Morning Update

Former County Commissioner Pinkston is asking Knox County to pick up the legal bill for defending himself in an ouster suit:

“I’m not guilty of anything,” said the South Knox Countian, who is no longer in office, having been defeated in last year’s election. He said former Law Director John Owings told him that the county would pay his fees if he won the case.

A round-up of red light camera news in the state legislature where there are three primary bills between the House and Senate:

• Rep Ryan Haynes (a Knox County YR) has one to eliminate the rolling right turn on red violation state wide.
• Senator Stacey Campfield introduced a bill that is basically the same as Haynes, but applied to Knox County only.
• Rep John Ragan filed House Bill 33, which would require 95 percent of revenue from red-light cameras be earmarked “solely for educational needs.” That would likely eliminate the cameras from a practical standpoint by removing the revenue incentive the cameras have.

See the following for details: http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/jan/23/et-legislators-look-curb-camera-fines/ and http://www.wrcbtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=13892822

They do face some obstacles according to this article: http://www.wdef.com/news/bills_aimed_at_traffic_cameras_face_obstacles_in_general_aseembly/01/2011

Campfield parks car on Capitol sidewalk

Republican state Rep. Stacey Campfield of Knoxville says he parked his car up on the Tennessee Capitol sidewalk with the hazard lights blinking because he was late for the House floor session.

Campfield, who has a reserved parking spot in the legislative parking garage less than a block away, ran out of the House chamber toward the end of Monday’s floor session to move his Honda Accord.

via KnoxNews State. Rep. Campfield parks car on Capitol sidewalk.