TVA board member abruptly steps down

Resignation submitted amid inquiry by News Sentinel

Link: (link...)

I received a call from the law firm of Weitz and Luxenburg today. They are the law firm that works with Erin Brokovih. They will be at Roane State Community College on April 15 at 7 P.M. They will be in the Dunbar Building in the cafeteria. They are representing both property owners and "not" property owners. They invite everyone who has questions to attend. Also, if you have any questions that you want to present before the meeting, you can forward them to me and I will call Nellie Barnard in New York and give her the questions.

The last couple of days I have been communicating with a resident of Swan Pond Circle. His name is Jack Arp. Jack and his family were relocated by TVA not long after the disaster. Shortly after that, they were told that TVA would no longer foot the bill for the hotel they were staying in.
Today, I went to Jack's home and talked to him.
Jack and his wife are very sick. Since they were forced to move back home, Jack has lived alone. His wife of 25 years lives in Oliver Springs with relatives. She has cardiac problems and is on oxygen. She is waiting on a heart transplant.
Jack also has existing medical problems that were worsened by this disaster. He gave me a copy of his last medical summary. At the end of the summary is the doctor's plan. It is dated 03/10/2009. It says Jack "Should be moved from the TVA ash spill".
I would like you to go back and read the January 14-15 edition of the Roane County News. Part of Jack's story was in the article titled "TVA Relocating Affected Residents". Here is just a piece from the article.

"The outreach apparently has done little to ease the concerns of some residents.

During the public hearing, worries were expressed about everything from pollution and wildlife to the dump trucks traveling on local roads.

“Dump trucks are flying,” resident Jack Arp said. “If you don’t get out of their way, it’s almost like they’re going to run over you. Me and my son were almost hit the other night.”

Buyouts are on the table for residents in the spill area.

“We’re trying to settle from the nearest out,” TVA President and CEO Tom Kilgore said. “If you want to sell your home and move out of the area, we’re willing to do that.”

That offer was made to Arp, who said his wife suffers from a heart condition."

Since Jack was forced to move back into his house, he has been forgotten by TVA. He has contacted the Outreach Center. He has contacted elected officials. Everyone has ignored him; until now. I promised I would do everything I could to bring his situation into light. Jack and his wife have a son and have now been apart for 50 days. No family should have to be seperated because of TVA's mistake.
I talk to people like Jack every day. Jack is buying his home. Some live in rental property and have no way out. Some of them are sick, or their children are sick. How do you try to explain to a child why they stay sick all of the time? How do you tell a child they cannot go out to play?
These are forgotten victims in this disaster; forgotten by TVA anyway. I will not let their stories go unheard. I ask for your help in this matter.
And for those who still think these stories are made up or fabricated, go talk to Jack. And on the way, stop in and talk to others who have been forgotten.

Did you miss the Long Term Recovery Meeting?

Lets see...

2 individuals from the Press
3 TVA Reps (that spoke)
11 Residents in the audience.....

If you want to see what you missed... it's posted here:

(link...)

Just look for the April 8th post.

The end of this post has a tragic tale of warning for the people of Roane County and points downwind. But first, someone had asked, "Why don't more people attend meetings?"

As a member of the Swan Pond community, my biggest concern is that we did know the possible health impact of the ash stored at the Kingston TVA steamplant site before the spill. I think TVA AND any other company near a residentual community) should tell the communities of such possible dangers. Even though it is not classified hazardous, putting up ballfields so close to material and not warning of the possible dangers seems irresponsible to say the least. I understand from a business point why TVA is following their present coarse of action, but why are we as people not taking a stand. I know I have rarely taken action in the when I was not directly affected and now I feel ashamed. Is this what our society is coming to? Know the teaching of ones faith is not enough, one must try to follow those teachings.

By Ray Collett

Hello Readers, I hope you enjoyed the "April Fool's Special Announcement that I sent out. I never knew so many of you readers were born on Easter Sunday.

Don't get confused when folks come to your door collecting cash for "the Fire Department," "the EMTs," or "the EMS." I am told they are working for the Roane County Rescue Squad, a worthy group affiliated under the Roane County Fire Department umbrella.

All:
Here's another bill we just spotted. (link...)

This bill would say that if a person or industry (they're people too) is in compliance with their permit, they cannot be sued for nuisance.

Local news story about a robbery at Walgreen's last night... Interesting turn of phrase... "over-the-counter narcotics."

There's no such thing as OTC narcotics. Ya gotta have a scrip.

(link...)

RB

A

Agribusiness, n., In agriculture, agribusiness is a generic term that refers to the various businesses involved in food production, including farming and contract farming, seed supply, agrichemicals, farm machinery, wholesale and distribution, processing, marketing, and retail sales. (link...)

Ag-urb, n., a prospering rural town with a tie to agriculture, located outside a metropolitan statistical area. (link...)

Questions to ponder:
Could we become a ag-urb to supply our agri-products as an export to the Knoxville metro areas?
Grainger County has tomatoes?
What could we do? Bring back our peaches or others?

B,C,D coming soon.

Bill Moyers Journal (PBS) had an informative segment on a community organizer in South Chicago last night, that was attempting to get Wal-Mart to pay a living wage to employees. Wal-Mart threatened to close its' stores there if the Chicago City Council passed the living wage bill. Unfortunately, back room politics (bribes and threats) ultimately defeated the bill. Wal-Mart's attitude-"Poor people are lucky to have a job at all." I think this is the attitude that leads to economic, if not actual, slavery.

Also this related post from KnoxViews

Wall-E vs. Wal-Mart
Submitted by WakeUpWalmart on Tue, 2009/02/10 - 5:05pm.

I watched the great movie Wall-E last night. If you haven't seen it yet, fire up your Netflix or jot down a note to hit Blockbuster after work.

If you have seen it, you probably recognized the corporate behemoth of Buy-N-Large. We have a similar, sinister company down here on Earth called Wal-Mart.

In the movie, Buy-N-Large has gotten so gargantuan and out-of-control that it has taken on every aspect of society: It peddles every possible product at its Supercenters, it sells gas, it controls the banks -- and it has even taken on the role of a quasi-government.

Wal-Mart would love to be Buy-N-Large if it could. Indeed, the Bentonville behemoth has recently attempted to grow beyond its traditional Supercenter model. It has introduced gas stations and has even tried to create a bank!

But perhaps most ominously, Wal-Mart is even getting involved in elections. During the 2008 election, management pulled employees into meetings to urge them not to vote for Obama because -- gasp! -- he would fight for worker's rights.

The similarity between the Bentonville behemoth and the Buy-N-Large behemoth is funny, but it's scary, too. It's why I'm doing work with Wake Up Wal-Mart.

Consider Wake Up Wal-Mart as Wall-E. I know that analogy doesn't really work -- but both WUWM and Wall-E fight/are fighting the behemoth to restore environmental vitality and quality of life back to America. I urge you to join the fight!

Roane County Solid Waste Committee Meeting
Tonight, 6:00pm, at the Roane County Courthouse

The Roane County News indicates business that was intended to be discussed at the last meeting will be on the agenda for tonights meeting. That business was opening a new landfill in Midtown to accept fly ash. They will likely vote on a recommendation, for or against the ash going to the landfill, at this meeting.

Anyone interested in fly ash not going into a landfill in Midtown should attend.

O.K. we get the sign is there. How does Roane County feel about bring customers to Roane County to buy there boats, property in Ladd Landing, food at Food City hardware at Ace. If Roane County wants to do business lets do it. The way the economy is maybe we need more signs to tell people in Roane County what we have here, OH wait a minute do we need to go to Turkey Creek and spend our money, is that not where one of the guy is from? If Kingston has annexed, ok lets fix the ROADS Kingston. I live in Ladd Landing and get off at that exit, you need a tank to turn up that road it is so bad. Guys get a life and look around you, PEOPLE are needing the business. It might be boats, land, food, gas. You know what it is business that Roane County needs, Have you seen the NEWS lately, if you have I really would not be worring about a sign, and thinking about hey lets try to get tax dollars that we need.I think if you look around Roane County you will see more sign that might not be where they should be. Why the all of a sudden someone that lives in Knoxville come to our town and tell us what to do. OH YEAH he is from Turkey Creek. Guys get REAL. The sign has been there for years, Get over it and let Roane County be promoted. I think the sign is neat and clean, its not falling down and worn out. Do you remember that we have a ash spill right now in this County. I would be thankful if someone buys a boat from any boat business in this County at this time. Also remember if they buy gas that the city and county gets gas tax money. You know its sad when people are trying to make a living in the right way and other people are worried about a sign. REALLY. Are we thinking? If we can sale a boat in Roane County because of what people think about our lakes, then leave them alone. As far as McFarland and Markli going at it who cares. Roane County wake up lets get some good thoughts coming into Roane County not bad. I love living here. I love raising my grandkids here. but I am a little embarrased that a sign can make font page instead of some good news for this county. Are is it a few selected people want bad pub? Grow up Guys I would much better have a sign for a good business than a sign going out of business,(Goody's Ashley Furniture. etc). If you don't have a dog in this problem then leave it at home. Final words. My prayer is GOD will bless Roane County, and be with us in everything we do.
Nana08

Roane County was once home to a famous systems engineer, the late Bill McCumber, Fellow of the International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE). What would the good professor say about the situation were he here today?

We continuously blame Roane Co. officials for not having a plan to tell TVA what they want them to do about the coal ash disaster. We are equally lax in our responsibly as citizens of telling our officials what we want. At least we have not told them in one clear voice. We need a plan ourselves.

I would like to outline a plan similar to the one we had in the early '90s to fight medical waste incinerators and a mega-landfill in Midtown.

1. A group of citizens should take the lead in plan development. We already have the Tennessee Coal Ash Survivors Network and the Emory River Emory River Community Action Commission. One of them would be the logical group of citizens to take the lead.

2. A well organized meeting should be setup at a time and place where all the community could get a chance to express what they would like for the Roane County Commission to do about the coal spill disaster. There will not be a total agreement but whatever consistent message develops should be put to paper in a short, clear, too the point statement.

3. A petition should be drafted, with the help of someone who can offer legal advice, to reflect the statement that was developed in the community meeting. It should state what the Residents of Roane County want the County Commission to do concerning the ash spill disaster. It should be short and easy to understand. It should demand something that the County Commission could reasonably accomplish.

4. Copies of the petition should be distributed to as many public locations as possible where residents could sigh them. Convenience stores usually get the most signatures, especially if the store owner/manager is sympathetic to the cause.

5. A leader in the group should present the petition to the County Commission at the next scheduled meeting after the petitions have been signed. He should explain the petition and ask the Commission to do the will of the people. A petition submitted into the minutes of the County Commission meeting can have a big influence in how the County Commission votes on issues. We should pack that meeting room when the petition is submitted.

I know there will be different ideas and disagreements about this. I only offer this as a guide on how we all might start moving in one direction toward a common goal. Right now we are reacting to what County Commission, various county committees and TVA are doing. We are reacting after the fact when it is sometimes too late. We need to have a plan of our own and work to make it succeed.

OK, I'm done typing now. I will give someone else a turn. :)

The laborers who are working at the clean up site and who live down here are saying that work on the site has been suspended due to permit problems, possibly EPA permits.

Last night they kept eight laborers, four teamsters and four operators.Then they sent seven laborers home.

Tonight most laborers worked one hour and were sent home. They were told that work was suspended at least thru the weekend, due to permits not being in order. The people who are there are supposedly just making noise.

Does anyone know about this?

Download the Keep Roane Beautiful poster:

Click to zoom

-- OneTahiti

Keep Roane Beautiful and Sail Away Homes & Land is sponsoring a Thief Neck Island Clean up project tomorrow, Saturday, from 10:00am to 4:00 pm. Transportation by boat to the island will leave at 10:00 in the morning from the day use ramp and dock in Crystal Cove...this is on Thief Neck Road.

Directions: Hwy 27 to Right on Ables Valley to right on Winton Chapel...about two miles to left on Crystal Springs...cross the covered bridge (Crytsal Cove entrance) then right on Hidden Oaks then right on Thief Neck...Questions ? Call Bob Giltnane at 865-717-9600

No under 16 without an adult. Be prepared for trail clearing and litter pick up....no power tools !!

Keep Roane Beautiful and Sail Away Homes & Land is sponsoring a Thief Neck Island Clean up project tomorrow, Saturday, from 10:00am to 4:00 pm. Transportation by boat to the island will leave at 10:00 in the morning from the day use ramp and dock in Crystal Cove...this is on Thief Neck Road.

Directions: Hwy 27 to Right on Ables Valley to right on Winton Chapel...about two miles to left on Crystal Springs...cross the covered bridge (Crytsal Cove entrance) then right on Hidden Oaks then right on Thief Neck...Questions ? Call Bob Giltnane at 865-717-9600

No under 16 without an adult. Be prepared for trail clearing and litter pick up....no power tools !!

Rep. Dennis Ferguson,

We have waited over a month watching and waiting on the promises that were made in Nashville when we tesified in front of the House Environment & Conservation Committee.

As we testified, the panel looked shocked, and I can only ascertain that they did not fully understand the impact that the TVA disaster had left on the residents of our community. We did our best to voice what was going on in our community.

The panel appeared concerned and asked questions, and Rep. Ferguson even though you were not on that committee you did attend because this disaster happened in your district.

After we met with you in your office, you asked "what we wanted"... we told you we would like answers, help for residents that were in need, and help in getting regulation on the Fly Ash.

We gave you a list of residents that needed assistance in relocation.. you stated you would contact them. I went back to Roane County and advised residents that they would be hearing from you... but you gave that list to TVA instead...

and as of today I know of no-one that you have contacted from that list.

The residents just needed to hear assurances that you had heard us... that you understood our concerns, that you cared.

It's hard to hold on to empty promises.

Our fair state has succeeded in cracking the top 5 in the country - this time in a POSITIVE sense!

A Tennessee "Bottle Bill" has been filed in both the Senate and the House ((link...)). Usually I applaud bottle bills; I've seen them work very well in other states.

This time, the state seems to be counting on $10 million in unclaimed container deposits to help fill their coffers. The way these bills read now, they are not so much recycling and litter control bills as a regressive disguised tax on containers.

It was reported in the Monday edition of the Roane County News; "The Kingston City Council unanimously agreed Tuesday to send a letter to TVA taking a stand against a proposed containment pond to be located near the water."

We should contact the Kingston City Council and thank them for taking action to oppose the Gypsum Pond. The pond is now under construction on the edge of the Clinch River to hold an estimated 560,000 tons of Gypsum per year. Let's help stop it before it is too late!

Who needs to leave Roane County to find something to do? We are teeming with opportunities for fun, community, and service.

I wrote Josh West, the reporter from WBIR and voiced my opinion on his story about the meeting with the Solid Waste Committee. Let's just say that he got my message. Here is his reply to me. You can get results if you get involved.

Mr. Cantrell,

Please allow me to apologize and clarify the misunderstanding.

The story aired as the meeting was going on and was intended only to preview the meeting’s topic and introduce the possibility of the landfill being used to store the ash. While the one interviewee in the story was in favor of the plan, the other people in the area that I spoke with were, in fact, against it. Those people, however, did not wish to be interviewed on camera. The only person in the area who wasn’t a county official and was willing to be interviewed was in favor of the plan. Because I was given opinions on both sides, I could not say that people were uniformly against the issue, as was apparently the case at the meeting. I did my best to reflect the opinions I was given by the people who did not wish to talk on camera by addressing their concerns about the potential health and road issues involved with the plan.

As you said, I was not at the meeting, nor at any point in the story did I claim to be. Had I been there, I would have certainly been willing to listen to anyone who wanted to give me his or her opinion, either for or against the issue. I would also offer you the opportunity to grant 10News an on-camera interview giving us your opinion on the topic as we follow the landfill story for future coverage.

Regards,

Josh West

WBIR-TV

Office: 865-637-1272

Cell: 865-582-6062

jwest@wbir.gannett.com

The Rockwood Ministerial Association (RMA) is an ecumenical charity which among other good works operates the Rockwood Food Pantry. They are looking for art and photos that might relate to their organization and mission and would be available for them to use on their soon-to-be website.

If you have the rights to any such images, or are willing to make such images, please let me know in a private or public message here at RoaneViews?

Congressman Lincoln Davis will be at the Kingston Community center Saturday Morning at 9. He will be addressing questions and concerns about the disaster. And of course, I will have at least 2 questions for him. I hope we have another good turn out and show our unity just as we did last night at the solid waste board meeting. Please plan to attend.

Read More...

What would we do without electricity? Well we wouldn't have toxic fly ash and toxic heavy metals in our environment. We would have made use of Tesla's invention and still have electricity but it would be free. Organizations already invested well into the coal for energy fought the Tesla invention because if there is not a way to make money from it, then how can those organizations get rich??? They would rather feed on their fellow man's income than to help their fellow man survive comfortably and prosper.

Because of dirty coal organizations and our government officials obeying their commands, watch the following video to see what we missed: (sent to me from Tom Price, Tennessee Coal Ash Survivors Network)

(link...)