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Victor Ashe is a Jim Gray fan; Bill Haslam goes for R.B. Morris
Posted By katie allison granju
The new Knoxville Voice has a very informal interview with former Knoxville Mayor (and current Ambassador to Poland) Victor Ashe, and current Mayor Bill Haslam.
Ashe highlights:
What is your favorite annual event in Knoxville?UT football season.
What’s your favorite Knoxville art gallery?Jim Gray.
What’s the best reason to move to Knoxville?
There are year-round recreational activities and wonderful new neighbors.
What’s the best reason to leave Knoxville?
There isn’t any.
What’s your favorite Free Knoxville activity?
I always enjoyed using the greenways.
What does Knoxville need more of?
It needs more citizen involvement in local government, both city and county.What does Knoxville need less of?
Air pollution and the Orange Route, which will wreck Hardin Valley.
What do you think is the best recent Knoxville development?
Chancellor Fansler and the jury’s decision in the Sunshine Law lawsuit.
What’s your favorite city aside from Knoxville?
Washington, D.C.
Who do you think is the best Knoxville ambassador?
Howard H. Baker Jr.
And Haslam highlights:
Who is your favorite Knoxvillian?
Chrissy Haslam, my wife.
What is your favorite local bar?
I’m not much of a bar guy, but I am really grateful for the investment that’s been made in the Crown & Goose downtown.
Who has the best pizza?
I’m probably partial to Tomato Head and some of the create-your-own varieties they offer.
What about the best Mexican food?
I’m not a huge Mexican fan, but I do like Chez Guevara.
What’s your favorite local music venue?
I love going to concerts at the Bijou.
What’s the best local band or artist?
I really appreciate R.B. Morris and the fact he’s been here and committed to his hometown for a long time.
Who is the best Knoxville ambassador?
You know, it’s hard to beat Pat Summit, somebody who kind of exemplifies excellence and has done it all the right way.
What’s your favorite local art gallery?
For a long time, I was on the board of the Knoxville Museum of Art, so I’ve always had a prejudice towards it.
What’s your favorite annual event?
In the last few years, it really has turned into the Knoxville marathon. Hundreds of volunteers show up, people come in from out of town and it’s a great way to see different parts of town on foot. This was the first year I couldn’t run it, I had a hurt foot, but that almost made it better because I got to see all the work that goes into it.
What do you think Knoxville needs more of?
I’d say more of a sense of pride in who we are instead of worrying about what we aren’t.What do you think Knoxville needs less of?
My pet peeve about Knoxville is that we tend to think of ourselves directionally too much. Like, ‘I’m from West Knox or North or South or East.’ I think that’s held us back as a city in some really unhealthy ways.
Apr 10th, 2008
