Upon our eviction from the island yesterday ("our eviction" being candidates for office banned from campaigning at early voting by the mall manager), Council candidate Ray Evans got on the phone. After speaking first with CORE Properties — the mall’s new development partner — then Steve Arnsdorff, the property owner, we learned that the "no soliciting" (as applied to political candidates at early voting) did not come from the mall owners.<\/p>\n
Evidently, someone complained, and the mall manager decided that we qualified as solicitors. Then Arnsdorff put in a call to management, and we were welcomed back with a couple of easy conditions: the same number of signs for each candidate\/issue, and that our personal vehicles and any trucks with signs have to be parked at least one row back, to allow closer parking for voters and shoppers.<\/p>\n
We decided on one sign per grass island, so it doesn’t look so cluttered.<\/p>\n
So, that’s where I spent my day today. Turnout was steady, and the feedback from voters was good. I met someone who reads and occasionally posts to the Oak Ridger forums; that was kind of neat. He noted that some folks on there write some pretty nasty things about me, and I think he was a little surprised to find that I do not, in fact, have horns growing out of my head. However, he left a nice note on yesterday’s post, which I appreciate.<\/p>\n
I hope you come back often, Jake. It was a pleasure meeting you as well.<\/p>\n
I had the island to myself for a few hours this afternoon, and made excellent use of it. If you live in Oak Ridge and haven’t yet voted, Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday next week are the last days of early voting… after that, it’s all or none on June 5.<\/p>\n
End of a long week; it’s time to throw some beef on the grill and open a cold beverage. It’s been productive though, and there’s a sense of accomplishment.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Upon our eviction from the island yesterday ("our eviction" being candidates for office banned from campaigning at early voting by the mall manager), Council candidate Ray Evans got on the phone. After speaking first with CORE Properties — the mall’s … Continue reading