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Red Alert!
The city's recently installed computerized message system is designed to help the police department alert Knoxvillians to potential emergencies in their neighborhoods—hazardous waste spills, hostage situations, criminals on the lam.
Add another horseman to that apocalypse, at least during election season:
City Council meetings.
The following message in the mayor's very own voice went out to thousands of frequent voters in North Knoxville Monday:
"This is Victor Ashe, and I wanted to let you know that the regularly-scheduled City Council meeting will be at Fulton High School tomorrow night, Sept. 7 at Councilman Larry Cox's suggestion... I apologize for this electronic voice message system, which may seem impersonal but actually just the opposite's intended, because I wanted to extend a personal invitation to you to come and watch City Council at its regular meeting because it will be nearby you at Fulton High School Tuesday Sept. 7 at 7 p.m. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to call my office at 215-2040."
Danny and Martha
There's something going on between mayoral candidate Danny Mayfield and mayoral mamma Martha Ashe. The unlikely pair were spotted sitting together at an East Tennessee Women's Political Caucus meeting last week. When quizzed, Mayfield said he chose a seat next to Ashe because "I tried to sway her to vote for me. It didn't work, but she said she liked me."
The two hooked up again at a Nucleus Knoxville meeting after Mayfield had complained that city crews were snatching his signs from the right-of-way. "She sort of stopped me and said I shouldn't have them there... I said I disagreed, and she told me I should only put the signs in yards. I said we'd just have to disagree, but she kept on talking."
Later that same day, Mayfield got a call from a Kingston Pike homeowner (and Ashe neighbor) who'd seen a TV report on the disappearance of the Mayfield signs and offered the use of her yard.
"She offered to let me put two signs in her yard, so I went right out and set about doing that. As I was about to place the second one, Mrs. Martha Ashe was driving by. She was evidently stopped at the red light and saw me, and pulled partially into the driveway, blocking traffic and the driveway so that if I wanted to escape, I was trapped...
"She called out to me, 'Do you have to have permission to put those signs up?'
"I said 'Yes Ma'am.'
"She said 'Did you ask the people who live here?'
"I said 'Yes Ma'am.'
"'Those people right there?'
"I said 'Yes Ma'am.'
"As I finished putting the second sign up, I saw her coming out of the house next door, on the corner of Scenic, and sure enough, the next time I went by, there was an Ashe sign here..."
More Signs
County Commissioner Mark Cawood denies that he was in a snit, exactly, at the groundbreaking for the first phase of the convention center project. But he does admit that his mood wasn't brightened when he spied the big sign announcing the project.
"They had the mayor listed in big box car letters, with smaller letters for City Council and giant box car letters for the PBA (Public Building Administration). But no mention of County Commission."
Cawood was spotted fleeing the scene early, but says he had a prior engagement and didn't go off mad.
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