Bays Mountain Says Goodbye to Tanasi the Wolf

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On December 13, Bays Mountain Park lost a treasured member of its family. One of the wolf pack’s elder members, Tanasi, had to be given humane rest due to the aggressive progression of myelopathy, a debilitating degenerative disease affecting the spinal cord and nervous system. He was 11 years old.

Tanasi arrived at Bays Mountain Park late May 2007 as a pup from Bear Country U.S.A., located in Rapid City, South Dakota. During his time at the Park, thanks to his sweet-natured personality and friendly spirit, Tanasi captured the hearts of staff, volunteers, and visitors alike very early on as a pup and grew to become a well-respected Alpha Male within the pack. Tanasi’s name is derived from the Cherokee meaning Tennessee.

Since the habitat’s first three grey wolves were introduced to Bays Mountain Park in 1992, wolves have been an integral part of the Park’s educational efforts for schools throughout the region. Thousands of students and patrons attend wolf programs each year, and visitors often attend the Park specifically to see them in a natural woodland setting.

Eight wolves complete the current pack following Tanasi’s passing, including Tanasi’s sibling, Netar. In the wild, wolves live an average of six to eight years. In captivity, since 1992, Bays Mountain Park has had two wolves live to be a very senior 13 years old.

If you have any photos or memories of Tanasi, please share them on Facebook and tag Bays Mountain Park & Planetarium or Instagram and tag @baysmountainpark.

For more information on Bays Mountain, visit baysmountain.com or call (423)229-9447.

Tanasi the wolf

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Kingsport Aquatic Center Hosts Lifeguard Training Course

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Lifeguarding isn’t just for the summer at the Kingsport Aquatic Center’s year-round facility. Join the KAC in learning the ins and outs of water safety this December, which will enable you to apply for its daytime lifeguard openings.

The American Red Cross Lifeguard Training Course provides entry-level lifeguard participants with the knowledge and skills to prevent, recognize, and respond to aquatic emergencies. The course also teaches how to provide care for breathing and cardiac emergencies, injuries, and sudden illness until emergency medical services personnel take over.

This December session is a four-day intensive course, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily December 27 through 30. Upon completion of the course, participants will receive an American Red Cross Certificate for Lifeguarding/First Air/CPR/AED that’s valid for two years.

The course is $200 for non-members and $175 for members, with a $75 registration deposit. Please note that this course begins with a swim test, and failure to pass the test will result in a forfeiture of the $75 deposit, so please be prepared. The last day to register will be the day before the course begins, December 26.

For more information about the swim test and what’s needed to participate in the course, please visit http://bit.ly/KAC_learn and navigate to the American Red Cross Lifeguard Training section. To register, please visit or call the KAC at (423)343-9758.

Any person with a certification, whether earned at the KAC’s December course or not, is welcome to apply for a position as a daytime lifeguard at the KAC. The hours will be 5 a.m. to 11 a.m. Monday through Friday, and the KAC offers competitive pay and plenty of opportunities for growth. Apply online today to become a part of fun, flexible work environment at the KAC.

To learn more about the Kingsport Aquatic Center or apply for the lifeguard position, please visit swimkingsport.com

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Join us for a celebration of the newest park in Kingsport!

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The newest Kingsport park is ready for kids of all ages and abilities to come play! Join us for a special dedication on Thursday, December 13, at 4:00 p.m. with a ribbon cutting, a visit from Santa and free carousel rides.

Carousel Park, located at 350 Clinchfield Street next to the Kingsport Carousel, features unique playground equipment such as a crawl tunnel, tree house structure with slides, bridge and climbing wall, a web crawler and a music area with various instruments, such as congas, chimes and vibraphone.

For more information, please visit www.kingsportparksandrecreation.org.

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Kingsport’s Assistant City Manager, Ryan McReynolds, Named TCAPWA 2018 Leader of the Year

The City of Kingsport’s Assistant City Manager for Operations, Ryan McReynolds, recently received the 2018 Public Works Leader of the Year award by the Tennessee Chapter of the American Public Works Association (TCAPWA).

The Leader of the Year program honors excellence and dedication in public service by recognizing career service achievements of individual public works professionals and officials, from both the public and private sectors. As one of the most prestigious awards presented by the Tennessee chapter of the association, the Leader award is given to honor the public works professional’s career, in which he or she demonstrated excellence in public works, services and infrastructure in his or her community through advancement of public works services and technology.

McReynolds has been with the City of Kingsport for more than 14 years and has over 24 years of public works experience. His Civil Engineering degree, coupled with a Master of Business Administration, provides the citizens of Kingsport confidence that the city is moving services forward while maintaining the lowest cost structure. The departments that McReynolds ultimately oversees include drinking water treatment and distribution, wastewater treatment and collection, stormwater management, streets maintenance, sanitation collection, traffic management, fleet operations, property and building maintenance, transportation planning and the city’s engineering division.

“We are blessed to have such a wonderful team within Public Works,” explains McReynolds.

When pressed to describe the department’s success, he explains that combining Mayor and Aldermen support with the dedication and ownership of the city’s workforce provides the right recipe for success.

“Our board fully understands the expectations of the citizens evidenced by their financial commitment to the city’s infrastructure. Our employees are our neighbors and truly care about the future of Kingsport,” stated McReynolds.

The city has moved forward in many ways under the direction of McReynolds.

  • PaveKingsport: the city’s sustainable paving program that allows for every road to be paved in a 20-25 year cycle
  • Automated Garbage, Recycle & Leaf Collection: the conversion enhanced the service level while lowering the cost structure
  • Automated Water Meter Reading: provides a safer work environment while lowering the cost structure
  • Raw Water Tunnel: construction of the tunnel has provided a protected source of drinking water for the next century
  • Wastewater Treatment Plant Rebuild: ensures that we are protecting our citizens and environment

“Our employees understand that they have the privilege of running the city’s operations on a daily basis,” said McReynolds. “Not everyone has that privilege – not everyone can go home at night knowing that they produced water clean enough to mix with baby formula, that they cleaned the streets and removed the trash for their neighbors, or that they provided a safe passage through city traffic.”

For more information about APWA’s awards program, contact Rhonda Wilhite, Awards & Chapter Relations Associate, at (816) 595-5261 or rwilhite@apwa.net.

Ryan McReynolds at booth

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A Polar Plunge at the Aquatic Center

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The Kingsport Aquatic Center is happy to invite you to Santa’s South Pole Swim.

On Saturday, December 8, from 6 to 8 p.m., bring your kids for a holiday pool party at KAC’s indoor facilities. Don’t worry—the water’s warmer than the Antarctic Ocean. In addition to regular pool time fun, guests can join in the reindeer games, paddle board with the elves, and learn how to sled in the water.

All pre-registered kids under 12 will also be able to decorate a stocking to take home, provided by the KAC. Extra stockings will be available on a first-come first-serve basis, so the KAC strongly recommends pre-registering for the event to ensure your child gets to decorate a stocking.

Stocking decoration is reserved for children aged 12 and under, but all are welcome to swim. Pre-registration costs $5 per ticket. All day-of swimmer tickets will cost $5, and all spectator tickets are $2. Again, pre-registration is recommended to guarantee a stocking.

Purchase your tickets for Santa’s South Pole Swim by visiting the Special Events page at swimkingsport.com. For more information, please call the KAC at (423)343-9758.

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Buffalo Grasslands Boardwalk Dedication

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The outdoor trail that connects one end of Kingsport to the other has a new addition – the Buffalo Grasslands Boardwalk. Join us for a dedication on November 30 at 11:00 a.m. The boardwalk is located at the Greenbelt access point of Indian Trail Drive Trailhead, which is behind PetSmart.

The wooden boardwalk, built with uniquely treated Eastman A wood, is a quarter mile loop located in a wetlands marsh. The elevated walkway design allows the Reedy Creek floodwaters to pass under it while providing local wildlife, such as birds, frogs, and insects, a good home. Birdwatching is a popular hobby that can be done from just about anywhere on the boardwalk.

The project was partially funded through a Recreation Trails Program Grant of $120,000. These grants are administered by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation.

Spoden and Wilson Consulting designed and engineered the boardwalk, while Building Character was the construction contractor. The boardwalk is ADA compliant.

For more information, please visit www.kingsportparksandrecreation.org.

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Mountain Bike Night Rides Are Back at Bays Mountain

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Hit the trails at night again this year with Reedy Creek Bicycles and Bays Mountain Park.

Join Reedy Creek at Bays Mountain Park on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month November through February for a nighttime ride that’s sure to bring some thrills to our dark winter evenings. Each ride will be led by people from Reedy Creek Bicycles through different trails of the park. Riders will meet in the mountain bike parking lot to begin the ride at 6 p.m. on each date.

Though there are no age or skill level restrictions, helmet and bike lights are required. If you’re new to night rides or mountain biking in general, stop by Reedy Creek Bicycles in downtown Kingsport where their knowledgeable staff will have you ready to ride in no time.

Dates for the night rides are November 27, December 11, January 8 and 22, and February 12 and 26. All dates are subject to weather and trail conditions. Call Reedy Creek Bicycles at (423)765-2770 or visit their Facebook page for more information. To learn more about Bays Mountain Park, please visit baysmountain.com or call 423-229-9447.

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KAC Hosts First Annual Tread-Away Turkey Day

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Feeling sluggish after a full day of feasting on a delicious Thanksgiving meal? The Kingsport Aquatic Center has the perfect pick-me-up.

The KAC’s first annual Tread-Away Turkey Day is the ideal way to ease back into an active lifestyle post-holiday. This 30 minute class will begin at 9 a.m. on Friday, November 23, in the toasty Palmer Center Foundation Warm Pool.

“This is the first time we’ve done this event, so we want people to understand what this is going to be,” said KAC Assistant Manager Chassy Smiley. “What it’ll be is a lot of fun.”

Attendees will enjoy half an hour of low-intensity treading water activities designed to get you moving and back on track for the rest of the holiday season. Upbeat music and enthusiastic instructor guarantee that Tread-Away Turkey Day will beat your regular early morning job any day.

Tickets are $2 and can be purchased at the KAC main desk on the day of the class, like any other regularly scheduled class. For more information, please call the KAC at (423)343-9758.

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Fun Holiday Happenings with Parks & Recreation

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Santa’s getting ready for the holiday season and he’s got a few fun things planned with the Kingsport Parks and Recreation Department!

Letters to Santa
  • Let Santa know what you’re wishing for this holiday season and he’ll send you a letter back! Stop by V.O. Dobbins to drop your letter in a special letterbox next to the gym from now until December 10. Letters can also be mailed to 301 Louis Street, Kingsport, 37660. Don’t forget to include a return address. Please allow one week for a response.
Winter Break Camps
  • Looking to stay active after a fun-filled holiday? Enroll in the Holiday Hangout Camp or New Year’s Camp! Campers will enjoy different sports, games, crafts, movies and more! Each camp is $20 per child. The Holiday Hangout is December 26-28 and New Year’s Camp is January 2-4.

For more information, please visit www.kingsportparksandrecreation.org.

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Contracted Paving to Begin November 10

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Asphalt milling, paving and road improvements in the Ridgefields, Rivermont, and Fort Robinson areas will begin on Saturday, November 10. The contracted paving work is expected to be completed by the end of November.

The areas of improvements include:

  • Ridgefields Road from Riverport Road to Chippendale Road
  • Pendragon Road
  • Fort Robinson Drive
  • Rivermont Drive to Lawson Drive.

Work will include subgrade repairs, milling, placement of new asphalt, and new asphalt markings. W-L Construction and Paving will be the contractor performing this work for the city.

Signs will mark the construction zones and lane closures.  Drivers are asked to use caution in the areas during this time.

If you have any questions, please contact Hank Clabaugh with the City of Kingsport Engineering Division at 423-229-9475.  Thanks for your cooperation during this road improvements project.

Contracted Paving Map

 

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