Play trivia for a cause, and weigh in on Emerald Academy and TVA policy | The Key

Play trivia for a cause, and weigh in on Emerald Academy and TVA policy | The Key

Allie Feinberg

Knoxville News Sentinel

Welcome to December!

It seems like a long way off, but election junkies like me know five Knoxville City Council seats will be up for grabs in 2025. The primary isn't until August, but two candidates already have taken initial steps to run. Some candidates have even filed paperwork to run for county office in 2026.

Join us Tuesday for trivia!

When we're not asking questions, we love to answer them, too, and you can join us Tuesday night at Southside Garage, 1014 Sevier Ave., for trivia and beers with the Knox Trivia Guys.

We'll be raising money for for the Empty Stocking Fund and we hope to see you there!

There also are some serious issues on tap this week, so welcome to The Key, your weekly guide about how to have your say in local policy.

Emerald Academy charter up for renewal

Emerald Academy, Knox County's first charter school, is up for renewal in 2025.

Charter schools are public schools paid for with tax dollars that operate as if they were private. They're not subject to the same standards and requirements as public schools even though they're taxpayer funded.

Emerald Academy says its mission is to put its students on a path to the college of their choice and instill community leadership.

After nearly 10 years, however, there is no significant difference in how students at Emerald Academy perform versus their peers in neighboring Knox County schools, according to the latest available achievement and student growth data from the Tennessee Department of Education, my colleague Areena Arora reported last week.

The Knox County Board of Education will discuss the Knox County Schools charter review committee's evaluation of the school, a key step before its vote on the school's renewal in January.

Important dates: The school board will meet at 5 p.m. Dec. 2 at 500 W. Summit Hill Drive and again at the same time and location on Dec. 5.

What you can do: Sign up to speak at the school board meeting.

Deadline: Speakers must sign up by 4.p.m. the day of the meeting by calling 865-594-1623 or by contacting Vice Board Chair Steve Triplett at stephen.triplett@knoxschools.org before the meeting.

How to have a voice in TVA energy policy

The Tennessee Valley Authority is working on a plan to guide how it uses resources to meet high energy demands through 2050.

The federal utility is considering how technological advances, changes in legislative priorities, and what the demand for power will be could influence its long-term planning, my colleague Daniel Dassow reported last week.

TVA will consider 30 possible paths to balance its energy sources, including nuclear and natural gas, to meet its goals in the next 25 years. The plan is an outline of decisions that will shape TVA's system in the future.

It's currently only a draft, and TVA is asking the public for input.

The Knoxville-based Southern Alliance for Clean Energy will host a virtual information session to break down the plan and how you can make your voice heard. The Southern Alliance for Clean Energy is a frequent critic of TVA, especially over its reliance on fossil fuels.

What you can do: Submit a comment to TVA on its website; by email to IRP@tva.gov with the subject line Draft 2025 IRP Comments; or by mailing it to Kelly Baxter at 400 W. Summit Hill Drive.

Important date: The Southern Alliance for Clean Energy's info session will be 1-2 p.m. Dec. 4. You can register on the alliance's website.

Hurricane Helene recovery spotlight

Here are highlights of this past week's coverage of the aftermath from catastrophic flooding in East Tennessee. Knox News is committed to reporting on the recovery efforts in East Tennessee in the weeks, months and years to come.

Preparation paid off: How Cocke County officials expertly prepared for a disaster years before Helene hit

Photos: Hurricane Helene in East Tennessee: Look back 2 months after the storm

Knoxville helping neighbors: How Knoxville's Swift Water Rescue Team navigated some of Helene's most dangerous floods

Allie Feinberg reports on politics for Knox News. Email her: allie.feinberg@knoxnews.com and follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @alliefeinberg