Looking for fresh strawberries and/or humanely-raised local meat? If you're interested in learning more about local food (and the people who produce it), the Market Square Farmers' Market is launching a monthly series of farm tours. The "To the Source Farm Tour" series kicks off on Sunday, May 18, with a visit to three farms in Meigs, Rhea, and Monroe counties.

The tour will visit Tidwell's Berry Farm, a family-owned "ready pick" berry farm in Spring City, Tennessee. The next stop on the tour is River Ridge Farm in Ten Mile, Tennessee, to tour the farm where Dave Waters and his family raise beef, pork, chickens, and other goodies. Regulars to the Market Square Farmers' Market are familiar with Dave as the market's "meat guy." The tour will conclude with an opportunity to pick your own strawberries at Strawberry Knob Farm in Madisonville.

"Eleanor" and I will be going as we continue to explore our local food options. Cost of the tour is $20 per person and shuttle vans (provided by CAC) will depart from Market Square at noon on Sunday, 18 May. The shuttles will return approximately 6:30 p.m. Advance registration is required by Wednesday and space is limited. So, contact Charlotte Tolley at the Farmers' Market booth on Market Days (today or Wednesday) or visit the new MSFM web site at www.marketsquarefarmersmarket.org for additional information in the "Special Events and Programs" section. "Eleanor" and I will be manning a booth for the MSFM this morning at the Beardsley Community Farm's Farm Fest and we'll also be signing interested people up. Other volunteers will be at the farm fest booth in the afternoon to get you signed up, also.

See you on the farm!

Knoxville News Sentinel:

One company, Scripps Networks Interactive Inc., will include the cable networks HGTV, Food Network, DIY Network, Fine Living Network and Great American Country and online comparison shopping sites Shopzilla and uSwitch. The other, E.W. Scripps, will have 10 broadcast television stations and newspapers in 15 U.S. markets, the News Sentinel, Rocky Mountain News in Denver and The Commercial Appeal in Memphis.

The deal will give E.W. Scripps shareholders one share of the new Scripps Interactive company for each share of E.W. Scripps stock, minus a 1-3 reverse split for E.W. Scripps stock.

I'm not real good at math, but does this mean the Scripps board puts the value of their cable/interactive business at three times the value of their broadcast TV and print business?

At any rate, we hope it's not too lonely out there for the newspapers being pushed out to sea on the ice floe. If Scripps goes, Knoxville will be left with, what, the Journal and Knoxville Voice? Not that there's anything wrong with those fine publications, but still.

Art Museum Touring.com (Link...) welcomes the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts (Link...) to our site.

Table by Ted Lott: from Arrowmont's the Artists-in-Residence Annual Exhibition in the Atrium and Foyer Gallery through May 17.

Located in Gatlinburg, it is a cultural center to the region, Arrowmont’s one and two week workshops taught by top professionals in their field, attract students from across the United States and abroad. Visit the Arrowmont page on Art Museum Touring.com to see a list of their other current and upcoming exhibitions.

Support your local galleries and museums! They are economic engines for your community.

Sherrie

The next Blogfest is this weekend at VS a new business downtown. Meet other bloggers face to face and play video games! They have 2 Wiis, 2 xboxes, and 2 playstation 3s as well as Rockband and many many games for each system. There are 5 iMacs and wifi so you can blog. Downstairs is a congregating area away from the games with a stage which can feature live performances. Games are free to bloggers from 7pm to 9pm Saturday, May 10. VS is located just two doors down from the old Harold's. See you there!

As a side note, the wifi is free ALL the time so if you are ever downtown, needing a connection and a comfortable place to sit, slip into VS!

The Knoxville Museum of Art exhibition Video Art/3 Visions closes May 4. It presents three independent video works that demonstrate the range of expressive and technical possibilities within this thriving art medium. (Link...)

In Going Places Sitting Down (2004), Hiraki Sawa

Jenny Perlin, Peter Sarkisian, and Hiraki Sawa are acknowledged masters of electronic media who approach their materials in distinctly different ways with dramatically different results. Perlin focuses on the effects of sound and editing, Sarkisian on the physical effect of video footage projected onto three-dimensional forms, and Sawa on subtle, poetic imagery linked to childhood and domestic environments. Video Art/3 Visions represents the first time Perlin’s and Sarkisian’s work has been shown in Tennessee.

It is an intriguing show. Hurry and see it before it closes.

Support your local galleries and museums! They are economic engines for your community.

Sherrie

The new Montessori Middle School in Louisville (the Blount Co. TN Louisville) is hosting their 1st Annual Farm Festival on Saturday, May 10, 2008 from 11AM to 4PM at the school, which is located at 3725 Louisville Rd (map). The event is open to the public and there is no charge for admission.

According to Nicole DeBurton, head of the school, Montessori Middle School is a unique and innovative program in that it is located in a farm setting, with plans to include gardening, building, and animal husbandry as part of the curriculum. This is the first school of its kind in the Southeast, and only three other such farm-based Montessori Middle Schools exist in the entire country.

Click read more for a press release with more details...

The Frank H. McClung Museum, University of Tennessee joined Art Museum Touring.com today (Link...). Their upcoming exhibition, starting May 17, is "Ancient Bronzes of the Asian Grasslands"

They join the Fayetteville Museum of Art from Fayetteville, NC who joined yesterday. (Link...)

The Emporium Center in downtown Knoxville opens its "2008 Members Exhibit" The opening reception on Friday, May 2, from 5-9pm, is free and open to the public, and complimentary hors d'oeuvres will be served. A First Friday event.

Support your local galleries and museums! They are economic engines for your community.

Sherrie

The new WBIR website is live and on the air.

In addition to the new layout, it sports a new and improved video player, new blogs, a discussion forum, and comments attached directly to articles (replacing that awful Topix thing they were using).

WBIR online producer Katie Allison Granju has more.

I haven't read the story, yet, but thought everyone should be made aware of it. It's written by Jamie Satterfield, and is already drawing all those crazy people over there on the KNS site. Why do they let those people even have computers?

Link...

Chief U.S. District Judge Curtis Collier today issued a ruling barring Knoxville attorney Herbert S. Moncier from practicing law in any federal court in the Eastern District of Tennessee.

Collier also reprimanded Moncier for remarks made about "opposing counsel."

Herb Moncier has been banned from practicing in Tennessee Eastern District federal courts for five years. Seems a little harsh to me.

UPDATE: Katie at KT has some interesting analysis, and the KNS has this detailed report.

Yesterday, Factchecker brought our attention to Rep. Jimmy Duncan's remarks regarding "abstinence only" education and "elitist" health professionals interfering with parenting.

Also yesterday, the Crone Speaks about the Congressional hearings on whether "abstinence only" education works, and offers some disturbing facts suggesting it doesn't.

Today, Katie Allison Granju over at Knoxville Talks discusses Duncan's remarks and the distinction between parenting and public health strategy.

Coincidentally, just last night the Mrs. and I attended the FYI: Framing Choice graduation party and photo exhibit hosted by the local Planned Parenthood organization.

Planned Parenthood of Middle and East Tennessee (website) presents FYI: Framing Choice, a photography exhibit by participants of PPMET's FYI peer education program, tonight, 5:30PM at the Emporium Three Flights Up Gallery in Downtown Knoxville. The event is free and the public is invited. Donations will be accepted. Click "read more" for details...

Link...

This petition is in support of returning Bella Smith, to her mother, Lisa Smith. Where she legally belongs.

Children can not be stolen from their homes with out trials and proof of real harm.

Bella was removed from her home without probable cause or a warrant. There were no reports of harm against the mother. Bella was taken by a Knox County Juvenile Case Manager, Stacey Turpin. Ms. Turpin said she had a warrant and did not. She removed the child out of anger. Once the child was removed, she was given to an abusive, violent father, Rodney L Ash.
Whom had been out of Bella's life, by his choice for more than a year. The father has committed several violent acts against the mother and other women, this is all documented in police records. The Juvenile Court has failed to provide the child with a safe environment. She has not had proper, continued medical attention or insurance. The father has testified in 3 Courts, under oath, that he does not give the child medicines prescribed by her Doctor. Yet, the Juvenile Court refuses to acknowledge this medical neglect. The guardian ad litem, Joseph Della-Rodolfa, never met or attempted to meet with Bella & Lisa. Yet he met with the father several times, he recommended to the court, Bella stay with him, based on absolutely nothing. GAL's are to ensure what's in the child's best interest. Not there own or what is most convenient for them. He has failed to protect Bella also, both physically and medically.
There must be due process, fair and equal treatment, and protection of Constitutional Rights, in children's cases. No one has attempted to reunite Bella with her Mother.
It sends a negative message to society and battered women, when the State chooses to prosecute women for rightfully protecting their children.
This child has been to Dr. and ER more than 42 in a year and a half, her bruises, marks, and scratches have all been documented and photographed. The child her self has stated several times, her "daddy whipped her butt, with the switch". No one has done anything to protect this child, and they have allowed the father to make continuous accusations and harass Ms. Smith's family. There has not even been an attempt to re unite Bella with her Mother.
We ask you, Judge Swann, the State of TN, the prosecutor, Leland Price, who seeks to punish Ms. Smith, to look at the facts and the law, to see the fraud that has been committed and correct it. TN has had a long, negative history in The Children's Services area, we ask that you not allow Bella to become another statistic.
Do not continue with this case, allow Ms. Smith to regain the rightful custody of Bella, and return her home, where she can be safe and loved, and most important, where she wants to be. Little girls need their Mothers.

Regards,

pictures can be viewed at petition site. Thank You.

My other community blog, BlountViews, is discussed in this Maryville Daily Times report on blogging in Blount Co. There are also remarks by yours truly.

Link... The Knoxville Plant Swap is coming up May 3 at Admiral Farragut Park.

If this interests you, go to their website and get on the email list. These folks who swap plants are some of the kindest folks I have ever met.

Your Voice Is Key to Improving Healthcare
The Tennessee Health Care Campaign (Link...) is holding a town hall meeting This Friday from 6:30 to 8:30 pm.

According to the National Weather Service, overnight lows will drop mostly into the 30s, with mid to upper 20s in the higher elevations, where light snowfall is possible today and tonight.

The NWS says: "TAKE THE TIME TODAY TO TAKE ANY NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS TO PROTECT TENDER OUTDOOR PLANTS FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF FREEZING TEMPERATURES."

Congratulations to the Knoxville Ice Bears, champions of the Southern Professional Hockey League. I attended tonight's game as the Ice Bears beat the Jacksonville Barracudas 4-2, completing a three-game sweep of the championship series. --Mark Harmon

Commemorating the upcoming 30th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision clearing the way for completion of the Tellico Dam, Robert Wilson takes a look back at the controversy in today's Knoxville News Sentinel.

Opposition to the Tellico Dam was one of my first forays into political activism. There were the land grab aspects. And the inundation of ancient, historical Native American gathering places and sacred burial sites. And the snail darter. All of which are covered in Wilson's article. But I was mainly opposed to destroying one of the South's premier trout fisheries.

Which is why I sent Pres. Jimmy Carter a telegram...

National Weather Service:

...STORMY WEATHER ON TODAY TO BE FOLLOWED BY UNSEASONABLY COLD AIR FOR THE WEEKEND...

The U.T. School of Journalism and Electronic Media's conference on web journalism hosted a presentation by Rob Curley of the Washington Post last night.

He gave an entertaining presentation on some of the incredible, award winning work he has done with interactive news websites over the years. Some of it is mind boggling.

Here are some brief notes from his 2+ hour presentation...

Four awards have been presented to local artists as part of the Dogwood Arts Festival 2008 Fine Arts Show. The Best of Show award of $500 was awarded to Melynda Moore Whetsel of Knoxville. You can see a list of all the award winners on the Emporium Center page on Art Museum Touring.com (Link...).

An awards ceremony and public reception will take place on Friday, April 4, from 5-9pm at the Emporium Center in downtown Knoxville as part of First Friday activities and will feature complimentary hors d?oeuvres catered by The Lunchbox. The show will be on exhibit April 4-18.

Support your local galleries and museums! They are economic engines for your city.

Sherrie

UPDATED:

Harry Tindell (D) State Rep. 13th District
Ryan A. Haynes (R) State Rep. 14th District
Thomas S. Baer (R) State Rep. 14th District
Rachel L. Ray (R) State Rep. 15th District
Joe Armstrong (D) State Rep. 15th District
Bill Dunn (R) State Rep. 16th District
Barbara Nicodemus (D) State Rep. 16th District
Charlotte Meyer (D) State Rep. 16th District
Stacey Campfield (R) State Rep. 18th District
Jonathan A. Katsiros (R) State Rep. 18th District
Ronald Leadbetter (R) State Rep. 18th District
Harry Brooks (R) State Rep. 19th District
Jamie Woodson (R) State Senate 6th District
Gary Farmer (D) State Senate 6th District

It's the end of an era.

Caught this on the WBIR RSS feed. Interesting that they are going the citizen blogger route, rather than expanding their reporter/blogger presence.

The Knoxville Museum of Art offers a big exhibition of small works with its Size Matters: XS – Recent Small-Scale Paintings from March 28 – August 24, 2008.

The exhibition includes 42 works by some of America’s most important painters including Thordis Adalsteinsdottir, Justin Allen, and Francis Alÿs.

Ridley Howard, Untitled, 2007, Oil on canvas, 5 x 7.5 inches

The KMA is having a curator's discussion of this exhibition on April 2. You visit the Events page, or the KMA page on Art Museum Touring.com (Link...)for more details and to see other work currently on exhibit.

Lana Wilson, 4 Legged Teapot, 1993

Selections from Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts on Exhibit in KMA Community Gallery closes Sunday. The works exhibited were chosen from Arrowmont’s permanent collection which includes examples by some of the nation’s finest craft artists working in wood, metal, ceramic, glass, and other media.

Support your local galleries and museums! They are economic engines for your community.

Sherrie

The U.T. School of Journalism and Electronic Media is hosting a "Public Conversation on Web Journalism," beginning Thursday, April 3rd and continuing on Friday, April 4th at the U.T. Black Cultural Center.

There will be open forum panel discussions on a variety of topics related to web journalism and publishing, featuring a a diverse group of professionals and academics with a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences. I have been invited to participate on two of the panels.

Panel discussions are open to the public and admission is free.

The Tennessee Journalist has more details:

• Washington Post exec to headline April conference

• Tentative schedule for the Public Conversation of Web Journalism conference, April 3-4

• Guess who's coming to dinner? Participants in the Public Conversation Conference

The Democratic Party of Knox County
Invites You to the Political Event of the Year
2008 EAST TENNESSEE TRUMAN DAY DINNER
“An Evening With James Carville”

6:00 p.m. May 15, 2008
Knoxville Convention Center

$1000 Premium Tables
$600 Regular Tables
$60 Individual Tickets

Tables and Tickets are on sale now.

Make checks payable to "Democratic Party of Knox County" and mail them to:

Truman Day
8737 Brucewood Lane
Knoxville, TN 37923

Contact Info:

Judith Mallory, Event Coordinator
Telephone: 865-694-7075

Don Daugherty, Chairman
Telephone: 865-525-7028

This morning at 8:00 AM the Flying Spaghetti Monster was put up on the Cumberland County Courthouse Lawn.

It came to me in a sign....build a statue of the Flying Spaghetti Monster and put it on the courthouse lawn in Crossville Tennessee so that others can share in its beautiful image and learn about Its story.
Link...

Just a reminder to any of you who are heading to the Jackson Browne concert Friday!

Jackson Browne, WHY to Concert-Goers: If You're a Fan, Bring a Can

Jackson Browne has partnered with WHY (World Hunger Year) to put food on the shelves of food banks that are serving America's hungry. Concert-goers who attend shows during his upcoming solo tour are asked to bring non-perishable food that will be collected by food bank representatives for distribution to those in need.

Knoxville, TN: Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee - 3/14

Link...

See ya there!

Oh, and a note to those lucky folks who snagged the Guacamole Fund Tickets before I could... AUGHHHHH and thanks! The Guac Fund rocks! Link...