To begin, a quick round-up of recent news:

• Dan Reuter's out.

The former Regional Planning Agency head behaved questionably back during the election, as the Tennessee resident had voted in Georgia.

Then, after internal complaints were filed against his behavior, according to the Times Free Press, Reuter was suspended, then resigned.

Here's the TFP's story from Ellen Gerst:

This is consistent with our experience of him.

Karen Rennich, highly regarded and a veteran of RPA work, will take the helm as interim director. Makes you wonder if she should have been there from the beginning.

However, the larger issue remains: the Plan Hamilton work is stalled and the future of McDonald Farm, sort of the symbol for how the county will approach 'growth' and rural integrity, remains in limbo.

Residents still continue to push for keeping the farm rooted in agriculture and agri-tourism, begging for the county to avoid industrializing - and ruining - the land.

Save McDonald Farm!, they cry and demand.

It's a similar protest as: Save Signal Mountain, a citizen-group formed in response to preserving the land against greed and reckless development.

Wendell Berry seems appropriate here; in The Unsettling of America, he writes:

"Today, the most numerous heirs of the farmers of Lexington and Concord are the little groups scattered all over the country whose names begin with "Save": Save Our Land, Save the Valley, Save Our Mountains, Save Our Streams, Save Our Farmland.

"As so often before, these are designated victims - people without official sanction, often without official friends, who are struggling to preserve their places, their values, and their lives as they know them and prefer to live them against the agencies of their own government which are using their own tax moneys against them."

Elsewhere, more democracy in the news:

• The Chattanooga City Council is considering changes to its chicken policy, as city residents want backyard chickens. Current rules prohibit chickens on lots smaller than five acres, which is essentially impossible to find, or afford, in Chattanooga.

The change would be popular and well-received for many urban residents, already owning underground, or illegal, flocks.

But, according to the Times Free Press, Councilwoman Marvene Noel's constituents are saying: no, we don't want them at all. (Save our backyard!)

What to do when constituents are saying different things? Is it possible to change rules for some districts but not all?

Part of the city wants backyard hens. Another district doesn't. What to do?

Been mulling over this one all week and still can't find a solution. Would love to hear from any of our readers: what should Chattanooga do here?

• Our friends at Divine Goods are offering some really timely summertime gifts.

Owned by Chattanoogan Adelaide Naumann, Divine Goods has been a Food as a Verb friend since the beginning while offering a creative and expansive list of curated gifts.

Like Dark Necessities - nods to the Chili Pepper song - for barbecue and grilling.

A Caddyshack gift for golfers and a Steady As She Goes pickleball set. (We at Food as a Verb are big pickleballers.)

A Summer-gift Breeze Box.

And dozens of other gifts for families, friends or employees and colleagues.

• Last Saturday, our farm tour at Rosemary and Thyme Creamery was a sold-out success; we drove through three afternoon summer storms before arriving to blue skies and sauna-temps with sheep everywhere. We ate cheese, petted a donkey and listened as Hannah Walker and Brent Smith told us about their experiences on the farm.

"I love the way sheep look," one friend said. "Their faces are so cute."

We're already scheduling more farm tours, beginning in August, at The Table.

(Also, rather urgently: only two seats remain for Monday's Mindful Spice pop-up at Spice Trail.)

And finally, some good + encouraging news from chefs Brian McDonald and Jess Revels.

Mac's is coming back soon.

A fundraiser's set for this month.

On Tuesday, July 29, at Barking Legs Theater, Jess and Brian are hosting a fundraiser from 6 to 8.30 pm with small bites, wine and refreshments.

It's the opening announcement for their Kickstarter campaign to open the doors for Mac's new Ridgedale location on Dodds Avenue.

Several community and industry leaders will speak about the importance of Mac's, as the Kickstarter launches.

We think the world of Brian and Jess and their artistry, commitment and damn good food. Chattanooga's an immeasurably better place when Mac's is up and running.

Remember: Tuesday, July 29 @ Barking Legs Theater.

See everyone Sunday!

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This story is 100% human generated; no AI chatbot was used in the creation of this content.

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