For more information call 865-524-3074. Remember to leave 56 days between donations.

For more information call 865-524-3074. Remember to leave 56 days between donations.

Please help locate Meikah, a black eskimo young female with tan underneath and beautiful bright blue eyes. She had a purple collar on with an id tag when last seen. We have not had her long, so she is probably scared and lonely, not to mention getting cold and hungry! If you see her please call 577-3764 or email kzlamom@charter.net.
Thank You!

Photo:

Feb. 19, 2008
5pm
Heritage High School.

TDOT is holding a public meeting regarding the proposed Pellissippi Parkway extension to 321.

TDOT is asking local officials to be present to answer the public's questions.

Thanks to Nina Gregg for her information in comments.

Make sure you see the post by Robert Wilson below. I'll leave this notice up here for a day or two in case the original post scrolls off the front page.

Snow is in the forecast and what better time to think about making chili?

CAPPE's Sixth Annual ChiliFest, which is both a contest and tasting opportunity, is set for Saturday, February 2 from 4-7pm at Broadway United Methodist Church in downtown Maryville. Chili chefs will compete for prizes in three categories (beef, other meats, vegetarian). The public will vote for the People's Choice winner.

New this year is live music by the Omega Dogs (Terry Bunde, Carl Gombert and Niki Schrock) at 6pm.

The event begins at 4pm, with tasting and judging continuing until the winners are announced at 6:30pm. In addition to the different chilis and a variety of beverages, you can enjoy tortillas and quesadillas (made to order) and a bake sale of delicious home-made treats. Everyone will be eligible to win door prizes.

To enter the contest, submit an entry form (attached) and the $20 entry fee by January 28. Entry forms are also available from Board members of CAPPE (Citizens Against the Pellissippi Parkway Extension). Each contestant is asked to bring a minimum of four quarts of warm prepared chili in a crockpot, and to provide a ladle and someone to serve.

Suggested donation for admission is $5 in advance and $6 at the door (children under 10 admitted free). Advance tickets are available at Southland Books (601 East Broadway) and Waste Not, Want Not (1505 East Broadway) and from CAPPE Board members. Admission includes tastes of entries and one bowl of chili and one vote for the People's Choice winner. Judges will select the winners in the beef, other meats and vegetarian categories. Each of the four winners will be awarded a $50 gift card.

For more information, call Susan Keller at 982 4267.

Blount County bloggers and Web commentators:
For purposes of an article for Blount Today, I am interested in exploring the concept of blogging on county issues and what drives and motivates those of you who offer commentary on this or other Web sites.
I am not so much interested in opinions on the specific issues as I am in the act of blogging itself and why people feel compelled to do it. We would discuss the mostly anonymous nature of the activity, the apparent concerns among many of you about government collusion and what you hope to accomplish by your writings.
Be aware that we do not publish unattributed quotes, so you will be required to give me your real name if you choose to participate. I also will need the screen name under which you have written on BlountViews, though that can be withheld from publication, thus preserving your anonymity. But withholding the screen name is not automatic; you would have to request that.
You also need to know that fairness requires that I talk to people on the other side of the issues also, the ones who are generally the targets of your comments.
I invite your participation because I think it is a modern phenomenon that could see exponential growth in coming months and years, particularly as the presidential campaigns heat up. Obviously, participation is voluntary, so if you choose not to join in, all you have to do is nothing.
If you are interested in being part of the project, please e-mail your name and a phone number where you can be reached to rlwilson2594@charter.net. I will call you back.
Let's see where the conversation leads.
Robert Wilson

Link...
The County Commission needs to take a hard look at this deal. I would like to think we had this parcel nationally advertised or at least entertained other bids. Or were other potential buyers even aware of this property? Here is what I've gleaned from 10 minutes work on the internet:

Offered at $924,885.00 per acre Link...

Offered at $809,866.00 per acre Link...

Offered at $665,000.00 per acre Link...

The per acreage amount the County is willing to settle for on behalf of the citizens; 17 acres at $3million equaling approx $176,470.00 an acre.

Could it be the traffic count? Well, per TDOT numbers for 2006, the HWY 411 South location gets 15,910 while the HWY 129 - Louisville Rd intersection gets 42,992 vehicles a day. More than double.

Once again where Bennett and numbers intersect - things don't add up. Maybe Bennett can get his cult together so they can suspend the rules in effort to proclaim him; Twinkie King - Earle of Dealmakery! All hail the King!

Maybe some developer(s) on the CC will take another look at this deal. We are getting suckered again people - take that to the bank. Can you guess which bank?

So says the Maryville Daily Times. Since I probably won't be voting in the state Republican primary when it comes around, can all you GOP lurkers please vote for Overbey for me? OK, thanks. (Will any Democrats step up to the plate?)

Buenos dias, ya'll.
Link...

What we are concerned about is extreme situations,” Grinberg said. “We filed one suit on behalf of employees who were fired for speaking Spanish in the break room, talking to family members on the phone, and in another case saying ’good morning’ in the parking lot.”

How offensive...say "good morning" in another language... how dare they...

I dare say that other languages have been spoken in this country since we became a country. Early Indians sometimes learned to speak in French, Spanish and/or English as all three languages were spoken in this country.

It makes it more difficult to raise children who are not racists or xenophobic when this type of thinking abounds in Tennessee.

I am beginning to feel completely disgusted by all this, and ashamed of us for being so narrow minded.

Let me see, no ESL classes, but speak English only.

If I move to New York will they pass a law that I cannot speak with my East Tennessee accent?

I am thinking that all are tiring of this topic and I am becoming tired of fighting redneck thinking. I want to crawl back into my rental home, where I don't pay enough taxes, shut up, and watch Tennessee regress.