On Saturday January 6, 2008, Brian’s Blog posted this about a source of our team that is contemplating an ethics complaint that may be filed concerning travel gifts. On January 7, 2008, Katie Allison Granju posted this on her blog Knoxville Talks. In the comments section, the subject (public official) in question by our source indicated that this travel was a grant.

On January 8, 2008, an Open Records Request for the documentation concerning this grant was sent to the School Systems Public Information Officer. Here is the request. “This is a formal request that can and should replace the/any earlier request. According to the Open Records Act, I am requesting all communications email, written and/or verbal between any Knox County School official including but not limited to Karen Carson and everyone and whomever awarded the grant for the trip to China. This request is being made under the open records act.”

On January 9, 2008 Russ Oaks indicated that this could take some time. Still no information as of January 14, 2008 at 5:30 p.m.