I don't know exactly what time this document was updated, but there is some fairly interesting stuff here: Link...

Blount County School Board Districts 2, 4 and 6 are up for reelection. Only District 6 is contested. Patricia Bell and Brad Long are running for that non-partisan seat. Incumbents Chris Cantrell and John Davis are already in for their seats.

For State Senator Finney's seat, it is Finney, Overbey, Jim Bishop (Sevierville), and Ira Lapides (Gatlinburg).

For State Rep. 20th District: Tonawanda Monroe-Ball, Jimmy Melton, Robert Ramsey, Steve Hargis.

State Rep (8th): Joe McCord (Why the heck isn't anyone running against him?)

Townsend Commission: Charles Tippitt, Patrick Jenkins, David Wietlisbach.

Friendsville Commission: Gary Simerly, David L. Staley

Interesting folks that picked up petition but didn't return them (at least by the time this document was updated last): Steve Gray, former commissioner in Helton/Lail's district for Overbey's seat. Seemed a genuinely decent guy. I don't know the other people who picked up and didn't return.

Saturday, April 19th 10am until 1pm
in the parking lot at Maryville First United Methodist Church at 804 Montvale Station Road (across from Maryville Middle School)

Be sure to bring your family and your pets,there are activities for every one including:

• face painting
• crafts for children
• inflatable
• Daisy the Clown
• Petting Zoo
• Drawings for Prizes
• Sheriff's K-9 Unit
• Animals Works
• ArfNets
• Knoxville Zoo
• Blount CARE
• Smoky Mountain Animal Care Foundation
• Blount County Humane Society
• H.A.B.I.T
• Dog Bite Treats
• And much more.....

Pet items as well as People items will be on sell by the different rescue groups to help their organizations care for the animals.
Also some of the rescues will have adoptable animals.

The Church will be collecting NEW stuffed animals to give to the children at East TN Hospital. If you would like to participate in this mission project please bring those to the event!

Let's Play!

From Joe Gallagher:

We have an unusual opportunity to contribute to the "Foothills Land Conservancy" in a very fun way tomorrow evening (Thursday). You may have seen the story in the Women's Section of last Sunday's Daily-Times about Cathie Golden's Birthday party. Cathie Golden is owner and manager of "Waste Not Want Not," a Recycling Coalition Thrift Shop at 1505 E. Broadway in Maryville.

Cathie is very involved in making Blount County and the Earth a better place. She is known to some of us as a CAPPE member, she has attended Raven Society meetings and she is dedicated to Foothills Land Conservancy.

In a world of givers and takers, Cathie qualifies as a World Class Giver.

April 3 is Cathie's birthday. She came up with the creative idea of "Cathie's Birthday Singing Debut" tomorrow night (April 3) from 7:00PM to 9:30PM at MUSIC ROW of Maryville, 2808 E. Lamar Alexander Pkwy. There will be LIVE MUSIC. Bring your instruments to jam along. There will be a CAKE CONTEST. Call 379-1112 for details. There will be a BUCKET AUCTION with chances to win a variety of gift baskets.

This event is FREE! Donations will be accepted at the door. ALL PROCEEDS go to Foothills Land Conservancy.

Surprise, surprise! How about that Mayor of ours (and Commissioner Melton) promoting the wheel tax after it was soundly defeated in a referendum?

Link...

"It would be in the nature of an investment tax," County Mayor Jerry Cunningham said, adding a $10 per vehicle tax would generate about $1 million per year, which could be used as matching funds to bring in $4 million per year in federal grants.

You would think they would at least get through the same term the referendum took place in before breaching the public trust. Yes, Cunningham, those are some strong conservative beliefs relative to taxation (see League of Women Voters survey):

Again, however, due to my strong conservative beliefs relative to taxation, I would hope that by controlling spending and downsizing government, that these new taxes of whatever kind can be avoided.

Would you call this "patent mendacity," "testicular fortitude," or behavior only befitting "cave people?"

Commission chairman, Dr. Bob Ramsey is announcing his bid for the Tennessee House of Representatives seat being vacated by Doug Overbey. Here's what Ramsey says he plans to do for us:

"If elected, I will try to support the moral and ethical principles of Blount County citizens, our educational system, the protection of the physical and economic well-being of our citizens, the equitable and efficient responsibility for revenues, law and order and the protection of our natural surroundings."

His quote rings hollow. Chairman Ramsey, what have you done for us lately? Ramsey, like many of his mild-mannered Republicans, have allowed the thug-Republicans to rule. Rather than purging the party of the elected officials he KNOWS are sinister souls, he's done NOTHING. He's looked the other way while citizens have been followed home, harassed and intimidated. He's turned a blind eye to conflicts of interest. He's never taken elected officials to task over questionable expenditures.

If he can't represent us here at home, there's no reason for us to believe he will do justice to the job in Nashville.

...because the more he says the WORSE he looks!

The latest from Blount Mayor Jerry Cunningham responding to the ethics complaint against him:

"Not just to get it resolved, but to save the expense and keep the cave people, the citizens against virtually everything, from fussing about whoever (reviews the complaint)," he said. "Sometime before I retire, I hope I hear one of the cave people say one good thing about Blount County. Just one."

Here's a great idea, Jerry. Do the ENTIRE county a favor and retire now. Your credibility is shot. Seriously, even fellow lawyers are mortified at the sheer idiocy that comes out of Cunningham's mouth.