TVA urges boaters to watch for hazards as season begins
by G. Chambers Williams III
This shows the water level of Norris Lake right behind the dam, with the exposed dirt shoreline clearly visible. The lake is seven to eight feet below its normal summer level as the Memorial Day weekend approaches, caused by a drought that TVA says is the worst in almost 20 years. When it’s at full pool, the bare dirt is not visible. - G. Chambers Williams III
Drought conditions in East Tennessee are the worst in almost 20 years, which is keeping reservoir levels lower than normal, the Tennessee Valley Authority said Monday.
Because of the lack of rainfall and runoff, many TVA reservoirs, including Norris, are not likely to reach their summer pool elevations in time for Memorial Day, which is the start of recreation season,” TVA spokesman Scott Brooks said.
“For Norris in particular, levels are still within the operating range for this time of year, but about seven to eight feet below summer pool,” he said.
Safety is the key concern with the lower levels during the boating season, and the area needs some sustained rainfall to cure the problem, the federal utility said.
“Calendar-year-to-date rainfall and runoff are about 70% and 45% of normal, respectively,” Brooks said. “Runoff is key to filling the reservoirs. Right now, any rainfall is being soaked up by the ground and vegetation.”
The Tennessee River is mostly in good shape, but many tributary reservoirs likely will not reach summer pool by Memorial Day, the agency said.
Norris Councilwoman Loretta Painter addresses a crowd of city residents during a candidate forum held in 2024 just prior to the November city election, in which she won a seventh two-year term on the council. Looking on at left is Mayor Chris Mitchell. - G. Chambers Williams III
Loretta Painter, who is in her seventh two-year term on the Norris City Council, informed City Manager Bailey Whited on Monday morning that she was resigning from the council, effective immediately,
“I’m off to a new adventure in a new state,” she said in her brief resignation email to Whited. “Best to all.”
Painter was first elected to the council in 2012, and has easily won re-election every two years since.
Her current term – as well as the terms of the other four council members – expires at the end of November.
“I’m moving out of town and starting my new adventure, and leaving City Council after 14 years,” Painter told The Courier News. “And it has all been extremely interesting.
“I hope that the person who take my seat is an independent thinker and that they enjoy the process as much as I have,” she said.
“I love the process of local government. The people I have worked with have been challenging and interesting at the same time.”
Members of the Anderson County Commission appointed a task force during the May 18 meeting to oversee the sale of the Claxton Elementary School site after the new school is completed. The task force includes four county commissioners and three members of the county Board of Education. - Ben Pounds
A new task force will look at how to sell the current Claxton Elementary School site as a new school takes shape down the street.
The Anderson County Commission and Anderson County Schools have selected members for the task force.
The County Commission approved Commissioners Chad McNabb, Tracy Wandell, Denise Palmer and Sabra Beauchamp to serve on the task force at its May 18 meeting.
At the same meeting, commissioners accepted Board of Education members Scott Gillenwaters, Jo Williams and Katherine Birkbeck, who were presented to the commission by Director of Schools Tim Parrott.
The commission discussed adding a fourth school board member to maintain balance, but did not vote on or name that member.
County Mayor Terry Frank and Parrott will serve ex-officio.
The current school is at 2218 Clinton Highway, but Parrott has said the building has safety and security issues.
Robie’s Grill, located in Centre Plaza in Clinton, recieved a perfect score in the April Health Department inspection report. - G. Chambers Williams III
The Tennessee Department of Health conducts routine and follow-up inspections of restaurants, food service operations, hotels and other regulated facilities to ensure compliance with state health and safety standards.
Scores reflect conditions observed at the time of inspection.
Listed below are recent inspection results for Anderson County and surrounding communities, sorted from highest score to lowest.
Score: 100
• Sun & Gold Coffeehouse Mobile Unit, 2423 N. Charles G. Seivers Blvd., Clinton - inspected April 29.
• Robie’s Grill LLC, 1115 N. Charles G. Seivers Blvd., Suite 18, Clinton - inspected April 29.
• Mr. Potato Bowlz Mobile Unit, 211 Allhambra Road, Oak Ridge - inspected April 27.
• Cozy Kidz Academy Food Service, 98 Mariner Point Drive, Clinton - inspected April 23.
• Little Bird Macarons Mobile Unit, 100 Beechwood Court, Oak Ridge - inspected April 17.
• Golds Gym Main Pool, 302 S. Illinois Ave., Oak Ridge - inspected April 17.
• Golds Gym Therapy Pool, 302 S. Illinois Ave., Oak Ridge - inspected April 17.
• Golds Gym Whirlpool, 302 S. Illinois Ave., Oak Ridge - inspected April 17.
• Divine Drink Co. Mobile Unit, 222 Talley Lane, Clinton - inspected April 17.
• Scottys Grub Station Mobile Unit, 117 Midway Drive, Oliver Springs - inspected April 17.
• Now Or Never Tattoo Studio, 215 S. Main St., Rocky Top - inspected April 10.
• Burchfield’s Bar, 215 S. Illinois Ave., Oak Ridge - inspected April 8.
• Brookside Learning Center Food Service, 218 Jefferson Ave., Oak Ridge - inspected April 7.
• El Cantarito Bar, 191 S. Tulane Ave., Oak Ridge - inspected April 6.
• Knoxville Campground, 2423 N. Charles G. Seivers Blvd., Clinton - inspected April 2.
• Windrock Gap Campground, 300 Hoskins Gap Road, Oliver Springs - inspected April 2.
• Collins Ink, 360 Market St., Clinton - inspected April 1.
• Appalachia Ridge, 2809 Andersonville Highway, Clinton - inspected April 1.
The Rocky Top City Council meets in regular session on Thursday, May 21, at City Hall, with Mayor Kerry Templin, center, presiding. In front is City Manager Mike Ellis. - G. Chambers Williams III
Rocky Top will require owners of mobile home parks and apartment complexes to install “master” water meters to their properties, at their own expense, under terms of an ordinance passed on second and final reading last Thursday night by the City Council.
According to Ordinance 623, the property owners would be held responsible for the total water bill for all mobile homes or apartments in their parks or complexes, and face cutoff of water by the city if the master bill is not paid.
It would be the property owners’ responsibility to install individual water meters to each apartment unit or mobile home, and collect the appropriate amount for water use from each tenant.
The conversion to master water meters would be required to be completed no later than 24 months after the ordinance passed on final reading.
This setup is intended to prevent the city from having to chase down former tenants of these properties to collect unpaid water bills after they move out.
The ordinance passed on a unanimous (5-0) vote, as it did on first reading in the April council meeting.
The Clinton City Council has approved the city’s fiscal year 2027 budget on first reading.
The budget ordinance will be up for a second and final vote at 5:30 p.m. Monday, June 22. As with other ordinances, it must pass twice to take effect.
The city does not plan to raise taxes. The ordinance sets the property tax rate at about 53 cents per $100 of assessed value on all real and personal property.
The budget includes:
• $16,173,218 for the General Fund, which includes public safety, public works, culture and recreation, and industrial and community development, among other categories.
• $4,600 for the Drug Enforcement Fund.
• $12,181,196 for the General Purpose School Fund.
Clearing and grading of a nearly quarter-mile extension of Sawmill Road from the industrial park in Norris is now underway, with completion of the new road expected by November. It will connect to Norris Freeway (U.S. 441) next to Covenant Life Church. - G. Chambers Williams III
Grading work began May 11 on the long-planned extension of Sawmill Road in Norris to connect it to Norris Freeway (U.S. 441), with the project completion scheduled for Nov. 15, City Manager Bailey Whited said late last week.
Whaley Construction, LLC, of Sevierville was the winning bidder on the project, with a total cost of just over $4.42 million.
All of the construction is being paid for by the Tennessee Department of Transportation.
“We’re excited that it’s coming along quickly,” Whited said of the work, which so far has been focused on clearing trees and brush, and grading the route for the roadway.
“They’re not looking to delay it further, and we’re happy about it,” he said.
Length of the project is 0.236 miles, which extends the road from its current terminus at the Norris Industrial Park to a point just north of Covenant Life Church and across Norris Freeway from the Norris Memorial Gardens cemetery.
It will exit onto Norris Freeway near Cross Pike Road, which goes past the cemetery and feeds onto Andersonville Highway (Tenn. 61) near the entrance to the Museum of Appalachia.
Angel Disney cuts the ribbon to open her new Disney DIY and Buy Crafts shop at 312 S. Main St. in Rocky Top on Friday, May 1. Her husband, Steve, is on the right, and recording the event from the left is Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank. The Disneys plan to begin an outdoor vendors market to operate each Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the parking lot to the rear of their new business. - G. Chambers Williams III
The owners of a new craft-shop business in Rocky Top have announced they are beginning an outdoor vendors market behind their store at 312 Main St., which they said will operate from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each Saturday and Sunday, beginning June 13.
Angel Disney and her husband Steve Disney, who recently opened Disney DIY and Buy Crafts, said Thursday night during a visit to the Rocky Top City Council meeting that they hope to have some farm products at the market, as well.
Steve Disney said they will welcome fresh produce from sellers who come to the market form within a 200-mile radius of Rocky Top, which is somewhat beyond the scope of the Norris, Oak Ridge and Clinton farmers markets.
Those require all vendors to be from the local area – whether selling produce, baked goods or handmade crafts – and to have made all of their products themselves.
• May 11: Clinton Police responded to the 600 block of South Charles G. Seivers Boulevard. regarding an emotionally disturbed person. The report listed offenses including theft of property, burglary from a motor vehicle, aggravated burglary, criminal trespass and tampering with or fabricating evidence. One person was arrested.
• May 13: Clinton Police responded to a Vista Drive address regarding a theft of property report. The case is still open.
• May 19: Officers responded to Walmart, 150 Tanner Lane, at 10:48 a.m., regarding a theft report. The case remains active.
• May 19: Officers investigated a theft report at Walmart, 150 Tanner Lane at 1:52 p.m. The case remains active.
• May 21: Officers investigated a fraud/scam complaint at a South Charles G. Seivers Boulevard addresss, involving fraudulent use or illegal possession of a credit or debit card. The case remains active.
• May 25: Officers took a report of a stolen or lost gun at a Tradewind Street adedress. The case remains active.
The bleachers at the George Templin Memorial Park ballfield in Rocky Top, shown here during last year’s July 4 vintage-car show at the park, were demolished April 12, and will be replaced by a new 400-seat structure by Aug. 1, city officials said. - G. Chambers Williams III
The Rocky Top City Council on Thursday night approved issuance of up to $566,000 in capital outlay notes to help finance a $904,090 improvement project for the George Templin Field ballpark, which includes new bleachers, press box, and concessions stand, and some restroom upgrades.
All of the improvements are expected to be completed by Aug. 1, City Manager Mike Ellis told The Courier News at the council meeting.
Work began April 12 with the tear down of the existing bleachers, which Ellis said went surprisingly quickly.
“They barely touched the bleachers with the excavator and they fell,” he said. “They scheduled three days to tear them down, and it took only one day.”
First Place Finish, Inc., an Oak Ridge-based contractor, was the low bidder for the project, for which the city has received a state recreation grant of up to $566,000, which the city must match dollar-for-dollar.
