Hi all,

TDEC will hold a public hearing on the Kingston coal plant clean water permit on Monday, November 22 from 5:00 - 7:00p.m. at the Kingston Community Center. You can also join by phone or computer.

Here is a Sierra Club RSVP form

Here is a page where you can submit comment on the permit.

SOCM is hosting an online community conversation on this public input process on Monday, November 15. https://www.facebook.com/events/440275314143912

The TDEC public notice is here.

Thanks for all that you do for your community!

Kick off the holiday season right!

Join us at the American Legion Hall in Harriman on November 30 at 7pm for the American classic 'It's a Wonderful Life - a live radio play'.

Tickets are just $10.00 and include the show, dessert, and beverage. Proceeds benefit the Harriman Public Library.
Any questions, just give them a call. See you there!

'Happy High School Reunion?' is this coming Saturday (August 25th) and the Lions of Harriman still have some tickets left!
I know --- I don't understand it either!!!

But the good news is - you can still get in on the fun. Now, this amazing evening includes:
Dinner buffet
Adult beverages
Non-alcoholic beverages
Dessert buffet
A live, interactive murder mystery show
and silent auction

And while all of that is really amazing, that's not even the best part!! The best part is that it benefits the Harriman Lions Club. Yep, that's right - the money that you spend on this super entertaining night out stays right here in Roane County working to make this county even better

Tickets are $40.00 per person and are all-inclusive.
Tickets sites include:
Roane Street Grill in Harriman
and
Roane Alliance in Kingston

or message me and we will get them to before they're all gone!

The Harriman Lions Club will be hosting the 2nd Annual Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre to benefit their annual community projects. And that means that YOU get to enjoy a great dinner, amazing entertainment, a little mayhem, murder, revenge, payback, ... anyway, you get the idea.

So, here are the details:

Saturday, 12/03/2011 - 1:00 - 7:00 PM and Sunday, 12/04/2011 - 1:00 - 6:00 PM
Rockwood's Christmas Home Tour: Along with seven historic homes and a historic building this tour will feature Authentic "Storytelling" . Downtown, Antique and Art Gallery shopping will also get in you in the holiday spirit. Bring your camera for photo opportunities with Santa. Advance tickets can be purchased for $12.00 at O' Those Were The Days Antiques, Live and Let Live Drug Store and at (link...). Tickets will be $15.00 on the day of the event. Children are free.

The Rockwood Christmas Home Tour is our biggest fundraising event of the year, your support is appreciated.

Enjoy the spirit of the season at these upcoming events, hosted by Rockwood 2000.

Rockwood’s annual Christmas Tree Lighting Celebration will take place at at Homecoming Park downtown. Special holiday music will be provided by the Rockwood Middle School Glee Club and Rockwood First Baptist Church. Santa Claus will read a classic Christmas Story to the children. Please bring your camera for photo's with Santa. This is a free family event for all ages.

The Tour of Homes event will showcase seven historic homes along with a historic church playing Holiday music throughout the day. Downtown, antique shopping and a Holiday SALE with décor from artist Stephen Brown of Glitterville will be a highlight. For the history lovers, a Civil War encampment will be setup during the tour with historic displays and re-enactments. Also, a “Ho Ho Ho” Christmas Mystery Play will be performing at 5 PM and is complimentary with your ticket.
Tickets are available on-line rockwood2000.com or Live & Let Live or O'Those Were The Days Antiques. Tour dates are December 4th & December 5th

Rockwood’s first annual Christmas Tree Lighting Celebration will take place on Friday, December 3rd at 6:30 p.m. at Homecoming Park downtown. Special holiday music will be provided. Santa Claus will read a classic Christmas Story to the children. The Rockwood Merchants Association will provide photo’s with Santa Claus. This is a family event for all ages and is being hosted by Rockwood 2000.

Please join Rockwood First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) for a chili lunch and bake sale at 12pm in the fellowship hall. The community is invited to attend. The chili lunch is all you can eat, and includes dessert and drink for $5.00 per person. Also, the Butter n' Love Cookbook (reprint of our favorite cookbook from 1982) will be available for $10.00. This event is being sponsored by Circle 3 and proceeds will support the ministries of the church. The church is located at 328 W. Rockwood Street .

Tour times are December 5th, Saturday 1-8 pm & December 6th, Sunday 1-6 pm

Eleven Historic homes will be on display with caroling, holiday food and historic character portrayals. Stephen Brown ((link...)) will feature his Edwardian home and also items from One Hundred 80 Degrees will be available to purchase. Also, hand crafted gifts will be available to purchase.

Rockwood High School will host the Festival of Trees and the Drama Club will participate in the History Play portraying beloved teachers (6:00 pm Saturday).

100 Civil War reenactors will be participating (Rockwood Sports Complex area) with firearms, artillery pieces (Battle of the Cannons at 3:30pm Saturday), horses, and other equipment carried by soldiers of the time.

Tickets can be purchased at O' Those Were The Days antique store and Live & Let Live drugs store in Downtown Rockwood. Tickets are $12 per person in advance, $15 per person the day of the event. Tickets can also be purchased using pay-pal at (link...).

Rockwood Tennessee Christmas Tour of Homes
Saturday, December 5th & Sunday, December 6th
Tour times are Saturday 1-8 pm & Sunday 1-6 pm

Eleven Historic homes will be on display with caroling, holiday food and historic character portrayals. Stephen Brown (creator of Glitterville) will feature his Edwardian home and also items from One Hundred 80 Degrees will be available to purchase. Also, hand crafted gifts will be available to purchase.

Rockwood High School will host the Festival of Trees and the Drama Club will participate in the History Play portraying beloved teachers (6:00 pm Saturday).

100 Civil War reenactors will be participating (Rockwood Sports Complex area) with firearms, artillery pieces (Battle of the Cannons at 3:30pm Saturday), horses, and other equipment carried by soldiers of the time.

Tickets can be purchased at Live & Let Live Drugstore in Downtown Rockwood, where the tour begins. Tickets are $12 per person in advance, $15 per person the day of the event. Tickets can also be purchased at (link...).

For more information, contact Live & Let Live at 865-354-0234 or O’ Those Were The Days antique store at 865-354-9629 or Rockwood 2000 865-778-0510 or visit our website (link...).

The Creative Arts Co-op is proud to announce the upcoming community theatre production of the Dickens' classic 'A Christmas Carol'. The community theatre production will take the stage December 12, 18, and 19 at Holy Joe's in downtown Harriman. Tickets are just $5.00 per person.

For more information, please contact the Creative Arts Co-op at 865/765-1129 or visit (link...).

We hope to see you there!

Saturday, October 3rd, 10 am- 7 pm

MUSIC - ART - CRAFTS - PAGEANT -FOOD - FAMILY EUN!!

Joanne Cash Yates will be performing, as well as:
Connie Kis Anderson, C.J. Hall, Russ Roberts and Bill Wright.

The pageant will include, Miss Teen Fall Festival ($500 scholarship), Miss Junior Teen, Miss Preteen, Miss Petite, and Pretty Baby

Visit (link...) for pageant registration forms and more information

Don't miss the fun for the family in historic downtown Rockwood , Tennessee !

OPEN AUDITIONS!

The Creative Arts Co-op's holiday show this year will be the Dickens' classic 'A Christmas Carol'. Open auditions will be held for all characters on Thursday, September 24, 2009 at 7:00pm and Friday, September 25, 2009 at 10:00am. Headshots and resumes are great, but not necessary. Auditions will be cold readings from the script. Show dates are December 11, 12, 18, 19, 2009 with rehearsals beginning October 12, 2009. Auditions will be held at the studio located at 505 N. Roane Street, Harriman.

Call the Creative Arts Co-op at 865/765-1129 or visit (link...) for more information.

Public Stargaze: Adventures in Amateur Rocketry

Tamke-Allen Observatory, September 19
(link...)

The public is invited to enjoy the second Tamke-Allan Observatory Public Stargaze of the month on September 19 at 7:00 PM. Our program will include a discussion of the Phoenix amateur rocketry project by Sterling Edmunds. Sterling was one of the chief radio operators at our N4TAO Special Event Amateur Radio Station in August. Sterling will speak about the Phoenix Project from creation to finish. This will include goals, designs, pictures, and videos about rocketry.

This will be an excellent evening to visit and enjoy astronomy. The observatory sponsors public Stargazes on the first and third Saturday evenings of each month. Amateur astronomers bring telescopes and binoculars and offer views of astronomical objects, while visitors are invited to bring their telescopes, questions and cookies to share with the astronomers.

The observatory is located just off Caney Creek Road between Midtown and Rockwood. Please check the observatory web site at (link...) for driving instructions and a map. TAO is wheelchair-accessible.

TAO is a part of Roane State Community College, and supports light conservation and energy conservation. Poorly directed light is wasted and causes glare – a hazard on our highways.. Directing light downward where it is needed conserves energy and gives us a safer, more secure community. It also keeps our observatory open for education and research. When was the last time that you could see our beautiful milky way? We are losing our Roane County heritage to the glare of unshielded lights.

MOBILIZATION FOR CLEAN AIR

You are invited to join concerned citizens in expressing their commitment to a clean, safe environment and community in a celebration for clean air and rally to raise awareness about the impacts of the life cycle of coal. This is a call for you to take a Sunday out of your life to show your dedication to protecting environment and communities of Appalachia.

WHAT
The Mobilization for Clean Air rally is a family friendly gathering of citizens concerned about the Tennessee Valley Authority’s involvement in the life cycle of coal. The event will start with a prayer led by Christians for the Mountains and will feature poetry, multiple live musical performances, larger than life size puppets of peace leaders including MLK & Gandhi, as well as fiery speeches given by coal impacted citizens and special guest speaker, world renowned environmental author, Dr. John Nolt. Following the rally there will be a lively march downtown before re-gathering in front of the TVA towers where individuals who feel compelled will have the opportunity to engage in the American tradition of non-violent civil-disobedience. Food Not Bombs will be serving free lunch after the event.

WHEN
Mobilization for Clean Air rally - Sunday, July 26, 2009, 12:00 – 2:30p.m.
WHERE
Concerned citizens will gather at Market Square in Knoxville in front of the TVA towers.

Why
Citizens will gather to raise awareness about the Tennessee Valley Authority’s deep connection to the life cycle of coal. TVA is the largest purchaser of mountain top removal mined coal in the country; they own 18 coal burning power plant and their service areas have some of the poorest air quality in the United States. TVA is responsible for the December 2008, coal waste disaster in Roane County, TN and they are in the process of relocating the dredged coal waste to several locations across Appalachia. TVA operates numerous other coal waste facilities over their seven state service area including four that are ranked “high” hazard, meaning a pond rupture at one of these sites would likely result in loss of human life.

HOW YOU CAN HELP
1. Bring an instrument—and learn how to play
“Rocky Top”

2. Dress up! Yep—we want you to come in your
Sunday best. During the civil rights movement people
wore suits and ties all the time—so can we.

4. Respect. Show respect for all the people you encounter during the event. There will be animal rights activist and hunters, Christians
and Atheist, Peace Activist and Military Veterans at this event. Show respect for Appalachian by showing respect for the diversity of people that come to
defend it.

5. Bring signs showing support for Tennessee’s air, watersheds, and heritage. We need art, banners, musicians and you. Especially
you.

6. Help by playing a support role for the event. We are looking for mature, intelligent individuals to sever as a support team. We need people to serve in the following roles photographers, videographers, street theater, artists and musicians, and care team. Please contact us at tanyabturner@gmail.com or 865 689-8976 if you want to volunteer.

Commitment to Nonviolence
The organizations sponsoring this event are committed to nonviolence. Please come with the understanding that this event has a specific focus with specific goals. By participating
you are agreeing to remain peaceful.

FOR MORE INFORMATION
umdvolunteerhouse@yahoo.com – question, housing, volunteer opportunities, rsvp

Phone: (865) 689-2778

Website: unitedmountaindefense.org.

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!

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.

Dear Senator Yager,

If you believe that your brief, standard form reply makes me feel
heard about my concerns, you are more out of touch than I had
imagined. I doubt that you respond that way to your lobbyist friends
from the coal industry.

Due to your current mental distance from our community, you may be
unawares that there is a profound political shift taking place in your
district. People are beginning to pay attention to what the
politicians are doing and saying as a result of the catastrophic TVA
environmental disaster that has affected our County. And senator, a
lot of them don't like what they see and hear coming from you.

In the past, you have been elected because you were a known quantity
who, although lacking in environmental awareness and ideological
substance, was considered a GOB and therefore somewhat harmless.
However, change is now shifting the landscape under your feet, but how
would you know, since you seem to operate under a lot of false
assumptions?

In conclusion, let me assure you that a wake up call is coming your
way, and if you continue to be asleep at the wheel as you have been
since this TVA disaster, you're liable to find yourself having to get
a new day job.

Sincerely,

Leaf Myczack, a Roane County Farmer

I was disappointed, but not surprised, to see members of the community ready to throw the youthful activists from Mountain Justice Spring Break and their Knoxville colleagues (UMD) "under the bus." (see post-"Not Supported by TNCASN) Their crime it seems was to get arrested while conducting a peaceful protest in front of TVA HQ in Knoxville on Saturday.

I have posted many comments about "Speaking Truth to Power" on this site, and how Power responds when spoken to truthfully. Having been arrested numerous times for peacefully exercising my first amendment rights, including a severe beating while handcuffed, because I was a "community activist leader," or in the eyes of law enforcement-head troublemaker, I feel I can lend some perspective to this issue.

These young college students from Mountain Justice Spring Break, came from many different schools, Chapel Hill, VA Tech, James Madison, etc. and spent the week camped out at the Boy Scout Camp nearby. During the week, different groups of students visited our farm to learn about sustainability, energy efficiency, and to help out with work projects. Altogether, at least 20 students participated here on the farm, some came numerous times. I found them to be inquisitive, eager learners, intelligent and well informed, and willing workers. (Yes they dug post holes and hand plowed, two grueling activities). Our discussions were stimulating, and ranged from population overshoot, to mountaintop removal, to sustainable agriculture. I was impressed by their idealism and grew quite fond of them and even invited a couple back to intern here on the farm this Summer.

These young people are inheriting a world that is in economic and environmental collapse. They understand that the "gravy train" their parents and grandparents got to ride on has left the station without them aboard. They have no illusions about the mythical "American Dream," and how it is undergoing a fundamental change that will usher in a whole new paradigm. In short, they know the generations preceding them have created a mighty big mess as a result of narrow focused self-indulgence. And to their credit, they are not bitter, but optimistic and excited about the role they might play in the changes occurring.

Roane County, along with East Tennessee in general, has been asleep at the wheel for a long time. It was only with a disaster of catastrophic proportion that the community began to question lifelong held assumptions about TVA and coal fired electric generation. People seemingly flip on the switch with little awareness of the destruction being caused by that innocuous gesture. Our fellow citizens have been put through hell as mountainsides of "overburden" (the blown up tops of our mountains) slide down into hollows and crush homes and families who have called these valleys home for generations. Coal companies, operating under contract for TVA, have poisoned wells, springs, and creeks that have nurtured our kinfolk since colonial time. Finally some of that pain has now come to the other end of the coal cycle. What these protesters attempted to do was to link the two ends of a non-stop disaster together. The coal ash catastrophe is not the property of the citizens of Kingston or Roane County. It is an environmental assault against every living being on this planet.

People claim to not be environmentalists, as if that were a bad thing. Yet each of us requires, no actually demands, clean air to breathe, clean water to drink, and healthy food to eat. This doesn't happen by magic, it happens because we make a conscious effort to do what it takes to provide the environment where those things can happen.

If we are going to throw someone under the bus, how about we start with Troy Beets and TVA?

The Creative Arts Co-op will be hosting its annual 'Open House' on Friday, August 22, 2008 from 4:00-6:00pm. The yearly event always coincides with the beginning of school. "Our fall schedule begins in September in order to give families time to adjust to the new school year and decide if after school classes are right at this time," commented Mary Kaye Eisenberg. "I look forward to meeting students and parents interested in our programs. During the open house we will have videos of past performance programs and a display of past art projects to give everyone an idea of what we have to offer."

You or your company or group can help get a $200,000 grant for a pumper truck for our Volunteer Fire Department! Send in your pledges NOW, this week. Send notice of your pledges to pumperpledge@westroane.com, then donate by Paypal at westroane.com or by mail to P.O. Box 417 in Rockwood.

It's not too late to participate in this year's Great Worldwide Star Count, "a half-month citizen science project that will harness thousands of observers across the globe to help map light pollution." The mapping effort runs from October 1 through October 15.

Help to map light pollution right here in Roane County. See: (link...)

For NASA's composite view of the lights of earth at night, see: (link...)

Since someone asked: The Annual Live Fire Training for Firefighters will start at 9 AM on Saturday October 13 at the West Roane County Volunteer Fire Department Open House held at Station No. 1 on Pumphouse Road.

The West Roane County Volunteer Fire Department cordially invites you to our Open House Saturday, October 13, all day, at Station No. 1 on Pumphouse Road near Rockwood.



Live Burn Trailer – Training Demonstration: Live Fire Training starts at 9 AM! Firefighters should attend.

Extrication Equipment Demonstration
SCBA (Self Contained Breathing Apparatus) – Our new refilling station
First Responder Demonstration

Also:
Barbeque, Refreshments, and live Bluegrass Music

The blue fluorescent street number signs will be available.

For more information, contact information, map, etc., see: (link...)

FREE! Download the above color poster, size 11"x17" ("tabloid") in PDF format (268kb): (link...)