Ruth Holloway Maryville Huddle Women’s March MARYVILLE, TN (July 18, 2021) – If you were unable to attend the June Huddle Meeting, a recording of the presentation is available here and on our Facebook page: https://fb.watch/v/1TJEsHs7L/ Actions for Week of July 18, 2021 TN Top Vaccine Official Fired – Dr. Michelle Fiscus was fired…
Tennessee state officials placed a moratorium on state-coordinated immunization promotions for children before going back to school, while also having one of the lowest COVID vaccination rates in the nation. By Marta W. Aldrich, Chalkbeat Tennessee TENNESSEE (July 15, 2021) – Tennessee’s decision to halt all vaccine outreach for children and adolescents preparing to head…
POLITICS:Local/State Actions for Week of July 11, 2021 Rhea Morgan, Political Activist Blount County Get to know your local county government. A calendar of meetings (with agendas and minutes) are posted online for Blount County. Find your County Commissioners. Note: July 13th Redistricting Committee meeting was canceled Support Coal Ash Disposal Bill – Rep. Cohen of Memphis has introduced in the House…
KNOXVILLE, TN (July 8, 2021) – Knoxville families and interested stakeholders are invited to join the Block Party downtown, near the site of a proposed multi-use stadium. Partners, stakeholders and designers will have information on hand to describe the proposed concepts of the multi-use stadium. Make plans to drop in at the city-owned parking lot…
My Campaign Kick-off is tomorrow! Sunday, June 27, 5-7 pm at Knoxville Municipal Golf Course, 3925 Schaad Rd, Knoxville. Four years ago, I was a political newcomer and an immigrant whose name was usually mispronounced when introduced at candidate forums. The conventional wisdom was that I would not win this City Council seat. So I…
In a country that typically separates incarcerated people from their newborns, the eight states with prison nurseries seemed groundbreaking. Minnesota introduced an entirely new solution. Jean Lee Reporting Fellow Published June 11, 2021 In June 2014, Autumn Mason gave birth while incarcerated in Shakopee Correctional Facility, Minnesota’s only women’s prison. She was arrested for criminal vehicular operation…
EDUCATION/Schools Julia Baker, Chalkbeat Tennessee Jun 21, 6:16pm CDT Teachers hoping to challenge a new Tennessee law limiting discussions on institutional racism, white privilege, and bias in the classroom were encouraged to document instances when their lessons or classroom discussions are limited, and students should note when they feel silenced in the classroom. These…
The City Council Movement (CCM) builds on its 2017 and 2019 victories with competitive candidates in Knoxville’s 2021 City Council contests. The City Council Movement is proud to announce endorsements for the 2021 Knoxville City Council elections. CCM is endorsing three candidates in three districts: David Hayes for City Council District 1, Jen McMahon for…
NATIONWIDE (May 4, 2021) – Every 10 years, population counts from the decennial census determine how many seats each state gets in the U.S. House of Representatives. The Census Bureau is hosting a live Twitter chat on May 7, 2021, at 1 p.m. ET to answer your questions about what apportionment is and how it relates to…
KINCANNON BUDGET: FUNDING COMMITTED TO FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE, PROMOTE RESILIENCY KNOXVILLE, TN (April 30, 2021) – Mayor Indya Kincannon’s proposed budget reflects feedback from the Mayor’s Climate Council on the importance of transportation electrification. Mayor Kincannon’s proposed budget will be presented for first reading at City Council on Tuesday, May 4. Legislative budget hearings are scheduled…
News/State/Schools By Marta W. Aldrich TENNESSEE (Mar 23, 2021) – For years, one faction of Tennessee’s education community has argued that more money is the answer to improving schools, while another has championed giving families more choices through programs like charter schools and vouchers. Now the first faction is about to get its wish, and the…
“Today, we feel a sigh of relief. Still, it cannot take away the pain. A measure of justice isn’t the same as equal justice. This verdict brings us a step closer. And, the fact is, we still have work to do. We still must reform the system. Last summer, together with Senator Cory Booker and…
Public Notice: On account of Governor Lee’s Executive Order # 78 expiring on Wednesday, April 28th, 2021; the Knoxville City Council will resume traditional in-person meetings. Below are dates of in-person meetings the City Council and Beer Board will have in the coming weeks. All meetings listed here will be in the Main Assembly Room…
KNOXVILLE, TN (April 20, 2021) – The East Tennessee Enlightener has joined a local media coalition in a motion for the release of the KPD bodycam footage of the officer-involved shooting death of a student at Austin-East High School. District attorney general Charme Allen has optioned to not release bodycam videos at this time and…
Ruth Holloway Maryville Huddle Women’s March Progressive Mandates Week of April 18, 2021 The Zoom Redistricting meeting on Wed, April 21, at 7PM. is of the utmost important event to attend this week. See details in the Events list below. It is just one of many interesting events happening this week! Blount County JOBS FAIR,…
The images of Georgia Rep. Park Cannon being dragged away from the state Capitol follows several arrests in recent years involving elected Black women. Black women on the receiving end say it’s an effort to silence their growing political power. Barbara Rodriguez 19th News, Statehouses Reporter March 26, 2021 When Attica Scott…
‘This is the first litmus test’: Andrea Young of the ACLU of Georgia on corporations and voting rights. The civil rights group’s executive director talks to The 19th about holding corporations accountable for political donations, the importance of women activists and Atlanta. Barbara Rodriguez, Statehouses Reporter The 19th News (April 7, 2021) Andrea Young thinks about…
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (September 14, 2020) — The Knox County Parks and Recreation Department plans to build 10 new dog parks within the next couple of years thanks to a grant program initiated and funded under the Boyd Family Foundation. The non-profit Knox Neighborhood Dog Parks (KNDP) grant plan was established in 2020 to support animal…
OP-ED Citizen’s Voice By Axel C. Ringe, Tennessee Chapter Sierra Club As you all know, Randy Boyd (UT president, etc.) wishes to build a baseball stadium for his minor league team next to the Old City in downtown Knoxville. He would like Knoxville to pay for at least part of it. The Knoxville and Knox County mayors…
On Friday, Feb. 19, the city mayor, City Council members, senior City staff, State Representatives, and Senators who represent Knox County legislative districts will meet for the annual legislative planning session. The public can follow virtually. KNOXVILLE, TN (February 2021) – The annual Budget Retreat is a public meeting that will be conducted via Zoom in…
The following open letter was delivered to the named recipients on Thursday, February 4, 2021, the day of the regularly scheduled City Council meeting when the matter was on the agenda. Prior to the meeting, there was a release stating that ‘no public comments’ would be allowed, which restricted public/citizen input. The organizations signed below…
Today, Friday, February 5, 2021, Tennessee Senator Raumesh Akbari will deliver a pre-buttal to Governor Lee’s State of the State. The pre-buttal will tell the truth of where our state is and what Democrats are prioritizing this legislative session. Senator Raumesh Akbari will call on the Governor and Republicans in the legislature to improve the…
Rhea Morgan, Contributor February 1, 2020 Although challenges, crises, and controversies remain, a new era has begun. for the Huddle. You will see this pivot reflected in the Good News and Educate Yourself sections below. Some great ideas are emerging on the federal level and we look forward to supporting their enactment. On the state and…
The Women’s Coalition/Maryville Huddle provides accurate information that impacts the daily lives of all Tennesseans; the voting position of Tennessee and Federal elected officials and encourages citizens to connect with their elected officials. Blount County, TN – The Maryville Huddle group monitors legislation as it passes through the TN General Assembly, which usually meets between January…
Submitted by the Maryville Huddlers BLOUNT COUNTY, (January 17, 2021) – The Daily Times reported this past week that Blount County Election Commission is considering replacing 31 precinct voting sites with 10-15 “convenience” voting locations on the next election day. This change does not affect early voting. This proposal would allow voters to vote at any of the new 10-15…