This bill to ban mountain top removal coal mining (SB3822) will face its first committee hearing before the Tennessee Senate Environment, Conservation, and Tourism Committee on Feb. 6, 2008 at 11:30 in room 12 of the Legislative Plaza in Nashville.

Committee members are Tommy Kilby , Chair;
Dewayne Bunch, Vice-Chair; Doug Jackson, Secretary; Raymond Finney, Roy Herron, Bill Ketron, Steve Roller, Steve Southerland and Mike Williams.

You can find out more about this effort by visiting Link.... The Lindquist Environmental Appalachian Fellowship was established by members of Church of the Savior, United Church of Christ, as a memorial to Kathy Lindquist’s deep religious faith and her dedication to environmental stewardship.

For those among us who may be put off by the religious tone of this effort I'd like the opportunity to assure you that Kathy Lindquist was very open minded and tolerent as well as deeply concerned about the environment. By reaching out for support from Christians concerned about environmental stewardship this cause has really broadened the bill's base of support and has a good chance of passing. But I understand one more swing vote is needed to get it out of comittee so your phone calls & e-mails are crucial before Wednesday. Links are available at the LEAF website.

The House Comittee on Environment and Conservation consists of Frank Buck, Chair
John Tidwell, Vice-Chair; Brenda Gilmore, Secretary; William Baird, Willie Borchert, Richard Floyd, George Fraley, David Hawk, Mike Kernell, Joe McCord, & Frank Niceley. Please note that Mr. Nicely Represents many South Knoxvillians.

Your support will be very much needed and appreciated.

Don't forget to check out the broadcast of "Hillary’s Voices Across America: A National Town Hall live on Hallmark Channel".

Knoxville is one of 22 cities selected to host the event.

February 4, 2008 at 9 p.m. EST

Comcast Channel 59
Charter Channel 77
Directv Channel 312

Update: The local Town Hall Meeting will be held at the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame. The doors open at 7:30PM and the public is invited.

Ovation TV (DirecTV channel 274) began an eight-hour marathon showing of a BBC documentary called The Genius of Photography today at Noon. I missed the start of it but it is scheduled to be repeated beginning tonight at eight and I shall have it in the can.

The "fire up a pot of chili and ice down the keg super tailgating" edition of the weekly liberal blog roundup is up over at TennViews...

AP reporting:

The sheriff of a southern Tennessee county was arrested Saturday in an FBI sting and charged with extorting money from video gambling operators.

Oh, my. You think Chattanooga police, politicians, administrators will keep far, far away from this?

Link...

In fulfilling my habit of reading the obits, I just discovered the notice of Joanne Renfro's death. Coming so close on the heels of her grandson's untimely death, this might be a good time for prayer or spirit dances or a sympathy card to help this family get through what has become a very dark winter.

pgs