KNOXVILLE — Ray Dockery, 62, a KUB foreman, has spent nine lunch breaks measuring Gay Street doorways for the door that goes with a 1912 awning his crew dug up. Nobody asked him to.
Neyland gift shop clerk answers Smokey questions by nodding, then holding still
KNOXVILLE — Lorraine Beeler, 57, has been asked about forty times since Friday whether the Smokey statue nods now that a bobblehead of it is on the way. She nods for the bobblehead and holds still for the statue.
Union County man has replaced same porch step 11 times, has not thrown one out
MAYNARDVILLE — Delbert Coker, 73, has replaced the front step of his house eleven times since 1985, and every board that has come off is still there, nailed in under the one that replaced it.
Retired road department man offers Tazewell Pike study from his garage again
KNOXVILLE — Harold Sneed, 79, called the city this week to say he still has the 1994 Tazewell Pike study, the whole thing, and that anybody working on the new one is welcome to it.
McClung archivist finds Loyston plat with a lot set aside for a church supper
KNOXVILLE — A reference archivist at the McClung Historical Collection unrolled a 1933 plat of Loyston with one lot marked “Reserved, church supper.” No church claims it.
Residents keep sending drivers to the Jungle Arby’s, which is now an Arby’s
SOUTH KNOXVILLE — Gary Pitner, 61, told a pizza driver on Tuesday to turn in at the Jungle Arby’s, and the driver asked where the jungle was. The city cleared the lot earlier this month.
Fort Loudoun sailing club confirms water still present
LENOIR CITY — Earl Pettus, 68, walks down to the dock every Sunday and looks at Fort Loudoun Lake before he writes “Water: present” in the sailing club’s log, as someone has done since 1958. He would like it noted that he is not avoiding the chairs.
Retired surveyor moves lawn chair three-eighths of an inch each spring to keep up with fencepost
KARNS — Wendell Hatmaker, 78, shoots the northeast corner post of his fence every April and finds it three-eighths of an inch east of where it was the year before. He has been moving his chair to match.
Old City standoff ends when somebody turns on the game
A six-hour standoff outside a right-wing forum in the Old City ended at kickoff, when both sides agreed the Tennessee game should be on.
Zoo Knoxville tortoise keeper already training replacement’s replacement
KNOXVILLE — Carol Pruett, 63, has kept the Madagascar flat-tailed tortoises at Zoo Knoxville since 2002, and this fall she started training the person who will take over from the person who will take over from her.
Maryville tire shop’s Back-to-School Special banner is on its third replacement
A Maryville tire shop manager has tried for four school years to retire a faded Back-to-School banner. Each warranty claim brings an identical replacement and a fresh bag of zip ties.
Visit Knoxville clerk covers Ohio on misdelivered trophy with souvenir sticker
A Visit Knoxville clerk signed for a top-honors trophy meant for the Knox County in Ohio and covered the word Ohio with a $3.99 souvenir sticker. Visitors have since tried to buy it.
Greene County clerk wants 1788 payroll out of her office
GREENEVILLE — Louise Cantrell has asked several times for someone to take the 14 deerskins out of her office at the Greene County courthouse. She needs the bottom drawer for maps.
Spirit Christmas inherits animatronic nobody wants to move
KNOXVILLE — Rhonda Teasley would like whoever measured the back door at 9630 Kingston Pike to come back and measure it again with the door open. She has worked the Nov. 1 changeover there for three different chains, and the six-foot animatronic has outlasted all of them.
Heron on Little River keeps handing back Walland man’s released trout
WALLAND — For four seasons a great blue heron on the Little River has been picking up the trout a catch-and-release fisherman lets go and laying them back on the gravel beside his boots.