My alma mater Middle Tennessee State University now knows who they will play in the NCAA Basketball Tournament. The Minnesota Golden Gophers of the Big 10 Conference. It’s going to be a great game among the many that will be played over the next three weeks. Go Blue Raiders and bust a lot of brackets along the way.
Mayor Andy Berke has won Chattanooga’s four-way mayoral race. Berke received 11,991 votes, according to unofficial results posted online by the Hamilton County Election Commission.
Source: Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke wins re-election | Times Free Press
I am thrilled about this. In a four-way race there is always the chance of a loss because of vote splitting. He is a great guy and I am happy for these results.
This is a photo collage from a visit to Gatlinburg, Tennessee back in 2008. It’s a picturesque tourist destination in the Great Smoky Mountains. This past week the town was hit hard by fires that burned homes, attractions, lodges and other businesses. This is a good place to chill and it will come back.
The overnight weather has brought much needed rain to the area but in the form of severe storms. We had tornado warnings and watches along with severe thunderstorm warnings. It was very stormy overnight with a lot of thunder, lightning and winds. Some area school systems were on delay or closed. Perhaps this rain will be a cleansing thing that will restore things here. I am hoping the Gatlinburg, Tennessee area got a good soaking to take care of the fires there. Hopefully by this afternoon things will settle down.
From USA Today
Wildfires lead to evacuation of Gatlinburg
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The Gatlinburg Fire Department has ordered the mandatory evacuation of downtown Gatlinburg as wind conditions worsened and several fires grew increasingly unpredictable and dangerous.There were reports that Dollywood, the theme park started by country star Dolly Parton, was in the path of the flames.Some areas of Pigeon Forge also were being evacuated, according to fire spokeswoman Trish McGee.”Three county school buses are available for emergency transport and are being dispatched as needed to transport those who need to evacuate,” according to a statement from McGee.”We were just told by the Gatlinburg Fire Department that they had told everybody in Gatlinburg to get out,” said Judy Tucker, director of Sevier County’s E-911 call center, around 9 p.m. “… No one’s getting through to anyone. Phones are ringing and not being answered anywhere. It’s chaos.”
Gatlinburg, Tennessee is a popular tourist destination. The fires there are something the people aren’t used to. They need rain. God be with those folks.
Here in the southeastern part of the USA it’s unseasonably warm. Temps have been in the 80’s and 90’s. I remember as a kid when highs would be in the 60’s and lows in the 30’s and 40’s. Fall, so far, has been more like Summer. I sure wish it would cool down.
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