Got stuff to get rid of? Need stuff?

SMACF is hosting:

"Paws & Tails Parking Lot Sale"

When: Saturday July 11th 9:00 am - 3:00 pm Rain or Shine

Where: TN Bank 1311 W. Lamar Alexander Pkwy (beside Dairy Queen)

What: Antiques, Books, Craft items, Dishes, Furniture, Home Decor, Jewelry, Kitchen Items, Purses, Tools and MORE!!

According to reports by the Maryville Daily Times, four people were rescued the first Sunday of June, eight people rescued last weekend, and another person was rescued yesterday.

The rescues are occuring primarily at the bend behind the KOA campground.

"The problem is the hydraulics of the river," Townsend Police Chief Ronnie Suttles said Monday. "The force slams tubers into the rocks. There is nothing they can do because of the tremendous force of the river."

Be careful out there!

Wonderful news!

The Maryville Farmers' Market is now open Wednesdays in Alcoa.

Check it out!

Location: Anderson Lumber Company, Alcoa
Hours: 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

From June 17 to September 16

Thanks!

Haven House is a local domestic abuse emergency shelter and support organization for abused women and children. The recently had a kitchen fire, and would like to rebuild with more capacity to serve more clients.

To help, you can send a tax-deductible check to:

Haven House
P.O. Box 134
Alcoa, TN 37701

For more information, call the Haven House office at (865) 983-6818 or e-mail jshaver@havenhousetn.org.

RELATED:

• An open letter to Blount County

• Haven House: Help!

An article in the Wall St. Journal suggests that Foothills Mall is in the category of malls that generate "sales per square foot of $250 or less".

According to a study of publicly owned malls, Foothills Mall is one of 84 malls that fall into the category of "dead malls". According to their numbers, three other malls in Tennessee fall into that category: College Square in Morristown, Hickory Hollow Mall in Nashville, and Raleigh Springs in Memphis.

I don't know if I agree with the WSJ's assessment. Foothills Mall has been very low key for years. I cannot imagine Blount County not having a Sears or JC Penney. I could be wrong.

By way of Rachel at KnoxViews, this meeting will include a discussion of Hall Rd. and Washington St.

You're invited to the public presentation of the Knoxville Regional TPO's Complete Streets Study , at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, May 26, in the Knox County Health Department's Community Room, 140 Dameron Ave.

The evening will include a presentation of the study and an opportunity for discussion and brainstorming about how the Complete Streets concept can be applied in the Knoxville region.

Skit one- you ain't gonna take away any county cars
Skit two- oh no, we ain't gonna talk about no county debt
Skit three-let me turn you on Commissioner Reeves..

Bill Haslam, candidate for the Republican nomination for governor, in the Daily Times:

On other topics, Haslam thinks the Pellissippi Parkway extension should be built. "I actually think it should happen given where we are and what the traffic burdens are," he said.

What traffic burdens?

From the Tennessee Economic Council on Women:

Justice Sharon Lee

Judge Angelita
Blackshear-Dalton

Maryville, TN – Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Sharon Lee will deliver the keynote address during the 2009 East Tennessee Regional Women’s Economic Summit scheduled for Thursday, June 4th on the Maryville College campus. Nashville General Sessions Judge Angelita Blackshear-Dalton will open the Summit’s breakfast meeting.

"We’re thrilled to bring these distinguished professionals to East Tennessee," says Sharon Hannum, co-leader of this year’s event. "They are an inspiration to all women who aspire to reach the top of their profession."

The one-day Economic Summit for Women, hosted by the Women’s Economic Foundation and the Center for Strong Communities at Maryville College, offers two learning tracks. One track focuses on establishing and growing a business in a challenging economy. The second track focuses on personal and professional skills development. Participants may choose the session of their choice in either track.

More details and registration information after the jump. Registration deadline is Friday, May 29.

Will Blount County's tiny five foot water quality buffers stand?
What fines will the county have? Keep in mind that so far the county has paid over $12k in lawyer fees to fight a $5k fine.

TDEC info on the issue

Fine Arts Blount is hosting their first Kite Festival at Pearson Springs Park in Maryville, TN.

Bring your own kite or simple kites will be available on-site. There will be kite building, demonstrations, kite flying, and prizes.

What better way to celebrate spring than by coloring the skies with festive kites powered by the wind?

The 2009 Maryville Farmers' Market opens Saturday, May 2.

It is open from 9AM until the farmers' sell out.

The Market is located in downtown Maryvile, on Church Ave, next to the CBBC bank.

Mission of the Maryville Farmers' Market:
To promote the sale of local farm products;
To improve the freshness, taste, and nutritional value of produce available;
To encourage more social contact between consumer and farmer;
To educate the public as to the agricultural traditions of East Tennessee;
And to celebrate and help preserve family farms.

Hey all you fellow Tennessee Democrats. Are you tired of stuff like this? Here's something you can do and it won't cost you one thin dime.

Head on over to the new Tennessee Democratic Party website and sign up. Then invite your friends and neighbors and in-laws and outlaws to sign up, too.

It's easy. Here's all you do.

1. Go here, fill out the info, and click 'sign up'.

2. Once you're signed up, go here and invite other folks to sign up.

Once you've done that, check out the growing number of online groups that forming up and join the ones that interest you. And don't forget to sign up for TNDP e-mail news.

Bonus: once you're signed up you will have your very own personal TNDP blog. It is all completely free of charge, and no salesman will call.

And here's a challenge for all you progressive Tennessee bloggers: Let's see if we can get ONE THOUSAND new signups at the TNDP website in the next seven days or even sooner.

Tonight we are having a conference call at 8:00 EST TONIGHT MONDAY APRIL 6 to talk about the bad bills up before legislative committees and what you can do to make sure they don't get out of committee. Many are sponsored by Rep. McCord. Here is the conference call information:

Conference Dial-in Number: (641) 715-3300
Participant Access Code: 821260#

Here is a link to the bills we have specific concerns about:
Link...

Here is the list of bills that are being heard tomorrow in the House and Senate environment committees

HB1204 (Selenium bill) is scheduled in the House Conservation & Environment Committee on 4/7/2009 and is scheduled in the Senate Environment Committee on 4/7/2009.

SB1335 (24-hour notice bill) is scheduled in the Senate Environment Committee on 4/7/2009.

HB1619 (CAFO bill) is scheduled in the House Environment Sub-committee on 4/7/2009.

SB0198 (Emergency Rules bill) is scheduled in the Senate Government Operations Committee on 4/8/2009.

*HB2154 (Nuisance bill) is scheduled in the House Civil Practice and Procedure Sub-committee on 4/7/2009. This bill would exempt permit holders from being held accountable when they damage neighboring properties.

Knoxville News Sentinel

Employees confirmed this morning that Walker's Supply, a landmark Blount County business that provides fixtures and decor for area homebuilders, is closing its doors.

A private airstrip is in the planning stages for Seymour and the community is not happy. There was an attempt to put a 90-day moratorium on the construction of airstrips in the county. The moratorium was voted down by the Blount County Commission, 12 against and 5 for the moratorium.

Several commissioners were concerned that the moratorium would leave the county open to a lawsuit from Maryville developer Dennis Weaver, who is planning Into the Wind Airpark.

Is it relevant that the airstrip developer Dennis Weaver may be the same developer that allowed the foreclosure of a condominum project he was unable to complete in South Knoxville? Note, the bank was left holding the property until just recently (December 31, 2008).

The Knoxville News Sentinel reports on a series of seminars at the Blount County Library to help those struggling in the current economic crisis.

At 7PM today (Monday, March 16 2009) the Blount County Health Department and representatives from Cover Tennessee will discuss area health services available to the unemployed and underemployed who are without health insurance.

Upcoming seminars will offer debt and credit counseling and free legal clinics. The article has a schedule.

Maryville College is one of nine US campuses hosting the 2009 Climate Change & Water Film Festival. Addressing global issues such as access to clean water and privatization, the festival aims to increase awareness and mobilize individual and collective responsibility for water.

The Charter of Human Responsibilities (Link...) and Global Citizens for Sustainable Development (Link...) are working together to bring the festival to the US.

The Maryville College festival is part of the College's Earth Week observation and begins Sunday afternoon, April 19 and concludes Tuesday evening, April 21. The festival is free and open to the public. For the schedule of films and workshops, go to
Link...

For more information, contact Billy Newton at the College's Center for Strong Communities, 273 8894

Blount County's unemployment rate in January was 9.2%, up from 7.7% in December and 5.7% in January 2008. Tennessee's unemployment rate in January was 8.6%, and the national rate was 7.6%.

Area unemployment rates:

• Anderson County: 8.4%
• Blount County: 9.2%
• Knox County: 6.6%
• Loudon County: 7.9%
• Union County: 9.5%

Source

Finally! Someone is thinking we need to protect our rural areas.

(a) This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Rural, Agricultural and Natural Resources Act".

(b) This chapter is established for the purpose of safeguarding the rural
character and unique beauty of each of the three (3) grand divisions of this state against the rapid expansion of urban development and the loss of thousands of acres of agricultural land each year. The general assembly desires to maintain the rural character of some communities on behalf of the citizens of this state. The intent of this chapter is to provide such protection by authorizing the designation of a predominately rural community as a Rural, Agricultural, and Natural Resources Act (RANRA) community when a two-thirds (2/3) majority of the owners of real property in such community agree to apply for such designation.SECTION 3.

This is the very similar to the way the Scenic Highways legislation was enacted.

It appears our Republican representatives to the state legislature have their priorities in order>

Sell wine in grocery stores and beer in liquor stores
Revise the state constitution to outlaw abortions.
Legalize the sale of horse meat in Tennessee.
Allow weapon carrying drunks into restaurants/ bars ??? until 11PM.

This may be their priority but the state budget should be, for the sake of all citizens

The Little River Watershed Association and the Foothills Land Conservancy are presenting an educational seminar about conservation easements. There will be two opportunities to attend. The first is 7PM Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2009 at the Townsend Visitor Center. The second is 7PM Thursday, March 12, 2009 at the Blount County Public Library.

If you haven't been by The Market at Washington and High, tonight (Thursday) is a good opportunity to check it out. Store merchants are having a free tasting at 7PM, and you can sample some of their fresh meats, seafoods, produce and more.

I stopped by earlier today and got some crab cakes from Blue Moon Seafood, although I was tempted by a nice pork tenderloin at the Laurel Creek Farms butcher shop. I picked up some fresh corn on the cob and some squash and a couple of loafs of artisan bread. The Ciao Deli had an awesome looking buffet going on.

The location is, well, the corner of Washington and High in Maryville, so it's not hard to find. Go check it out.

Previously...

The Maryville Daily Times reports that Puleo's Grille hopes to open in the former Up the Creek space by late March.

KNS: Judge declares mistrial in Maryville HS embezzlement case

KNS:

Heritage High School became the first high school in the U.S. to win $100,000 from U.S. Cellular's "Calling All Communities" promotion

Rees Shearer of RAIL Solution to address
CAPPE Annual Meeting Feb. 23

Public Welcome

Rees Shearer will be the featured guest speaker at the 2009 Annual Meeting of CAPPE, scheduled for Monday, February 23 from 7-9pm at the Blount County Library.

Shearer is founder and Chair of RAIL Solution, a Virginia-based grassroots advocacy group with over 1200 individual participants and a coalition of allied organizations. RAIL Solution emphasizes balanced transportation planning, with a leading role for railroads.

“We promote railroads as a safe, clean, efficient carrier of freight and people,” says Shearer. “Our long-term vision is to employ faster, upgraded rail service. Rail infrastructure and service improvements to 21st Century standards will enhance the well-being of the citizens and businesses in Tennessee, Virginia, and up the I-81 Corridor into Pennsylvania. Our transportation plan promotes public health and safety while preserving the financial, environmental, and cultural integrity of our homes, farms, businesses, and communities.”

Now RAIL Solution is focused on the I-81 Corridor between Knoxville, Tennessee, and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. RAIL Solution is promoting the I-81 Corridor Steel Interstate – a railroad that will demonstrate to America the capabilities of rail to provide faster, cleaner, safer, greener, cheaper time-sensitive freight and passenger service that will be much better for business.

RAIL Solution representatives were in Washington, DC early in February to participate in hearings considering investments in rail as part of the federal economic stimulus package. Virginia's I-81 corridor was repeatedly brought up as an example of how a transformational shift in public spending could affordably divert trucks onto trains. RAIL Solution is seeking to have the I-81 corridor rail initiative designated as a pilot project in the next federal transportation bill reauthorization.

Shearer’s presentation, set for 7:15pm, will cover the story of RAIL Solution, which formed in response to a 2002 proposal to privatize I-81 in Virginia into a truck tollway with four exclusive truck lanes down the center. In 2003-4, RAIL Solution secured 48 local government resolutions favoring rail infrastructure and service improvements over a plan for border-to-border widening of I-81 in Virginia. The tollway project was defeated in 2008.

The public is invited to come hear Mr. Shearer’s presentation. Refreshments will be served. CAPPE’s annual business meeting will follow the speaker.

See also Link...

For more information contact Mike Cook, CAPPE President, at 984 9003 or Nina Gregg, Communication Chair at 977 7399.

Knoxville News Sentinel:

A federal jury this afternoon deemed Maryville administrators guilty of using job-loss threats to try to shut down a firefighters’ union.

No word yet on damages.

Link...

Reps Ramsey and Overbey seek to fix the appointment law that is causing an uproar in Knox county. Funny thing is the law was written in response to Knox's Black Wednesday appointments.

Any law that encourages more public appointments to persons outside the County Commission can't be a bad thing, can it?

"The concern is, this woman heads weapons of mass destruction and she will put this package in her car and park under a ventilation shaft," said one source.

Link...

Somethings you just can't make up.