Knox County, Tennessee
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This article documents a current event. Information may change rapidly as the event progresses. |
| Knox County, Tennessee | |
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| Map | |
 Location in the state of Tennessee |
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 Tennessee's location in the USA |
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| Statistics | |
| Founded | information needed |
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| Seat | Knoxville |
| Area - Total - Land - Water |
sq mi ( km²) 1,317 km² (508 mi²) 45 km² (17 mi²), 3.29% |
| Population - (2000) - Density |
382,032 290/km² |
| Website: www.knoxcounty.org | |
Knox County is a U.S. county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. Its 2005 population was estimated at 404,972 by the United States Census Bureau. Its county seat is at Knoxville6.
It is included in the Knoxville, Tennessee Metropolitan Statistical Area.
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[edit] History
The county is named in honor of Henry Knox, the first United States Secretary of War.
Groups of city and county residents have tried unsuccessfully to form a consolidated city-county with Knoxville. Despite the defeat of consolidation when brought before the voters in a referendum, an important first step was taken in the early 1980s when Knoxville City Schools were absorbed into the Knox County School System under the leadership of Knox County School Superintendent Earl F. Hoffmeister.
[edit] Law and government
In 1994, Knox County voters overwhelmingly passed term limits on Knox County officeholders, including County Commission, Sheriff, Register of Deeds, the County Clerk, and and the County Trustee’s office.
For thirteen years, these officeholders ignored term limits, filed lawsuits, and fought to preserve a system of cronyism. On January 12, 2007, the Tennessee Supreme Court finally ruled the term limited officeholders had to go. (source: Knoxville News Sentinel, “A Dozen Done,” January 13, 2007)
On January 31, 2007, the County Commission voted to appoint 12 replacements for these officeholders, but not in what many observers in Knoxville considered a forthright, public process. Appointees included relatives and associates of outgoing commissioners.[1]
Some of the other activities that occurred during the January 31 commission meeting include:
- Outgoing commissioner Diane Jordan nominated her son, Josh to replace her, and even voted for him. Two days after the appointment, it was revealed that Josh Jordan was an admitted drug dealer.
- Commissioner Mark Cawood succeeded in getting other commissioners to vote for his wife to replace him.
- Commissioner Billy Tindell was immediately appointed to the position of County Clerk.
- Commissioner Craig Leuthold's father, Frank, was appointed to represent the same district.
- Commission chairman scott "Scoobie" Moore nominated and successfully pushed through his campaign treasurer for a seat that was not even in his district.
- Outgoing sheriff Tim Hutchison nominated his chief deputy, J. J. Jones, to replace him who then hired Hutchison back as his chief deputy.
- When the commissioners were deadlocked, they recessed out of view of voters in violation of the Tennessee Open Meetings Law, where they proceeded to strong-arm commissioners to change their votes.
- The commissioners swore in one of the newly appointed commissioners, but not the other six newly appointed commissioners, to break a deadlock vote.
- 2nd District nominee Jonathan Wimmer said later that Commissioner Greg "Lumpy" Lambert asked him to vote for 4th District nominee Lee Tramel in exchange for a seat.[2]
The process was described as “a circus where at any time, Boss Hogg of The Dukes of Hazzard was expected to enter the room," and Knoxville News-Sentinel columnist Greg Johnson called said this about the affair:[3]
| “ | They left behind the detritus of democracy, the refuse of representative government, the offal of openness and a pile of political poo. Their actions when selecting replacements for the 12 term-limited officials ousted by the state Supreme Court ruling were imperious, obnoxious and offensive. They used the term-limit turmoil to protect their progeny, honor their elders, suck up to their spouse and generally just smooch each other's derrieres. | ” |
[edit] Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,362 km² (526 mi²). 1,317 km² (508 mi²) of it is land and 45 km² (17 mi²) of it (3.29%) is water.
[edit] Major highways
[edit] Interstate highways
[edit] U.S. Highways
[edit] State Routes
- State Route 1 (Kingston Pike, Cumberland Avenue, Magnolia Avenue, and Rutledge Pike) – follows United States Routes 70 and 11 (11W when it splits in the east part of the county)
- State Route 9 (Clinton Highway, Asheville Highway) – follows United States Routes 25W, and additionally in the eastern part of the county, U.S. Routes 70 and 11E
- State Route 33 (Maryville Pike, Chapman Highway, Henley Street, Broadway, Maynardville Highway)
- State Route 34 (Andrew Johnson Highway)
- State Route 61 (Washington Pike and East Emory Road)
- State Route 62 (Oak Ridge Highway and Western Avenue)
- State Route 71 (Chapman Highway, Henley Street, Broadway, Norris Freeway) – follows U.S. Route 441
- State Route 115 (Alcoa Highway) – follows U.S. Route 129
- State Route 131 (Lovell Road, Ball Camp-Byington Road, Beaver Ridge Road, Emory Road, and Tazewell Pike)
- State Route 158 (Neyland Drive and James White Parkway)
- State Route 162 (Pellissippi Parkway)
- State Route 168 (Gov. John Sevier Highway)
- State Route 169 (Middlebrook Pike)
- State Route 170 (Raccoon Valley Road)
- State Route 331 (Tazewell Pike and Emory Road)
- State Route 332 (Concord Road and Northshore Drive)
- State Route 475 (a proposed bypass for I-75)
[edit] Adjacent counties
- Union County (north)
- Grainger County (northeast)
- Jefferson County (east)
- Sevier County (southeast)
- Blount County (south)
- Loudon County (southwest)
- Roane County (west)
- Anderson County (northwest)
[edit] Demographics
As of the census² of 2000, there were 382,032 people, 157,872 households, and 100,722 families residing in the county. The population density was 290/km² (751/mi²). There were 171,439 housing units at an average density of 130/km² (337/mi²). The racial makeup of the county was 88.10% White, 8.63% Black or African American, 0.26% Native American, 1.29% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.50% from other races, and 1.18% from two or more races. 1.26% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 157,872 households out of which 28.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.80% were married couples living together, 10.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.20% were non-families. 29.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.92.
In the county, the population was spread out with 22.30% under the age of 18, 11.60% from 18 to 24, 30.40% from 25 to 44, 23.10% from 45 to 64, and 12.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 93.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.10 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $37,454, and the median income for a family was $49,182. Males had a median income of $35,755 versus $25,140 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,875. About 8.40% of families and 12.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.50% of those under age 18 and 9.70% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Cities, communities, and places
[edit] Cities and towns
[edit] Unincorporated communities
- Ball Camp
- Bearden
- Bluegrass
- Byington
- Carter
- Cedar Bluff
- Concord
- Corryton
- Gibbs
- Halls Crossroads
- Hardin Valley
- Heiskell
- Karns
- Kimberlin Heights
- Mascot
- Mt. Olive
- Pedigo
- Powell
- Ramsey
- Ritta
- Riverdale
- Skaggston
- Solway
- Thorn Grove
- Vestal
[edit] References
- ^ Knoxville News Sentinel, “Backroom Deals,” January 31, 2007 [1]
- ^ Knoxville News Sentinel, “Wimmer Says He Refused to Trade His Vote for Appointment,” February 2, 2007 [2]
- ^ Knoxville News Sentinel, "The good, the bad and phew," Feb 2, 2007 [3]
