News
Local utility grabs designation ‘less than 1 percent in U.S. have’
April 19, 2018 by Alan Sloan
Recently earning the rare “AAA” rating for both its water and sewer operations serving Farragut and West Knox County, the industry’s highest level, First Utility District of Knox County is one of only four of the state’s 17 largest water and sewer utilities to have earned AAA status.
“Less than 1 percent of the systems in the United States have that,” said Bruce Giles, FUD general manager since November 2010.
Moreover, among the four AAA-rated state utilities listed, FUD — which serves the entire Town of Farragut — was one of only two to earn AAA distinction in two service areas (water, serving 36,000 customers, and sewer, serving 33,000).
“It’s very rare. It’s the highest that you can get,” said Kena Hyers, FUD chief financial officer who has been at the utility for 19 years. “We had been at AA-plus since 2009.”
“It’s almost impossible to get there,” Giles said. “… To have a sewer system as large and be AAA is just unheard of.”
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April 19, 2018 by Tammy Cheek
Continuing with McFee Park expansion came under fire when Farragut Board of Mayor and Aldermen discussed Capital Improvement Projects during a budget workshop Thursday, April 12.
“I would propose that we push out McFee Park expansion for one year, (to) 2020,” Alderman Louise Povlin said. “In last year’s budget we were going to do $3 million in fiscal year 2019 and another $3 million for fiscal year 2022. So basically, what we’ve done is push everything up to fiscal year 2019.
“I think we have some balls in the air we haven’t resolved yet,” she added. Among those, she listed Mayor Bob Leonard Park in relation to tourism goals, finishing Campbell Station Inn renovation and developing a Town Center.
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April 19, 2018 by Frank Daniels, Special to farragutpress
The 2018 elections are shaping up. The filing deadlines have passed, and most candidates are busy raising money, spending what they already have raised and/or borrowed to tell Tennesseans why they should vote for them and why they shouldn’t vote for those other folks.
This year, for the first time in decades, voters will not have an incumbent in either of the two statewide elections. Gov. Bill Haslam is in the last year of his two-term limit, and Sen. Bob Corker has opted not to run for re-election.
The 124-member newspapers of the Tennessee Press Association are working together to present a forum for the major candidates in the gubernatorial and senate races. Each month we are asking candidates to briefly outline their position on a significant challenge facing Tennessee.
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April 19, 2018 by Staff Reports
Shop Farragut and Town of Farragut will host Farragut Food & Wine Festival 9, presented by Turkey Creek Medical Center, an event “proven to have a regional draw of more than 1,000 food- and fun-lovers,” said Stephen Krempasky, Shop Farragut executive director.
To be located in the old Kroger shopping center parking lot, 11240 Kingston Pike across from Farragut High School, the Festival will run from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., Friday, May 4, with the help of a dozen area businesses.
That includes major sponsors SouthEast Bank, Grayson BMW, TDS, Costco Wholesale, TN Bank and EXIT Realty.
Media sponsors feature farragutpress, i105.3 WFIV-FM; B97.5 WJXB-FM and the Bingham Group.
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April 19, 2018 by
• At 7:10 p.m., Wednesday, April 11, a complainant called Knox County Sheriff’s Office Teleserve Unit to report nine Wahl electric razors stolen from Walgreen’s, 11197 Kingston Pike. Estimated value of items was $400. Complainant said suspect was seen on surveillance stealing. She said there may have been more items stolen. Complainant gave a description of the suspect.
• At 11 a.m., April 11, a High Forest Lane complainant came to KCSO West Precinct to file a report. He said his daughter has taken his credit cards and used them online, but the charge was declined. He said she also has used his debit cards online for subscriptions, to monitor her credit and for Graze.com. He said she has done things such as this in the past and he is willing to prosecute.
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