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A
s Cityview continued to log behind the building—which was his knuckles on the top of the recorder,
delve into all that was
also surrounded by a field of poison ivy. hard. “Is this working?” he asked. “I

Knoxville and find its
“It seemed fitting for her,” says Sparks. said, ‘Well, it was,’” says Sparks. “And

legs as an editorially focused city maga- September 2001 also saw the begin-
then—and I’ll never forget this—he said,
zine, Johnny Pirkle encouraged Nathan ning of Cityview’s political coverage. ‘Well, don’t worry. If it doesn’t work,

Sparks to tackle all aspects of city life— “We interviewed Mayor Victor Ashe I’ll give you a copy of the recording.’ I
and to seek out the people Knoxvillians about his accomplishments, his prob- was stunned.” Sure enough, the mayor’s

really wanted to read about. one of lems, and the News Sentinel land-swap,” office later provided Sparks with a tran-
these was Tina Wesson, “Knoxville’s says Sparks. After securing the inter- script of their conversation.

Millionaire Mom” and winner of the view, Sparks prepared a list of questions The interview also caught Mayor

second season of the new smash hit and purchased a new tape recorder, Ashe in a lie—he assured Sparks on the
show Survivor. In what would become with a microphone and stand, to record record that he had offered the News

Cityview’s signature style, the interview his interview with the mayor. The Sentinel no tax deals in the land swap
included not only questions about Wes- experience was his introduction into the deal with Eagle Distributing. “Shortly

son’s time on national television, but world of Knoxville’s back-door politics. afterwards, we received copies of let-

also focused on her Knoxville back- Pirkle had told him, “Don’t worry too ters signed by both he and Bruce Hart-
ground and upbringing.
much if the recorder doesn’t work. man—and all the tax abatements were

“I think it was the first real interview They’ll give you a copy of the interview.”
in place,” says Sparks. In fact, the tax
she’d given the media after she won.
“I was thinking, ‘That’s so not true. incentives Ashe offered the newspaper

So we felt like it was a real editorial The mayor of Knoxville isn’t record-
amounted to around $40 million—

scoop,” says Sparks. The Cityview team ing his interviews with the media. Why while property taxes in the city were
ran Wesson to ground outside of her would he do that?’” says Sparks. Yet subsequently raised to cover the result-

church on Middlebrook Pike and con- when Ashe entered the conference ing shortage. Cityview broke this story
vinced her to give them a few minutes. room where Sparks was waiting, the two in its November 2001 issue.

They photographed her on a fallen oak
shook hands—and then Ashe rapped

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