Chris Buice is minister of the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church.
When the Rev. Calvin T. Skinner was arrested at a Knox County Commission meeting, I was reminded of the scripture, “A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown” and apparently by his own County Commission.
Skinner is appreciated elsewhere. Morehouse College inducted him into the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. College of Ministers and Laity. Morehouse is King’s alma mater. The award is given to those who carry on his tradition of prophetic ministry by speaking truth to power and overcoming hatred with love.
King was arrested and imprisoned 29 times in his lifetime. Of course, it is easier to honor the prophets after they are gone. That’s why we have a national monument for him in Washington, D.C., and a national holiday for him every year.
Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs had to wait a few hours longer than anticipated to deliver his third budget address as morning storms washed out the original plans. That was fine. As far as budgets go, he’s learned to be flexible.
Coming off a shrunken pandemic budget from a year ago, Jacobs proposed a $893.5 million budget Tuesday. Given the challenges and uncertainties of the past year, this budget was a reminder of normalcy: no splashy buys, no tax increases but raises for county employees across the board including a more sizable bonus for sheriff’s office employees and overall strong fiscal health.
Knox County Commission passes budget with officer raises, full funding for schools
Glenn Jacobs presented the annual plan earlier in May, and the Knox County Commission approved it Monday night. Author: WBIR Staff Updated: 6:02 AM EDT May 25, 2021
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. The Knox County Commission on Monday passed Mayor Glenn Jacobs $893.6 million 2021/22 budget.
The numbers tell the tale: Knox County s budget for the new fiscal year looks nothing like last year s lean spending plan.
Earlier in May, Jacobs presented a 2021/22 proposed budget of that was $42.3 million above the current adopted budget.
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It includes a fully funded $542 million schools budget, 5 percent raises for most Knox County Sheriff s Office uniformed personnel, a 33 percent boost in what it ll spend for road paving, and even money for a new environmental officer to try to curb county littering.
Austin-East students take police reform demands to downtown Knoxville
Austin-East Magnet High School students took their protests from school hallways to the halls of government, marching Tuesday from East Knoxville to the City-County Building downtown.
The students, like many community members over the past two weeks, demanded police reform after the death of classmate Anthony Thompson Jr. The 17-year-old was shot and killed by an officer during a chaotic confrontation inside an Austin-East bathroom on April 12.
“We don’t feel unsafe because of the students, but because of the officers,” said Arianna Bailey, a junior.
She and Shakayla Blair, also a junior, said they are haunted by the sight of officers with rifles inside their school that day.