Knoxville Tennessee Blog

Knoxville Chinese Christan Church Chinese School (KCCC CS) aims to teach the Chinese language (Mandarin), both written and conversational, in an enriched environment. Chinese traditions and culture are taught as part of the curriculum.
Currently, we have 14 classes for k-12 kids. Now we are planing to open a new class for adults next spring. If you are interested, please send email to kccc.cschool@gmail.com.

Due to a sudden illness, Etta James has been confined to bed rest in Nashville and forced to cancel tonight’s concert at the Tennessee Theatre. The show has been rescheduled to Tuesday, June 24 at 8 p.m. All tickets purchased for tonight’s show will be honored on the new date.

For additional information, contact the Tennessee Theatre box office at 865-684-1200.

Larry Van Guilder of the Halls Shopper News has it, and it is the story of what may be the most memorable battle in Knox County government since the beginning of Knox County Commission in 1982.

Private citizen Lewis Cosby challenged Knox County Mayor Mike Ragsdale on the Hallerin Hill radio show to let him review the accounting of the Mayor’s travel expenses and the P-Card program. The Mayor said, “Come on down, I haven’t met you and would like to talk with you.”

From that point on it has been downhill for the County Mayor. Lewis Cosby is spitting mad at a comment Mike Ragsdale made to him. The County Mayor told Cosby that the county needed to  “go forward” and that he could not “change the past”. Lewis Cosby saw red. Cosby may still remember the day in County Commission where under his breath Mayor Ragsdale called Mr. Cosby a “showboat”.

Now Lewis Cosby has challenged the County Mayor again, but this time he is going for the money. Mr. Cosby says that the county must be made “whole”. In simple terms, those who lived high on the hog on the taxpayers dollars should have to pay the money back. Cosby says these people should be sent a bill for their lobster lunches and other extravagances and if they don’t pay up then the bill should be turned over to a collection agency.

This battle has just begun. My money is on citizen Cosby. We sure could use more people like Lewis Cosby.

A little history was made last night as the Knox County Commission passed on first reading the Recall Amendment. What makes this unusual is that Charter Amendments are done either by County Commission or by a Charter Review Committee.

But this amendment to the County Charter was actually started by a group of Knox County citizens. The idea began in the comment section of the Knoxville News Sentinel. The comments section had only been in the Internet version of the News Sentinel for a few months. While not exactly a blog, people began to use it as a blog having long discussions about matters concerning local government.

Commenter Brian Paone wrote one day he would start a website for the Recall Amendment. He did, and soon an entire group of people including the founders of the Wheel Tax petition were on board.

Starting in early October Paone’s group was seen everywhere on local television, the News Sentinel, blogs, and on radio. Commissioners Lumpy Lambert and Mark Harmon co-sponsored a resolution to hear the Recall Amendment in County Commission. County Mayor Mike Ragsdale signed the petition as did Tennessee State Senator Tim Burchett and Representative Bill Dunn.

When approved on second reading the Recall Amendment to the Knox County Charter will be placed on the August 2008 ballot and the people will have a vote. Score one for the citizens. Maybe the Internet will be a valuable tool in keeping local government in check?

“With 11 members instead of 19, the control of Chairman Scott Moore has been diminished somewhat, and commissioners’ focus is expected to shift toward putting the county’s house in order, promising Mayor Mike Ragsdale at least a brief reprieve from the attacks of the full Moore-led body.”

Wow. Attacks? That is more than just a little subjective isn’t it? The fact that DA Randy Nichols will not investigate anything with the County Mayor, County Commission, or Sheriff’s Department does not mean that investigations are “attacks”. Only in the bizarro world of the News Sentinel could such logic permeate.

This column was a look into the “inside baseball” politics in Knox County. But what really needs to be done is a look into the “inside baseball” of the Knoxville News Sentinel.

Had Editor Jack McElroy not filed the infamous Sunshine Law lawsuit the needed investigations of Knox County would have already taken place. Some might wonder if one of the many purposes of the Sunshine Law lawsuit was to buy time and put off the inevitable investigations of county government.

Without a full Commission can there be investigations of Knox County government? Yet most curiously Editor Jack McElroy, our own local version of William Randolph Hearst, opines through various editorials we should wait until August 2008 and let the voters fill the County Commission. So what is Mr. McElroy really saying?

http://knoxnews.com/news/2007/nov/08/election-for-county-seats-worth-the-wait/

So translated into English, the investigations must wait for almost an entire year. Is one of the reasons that eight members of County Commission were removed because a few people wanted to stall investigations of Knox County government?

How Clintoneque.

The movement to amend Knox County’s Charter to include a recall provision is growing rapidly.

Recall Amendment leader Brian Paone of Knox County’s 4th District said, “The people aren’t going away on this one, if they won’t deal with it we will.”

That is leadership. That is what Knox County needs right now.

Mr. Paone’s group has contacted all of the Knox County Commissioners, County Mayor Mike Ragsdale, Law Director John Owings, and the Knox County Election Commission.

The message is very clear. The people demand leadership. If County Commission and the County Mayor cannot provide that leadership then the people will.

Yet sadly, or should I say typically, the response has been underwhelming; of the remaining 11 County Commissions only two have said they will support the request that Knox County Commission vote to approve the Recall Amendment. One Commissioner, Paul Pinkston, is opposed to the amendment and the other Commissioners are “undecided”.

Some of the excuses are quite pitiful. Commissioner R. Larry Smith said he, “has misgivings about how recall might be used in close elections.” Smith doesn’t even understand the amendment. Craig Leuthold says he will not discuss the Recall Amendment outside of a public meeting. Is he confused about the Sunshine Law or just afraid to confront the question? Commissioner Mike Hammond, who some think will run for County Mayor in 2010, is concerned about other districts having say in recall of district representatives. So will Commissioner Hammond now be recusing himself from all votes not in his District?

That is pitiful. The exact opposite of leadership. I agree with Brian Paone, lead, follow, or get out of the way.

Brian Paone is mad as hell, but he is doing something about it. Mr. Paone has offered Knox County Commission both a challenge and a promise.

The challenge is for County Commission to live up to its recent commitment to insure better government. Paone wants County Commission to create a resolution in November to place a recall referendum on the ballot to amend the Knox County Charter to include a recall provision.

The promise to Commission is that if they choose not to pass the resolution for recall Paone and the citizens of Knox County will take the matter into their own hands with a petition drive.

So do you think County Commission will pass a resolution for recall?

Neither do I. Why not get started today? You can download the petition here. Have people sign in ink and hand deliver the petitions to the Knox County Election Commission at the Knox County Courthouse, #218, 300 Main St. in downtown Knoxville.

September 10th is the day that Bruce Pearl filed for divorce from his wife of 25 years. MSNBC has a story on it today here.

If you are a wikipedia fan, you can make your own history by editing the Bruce Pearl entry to note this new information. As of 1:43 PM on Sept. 17th, the article has not been edited to reflect this new information on Pearl (it will be soon, and it could be by you).

Divorce is a difficult time, especially for the children. Remember to keep his family in your thoughts and prayers.

In the latest of woes for Knox County Commission, the Knoxville City Council may be considering a lawsuit against County Commission with regards to the storm water ordinance.

On a lighter side, this would make for a great celebrity death match. Who do you think would win? The great minds that comprise Knox County Commission or the organized efforts of Knoxville City Council Members.

More details from WATE.com.