Maryville Daily Times, quoting Cunningham:

"I hope they're better at this than they have been at phone service."

[..]

"I'm skeptical. Their whole history is to create a monopoly," he said.

Still waiting for DSL in my neighborhood. Five years and counting...

Maryville Daily Times

Board OKs committee oversight of new school construction; advisory committee includes county mayor

Big news from the Foothills Fall Festival (Oct. 10-12): Willie Nelson booked as the headliner! Oh, yeah. And Foreigner. And Billy Ray Cyrus. Among others.

Mayor Joe Swann said, "This year's entertainment line up is sure to be a winner with everyone. Where can you get so many great headliner entertainers, free weekend -long activities for kids, great food, and lots of fun for the entire family at such a reasonable price? I suggest that people don't wait, but buy their tickets as soon as they go on sale this year since last year’s sellout surprised many."

Three-day tickets go on sale July 18th for $35 (limited time pricing). Tickets will be available at Maryville Municipal Center, Blount County branches of First Tennessee and GreenBank, and Tickets Unlimited. Charge by phone (865) 656-4444 or order online at knoxvilletickets.com.

More info in the attached press release and at the Foothills Fall Festival website.

According to the Maryville Daily Times, the Tennessee Court of the Judiciary is looking in to questions about recordkeeping, the disposition of cases and issues related to local court rules. The questions were raised by Judge Mike Meares after another judge wrote a letter to the editor with confusing information about the disposition and assignment of cases.

The scope of the investigation is not clear from the article. It says there is "apparently" an investigation, and some witnesses were "reportedly" questioned, and that there "appears" to be a dispute regarding court administration.

The Knoxville paper, remarking on a Blount Co. judicial election, says "...once elected, judges are mandated to put aside political alliances and allegiance to campaign contributors as they do their job."

We couldn't agree more.

Which is why we are happy to learn that Judge Mike Meares refuses to accept campaign contributions from lawyers because he believes justice should not be "for sale."

In fact, Judge Meares is part of a growing nationwide movement for judicial campaign finance reform, led by former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor who is campaigning for massive changes to the way judges get elected.

You can read more about it in a press release after the jump...

Thank goodness the Knoxville News Sentinel is on the job, exposing folks in Blount Co. to serious questions about the operation of Blount Co. Courts.

This article today notes several things that someone should be looking in to:

Circuit Court clerk ... Hatcher says cannot - reconcile concurrently with records at the Administrative Office of the Courts in Nashville.

...a public perception that our local judiciary was corrupted, that lawyers are not being truthful, and that judges have manipulated the rules...

...virtually unprecedented...

...sinister operations are under way to subvert Meares' election prospects...

...Meares ... a man who is trying to rise above a tawdry election fight but who is being persecuted by those who do not want their network tinkered with.

Keep after this, KNS. The people need to know more.

At TennViews...

MDT has a breaking news item that says Sea Ray employees will be furloughed for the month of July.

Uh, that breaking news is almost two weeks old. Today's breaking news about Sea Ray is much worse.

In related breaking news, Alcoa is not making a hostile takeover bid for Alcan.

The Knoxville News Sentinel says plaintiff's attorney did not follow procedures.

The latest roundup at TennViews...

The latest Blount Co. GOP dispatch to the Knoxville News Sentinel is puzzling. Judge Young sounds like he's running for something. I thought the race was between Meares and Duggan?

Joe Gallagher writes:

Democrats: We have an excellent chance to elect Judge Mike Meares to the Blount County Circuit Court. To reach this achievement, we need to continue our effort to promote awareness of Mike Meares, bolster his image as a popular and effective Judge and to advertise August 7 as an election date that matters.

With those goals in mind, I have taken the initiative of ordering 100 T-Shirts with the message, "MIKE IS RIGHT. VOTE AUGUST 7TH."

On the backside, it says, "ELECT JUDGE MEARES. VOTE AUGUST 7TH."

So far, approx 40 Democrats and friends of Mike Meares have purchased a T-Shirt at $10. Any profit which may accrue from the sale of the Mike Meares T-Shirts will be donated to Mike's campaign fund. However, the primary goal is to advertise that "MIKE IS RIGHT" for refusing to accept campaign contributions from attorneys; for striving to keep politics out of the Blount County Courts and for dedicating his position to bring EQUAL JUSTICE TO ALL.

Mike Meares is doing a wonderful job as Circuit Court Judge. He deserves to be elected on August 7 and will be if we manage to get out the vote. I invite you to contact me to purchase a MIKE IS RIGHT T-SHIRT and then to wear it - let your friends and neighbors know that you support Mike Meares.

Call me (Joe) at 865-983-4557 and I will arrange to deliver a T-Shirt to you. Also, there is a supply in a variety of sizes at the Meares' Headquarters on High Street.

Make a fashion statement: support Judge Meares!

A reader alerts us that Blount County Circuit Court Clerk Tom Hatcher will appear before Blount County Judge Mike Meares on Wednesday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. to discuss discrepancies in statistical court reporting between Blount County and the State of Tennessee.

Hatcher reportedly provided erroneous information to Blount County Judge W. Dale Young, which was later used in a letter to the editor published in a local newspaper. The letter to the editor, dated April 27 from Young, charged that there was a significant "backlog" of cases before Judge Mike Meares. Later, it was discovered that some of those cases had been closed but, according to Hatcher, were "lost in the mail."

Should be interesting.

Related

The Raven Society Lily Benefit Event

For the donation of your choice (minimum $1.50 per lily suggested) you can choose from thousands of hardy, gorgeous lilies that last for decades with little or no care! Your donations will support The Raven Society which works to preserve and promote the rural, natural and historic beauty of Blount County through education and political action.

When: June 14 and 21, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 pm

Where: 1530 McIlvaine Drive, Maryville, TN (only 3 minutes from Blount Hospital)

Go west past Blount Memorial Hospital on 321. Turn right on Tuckaleechee at Smith's Mortuary. Drive up the hill then turn right on Locha Poka Drive .3 mile straight up into the driveway at the top of the hill. The lilies are in the back field.

How many times do you run over the Blount Today in your driveway before you finally go out, pick it up, and throw it in the trash?

Heh. Just kidding.

But seriously, would it kill them to put it in my custom-built newspaper box? The Knoxville News Sentinel, Maryville Daily Times, and Sunday New York Times don't seem to have a problem finding it.

The Blount GOP appears to have the Knoxville News Sentinel's Blount County stringer on their fax speed dial, given the number of dispatches about Judge Meares lately. And apparently, Judge Meares either a) doesn't have a sympathetic ear in the media, or b) is less concerned about the political spin cycle and more concerned about doing his job.

I don't speak for Judge Meares, and I don't pretend to know what he's thinking. But reading between the slanted lines of recent reporting, anyone paying attention might conclude that:

• His opponent's handlers, who include prominent local Republicans, a sitting Republican judge, and lawyers simultaneously representing the county's top GOP official and the local newspaper, have made various unfounded accusations against Judge Meares in print and in letters to the editor, not to mention floating an unsubstantiated "whisper campaign" in the Knoxville paper, and…

• Judge Meares has probably tried (just surmising here) to talk to these people directly to resolve any concerns about the operation of Blount Co. courts and has most likely run into a brick wall because they won't return his calls, and…

• Judge Meares, believing it incumbent upon himself as an officer of the court who is sworn to uphold his duties and protect the integrity of the court he serves (just surmising here, again), took what some might consider drastic action to get answers about whether the procedures and rules are being followed and whether in fact rules about making the rules are being followed.

As reward for trying to actually do his job when no one else will, Judge Meares has now been accused of playing politics from the bench.

This is "swiftboating," pure and simple. It's an attempt to twist a candidate's virtues into political liabilities for purposes of winning an election at any cost. The irony is that it's being done by people who value desperate partisan politics over virtue and the public trust.

Personally, I don't think selection of Tennessee's local judiciary should be determined by partisan elections. Or maybe even elections at all. But that's neither here nor there, because it is what it is and here we are.

I also think that Judge Meares' opponent is probably a good guy, and maybe even marginally qualified for Circuit Court Judge. But I wonder if he really wants to get dragged down into all this partisan mudslinging at the hands of his handlers.

My guess is that both candidates would rather run on their records and let voters decide who is more qualified and more experienced. Informed voters who look past partisan politics and media spin should be able to come to their own conclusions.

The only thing I would add is that Judge Meares has repeatedly said there's no place for politics in the courtroom. His opponent, however, is running ads in the local paper saying that he's the "Republican candidate" and that people in the community "share his values."

Maybe I missed something in high school civics class, but the only values anyone should care about regarding judges charged with dispensing "equal justice for all" are a) upholding the Constitutions of the State of Tennessee and the United States of America as they are sworn to do, b) having an extensive knowledge of the law and its application, and c) ensuring that everyone appearing in their court gets a fair trial. Are there some other "values" I'm missing? Surely the Blount GOP is not suggesting that local judges should be "legislating from the bench" in deference to the political whims of the electorate?

And as far as any controversy surrounding accurate reporting of case dispositions, I would only add that the "explanations" offered by the County Court Clerk, an elected Republican who has been involved in a number of controversies, are laughable.

Blount Co. voters ought to be asking about all these mistakes and inefficiencies and scandals and politics that plague our Blount Co. courts, where judges are just trying to come to work and do their jobs every day free from political influence and interference. Voters should also be asking who has what agenda and who is more credible, instead of who is the Democrat and who is the Republican. And more important, they should be asking themselves whose values they really share.

Once again, I do not speak for Judge Meares, and have had little contact with him or his campaign other than meeting him at a few campaign events and knowing one of his campaign people who I trust and respect. In fact, his campaign didn't reply to my email regarding questions about all this. I take that as a sign that Judge Meares is busy being a judge, as opposed to getting dragged down into local partisan politics and the mud being slung by the Blount GOP.

Highway chief tries four-day week to cut fuel costs

"It's going pretty well," Dunlap said. "It is saving us roughly some $3,500 to $4,000 a day in fuel."

Some things seem obvious. Especially once someone else gets creative and thinks of them first.

Knoxville News Sentinel

Ceramaspeed Inc., a Blount County maker of control systems for various heating equipment, announced today it will be laying off 70 workers between July 4 and Dec. 26.

[..]

To remain competitive, the company is shifting production to one of its plants in Monterrey, Mexico, Holladay said.

The company said this is part of a plan started last year to reduce it's 300 employee work force by 60%.

According to the KNS article, Mayor Cunningham lamented the company "downsizing to the point of closing down," suggesting they were winding down operations here. The company said this was not the case, and that there would still be "finance, sales, marketing and support-type staff" located here.

Ceremaspeed is a VIP Member of the Blount Chamber Partnership Economic Development Board. The Blount Chamber says that because of VIP members, "new jobs have been created, additional capital investments have been made and our region's tax base has been increased," and that "a better quality of life and standard of living for the citizens of our area has been created."

Previous discussion at KnoxViews...

By way of email from an alert reader, Blount County Commission now has live online streaming video of County Commission and other meetings in the County Commission room. They are also maintaining an archive including commission, animal control, and planning meetings.

To view the live stream when a meeting is in progress, go to the County Commission page here and scroll down to the "Stream from County Commission Room" link. The archives are here.

Blount Today:

In mid-July his latest endeavor will be unveiled when the doors to The Market open on High Street at Washington Street. The building will house four separate specialty businesses Mizell compares to an indoor Farmers’ Market.

“What we’re trying to achieve is a high quality, service-oriented market similar to a Farmers’ Market that is open six days a week, 12 months a year,” he said.

According to the article, local store operators will provide meats, fresh produce, dry goods, gourmet deli items, fresh seafood, and more. I'm getting hungry just reading about it. Can't wait for the grand opening.

Maryville Daily Times: Judge orders two attorneys to testify on local rules

The controversy surrounding local court rules is explained, and new issues arise re. disposition of cases.

Cunningham defamation suit moved to Blount

It was not clear Friday which Blount County Circuit judge would hear the case once it is transferred.

Anyone taking bets?

From the Maryville Daily Times: Building the future: Pellissippi State breaks ground on new Blount campus

Letter to the editor: Building Commissioner's authority unchallenged

I ask those who seek agritainment privileges to pursue your goals through moral and legal channels provided by Blount County and the state of Tennessee and to respect the rights of your neighbors to disagree.

Read the whole thing.

"But in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead who struggled here have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us - that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion - that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain, that this nation under God shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth."

Abraham Lincoln

Reader Our-town writes:

There are several options that are going around to help with the overcrowded high schools.

1. Make Lanier Elementary and Porter Elementary high schools again.

2. Make two shifts at the high schools so that some kids go on first shift
and some go on second.

3. Have five quarters to the year with the requirement that students attend four of them to make a year. Currently their are four quarters in the year. The extra quarter would come from Summer.

Does anyone have an opinion on these options?

The Maryville Daily Times files this report on moves by Judge Meares to clarify local court rules regarding distribution of civil cases.

Blount Co. Republicans are characterizing it as election year politics. So apparently judges aren't supposed to do anything to clarify local court rules (which they set) or improve efficiency when there's an upcoming election. Maybe they should stop hearing cases, too, just to be on the safe side.

But seriously, this sounds like a lot of judicial inside baseball to me. At least the Daily Times ran a mostly factual report explaining what it's all about, if anyone cares. You can look elsewhere for the sensationalized tabloid version.

Chattanooga Times Free Press:

The Chattanooga firm of Kinsey, Probasco, Hays has agreed to purchase a former Alcoa Inc. aluminum plant near Alcoa, Tenn., and redevelop the site into a downtown for the city.

"In the next six to nine months we should be in a position to begin development," said Jon Kinsey, former Chattanooga mayor and president of Kinsey, Probasco, Hays. "It is right at the entrance to the Knoxville airport and it is surrounded by two significant highways, so we feel it is an opportunity to really do something world class for that area and provide a new downtown for the city of Alcoa, which does not have one presently."

[..]

Mr. Kinsey said he expects the property will become a mixed-use facility and hold residential, commercial and office space.

The company has been involved in a couple of controversial Knoxville developments, including Market Square and the Candy Factory condos, although both are generally considered successes now.

The Maryville Daily Times files this report on the fire at their building yesterday. There is an arson investigation underway.

Our Maryville Daily Times arrived as expected this morning, actually a little earlier than usual.

The Maryville Daily Times website reports that there has been a fire at their offices. No other details at this time. Hope everyone is OK and the paper can go out tomorrow as scheduled.

FLASH UPDATE: Just returned from the scene. According to Maya Brown and Chris Reynolds in the Advertising department, the fire started out back in some wooden pallets, possibly from a cigarette. The fire blew in some windows into the HR department offices where it spread. There is extensive smoke and water damage, and fire damage to some offices.

Publisher Max Croster was taken to Blount Memorial for smoke inhalation and one other employee was treated at the scene. The paper has a contingency plan to use computers at a nearby church to put tomorrow's paper together and send it to a newspaper in Sevierville to have it printed.

Origin of fire believed to be wooden pallets in this area behind the building.

UPDATE: Chris Reynolds and Maya Brown from the Maryville Daily Times Advertising Department were evacuated when the fire broke out. They describe what happened: