The Second Annual Big BBQ Bash at the Alcoa Springbrook Center was bigger and even better than last year. Lots of folks came out to enjoy barbecue, music, and fun in the sun. Attendance looked to be much higher than last year, and there were new competitors from all over. One welcome change was the addition of a dining tent which provided a shady spot sit and enjoy your barbecue.

The Big BBQ Bash is a charity event put on by local businesses and community organizations who donate their time, effort, and barbecuing skills to support local charities. This year's charity was the Blount County Community Campus, a joint effort between local government, private not for profit organizations, and local philanthropic companies to develop "a central location for essential social services for Blount County residents."

The BBQ competition ("not sanctioned by any barbecue organization or any one else") features these divisions:

1) Pork Shoulder or Butt - pulled, chopped or sliced
2) Brisket - sliced, 5 lbs. minimum, pre-cooked weight
3) Pork Ribs Whole
4) One Half Chicken - chopped, sliced or pulled.
5) Anything But (trophy only, "must be edible and you may have to prove it!"

Entries are judged on "Aroma, Color, Texture, Taste, Overall." First prize in each division is an impressive $3000, $1500 to the team and $1500 to their designated charity. We didn't stick around for the awards, so you'll have to check their website tomorrow for the list of official winners.

Congratulations to the City of Alcoa and everyone else involved for putting on a great event. It's shaping up to be a major new regional festival and we're looking forward to next year.

Some photos after the jump...

The new Montessori Middle School in Louisville is hosting their 1st Annual Farm Festival on Saturday, May 10, 2008 from 11AM to 4PM at the school, which is located at 3725 Louisville Rd (map).

This event is open to the public and there is no charge for admission. Tickets for activities and refreshments will be sold at the festival. Click read more for a press release with more details...

The tradition continues and is growing.

Arts, entertainment, food in downtown Maryville.

Live music later in the evening 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).

Check it out!

Public Stargaze at Tamke-Allan Observatory in Midtown on 2/16/08 beginning at 7 p.m. There will be presentations beginning at 7:30 p.m. on light pollution and the loss of our night skies.

Everyone is invited!!! Great family FREE fun!!!

Also, on Wednesday, February 20, 2008 everyone is invited to come see the last lunar eclipse until 2010. Festivities begin at 8 pm.

Please see Link... for more details!

JUDGE MEARES
Invites you to join him for Brunch on Saturday February 16, 2008; between 10am and 1pm.
212 High Street, Maryville, TN
As the Committee to Elect Judge Meares Celebrates the Grand Opening of his Headquarters.
For more information visit Link... or call 681-0553.

The Second Annual Boys & Girls Club Motorcycle Ride will benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of Blount County.

Saturday, April 12, 2008, 2:00PM. Registration from 12:30 to 2:00PM at Smoky Mountain Harley Davidson Entry Fee: $20.00 per rider ($10 is tax deductible). Entry Fee includes ride, one free T-Shirt for the first 150 registered riders, and a meal.

Sponsorship opportunities are available. Brochure here. For more information:

Bill Kilgore—865-388-7258
Gary Honaker—865-982-3830
Anna Beth Meccia—865-544-3825 x 221

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.

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.

This year's party is just for fun. Larry Burns will be our DJ so come and dance or just visit with friends. Our Democrat Commissioners (Wendy Pitts-Reeves, David Ballard, Jr., and Dr. Bob Proffit) should be there as well as Judge Mike Meares and our local party officials.

This will be a casual affair, not a sit down dinner. Please bring a finger food to share. Also feel free to bring a new unwrapped toy as we will once again be collecting for Toys for Tots.

This is not a fundraiser but we do need to pay for the facility and DJ. The Cost is $15/person or $25/couple at the door. A cash bar is available.

The party begins at 6 PM at the American Legion Post 13 at 244 Waters Road. If you need directions please call Marge Fugate at 983-2486.

Springbrook Splendor, the lighting of the Alcoa Christmas Tree, due to a rain delay will be Tuesday November 27th at 6:15PM.

Location: Springbrook Park, Upper Field.

Updated 11/27/2007, 7:45am

Local Amateur Astronomers want to take you to this comet.
The Tamke Allen Observatory in the west and The Smoky Mountain Astronomical Society in the south are going to be observing the comet this Saturday Evening November 3rd.

If you live on the west side of Knox or Loudon counties, you probably want to visit Tamke Allen. You can find the Tamke Allen Observatory web page at Link.... There you can find a map to the observatory.

If you live in the south of Knox or in Blount counties, you probably want to observe with the Smoky Mountain Astronomical Society or SMAS. Their web site is Link... There you can find direction to the Locations and maps to the overlook on the Foothills parkway at which they typical meet to observe. They refere to it as Look Rock #1 as it is the first overlook, south of the big parking lot serving the Look Rock tower.

The comet looks like a star to the naked eye, but has a soft halo around it. The halo is easily visible in binoculars. SMAS member Joe Baldwin made the photograph pictured above of comet Holmes just a few days ago.

So bring warm coat, some folding chairs and your binoculars and join either of these local amateur astronomy groups as they observe this unusual comet.

Summary of astronomy related web sites in East Tennessee:
Link...
www. knoxvilleobservers.org
Link...

Forrest Erickson

The Rotary Club of Maryville is holding a chili cook-off on Saturday, October 20th, from 2-7 PM at the Shed next to Smoky Mountain Harley Davidson. We will have a variety of teams cooking chili for you to sample and as a bonus, we will be showing the second half of the UT/Alabama game and the entire Kentucky/Florida game. All attendees will have the opportunity to vote in the "People's Choice Award" for their favorite chili. Come out and join us for a fun time. All proceeds go to fund the Rotary Club's Dictionary Project in which each third grader in Blount County receives his/her own dictionary with his/her personalized name plate. For more information, click on the "Chili Cook-Off" logo at Link....

For more information call 982-6361
Or e-mail at rjackson@bcchome.com

Please see link for complete Flyer

Link...

Live music, pumpkin painting, a Parade of Costumes, and an auction will highlight the 6th Annual Rural Preservation Party & Auction. This year’s event is set for Saturday, October 27, from 3:30-7pm at the Kelmont Farm Barnyard, 1565 E. Brown School Road in Maryville.

"We're looking forward to CAPPE's 6th Annual Rural Preservation Party & Auction," said Bill Busser. "We moved the event to the fall so that we could have a harvest theme.”

“Everyone will enjoy this year's activities,” said Mike Cook. "We’ll hear from Pistol Creek Catch of the Day, enjoy pumpkin painting and cakewalks, returning folksinger and guitarist Errol Glustoff, and local favorites The Woodpickers. We invite all ages to take part in the Parade of Costumes at 5pm.”

"There is growing interest across Blount County in developing programs to protect agricultural land,” added Susan Keller. “The recent well-attended public workshop with Gerry Cohn of American Farmland Trust focused on the contribution agriculture makes to our local economy. The Rural Preservation Party is about more than the past – it is also about the present and the future of Blount County.”

For youngsters, activities include pumpkin painting, hay rides, face painting, a 'duck pond' with prizes for catching the ducks, and the Parade of Costumes. Free facials are being provided by April Parks, owner of Elligance Salon.

The auction preview begins at 3:30pm, with the live auction at 6:00pm after the entertainment. Auction items include gift certificates from area restaurants, veterinarian services, limited edition prints by Janacek, original artwork, pet boarding and grooming, a hand-made lap quilt, bed comforter set, History of Blount County by Dean Stone, restaurant hot tray, bakery gift basket, dollhouses, therapeutic massage gift certificates, an overnight in Gatlinburg, a weather forecast station and more.

"The bake sale is always popular," added Keller. "Everything is home-made. There will be home made bread and lots of different kinds of cookies, cakes and pies. Sandwiches and cold drinks will also be available."

CAPPE is a non-profit organization of Blount County residents concerned about the impacts of the proposed Pellissippi Parkway Extension. For more information, call Susan Keller at 982 4267 or Mike Cook at 984 9003.

Have you ever seen our glorious Milky Way galaxy from a dark sky? If not, you owe it to yourself and especially school age children to see get out and see the Milky Way this evening Oct 6.

Members of the Smoky Mountain Astronomical Society Link... are having their dark sky Star Party on the Cherohala Skyway. Located at the Unicoi Crest overlook it is first overlook on the left just after you enter North Carolina. As I write, the forecast looks good for observing this evening. Bring a folding chair, extra sweatshirts and coats (yes coats) and arrive just before dark for easier parking. You can get directions from the star party maps page of the Smoky Mountain Astronomical Society web site at: Link...

You can combine this event with an earlier visit to the Monroe Count Sheriff, Bill Bivens' Country Cook Out.
Link...

Star Party Etiquette
• Bring a red flashlight and avoid using any white light after dark. SMAS members have red filter material available for purchase at 1 cent per square inch.
• Get to know the lighting controls for your vehicle and ensure as little white light as possible shines from your vehicle. If you cannot control the lights, choose to park as far away from the telescopes as practical.
• Carefully enter the observing location. Speeding into a parking area full of telescopes and observers is a recipe for an accident.
• If you bring bug spray, please choose to apply the spray before arriving or at a distance from telescopes. Sprays can coat the expensive optics and are difficult to remove.
• Our members welcome visitors and enjoy showing off the night sky, however please be considerate and ask. Do not use an unattended scope that does not belong to you without permission.
• Please do not smoke near other member's telescopes

Members of SMAS and an amature telescope.

6th. Annual
PAWS IN THE PARK

Blount County’s Oldest and Largest Pet Party
DATE: SUNDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2007 (RAIN DATE OCT. 28)
TIME: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM
WHERE: SPRINGBROOK PARK, 1537 DALTON ST., ALCOA, TN

Come out and join us at Springbrook Park for a fun filled day with your family and friends-and don't forget your dog (or other pets)! All proceeds benefit Blount County Animal Rescue Effort, an organization dedicated to educating the public about the importance of spaying/neutering, responsible pet ownership, animal welfare, rescue and adoption.

FREE ADMISSION PETS MUST BE ON LEASH AT ALL TIMES!

One year anniversary cookout.

Hey, folks-

I'd like to invite all of you to join me for a Constituents' Coffee to be held next Tuesday, September 18, from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. at Montvale Elementary. Click here for more info.

Hope you can come!

~Wendy

Wendy Pitts Reeves, L.C.S.W.
Blount County Commissioner, District 4

The attendance at last nights swearing in of Michael Meares as our County Circuit Judge was impressive! In all due respect to the Governor, in my opinion, the full chamber went beyond the presence of the states highest ranking elected official being present. This was about good people having an opportunity to be part of and show the whole county - being 'fair and impartial' is what this county desires. Last nights attendance showed that the counties Democrats and Independents have joined and found their voice. This duo has come together to take back the counties pride. Their force will be felt in the 2008 elections. The die-hard Republicans of the county will not be able to take this force for granted in the future! (to use a imfamous phrase of the Prez) "Bring it ON!"

By way of Wendy Pitts Reeves, another Blount County Commissioner has started a blog. Go check out Commissioner Mike Walker's blog.

Also, she has an exciting announcement about an event at the courthouse tomorrow.

If you would like to help, please print out this flyer, share it with friends and post it at all the places you frequent: (Link...)

Saturday, September 29th, 2007, 6:30 p.m.: Free Annual Benefit Concert at The Shed at Smoky Mountain Harley-Davidson (Link...) for Save Chilhowee Mountain. Note: H-D is allowing SCM to use The Shed for free to help with the cause!

Price: FREE -- Donations of $10 (or more) greatly appreciated! All proceeds of this event will go to Save Chilhowee Mountain. (Link...)

Here are the bands coming so far, donating their time:

Cherohala: Link...
Sisters of the Silver Stage: Link...
Scott McMahan: Link...
The Bearded: Link...

With guest artists:
Trisha Gene Brady, and Rob McNurlin

Check out Link... for more info.

BLOUNTKIDSTUFF.com is hosting a play date at Jump Zone on August 21 at 10:00 am. The cost is $5 per child and everyone is welcome. Please R.S.V.P. to bks@blountkidstuff.com . If possible, R.S.V.P. by August 15th. We look forward to seeing you! Link...

Click image for larger view...

Speaking of the Farmer's Market, here's a photo from last year.

August 4- Watermelon Day - Drawings for watermelons; watermelon samples; children's activities; Seed spitting contest beginning at 9:30. The Rhythum Pick Ups with Bluegrass.

The market is located in the heart of downtown Maryville on Church Ave. near CBBC Bank.

Ya'll come!

It is important to note the market is open 9 AM to sell-out. Sometimes they sell out early and they are gone, many times before noon.