Education

J.J. Jones has been in local law enforcement for more than two decades. More recently, he was appointed sheriff by Knox County Commission and is currently running for the post in the August general election. He joins Gene Patterson in the first segment of this week's program.

Then, Sheriff J.J. Jones is joined by Lt. Jeanette Harris, supervisor of the Sheriff's Office Family Crisis Unit. They talk about the upcoming events surrounding Crime Victims Rights Week in Knox County, which begins April 13.

Then political columnist and radio commentator Frank Cagle talks about, among other things, the new school superintendent and his new salary package.

At the monthly meeting of the Knox County Commission this week, commissioners delayed for a month a second vote on changes to the county's charter. They also rejected a call to create a charter review committee.

The changes are proposed by the group Knox Charter Petition.

Commissioners also set a special commission meeting in April to review the audits of spending by Mayor Mike Ragsdale and his senior staff.

Joining Gene Patterson in this week's first segment are county commissioners Bob Rountree (District 6) and Mark Campen (District 2).

It's been more than a year since the Knox County School Board bought out the contract of Dr. Charles Lindsey. Now the school system has a new superintendent, James McIntyre.

Board members Robert Bratton and Dan Murphy talk about the kind of superintendent they believe they've hired.

In the Final Word, the communications director for the Tennessee Clean Water Network, Cortney Piper, and political columnist Frank Cagle weigh in on a number of issues, including Mayor Ragsdale's defense of his administration's spending.

Kathy Hamilton, a member of Knox Charter Petition, answers questions about why the citizens' group is pushing for changes to the Knox County Charter.

Then, Knoxville Area Chamber Partnership head Mike Edwards tells Gene Patterson about the importance of getting the right person to fill the Knox County Schools superintendent position. Edwards also talks about the upcoming Education and Employment Summit.

In the Final Word, Mike Cohen and Cortney Piper express their opinions about the secret recording made by Commissioner Paul Pinkston of County Mayor Mike Ragsdale.

If all goes as planned, Knox County Schools will have a new superintendent by the end of the month.

Roy Mullins, a longtime Knox Count administrator, has performed the duties of the superintendent for the past year. He replaced Dr. Charle Lindsey, whose contract was bought out by the school board.

Last week, the board picked five finalists and began interviewing them.

Joining Gene Patterson to talk about the search are school board chairperson Karen Carson, and board members Dan Murphy and Cindy Buttry.

The program concludes with State Sen. Tim Burchett and Community Coalition on Family Violence member Russ Jensen, who discuss new legislation intended to close loopholes in current domestic violence laws.

The state's Sunshine Law was back in the news this week. A subcommittee studying the law says lawmakers need more room to discuss policy issues with fellow lawmakers outside the public domain.

A member of that subcommittee is Knox County Commissioner Mike Hammond, who joins Gene Patterson in this week's first segment.

Then, perhaps you've never heard of shigella or the disease shigellosis until suddenly several cases of the disease started showing up in our schools. To discuss this outbreak and other communicable illnesses is Dr. Martha Buchanan and Dr. Kathy Brown of the Knox County Health Department.

We're honored to have Carol Scott in the final segment. She is one of the unsung heroes of Knoxville history.

A decade ago, tensions were high in Knoxville's Black community because of the deaths of three Black men in separate incidents while in the custody of Knoxville police.

In response to the calls for greater accountability of the police, then-mayor Victor Ashe created the Police Advisory Review Committee, an independent group of citizens whose job was to review complaints against the department and its officers.

The glue that kept it all together was its executive director, Carol Scott, who is about to retire from the city.

It looks like the fate of Knox County government will be decided by a jury. Knox County commissioners will face off against the Knoxville News Sentinel over the Sunshine Law. Attorneys from both sides will argue what the Sunshine Law really means.

Joining Kristin Farley, who is filling in this week for Gene Patterson, is UT law professor Dr. Otis Stephens.

Then Frank Cagle with Knoxville Magazine and Mike Cohen with Ackermann Public Relations give their thoughts on the current state of county government.

For the Final Word, Sallee Reynolds, who is the principal of Knox County's newest high school, Hardin Valley, talks about a new approach she'd like to see for the school.