I am deeply concerned by the actions of the sanitation department here in East Ridge. After my recycle was not picked up on my scheduled day last Friday, I email Mr. (Robert) Parker (head of the sanitation department) telling him so. For the record, this is the third time this year my recycle has NOT […]

I was excited to hear that Chris (Dixon) was running for Municipal Court Judge of East Ridge. I’ve known Chris for the past eight years and he has truly been a good friend. In our neighborhood, we see life similar to how we grew up, you knew your neighbors. I’ve joined Chris and two other […]

I don’t know who else is running but here’s what I do know: Chris Dixon is one heck of an attorney who is not afraid to hold a corrupt East Ridge police officer accountable. East Ridge needs less “good old boy” and more honest justice and accountability regardless of who it is. He is willing […]

This editorial is from Tennessee/Lookout In the wake of the May 24 mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Texas,  someone desperately asked: “Why is this happening?” I was shocked by the question because to me, as a theologian, the answer is painfully obvious. American history, culture and social norms are built upon the foundational equation: […]

This editorial is from Tennessee/Lookout Memorial Day usually makes me a bit nostalgic, as I think about not only the men in my family who risked their lives in combat to protect America’s freedoms but about all the families who didn’t get to witness their loved ones return home. I get a little emotional as I […]

This editorial is from Tennessee/Lookout Like many women across the U.S., I’ve been reeling from the news that broke last week about the U.S. Supreme Court’s draft decision that would reverse Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1971 ruling that legalized abortion at the federal level.  As soon as I tweeted, “Looks like the Supreme Court has […]

This editorial is from Tennessee/Lookout On Saturday night, Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs posted a tweet: “Allowing homeless people to camp on public property does not help them—it enables them and prevents them from seeking the aid and resources they need to get back on their feet.” Jacobs doubtless tweeted in response to a bill the […]

This editorial is from Tennessee/Lookout As a special education advocate and former high school teacher, the mother of two sons who have attended public school, private school, and homeschool, and the wife of a high school teacher, I am a strong defender of our public school libraries. Unfortunately, it seems Speaker of the Tennessee House Cameron […]

Mr. Johnston, in response to your letter of April 9th.  The tax increase that Mike Chauncey, Mayor Williams, and the City Council approved helped raise much needed funds that provided new police cruisers, fire trucks, and EMS service upgrades.  Do you happen to know the millage rates for the different areas of Hamilton County?  Do […]

This editorial is from Tennessee/Lookout. Gallup, the nonpartisan analytics organization that became famous for public opinion polls, has a fascinating monthly tracker of how Americans identify themselves politically dating to 2004.  In the early and mid- aughts, the percentage of Americans who identified as independent and not affiliated with either the Democratic or Republican parties hovered in […]

I am supporting my friend, Tucker McClendon, as the next County Commissioner for District 8. Tucker has served with character and integrity on the Hamilton County School Board. Serving on the school board is a difficult challenge under the best of circumstances. Tucker has served District 8 well during his term. For many years, East […]

Many of you received a mailer from my opponent yesterday that attacked me and contained many false narratives. Sadly, my opponent has resorted to negative campaigning to earn your vote. The type of mailer you received from my opponent is one you will not receive from my campaign.  I believe campaigns are about ideas and […]

Well, the playground has been open for only a few days and already there has been trouble according to police reports. Actually there was trouble before it opened. People were tearing down the fence that kept it closed before an inspection could be done to declare it safe for use. I hate to be a […]

This editorial is from Tennessee/Lookout. Until two weeks ago, I had heard neither of Mason, Tenn., nor of Joshua Lipscomb but thanks to a couple of government agencies, I am now very familiar with them and I bet there are many other Tennesseans who have learned about them. Mason is the small West Tennessee town located […]

This editorial is from the Tennessee/Lookout. In July 1989, I was lying on the sofa of my brother’s Knoxville apartment one night. It was the summer I’d quit work to go back to school and finish the degree I abandoned to work on political campaigns a few years back. The TV was turned on, the volume […]