers to develop a bid package for the work, for which the city already has $750,000 budgeted – including a $375,000 state recreation grant.
The plan the council approved was one of two proposals that were presented to council members and residents during a parks workshop last week, conducted by City Manager Bailey Whited.
Council members approved the so-called Plan 4, with an estimated top price tag of $1.035 million, which as shown would include four new outdoor pickleball courts, two upgraded tennis courts that could also be used for pickleball, a high-school regulation-size basketball court, and a new restroom building.
The second plan presented by Whited, with an estimated $880,00 price tag, would leave out the new restrooms, but pay for some renovations to the current restrooms. It, too, would include four pickleball courts, upgraded tennis courts and a basketball court.
Both projects would be financed in part by the $375,000 state recreation grant approved for the city in 2024 that requires a 50-50% local match, plus the $375,000 the city already has in the bank. Additional city funds or perhaps some private donations would be used to make up the deficit.
Clinton Elementary School art teacher Allison Swanner, left, and Alyssa Bowlin, art teacher at North and South Clinton elementary schools, look over some of the artwork created by their pupils on display at the Clinton Community Center during the Mosaic Arts Festival in April 2025. - G. Chambers Williams III
This Saturday is the day for the sixth-annual Mosaic Arts Festival, beginning at 10 a.m. in the Clinton Community Center on South Hicks Street.
Visitors can see displays of original art created by students from the Clinton City Schools, along with arts and crafts booths in the parking lot across the street outside, next to the Clinton Public Library.
Also on South Hicks Street in front of the Community Center, there will be public performances by various groups, including the Clinton High School Jazz Band, Knoxville Children’s Theatre, Dream Dance Studio and more, beginning at 10 a.m.
Inside the library, there will be free craft activities for kids, and in the parking lot outside, there will be an array of food trucks and kiosks.
The Mosaic Color Run will kick off the event, beginning at 9 a.m. from the parking lot across from the Community Center. The rest of the event will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
These statues depict The Clinton 12, the first Black students to attend Clinton High School in 1955. They are outside the Green McAdoo Center in Clinton. - Ben Pounds
The Green McAdoo Cultural Center received a $7,268.50 grant for Tennessee America 250 initiatives from the Tennessee Commission for the United States Semiquincentennial.
The center will use the grant for its upcoming exhibit, “With All Deliberate Speed: School Desegregation Across the Country.” The new exhibit will explore school desegregation in Tennessee and across the country from 1843 to 2016.
The state made available funding to be administered by the Tennessee State Museum, on behalf of the commission, to support statewide America 250 activities.
“The Clinton 12’s story is about our country at a crossroad and the fight for progress,” said Adam Velk, executive director of the Green McAdoo Cultural Center in a news release.
“For our nation’s 250th anniversary, we really wanted to zoom out and connect these stories of school desegregation to provide a better understanding of our nation’s history. We hope that visitors will see the through lines to Clinton and what it means to be American.”
Coming up next week will be the annual Pause for a Cause Pet Expo at the Carden Farm Dog Park in South Clinton.
Plenty of dogs and their families will be on hand for the event, which runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The dog park is at 410 Riverview Drive, and the day’s event will include more than 60 vendors, nonprofits and food trucks.
Every dollar raised goes directly to helping animals in the Anderson County community, through pet-care assistance, education, a pet-food pantry, and other efforts.
Besides the city of Clinton, sponsors include the Anderson County Animal Rescue Foundation and the Humane Society, Tennessee Valley.
Organizers are expecting thousands of people to attend the event.
Randall Rhodey joined his fellow Recovery Court graduate and mother Susie Rhodey at a celebration of his recent Anderson County Recovery Court graduation. - Submitted
Randall Rhodey celebrated his recovery from addiction and his recent Anderson County Recovery Court graduation with a speech to friends, family and those who’d helped him.
“For all of you who never gave up hope, I’ll be eternally grateful,” he said in an Anderson County Courthouse court room surrounded by Easter décor, cake, chicken and pigs in blankets.
He said he had realized his life of addiction had no future for him.
“If I keep going, the only retirement I’ll have is the graveyard, the county jail or the pen,” he said.
Rhodey told The Courier News the structure of the programs along with the support from staff and other participants at both the Anderson County and Morgan County recovery courts, combined to help him.
He said the greatest challenge in his recovery process was facing the death of his father and going through grief.
“I couldn’t face doing this without my Daddy,” he said of recovery.
He said he was anxious about what comes next, but has plans.
Past honorees surprise Paynter at Clinton’s Hoskins Drug Store. Pictured from left are Cande Seay, Ray Smith, George Paynter, Jim Dodson and Teresa Myrick. - Submitted
Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties Inc. has announced that community leader George Paynter will receive the 2026 Bill Wilcox Bow Tie Award.
Paynter will be honored during the Bow Tie Event and Fundraiser on Nov. 14, 2026, at the Oak Ridge Conference Center.
“There’s so much more than meets the eye when talking about George,” event chair Wendie Aurin said.
“He’s a quiet leader with a big impact on others and gives back to the community in ways that reflect the spirit of this award.”
The Bow Tie Award, established in 2013, honors the late Bill Wilcox and recognizes individuals who demonstrate strong community values, active service and a positive impact across East Tennessee.
The annual fund-raising plant sale will be held in the parking lot here at the Norris Religious Fellowship this Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. - G. Chambers Williams III
The annual spring plant sale at the Norris Religious Fellowship will be held from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. this Saturday, April 18, in the parking lot of the church at 23 Dogwood Road.
The sale is conducted each year by the church’s Women’s Fellowship, and features bamboo stakes, garden décor, spring blooming plants, llama manure, and more.
A church announcement said that llama manure is “a highly prized organic ‘cool’ fertilizer rich in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, low odor, and weed free that can be applied directly to plants,” and noted that the “supply is limited.”
This year’s event is coordinated by former master gardeners Kathy Decker and Paulette Booker, the church said, who will be assisted by master gardener Yvonne Webb and members of the church.
Put on your best derby attire and prepare for an evening of entertainment at the second-annual Anderson County Chamber of Commerce Derby at The Pearl.
The event will be held Saturday, May 2, from 4 to 8 p.m. at The Pearl at Aspire Park in Clinton.
Tickets are $100 per person or $175 per couple.
Guests can enjoy music, food, signature cocktails, a silent auction, games and a best-dressed contest.
The event also will feature a live viewing of the 152nd Kentucky Derby.
Attendees are encouraged to dress in traditional derby attire for the community celebration.
The Chamber of Commerce said the event aims to bring the community together for an evening of entertainment, networking and philanthropy.
Proceeds from the fundraiser will support the chamber’s initiatives and programs, including efforts to promote economic growth, business development and community engagement in Anderson County.
The chamber provides resources, networking opportunities and advocacy for local businesses to strengthen the region’s business climate.
Tickets are available at andersoncountychamber.org.
For more information, call the chamber office at 865-457-2559.
This event will be on Thursday, April 30 and will feature free entry to museums across Oak Ridge.
Participating are the American Museum of Science and Energy at 115 S. Main St., the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge at 461 West Outer Drive, the K-25 History Center at 625 Enrichment St., the New Hope Center at 602 Scarboro Road and the Oak Ridge History Museum at 102 Robertsville Road.
Homeschooling
Homeschool classes are offered for two different grade levels: from 9:30 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. are classes for kindergarten through secomd grade.
From 11 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. the museum will hold classes for third through fifth grade.
To register go to shorturl.at/M95EB.
Information Nation
Information Nation, a temporary exhibit open now shows how the United States, celebrating its 250th birthday, and Tennessee have led the “information revolution,” with advances in technologies.
Summer Camp
Registration for AMSE’s summer camp program is open at https://shorturl.at/FQVMD.
From June 15 through 17, drop-off will be at 8:30 a.m. and pick up at 3 p.m. June 15 topics are electricity, forces in motion, and chemistry. June 16 topics are rain and erosion, geology, and fossils. June 17 topics are microscopes, solar and nutrition.
On June 18 and 19, drop-off will be at 8:30 a.m. and pick up at 5 p.m. Camper dinner is included from 5 until 6:30 p.m. Thursday, June 18 will focus on nuclear technology and include field trips. Friday, June 19 will focus on AI and computing.
