Hard Knox Independent reports that TWRA is set to charge a "high impact conservation permit" fee for the portion of Knoxville's Urban Wilderness South Loop trail that runs through the Forks of the River Wildlife Management Area.

The fee would be $12.50 per day or $60 per year for Tennessee residents. Out of state residents would pay $30.50 per day or $191 per year.

Apparently, bicycles are lumped in with horses and ATVs as "high impact" activities. That's about the dumbest thing I've heard in a while.

Anyway, Hard Knox Independent has more...

TWRA Wants Cyclists to Pay for Using Urban Wilderness Trails

Somehow I missed that ace reporter Samantha Manning is no longer with WATE. She's now at WJAX in Jacksonville, FL. She did a great job reporting on local and state government here and will be missed. Another loss for local media, but good luck and best wishes to her.

The Kaiser Family Foundation has this Insure Tennessee fact sheet that explains the proposal in great detail...

A couple of posts on Campus Sexual Assault.

If not for solid police work, culture of social media no conviction in Vandy rape trial

Irony of timing of higher ed’s sexual assault and relationship violence summit

Saw this strange ice formation in our bird bath this morning:

How did this happen? Close up after the break...

Continued...

Insure Tennessee, Gov. Haslam's proposal to expand Medicaid/TennCare, will be the hot topic as Tennessee's General Assembly gets underway.

Mailers for and against are blanketing the state. A reader received one for and one against. Here are copies of both. We only got the "for" mailer.

The pro mailer is from the Coalition for a Healthy Tennessee, a consortium of health care providers, insurance companies, and labor and business interests. The anti mailer is from the right wing Koch bros. funded Americans for Prosperity.

There are also radio ads from the Beacon Center, AFP and Coalition for a Healthy Tennessee.

Senate Democrats say outside money is flowing in, and legislators are being pressured to "consider politics first, people second."

The State Senate's Judiciary Committee, headed by Sen. Brian Kelsey, met yesterday to supposedly discuss the "legal issues." Vice chair Sen. Doug Overbey took exception when Kelsey used the forum to advocate against the plan. Kelsey brought in some guy from Ohio to testify how it would bankrupt the state. Overbey said none of this was on the agenda and wondered why they were there.

Meanwhile, regarding "legal issues" the state Attorney General has opined that Tennessee can unilaterally pull the plug on the program with proper notice and phase-out procedures. HHS concurs.

The new Knoxville Mercury alt-weekly project is conducting a survey of prospective readers to learn about their preferences.

You can take the survey here...

From Yahoo ...

WASHINGTON (AP) — Some 9.5 million people have already signed up for 2015 coverage under President Barack Obama's health care law, and the administration is on track to surpass its nationwide enrollment target set last year.

Obama administration on track to surpass health care goal

Be sure to visit jebbushforpresident(dot)com.

Here's why.

Business friendly

From Economic Policy Institute...

The upshot of these trends? A lopsided Tennessee economy, where top 1% average income is 24 times greater than the average income of the bottom 99%.

Tennessee

Light dusting on the grass and the street in front of our house...

The News Sentinel last week questioned a Knox County E-911 board meeting regarding a proposal for a new radio system. In his Sunday column, editor Jack McElroy compared it to Black Wednesday, suggesting there was extracurricular communication and saying the paper would be seeking an open records records email dump regarding the matter.

Mayor Madeline Rogero, who is a member of the board, released a statement today saying that she has directed her staff to look into the matter. She noted that she was in Washington D.C. for the U.S. Conference of Mayors at the time and did not attend the meeting, but said she is "committed to full transparency and ensuring that we have public confidence in the actions of the Board."

The Mayor's full statement after the break....

Continued...

From Reuters and CBO …

The U.S. budget deficit will decline slightly to $468 billion this fiscal year, the lowest level since President Barack Obama took office,

U.S. deficit to dip in 2015 as era of dramatic declines ends: CBO

The Budget and Economic Outlook: 2015 to 2025

From Philadelphia to New York City to Maine, they are bracing for a potentially historic blizzard that forecasters say could dump up to 3 feet of snow on the region and snarl transportation for tens of millions of people

"My message to New Yorkers is to prepare for something worse than we have seen before," Mayor Bill de Blasio said. Alternate side of the street parking was canceled.:)

What: Iindependent Lens file: A Path Appears
When: Monday, January 26, 2015 - 10:00pm
Where: East TN PBS - Television

A Path Appears uncovers the harshest forms of gender-based oppression and human rights violations, and solutions being implemented to combat them.

Episode one is partially filmed in Nashville. Ashley Judd and Nicholas Kristof meets sexual abuse victim, Shana Goodwin, Shana guides them through the streets of Nashville where she was first sold to a pimp by her mother at the age of 12.

Episode One: Sex Trafficking in the USA - Monday, Jan. 26,
Episode Two: Breaking the Cycle of Poverty - Monday, Feb. 2
Episode Three: Violence and Solutions - Monday, Feb. 9

The crowd was small at Saturday's annual legislative luncheon put on by the East Tennessee Society of Professional Journalists.

The News Sentinel had a small story that focused on the FOI, which is their want, but missed, in my opinion, what were the two biggest news pieces to come out of the event.

Their reporter, a fellow by the name of Jay Miller, who I'm not familiar with, did mention Richard Briggs statement that he doesn't believe the state should direct what doctors say to patients in any circumstances, including abortions. But the reporter failed to put it into context. I did that in a blog post here.

There was also absolutely no mention about Insure Tennessee about which the General Assembly is going into special session to debate on Feb. 2. Only one of the 10 lawmakers in attendance was unabashedly in support of it. But even those who weren't standing up waving flags for it, were still praising Gov. Bill Haslam for doing something. Some interesting things were said, as I relayed here.

KNS is likely to have more on the luncheon as the week unfolds. They had two columnists in attendance. And there were other matters that were interesting. My guess is that I can already tell you want Mark Harmon and Georgiana Vines will be writing about this week. But I won't spoil your reading. Although if I have some time tomorrow, I might throw out another blog post myself.

Knox County Tennessee
v.
Charles Michael Lowe; Delbert E. Morgan; Ray M. Mubarak; Tennessee Residential Services a partnership; Tennessee Real Estate Services a partnership

Employment and fraudulent salary and benefits. Defendants are awaiting trial in criminal court for collecting salaries and benefits they had not earned. Not less than $2,500 and not more than $10,000, trebled, for each false claim.

1/21/2015 188908-3

Related:

Criminal charges...

Motion for change of venue, inflammatory media coverage...

What: 13th Annual ChiliFest!
When: Saturday, February 7, 2015 - 4:00pm
Where: Stovall Family Life Center, beside First Church of the Nazarene, 1608 East Broadway, Maryville.

ChiliFest set for February 7
at Stovall Family Life Center

New contestants and previous winners will meet at CAPPE’s 13th annual ChiliFest on Saturday, February 7. Four ribbons and cash prizes will be awarded as three categories of chili – beef, other meats and vegetarian – compete for the judges’ decisions. The People’s Choice will be determined by votes from the tasting public.

Contestants must register and pay the $20 entry fee by February 4. Entry forms may be downloaded from www.saveitdontpaveit.org or requested from cappe@saveitdontpaveit.org .

This is a family friendly event. Admission is $7 at the door (free for children ten years of age and younger). With admission comes a taste of all entries and, if you are still hungry, a bowl of your favorite chili. Beverages, quesadillas and home-baked goodies will be available for purchase.

ChiliFest 2015 will be held from 4-7pm at the Stovall Family Life Center beside First Church of the Nazarene, 1608 East Broadway, Maryville.

Please contact Marian Fitzgerald (865 983-0298) or Jay Clark (931-308-7570) with any questions.

What: 6th District Knox Co Democratic Party Meeting
When: Tuesday, January 27, 2015 - 6:15pm
Where: Karns Public Library 7516 Oak Ridge Hywy

Guest Speaker will be Ms.Yvonne Marsh, CPA from the Marsh Group, speaking about Tennessee's Halls Tax.

Also on hand will be Linda Haney and Cameron Brooks, Chair and Vice Chair of the KCDP, who will speak about their experiences meeting the President at his recent visit to Knoxville.

for info: Janice Spoone (spoojh@comcast.net)

What: 3rd/4th District Democrats Meeting
When: Tuesday, January 27, 2015 - 6:00pm
Where: Bearden Branch Library, 100 Golf Club Road Knoxville TN 37919

Guest speaker is Finbarr Saunders, Knoxville City Councilman At-Large (Seat C)and former 4th District County Commissioner, speaking about the structure of Knox Co/City municipal government, and his experiences and insights into the issues faced by Knoxville.

for info: Chris Foell (foellmc@aol.com)