The City of Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam, along with Knox County Mayor Mike Ragsdale, have a plan to end chronic homelessness. Part of this plan is to make the old Flenniken School in SoKno (on Flenniken Ave., near the Martin Mill Pike and Chapman Hwy intersection close to town) a permanent, supportive facility for the homeless.

I woke up this mornng with a hankering to get dressed up and go downtown to see a movie tonight, so I look at the paper to see what's playing.
Blech!
I have a choice between:
Hancock
or
Wanted
or
Wall-E
or
Get Smart
or
Love Guru
or
Incredible Hulk
or
Kung Fu Panda
or
Indiana Jones: The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Before this theater opened, I did some reading, and discovered that films that get the widest distribution and make the most dough are made for 16-year-old boys. Seems pretty spot-on.
Damn.

This should be interesting. Why is John Edwards willing to get on the same stage as Karl Rove?

"It’s actually good for the Democratic process,” he [Joshua Dyck, assistant professor of political science at UB] said. “People vote because politics is a lot like sports. Rooting for your team probably doesn’t affect the outcome much, but people can say ‘I was there.’ ”

Clash of the titans?

H/T Archcrone

KNS: Business park scrapped

Lyons said the proposal was a good one and was located in a blighted area, but said it didn't necessarily have blighted structures on it "so there's not quite the immediacy in dealing with it that there would otherwise be."

They have a profile on the sheriff's race between J.J. Jones and Randy Tyree. This time could be even more interesting than last time, when Tyree almost beat Hutchison.

Election day is Aug. 7th, and features local races to elect temporarily permanent replacements for the replacements who replaced the Black Wednesday term limit replacements. Oh, and there are also state and federal primaries.

Early voting starts in less than two weeks, on Jan. 18. The last day to register to vote is Tuesday, July 8th. Better do it in person if you haven't already.

Here's the sample ballot. Here are financial disclosures for local candidates.

Here's the KnoxViews database/directory of all local candidates. Here's the TennViews database/directory of all state and federal primary candidates.

WATE reports that Knoxville City Councilman Steve Hall suffered serious injuries in a motorcycle accident on his way to a family event yesterday. He was taken to Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga where he was to undergo surgery. Send your good thoughts his way.

UPDATE: WVLT has more details and an update from the family.

UPDATE: Statement from the City of Knoxville:

Councilman Steve Hall was seriously injured in a motorcycle accident on Friday, July 4. He is being treated at Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga.

Mayor Bill Haslam and Vice Mayor Mark Brown, on behalf of City Council, wish to express their concern and wishes for a speedy recovery to Councilman Hall.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Steve and his family.

A few photos from the festivities last night:

Anything cooler than drinkin a beer on the porch with the neighbors

watching the fireworks & listening to the music on the tee-vee?

Saw the Gloria out working for Obama today!!

Apparently this is a common problem. Maybe East Town will think outside of the box. Perhaps could save on branch library building costs, etc.

From MSNBC "Nontraditional tenants filling up vacant malls"

Link...

Maybe it's not kind to say it, but this one I won't miss.

Link...

It might be appropriate to post red, white and blue bird photos today, but in honor of all the decent Americans who tolerate being routinely and persistently told they are socialists by the no-class, know-nothing propagandists who are the standard bearers for our country's most thoughtless decade, I present a red-bellied woodpecker on a white oak.

Following is a transcript of a letter from Thomas Jefferson on the occasion of the fiftieth birthday of our nation. The letter was written only ten days before his death on July 4, 1826.

Thomas Jefferson
to Roger Weightman
Monticello June 24. 26

Respected Sir

July 4th marks the anniversary of the birth of this nation. On that day, the Declaration of Independence was signed by a cadre of men, who wrote the words ‘life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.’ That declaration was a living promise to future generations of certain fundamental, inalienable rights such as the right to privacy.

One of my favorite charities is Heifer International, which was once known as Heifer Project. The provide a boost to farmers around the world by giving them such things as cows, water buffalo, bunnies, bees, and goats. The idea is that the family can get food from the animals and can also sell some of the products in the marketplace, thus bringing in some cash. In today's NYTimes, Nicholas Kristoff has a lovely story about how a Heifer Project goat given to a family in Uganda eventually made it possible for the daughter to come to America for college. It makes you proud to be alive and know that such good things can happen.

Link...

Republicans have made a tranformation I don't fully understand, from rock-ribbed Bush backers to embarrassed by Bush's big-spending ways. To help me understand this change, I am inviting local conservatives to submit essays in response to the question below.

I will award prizes for Most Charming entry and for Firmest Grip on Reality. Contest starts at sundown and ends at sunrise on July 14.

In today's Knoxville News Sentinel there is an article by Kevin Cowan regarding ladies shorts. He briefly discusses the new "sophisticated" look of shorts.

Now, don't get me wrong, I love shorts. I'd wear them year round if I could. However, I've never thought about how shorts "can be appetizing at dinner". What's that about?

In addition, Mr. Cowan (and eHow.com) should be very cautious when discussing shorts in the workplace. Both suggest shorts should be "modest" when worn on the job. Neither mentioned a tip to ask your employer if "shorts" are acceptable at work.

In a sidebar, there are suggestions from Suite101.com for gals with large hips and ladies with a pudgy midriff.

Thanks to Kevin and the KNS for helping us "gals" try to navigate the world of shorts. I'm not sure it was worth the full page, but I bet Saul had fun taking the pictures.

The Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University just posted a summary of guidelines for public officials on dealing ethically with the press.

Link...

The talking points were developed at a recent workshop sponsored by the center. It's a brief but interesting read that some may find quite timely with respect to Knox County gubmint.

Larry Van Guilder

By way of Josh Flory's Property Scope blog, here's an online "we want Costco in Knoxville" petition at wewantcostco.com.

We concur. It really should be in Blount Co. though. West Knox already has Sam's.

(The Mrs. and I were just talking this morning about how we wished we had a Costco.)

• Fourth of July Independence Day celebrations kick off at midnight tonight (12AM July 4th) in Gatlinburg with the nation's first parade. 100,000 people are expected to attend. Fireworks are scheduled for Friday, July 4th at 10PM, and will be visible along the Parkway through downtown Gatlinburg.

• The City of Knoxville presents Festival on the 4th at the Worlds Fair Park. Opening ceremonies are at 2PM in the Amphitheater. There will be live entertainment beginning at 3PM on the WDVX Stage. The Knoxville Symphony Orchestra will present their 24th Annual Free Independence Day Concert on the south lawn main stage at 8PM, and fireworks begin at 9:35PM.

• Kingston Parks and Recreation over in Roane Co. will be "Smokin' the Water" beginning at noon with drag boat races, followed by a parade, a car show at Roane County High School, a homemade raft race, a home run derby at Byrd Field, live music at City Park by Tall Paul, vendors at the Gravel Pit and City Park, and finishing off with fireworks over Watts Bar Lake at 9:30PM.

• In case you don't get enough fireworks, Lenoir City will be Rockin' the Docks, Saturday July 5th at the Lenoir City Park-Cove on the banks of Fort Loudoun Lake, with live music starting at 3PM, food, children's play area, and fireworks at 10PM.

NOTE: Please be careful with fireworks. Ongoing drought conditions plus fireworks equals a big fire hazard. There's also the safety risk to yourself and others, and fireworks are illegal in most jurisdictions. Be safe, leave the fireworks to the pros.

SEE ALSO: Event roundups at the Knoxville News Sentinel and WBIR (including local fireworks regulations).

Metro Pulse takes a look at the ethics controversy surrounding the Knoxville News Sentinel's charter petition advocacy.

In the wake of the recent split of Scripps cable/online and newspaper/broadcast units, KNS Editor Jack McElroy announces some changes. There will be expanded coverage of regional news, and news operations will be organized around a 24 hour "Continuous News Desk" with Tom Chester at the helm. Jack Lail has the cool new job title "director of innovation."

In a another post, McElroy relates a message from the newspaper division's new CEO. Noting that national and international news are now commodities, E.W. Scripps CEO Rich Boehne says their mission is "Local. The opportunity to be uniquely and passionately local. To be so woven into the fabric of a community that there's no way we can't be the information marketmaker of choice," adding that they will "ooze into every crack of the markets we serve."

Two Links in a Long Chain
Jerry Taliaferro
From Women of a New Tribe exhibtion

The exhibition Women of a New Tribe closes Sunday July 6 at the KMA. Visit the KMA page on Art Museum Touring.com (Link...). It is a striking photography exhibition honoring African-American women, their strength, beauty, and their role in American culture. In 2004, sixteen women from Knoxville and the surrounding area were selected from community nominations and photographed by artist Jerry Taliaferro to join the Women of a New Tribe. This exhibition organized by the Literacy Imperative features fourteen of these portraits.

Just a reminder, the KMA is charging no admission through December 31 as part of a special promotion.

Support your local museums! They are economic engines for your community.

Sherrie

Is there a web site, or central source of a guide for buying local goods? Like dates, times, location of all the various farmers markets. Restaurants that get most or all produce, etc from local farms. Also any other goods created in the area/region that might be of common demand in daily life?
Where to get them, etc.

KNS: Fulmer gets raise to $2.4 million; Pearl to $1.6 million

U.T. President John Petersen said they are "two of the best coaches in America."

No mention of the best coach, Pat Summitt. Other reports say UT is still negotiating with her.

At any rate, maybe the hearing and speech pathology department should put together a football squad or something.

McCain in Columbia:

"The free trade is an important issue, not only for Colombia but I believe for the economy of the world and, as you know, for the United States economy."

Tennessean: Authorities found 747 live animals and 12 dead ones at Pine Bluff "Kennels."

Compare and contrast.

Sounds like they ought to add fraud to the list of charges.

The City of Knoxville’s Parks and Recreation Division is accepting applications for its 2008/09 Challenge Grant Program, which offers grants to nonprofit projects associated with public parks or recreation facilities within the City limits.

A total of $25,000 is available this year to community groups, homeowner associations, schools, Scout troops and other organizations. The City will reimburse 50 percent of the cost of a single project, up to $2,500.

Previously, the grants have been used for playground equipment, water fountains, benches and landscaping materials.

Applications and grant parameters are available as of July 1, 2008 at www.cityofknoxville.org/recreation or at 865-215-2017. The deadline for applications is Sept. 14.

Kroger has expanded a recent beef recall to include packaged ground beef sold at Kroger stores in Knoxville...

The EPA has issued an air quality "Orange Alert" (unhealthy for sensitive groups) for East Tennessee today.

The primary pollutant is ozone. The health message is "Active children and adults, and people with lung disease, such as asthma, should reduce prolonged or heavy exertion outdoors." The particulate matter secondary pollutant is rated "Moderate."

George W Bush is perhaps the worst American president who has ever served. To this day it is a mystery to me how the man was able to gain the Republican nomination, steal the election, start two wars, get re-elected and then drag on a failed war for five years and drive the economy into the ground without getting impeached. Although the light is fading on the Presidency of Bush, it is not too late to impeach the man who lied to us about weapons of mass destruction. As of result of the President's deception, over four thousand American soldiers have died in Iraq and tens of thousands have been wounded, not to mention the one million or so Iraqis who have died directly or indirectly due to Bush's interference in their country.