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The fighter jets are leaving McGhee-Tyson Air National Guard Base this afternoon. One of the FA-18s(?) took off around 2PM, followed by three pairs, and one last solo, all at about 15 to 20 minute intervals. They turned towards the east. Headed home?

At about 3:30PM a pair of the Harriers left. I had to answer the phone and didn't see which way they turned. By my count there should be two more left, but it started raining so I packed it in. These were taken from my back porch, with the aircraft about 1.1 miles away.

PREVIOUSLY: Expecting trouble?

Baby,I hate to sing a "song sung blue" for our Party.

And I believe it aint over till it's over is true.

But folks,the fat ladies warming up in the bullpen.

We normally stay away from crime stories, but KPD urgently needs the public's help. Above is a security camera photo of the son of a bitch who shot and killed a cashier at the S&S Cafeteria on Kingston Pike in Bearden last night. The killer is still at large. The victim died for, what, a couple of hundred bucks? News reports say the killer left the money behind. Another senseless tragedy. KPD is asking anyone who can identify this individual to call the KPD hotline at 215-7212, anonymously if you prefer. (By way of Dave Foulk and Michael Silence.)

UPDATE: KNS with more photos and details...

When the EPA chose not to hold a public hearing on new coal ash regulations in the community most impacted by the irresponsible handling of coal combustion waste, the people of Roane County organized their own. RoaneViews has a report on the "People's Coal Ash Hearing" held at Roane State Community College last night.

PREVIOUSLY: Senator Alexander A Little Late to the Party

Pam Strickland's debut column for the Knoxville News Sentinel is about the value of libraries and the prospects for a new one downtown under the new Burchett administration.

I saw this on CNN about zero energy housing going up in two days.

http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2010/09/02/n_nyc_green_home.cnnmoney/

Made me curious about zero energy houses in the Knoxville area.

I came across this UT zero energy project that looks to be in the process of building a house.

http://utzero.wordpress.com/

Are there any other homes or buildings in actual use in the area that are zero energy?

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View from Alcoa of a wildfire on Chilhowee Mountain near Montvale Rd. WBIR reports three separate wildfires burning in the Blount Smoky Mountains.

Seen at the McGhee-Tyson Air National Guard Base. Click image for bigger. Also, these.

I'm the Captain for Team St. James for the Volunteer Ministry Center's 13th Annual 5K Race/Walk on Saturday, Oct. 2. It's $20 per person to be a participant or a supporter. Participants can run in the 5K, walk the 5K, or walk a mile. Children can participate in the Kid's Fun Run. Or, like me, you can just be a supporter. You must fill out one form per supporter and supporters can be dogs and cats. Registration deadline is Sept. 15.

For those of you who don't know, VMC is a nonprofit on Broadway in Knoxville, just a few blocks from my church, St. James Episcopal, that helps the homeless find their way out of their life on the streets and into permanent supportive housing. VMC provides a number of services including three meals a day to those who are still homeless and medical and psychiatric care, helping their clients reconnect with estranged family and to take steps toward giving up drugs and alcohol.

Doing all that takes money, and this race is one of the ways that they raise money each year. St. James has traditionally been one of the churches to raise the most money by having the most registered runners and supporters, although we've backslide a bit the last couple of years.

But this year if we reach 175 registered runners or supporters, our rector, Father John Mark Wiggers, will KISS A PIG on the morning of the race. That's right, he's accepted a challenge posed by St. James parishioner and VMC Executive Director, Ginny Weatherstone, who also is going to kiss that same pig if the overall goal of raising $30,000 is reached.

So if you'd like to help with the St. James goal or just with the overall goal, go here to get a pdf of the entry form.

If you want to be part of the Team St. James, please mail the form and your check, made out to VMC 5K, to St James Episcopal, 1101 N. Broadway, Knoxville TN 37917. Or get the form(s) to me directly. If you don't want to join Team St. James, but do want to help VMC, the address is on the race form.

If you have any questions, ask.

P.S. I think we can get 200 registered runners/supporters, but JM wanted to play it safe. Help me prove him wrong... ;-)

CNN reporting Gulf oil rig explosion, people in the water...

UPDATE: Houston Chronicle reports Coast Guard responding, 80 miles south of Vermillion Bay off the central Louisiana coast. Explosion reported by a helicopter crew...

UPDATE: CNN reporting 12 people overboard, one missing...

UPDATE: New reports say all 13 crew accounted for, one injury. Rig is owned by Mariner Energy...

UPDATE: AL.com: Vermillion Oil Rig 360 is a gas and oil rig in 450 feet of water in South Timbalier Block 316, according to company records.

UPDATE: Mariner Energy is in the process of being acquired by Apache Corporation...

Metro Pulse with the presser...

UPDATE: We are told that Roddy asked every member of City Council to be on the host committee for her formal campaign launch at the Tennessee Theater. No word on how many accepted...

With such a high unemployment rate, illegal immigrants are leaving the state.

And, in Orlando, they are charging the homeless $2 - $10 for overnight shelter.

I'm not sure why anyone wants to be a candidate for the governor of Florida.

Because first they came for the hunters and gatherers...

Hurricane Earl intensified overnight and is once again a Category 4 storm with maximum sustained winds of 145MPH. Hurricane strength winds extend 90 miles outward from its center. Minimum central pressure is 932MB.

NOAA says the storm is expected to begin weakening later today but will still be a major hurricane as it skirts North Carolina's Outer Banks late tonight and early tomorrow morning. It is expected to take a north/northeast turn Friday. Depending on it's track it could stay offshore causing less severe damage or it could make landfall anywhere along the mid-Atlantic coast.

Hurricane warnings are in effect for North Carolina. Watches are in effect for Virginia northward to Massachusetts.

According to news reports, evacuations continue along the Outer Banks and governors in North Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland have declared a state of emergency.

AFTERNOON UPDATE: Hurricane Earl has weakened and is now a Category 3 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 115 miles per hour. Hurricane strength winds extend outward 70 miles from the center. Central minimum pressure is 947MB.

NOAA: "Additional weakening is expected tonight and Friday, but Earl is expected to remain a large and strong hurricane as it passes near the outer banks. Tropical-storm-force winds are expected to reach the North Carolina coast within the warning area soon. Even if the center of Earl remains offshore, hurricane force winds are expected to occur in the Outer Banks by tonight."

As reported at WATE, Mickey's T's Sports Bar at 2405 North Central St. was shut down and boarded up after officers served a Temporary Civil Injunction under the Nuisance Law.

The Helen Ross McNabb facilities are listed as Administrative and Adult Services.

The NEW Daily local is reporting that newly elected D-1 Commissioner Shawn Carter just now learned he is in violation of the Federal Hatch Act. Yawn. So he resigned. Yawn. Less than two hours after he was sworn in.

Wouldn't his employer (the Post Office) know or advise him of this law that prohibits federal employees from running in partisan elections?

• Burchett pledges countywide cuts, travel limits
• TBI probing Knox County Solid Waste Department
• Knox County Mayor Burchett makes sweeping changes after swearing in
• On 1st day in office, new Knox Mayor Burchett makes changes, cuts
• Severance packages to be put on hold pending review

While wing nuts in Middle TN are wasting time eroding religious freedoms, TN remains firmly entrenched as one of the most underdeveloped states in the US.
http://www.measureofamerica.org/
Check out the maps of Human Development. We are at or near the bottom in each.

Over at Metro Pulse, Jessee Fox Mayshark has an interesting look at the intersection of journalism, public figures, and Facebook and some of the ethical questions it raises.

As you may recall, I recently announced without much drama that I was canceling my Facebook account and "opting out of the future of the internets where my personal information is a commodity." I also find the whole "friending" thing a little weird. Apparently a lot of people I have never heard of want to "friend" me and me them. I guess your number of Facebook "friends" and Twitter "followers" is a measure of worth nowdays.

TN First Lady Andrea Conte, First Lady Series
Student Town Hall

The Student Town Hall is part of Andrea Conte's First Lady's Series, a monthly event hosted in Conservation Hall at the Tennessee Residence. Students from nine public and private Davidson County schools will have the opportunity to ask questions of the two candidates running for Governor, Bill Haslam (R) and Mike McWherter (D).

Update after the jump...