http://www.metropulse.com/news/columns/knoxville-issues/?partner=RSSMetroPulse Stories: Knoxville Issuesen-uscolumns/knoxville-issueshttp://www.metropulse.com/news/2012/feb/08/next-months-primary-golden-opportunity-screw-campf/?partner=RSSThere is an election next month, with early voting beginning Feb. 15. Did you know Stacey Campfield is on the ballot? Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:43:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24236-734541columns/knoxville-issues/sideways-glanceRikki HallKnoxville, TNNext Month's Primary Is a Golden Opportunity to Screw With CampfieldMetroPulsenext-months-primary-golden-opportunity-screw-campfurn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24236-734541Change0Usablehttp://www.metropulse.com/news/2012/feb/08/traditional-power-centers-have-dead-batteries/?partner=RSSTrustee John Duncan III ought to send Gloria Ray flowers. Her troubles with the Knoxville Tourism and Sports Corp. have kept him off the front page or the lead TV news items for a few days. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:06:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24228-734541columns/knoxville-issues/frank-talkFrank CagleKnoxville, TNKnoxville's Traditional Power Centers Have Dead BatteriesMetroPulsetraditional-power-centers-have-dead-batteriesurn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24228-734541Change0Usablehttp://www.metropulse.com/news/2012/feb/01/appointing-state-appellate-justices-unconstitution/?partner=RSSA special panel of the state Supreme Court has ruled that the state’s appellate justices are being properly elected to office by being appointed by the governor then one day facing a retention election. This in spite of the Tennessee Constitution, which says judges are to be elected by a vote of the people. Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:02:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24206-734534columns/knoxville-issues/frank-talkFrank CagleKnoxville, TNAppointing State Appellate Justices UnconstitutionalMetroPulseappointing-state-appellate-justices-unconstitutionurn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24206-734534Change0Usablehttp://www.metropulse.com/news/2012/jan/25/gloria-still-gloria/?partner=RSSSo how did Gloria Ray get to be Gloria Ray? Wed, 25 Jan 2012 16:58:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24185-734527columns/knoxville-issues/frank-talkFrank CagleKnoxville, TNIs Gloria Still Gloria?MetroPulsegloria-still-gloriaurn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24185-734527Change0Usablehttp://www.metropulse.com/news/2012/jan/25/joe-jarret-county-law-director/?partner=RSSThe job of law director is more complicated in Knox County than most places because the director represents not only County Commission and the mayor, but also all of the county’s other independently elected officials including the Board of Education, the county clerk, the property assessor, the register of deeds, the sheriff, and the trustee. Needless to say, their interests don’t always coincide. Sullivan@MetroPulse.com (Joe Sullivan)Wed, 25 Jan 2012 16:50:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24183-734527columns/knoxville-issues/insightsJoe SullivanKnoxville, TNJoe Jarret For County Law DirectorMetroPulsejoe-jarret-county-law-directorurn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24183-734527Change0Usablehttp://www.metropulse.com/news/2012/jan/18/why-walmart-not-threat-downtown-we-might-expect/?partner=RSSA couple of weeks ago, when word came that developers were eyeing the former Fulton Bellows site along Third Creek as a possible location for a new shopping complex to include a Walmart and Publix, hands started wringing. After all, Walmart has a reputation for luring customers away from local businesses, and some felt that if the plans go through it could take dollars away from our downtown. Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:42:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24156-734520columns/knoxville-issues/shot-of-urbanMichael HaynesKnoxville, TNWhy Walmart Is Not the Threat to Downtown We Might ExpectMetroPulsewhy-walmart-not-threat-downtown-we-might-expecturn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24156-734520Change0Usablehttp://www.metropulse.com/news/2012/jan/18/cutting-taxes-recession/?partner=RSSIt’s an election year so expect the Legislature to at least talk about cutting taxes. This might seem odd in the middle of a recession (remember the crisis last year to pass a balanced budget?) but the state Legislature is likely to cut something, even if it just nibbles around the margins. Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:40:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24155-734520columns/knoxville-issues/frank-talkFrank CagleKnoxville, TNCutting Taxes in a RecessionMetroPulsecutting-taxes-recessionurn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24155-734520Change0Usablehttp://www.metropulse.com/news/2012/jan/11/tennessee-redistricting-may-run-afoul-voting-right/?partner=RSSThe Republicans are in control now and they are redrawing House district lines following the 2010 census and they are attempting to secure a filibuster proof majority. It is likely the Republican plan this time around will face a great deal more scrutiny. Wed, 11 Jan 2012 16:10:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24130-734513columns/knoxville-issues/frank-talkFrank CagleKnoxville, TNTennessee Redistricting May Run Afoul of the Voting Rights ActMetroPulsetennessee-redistricting-may-run-afoul-voting-righturn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24130-734513Change0Usablehttp://www.metropulse.com/news/2012/jan/11/blighted-property-reclamation/?partner=RSSMayor Rogero has made changing state law to reduce if not remove obstacles to delinquent-tax sales a top priority. Sullivan@MetroPulse.com (Joe Sullivan)Wed, 11 Jan 2012 16:08:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24128-734513columns/knoxville-issues/insightsJoe SullivanKnoxville, TNOvercoming Obstacles to Blighted Property ReclamationMetroPulseblighted-property-reclamationurn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24128-734513Change0Usablehttp://www.metropulse.com/news/2012/jan/04/lets-avoid-another-knox-county-train-wreck/?partner=RSSWe had hoped to put the turmoil in county government behind us with the election of a new County Commission and a new-broom county mayor. But there is a mess looming out there and somebody needs to deal with it now before it lands county government back in court. Wed, 04 Jan 2012 17:16:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24107-734506columns/knoxville-issues/frank-talkFrank CagleKnoxville, TNLet’s Avoid Another Knox County Train WreckMetroPulselets-avoid-another-knox-county-train-wreckurn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24107-734506Change0Usablehttp://www.metropulse.com/news/2012/jan/04/looking-forward-rogero-administration/?partner=RSSWith a new year and a new city government, what lies ahead for Knoxville? Mayor Madeline Rogero’s promise to make our town greener and more livable needs to be translated into policies, and there is cause for optimism. Wed, 04 Jan 2012 17:10:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24103-734506columns/knoxville-issues/sideways-glanceRikki HallKnoxville, TNLooking Forward to the Rogero AdministrationMetroPulselooking-forward-rogero-administrationurn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24103-734506Change0Usablehttp://www.metropulse.com/news/2011/dec/28/lakeshores-closing-may-yield-benefits/?partner=RSSThe initial announcement of state plans to close Lakeshore Mental Health Institute sent shock waves throughout the community. But local mental health advocates and service providers are convinced that the state’s plan will strengthen rather than weaken supports for the mentally ill and result in fewer of them “falling between the cracks.” Sullivan@MetroPulse.com (Joe Sullivan)Wed, 28 Dec 2011 17:00:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24076-734499columns/knoxville-issues/insightsJoe SullivanKnoxville, TNLakeshore’s Closing May Yield BenefitsMetroPulselakeshores-closing-may-yield-benefitsurn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24076-734499Change0Usablehttp://www.metropulse.com/news/2011/dec/28/iowa-caucases-colossal-waste-time/?partner=RSSThe only thing we get from the Iowa caucus is ethanol subsidies. Wed, 28 Dec 2011 17:00:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24077-734499columns/knoxville-issues/frank-talkFrank CagleKnoxville, TNIowa Caucasus: A Colossal Waste of TimeMetroPulseiowa-caucases-colossal-waste-timeurn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-24077-734499Change0Usable