Amazon's new facility in Rockford "is three million sq. ft. of boxes, products, and conveyer belts..."

They claim to have "more than 1,000 full-time associates working in this facility..."

It "has the ability to crank out seven million packages a week..."

"The facility houses between four and five thousand robots that help sort, pick and ship these packages."

"The building has five floors with close to 16 miles of conveyer belts and can move up to one million packages a day."

Blount County Mayor Ed Mitchell said, “They’ve been dealing with construction for quiet a few years but the end result is this beautiful building.”

Well, I've seen the building and I can't say it is a beautiful thing. What was beautiful was the golf course that it replaced. Whatever, hopefully it is a good addition to the community.

Blount County government contracted with consultants at S&ME to work on a new comprehensive growth study... the consultants said their goal is to discover community concerns and hopes about the county’s future. ... Sarah Sinatra, principal planner for Inspire Placemaking Collective (previously with S&ME), is overseeing the study for S&ME.

The Blount County Comprehensive Plan 2023 is the overarching, visionary document that guides future growth and development within Blount County. The County is currently updating the Plan to more adeptly address the issues and opportunities facing the community.

We are asking the public to assist the County's planning team in understanding the community preferences and desires for the future.

Open houses for the public to listen and contribute to the future of Blount County:

Monday, August 21, 2023
Time: 4-7 PM
Address:
Heritage High School
3741 E Lamar Alexander Parkway
Maryville, TN 37804

Tuesday, August 22, 2023
Time: 4-7 PM
Address:
William Blount High School
219 County Farm Road
Maryville, TN 37801

On the Blount County Comprehensive Plan 2023 website, you can also:
* Share your ideas on an Interactive Map
* Vote for your Future Vision of Blount County
* Participate in a brief Survey regarding our County

"SONGS BY THE BROOK"

CONCERTS IN THE PARK

AUGUST 17 & 31 & SEPTEMBER 14, 2023
6 - 9 pm
Admission FREE!
Food vendors will be availableon site for food purchases

A free summer concert series held during the months of August and September in Springbrook Park.

The construction of the new Publix in Blount County is finishing up. We are told they will be opening October 10, 2023.

We look forward to Publix opening. Hopefully they'll be beneficial to the Foothills Mall staying open.

"The Blount County Board of Education on Monday, June 19, cut its proposed 2023-24 budget by more than $2.1 million, to meet limits the county commission set last week."

However, "Blount school board approves $4.2 million for Heritage, William Blount artificial turf." And, just an FYI, the project was delayed because the school board originally did not put the project out for bids. The same company got the job, before and after the bid process.

They have $4.2 million for artificial turf but not $2.1 million for the general schools budget. Ah, priorities.

"The City of Alcoa filed a lawsuit Thursday, June 22, against Blount County over how county schools are spending millions of dollars in property taxes."

"The Alcoa Board of Education passed a revised 2023-24 budget on Tuesday, June 20, that cuts staff raises and includes revenue estimates it isn’t banking on."

"The revised budget also increases estimated sales tax revenue by $600,000 from what the school board passed last month, with $421,225 just to cover a state requirement that local funding show a “maintenance of effort” from the previous year.

“We had to add more revenue — that we’re not going to get — to meet maintenance of effort,” ACS Finance Director Tom Shamblin told the board."

Huh. Is that generally accepted accounting principles?

Blount County government and Blount Memorial Hospital having been going at it for months now including lawsuits. Blount Memorial wanted to sell some properties. Blount County says can't without county approval.

"Blount Memorial brought a suit against the county last year, seeking both political independence and the right to sell certain assets in order to secure cash."

Update: Blount County Commission got the State of Tennessee to change a law enabling the county to "contract with hospital operators other than Blount Memorial Inc., which has managed Blount Memorial since the 1940s. The county also contends it owns the hospital and all related assets, a claim hospital leadership vehemently disputes."

"Blount Memorial’s board of directors authorized suing the county government in federal court... "Blount Memorial counsel LaJuana Atkins said that the new law represents a violation of both the state constitution and the U.S. Constitution."

The City of Maryville was making plans to build a hotel on city property only to find out Mayville City Schools owns the property and they don't want to sell.

The City of Alcoa wanted to annex some property. Blount County contested the annexation. Blount County won to some extent when it was determined that some of the property could not be annexed. Then, most recently, someone new purchased said property and decided not to develop it and wants it deannexed.

June, 8, 2023, City of Alcoa water is brown in the Hunt Road area or more. Be careful. City representative said a water line broke. They are working on it. No time as to when it will be fixed. They said no sense in flushing our pipes until they are done and have flushed main pipes. But, they don't know when it will be fixed and don't know how they would inform us as to when it was fixed.

This happened less than a year ago, August 4, 2022.

The water was brown for 6 or so hours.

The City of Alcoa really needs to find a way to inform citizens of utility problems, especially if it is going to happen more frequently.

After 30 years, Glenstone Galleries and Gifts is closing. The building has been sold. No report as to what will be next for the location.

After 50 years in Alcoa, McClurg's Decorating Center (flooring) has closed. An auto repair business will move into the building.

Subs & Such has been remodeling since April 21, 2023. Their website and Facebook pages said they should be reopening in early May. Did not happen. Heard rumor they were under new ownership. Also, on their Facebook page it said they would only be open from 9 AM to 3 PM when then do reopen. As someone said in the comments, guess I still won't dine with them. We usually go there for a dinner meal.

We miss Subs & Such. They are/were one of the last sub shops with a real sandwich steamer.

According to the TN County Data Snapshot,

As of 4/29/2023:
540 Blount County residents have died from the coronavirus. That is 5 deaths in 56 days, 8 weeks. A decrease over the previous 42 days where there were 18 deaths.

As of April 29, 2023, Blount County, TN, has reported
49,859 cases of the coronavirus. That could be 36% of the county population. 376 cases in 56 days. A decrease in the number of cases per day (7) as compared to the previous report on 3/4/2023 (28).

Vaccinations reported, last updated 5/01/2023.
Blount County has the 7th highest rate, 6.9%, (as a % of county population) of the latest booster dose (Bivalent Booster), out of 95 counties.

*** 7-day average Positivity rate is 11.2% 22.7% as of 4/29/2023. *** (TN County Data Snapshot).
A 50% decrease from the 22.7% rate on 3/4/2023. Just under the rate of 13.4% on 11/12/2022.
Positivity rate preferred to be below 3%.

in a deal worth approximately $5.2 billion.

Arconic shareholders will receive $30 per share in cash.

Arconic is the company once known as Alcoa. Alcoa Inc. spun off its alumina and bauxite operations in 2016 into a company called Alcoa Corp., while Arconic became the company that produces rolled and plate aluminum, as well as products for the aerospace and industrial sector.

Arconic will no longer trade on the New York Stock Exchange once the deal closes. It is expected to be completed in the second half of the year. It still needs approval from Arconic shareholders.

...Arconic has been losing money for a while and that private equity firms usually try to make their acquisitions profitable again before flipping them.

"When asked whether Massena Arconic workers should view the sale as a positive or negative development, Gardner said, “I would say both. I would say uh-oh, this could be bad; they could decide to close us. But if they don’t close us, they’re almost certainly going to invest in us.”

The Blount County Master Gardeners plant sale is Saturday, April 22, and it’s Earth Day. "Some who will attend want to start a backyard project; for others, this sale is a way to add to what’s already growing in the garden. All are welcome to come browse for free and purchase plants and gardening tools to spruce up any piece of ground in need."

Blount County Operations Center, Extension Office, 1219 McArthur Road, Maryville, 9am to 2pm.

There is a Pet Palooza event provided by the Blount County Animal Welfare Society, a nonprofit in the community with a mission to help improve the well-being of outside dogs and colony cats. "Pet Palooza features a dog agility course, kids activities, information booth and silent auction of some great gift baskets.

The Shed, Smoky Mountain Harley Davidson, 1820 W. Lamar Alexander Parkway, Maryville, 10am to 2pm, rain orvshine.

And, there is a Ford Bronco Celebration being held in Townsend.

Finally, the Maryville Farmer's Market is open Saturday.
At the Founders Square parking lot, 200 block of East Broadway Ave, from 8:30 AM-11:30 AM (or Vendor Sell-out) - rain or shine.

A Maryville man was taken to the hospital Wednesday, March 22, after he accidentally shot himself at Gunny’s Firearms and Indoor Range, 2208 E. Broadway Ave., Maryville.

The above shooting happened around 4 pm. Maybe he was also the person who shot their weapon in a local Food City bathroom around 3:23 pm.

They call the gun range shooting accidental. Wouldn't it be negligent? Maybe there should be a law that anytime there is an accidental/negligent shooting the person's guns should be taken away and not returned until the person passes a police approved gun safety class.

According to the TN County Data Snapshot,

As of 3/4/2023:
535 Blount County residents have died from the coronavirus. That is 18 deaths in 42 days. 3 deaths a week. An increase over the previous 35 days where there were 10 deaths in 35 days.

As of March 4, 2023, Blount County, TN, has reported
49,483 cases of the coronavirus. 1,170 cases in 42 days. A decrease in the number of cases per day (28) as compared to the previous report on 1/21/2023 (32), although still more than the 18 cases per day reported on 11/12/2022.

Vaccinations reported, last updated 3/06/2023.
Blount County has the 7th highest rate, 6.7%, (as a % of county population) of the latest booster dose (Bivalent Booster), out of 95 counties.

*** 7-day average Positivity rate is 22.7% as of 3/4/2023. *** (TN County Data Snapshot).
A 25% decrease from the 30.1% rate on 1/21/2023. But still higher than the 18.9% rate on 12/17/2022 and nearly double the rate of 13.4% on 11/12/2022.
Positivity rate preferred to be below 3%.