Skip to main content

February 2009

Briggs, Hammond: Move Fee Budgets to Commission

Submitted by Gene Patterson on February 27, 2009 - 11:38pm

Knox County Commissioners Mike Hammond and Richard Briggs say they'll bring legislation that would move all budget functions from the county's fee offices to County Commission.

The two appeared together on Tennessee This Week, which airs Sunday on WATE at noon.

Commissioner Hammond says he's had conversations with legal experts who believe an ordinance - approved by County Commission - would be enough to transfer the budget functions and would not require a change in the Knox County Charter.

Liberal Bias?

Submitted by Gene Patterson on February 26, 2009 - 2:11am

Interesting study on media bias out of Indiana University. We've heard about the "liberal" bias for so long that many take it for fact.

Maybe it's not. Here's a quote from an article by IU about the study:

Ethics Committee Acts

Submitted by Gene Patterson on February 24, 2009 - 10:37pm

The Knox County School Board's Ethics Committee has voted to publicly censure fellow Board member Bill Phillips. The measure passed unanimously.

Phillips pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault of his wife. The original complaint filed in the case stated that Phillips drew a gun on his wife and threatened her life.

Both he and his wife now dispute that report. Phillips claims a combination of medicines caused his behavior.

Petersen Announces Departure

Submitted by Gene Patterson on February 18, 2009 - 9:10pm

UT President Dr. John Petersen is resigning from the University of Tennessee.

In a joint announcement this afternoon, Petersen and Vice Chair of the UT Board of Trustees, Jim Murphy, said Petersen will leave his post effective June 30, and that Dr. Jan Simek, who most recently served as interim chancellor of UTK, will fill the post for up to two years - pending a vote of the Board.

A 4:30 news conference is scheduled at UT. WATE will carry it live.

More Speculation on Petersen

Submitted by Gene Patterson on February 18, 2009 - 2:50am

More speculation about UT President John Petersen and whether he will be retained by the Board of Trustees.

The Tennessean ran this story today. It offers nothing new, but allows the newspaper to stay out in front of the story - should it actually become a story.

We've been musing about the issue for weeks. Our sources say the decision has already been made, but so far Board Vice Chair Jim Murphy is keeping his cards close to his vest, saying no decision has been made.

About that Bankruptcy

Submitted by Gene Patterson on February 16, 2009 - 10:14pm

On Friday, Young Broadcasting, Inc. - the company that owns WATE, WKRN in Nashville, and a number of other TV stations around the country - filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection.

Since the announcement, a number of friends have called or visited with me about the repercussions - both to me personally, and to our operations at WATE.

The conversations have mostly started in hushed, pat on the back, it'll be fine tones.

"Is everything OK?" they ask in a whisper, as if someone had just died in the family.

The answer is, at least for now, yes.

Dr. Black on Stimulus Plan

Submitted by Gene Patterson on February 14, 2009 - 4:22am

UT Finance professor Dr. Harold Black weighs in on the latest stimulus package out of Washington on this week's Tennessee This Week.

He is not hopeful of its success.

Plus - Knox County Commissioner Mike Hammond talks about a four day work week for county employees and about running for County Mayor.

Mike Cohen and Cortney Piper join us for the final word.

Tennessee This Week airs on WATE on Sunday at noon

She's the Beatles of Basketball Coaches

Submitted by Gene Patterson on February 13, 2009 - 1:40am

I've been meaning to post about this since last Friday, the day Governor Bredesen visited Knoxville for a speech for the Chamber Partnership. It was also a day after UT Lady Vol Coach Pat Summitt won her 1,000th game.

Shovel Ready in Knoxville

Submitted by Gene Patterson on February 13, 2009 - 1:05am

Here you go. This from StimulusWatch.org -- there are $74,510,000 worth of "shovel-ready" Knoxville projects seeking a piece of the stimulus pie.

The top 5 - by cost - include:

Seen at State of the State

Submitted by Gene Patterson on February 10, 2009 - 10:42pm

-- Knox County Mayor Mike Ragsdale and Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam were both in the audience last night for Governor Bredesen's State of the State address.

For two men whose stars seem to be headed in different directions, you would not have known that from the attention they received from those on the House floor.

Both men were greeted warmly by a number of lawmakers.

-- UTK's new Chancellor Jimmy Cheek, also made the rounds last night. He was being escorted by UT V-P Hank Dye.