For more information call 865-524-3074. Remember to leave 56 days between donations.

Fine Arts Blount ArtSpace Gallery is hosting the Last Friday Art Walk.

Take a walk in downtown Maryville today, Friday the 25th, from 5:30PM to 8:30PM, and visit local businesses with displays from local artists (paintings, sculptures, glass blower, photographer, ceramics, and wood block prints).

Live music, Robinella, at Tomato Head.

Maps of participating businesses are available at Fine Arts Blount ArtSpace Gallery, 301 Church St. E, in downtown Maryville (865-982-0898).

Then, later if you are so inclined, head over to Music Row of Maryville for line dancing and square dancing from 8 to 11 PM. $5 admission. Music Row (865-983-8259) is at 2808 E. Lamar Alexander Highway (321). I believe Music Row is approx. 3/4 mile past Blount Memorial Hospital on the right.

Judge Mike Meares is touring Blount County and he want to meet YOU, your friends, family and neighbors. The tour is kicking off this Saturday, January 26, 1pm, at Bob's Mountaineer Restaurant on Chapman Hwy in Seymour. The Seymour Herald is going to be covering the event.

See the Elect Judge Meares website for more upcoming events.

An invitation to people concerned about the future livability and economic vitality of our community:

Visions for Blount County's Future: Balancing Growth and Quality of Life

Sunday, January 27, 2 – 3:30 pm
Blount County Library, Sharon Lawson Room

A program sponsored by The Raven Society
Guest speaker: Bridget Jones, Ed.D., Executive Director, Cumberland Region Tomorrow, a non-profit organization working to support and encourage quality growth in a 10-county region of Middle Tennessee through improved planning and coordination between public and private sectors, with emphasis on land use, transportation and rural preservation. Link....

Quality of life is key to both our economic health and our personal well-being. We know that high quality communities do not just happen. They require thought, effort, vision, collaboration and commitment.

Residents of Blount County value the small-town character of their communities and the open landscapes of their rural heritage, yet we must respond to the pressures for intense economic and population growth. The reality is that growth brings costs as well as opportunities. It requires both expensive new infrastructure and improvements to the old.

By planning for growth and guiding it, we can keep and enhance our county’s economic health and also maintain our unique assets.

This program will give an overview of quality growth: what it is, why we need it, and resources to help us plan for it. Please join us for this important program.

You are invited to stay for a brief Raven Society business meeting immediately following. Refreshments will be served.

Please forward this invitation to others. For more information call 256-8262.

For more information call 865-524-3074. Remember to leave 56 days between donations.

SPEAKER: Al Wiberly, a First Friday regular (except for summers when he is in Maine) since our beginning 4 years ago. Al's topic will be THE ENVIRONMENT--the big picture. He will discuss "Why the environment is going to hell."

Friday luncheons are held on the first Friday of the month, 11:30 am at Ryan's Steakhouse at Hunter's Crossing (Walmart) in Alcoa.

Citizen groups are welcome to join us at all First Friday Luncheons. Our programs tend to be non-partisan with an emphasis on good government and honest officials--both elected and appointed

Blount County Democratic Party Friday Luncheon
Ryan's Steakhouse at Hunter's Crossing (Walmart) in Alcoa
11:30AM TO 1:00PM

Snow is in the forecast and what better time to think about making chili?

CAPPE's Sixth Annual ChiliFest, which is both a contest and tasting opportunity, is set for Saturday, February 2 from 4-7pm at Broadway United Methodist Church in downtown Maryville. Chili chefs will compete for prizes in three categories (beef, other meats, vegetarian). The public will vote for the People's Choice winner.

New this year is live music by the Omega Dogs (Terry Bunde, Carl Gombert and Niki Schrock) at 6pm.

The event begins at 4pm, with tasting and judging continuing until the winners are announced at 6:30pm. In addition to the different chilis and a variety of beverages, you can enjoy tortillas and quesadillas (made to order) and a bake sale of delicious home-made treats. Everyone will be eligible to win door prizes.

To enter the contest, submit an entry form (attached) and the $20 entry fee by January 28. Entry forms are also available from Board members of CAPPE (Citizens Against the Pellissippi Parkway Extension). Each contestant is asked to bring a minimum of four quarts of warm prepared chili in a crockpot, and to provide a ladle and someone to serve.

Suggested donation for admission is $5 in advance and $6 at the door (children under 10 admitted free). Advance tickets are available at Southland Books (601 East Broadway) and Waste Not, Want Not (1505 East Broadway) and from CAPPE Board members. Admission includes tastes of entries and one bowl of chili and one vote for the People's Choice winner. Judges will select the winners in the beef, other meats and vegetarian categories. Each of the four winners will be awarded a $50 gift card.

For more information, call Susan Keller at 982 4267.

The author of "The Ages of American Unreason, Past and Present." will be visiting Tennessee.

Feb 3rd - Susan Jacoby - RET Public Mtng
Award-winning author, Susan Jacoby, will address one of the most thought-provoking issues of our time in an appearance at Pellissippi State Technical Community College on Sunday, February 3 at 1:30 p.m. in Goins Auditorium. Jacoby will discuss “The Ages of American Unreason, Past and Present.” Arrive early for coffee, refreshments and socializing. Stay late for Susan's book signing session.

Her topic, the subject of her upcoming eighth book, “The Age of American Unreason” (Random House 2008), is the widespread new cultural phenomenon characterized by the decline of reading and the rise of scientific and historical illiteracy.

For more information about the book and directions to the event visit the Rationalist of East Tennessee web site at: Link...

There will be a limited number of books for sale which the author will sign.

Darwin Day, Events this week!

199 years ago today was the birth of Charles Darwin.
It is also 149 years ago that On The Origin Of Species was published. Read it at: Link...
Also in audio at Link...

Local Darwin Day events have been organized by the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. A schedule of events can be found here at the UT Evolutionary biology web site: Link...

A big evening event occurs tonight Feb. 12, 2008 at UTK. A lecture by Dr. Eugenie Scott of the National Center for Science Education,
INTELLIGENT DESIGN, IS IT SCIENCE? IS IT VALID?
Tomorrow evening, Feb. 13, 2008 will be the film, WAR ON SCIENCE,INTELLIGENT DESIGN IN THE CLASS ROOM

Forrest Erickson