The event is sponsored in part by Waste Management, US Bank, McCarty Holsaple McCarty, First Neighborhoods Realty, Fox & Fogarty, East Tennessee Community Design Center, and KBrew.
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Protest planned against unconstitutional demands to stop Knoxville performance
Written by Thomas FraserKNOXVILLE — A firewall is forming between those who plan to protest a Thursday night artistic performance and those who say the protestors are trying to stifle free speech and the right to self-expression.
Right-wing agitators plan an assembly protesting the performance of a “Drag Queen Christmas”, which has a curtain time of 7 p.m. at the Tennessee Theatre downtown on Thursday evening. Those at least tacitly supporting the demonstration include Farragut State Rep. Jason Zachary, who has invested a lot of time and taxpayer resources into his conviction that drag shows present a clear danger to the children of Tennessee. “Zachary is among the state legislators supporting a bill that would make it illegal to take minors to a drag show,” according to reporting from Knoxville Compass.
Meanwhile, children in state custody have slept on floors in random state offices for months.
The planned Gay Street protest against the performance has been amplified by right-wing notables such as “Nashville preacher Greg Locke, who has made international headlines for actions like a mass book burning and accusing members of his own congregation of being witches. Locke is an associate of Ken Peters, who leads the Christian nationalist Patriot Church in Lenoir City and is the driving force behind Thursday’s planned protest,” Compass reported.
Compass also reported that a heavy police presence is expected.
But some citizens have amped up their plans to counter the protest.
At least one digital flyer has made the rounds urging people to show up in support of free expression and human rights.
“We need numbers in front of the (Tennessee Theatre). And I mean right in front of it, on the sidewalk. We need folks willing to take the hateful heckles from fascists so that our community can safely enter, exit, and enjoy a fabulous event. I’m sure some folks on our side will have some entertaining things to say back to the haters as well,” according to one counter-protest flier.
“We might be outnumbered. Lots of shitty authoritarian theocrats are planning on coming,” added one organizer who asked that their name be withheld for personal security reasons.
Hellbender Press presents this information in accordance with its editorial imperative to defend human rights.
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Outdoor Afro founder Rue Mapp. Bethanie Hines via Revelator
Black people like nature, too. But you wouldn’t know it from looking at outdoor magazines before Outdoor Afro got started.
This story was originally published by The Revelator. There are Southeastern chapters of Outdoor Afro, including Knoxville.
If time and money weren’t an issue, what would you do?
That’s what Rue Mapp’s mentor asked her as she faced the completion of her college degree and an uncertain job market.
“I’d probably start a website to reconnect Black people to the outdoors,” Mapp replied, a story she recounts in her new book Nature Swagger. Soon after that she launched the blog Outdoor Afro, which began with stories of her own experiences in nature. It was inspired not just by her own love of the outdoors, but of a desire to increase the visibility of Black people enjoying those spaces.
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“Paying poll tax in a cafeteria.” University of North Texas
Vote. Learn. Participate. Now.
KNOXVILLE — There’s some good vibration in the city this week. Get involved. Get things done.
Vote
Tuesday, Nov. 8 offers you a chance to select candidates for elected offices that might jibe with your thoughts about ways to ensure a healthy future for you and your children.
The ballot in Knox County includes races for state representatives and governor of Tennessee, a local Congressional district race and a proposed state Constitution amendment to reduce union strength. Polls are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Here’s a Knoxville sample ballot. City public bus lines will offer free transportation to Knoxville voting sites on Nov. 8, according to a release from Knoxville Transit Authority.
Learn
Mayor Indya Kincannon plans to address the Tuesday, Nov. 8 opening session of an expansive alternative fuels conference centered at the University of Tennessee.
The Tennessee Sustainable Transportation Forum and Exposition runs through Wednesday, Nov. 9.
“The research, technology, planning, and policy developments shared at the Forum & Expo aim to improve transportation efficiency, reduce vehicle emissions, and address the mobility needs of all,” per a release from UT.
“The Forum & Expo speakers and panelists will address topics such as alternative fuels and advanced vehicle technologies; mobility and transportation justice, which includes issues of access to transportation, community displacement, and gentrification in sustainable transportation projects; and the intersections of transportation with public health and emergency response.”
Come kick some knowledge about your inevitable electric whip.
Participate
Keep Knoxville Beautiful leans into some hard issues Thursday at its annual summit, slugged this year as an “Urban Reconnection to Nature.”
Knoxville is a leader in connecting its urban heart to green arteries. This year’s KKB summit will focus on sustainable developments in three states.
“We will hear firsthand from experts in the field about equitable and sustainable parks, tree equity, urban canopy, and the renewal of communities. A local panel will bring these topics home to our city and region,” according to organizers. Doors open at 10:30 a.m. at the East Tennessee History Center on Gay Street and presentations begin at 11 a.m.; attendees should register for the event.
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Advance Knox envisions three trajectories for development in Knox County, wants your opinion by Oct. 31
Written by Wolf Naegeli
Advance Knox proposes three growth scenarios for the future of the unincorporated areas of Knox County.
If you missed the community meetings and the Zoom event during Advance Knox’s “Choices Week,” you can still take the survey online!
If you are unfamiliar with the Advance Knox project, you may find it helpful to watch the first 19 minutes of the Choices Week webinar recording before taking the survey.
“Advance Knox is a process to prepare a land use and transportation plan for Knox County that is informed by research and community input,” according to its website.
In March 2022, Advance Knox offered a first round of public input opportunities during its “Ideas Week.” As reported in Hellbender Press, community meetings were held all over the county. Participation opportunities at special group presentations, a Zoom webinar, and individual commenting on the website were similar to those of Choices Week.
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APIEL, the 13th Appalachian Public Interest and Environmental Law conference is set for Saturday, October 1
Written by Wolf Naegeli
ELO is a student-run organization at the University of Tennessee College of Law. It is not directly affiliated with the University of Tennesse or any particular non-profit organization. It is dedicated to providing students and attorneys with learning opportunities and leadership experiences.
Networking environmental leaders across Appalachia and the State of Tennessee
Knoxville — APIEL is a relative newcomer to the small circle of inclusive U.S. public interest environmental law conferences. Because it is organized by law school student volunteers, APIEL is affordable to attend for students as well as citizens from all walks of life.
APIEL is much loved and considered essential by regional nonprofit leaders and activists. It is also highly acclaimed by seasoned environmental lawyers. With just 12 conferences under its belt, APIEL has risen to rank among leading peer conferences with a much longer track record, such as the Public Interest Environmental Law Conference (PIELC) at the University of Oregon School of Law (39 events), the Red Clay Conference at the University of Georgia School of Law (34) and the Public Interest Environmental Conference (PIEC) at the University of Florida’s Levin College of Law (28).
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- public interest
- environmental law
- university of tennessee college of law
- environmental issue
- tva
- pipeline controversy
- natural gas
- climate change
- dean rivkin
- john m rosenberg
- public interest lawyering in appalachia
- continuing legal education tennessee
- appalachian public interest and environmental law conference
Updated with image — From Knoxville paper boy to owner of the NYT: Panel and plaque to highlight local roots of Adolph Ochs
Written by Thomas Fraser
KNOXVILLE — Adolph Ochs’s path to running The New York Times started in downtown Knoxville, and local organizations and educators will recognize the historical significance with a panel discussion and dedication of a historic plaque.
The East Tennessee chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists (ETSPJ); University of Tennessee School of Journalism and Electronic Media (UTJEM); Knoxville History Project; and Front Page Foundation (FPF) have teamed up for two events that are free and open to the public.
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Public comment: Environmental group leaders say TVA makes input difficult
Written by Dulce Torres Guzman
Scott Banbury with the Tennessee Chapter of the Sierra Club said a handout provided at TVA’s Aug. 30 listening session stated recordings of the meeting were not allowed; a TVA spokesperson said recordings are, in fact, allowed. Flyer provided by Scott Banbury
Is TVA trying to gag its critics?
This story was originally published by Tennessee Lookout.
KNOXVILLE — While the Tennessee Valley Authority, a utility company that provides power to millions in Tennessee and other states, allows for public input into decisions, the process isn’t simple or transparent, say some regular attendees.
Take, for instance, a recent public listening session: representatives of the Tennessee Chapter of the Sierra Club say they were told they could not record the session despite a spokesman for TVA saying the opposite.
According to TVA spokesperson Scott Brooks, attendees are always allowed to record public meetings, provided they don’t cause a disturbance, but minutes before the session, members of the Tennessee chapter of the Sierra Club were prohibited from doing so.
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Coral, waste, water and weeds: Environmental vignettes from a UT journalism class
Written by Kaylee Walper, Mallory DeVore, Grace Ellison, Kathryn Kavanagh
An empty Circle Park is seen in April. The park is adjacent to the UT School of Journalism and Electronic Media. Steven Bridges/University of Tennessee
Everybody has a story about the natural environment. Look around, and into yourself.
University of Tennessee journalism professor Mark Littmann asks students in his environmental writing class every semester to write short sketches about environmental issues they may observe during any given day. Such an assignment requires an almost poetical approach. Here's a sampling from spring semester.
A reef of bones
Huge schools of rainbow-colored fish weave through the brightly colored corals as Sir David Attenborough describes a day in the life of a fish on the television screen. A little girl is mesmerized; this is no Disney fantasy but real life. The nature shows on Animal Planet capture her imagination and soon mornings and afternoons are spent watching big cats and meerkats navigate the wild spaces they call home. She finds an instant favorite in the book “The Rainbow Fish” and celebrates turning four with a sparkly rainbow fish cake, hand decorated with sprees for rainbow scales. She insists someday she will swim among the fish in their magical undersea world.
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Cherokee tribal council member, historian and ethnographer Will West Long holds a traditional Cherokee mask, which he often recreated. He was an active chronicler of Cherokee custom, heritage and tradition and died in 1947 on the Qualla Reservation in Swain County, North Carolina. WikiCommons
As plans gel for massive new developments, has the Eastern Band lost its ancient way?
SEVIERVILLE — The Tennessee Department of Transportation is eyeing a second interchange for exit 407 at Highway 66 along Interstate I-40 in Sevier County.
Exit 407, already one of the most congested interchanges in Southern Appalachia, accesses the main highway to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the most visited national park in the nation. The park reported a record 14 million visitors in 2021.
The exit also serves crowds flocking to Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg.
But the new interchange would primarily serve a 200-acre development to be called Exit 407: The Gateway to Adventure.
Scheduled to open spring 2023, and fully operational in 2024, it’s expected to attract 6.7 million people annually. The first phase includes a theme park and a 74,000-square-foot convenience store with 120 gas pumps, making it the world’s largest such store.
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- exit 407
- eastern band of cherokee indians
- cherokee
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- world's largest convenience store
- cherokee, nc
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- theme park at exit 407
- cherokee 'the right way'
- great smoky mountains national park
- great smokies visitation
- sevier county
- swain county
- cherokee casino
- when will buc'ees open in sevier county
- buc'ees beef jerky
- trail of tears
- pigeon forge
- gatlinburg, tn
- traffic in smokies
- traffic in sevier county
- will west long
- cherokee tradition
- cherokee heritage
- what was cherokee's connection to the environment
- rick vaughan
- hellbender press cherokee
- i40 exit for smoky mountain
- did cherokee hunt mastodon?
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Report Card for U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge Operations: Failing grades in stakeholder engagement and environmental decision making
Written by Virginia Dale
Editor’s note: As reported in Hellbender Press, the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management (OREM) was reprimanded by the Southern Environmental Law Center for neglecting its duty to follow guidelines and proper procedures mandated by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Of immediate concern was OREM’s pretext and information — or specifically lack of pertinent information — released ahead of the public meeting on May 17, 2022 about its project for a new “Environmental Management Disposal Facility” (EMDF).
With regard to NEPA compliance, Oak Ridge Operations has been the black sheep in DOE’s stable because it never prepared the required site-wide environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR). At said public meeting, Virginia Dale, Corporate Fellow Emeritus of Oak Ridge National Laboratory, commented on another tangent of shortcomings — not spelled out by Federal law — but matters of common sense, competent decision making and good community spirit.
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- environmental management disposal facility
- emdf
- oak ridge office of environmental management
- orem
- national environmental policy act
- nepa
- bear creek valley
- oak ridge reservation
- us department of energy
- doe
- virginia dale
- oak ridge
- national science foundation
- nsf
- stakeholder
- stakeholder engagement
- environmental decision making
- waste acceptance criteria
- wac
- bear creek
- ground water characterization
- end use working group
- tennessee water quality control act
- comprehensive environmental response, compensation and liability act
- cercla
Foundation for Global Sustainability appeals to Knox County Commission to preserve the Dry Hollow heritage area in South Knox County
Written by FGSDear Commissioner {last-name}:
We implore you to vote against the request to strip the Agricultural zoning from the core area of the historic Twin Springs Farm in Dry Hollow.
(11-B-21-SP & 11-F-21-RZ Request of Thunder Mountain Properties, LLC for rezoning from A (Agricultural) ... Property located at 8802 Sevierville Pike and 0 Dry Hollow Road.)
This property is an integral part of a forgotten Knox County heritage area that has unique historical, cultural, economic and ecological values.
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The Tennessee Valley Authority's fossil plant at Kingston. TVASouthern Alliance for Clean Energy: TVA is not coming clean in Congressional inquiries
KNOXVILLE — On Jan. 13, the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce sent a letter to the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) requesting information regarding business practices that appear inconsistent with TVA’s statutory requirement to provide low-cost power to residents of the Tennessee Valley.
TVA’s response to the committee’s 16 questions dodges some of the committee members’ key concerns and provides misleading information on several issues, including:
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Something is rotten in Russia
Written by Thomas Fraser
Menacing military buildup on Ukraine borders and Orwellian denials could snuff peaceful scientific cooperation
OAK RIDGE — I went to Russia in 2000 on one of the most extraordinary trips of my life. It was a long time ago, and a generation has passed, but I was left with many enduring and positive impressions of the country and its people.
The newspaper I worked for, The Daily Times in Maryville, paid for my trip to Moscow, then to Siberia, (and back again, to my surprise) to cover a contingent of Blount County politicos/bureaucrats and Oak Ridge DOE types visiting a far eastern Russian town, Zheleznogorsk, that had long been home to both nuclear and chemical weapons processing facilities.
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