TRANSCRIPT:
“It’s Friday. Time for another weekly update. This week, I helped cut ribbons at K&P Remodeling and the Farragut Pointe apartments. I also welcomed the Small Business Administration’s America's Seed Fund Road Tour to Knox County. Knox County recently hosted its second annual Camporee on the Hill at Melton Hill Park with a record-breaking number of registered participants.
More than 340 residents camped out over the weekend and a total of 600 joined in the weekend festivities that included hikes, workshops, and interactive wildlife encounters. It was a true celebration of the great outdoors. According to the survey results collected by Parks staff the event received “excellent” 5-star rating! Check out Camporee when it returns next year!
Wednesday was Peace Officer Memorial Day, a day which takes on even more meaning this year as we remember Knox County Sheriff’s Officer Tucker Blakely as well as recent losses suffered by the Knoxville Police Department and the Blount County Sheriff’s Office. A big thank you to all our officers who put their lives on the line every day to make a positive difference in our communities.
Patience Collins, also known as Patie-Bug, will help lead the parade at tomorrow’s Children’s Festival of Reading. Patie-bug received the 4 millionth book mailed out by Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to a child in Knox County. The Imagination Library mails one new, age-appropriate book each month to any Knox County child from birth until age five at no cost to the family. You can sign up your youngster at the Knox County Library website. Congratulations, Patie-Bug, and thank you, Dolly and the Imagination Library!
The East Tennessee Regional Forensic Center is once again hosting a class from the National Forensic Academy. These folks are learning from some of the very best in the business as the Forensic Center has again helped solve another cold case, this time with the help of advanced genetic testing. Over the years, the Forensic Center, in conjunction with local law enforcement, has helped identify dozens of cold case victims – including one murder case stretching back three decades – during the past couple of years through advanced identification methods, such as dental, radiograph, and DNA. In addition, each year, the Forensic Center identifies hundreds of decedents from mostly non-crime-related deaths. Great work, guys!
Congratulations to Madelyn Howe at the Health Department. Madelyn was awarded the Young Dietitian of the Year by the Knoxville Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. In her role at the Health Department, she serves on the core team for a county-wide Community Food Security Assessment that works towards ensuring everyone has access to healthy foods. She also addresses chronic disease prevention through her work with food pantries and early childhood education centers. Keep up the great work, Madelyn.
Go Gray this May by supporting Brain Tumor Awareness. About a million Americans are living with a brain tumor. Sadly, over 13,000 of them are children. We are fortunate to have a great institution like East Tennessee Children’s Hospital doing great work in this area. You can learn more about Brain Tumor Awareness Month by going to cancer.gov.
Finally, tomorrow is the big day as I launch my professional competitive eating career at the Ultimate Bologna Showdown. That’s noon at the RecSports Field Complex on Sutherland Ave. We will have 8 minutes to eat as many slices of Elm Hill Bologna as we can. Some of the top competitive eaters in the world will be there, including #1-ranked Joey Chestnut and the 6’9” Gideon Oji.
Oji holds the world record for eating two pounds of bologna in 52 seconds. According to Major League Eating host George Shea, that makes Oji the biggest threat to beat Chestnut. Well, don’t count the Mayor out, y’all! Until next Friday, I hope everyone has a great week.”
