On Wednesday, Knox Co At Large Commissioner Bob Thomas announced his candidacy for Knox Co Mayor in the Republican Primary to be held on May 1 or May 8, 2018. The same day we reported that Patrick Birmingham, the Knox News Publisher rents his residence from Thomas and Thomas wife. KnoxViews shared and linked to our report. Since that report the silence of Knox News has been deafening.

Knox News has not published a story about last Wednesday’s baloney cutting announcement of Thomas. Is the quietness an admission of the conflict? Is ignoring the issue or the landlord candidate their defense? Have they employed a public relations consultant to provide guidance on how to proceed with the public exposure of the conflict? Is Birmingham hoping a relocation of his residence will serve as a cure to the conflict?

The News Sentinel when owned by E.W. Scripps had a slogan “Give light and the people will find their way”. It seems that an almost 12 year old local blog turned the floodlight on the conflict and all the lights in the big metal shed on the hill went dark with people hiding under their desk.