Foggy Bottom Flats Set to Open in South Knoxville

Looks like good stuff ...

In the United States, buildings consume approximately 70% of the country's electricity. But a breakthrough in solar glass could offset that demand by converting the windows of every building into solar panels.

This glass could turn skyscrapers into power generators

Knox County says in a press release: "First Utility District, Knox-Chapman Utility District, Knoxville Utilities Board, Lenoir City Utility District, Northeast Knox Utility, Powell-Clinch Utility District and West Knox Utility District are all committed to ensuring no utility services are disconnected for nonpayment as a result of COVID-19." In addition, Alcoa and Maryville utilities in Blount County have adopted similar policies and are also suspending late fees.

Note that the payments due are deferred in some cases, meaning they will have to be paid eventually.

Press release:

The 2020 Dogwood Arts Festival is going virtual after the decision was made to postpone the public event originally scheduled for April 24-26th due to the spread of COVID-19. The virtual festival launched today at https://festival.dogwoodarts.com/ and showcases 109 artists from around the country who were juried in to participate this year. The platform allows visitors to easily browse and support the artists who put so much time, energy, and talent into making the Dogwood Arts Festival such a celebrated event each year.

There will also be a Public Vote component to the Virtual Festival, and cash prizes will be awarded to the three artists with the most votes (First Place: $500, Second Place: $300, Third Place: $200). The public vote will be open March 31st - April 30th with winners announced on May 1st.

Kincannon has already appropriated $100,000 & says there's more to come. I applaud this effort.

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Passed on from a friend,

We are so thankful for those who work in grocery stores, pharmacies, law enforcement, health care, fire fighters, lawn care workers, food services, postal workers, delivery workers, warehouse workers, auto and home repair, etc., the list goes on, who continue to come to work every day to serve their communities.

Whatever we can do to protect ourselves and others does make a difference. Protect yourself in order to protect everyone you encounter.

Desperate for medical equipment, states encounter a beleaguered national stockpile

The federal cache has been overwhelmed by urgent requests for masks, respirators, goggles, gloves and gowns in the two months since the first U.S. case of covid-19 was confirmed. Many state officials say they do not understand the standards that determine how much they will receive.

Anecdotally, there are wide differences, and they do not appear to follow discernible political or geographic lines.

Prayers. This should be here.

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Citing coronavirus, EPA suspends enforcement of environmental laws

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I want to thank Claudia Stallings our VP of Residential Sales who compiles this report monthly.

If you have any questions about this or any realty concerns feel free to contact me.
865-556-1276

Greg Mackay
Coldwell Banker Wallace

FDA authorizes 15-minute coronavirus test

The Department of Labor reported on Thursday that 3.28 million people filed for unemployment insurance last week, confirming that the economy is rapidly transitioning from strong activity to an unwelcome hibernation because of the coronavirus.
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It’s an economic hurricane, not a typical recession.
Perhaps a better analogy for the current downturn is not past recessions, but rather a natural disaster like Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Like the coronavirus, it caused an almost immediate shutdown of one economic region.

Unemployment claims (population in millions) -
Tennessee - 39,096 (6.79)
Kentucky - 48,847 (4.47)
Georgia - 11,746 (10.617)
Alabama - 9,490 (4.9)
North Carolina - 93,587 (10.49)

We will be sending donations directly to service industry professionals (including restaurant/bar/hotel/event/venue staff, retail staff, rideshare drivers, health/wellness service providers, etc) who are in emergency need of assistance based on a relief request list

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The stimulus package is offering small businesses S.B.A.-backed loans to pay for basic expenses. They would not have to repay portions that were spent on paying employees, a mortgage, rent or utilities. The banks lending the money would be reimbursed for those portions by the Treasury Department, which is receiving $377 billion to fund the program.

Small Businesses Will Get Help Paying Workers, if They Can Wait

DTV Host Michael Davis interviews Knox County Commission Democratic 1st District candidate Dasha Lundy and 5th District Candidate Kimberly Peterson on DTV this evening.

DTV airs at 7:30 PM tonight on the Community TV Channel which can be viewed on these cable channels:

AT&T Uverse: Channel 99
Comcast NBC Universal: Channel 12
WOW! Channel 6
Charter: Channel 193

and live streams at @ (link...)

Mayor Glenn Jacobs said on Friday that the Regional Forensic Center examined nine suspected suicide cases – eight of which are from within Knox County – in the past 48 hours alone.

Knox Co. seeing an increase in suspected suicides during coronavirus pandemic

NEW ORLEANS — City and state officials worked to finalize plans Wednesday to move homeless people off the streets and fill a 155-room hotel in the Central Business District. The general manager of the Hilton Garden Inn on Gravier Street confirmed the plan was to start moving people in groups of 35 from encampments and house and feed them for the next 30 days, using a mixture of federal, state, local and philanthropic funds.

The hotel is prepared to serve the guests three meals a day, clean their rooms daily and provide laundry service under the deal. He said the National Guard would deliver equipment and other supplies and police would help with security in every floor and at all exits to make sure the homeless guests remain isolated the whole time.

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The Kaiser Family Foundation reported the average cost for coronavirus treatment could be more than $20,000.

William Luking, a doctor in rural North Carolina who runs a clinic with his brother about 25 miles north of Greensboro, said he treated one of his regular patients last week who had a dry, hacking cough and trouble breathing. The longtime patient turned scarlet when Luking said he should go to the hospital.

Amid wheezing and a severe fever, Luking’s patient said he couldn’t afford that kind of care. He didn’t have insurance.

Coronavirus challenges states that rejected Medicaid expansion, leaves uninsured with few options

I was surprised to see restaurants that are still open for dine-in on this list

Here's a list of the Knoxville restaurants that are open during the coronavirus crisis