The City of Maryville unemployment rate dropped from 19.6% in July, 2009 to 9.8% in August, 2009. It all happened with smoke and mirrors.

Our friend and fellow blogger Russ McBee in Knoxville has graciously agreed to produce the Tennessee progressive blog roundup for the rest of August. (Thanks, Russ!)

Here is Russ's installment for this week, with a look at what Tennessee's best bloggers are talking about.

Knox Co. Commissioner Mark Harmon has an outsanding letter to his State Senator regarding the current efforts to undermine Tennessee's Open Meetings Act. It seems appropriate in the current political climate here.