Be sure to check out the Holiday Sale taking place at Community Television from now until December 9. View the sale items by watching CTV on Channels 6 and 12 and go to the web site at: auction.ctvknox. org.
Community Television of Knoxville
is pleased to be partnering with East Tennessee Children’s Hospital and more than 130 local businessesto provide 60 days of exciting online bidding opportunities during the 2012 CTV Holiday Gift Auction.
Two separate collections of wonderful gift items will be auctioned with two separate closing dates.
Approximately 50 items will be offered during the 30 day period: October 10th -November 8th. Approximately 170 other items will be offered during the 60 day period: October 10-December 8.
Bidding on approximately 15 “higher ticket” items will end during a live 12-hour “CTV Holiday Showcase” event to be aired on CTV on Saturday, December 8th from 9 am - 9 pm. Starting bids for these items on that day will be the highest recorded online bids through December 7th..
Since 1975,
CTV has provided training and access to TV production facilities for the exclusive non-commercial use of community residents, nonprofit organizations, community groups, and local government agencies in Knoxville & Knox County.
Knoxville’s Oldest Church
, the First Presbyterian Church located at 620 State Street, marks its 220th anniversary on October 21, with an 11 a.m. service followed by an old-fashioned “Dinner on the Street.”
Asia Café Hosts Halloween Costume Contest, Sunday, 28th October 2012.
Come dressed in your best holiday costume. $0.98 cents Dragon & Mermaid Draft all day. Judging begins at 8 p.m.
U.S. Senator Bob Corker, R-TN,
a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, questioned Vice President Joe Biden’s comments during last night’s presidential debate in which Biden blamed the intelligence community for the administration’s initial false assessment of what led to the deadly attacks on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya, when it was known by the administration within 24 that the attack was an act of terrorism. The vice-president also mistakenly claimed that no requests were made for additional security by U.S. officials in Libya prior to the attack on September 11.
“The vice president’s comments last night about the situation in Benghazi, which claimed the lives of four Americans, absolutely do not square with facts on ground in Libya,” said Corker. “Within 24 hours of the incident the administration knew that this was an orchestrated terrorist attack, and they clearly were aware of the specific details, including requests for additional security, that have finally been made public this week. With the vice president continuing this ruse with his comments last night, all Americans should ask what the administration is trying to hide.”
I’m very sad that I’ll Have Another didn’t get to run in the Belmont Stakes and possibly become the newest Triple Crown winner. A real bummer!!!
The best way to describe our current state of economics is Obamanation. Many people blame Obama with high rates of unemployment and lack of job creation. After all, he has shut down oil and gas production by refusing to drill, he locked the doors of NASA putting thousands out of jobs, while also borrowing money putting the USA in the deepest debt we have ever faced as a nation. He has become the “food stamp” president with 46,000,000 people now on food stamps. But, according to Obama, “The private sector is doing just fine.”
Bellevue University released a survey finding that indicates more than 65 percent of Americans are stressed to their limits; 32 percent cite stress due to income loss and increased amounts of personal debt.
Study Highlights
59 percent of Americans a college degree admit that increased amounts of personal debt, most likely student loan debt, as well as income loss are causing high levels of stress
9 percent say they are stressed due to the increased workload caused by staff reductions
18 percent cite work as the biggest stressor
9 percent say working in a job that doesn’t fit their skills or aspirations stresses them out the most.
“We’re a nation of stressed out individuals because too many Americans are out of work or underemployed and deep in debt,” said Dr. Mary B. Hawkins, president of Bellevue University. “According to our study, one in 10 Americans say their stress is extreme – meaning it’s either very difficult to manage or unmanageable.”
“The reality is, unemployment rates for people who have never gone to college are more than double what they are for those who have gone to college.”
Welcome to Obamaville
However, there is hope. Wisconsin’s governor, Scott Walker, cut the rate for pay increases for union workers in his state. He cut spending, trimmed waste and paid down the state’s debt. He faced a recall from those who wanted to keep on spending and borrowing, however, he survived the recall vote by about 60/40.
Closer to home, the Tennessee Legislature last month approved a quarter-of-a-percentage point cut in the state sales tax on grocery food, effective July 1. It was part of a package of tax cuts that included a phased elimination of the estate tax by 2016 and elimination of the gift tax.
Our county commission withstood the same kind of rally from citizens who wanted the county that owes one BILLION dollars, that’s right $1,000,000,000—or 100 million dollars, to spend more. Those against and those for it spoke out and there was approximately 66% against new taxes and 33% for new taxes.
The voices are clear, we need to cut spending, trim back, find waste, fraud and abuse and live within our means. Congratulations to Mayor Tim Burchett who kept his campaign promise of no new taxes. Praise for Commission Chairman, Mike Hammond, who came up with an alternative plan that passed. Many thanks to Commissioner R. Larry Smith for speaking the truth, even though it hurts. Same for Commissioners Norman and Brown. It is comforting to know that these men remember who it is that is paying the bills—the taxpayers.
Visitors are proving that “if you build it, they will go” and they will park and walk to attend the Market Square Farmers’ Market held in Downtown Knoxville.
The market is open Wednesdays from 11a.m. to 2p.m. and Saturdays from 9a.m. to 2p.m., from May 2- November 17, 2012 right in the middle of downtown Knoxville on historic Market Square.
2012 marks the 9th season for the market that has seen steady growth.
Shoppers can find just about anything and products vary by the seasons. There is a variety of fresh produce such as tomatoes, onions, squash, peppers, melons, beans and, eggs, honey, herbs, free-range meat, bread, baked goods, salsas, coffee and more. There is also booth after book of artisan crafts including jewelry, hats, dresses, birdhouses, toys and house wares.
Cooling off in the interactive fountains near Crutch Park is a barrel of fun for the kids, too. Round the day off with a big cone of ice cream and you are set.
The Market Square Farmers’ Market is an open-air farmers’ market. Everything at the MSFM is grown or made by the vendor in the East Tennessee region. On Saturdays free parking is available in the Market Square, Locust St. and State St. Garages, and at meters. Parking is $1 per hour on Wednesdays in all three garages.
Anyone interested in becoming a vendor may apply on-line at www.http://marketsquarefarmersmarket.org/be-a-vendor/ There is a annual membership fee of $25 and a weekly fee of $5 for each 10’x10’ space rented. The 4 categories for vendors include Farm Products; Art; Prepared Foods; and Non-profit. Visit
Well, we narrowly dodged the tax bullet this week. Mayor Burchett put forth a budget that called for no new taxes. Superintendent McIntyre asked for $35 MILLION, that’s right, $35 MILLION more dollars saying he was going to provide every student with an IPAD so they could learn to read. His idea was that the students would carry the pads home with them and read, read, read. Yeah, right, and who believes that the students would make it home with the pads in one piece?
When the superintendent stands up and says he’s willing to cut his own salary and the salary of every person who works for the school system who is taking home a paycheck of over $60,000 per year, then, I will believe that he truly cares about the students. Otherwise, it was all a power play. He’s hoping he can become the most powerful politician in this county and, if he had been able to push this vote for $35 MILLION more dollars through, we may as well have sent the mayor home because he would have been powerless.
Tuesday’s meeting was long, longer, longest. (Would some people take the hint and stop talking so much?) When all the dust had settled, Commissioner Mike Hammond made a suggestion that, instead of raising taxes and funding $35 MILLION more dollars, they could take money out of the rainy day fund and use money left over from extra tax collections they had not anticipated and, do some more moving of things around, and low and behold, they had about $4 MILLION extra. Commissioner Hammond also asked the school system to focus on what is truly needed. Commissioner Larry Smith also spoke to the issue of cutting and trimming and looking for wasteful spending. “If you can’t find $4 million in a budget of nearly $500 million, you are not looking hard enough,” he said. 5 other commissioners agreed and the modified version of Mayor Burchett’s budget passed 7-4.
By the way, I was a teacher for 24 years (1975-1998 ) and I will tell you, every student who truly wanted to learn got a fabulous education. Some students barely learned anything because they fought the process from day one. Most students will learn in spite of poor lighting, worn textbooks, mediocre teachers and uncomfortable situations. The attitude of the students is what matters. Those attitudes come from the home and there is very little teachers, principals, or commissioners can do about family issues. Children can and will learn when a light goes on inside them.
Commissioner Briggs summed it up when he said, “The way to solve this problem is not cut, cut, cut, or tax, tax, tax, it is to grow, grow, grow. Let’s get some good paying jobs in Knox County and we will be able to afford what we want.”
More excitement from the racehorse I’ll Have Another, winner of the Preakness Stakes. Who came in second? Bodemeister did, just like in the Kentucky Derby. Will we see I’ll Have Another win the Triple Crown? There is a huge possibility that we will.
Congratulations to Robin Flourney’s 5th Grade Class at Knoxville Christian School on Synder Road for completing a successful year. Many thanks for inviting me to speak to the class the last day of school. The students were awesome and, even though the time was ticking bringing forth their last day at school, they were attentive and asked great questions. I talked to the students about being a reporter and the importance of writing. Happy summer to those students and to all students who are on vacation.
The Knoxville Sunsphere turned 30 years old this week. It surprises me that there are still thousands of people who have lived here since the structure was built who tell me they have never been inside it. For your information, the 4th floor is open daily from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. as an Observation Deck. Admission is free and there are historic items there from the 1982 World’s Fair as well as an awesome 360 degree view of this area. The 6th floor is available for event rental for reasonable rates according to the kind of event you want to plan. Call Sara Spangler at 865 363 9538 for details.
Did you know? The Sunsphere was the theme structure for the 1982 World’s Fair.
Work began on it in January 1981 and was completed April 1982.
The tower is 192 ft. while the ball is 74 ft.; making a total of 266 ft.
Community Tectonics was the architectural firm that designed it. Rentenbach was the General Contractors.
It cost $6.6 million to construct and install all equipment and furniture.
The tower is 192 ft. while the ball is 74 ft.; making a total of 266 ft. It has never revolved.
The Sunsphere is owned by the city of Knoxville.
It was purchased in 1986 from private investors for $750,000.
The Sunsphere is managed by the Public Building Authority,
The state had originally budgeted $14 million for ice and snow removal, but has already spent nearly $25 million as Tennessee has been blasted for two and a half months with below frigid temperatures and an above average number of snowy days.
Congratulations to State Rep. Ryan Haynes who was appointed to the Joint Fiscal Review Committee and the Council for Insurance and Pensions by Speaker Harwell in the Tennessee State Assembly.
You still have time to visit the exhibit of photography from Dean Rice that ends (today) Friday, February 25, 2011 at the Arts & Culture Alliance in the Balcony of the Emporium Center. This solo exhibition displays photographs Rice made of villages scattered throughout the countryside of Guizhou and Guangxi provenances in China, giving viewers an opportunity to visually experience the beauty of a people and place rarely seen by the west.
It is lights out for the Daily Beacon Newspaper on the University of Tennessee‘s campus? According to an editoral recently published from the staff at the Daily Beacon, “Some journalism professors are pushing students to write stories and submit them primarily to the Tennessee Journalist (TNJN.com), an on-line news site.“
The column goes on to explain that journalism students, are encouraged to seek experience out in the community through internships and jobs. Students within the UT School of Journalism and Electronic Media are encouraged to seek experience outside the classroom for class credit, too.
It is apparently becoming more and more noticeable that in some courses, however, “journalism professors are quietly leaving the Beacon off the list of suggestions for places to go to seek experience and/or credit.”
The Beacon staff is asking, “Why would UT’s campus newspaper not be considered a prime place to attain hands-on experience?”
The staff says, “Let the record show that no bad blood exists between the Beacon and TNJN; some of the best student journalists on campus work hard to create TNJN’s content each day, and the website is well-respected by Beacon staffers. The question at hand is why equal opportunity doesn’t seem to be given by those who supposedly have student needs at the heart of every class session: the journalism administrators. Several Beacon staffers have been in classes in which professors encourage students to submit to TNJN, and when the Beacon is mentioned by students as a possible option for experience, the newspaper is often regarded as nothing more than an afterthought.
‘The Daily Beacon? Oh, yeah, THAT too …’
As a result, fewer students are funneled into writing for the Beacon, a completely experience-based newspaper that has trouble functioning without writers. Without writers to produce original content, there is none.”
JEM Professor James Stovall believes that printed newspapers are dinosaurs and need to cease to exist. Will the Beacon go the way of other lighthouses?
The state had originally budgeted $14 million for ice and snow removal, but has already spent nearly $25 million as Tennessee has been blasted for two and a half months with below frigid temperatures and an above average number of snowy days.