Shopper Blog: Beaver Creek Water Trail project honored as a 'Knox County Bright Spot'

POWELL

Beaver Creek Water Trail project honored as a 'Knox County Bright Spot'

Al Lesar, Shopper News

Still laboring through Phase 2 of a three-phase project, county workers and volunteers have made noteworthy progress on Beaver Creek.

The 44-mile stretch of waterway is unique in that it ties together the communities of Halls, Powell, Karns, Hardin Valley and Solway.

And, it serves as the main drain for the entire northern portion of Knox County.

“This creek means a lot to those five communities,” said Knox County Commissioner Larsen Jay. “It’s a big part of the flood control. Our main job has been to unclog the drain.”

Jay came on board when he was elected in 2018. Legacy Parks Foundation, Knox County Parks and Recreation, the Beaver Creek Kayak Club and Knox County government, led by Mayor Glenn Jacobs, made the creek a priority.

“There were three big elements,” said Jay. “We’ve had to clear it out; clean it out to get the ‘drain’ open; and then care for it in the maintenance stage.”

A validating award

Jay said 2,085 tons of mostly “green” debris − fallen trees, bushes and other natural materials − have already been taken out of the creek.

Originally, there were 188 “jams” along the 44 miles of the creek. Through the determination of volunteers and crews contracted by the Parks and Recreation office, that number is down to 100.

“Those (jams) go from Level 1, things you and I could move, to Level 5, that are as big as a house,” Jay said. “We’ve still got a lot of work to do.”

The work so far has been acknowledged. In early February, the Beaver Creek Water Trail was given the Orchid Award for “Knox County Bright Spot.” The Orchids are presented by Keep Knoxville Beautiful.

“(The award) is a validation of all the hard work that’s been put into the project,” said Jay. “There have been some long, hard days. Getting the award says that we’re on the right track.

“Never underestimate a small but mighty group that’s passionate. That’s what the Beaver Creek Kayak Club has been. Wherever there’s passion, you can nudge a community. It can be done.”

Flood control already improved

Though the work still has a while to go, Jay is confident it will be completed.

The funds are already in place − $450,000 from the original expenditure, then an additional $1 million of federal funding. That should adequately source the contractors and crews needed to unclog the “drain” and make sure those jams are cleared.

Jay said the progress on the project helped alleviate major flooding in normally susceptible areas.

“The water came up fast (last spring), but it went down just as fast,” Jay said. “That was a good sign.”

There are still plenty of long-range plans to be executed. Jay said put-ins at Powell High School and Ray Arthur Stormwater Park will likely be followed by at least eight more. Two Powell Eagle Scouts have mapped the creek in the Powell area, posting mileage signs that could help first responders in case of emergency. The plan is to have that done the entire length of the creek.

“Beaver Creek can be a quiet, peaceful place,” Jay said. “It’s one of the most special places we have.”

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WEST KNOXVILLE

HVA football's new coach wants to mold good men out of youthful team

Nancy Anderson, Shopper News

It’s an exciting new start for football head coach Tyler Wynn and the Hawks at Hardin Valley Academy (HVA). Wynn brings with him 15 years of football coaching experience and a can-do attitude sure to bring out the best in his players.

Wynn holds an English degree from Carson-Newman, a master’s degree in athletic coaching from Northcentral University, and a specialist’s degree in physical education from Jacksonville State University.

He comes to HVA from Valdosta High School in Valdosta, Georgia, where he was the offensive coordinator. He was previously the offensive coordinator at Warner University in Florida, and before that was the head coach at River Ridge High School and Greenville High School in Greenville, Georgia.

Wynn replaces former head coach Jeff Miner, who resigned after only two years as head coach for the Hawks.

Wynn was a running backs coach at Valdosta High School in Georgia. Valdosta is one of the most historically successful football programs in the country. As of 2022, the team has 948 wins, which is the most all-time, according to the National Federation of State High School Associations record books.

Wynn says it’s great to be home; wife, Brittany, is from Knoxville and Wynn says he loves East Tennessee and is ready to lead the team to becoming not only good football players, but good men as well.

“I went to Carson-Newman, played football and baseball, so I’m glad to be back. There’s no better buy-in for my family than to come home to Knoxville. Hardin Valley is a great community. It’s the type of place I want to raise my kids. With the elementary and middle schools right here, there’s a real sense of community and that’s a real draw for us,” said Wynn.

“I’m ready for a challenge, but it’s not ALL about wins and losses. That’s important, no doubt; but I want to mold the hearts and lives of these kids and turn them into winners not just on the football field, but in life. I want them to be great young men on and off the field.

“I want to win as much as anyone, but if I don’t lean into that higher calling, I’m not going to be satisfied.”

Wynn said he was pleased with his team. There are a number of sophomores on the field who will learn and grow over the next three years.

“It’s exciting for me to work with this team. They’re used to being pushed and I’m going to push them more. We’re a young team with 40-something sophomores who are eager to learn and play football. That’s a big strength for the program moving forward in the next few years.”

Spring practice starts at the end of April. Wynn said he’s going to introduce the boys to “How-we” university.

“It’s all about how we practice, how we keep the locker room, how we train.”

Wynn, his wife and three children have moved to Hardin Valley and are already integral parts of the community.

BEARDEN

Tate's School alum replants orchard destroyed by tornado

John Shearer, Shopper News

A tornado that cleared an area of trees at Tate’s School near North Cedar Bluff Road last Aug. 7 also ripped a proverbial hole in the heart of recent middle school graduate William Patterson.

But he was able to do something positive about it by overseeing the replanting of trees at two places on the 54-acre campus as an Eagle Scout service project.

Patterson had always enjoyed the independent school’s various science programs that incorporated the pond, the nearby garden, and the fruit orchard. As a result, after the tornado hit, he began visualizing these areas rejuvenated.

“It just really hurt me to see all this damage because we had been out and learned out here and learned so much in the garden,” said Patterson, who is now a freshman at Catholic High School. “It was just really sad to see everything destroyed.”

To bring the project to fruition, he did some fundraising and then worked with fellow Boy Scouts from his Troop 20 to replenish some of the trees at two places. The Scouts planted three willow trees late last year down by the school’s small pond to replace one that had been damaged. In the fruit tree orchard a few feet west, they also helped plant some apple, peach, and plum trees.

“It was one day in December when we planted the willows,” he said. “It was really hard. We had to dig deep holes for them. I got 10 Scouts to help me out, and it went really fast, and we got it all done. In March we came and put in the fruit trees.”

This tornado that hit while the teachers were going through beginning-of-school training in the music facility also felled a big pine tree from an old Christmas tree farm where the picnic tables are, as well as numerous trees on the wooded hill near Bob Gray Road. A pavilion out near the entrance of this school that uniquely features individual classroom buildings is also being rebuilt.

The symbolism of completing the work in the spring and helping the school campus begin anew in places was not lost on Patterson. “It felt really nice to see how this place can regrow, especially in this time of Easter and spring, and it really made me feel happy and proud we came back to do all this stuff and help,” he said.

School director of resources Tracey Van Hook hinted that his work is also helping in the continuation of the life and learning at the school.

“William’s work has made a huge impact on our campus,” she said. “He has replanted what is an important part of our curriculum. Every year our fifth grade harvests the apples and makes applesauce.”

His father, Phillip Patterson, who was also on campus last week with William to inspect the work again, understood his wanting to help since several members of the family have attended the school, and it has been like a second home to them.

“Obviously he has been going to this school for a long time, so he spent a long time on campus,” he said. “When he came up with all this after seeing all this destruction, I thought this would be a wonderful way to move forward with regrowth and redevelopment efforts happening around campus due to the damage.”

William, who hopes to complete his paperwork and merit badge work and be in line to become an Eagle Scout earlier than is typical, said he tries to be a leader simply by getting people to cooperate. And this project proved to be an example of that. “I think it is more important to have a group that all can help lead, and everybody can work together, and it gets the work done really fast,” he said.

While he has no career plans yet – he has thought about being a dermatologist so he can help people – he has been glad to help others through an important part of his past.

“There was just so much time we spent walking between classes or spending time outside, especially with our middle school science teacher (Alex Edwards),” he said. “It was just really nice to be outside experiencing all this nature and understanding how life works.”

HALLS

Whaley family's roots in wrestling run deep

Al Lesar, Shopper News

Senior year wasn’t supposed to go like that.

Briar Whaley had placed third in the state at 160 pounds as a sophomore and third at the same weight as a junior.

The logical progression for his last hurrah would have been to compete for a state title.

But wrestling can be a fickle sport. Even though Briar had loved it since he was in second grade, when it came time to end his high school career, it didn’t love him back.

Before the Halls High School season began, Briar was involved in a match and suffered a torn pectoral muscle. No surgery was needed, but he missed the entire regular season.

When the postseason started, the Red Devils needed help. They were without a wrestler at 190 pounds. Those were valuable points for a team that was moved up to Class AA (big schools) after winning the Class A title last year.

Even though Briar had trouble getting to 185, and would normally be around 178 pounds, he filled the 190 spot. He was instrumental in Halls placing second to Cleveland in the team tournament, and placed sixth in the individual state tournament.

“Here’s someone who didn’t practice or compete all season because he was hurt,” said Leif Whaley, Briar’s dad and assistant coach. “He’s 12 pounds underweight. He lost his first match of the (individual) state meet, then won the next three to get sixth place. That’s a pretty good run.”

‘It's like Mayberry’

The Whaley home in Norris is dominated by the sport of wrestling. Leif wrestled at Halls, graduating in 1999, then went on to compete at Carson-Newman University.

“I guess I was a problem for folks when I was younger,” Leif said. “I got in the way of myself as a wrestler. Everybody knew I had the ability, but having the ability and doing it is not easy.”

He and his wife, Stephanie, were looking for the right place to raise their family. They found Norris.

“It’s like Mayberry,” Leif said. “It’s a good place to raise kids.”

Because he’s helping longtime friend Shannon Sayne, the Halls head coach, his boys − who are homeschooled by Stephanie − are able to compete there.

Besides Briar, Barrett is a sophomore who placed third at 157 pounds. Barrett was fourth at 150 as a freshman.

“I just got outwrestled,” Barrett said of the 6-1 semifinal loss that ended his state title run.

After losing the third-place match last year, he turned it around this year.

“This time I finished the job,” Barrett said. “I was a lot better this year than last year. I had a lot more confidence because of the experience I had.”

Loving the sport

Besides the two high schoolers, the Whaleys have twin 13-year-olds, Boaz and Byron.

“They’ve got built-in practice partners,” Leif said.

Byron placed third last year as a sixth grader in the state middle school tournament.

“Wrestling is something that’s in our blood,” Byron said.

“We’ve always been doing it,” Boaz said. “It’s just second nature.”

Leif has had a plan to handle the development of his boys. He said he was careful not to do too much pushing into the sport. But, he’s trying to make amends for the shortcomings he had as a competitor.

“My goal has been to let them want to wrestle,” Leif said. “I gave them their opportunity to get to know the sport. Once I could tell that they love the sport, then we talked about the pressure that goes along with it.

“You have to love the sport to go through the discomfort that it takes if you want to be good. It’s not easy.”

Leif said the rides home after a match aren’t too stressful.

“It depends on how we did,” he said with a laugh. “It depends on how long a drive it is.

“I try to be positive, then I’ll throw in something they can think about to improve on.

“Then, we’ll listen to country music.”

Keeping it fun

Not long ago, the high school season ended. For most wrestlers, it’s time to do baseball, track or spring football. For the dedicated few, freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling competition is just ramping up.

The season doesn’t end for the Whaley family. The rules might just change a bit.

“When the Lord gives you the ability to do something, you learn to love it,” Briar said. “I didn’t get a state championship. But now, going to college (he got a scholarship offer from Emmanuel University in Franklin Springs, Georgia), I’ll see about winning a national championship.”

“We like to make it fun,” said Barrett. “Without fun, it’s hard to stick with it. We goof off sometimes. It’s fun to win.”

“What I like to see is the improvement I’ve made,” Briar said. “That’s the fun I have.”

With four boys, 6-year-old Bonnie Jo and three dogs, there’s always something happening at the Whaley house. Fishing the Clinch River is a popular diversion as is the occasional spirited Nerf gun battle.

“(Boaz) was 3 inches away from my eye and shot me in it,” Barrett said. “My eye was watering, I wasn’t crying.”

“It doesn’t get too crazy,” Leif said.

“After wrestling, we’re too tired,” said Briar.

Another benefit of the sport.

WEST KNOXVILLE

Amherst Elementary student is mini-meteorologist

Nancy Anderson, Shopper News

Amherst Elementary fifth grader Lennon Kennedy said he got the thrill of a lifetime being the mini-meteorologist for WBIR Channel 10 on Good Friday.

“I got a good review, so I feel like I did a decent job. The studio was awesome, it was very calm,” said Lennon. “I thought I was going to be a nervous wreck, but no, it was calm and everyone was so nice to me. My favorite meteorologist is Rebecca Sweet, and I really wanted to report on the weather with her.”

Mom Alishia Kennedy said he was cool as a cucumber and did an excellent job.

“I could not believe he was so calm and professional. He told morning meteorologist Rebecca Sweet a few things he knew about meteorology. She said she couldn’t believe how good he was on camera.

“Abby Ham said he needs to keep his options open and not just do weather. He could be a great news anchor,” Alishia added.

Lennon said he likes meteorology because weather is a big part of Earth. It’s important to know about tornados, hurricanes and just everyday weather.

“It’s an important job that everyone needs. Everyone needs to know about the weather,” said Lennon. “When we learned about the weather in school, I thought it was mesmerizing. Every morning when I wake up, I come down and look at the weather.”

He is a busy young man. When he’s not winning awards for kindness and working well with others, he’s playing basketball or helping with the family business, Darts and Blasters (a mobile Nerf tag experience).

He’s also a member of the WAES club which makes the morning announcements. So he’s no stranger to performing well in front of others.

Lennon has a great business sense. He said his future is with Darts and Blasters and he plans to split ownership with his siblings.

“I plan to split the business, if I’m in charge, between my brothers and sisters. I may sell my share to my brothers and sister so I can pursue acting or meteorology.”

OPINION

Even warriors need a rest

Leslie Snow, Shopper News

Most days, I’m a body in motion. Most days, I jump from task to task without stopping to rest.

I don’t allow myself the time to read a good book or to sit on my back deck enjoying the warmth of the sun.

I don’t watch television in the afternoon or take restorative naps.

I just do what needs to be done until my husband’s arrival in the evening signals the end of my workday.

All that movement feels normal to me. It’s how I operate. It’s all I know. I take 18,000 steps a day then pat myself on the back for my fortitude.

“My bucket is full,” I often say, but I’m not complaining when I say it. Because I have energy to spare. I am a warrior of the sandwich generation. I take care of my children and grandchildren and help my mother and mother-in-law navigate all the changes that come with age.

I host 22 people for brunch without batting an eye. I take my mother-in-law to the doctor then turn around to pick up my grandchildren from school. I say “OK” when my daughter-in-law needs to talk. I say “sure” if my son wants to pop over for a visit. I say “of course” if my mother wants to go for a walk.

I am a woman of yeses.

But over the last few weeks, something has shifted. I feel inexplicably tired and heavy. I still take 18,000 steps a day, but all that movement is draining instead of energizing. I’m exhausted in ways that are unfamiliar to me.

“I’ve reached the end of my energy,” I told my daughter after I dropped off the kids.

“I need to recharge,” I said to my mother over dinner.

“I’m deeply tired,” I declared to my husband.

And in the middle of the night when I was searching for sleep, the truth hit me. My bucket isn’t full right now. It’s empty. All those yeses have taken their toll. I need to find time for myself. I need to slow down. I need to be alone. Because even though I am lucky enough to be surrounded by people I love and enjoy, I recharge by myself. I need to be alone to refill my empty bucket.

So, today, when Jordan called to tell me Elliott was sick and that she had a doctor appointment, I didn’t offer to stay with him.

And when my mother-in-law called to see if I could take her to an appointment in the morning, I asked if her caregiver might be able to take her instead.

They were hard words to utter. “No” felt strange coming out of my mouth after saying “yes” for so long. But I said it anyway. I had to say it. I have to make time for myself so that I can feel like myself again.

This morning, I put my phone on silent and took a long walk with Buttercup. When I got home, I shut myself in my office, away from the rest of the world. I didn’t read in the sun or take a nap, but I soaked up the silence in a way that soothed my frayed edges.

Next week, when the world comes calling, I know I’ll say “yes” again. I’ll go back to running at full speed and taking care of all the people who need me. But for a few days I’m going to turn inward and regroup. Because even a warrior of the sandwich generation gets tired sometimes.

Leslie Snow may be reached at snow column@aol.com.

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