Weekly Crop Comments, April 1, 2013
Price Change US Dollar 83.18 +0.65 Crude 97.23 +3.52 Dow 14,579 +67 Cotton prices are up while corn, soybean, and wheat prices are down for the shortened trading week. Grain markets responded negatively March 28 to the bearish grain stocks reports led mainly by surprisingly bearish corn stocks. Follow through electronic trading April 1 indicates […]
More Open Meeting Act Violation Complaints
The Jefferson County Commission may have cause for concern regarding an alleged Open Meeting Act violation following their March 18, 2013 meeting. In a letter addressed to Jefferson County Commission Chairman Mills and Nominating Committee Chairman Tucker, Open Records Counsel for the State of Tennessee, Elisha Hodge, addressed a complaint that had been filed regarding […]
Town of Dandridge Regional Planning Commission Regular Meeting, March 28, 2013
New Business 1. Stuart Anderson of George Ewart Architects, West Price Road, Medical Facility – 17445 square foot building, on 4 acres with 115 parking spaces to house 12 professionals (doctors). (Approved) 2. The Point Resort, 1376 Penninsula Lane, Site Plan Review – RV hookup sites, 30 sites this summer and 30 sites next year, […]
Unemployment Insurance Program Plagued by Overpayments and Delayed Benefits
The $1.2 billion unemployment insurance program administered by the state’s Department of Labor and Workforce Development has made overpayments exceeding $73 million due to fraud and errors over the last six years. State auditors found that the department’s internal controls for the program were ineffective or non-existent, resulting in overpayments of claims due to fraud […]
Cool Disregard Over Recent North Korean Threats
The most recent volley of threats issued by North Korea against South Korea and the United States has been met with cool disregard. The dictator-led North Korea has frequently been assuring allied nations that any war that erupts in the area will not be confined to the local area, but will be escalated to an […]
Jefferson County EDOC March 2013 Meeting
Jefferson County Economic Development Oversight Committee (EDOC) released draft minutes from their March meeting held March 18, 2013. Minutes from the meeting have not been presented to the Committee for approval, though Don Cason, Director of the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce and EDOC employee, did review the minutes prior to release. Following the presentation […]
Jefferson County Planning Commission Approves Body Farm Guidelines
The Jefferson County Board of Zoning Appeals held their meeting prior to the Regular Meeting of the Jefferson County Planning Commission on Tuesday, March 26, 2013 in the Historic Jefferson County Courthouse. The BZA Meeting was Called to Order by Chairman of the Board Reneau. Upon a Motion from Board Member Batson and 2nd from […]
Two Dandridge Arrests Part of Multi-State Drug Operation
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department, in conjunction with the 4th Judicial Drug Task Force, made two arrests on Monday, March 25, 2013. Arthur Jackson “Jack” Scarlett of 525 W. Hwy. 2570, Dandridge, and Lisa Michele Tipton of 1729 Haire Rd., Dandridge, face federal drug charges for conspiracy to distribute and possession of oxycodone. Jefferson County […]
Vick vs. Jefferson County Board of Education Ordered to Mediation
A hearing was held March 19, 2013 in Hawkins County Circuit Court with the Judge Tom Wright presiding. Judge Wright was assigned the case after Judge Telford Forgety recused himself. Attorney Jonathan Taylor of Taylor and Knight, Knoxville, TN represented JCBOE at the hearing. He requested a summary judgment for the school board arguing that […]
Hamblen County Driver Services Center Will Close March 28, Relocate to New Facility on April 1
The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security announced today that the Hamblen County Driver Services Center is relocating to a new facility in Morristown. The current driver services center, located at 1901 State St. in Morristown, will permanently close at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 27. The new center, located at 2567 Buffalo Trail, […]
Governor Haslam Observes Milestone Anniversary to Recognize Vietnam Veterans
Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and Department of Veterans Affairs Commissioner Many-Bears Grinder formally recognized and remembered Vietnam Veterans leading into the 40th anniversary of the withdrawal of troops. On March 30, 1973, President Richard Nixon began withdrawing combat troops from Vietnam. Between 1961 and 1975, more than 49,000 Tennesseans served in Southeast Asia. Approximately 6,000 […]
State Archivists to Visit Morristown and Dandridge in Search of Civil War Memorabilia
Representatives from the Tennessee State Library and Archives and the Tennessee State Museum will be in Morristown on March 26 and Dandridge on March 27 to record and digitize Civil War memorabilia owned by local residents for a new exhibit. Archivists will be at the Morristown-Hamblen Library in Morristown from 3:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. […]
Senate Budget Misses the Mark
U.S. Senator Bob Corker, R-Tenn., last week opposed final passage of the Senate budget because it fails to address the biggest drivers of our debt—Medicare, Social Security and Medicaid—in an honest, meaningful way. “On top of adding $7.3 trillion to the national debt over the next decade, the Senate budget does nothing to reform and save our […]
Tenn. Tea Party Groups Reject Lamar Alexander’s Push For National Internet Sales Tax Mandate
Conservative and Tea Party groups across the state of Tennessee have signed a resolution condemning Senator Lamar Alexander, Governor Bill Haslam, and Senator Bob Corker’s push for a national Internet sales tax scheme, known as the “Marketplace Fairness Act” (MFA). Sources close to the Campaign for Liberty indicate that language contained in the Act will […]
Former Senior Counterterrorism Officials Testify in Foreign Relations Committee that 2001 Authorities Need Review
During a hearing on U.S. counterterrorism policies on Wednesday, U.S. Senator Bob Corker, R-Tenn., ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, called upon Congress to consider updating the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) against al Qaeda in order to address new and emerging terrorist threats and to better protect the American […]
Worth Of A Penny Expected To Drop In Jefferson County
Jefferson County will see a decrease in the property tax worth of a penny in the coming fiscal year, according to information provided to the Jefferson County Budget Committee. Property Tax Assessor Susan Gass addressed the Committee regarding the issue last week, informing them that the tax worth of a penny is expected to drop […]
