Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam sits on the same board that Mayor Ragsdale sits on. As a matter of fact, two of Mayor Halsam’s employees are on the board as well. IdleAire through the TPO’s Regional Planning board have voted and passed federal funds through the organization for IdleAire to build infrastructure at a Pilot Travel Center, a Haslam family owned entity.
Why did they not select Truckstops of America, Petro or Flying J. No, it went to Pilot Travel Center., a Halsam family owned entity Will, the Sentinel ever report this? It is doubtful. Why? Because Sentinel and crew like their candidate for Governor, Bill Haslam and Pilot/Haslam buys alot of newspapers, especially on Friday’s. Just because the Sentinel will not or does not report it, does not mean the federal Inspector General will not look at it.
Brian’s Blog will not even discuss the whole E.W. Scripps corporate connection to the Knox Area Chamber Partnership and Haslam family owned entities.
Brian’s Blog will not even discuss how the Chief Financial Officer at Pilot Travel Centers, LLC was involved in the selection process for the new Superintendent of Schools. Brian’s Blog will not even discuss how Pilot flew another candidate for Superintendent of Schools to Knoxville on their airplane, at Pilot expense. You remember it was the candidate that scored a whopping 31 in initial scoring and within 10 days the school board had buyers remorse. The board then voted for the two gentlemen that scored 18 and 17 or something like that. Brian’s Blog would agree that Dr. McIntyre and Bob Thomas were the two best choices. But Pilot spent over $7,000.00 to fly the other guy here.
You might want to consider checking your facts. The Idle Aire location the TPO help fund is NOT at a Pilot. You might also check and find that Pilot has generously offered its plane to many groups when it was needed…not because they had anything to gain, but becasue they set the standard for being good corporate citizens.
I have checked my facts. I checked with members of the TPO that was present and voted for the infrastructure utilizing the federal grant money for the Pilot Travel Center in Jefferson County (White Pine)
I also checked with Jeff Welch of MPC he confirmed on 4/7/2008 that in July 2005 the TPO voted to send pass through CMAQ money to two travel centers for 59 ATE units for two travel centers in Jefferson County, one of them being a Pilot Travel Center.
Thanks for asking and having me verify for you that here at Brian’s Blog, we fact check before posting.