Morning Update

Former Knox County DA Ed Dossett’s widow, Raynella Dossett Leath, was convicted of murder yesterday.

Organizers call off effort to recall Knox law director

The drive to put a recall initiative on the Aug. 25 general election ballot needed 50,000 signatures, organizer Peter Crary said. Hundreds of volunteers would have been required to collect the signatures over 90 days, he said.

Commission poised to make it easier to recall county elected officials

Knox County Commission has approved 16-2 a provision that would make it easier to recall elected officials following weeks of contentious debate over how many voters’ signatures should be needed to get a recall election on the ballot.

The 16-2 vote is interesting in that it’s most vocal supporters voted against it. That largely has to do with the initial proposal (from Commissioner Richard Briggs) being altered drastically.

Knox County school board member Bill Phillips resigns

Phillips was elected to the 8th District seat, which includes the Ritta and Gibbs areas, in September 2008. He became the target of an unsuccessful recall drive after pleading guilty last February to a misdemeanor charge of assaulting his wife, Karen Phillips.