Another fireworks seller is advertising in the Roane County News that he will pay the sales tax on all purchases.

Remember that there is no sales tax on fireworks at the West Roane County Volunteer Fire Department (WRCVFD) sale in the Wal-Mart parking lot. WRCVFD is an IRS 501(c)(3) charity and under Tennessee law does not collect sales tax on sales in its fireworks tent.

Link...

EPA APPROVES PLAN FOR DISPOSAL OF COAL ASH FROM TVA KINGSTON SITE TO THE ARROWHEAD LANDFILL IN PERRY COUNTY, ALABAMA

The presser is after the jump and the FAQ on Perry, AL is attached.

Here's a case in point that's close to home. In the Constable Patton case:

Lawyer: Testimony clears client of charges

Even Chris Cawood didn't say that. he said the charges should be dismissed beause of the state laws against self incriminatioin. It should say something like, "Sure he's probably guilty of felonies but you can't prosecute him because he as much as admitted it in court." I call that different from being "cleared" which has false implications of innocence.

Interesting.... missing inspection notes.... an inspector that NEVER performed inspections on these types of facilities.... & "TVA Media" that reviews and makes chages to the wording of an inspection, including omitting the word "immediatly" regarding the urgency of needed repairs.....

Knoxville New Sentinal:

Inspection notes missing in TVA fly ash oversight

Engineer's paperwork from last visit before spill are gone

Link...

Thanks! Every little bit helps. Now about that $500 Million in economic damage to Roane County...(We may up that number as we learn more)

Link...

That's the one thing new that I learned at the LTRC presentation by TVA. The ash pond really was a pond to start with. Watts Bar Lake, actually. The unstable layer of sediment and ash came from the ash being filtered through an area that was diked off from the rest of the lake. No explaination as to where the fine clay sediment that was mixed in came from, but it would stand to reason that it was runoff from TVA construction.

It's like saying "We slipped on a banana peel, and yes, we were eating bananas just before this terrible tragedy."

We're going to miss Zach Wamp...

Former Tennessee Republican chairwoman Robin Smith said Wednesday that a state GOP news release that used Barack Obama's middle name, "Hussein," and showed him in traditional African clothing should not be used to question her leadership during her run for Congress.

...asked about the Web site news release and the GOP's tactics while she headed the state party in 2008. She called the question "unprofessional" and said it was "liberal media" trying to embarrass her.

http://blogs.knoxnews.com/knx/humphrey/2009/07/robin-smith-officially-running.html

Here are the bullet points of my testimony to the Congressional Field Hearing. I have come to the conclusion that we need to craft a solid list of things we have to have to set right Roane County and its people. What needs changing?

This is the 182 day of this year. Only 183 left to go before we fritter away 2009. On this date in 1956 Elvis sang Hound Dog to an actual hound dog on the Ed Sullivan show. I saw that... and this too. (As far as I know, there were only two channels in North Carolina at the time. Try explaining that to you kids)

...But it's still unbroken. We're waiting for the details from Sarah and Dennis on a new arrival in Swan Pond.

The schedule for "Yonder Hollow" July 3rd

Nashville based Liberadio(!) performed great service in covering the the World's Most Dangerous Legislative Session (to steal a phrase from my hilarious friend in Texas).

Mary Mancini and Freddie O'Connell were in the trenches during several of the big fights with insightful and very accurate reports of what really goes on in that balogna factory in the bowells of Legislative Plaza. Recently they've honed in on the Voter Confidence Act shenanigans asking, "Why, exactly, do Republicans not want paper ballots or verifiable voting in Tennessee?" Explore that and other issues that concern not just Democrats but All Tennesseans.

Link...

I congratulate Al Franken on his victory

Norm Coleman

With all the hoopla in the news about who gets custody of the "King of Pop" children drowning out the other news, you might have missed the fact that there has been another beef recall. This time 380,000 pounds, which any way you grind it, it is a heck of a lot of cows that had wasted lives.

If the ground beef was contaminated with E-coli, one can only imagine what little pathogens went into the all beef "tube steaks." This fourth of July, I think I will focus more on the blackberry cobbler, and ignore the stuff sizzling on the grill.

This is going to be interesting...

Link...

Wow! Some really famous guests are already lined up...

Nashville-Based Liberal Talk Radio Show Launches New Daily Internet Show

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (June 30, 2009) -- For over four years, Liberadio(!) with Mary Mancini and Freddie O'Connell has broadcast on Vanderbilt University's WRVU 91.1 FM for two hours, one day per week. Beginning Wednesday, July 1, the popular talk radio show will expand to include an additional live hour every Tuesday through Friday from 9:00 to 10:00 am (CT) on BlogTalkRadio.

I have to think that conduct such as this would get you fired from virtually any position, anywhere. Why should it be tolerated from an officer of the Court?

Farmer testified that Patton repeatedly "flipped the bird" toward him, glared at him in a threatening manner and used "very abusive language" during various encounters.

Link...

Hello all:

First, I would like to thank those of you who were able to come out on Thursday, June 25, 2009, for the informational meeting regarding the CAG; I thank you for your interest in the CAG process and look forward to working with the community in forming a CAG; as the general consensus of those communities members present at the meeting is that they would like to form a CAG.

Second, in light of the decision to form a CAG, I would like to give those who were unable to attend the meeting an opportunity to learn about the CAG and to have any questions you may have answered.

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I am seriously disappointed in the bad numbers I keep seeing in Tennessee's big newspapers. Get it right, people, and don't let TVA or anybosy else blow smoke up your digital recorder. Check their numbers. How many errors can you find in this?

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Randy has posted an amazing slide show on his bear experience...

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Wow!

Herons, commorants, tree swallows at risk from fly ash... Link...

TVA COO Bill McCollum...

"Going forward though, there are a number of challenges that would indicate that the cost of coal generation is likely to be much higher in the future."

Wrong, sir...The cost of coal has ALWAYS been too high...TVA and National Coal simply haven't been paying the real bill for coal, passing it along to the rest of us. The collateral damage to our land and health isn't even figured in, but I have just seen a solid calculation that the economic damage to Roane County will top one Billion dollars before we are restored. It may run much higher, just like the cleanup cost keeps growing as TVA faces reality on the ground.

The Times Free Press

Ray Collett sends this heads up...

WYSHTV.com is a link to Oak Ridge TV station. It features Roane County News Monday through Friday around 5:30...On Sat. at 8 pm again at 11pm...Sunday at 9 pm and Monday at 3pm. The Ciderville Farm and Home Hour is on...This show is similiar to the old Cas Walker shows featuring David West and local entertainment..A Cas Walker imitator is also there bring back a lot of memories....I was lucky enough to play on tonight's show with Ron Collins and friends...Tune it in.......Ray

Roane County needs some representation that gets it, somehow:

Link...

Every so often someone shows the grace and honor that makes us all proud and humble:

I detest the sports image of baseball that has a famous manager screaming infantilisms in an umpire's face. I have never taken my children to a professional baseball game for that reason. I wish I could have sat with them at this women's softball game, however. I do not believe that "Winning is the ONLY thing" and that if you will do anything to win, you are actually a loser. I also believe, silly me, that there is goodness in the world...

Some tissues may be required

Here's the official notice. The scope of this initiative is to give community input into the cleanup process itself. There are reams of technical papers generated and the grant is primarily to allow the hiring of an "interpreter" to stay on top of everything and tell us in plain language what is going on and whether it is good or bad.

Applications Sought From Community Groups for $50,000 Technical Assistance Plan Grant for Kingston Cleanup

It turns out that besides rotting teeth and contributing to user obesity, Coca Cola has a beneficial use for gardeners. According to a recent news item in an agricultural journal, many farmers in India have been using Coca-Cola as a pesticide for at least five years. Britains's Guardian reported that Gotu Laxmaiah, a farmer from Andra Pradesh is delighted with his cola spray. "I observed that the pests began to die after the soft drink was sprayed on my cotton," he said. He and others say their cola spray is invaluable because it does not need to be diluted, is many times cheaper than conventional pesticides, and is safer to handle by a country mile.