Nightfall welcomes the roots rock sounds of Blue Mountain. More details in the Scenic City Concert Calendar.

CHATTANOOGA - It seems hard to believe it has been nearly ten years since then-Mayor Jon Kinsey announced plans to take over the Tennessee-American Water Company, enabling the city to maintain its own water system and not be beholden to a private company.

Kinsey believed his plan was in the best interest of the citizenry, but public reaction was anything but supportive. Caller after caller to talk radio lamented the plan; hundreds of letters to the local newspapers all joined in the chorus against any attempt to condemn Tennessee-American Water’s property in order to gain control of the company. Eleven months later, after the company sued and sought a public vote on the issue, the city council ended the attempted takeover and agreed to a settlement with Tennessee-American.

Or so Chattanoogans thought at the time. A decade later, a new group of elected officials have begun making increasingly bold statements about starting the entire process once again. At a recent county commission meeting, Commissioner Warren Mackey went on the record stating that he feels the county and the city should strongly consider looking into another takeover attempt of the water company.

ST. PAUL, Minn. - Not merely a Republican. Not merely a candidate. John McCain cast himself as a leader for all Americans, regardless of party or status. After several days of Democratic bashing by his supporters, the Arizona senator struck a nonpartisan stance and promised that he wouldn't be bound by political party in the White House as he accepted the GOP presidential nomination Thursday before thousands of loyalists.

"We are fellow Americans, an association that means more to me than any other," McCain told the Republican Convention, deriding "constant partisan rancor" that causes Washington gridlock. He rejected those in Washington who he said "work for themselves and not you."

McCain marched through a series of big issues — defense, taxes, education, energy independence among them — without offering many specifics. Instead, there were generic promises to "make it better," of "rewarding hard work," and the like.