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.

Continued...

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...

Continued...

Hurricane Earl lost some strength overnight and was downgraded to a Category 3 storm, but is still a major hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 125 MPH extending outward 90 miles from the center. The last reported minimum central pressure is 943 MB.

NOAA: "A hurricane watch is in effect for north of Surf City North Carolina to Parramore Island Virginia, including the Pamlico and Albemarle Sounds. Interests elsewhere from Virginia northward to New England should monitor the progress of Earl."

According to news reports, mandatory evacuations have been ordered for North Carolina's Outer Banks.

AFTERNOON UPDATE: Hurricane Earl is picking up strength and could become a Category 4 storm again later today. The watch for NC coastal areas has been upgraded to a warning and a watch has been issued for Virginia northward to Delaware.

Pam Strickland will be writing the Friday "liberal" column for the Knoxville News Sentinel. Congratulations, Pam!

We're glad to see the KNS is finally filling this slot on a more permanent basis after the departure of Don Williams. It's about the only dose of progressive you'll get in Knoxville media.

UPDATE: Jack McElroy...

What: Beyond the Myth: Pit Bulls and Breed Discrimination (Bonus: chance to win a free pair of VIP tickets!)
When: Friday, September 3, 2010 - 7:00pm
Where: Bijou Theatre, Downtown Knoxville

This Friday at the Bijou, filmmaker Libby Sherril, who is from Knoxville, is hosting a premier screening of "Beyond the Myth," a feature-length documentary film about pit bulls and breed discrimination.

From the filmmaker: "Beyond the Myth is a film about pit bulls and those who love and defend the breed. It explores the contributing factors behind the public's generalized fear of pit bulls and examines the conflict existing between advocates and opponents of Breed Specific Legislation. It also investigates the myths associated with the breed and asks the question, 'What exactly is a pit bull?'"

Here's the trailer, and you can visit the website for more info.

EXTRA SPECIAL BONUS: Courtesy of Katie Allison Granju, who is helping promote the screening on a volunteer basis, KnoxViews has a pair of VIP tickets to give away. The free tickets will go to the seventh person who emails me (rneal@rviews.com) with the subject 'beyond the myth tickets'. (Winner will be determined by the email timestamp.)

The VIP package includes special seating, a goodie bag, and access to the VIP After Party at S&W Grand downtown, where singer/songwriter Kimber Cleveland, who wrote the theme song for the film, will be performing live.

UPDATE: Carla G. Welch is the lucky winner of the free VIP ticket package. Thanks to everyone who participated.

...to a new book. "A City of Ghosts" is a collection of ghost stories about Nashville. Available now at Amazon (soon to be available on Kindle) and from the publisher.

"In tales that range from spine-tingling to heart-breaking, A CITY OF GHOSTS brings to life an alternative, haunted history of Nashville."

More about the book and the author...

Guaranteed to put a smile on your face...

Jack Lail: Even with convenient phrases like "Web first" and "continuous news," newspapers remain all too often the final, but authoritative confirmation of the already known.

SEE ALSO: Jack Lail interviews Gawker founder Elizabeth Spiers about he changing media landscape.

RELATED: News Sentinel series on the future of news. (See left sidebar there for links to articles in the series.)

What: Panel Discussion: What the Healthcare Reform bill means to you
When: Tuesday, August 31, 2010 - 6:30pm
Where: Baker Center Toyota Auditorium

Panelists will provide an overview of the recently-passed national health reform legislation, outline key provisions of the reform bill, and the implementation timeline. Panelists will also discuss what's in it for me? for: those with 1) employer-based coverage, 2) Medicaid, 3) Medicare, 4) uninsured individuals, and 5) small businesses.

Panelists are Carole Myers, Assistant Professor in the College of Nursing at UT, Knoxville and Fellow for Health Policy at the Howard H. Baker, Jr. Center for Public Policy and Beth Uselton, Lead Organizer for the Tennessee Health Care Campaign.

The panel program will be webcast here. More info here. Location: Baker Center- Toyota Auditorium, 1640 Cumberland Ave, Knoxville, TN.

Click image for bigger...

The NOAA National Hurricane Center has upgraded Hurricane Earl to a Category 4 storm with maximum sustained winds of 135 MPH. The central pressure is 935 MB.

According to NOAA, the eyewall is reforming and predicting intensity is "problematic" until that completes. It is expected to strengthen over the next 24 hours, and "interests from the Carolinas northward to New England should monitor the progress of Earl. There is still considerable uncertainty as to how close the hurricane will come to the U.S. east coast."

The above photo was taken last night by Astronaut Douglas H. Wheelock aboard the International Space Station. According to the exif data it was taken with a Nikon D3X. More amazing photos from Astronaut Wheelock...

What: Chuck Williams Meet and Greet the Montgomery Village Residents Association
When: Thursday, September 2, 2010 - 5:00pm
Where: Montgomery Village - 4530 Joe Lewis Road Knoxville, Tn

Media Release

For Immediate Release:

Knoxville, Tn. – This is to announce that Chuck Williams, the Independent Candidate for the State Senate in District 7 will be meeting the Residents of the Montgomery Village Residents Association on Thursday, September 2nd, 2010 from 5 to 6 P.M. He will be discussing his campaign, as well as discussing any issues or concerns that the residents of Montgomery Village may have. State Senator Jamie Woodson (District 6), has also been invited and she has indicated if she is not in Nashville that day, she will gladly appear.

Montgomery Village is located at 4530 Joe Lewis Road in South Knoxville. Although Montgomery Village lies in the 6th District, they do have numerous clients that live in the 7th District and “Healthcare and some of their other issues and concerns are issues that will be dealt with by the new legislative body in January.”

For further information please call Ms. Tonja Warren of Montgomery Village at 865-577-5555.