That was a great community turnout last Thursday to welcome the new doctors to Jellico Community Hospital. And the list of new additions to the staff is an extremely impressive one including specialists in such fields as obstetrics, pediatrics, vascular surgery, endocrinology, cardiology and general surgery. That will save a lot of folks from having to make trips out of town to see specialists in those fields. (And I understand there could be others in the future.)

Don't forget the HEALTH WALK scheduled for Saturday, April 12th at Indian Mountain State Park, 9:00 AM. Let's make it a total community activity. It will be a great opportunity to get together, take a good walk for our health, socialize and discuss ways that we can "clean up, paint up and fix up" our town. Everything will be free including entertainment and refreshments.

Correction on last week's notes: The quilting classes will be taught by Mrs. Margaret BOWMAN. Contact her at 786-4030 for more information. The first class will start on Saturday, April 26th (12:00 noon until 4:00 PM). Community Conference Room of the Library and Tourism Office (Tramell Buildding). There will be no charge for the classes.

And remember also the series of financial workshops that are to start on May 1st. The classes are one hour each and will be taught by John Fawaz assisted by Steve Morgan and Tom Barclay. It's an opportunity to gain some valuable information dealing with budgeting, insurance, retirement, taxes, estate planning, investments and college planning. Also free of charge.

It's April and time to get started with projects to improve our town. Campbell County Environmental Officer Glennis Monday has contacted me and committed to help in our drive to "Clean up, Paint up, Fix up" - especially in the area of cleaning up our area. He is very complimentary of the improvements that have already been made in that respect and he plans to completely comb our area with his crews and to collect litter and rubbish along our streets and roads. We all need to help out and especially in the various neghborhoods.

Now we have to hope that our weather is good this month and that everyone follows through on the renovations and improvements that they have indicated they will make.

Needless to say, the recent flap over all of the tickets issued to motorists for parking on sidewalks has been the topic of discussion all over town. I have been contacted by a lot of folks agreeing with my special article but few who disagreed with me. Most who have talked directly to me have been very nice but almost all questioned the officer(s) reportedly issuing any kind of tickets while the vehicle owners were involved in worship services inside the church.

I recommended last week that all issued tickets be suspended. And the city attorney has given the opinion that the city judge has the authority to do so. I also received an independent opinion from an out-of-town and out-of-county attorney and he concurred with our city attorney.

Most of our people who were ticketed with fines for parking on the sidewalks were just trying to get out of the street and did not intentionally set out to break the law. There is absolutely no reason to punish decent law abiding citizens for violating a law of which they may not have even been aware. Folks have been parking on the sidewalks in Jellico for years and years due to the narrow streets in some areas. But all that have talked with me have told me that they will discontinue the practice now that they are aware of the purpose and provisions of the 1995 city ordinance. And they realize that it will be enforced in the future. That is all that anyone can ask!

I have not talked with Roy Baker since he attended a meeting of the City Council. But the last I heard, he was still attempting to purchase our local cable TV system from Charter Communications. He says that he is aware of our very poor service and that he does intend to upgrade our system if he is successful in acquiring ownership.

I recently had an e-mail from a "concerned citizen" questioning what we have done locally in the way of homeland defense and being prepared for any possible action by terrorists. As I have written several times in the past, we are a small town and relatively isolated from the population centers. Therefore our risk is very, very low. But we have still been getting prepared.

We have taken numerous steps in order to be ready should the unthinkable ever become reality. We have appointed a Director of Home Security (George Deuel) and he has been busy setting up an emergency response team that will gather in a central location (command post) where decisions can be made collectively by all emergency services directors and communicated to all emergency personnel in the field; George along with Police Chief Ned Smiddy and Fire Cheif John Perkins have attended smallpox orientation meetings; the Utilities Department has fenced our water purification plant, prohibited all boats from the lake that serves as our main water supply, and has located a second source of water that would be adequate for drinking and household use for and indefinite period; contractual agreements are being worked out with other towns and communities to assist us if needed; and various other measures are under consideration. There is no way that we can possibly be prepared for every eventuality but there has certainly been organizing and planning put into the development of our response procedures.

An e-mail from Gary Parsons, Director of Public Relations for the Southern Four Wheel Drive Association: Part of his correspondence is quoted:

"Dear Mayor Clifton: On behalf of the Southern Four Wheel Drive Association I would like to thank you and the community for the hospitality shown everyone while up there March 14, 15, 16 for our 1st quarter meeting and trail ride. Everyone made us feel right at home. We had approximately 100 vehicles and 200 people in attendance. We appreciate you and Commissioner of Tourism Jake Bennett taking the time to attend our meeting. It was nice to see both of you. Jellico is a beautiful area and we look forward to going back in the future."

I am sometimes almost shocked when I realize how many people take these notes from the Internet. I received an e-mail this week from former Jellicoan Bob Grayson who grew up on Kentucky Hill and now lives in Zanesville, Ohio. According to Bob, "....It (my column) provides much information and an update of what is going on there. I can still recognize many of the names".

Informing Jellicoans and former Jellicoans of what is going on in our town is the reason that I go to all of the trouble to write, print and distribute these articles. I greatly appreciate the fact that Bob called it up on the Net and then took the time to contact me and pass on the compliment. Anyone wishing to contact Bob can do so at

Anyone who has known me for any length of time knows that mentioning Jane Fonda's name to me is like waving a red flag. I was never in Vietnam but I was closing out my regular army service just as she was beginning her traitorous activities. And by any stretch of the imagination she was not a favorite of my fellow American servicemen and women and veterans of that era. In fact most wanted to see her tried and imprisoned for treason just as were "Tokyo Rose" and "Axis Sally" following the close of World War II. And she should have been!

I didn't expect to ever feel that way again about entertainers. But some have gone so far out of their way to oppose our country's actions in Afghanistan and Iraq that questioning their loyalty is not too far out of line. And that is certainly true of the "Dixie Chicks". I have never been a fan of that group but an awful lot of folks are (or were). But their remarks in London, England were a total disgrace and upset an awful lot of folks - especially our military personnel. I recently was given a copy of a letter from an American Naval Airman that had been taken from the Internet: "An open letter to the Dixie Chicks: Earlier this week, while performing in London, you stated that you were ashamed that our President is from your home state. I wonder if you realized how many Americans would be listening. This American was listening. This Texan is ashamed that you come from my state. I serve my country as an officer in the United States Navy. Specifically I fly F-14 Tomcats off carriers around the world, executing the missions that preserve the very freedom you claim to exercise.

'I have proudly fought for my country in the skies over Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan without regret. Though I may disagree wholeheartedly with your comments, I will defend to the death your right to say them, in America.

'But for you to travel to a foreign land and publicly criticize our Commander in Chief is cowardice behavior. Would you have so willingly made those comments while performing for a patriotic, flag-waving crowd of Texans in Lubbock? I would imagine not. How dare you pocket profits off songs about soldiers, their deaths and patriotism while criticizing their Commander in Chief abroad, even while they prepare to give their lives to ensure your own freedom of speech. '...........................'If the world leaders of the late 1930's had the vision and courage of our present Commander in Chief, perhaps the evil men who caused the death of millions in WW II would have never had the opportunity to harm a soul. The potential for loss of millions of lives in the future at the hands of today's evil men necessitate action.

'In a separate correspondence, I am returning to you each and every Dixie Chicks CD and cassette that I have ever purchased. Never again will I allow my funds to support your behavior. All you have done is to add your name to a growing list of American "celebrities" who have failed to realize that they have obtained their successes on the backs of the American blue-collar workers such as our servicemen and women. To Natalie Maines: This Texan! This American will continue to risk his life to guarantee your freedoms. What will you do to deserve it?............"

But in Jellico we support our country, our President and our Troops - even if we didn't vote for George Bush. In wartime - as stated above - the President is our Commander in Chief and due all of the respect in the world. And the respect is evident here. We are flying our city flags, there has been a lot of support shown in area schools; some business places are placing expressions of support on outdoor signs; flags are more evident on residences, vehicles, etc., etc.

"Total Fitness" at 450 North Main Street has asked me to publicize in these notes the fact that they are erecting a "Bulletin Board of Honor" and would like to have information and photos of all Jellico and Jellico area servicemen and women to prominently display and honor. If you have relatives, friends, acquaintances, etc. who are currently serving in our country's armed forces, please stop by and give them the information (or call 784-7060). May God bless them all!!!