WATE reports...

Police, fire chiefs and law director retained. David Brace will stay on as Chief Operating Officer. Stephanie Welch will be Chief of Economic & Community Development. Erin Gill, will serve as Chief Policy Officer. Bill Lyons will stay on through the transition.

The Vols will face off against Indiana in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Fla. on January 2 at 7 pm.

First bowl game since 2016.

Tennessee is 7-5 for the season.
Indiana is 8-4 for the season.

Go Vols!

Compass reports that Tom Boyd has canceled plans for an Ancient Lore Village attraction at his South Knoxville property. Instead, his company will pursue building the resorts in "established tourism areas." Plans for the South Knoxville property have shifted to a more park-like setting with short term rentals and possibly a wedding venue. More at Compass (subscription required).

If you haven't been following the news even a little bit, the president is facing impeachment. From what I have watched and read they have lots of evidence. But, those that defend the president say it is okay or all lies. How have so many given up on the constitution and the responsibilities of the president? Lamar Alexander is one who should be standing up for our country and the people. We'll see how many U.S. Senators stand up for the constitution and the people. It cannot be right for a president to take actions to his benefit instead of the country.

Lee said he prays that Tennessee does not experience a school shooting, that the state’s opioid epidemic will diminish and that Tennessee’s educational outcomes improve. If thousands of people offer similar prayers, he believes God will impart his favor on Tennessee.

So much for separation of church and state.

I have no problem with praying. I do have a problem with people expecting positive results without taking any action.

Starting this year, Ford is incorporating coffee chaff — coffee bean skin that comes off during the roasting process — into the plastic headlamp housing used in some cars.

Coffee chaff, on the other hand, is widely available, Miewelski said, and much of it goes to waste. Eventually, Ford hopes to incorporate the material into more cars and use it for more parts.

Ford is turning McDonald's coffee waste into headlights

WRS Inc., its local partners and city officials will brief residents on plans to convert the 435,667-square-foot property into a mixed-use development on Thursday, Dec. 12 at 2:30 p.m. The briefing will be held at the Pellissippi State Community College Magnolia Avenue campus.

Knoxville Standard Knitting Mill site to be turned into mixed-use development

"The ignorance and laziness present in modern times have won!"

(link...)

TennCare II - Amendment 42: Block Grant
We encourage the public to submit their comments on Medicaid.gov as they relate to demonstrations open for public comments. In support of transparency and open government, all public comments received are immediately posted and are in the public domain. Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services staff will review all public comments posted and we reserve the discretion to delete comments that are generally understood as any of the following: obscene, profane, threatening, or or otherwise inappropriate.

Open for Public Comment – 11/27/19 – 12/27/19

More from the Tennessean.

...give state officials more authority to decide who is covered, what services are provided and how much the state will pay for them.

TANF funds (block grants) go unused, in Tennessee and elsewhere

State withholding even more funds for needy families

The largest decreases in life expectancy (based on AAPC for 2010-2016) occurred in New Hampshire, Kentucky, Maine, Ohio, West Virginia, South Dakota, New Mexico, Utah, Indiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee.

Life Expectancy and Mortality Rates in the United States, 1959-2017

A little Thanksgiving humor.

Then there is the "crash course to help everyone get along at the table this holiday season."

• Stick to the things you have in common.
• Focus on yourself and the things you can control.
• Take the opportunity to learn.
• Don’t take things personally.
• Step away from the table.
• Focus on having fun.

Here's what I've decided is important. In order:

1. Qualifications
2. Political skills
3. People skills
4. Alignment with my policy views
5. Competent campaign and messaging
6. Can beat Trump

I would have included "trustworthy," but we're talking about politicians (LOL). I realize #6 is #1 for a lot of people. But #1 through #5 accomplish #6. Assuming America has any residual rational thinking and/or patriotic values left. Oh, wait.

"Nice work" to Sevier County on their waste management techniques mentioned earlier on Knoxviews.

Also appreciate the Knoxville and Knox County folks that deal with trash.

Some additional technologies cities are using around the world

How cities are using technology to solve their trash problems

My book donation has been rejected by the Little Library users.

About 6 months ago they setup a Little Library at Springbrook Park in Alcoa, TN. When the books looked low, I decided to pick out some of our books for donating to the cause. All of the books we donated have been taken, except for A God in Ruins by Leon Uris.

From a 1999 Los Angeles Times book review, "A Diatribe Against Politics, Guns, Money".

It doesn't appear this is one of his best books, but hey it's Leon Uris. I'm thinking it is the title that is scaring readers away. Maybe it is just too old and no one knows Leon Uris anymore. Or, is it the anti-Semitism? Oh, well.

Looks like a good idea

"It catches rainwater runoff from the rooftop and instead of diverting it to the stream it absorbs into the ground kind of like a natural sponge. the way the landscape used to be before we came in with our rooftop and pavement," said Ludwig.

Rain Gardens installed

New corndog ranking:

1. Nan Denton's
2. UT Hospital cafeteria
3. Weigel's

Sorry Weigel's, you got bumped.

US households are now sitting on a record $14 trillion in mortgages, credit cards, student loans and other forms of debt.

Credit card rates recently hit 17%, the highest level in at least 25 years, making this an especially costly form of borrowing. Part of that rise has been driven by fierce competition to lure borrowers with flashy rewards.

Americans now have a record $14 trillion in debt

Household debt and credit report

It's hard to conceptualize the three design options. Is there a video of the presentation?

I would like to see this and some other public like entities on the south waterfront instead of apartments.

Wow! First look at proposed Knoxville Science Museum

If you want to understand how American politics has become more polarized and extreme over the last decade, look no farther than Asheville, North Carolina -- now split between two of the most gerrymandered districts in the country.

Asheville's woes are the story of America

Based on new information, CDC is advising that consumers not eat and retailers not sell any romaine lettuce harvested from the Salinas, California growing region.

They are taking this very seriously.

A total of 40 people infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7 have been reported from 16 states.
A total of 28 hospitalizations have been reported. Five people have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a type of kidney failure. No deaths have been reported.