Knoxville Tennessee Blog

Ok, folks, it’s time to do it again! Let everyone know; pass the word; let’s make it a big one before summer really gets going.

WHEN: Saturday, June 9
WHERE: Bailey’s in West Knoxville.
TIME: 6PM

Leave a comment if you’ll be there. I’m setting the time early enough that it’s still a kid friendly atmosphere for those who want to bring them along. I’d bring my kids, but they’re at that age whre it’s not cool to hang out with dad on the weekend.

I’ll see everybody there!

Dog lovers should know that the 13th annual Bark in the Park will be this Saturday, May 12, starting at 11:00 AM at the Jacobs Building in Chilhowee Park. Admission is $5 per person. Because of the new indoor location the event will be held rain or shine.

Tomorrow is the sixth annual Free Comic Book Day. Go to a participating comic book store and get your choice of one of 28 free comics. Visit the site and enter your Zip code to find participating shops in your area.

Visit the site and enter your Zip code to find participating shops in your area. Locally, participants include Hastings in Maryville, S&G Comics and Collectibles in Sevierville, Clinton Cards, Comics, and Collectibles in Clinton, and in Knoxville Triad Comics and Collectibles, Comics Exchange, and Sci-Fi City.

Hat tip to Ace of Spades.

Over on the west side of town there is a putt putt golf course called Farragut Putt Putt Golf & Games (or something like that). It has been a while since the last time a visited the place but not a whole lot has changed. They have some fun stuff besides putt putt golf like batting cages, a driving range and a small arcade.

The putt putt course is boring at best and the moat was dried up to boot, which consequently exposed the hippo’s bottom half or lack thereof. The batting cages looked good although I didn’t try them out and there were plenty of folks using the driving range. While the putt putt course wasn’t my cup of tea the customer service was beyond excellent. The young folks who were working behind the counter ensured that our evening was not as bland as the putt putt course and provided us with a few laughs and some free tokens to use in the arcade (thanks in part to my hole-in-one on hole #7).

This is a good facility for birthday parties and gatherings for younger aged children but teenagers and adults are going to get bored quickly unless you plan on spending a lot of time at the driving range or batting cages. The customer service was far above par as previously mentioned which made the visit out west worthwhile.

The Drudge Report today links a local Knoxville story reported by WATE news.

What do you think of the fathers actions? I think this father made a difficult decision. He did what my dad would have done. I hope his son learned the lesson his father was trying to teach him.

KNOXVILLE (WATE) – A father took extreme measures Wednesday to discipline his 14-year-old son, who he claims was abusing drugs.

Because the boy is a minor, 6 News won’t reveal his or his father’s identity.

The boy was forced to wear a large sandwich board sign that said “I abused & sold drugs,” while standing in front of Cedar Bluff Middle School.  

“I would like to say that I’m not out here doing this to humiliate my son,’ the dad said. “I’m doing this because I love him. We do have an extreme drug problem in America, and maybe it’s time for extreme measures that parents need to take to monitor this problem that we have.”

The man says he recently learned after reading the boy’s MySpace page his son was involved with marijuana and OxyContin. That’s when he decided to take immediate action. 

 

Having just purchased a house on one of Knoxville’s famous Dogwood Trails, the 2007 Dogwood Arts Festival has piqued my interest.

The festivities begin tomorrow morning with a ribbon cutting ceremony at the 2007 featured Farragut Trail in West Knoxville’s Fox Den subdivision. The climax of the festival will be the Signature event in Market Square featuring arts and crafts for the kids, art displays by local artists and headline performances by VOCO, the John Jorgenson Quintet and the Wild Coyotes.

The 10-day weather forecast looks like typical East Tennessee spring weather with occasional showers and highs in the mid-60s to low-70s. That’s perfect dogwood-viewing weather! Maybe you’ll see me in my yard working feverishly to impress!

Joe N. is a guest blogger on loan from his normal responsibilities as author of “A son of Liberty”

This past weekend I had the privilege of camping at Frozen Head State Park. Frozen Head is a beautiful park with plenty of wildlife, convenient camping sites and great hiking trails. Those of you familiar with the park will agree that the only negative about the park is driving past the state prison on your way in. That’s right, no need to worry about snake bites when you can worry about a prisoner escaping from the state pen, but I’m sure they have sirens to warn campers. But, I would drive by that prison any day of the week to visit the park.

Frozen head is a must visit park for the outdoor men and women of Knoxville. Visiting this park reminded me of another reason why I love living in Knoxville Tennessee. You can live in the heart of Knoxville, drive less than an hour from your home, and find yourself in the middle of a 13,000+ acre state park.

Frozen Head State Park FAQ

What activities are available at Frozen Head State Park?
Amphitheatre, Biking, Fishing, Hiking, Horseback Riding, Picnic Pavilions and Playgrounds, Planned Programs, Playgrounds/Sports Fields, Swimming

Where can I find the Frozen Head State Park Website?
http://tennessee.gov/environment/parks/FrozenHead/

What is the address and phone number of Frozen Head State Park?
964 Flat Fork Road | Wartburg , TN 37887
Office: 423-346-3318 | Fax: 423-346-6629

Do you have a direct link to a Google Map of Frozen Head State Park?
Yes, click here for the Google Map

Where can I see more pictures of Frozen Head State Park?
The picture gallery is located on their official website.

Where do I find other places to go camping in Knoxville Tennessee?
There is a great list of parks here.

Two months ago the city of Knoxville gave a press release that announced the Dream Team. The Dream Team has signed on Bruce Pearl and Pat Summit, as well as Mayor Bill Haslam and County Mayor Mike Ragsdale, and they are looking for an additional 3,500 volunteers to help with the 2007 AAU Junior Olympic Games, Knoxville Tennessee.

Knoxville has been the host of the AAU Junior Olympic Games in 1968, 1970, 1993 and 2002 making this the fifth time Knoxville will host the games. The expected economic impact is around 30.7 million as estimated by Knoxville Tourism and Sports Corporation (KTSC).

There will be approximately 17,000 participants, 20,000 coaches, family members and spectators involved in the Knoxville area for the Junior Olympic Games which is scheduled for July 25 - August 4, 2007. Young folks will compete in a variety of sports such as Baseball, Baton Twirling, Beach Volleyball, Boys’ Basketball, Girls’ Basketball, Cheerleading, Dance, Field Hockey, Football, Golf, Gymnastics, Jump Rope, Karate, Multi-EventsRacewalk, Powerlifting, Swimming, Table Tennis, Taekwondo, Track & Field, Trampoline & Tumbling, Weightlifting and Wrestling.

The official AAU Junior Olympic Games Website is http://www.aaujrogames.org/. Knoxville residents can find more information from the City’s Website. I am going to update this post with more information as the dates get closer and I will note some “must see” locations. Feel free to make any suggestions on must visit locations for our out of state friends in the comments to this post.

Young-Williams Animal Center
865-215-6599

ASPCA Animal Poison Control
1-888-426-4435

After Hours Pet Emergency Clinic
865-966-3888

Knoxville Pet Emergency Clinic
865-637-0114

UT Veterinary Hospital Emergency
865-974-8387

KnoxCounty Animal Control
865-215-6658

Knoxville City Animal Control
865-215-7457

knoxpets.org

Humane Society

knoxnews.com