Kincannon, KCDC snag $42.6 million grant

Sandra ClarkLet's Talk

Celebrating a $42.6 million federal grant are KCDC board members Bob Whetsel, Felix Harris, Scott Broyles, chair Kim Henry and executive director Ben Bentley; Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon; Knoxville City Council members Tommy Smith, Gwen McKenzie and Charles Thomas; task force chair Tanisha Fitzgerald-Baker; Beck Center president the Rev. Reneé Kesler; and city council member Lauren Rider. (Photo by KCDC)

Remember the January snow that wouldn’t melt? During the disruption, both Knox mayors traveled out of town. Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs went to Iowa to campaign for Donald Trump. Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon went to D.C. to meet with Pete Buttigieg. So, on March 13, 2024, we got the rest of the story.

While Jacobs brought back nothing from Iowa except possibly a head cold, Kincannon announced Wednesday a $42.6 million grant through Buttigieg’s Department of Transportation. The grant will leverage $100 million or so in connectivity projects downtown and extending into east and south Knoxville. Read the details: City of Knoxville and KCDC Reconnecting Communities Grant March 13 2024

The 20-year-old me would have ranted about the waste. Maybe even made bad jokes. Today, the older/wiser me wants to make the case for this project.

  1. It’s not the first questionable federal grant and it won’t be the last. In Kincannon, Knoxville city voters have chosen a leader both bold and smart. There was considerable competition for the federal infrastructure money. Kincannon went for and secured Knoxville’s share.
  2. Equity, a concept worth exploring. Urban renewal in the 1960s (Bob Booker called it urban removal) obliterated Black-owned businesses. Interstate and James White Parkway construction divided neighborhoods and separated east Knoxville from downtown. This grant helps mitigate that damage.
  3. Health and social benefits will be great for residents. Get off the couch and meet your neighbors.
Optics

Kincannon made clear that hers is a city and KCDC project, funded by the Biden Infrastructure Act. Those members of Congress who voted no are not in the photo.

And speaking of Tim Burchett, over at KnoxViews BizGrrl has compiled an interesting clip for Burchett-watchers. It includes Burchett being interviewed by Steve Bannon and chuckling over his efforts to slow Joe Biden on his way to make the State of the Union Address. BizGrrl’s headline: Is Burchett demented?

Link is here. Scroll down to find story

Sandra Clark is editor/CEO of Knox TN Today Inc.

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *