Blount County Zoning Regulations, TDOT Meeting, Feminist Futures

Blount County Huddlers Action Advisory

 

Rhea Morgan, Blount County Huddlers 

Week of September 12, 2021

ETE Politics/Local

 

(EAST TENNESSEE) –  Please note that two important local meetings are coming up. Thursday, Sept. 16^th, Blount County Commission will vote on a resolution to form an ad hoc committee to review/revise zoning regulations. See Action 1 for further details. On Tuesday, Sept 21^st, from 5-7 PM, TDOT will hold an in-person meeting at Heritage High School on the Pellissippi Parkway Extension. See the events list below for further details.

Actions for Week of September 12, 2021

1. Support Blount County Zoning Regulations Review – To support the formation of an ad hoc committee to review/revise zoning regulations in the county consider attending the BC Commission meeting on Thursday, Sept 16^th, at 6:30 PM in Room 430 of the Blount County Courthouse, 359 Court St. Maryville TN. You don’t need to speak, just showing up is impactful. You can also contact your commissioners via phone or email and ask them to support Resolution 21-09-019. To determine which district you’re in, see this map. For Commissioner phone numbers and email addresses visit the Commission website. You mail also send them an email via this contact form.

 

2. Participate in the Feminist Futures Series – The Women’s March Coalition is offering 8 interactive, political education webinars on Wednesday evenings from 7-8:15 PM beginning September 29^th. For more information and to register visit this website: https://www.mobilize.us/womensmarch/event/405870/ Individual webinar information is also listed in the events list below.

Good News!

1. 1. A federal judge threw out a 45-administration rule allowing the draining and filling of streams, marshes and wetlands.
   2. An appeals court blocked TN’s attempt to ban abortions at about 6 weeks, and based on certain reasons for seeking the procedure.
   3. EPA is restoring protections to Alaska’s Bristol Bay, which stops the construction of a gold mine that would  threaten the world’s largest sockeye salmon run.
   4. Iceland has started up the Orca Plant, which can suck 4000 tons of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere every year.
   5. TN has launched a new website for unclaimed money/property in the state. Visit this website to learn more.
   6. A federal judge blocked Florida’s anti-protest bill. Now someone needs to sue TN over theirs.

 

Educate Yourself

1. 1. The ex-prosecutor in the death of Ahmaud Arbery has been indicted for misconduct.
   2. Almost all juveniles whose cases were transferred to adult court in Memphis/Shelby County were African American.
   3. Did you know that only 53% of education funding in TN actually makes it to the classroom?
   4. Learn about why the Texas abortion law is terrible for the economy. Read about the corporations who funded the sponsors of the TX abortion ban. The US Dept. of Justice has sued TX over SB8, calling it a scheme to get around the constitutional rights of women. Justice Sotomayor wrote a scathing dissent of the SCOTUS decision allowing the ban to stand. Even Justice Breyer is speaking out. Critics have spoken out against Sen. Susan Collins for all the times she said Justice Kavanaugh wouldn’t gut Roe v Wade.
   5. Read about how San Francisco schools have had no COVID outbreaks (cluster of 3 or more cases) since they opened in August.

Upcoming Events

See & bookmark this calendar:  https://sites.google.com/view/wmcethuddle/calendar?authuser=0

Sept. 16^th, Thurs 10AM: Introduction of Knoxville’s First All-Electric Buses. Ashely Nicole Dream Playground in Caswell Park, 620 Winona St. Knoxville. Knoxville has a plan to completely electrify its transit buses by 2030, and it’s going about it in a very intelligent way.  Several other cities around the country are moving in this direction as well, but very few have set such a short timetable.  It helps that KAT is receiving a $4.8 million-dollar federal grant so taxpayers and farepayers locally aren’t stuck with significantly higher initial costs.  Ultimately the lower operating costs will create significant savings for the transit district. Buses really work hard, and the greenhouse impact of a polluting bus is as great as 25 cars.  Getting all buses electrified is a genuinely big climate benefit.

Sept. 16^th, Thurs 6:30 PM: Blount County Commission Meeting. To support the formation of an ad hoc committee to review/revise zoning regulations in the county (Resolution 21-09-019) consider attending the BC Commission meeting in Room 430 of the Blount County Courthouse,359 Court St. Maryville TN. You don’t need to speak, just showing up is impactful.

Sept 18^th, Sat 11AM-1PM:  Addressing Enrollment Gaps & Navigation for Underserved Communities. Increasing Equity & Access Through Insuring All Tennesseans Symposium. Sponsored by TN Health Care Campaign. For details and to register, visit this website.

Sept. 21^st, Tues 12-1PM: Redistricting Transparency and Engagement. Speaker is Jesse F. Mayshark, a reporter for Compass in Knoxville. Mr Mayshark will talk about best practices for an open, public process — and whether Tennessee’s state and local leaders are following them in 2021. Sponsored by League Women Voters TN. Join Zoom meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85643332510?pwd=dVVldlE2amRZSlZIWGpkMkFVK3M2QT09

Sept. 21^st, Tues 5-7 PM: TDOT Meeting on Pellissippi Parkway Extension. Location: Heritage High School. The meeting features a formal presentation followed by a short Q&A, starting at 5:30 PM. Then TDOT officials will chat one-one-one with attendees while reviewing project displays.  The public can make individual comments on the project design orally (recorded) or written (on their comment sheets).  In addition, TDOT will accept written comments mailed to Nashville within 21 days of the meeting. This is the last public meeting TDOT will hold before they can request formal authorization to move toward purchasing right-of-way for the project.

Sept. 25^th, Sat 11AM-1PM: Protecting TN’s Rural Hospitals. Increasing Equity & Access Through Insuring All Tennesseans Symposium. Sponsored by TN Health Care Campaign. For details and to register, visit this website.

Sept. 25^th, Sat 11AM-1PM: Dash for Trash. Volunteers will clean up areas of Maryville and Browns creek for one hour. Afterward, hang out at Blackberry Farm Brewery, 106 Everette Ave, Maryville TN 37804.

Sept. 25^th, Sat 11:45AM: BC-Alcoa NAACP Meeting. The agenda for the meeting includes updates from the Education Committee, participation in the 2021 State Conference, and consultation on other issues of concern.  Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88372593721 , Meeting ID: 883 7259 3721.

Sept. 25th, Sat 1PM: BC United Zoom Meeting. Rosa Saavedra from Bread for the World will speak about the racial equity scorecard – a tool for evaluating policy and advocating for racial equity. Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87443690382 , Meeting ID: 874 4369 0382.

Sept. 28^th, Tues 11:30AM-1PM: BEAC Luncheon Zoom Meeting. Contact bcecumenicalactioncouncil@gmail.com  for Zoom link. Dues are $20 per year.

Sept. 28^th, Tues 7-9PM: Seat at the Table. Location: Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church, 858 Louisville Road, Alcoa, TN 37701. ASATT brings people from diverse backgrounds together for conversation over a shared meal. Through a guided discussion, participants around the table share their stories and aspirations, listen closely to one another, form new friendships and discover how much they really have in common.  Because of COVID, participants are expected to be vaccinated and wear a mask during the conversational part of the evening. Physical distancing guidelines will also be followed. There is no charge to attend, but participants need to sign up no later than September 24 by calling 503-894-0187 or emailing ramaloha@hotmail.com .

Sept. 29^th, Wed 7-8:15PM: Feminist Futures Webinar: Feminism in Practice. Sponsored by Women’s March Coalition. For more information and to sign up visit here.

Sept. 30^th, Thurs 7-9PM: Maryville Huddle Meeting: Stigmas and Threats to Reproductive Health. Come learn about the advocacy work of Planned Parenthood in Tennessee. We’ll be talking about how SB8 and upcoming Supreme Court cases will have an effect on Tennessee, what to prepare for, and how to take action. Speaker is Ms. Max Carwile. After obtaining a degree in Women’s Studies at ETSU, Ms. Carwile has worked at Planned Parenthood in TN for more than 5 years, focusing on decreasing stigma around reproductive health topics, especially abortion, and helping the public be more informed and engaged around attacks on reproductive and sexual health care in the state legislature. Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89545888666?pwd=ZlMyQ2pBYVQwMG5pblNVdGt5RTdwUT09 .
Meeting ID: 895 4588 8666, Passcode: 061690. Facebook event: https://fb.me/e/DeKwIzRN

 

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