Posthumous pardon for Maurice Mays won't come from next governor | Victor Ashe

It appears Jason Martin, the Democratic nominee for governor, is passing up the opportunity to support a posthumous pardon for Maurice Mays, the Black Knoxvillian executed in 1922 on scant evidence before an all-white jury. City Council unanimously asked Gov. Bill Lee to do this. Lee never responded to or acknowledged the resolution.

Martin’s silence shows him to be identical to Lee on this specific issue, and that’s stunningly foolish on his part. However, Martin, a physician, has said that as governor he would pardon anyone prosecuted for performing an abortion.

Do attend the candidates’ debate for the seven state representative districts, 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Annoor Academy, 724 Foxvue Road. Attendees can submit written questions.

It is sponsored by the League of Women Voters, Knox News and the Howard Baker Center.

Two House districts have competitive contests: Gloria Johnson vs. David Poczobut in District 90 and Greg Kaplan vs. Elaine Davis in District 18.

The Republicans in this West and South Knox County state House district are seriously split over Davis while Democrats are united for Kaplan. Both incumbent State Rep. Eddie Mannis and City Councilwoman Janet Testerman have declined to support Davis. Davis’ relationship with Mannis is so bad she has not even contacted him. The political makeup of this district is also closely divided between the two parties.

Republicans such as Raja Jubran have openly backed Kaplan. Davis is viewed as extreme for many moderates on the abortion issue and not interested in their views. She has been critical of several University of Tennessee classes on her Facebook page, while Kaplan says he will be a booster of UT in the legislature. UT is the largest single employer in this district.

Davis skipped a September appearance with Kaplan at the Knoxville Jewish Community Center.

Meanwhile, Kaplan issued a statement pledging to support greenways and parks for Knox County and Knoxville through the Land Water Conservation Fund, which provides funds to state governments to use for local governments.

"My district hosts Lakeshore Park, which has significant use. I personally enjoy walking greenways and will be an advocate in Nashville for local parks. I applaud the work of city greenway leader Tim Hester in promoting greenways along with Sam Flanagan, chair of the city greenway commission. We need a bipartisan group of legislators to support greenways and bike ways across Tennessee,” Kaplan said.

Debbie Helsley, who won 45% of the countywide vote for mayor against Glenn Jacobs, is planning to run for one of the three at-large seats on the Knoxville City Council. It likely will be the seat now held by Testerman, who has not decided whether she will seek a second term in 2023.

Testerman lost to Davis in the August GOP primary for state representative. Helsley was a strong winner over Jacobs inside Knoxville, getting 11,699 votes to 7,512 for Jacobs.

Next Monday at 6 p.m., former GOP House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wisconsin and former Democratic North Dakota Senator Heidi Heitkamp will speak at the UT Student Union off Cumberland Avenue. Sponsored by the Institute of American Civics, the talk promotes civic discourse and combats political polarization. It is open to the public.

Hallerin Hill, host of “Anything is Possible,” will be the moderator. Guests may park in the Vol Hall Garage on White Avenue.

Julie Webb, widow of Webb School of Knoxville founder Bob Webb, is moving to Nashville after 67 years in Knoxville. Webb, 96, will live near her daughter. She has many friends in Knoxville and will be missed. She was honored recently by her church, Sequoyah Hills Presbyterian, which hosted a farewell reception for her.

The 75th anniversary celebration of the Legal Clinic is 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 21, at the Knoxville Museum of Art.

Birthdays

Oct. 21: Art dealer Joe Periut is 70. Larry Fields, pastor emeritus of Central Baptist Church of Bearden, is 79. Christopher Salmons is 39. Andrea Bailey is 45. Melynda Whetsel is 71. Joseph Pardue is 75. Former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is 73.

Oct. 22: Karen Krieg is 76. GOP legislative candidate David Poczobut is 54. Steve Rosen is 57.

Oct. 23: Columnist Georgiana Vines is 83. Retired banker Dale Keasling is 79. City Councilwoman and former Vice Mayor Gwen McKenzie is 60. Former County Commissioner Tony Norman is 69. Matt Murray is 64. Scott Jones is 54. Lindsay Cates is 39. Phil Lawson is 75.

Oct. 24: Howard Capito is 76. Neal Stewart Jr. is 62. Jane Chedester, GOP state executive committee member, is 72. University of Tennessee system President Randy Boyd is 63. Vincent Fusco is 53.

Oct. 25: Former County Commissioner Evelyn Gill is 56. Robert G. Crye is 80. Riley Lovingood is 26. Former Nashville Mayor Bill Purcell is 69.

Oct. 26: State Rep. Sam McKenzie is 57. Jody Collins is 44. Mohamed Abbas is 31. Peter Sowa is 78.

Oct. 27: Paul Brady is 52. Retired News Sentinel writer Barbara Aston-Wash is 93. Kyle McCoy is 62.

Victor Ashe can be reached at vhashe@aol.com.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Posthumous pardon for Maurice Mays won't come from next governor