Good Monday morning!

I’m back in the saddle after two weeks of  “Back to School” schedule shuffling! It’s been an eventful summer, so I thought would fill you in on “there and everywhere” this morning.

While its been an exceptionally “newsworthy” summer here in Knox County, I typically cover community news and events. I so admire hard-hitting journalists who take on the “tough-stuff”, but that’s just never quite been my style. If you’ll recall part of my New Year’s resolution was to publish an article that I felt really defined my journalistic career. I feel that I was able to do that with this article- about 92 year old Gerry Kelley and her experience during WWII. I hope you’ll read it if you missed our Memorial Day edition. In other news…

I was thrilled to cover the upcoming 2013 Checkpoint Tracker Championship race to be held in Knoxville this Fall. Knox County Commissioner Mike Brown and I caught up at the press conference.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In other exciting South Knox news, I also attended the press conference announcing Blanchard & Calhoun Commercial Corporation’s $100 million investment into the South Waterfront. (Seen above with Knoxville City Councilman Nick Della Volpe- who happens to be up for re-election this Fall.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Knoxville City Councilman Marshall Stair and I did a little “politickin” at the Knoxville Chamber’s annual Peelin’,Eatin’, and Politickin’.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of the best “community news” stories of the summer was the completion of the new Carter Elementary School. Knox County Commissioner Dave Wright was kind enough to give me a tour.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I caught up with Knox County Commissioner Ed Shouse, and Republicans far and wide, at the Knox County Republican Picnic held at Fountain City Park.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We wound the summer down with a Back to School play-date held at our farm in Lenoir City. Our friends Knox County Commissioner Brad Anders, Jennifer, and Addie, along with, Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett, Kelly Kimball, and Isabel all came out for an afternoon of pony rides and pizza. Mayor Burchett (seen above) proves he’s an All-American cowboy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yesterday, I attended the Knoxville News Sentinel Open. Despite the rain, the tournament ended on a brilliant note and, of course, generously benefited a number of charities.  So there you have it folks, my favorite news and events of Summer 2013. Follow me here this Fall, I’m approaching it with great expectations. Go Vols!