Knoxville and Knox County Planning Commission approved the new development plan for Ancient Lore Village at Boyd Hollow – a rural retreat with an event facility with 3,200 square feet for up to 300 guests and a maximum of nine overnight accommodations.

The development will cater to weddings, social events, family reunions and other gatherings.

Knoxville's controversial Ancient Lore project pivots to become an event venue

The Knox County Health Department reported 23 new active COVID-19 cases Tuesday, marking the biggest 1-day spike in the total number of active cases since the pandemic began.

The 23 new active cases on Tuesday increases the total of active cases to 93, up from 70 on Monday. The only other day 20 or more new cases were reported in a single day was April 8.

What can you say?

Georgia is looking to slash the budget by 14% "because of the revenue decline brought on by the coronavirus recession."

More than 1,000 people will lose their jobs.

Tens of thousands of state employees who keep their jobs would see their salaries cut.

The Georgia State Patrol, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the agency that oversees the District Attorneys program, workers in the division that investigates child abuse complaints and signs up the poor for services such as food stamps, and more, all face furloughs from 12 to 44 days in the fiscal year.

However, the Georgia Forestry Commission doesn't expect an furloughs or terminations.

Will this happen across the country?

From the New York Times,

After going for groceries about a mile from our house and feeling stared at for wearing a mask, I took a jaunt to liberal West Knoxville, about a half-hour away. It was my first experience seeing employees wiping down carts and counting heads. Everyone in the store was wearing a mask. I anticipated a copacetic crowd there. What I didn’t expect was to break down crying beside the avocados. The reality of being in a mask-wearing crowd, the validation of the need for masks, being accepted with like-minded shoppers were a relief and a terror to me. Evidently the reality had elbow room to move around inside me when I let down my defenses.”

Susan O’Dell Underwood
Jefferson City, Tenn.

The first arrest of the incident began at about 1 a.m. Officers said a "suspicious subject" got out of a vehicle in the Market Square Garage. The 20-year-old man was detained without incident. KPD said officers found and confiscated six handguns, two shotguns, two rifles and various quantities of narcotics from the man and the vehicle.

Buildings vandalized in downtown Knoxville, officer injured, two arrested

As with many municipalities and states, Knox County, TN, requested non-essential businesses shutdown and suggested social distancing for all residents to help prevent a massive outbreak of the coronavirus (covid-19). The Knox County Health Department set up five (5) benchmarks to help with the reopening process once the community efforts were shown to be working.

One of the five benchmarks, "Sustained reduction or stability in new cases for 14 days", has turned red
In the past week there has been a steady increase in coronavirus cases, 60 new cases, an 18% increase, with 5, 6, 10, 14, 1, 8, 16 as the cases per day for the past week.

The County Health Department has a map with the number of coronavirus cases per zip code.
Zip code 37923 has the most cases with 35 (population 30,000), then 37919 (population 28,000) and 37920 (population 39,000) both with 30 cases .

From WATE, "There are three Knox County COVID-19 patients currently hospitalized. There have been five total deaths in Knox County from COVID-19."

From reports dated as of May 30, 2020.
There has been a steady increase in coronavirus (covid-19) cases in Tennessee.

According to the TN Dept. of Health, there are 22,566 cases in TN and 364 deaths.
That is an additional 3,172 cases in one week and an additional 49 reported deaths.

427,046 residents have been tested.
That is an additional 58,876 tests in the past week.
Less tests were given in the last week as compared to the week before but more cases were recorded.

5.3% of TN residents tested for the coronavirus have tested positive for the coronavirus.
6.2% of the 6.89 million people estimated to live in TN have been tested for the coronavirus.

Be careful out there.

American Astronauts launch from American soil aboard an American rocket...

Thru 4/15/2020 ...

Tennessee Distracted Driver Traffic Crashes by Year & County 2010 - 2020*

An exclusive NewsChannel 5 investigation has discovered that those face masks - meant to slow the spread of COVID-19 - were treated with a controversial substance that is registered as a pesticide.

After back and forth communication with the state,
At 2:04 p.m., the [state] spokesperson finally responded: "Thank you for your patience. Please direct your questions to Renfro [the manufacturer]."

H/T Roaneviews

DTV Host Michael Davis discusses the August Primary with Democratic State Legislature Candidates Matthew Park (District 15) and Justin Davis (District 14) about their candidacies for seats in the Tennessee State Legislature. DTV airs on Community Television tonight at 7:30 PM and can be found at the following channels/websites

DTV airs on the following cable channels:
Comcast Channel 12
Charter Channel 193
Wow! Channel 6
ATT U-verse Channel 99

and CTV streams live (here!)

Sen. Lindsey Graham encourages senior judges to step aside ahead of election

In the United States in the past four months 100,000 of our neighbors, family, friends, co-workers, providers, food manufacturers, retail workers, truck drivers, distribution workers, etc. have died from the coronavirus. That's 0.3% of the population of the U.S. If the same percentage of China's population died, they would have 4.2 million deaths from the coronavirus.

From the Washington Post,

It’s as if every person in Edison, N.J., or Kenosha, Wis., died. It’s half the population of Salt Lake City or Grand Rapids, Mich. It’s about 20 times the number of people killed in homicides in that length of time, about twice the number who die of strokes.
...
But there have been few expressions of public grief — no gold stars in the windows of homes where people died, no outcry for national unity or memorials, as happened after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. In this trauma, the enemy is unseen; there is no one against whom to mobilize the nation’s energy, anger and frustration.

There are a couple of things people can do to respect those that have fallen to the coronavirus. They can wear masks, keep 6 ft apart, respect the process. If you don't care about yourself, then you can start caring about others. They are dying.

Neyland Stadium?

"We’ve spent several weeks planning this to be able to provide people with a safe option to go out and enjoy movies, classic Dolphins content, concerts, and celebrate 2020 graduates," said Miami Dolphins and Hard Rock Stadium Vice Chairman and CEO Tom Garfinkel.

Miami Dolphins to turn Hard Rock Stadium into drive-in movie theater

"Let no neglect, no ravages of time, testify to the present or to the coming generations that we have forgotten as a people the cost of a free and undivided republic.

If other eyes grow dull and other hinds slack, and other hearts cold in the solemn trust, ours shall keep it well as long as the light and warmth of life remain in us.

Let us, then, at the time appointed, gather around their sacred remains, and garland the passionless mounds above them with choicest flowers of springtime; let us raise above them the dear old flag they saved; let us in this solemn presence renew our pledge to aid and assist those whom they have left among us a sacred charge upon the Nation's gratitude — the soldier's and sailor's widow and orphan."

From the original Memorial Day Order by John A. Logan, Commander in Chief, Grand Army of the Republic, May 1868.

A 'slice' indeed: slice the ridge, remove the trees, pave over the site for parking. Just what South Knoxville needs.

(link...)

Today is the 50th anniversary of Richard Nixon's visit to Knoxville with the Billy Graham Crusade and the ensuing protests and arrests. Michele (bizgrrl) and I were there, as was her father, Dr. K.R. Newton. He was one of the rabble rousers (we were just observers) along with his friend Dr. Charlie Reynolds, one of the main instigators (and father of Glenn "Instapundit" Reynolds).

This 30th anniversary Metro Pulse article by Jack Neeley is the most comprehensive chronicle of the times and events you will find. Dr. Newton, Dr. Reynolds and others discuss their involvement and subsequent arrests. When Dr. Newton was arrested at his office (based on surveillance photo ID), one police officer said "You don't seem very upset." Dr. Newton answered, "I've never been arrested. I don't know how to act."

Michele was going through her late father's papers a few years ago, and found his contemporaneous account of the events. A couple of passages still ring true today...

"Those who seek to maintain 'control' through the use of 'law and order' have made statements indicating their concern for a communistic plot, sexual orgies, and 'pollution of the academic environment.' Those who disagree are accused of being unAmerican, disloyal to the University as well as dirty, unkempt, immoral, spoiled, lazy and are frequently told if you don't love it you should leave it. Yet those who claim to be defenders of the country and the University utilize tactics which can only destroy both the democratic process of the country and the educational endeavors of the University. Those who continue to believe that an education consists of textbooks and lectures can only be concerned with the building of things rather than the building of a people. The survival of our campus, of our country, and indeed of the world demands the building of a people and even, perhaps the devaluation of things."

...

"The students of the University of Tennessee have shown a mature restraint which should be rewarded rather than punished by the University administration and the city officials. They have shown a tremendous flexibility, desire for dialogue and patience to which most universities in this country have not been afforded during the past several years. Unfortunately the political climate of this community is such that even nonviolent dissent results in irrational repression. Unfortunately those who desire peace are considered criminals and those who desire war are considered saviors. Unfortunately those who desire change are considered dangerous and those who support the status quo are considered safe leaders. Unfortunately those who do not want to follow blindly their leaders to total destruction are considered irrational while those who follow unquestionably are considered sane. Unfortunately those who ask questions are considered uneducated while those [who] listen with an unquestioning superstitious belief are considered knowing and intelligent. Unfortunately those who obey unjust laws are considered Christian and American while those who oppose are considered evil, Communistic and undesirable. Unfortunately today Christians seem unable to carry out Christ's behavior and teachings while those who have difficulty with organized Christianity seem to behave in a Christ-like manner."

He concludes:

"In 'The Prime of Miss Jean Brody' she states that she is 'in the business of putting old heads on young shoulders' -- perhaps now we must be in the business of putting young heads on old shoulders."

A member of the Knoxville-Knox County Reopening Task Force fired off a scathing email earlier this week to Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs' office, telling officials to butt out of the committee's work on the coronavirus pandemic.

SoKno Taco manager to county: 'Shut up' and keep politics out of coronavirus decisions

(stolen from twitter)

From reports dated as of May 22, 2020.
There has been a steady increase in coronavirus (covid-19) cases in Tennessee.

According to the TN Dept. of Health, there are 19,394 cases in TN and 315 deaths.
That is an additional 2,725 cases in one week and an additional 28 reported deaths.

368,170 residents have been tested.
That is an additional 65,853 tests in the past week.

5.3% of TN residents tested for the coronavirus have tested positive for the coronavirus.
5.3% of the 6.89 million people estimated to live in TN have been tested for the coronavirus.

On Thursday, 5/21/2020, 175 new coronavirus cases were reported in Rhea County.
Rhea County is West/Southwest of Knoxville, along 1-75. Dayton, TN, is the county seat.

The Tennessee Health Department confirmed that the cluster is happening within a group of migrant workers on a farm in the county, although officials did not name the specific farm.

Be careful out there.