Our Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs swapped the snow here to campaign in Iowa for Donald Trump. He and other celebrities are happy because Trump won the Iowa caucuses on January 15, 2024, with over 50%. Ron DeSantis squeaked by Nikki Haley 21% to 19%). Everyone declared victory and headed to New Hampshire (or South Carolina in the case of DeSantis).
Seeing Jacobs in Iowa with Marjorie Taylor Greene and Matt Gaetz made me nostalgic for the mayoralty of Tim Burchett, who might have caused more wrecks than he rescued by joining road crews clearing snow and debris. But at least he was out there trying.
Knox County politics
Larsen Jay announced that he’s running for county mayor to replace the term-limited Jacobs in 2026. Jay just confirmed what political types have known for six years.
Mike Hammond may run for mayor as well. Now serving as clerk of Criminal Court, Hammond holds a job not subject to term limits. But Mike might like to end his career as the lead dog. We’ll see.
Two other long-time courthouse leaders face term limits in 2026. Nick McBride and Sherry Witt will be looking for someplace to go. And there’s Sheriff Tom Spangler, also term-limited.
Jay may be the only candidate running for county mayor now, but he won’t be by himself forever.
Knox TN Today update
We’re consolidating our newspaper mailers this year. Instead of mailing 5,000 papers monthly, we’ll be mailing 15,000 papers quarterly. Same reach with less hassle.
Nick McBride writes a Thursday column on real estate transactions. That column will be published on Friday this week as the register’s office, like all others, has been disrupted by weather.
Marvin West has been pulling double and triple duty lately. He’s a treasure. I met a guy at the dog park who moved here from Chicago. He’s been reading Knox TN Today and observed, “That West fellow you’ve got writing sports is the real deal.” I laughed and told him Marvin’s wife is a friend. Also mentioned that Marvin was managing editor of the News Sentinel and then headed the sports bureau for Scripps Howard out of Washington, D.C., and ended up as managing editor for the news service with over 400 newspapers and TV stations as customers.
When I mentioned this to Marvin, he asked if I remembered the 200 Mexico columns and all five or six halls of fame? I said no, but I did tell him you were voted Most Likely to Succeed in the Powell High Class of 1951.
Sandra Clark is editor/CEO of Knox TN Today Inc.