Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs Weekly Update.

Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs Weekly Update.

TRANSCRIPT:

“It’s Friday. Time for another weekly update. Thank you, again, to everyone involved in the cleanup after the tornado that hit West Knox County on August 7th. In response to the storm and the massive amount of green waste, Knox County is going to offer a one-time assistance program to help homeowners remove green waste, such as trees, limbs, and brush, which were generated from private property.

As a part of this program, Knox County Engineering along with an emergency debris contractor will be assisting homeowners with the removal. We are still ironing out the details but expect that to start sometime over the next couple weeks, so please stay tuned.

Also, I highly encourage everyone to sign up for our emergency warning system by going to knoxcounty.org/alert or calling the 311 line. Once you join, you can receive alters via text, email, or a phone call during emergency situations. And the folks at the Lenior City Utilities Board asked me to remind their customers to sign-up for their alert system as well. You can do that by logging into your account on the LCUB website and linking your phone number or email with your meter number. If all else fails, call in and they’ll be happy to help you sign-up.

Knox County Parks & Recreation will light up Ball Camp Park from 8:30-10:30 p.m. tonight when they host the second annual Glow Party. The event will feature music, a neon dance party, and all kinds of fun activities. Concessions and merchandise will also be available for purchase. The event is free and open to the public.

Next Monday, August 21, is National Senior Citizens Day. Shout out to our Senior Centers staff and those who visit the centers, and congratulations to four of our centers that each received an $8,000 grant from the state.

I was happy to speak at the groundbreaking for Liberty Place this week. Liberty Place is a supportive housing complex for homeless veterans. The statistics surrounding homeless vets are tragic and I think the least we can do for those who have sacrificed so much is to help those who need it. While Knox County provided the land for the project, it was a combined effort at the federal, state, and local levels. So thanks to everyone who made it possible.

Last week, along with Commissioners Frazier and Oster, I visited the 134th Air Refueling Wing of the Tennessee Air National Guard Air at McGhee-Tyson Airbase for a glimpse into their vital air refueling, airlift and emergency response capabilities. Thank you to Colonel Hartley and his team for their hospitality and to everyone at the 134th for all that they do.

Finally, it was great to cut the ribbon for Knoxville-Knox County Emergency Management Agency’s new unified mobile command truck. This vehicle replaces one that was 17 years old and features much-needed technology updates and upgrades, including thermal and infrared cameras and communications equipment.

One of the most valuable functions of this truck is its enhanced ability to coordinate radio and other communications among various agencies who are using incompatible platforms. This is huge during multi-agency responses, especially when some of the agencies involved are coming in from other areas and don’t use the same communication equipment and protocols that we do locally.

And in some really important news, the cheeseburger and chocolate chip cookie were recently recognized as the top foods in American-originated cuisine. Speaking of my favorite subject, food, this week’s Eat and Greet was at Sami’s Café. Next Friday, I’ll be at Caza Brava on Clinton Highway at 11:30. Please join me. Until next Friday, I hope everyone has a great week.