U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., addressed the Blount County Conservative Coalition at the Blount County Public Library on Monday, Oct. 18, 2021, and "decried vaccine mandates and Democrats he said were trying to end "our" way of life."

"Our nation is in a terrible struggle for survival right now," Burchett said. "Our way of life, our very foundation, is under attack by the left. It is nothing short of spiritual warfare."

Burchett went after Democrats on several fronts, including proposed vaccine mandates, infrastructure and public education.

"I stated the other day — and it caused a little firestorm on Twitter, which I said it to do just that, but it is the truth — I said 'you know, we ought to do away with the Department of Education,'" Burchett said to thunderous applause.

A discussion on election integrity grew heated.

And then...

"I'm telling you, it's almost to arms. The people are ready to take up arms!" Blount County Commissioner Steve Mikels said. "On Jan. 6, we tried that. I was there! You know who was there? There was women and children. And they want to call us terrorists? Domestic terrorists?"

What is wrong with Burchett, Mikels, and their supporters? They can't handle and admit to a fair election just because their candidate did not get elected. As a result they want to destroy our country and the great society we have built. They do love to stir up their 30% on the Twitters.

"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."

From Knox County, as of 10/18/2021,
and from State of Tennessee as of 10/18/2021,

since the inception of COVID-19, approx. 1/23/2020...

the Knox County Health Department reports 61,676 coronavirus cases and 16,005 probable cases. Over 3,000 cases in 25 days, averaging 120 cases a day.

There have been 895 deaths due to coronavirus in Knox County.
That is up from 822 total deaths as of 9/24/2021.
73 deaths in 25 days.

Deaths by age group (age breakdown as of 10/18/2021, Knox County count of 892 cases):

40 in the 18-44 age group (5%) (increase of 33% since 9/24/21)
178 in the 45-64 age group (20%) (increase of 20% since 9/24/21)
218 in the 65-74 age group (24%) (increase of 12% since 9/24/21)
456 in the 75+ age group (51%) (increase of 6% since 9/24/21)

As of 10/15/2021, there are
311 COVID-19 patients currently hospitalized in the Knox County region.

As of 10/15/2021 there are
95 COVID-19 patients in ICU.

Hospitalizations up from a low of 21 on 7/4/21.

As of October 17, 2021, ICU bed available capacity is at 10.7% of 317 total ICU beds.
As of September 23, 2021, ICU bed available capacity is at 8.2% of 317 total ICU beds.

As of October 18, 2021, the TN Dept of Health reports the average positivity rate over the past 7 days is 14.0%, down from 18.6% on September 23, 2021, down from 21.2% on 9/10/2021, down from 21.3% on 8/27/2021, down from 23.4% on 8/12/2021, up from 12.5% on 7/27/2021, up from 5.6% on 7/14/2021.

Vaccinations reported, last updated 10/18/2021:
% with 2 doses - 53.87% (up from 50.68% on 9/17/2021, up from 49.54% on 9/12/2021, up from 48.99% on 8/27/2021, up from 47.28% on 8/13/2021, up from 46.14% on 7/27/2021, up from 45.42% on 7/14/2021)
% with at least 1 dose - 58.17% (up from 57.04% on 9/17/2021, up from 56.10% on 9/12/2021, up from 54.66% on 8/27/2021, up from 52.43% on 8/13/2021, up from 50.22% on 7/27/2021, up from 49.09% on 7/14/2021)

Traveling along the highways of Europe, a campervan named "Stella Vita" has driven almost 2,000 kilometers (1,242 miles) without stopping for fuel or plugging in to charge.

A fully solar-powered campervan has just driven through Europe

18 Tennessee Fans Arrested For Allegedly Throwing Trash on the Field vs. Ole Miss.

UTPD working to identify fans who threw trash at Neyland Stadium during Ole Miss game

Colin Powell, the first Black US secretary of state whose leadership in several Republican administrations helped shape American foreign policy in the last years of the 20th century and the early years of the 21st, has died from complications from Covid-19, his family said on Facebook. He was 84.

"We have lost a remarkable and loving husband, father, grandfather and a great American," they said, noting he was fully vaccinated.

Colin Powell, military leader and first Black US secretary of state, dies after complications from Covid-19

"FEMA has provided over $1.158 billion to more than 176,000 people to assist with COVID-19-related funeral costs for deaths occurring on or after Jan. 20, 2020."

Nearly 292,000 applications have been submitted to begin the funeral assistance process.

In Tennessee 4,555 people have been provided with COVID-19 related funeral costs for a total of $31,508,047, an average of $6,917 per funeral. An additional 7,768 have begun the process to request funeral assistance, which could add an approximately $53,731,000 to the program, for a total of approximately $85,239,303 just in Tennessee.

For the fifth year in a row, Reader’s Digest
named the Nicest Place in America, where people are kind, resilient, and work to make their communities better.

After America faced a global pandemic and fought together for racial equality in 2020, this year is one of healing and building, of bouncing back stronger, together.

In 2021, the Nicest Place in America is the Quality Inn in Kodak, Tennessee.
Taking in the Community During a Christmas Blizzard, the Quality Inn in Kodak, Tennessee Is the Nicest Place in America

(link...)

From WBIR:

The University of Tennessee Veterinary Medical Center in Knoxville announced Friday it is temporarily cutting back its emergency service hours for the small animal hospital due to staffing shortages and high overnight caseloads.

The veterinary center said its emergency services in the Small Animal Hospital will now only be open between the hours of 8 a.m. until 10 p.m. daily.

A couple of years ago the emergency veterinary hospital in Blount County closed. We tried two different emergency veterinary hospitals in Knoxville. We preferred the UT Vet Hospital. There is a third 24 hour veterinary hospital in West Knoxville, which we haven't tried.

Hopefully we won't need the services of an emergency veterinary hospital during this "temporary" cutback at UT Vet Hospital.

Interesting article. Who is behind the Scruffy City PAC?

Knoxville City Council elections 2021

Knox County Election Financial Disclosures

A top administrator with the Carroll Independent School District in Southlake advised teachers last week that if they have a book about the Holocaust in their classroom, they should also offer students access to a book from an “opposing” perspective, according to an audio recording obtained by NBC News.

“How do you oppose the Holocaust?” one teacher said in response.

Shrug...

"An investigation is underway after several Great Smoky Mountains Railroad cars derailed while filled with passengers over the weekend in Swain County." The train travels from the "Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC) to the main depot in Bryson City."

A passenger "writes, “Multiple cars derailed, our car being one of them. It was unsettling given that our car was leaning slightly, and we were over Lake Fontana.”

Yikes!

A new report released called "Trouble in the Air" said Sevierville had the most Bad Ozone Days in Tennessee in 2020. The report defined bad Ozone days as days when the amount of Ozone in the air was higher than the EPA's recommendation.

Sevierville traffic could be hurting your lungs

To be this lucid, well-spoken, and funny at 90.

Greenlee is the second-oldest bike shop in the United States, dating back to 1899.

One of Knoxville's oldest family-owned businesses is closing its doors after pandemic hardships

Developing Story: FBI raids Sevier County Courthouse

The $4 trillion economic cost of not vaccinating the entire world

Vaccine Refusal Will Come at a Cost—For All of Us

Unvaccinated COVID-19 hospitalizations cost billions of dollars

The Costs Of Rejecting Vaccinations

The Los Angeles City Council voted Wednesday to require patrons at indoor spaces such restaurants, gyms and movie theaters to show proof of full Covid-19 vaccination -- starting November 4.

The ordinance will also apply to personal care establishments such as spas and hair salons, as well as city buildings.
.

Los Angeles to require proof of vaccination for indoor restaurants, gyms and theaters

In rural communities, he said, it's not cost effective to run a whole hospital. A freestanding emergency room can provide critical care without losing too much money. Proving that it can work in Fentress County could allow other communities long distances from major hospitals to petition for similar care sites.

New freestanding emergency room in Fentress Co. may be model for rest of nation

‘Exhausted and underpaid’: teachers across the US are leaving their jobs in record numbers
Michael Sainato in The Guardian

“I needed a change for my physical and mental health and that of my family, some of whom have conditions that make them vulnerable to Covid. There was a lack of transparency in the reported numbers and the push to do business as normal. It was all far too much,” said Tower. “I did not want to be a martyr. I loved my job. I’ll miss my kids, but I can’t pour from an empty vessel.”

At least 378 active teachers have died from Covid-19 since the beginning of the pandemic, along with hundreds of other school workers. Several surveys have shown teachers are more likely to leave the profession because of worsening stress and burnout during the pandemic, coupled with pre-existing issues such as a lack of resources and low pay.

On Oct. 3, 1791, James White's Fort became the birthplace of the city of Knoxville, named after William Blount's superior Henry Knox.

Happy birthday, Knoxville! The Scruffy City turns 230