Amtrak wants to start a route between the two cities. The stops would Nashville International Airport, Murfreesboro, Tullahoma and Chattanooga.

Amtrak wants to connect Nashville to Atlanta

What could possibly go wrong?

The Virginia General Assembly has voted to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment, making it the 38th and final state needed for approval. Unfortunately, the extended deadline for states to act expired in 1982. Five states, including Tennessee, subsequently rescinded their approval. It's not clear what happens next, but we're guessing it will involve lawyers. Washington Post reports...

Bitter Southerner: In the mountains of East Tennessee, folks have a particular fondness for a sandwich that’s spent a few seconds in a Fresh-O-Matic steamer. Knoxvillians know that soft-bread love in their bones, but nobody seems to know exactly where it comes from. (link...)

The Knoxville City Council will hold a workshop on Thursday, January 23, 2020 at 5:30pm in the Main Assembly Room of the City-County Building. The workshop will focus on the process of filling an upcoming vacancy on City Council. Items for discussion will include the application process as well as the appointment process. Applications are not presently being accepted. The timeline and requirements for submitting applications will be determined at the workshop.

Press release...

NASHVILLE – For the first time since the TBI crime laboratories began keeping detailed statistics, methamphetamine eclipsed marijuana as the most-submitted drug in the state in 2019.

“Drug addiction continues to be a major issue in Tennessee, and I believe this sharp increase in methamphetamine has a connection to our state’s ongoing opioid epidemic,” said TBI Director David Rausch. “Drug abusers often flow from depressants to stimulants and back again. As more people struggle with opioid addiction many of them will – with time – seek out stimulants like methamphetamine.

Civic boosters were once convinced that planetariums and Tesla coils could revive American downtowns.

(link...)

Press release...

NOMINATIONS SOUGHT FOR AWARD-WORTHY NEIGHBORS

The City of Knoxville Office of Neighborhoods is now accepting nominations for its annual Diana Conn Good Neighbor of the Year Award, which Mayor Indya Kincannon will present at the Neighborhood Conference on Saturday, March 28. The deadline for submissions is 5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 17, 2020.

The award, named in honor of longtime Old Sevier Community Group member Diana Conn, who died in 2013, is given annually to a Knoxville resident who has devoted time and talent in service to their neighbors and neighborhood without care for recognition or public praise.

Tennessee Distracted driver accidents by county

I have heard twice now that people are saying that Stephanie Welch is supporting Tommy Smith for First District Council. I don't know how this got started but it's not true and it needs to stop Stephanie is NOT endorsing. She IS meeting with any candidate who asks her to do so, including Smith and Janice Tocher.

We already have a winner for the dumbest new product of the year...

The number of uninsured nonelderly Americans decreased from over 46.5 million in 2010 (the year the ACA was enacted) to just below 27 million in 2016.

For the second year in a row, the number of uninsured increased. In 2018, 27.9 million nonelderly individuals were uninsured, an increase of nearly 500,000 from 2017. Since 2016 when the number of uninsured reached historic lows, the number of people who lack health insurance coverage has grown by 1.2 million.

Key Facts about the Uninsured Population

The minimum wage in more than 20 states and 26 cities and counties across the United States will increase starting on Jan. 1, affecting more than half of the country's population and marking the greatest jurisdictional raise in U.S. history.

Minimum wage to increase in more than 20 states in 2020

The minimum wage is increasing in these 21 states

Happy New Year to you bizgrrl!

18 new Tennessee laws take effect starting Jan. 1

Interesting ...

Rep. Andy Holt, who sponsored the bill, says it allows people who didn’t have time for that 8 hour class, to legally carry a handgun.

“It’s a way to lower the barriers for individuals to, I think go ahead and be able to ascertain one of their constitutional rights, and that is the right to self protection,” said State Representative Andy Holt, (R) Tennessee, from District 76.

New Law Allows Gun Carry Permits without Hands-on Training

A new year, a new decade!

According to CNN's tally, he has spent at least 251 days at a Trump golf club and 332 days at a Trump property as President.

Trump spent 1 of 5 days at one of his golf clubs in 2019

Trump in 2011: The president 'plays golf to escape work while America goes down the drain'

Potential Impact of Texas v. U.S. Decision on Key Provisions of the Affordable Care Act

https://www.kff.org/health-reform/poll-finding/6-charts-about-public-opinion-on-the-affordable-care-act/

(link...)

Best wishes to all!