Knox County Commission meeting

Once again Knox County Commission delayed a vote on the parking garage situation, this time by at least another 60 days. Separate letters and reports have come in from various sources, but the committee has yet to get its act together (appears to be another sheriff-not-cooperating problem). I criticized this pattern earlier at the Alice Bell Spring Hill neighborhood association meeting in front of my opponent. Apparently he took the clue yesterday, and questioned the sheriff's representative and was one of five voting against delay. A step forward, but now if we only had a commissioner who led rather than followed on this issue...

Knoxville Marathon

It was a cold and clear Sunday morning, perfect for a run. I joined the folks in Fourth & Gill. Applause, cowbells, tambourines and folks in funny hats greeted the Knoxville Marathon runners as they passed. I walked part of the route and once again got a nice welcome from all the event viewers on their porches and on the sidewalk (Photos courtesy Carla).

Two Neighborhood Gatherings

Monday night, March 20th, Mark dropped in on the Alice Bell / Spring Hill Neighborhood Association. Crime and traffic were the major concerns. Mark joined the conversation on traffic calming and what is happening in other neighborhoods. Mark's 3 "s" issues--Schools (better support), Sprawl (work against it), and Sheriff (hold accountable) were very popular.

Tuesday night, March 21st, Mark visited the Fourth & Gill neighborhood potluck. The "Three S" message once again was popular, but the real hit items were Becky's oatmeal raisin cookies [still warm out of the oven].

Ice Bears Hockey

A break from campaigning, March 17th. Congratulations to the Knoxville Ice Bears, Southern Professional Hockey League regular season champs for the second straight year.

Fountain City Town Hall

Fountain City Town Hall had a very good gathering on Monday, March 13, 2006, at the Church of the Good Shepherd, 5337 Jacksboro Pike (just up the street from Central High). Town Hall member Mark Campen (who is also with the Isaak Walton League) addressed First Creek pollution. The pollutants include sediments, oil, and litter. I asked about how curbside recycling might help. Campen said that's possible, but better recycling is a good thing on its own merits. There will be a volunteer clean-up along First Creek on Earth Day, Saturday, April 22, meeting at 10 am at the Broadway Shopping Center.

Web Site, News Sentinel misses the story

As of Thursday, March 9th, this was the entire web site of my opponent. Yet, somehow this merited attention in the News Sentinel of March 8th, and www.electmarkharmon.com did not. The author of the article is Michael Silence, silence@knews.com. You may want to let him know that his failure to call the challenger or find his site was poor journalism.

Forum on Disability Issues

Mark Harmon spoke out on several issues at the Town Hall Forum: “Your Voice, Your Vote!” on Wednesday, March 8th from 5 to 6:30 pm at the City County Building's Large Assembly Room. (Look for the replay on Comcast cable access). The forum was presented by the Knox County Vote! Campaign in collaboration with the City of Knoxville's Mayor’s Council on Disability Issues and Sponsored by the Tennessee Disability Coalition http://www.tndisability.org. Mark encouraged the County to do better in listing county jobs with UT's offices handling disability services. He also spoke out for free public transit rides to early voting sites for persons with disabilities.

Remember, as the conference organizers have said, your voice is important; your vote is crucial. As Justin Dart, well-known advocate for the disability rights movement said, “Vote as if your life depends on it; because it DOES!”

For information, and reasonable accommodations Including requests for ASL Interpreters, Contact Cynthia Andresen (865) 539-7249 Or Pat Carson (865) 215-2952.