Free Republic

Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs won’t impose any new restrictions or mask mandates, even with the rise of the Delta variant and regular cases. The mayor made this declaration in response to National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAIH) Director Dr. Anthony Fauci’s interview with CNN anchor Jake Tapper. Fauci revealed that he and other public health officials were considering renewed guidance recommending masks for fully-vaccinated individuals. “As we once again hear talk about lockdowns and mandates across the country, I feel it is important I make it clear that under no circumstances will I issue any new COVID...

One of the things we’re beginning to see as states move toward “reopening” is elected officials and health directors mandating even more stringent precautions than had existed in prior orders. In Ohio, for example, Gov. Mike DeWine announced last week a plan to reopen the state, even while ordering restaurants, stores, and their customers to wear masks — something that wasn’t required under his previous shutdown order. It’s even worse in Knox County, Tenn., where the health department just announced that while churches may reopen on May 1, the Lord’s Supper is forbidden. The order was announced by Knox County...

The link between unemployment and suicides will be a concern that has to be addressed while the majority of the population stays-in to duck the coronavirus pandemic Even a pandemic can’t shock the media out of its blinding hostility to President Trump — witness this week’s absurd press eruption after he warned of a likely rise in suicides. “People get tremendous anxiety and depression, and you have suicides over things like this when you have terrible economies,” Trump noted at a briefing, adding that he believes the isolation many Americans face thanks to social distancing will also lead to more...

From Wrestlemania to the mayor’s house. Glenn Jacobs, better known by his WWE name “Kane,” was elected the mayor of Knox County, Tennessee Thursday, beating Democratic contender Linda Haney. The 51-year-old former wrestler, who was listed at 7’0” and 323 pounds at his peak as the Big Red Machine, considers himself a “Reagan Republican.” He listed seven goals on his campaign website: a commitment to keeping taxes low, a renewed focus on quality of education, continuing to attract new jobs to the area, improvement of roads and infrastructure, “full and absolute transparency,” safer communities and “a fresh outlook on limited...

HEIDRICK, Ky. (AP) — Police say a southern Kentucky man has been fatally shot after he allegedly broke into a vehicle and was confronted by its owner and a neighbor.

(CNSNews.com) - First Lady Michelle Obama is promoting walking to school as part of her anti-obesity campaign. In remarks to mayors gathered at the White House last week, the first lady singled out Knox County, Tenn., which – inspired by Mrs. Obama’s “Let’s Move!” campaign -- has created a bike-share program and something called a “walking school bus.” “I've heard more and more of this kind of walking school bus happening all over the country -- so that kids can get exercise on the way to school, kind of like we did when we were growing up," she said. A...

One top-level Knox County official changed his timecard this week to account for the hours spent playing golf, while another official golfing with him made mistakes on his timecard. Thursday afternoon, Doug Bataille, director of parks and recreation, and Dick Moran, Knox County director of information technology, were found golfing at Three Ridges Golf Course...

KNOXVILLE - A federal trial began today to determine if school students can read and discuss the Bible during recess time. The Knox County Schools system is being sued in U.S. District Court by Samuel and Tina Whitson, who contend their son, Luke, was barred from the activity when he was a fourth-grader at Karns Elementary School more than four years ago. After opening statements this morning, the Whitsons' lawyers opened their case with stipulations from school officials that no adults were involved in the Bible reading and discuss that occurred on the school playground.

Republicans repudiated the officials directly involved in the year-long political upheaval in Knox County on Tuesday, turning out all but two of those who had opposition in the county primary. Democrats got in on the rebellion, too, with Amy Henley-Vandergriff thumping George Stooksbury, despite running a shoestring campaign against a seasoned politico in the county clerk's race. Stooksbury has been running the clerk's office since October. Foster Arnett Jr. attributed his runaway victory over Commission Chairman Scott "Scoobie" Moore and two other opponents in the GOP county clerk's race to anger over the status quo. "I knocked on 2,250 doors...

Minutes ago, Knox County Chancellor Daryl R. Fansler nullified the 12 appointments made Jan. 31 by Knox County Commission and permanently enjoined commissioners from deliberating in private. Fansler did not direct commissioners on how to proceed with filling the vacancies. Lawyer Herbert S. Moncier had asked him to order a special election. Commissioners who violate the injunction could be prosecuted for criminal contempt. The county has 30 days to appeal. The final ruling comes three days after a jury found commissioners violated the Open Meetings Act, commonly known as the sunshine law, in the Jan. 31 appointments of a dozen...

Jurors today awarded News Sentinel Editor Jack McElroy and nine citizens a sweeping victory after a three-week trial that put 12 Knox Countians in judgment of their government. The jury ruled that Knox County commissioners violated the Tennessee Open Meetings Act in setting in secret a specially called Jan. 31 meeting to replace 12 term-limited officeholders. The jury also opined the commission did nothing to rectify that violation. Jurors determined that commissioners decided in secret who would win all 12 of the term-limited seats left vacant after a Jan. 12 state Supreme Court ruling. In the run-up to the meeting...

The commission took six roll-call votes to pick a replacement for the 4th District, seat B, position — and then took a recess when the voting failed to produce a winner. To be appointed, a candidate needs 10 commissioners’ votes. The commissioners nominated six persons — Elaine Davis, James Smelcher Jr., Scott Davis, Lee Trammell, William Daniels Jr. and Ed Shouse. Then, in the first four votes, the candidate who received the fewest number of votes was bumped off from the next round of voting. Removed from the list, in order, were Shouse, Daniels, Davis and Smelcher. The left Trammell...

It was a packed house for a historic court case. But if folks came in search of clues to how the state Supreme Court justices might rule on the validity of Knox County's charter, they left empty-handed. The state high court's five justices - Gary Wade, Janice Holder, William "Mickey" Barker, Cornelia A. Clark and the retiring Riley Anderson - fired off plenty of questions for the slew of attorneys arguing various points on the charter, term limits and application of term limits. None of those queries, however, revealed the justices' leanings in a case that some contend could rend...

Knox County's entire form of government is being put to the ultimate legal test today. The state Supreme Court will hear this afternoon arguments for and against the validity of Knox County's charter, the guiding force for the way citizens in Knox County are governed. Also on the Supreme Court platter will be the validity of an amendment to the charter that created term limits. Up in the air is whether the high court will go farther and opine as to which officeholders those term limits would apply if valid. As rare as the issue before it is, it is...

Term limits stand as they were passed in 1994, and they apply to all elected officials with the exception of judges. That’s the conclusion today of a committee established to fix deficiencies that a Knox County chancellor found in the county charter. After a three-hour meeting, the committee voted to adhere to the term limits provision passed overwhelmingly by voters in 1994. The charter committee made its final recommendations on how to fix the county charter that was ruled invalid by Chancellor John Weaver. That's under appeal to the state Supreme Court, which has agreed to take up the matter...

Despite an ongoing controversy over term limits, Knox County voters Thursday appear to have returned every incumbent but one to the county commission. In the 2nd District, Democrat Mark Harmon outpolled incumbent Republican David Collins, a former commission chairman, in the race for Seat A. Harmon, an associate professor of journalism at the University of Tennessee, garnered 55 percent of the vote to Collins' 45 percent. The results aren't official, but if they hold up the Republicans will hold a 14-5 advantage on commission. At an election-night party with Democrats at Shonos in City on Market Square, Harmon pumped his...

Voters in November would be deciding which offices term limits would apply to under a proposal discussed today by members of the Knox County Charter Review Committee. If approved by the committee in two weeks, each office would be listed separately on the November ballot. Committee member Mike Hammond, a county commissioner, made the suggestion saying people would likely want to vote on each individual office, such as sheriff and mayor. The committee is looking at ways to repair the county’s charter pending an expected ruling from the state Supreme Court. If the court upholds the finding by Knox County...

A federal judge today asked the state Supreme Court to decide whether Knox County’s charter is invalid. Using a federal lawsuit as a legal basis, Senior U.S. District Court Judge James H. Jarvis has sent what is known as a "certified" question to the state’s highest court. That question is simple: Was Knox County Chancellor John Weaver correct when he struck down the charter? Jarvis added a second question should the Supreme Court justices opine that Weaver is right. If the charter is invalid, Jarvis asks the justices to determine if there is any other legal mechanism to prop up...

Knox County Chancellor John Weaver granted the county's request for a stay Wednesday of his ruling that invalidated the county charter. Knox County officials had asked for the stay so the charter could be amended in the November election. In a written opinion, Weaver said the stay would be in effect for 180 days or during the duration of an appeal, whichever takes longer

Dissolving the Knox County charter would gum up the government's purchasing machine and wind up costing taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars because of computer upgrades, an increased workload and personnel costs. Deputy Law Director Mary Ann Stackhouse outlined the problem to Knox County Chancellor John Weaver during a hearing Monday morning on the legal fate of the charter, which Weaver ruled invalid June 9. While listing the effects of dissolving the charter, Stackhouse told Weaver the procurement code would be invalid if his charter ruling becomes final. Right now, she said, the procurement code allows purchases of less than...