We all know that politics run rampart in Campbell County - both before and after elections. It comes with the territory! And that is certainly true of the Education Department as well all of the other offices and departments. There have been rumors all along of some questionable actions taken by the administration of the previous Campbell County Superintendent/Director of Schools but the recent story in some local papers shocked about everybody. At least one article outlined charges that have been brought by the Board of Education against the former Superintendent/Director and calling for his possible dismissal - from both that position and as a tenured teacher.

Such charges, just as lawsuits when they are initially filed, give only one side of a story. And everybody is considered innocent until proven guilty. But according to an article in the LaFollette Press , some of the allegations are of a very serious nature including misappropriation of funds, unprofessional conduct, unethical conduct, neglect of duty, and inefficiency..

A long time observer of happenings in Campbell County told me following the disclosure of the charges, that this particular situation appears to go way beyond "politics as usual" and that the Board of Education is very confident in its ability to sustain the charges. He also stated that he would not be surprised if other legal actions are taken in the future beyond those that might be enacted by the Board - if the charges are sustained following a required hearing.

When the Tennessee School Boards Association (TSBA) was contracted by the Board of Education to do a national search for a new Superintendent/Director of Schools, the TSBA encouraged everyone to apply and emphasized that applications from local candidates were welcome. That led several individuals in the county to go to quite a bit of trouble to prepare resumes' of credentials and to submit them according to the deadlines. But following the application process, five (5) candidates for the position were selected - all from outside Campbell County. And then the TSBA announced that no Campbell County candidates had even been given consideration for the position although "they're good people with good credentials" according to Dan Tollette who heads up that organization.. According to Tollette, the majority of respondents during the relatively sparsely attended meetings (considering the population of Campbell County) indicated that they wanted someone from outside to be hired for the job.

That is all well and good and the Board of Education needs to hire the best possible individual for the position. But to state that no applicant from Campbell County was even considered for the job is a slap in the face of a lot of qualified folks who have devoted their working lives to the children of Campbell County. And just because one Superintendent/Director has received such poor reviews does not mean that someone else would post that same record.

I don't know of any applicant from Campbell County who is at all torn up about the TSBA's action because whoever is selected for the job is going to face a tremendous challenge. But if there is not one capable individual at least worthy of consideration for the job located somewhere among the 40,000 plus residents of Campbell County - then we are indeed in a bad state.

I have several times mentioned our long existing businesses but one that I have not included is Llewellyn Funeral Home. According to the newly erected sign at that business, it has been in operation for over ninety (90) years - first opening in 1911. (They will definitely need to have some kind of commemoration when they reach their 100th year.)

And speaking of businesses founded a long time ago, Jake Bennett is collecting and framing some very interesting photos of our town going back into the years shortly after its beginning. (The photos are going to be prominently displayed in his office.) And one photo had him stumped and it had me stumped for a short time as well. The photo was made from Kentucky Hill circa 1905 and clearly shows a very large building sitting in the South End of town that is not there now and has not been there as long as anyone can remember. But it finally came to me that it is a photo of the old Tanning Company Building located on North Myrtle Street that ran virtually from South Main Street all the way down nearly to the railroad and may have been the largest building ever constructed in Jellico. It is long gone now but some large concrete supports for the building are still there to clearly indicate its exact site. (It was that company that gave Tannery Hollow its name.)

The thunderstorms and rain were continuing at the time these notes were written. But in spite of the threatening weather last Saturday, the first "Music in the Park" for this season had a very good attendance. Angie Heatwole, Bill Rigney, Ron Dabney and Larry Meadows are getting better and better and Angie has been invited to appear one Saturday on the stage at Renfro Valley. (If you have never been to Renfro Valley or if you have not been there in recent years and do go there, get ready for a real shock. That place has developed into a big league attraction. The spacious and comfortable musical theatres that are quipped for both radio and television coverage, compare favorably with those in Gatlinburg. And the number of folks that now visit "the valley" from all over the country is unbelievable. It's an honor to have a local entertainer to perform there. (Winston Morgan played a "fiddle" there for many years before "retiring".)

(There is no music scheduled for this Saturday in Jellico but we do have the Trail Keepers due in town this weekend for one of their "mountain rides".)

Thunderstorms have played havoc with our plans for mowing, gardening, painting , etc.. But a Knoxville radio station last Sunday morning discussed the great Claiborne County (Pruden) tornado in the 1930's that killed and injured so many in that mining community.

According to the meteorologists that have gone back and studied that tornado, it may have been one of the strongest to ever strike this country with winds estimated to have been well in excess of 200 miles and hour. (That tornado formed in Proctor Hollow, crossed the airplane field -now Indian Mountain State Park - crossed the field by the present radio station, then traveled on up into Hoot Owl Hollow where it eventually reached the top of the mountain. It stayed on top of the mountain for many miles until it finally descended into Pruden where it did untold damage.

I greatly appreciated the comments of City Attorney Jeff Hall who told members of the City Council, media and audience during our last meeting of the Council that he has been coming to Jellico for many years and that our town now looks the best that he has ever seen it. And Bill Wilson, a man that I have known for many years but who isn't too prone to comment on such matters, told me over the weekend that our town is looking so much better. And another individual who asked not to be named, said that he did not give me much chance to succeed when I started the drive five years ago to greatly improve the appearance of our downtown due to the politics existing at that time. But he says that he is now a believer that we will eventually succeed. (And I want to add that the verbal support and actual assistance of the present City Council has been very instrumental in the evident success that we are starting to enjoy.)

Billy Douglas, one of the new co-owners of Douglas Food Market (formerly Creekmore IGA), says that that building will be painted (if it has not already been accomplished). Steve Zechini, Zecchini Heat and Air, told me this week that he hopes to do some more power washing and to complete painting on the front of that building within the next couple of weeks or so. He says that all of the work he has planned including the awning will take some time but that he will eventually get it all done as part of our drive to renovate and revitalize the downtown area.

Work is still in progress toward the restoration of the laundry mat and some of the modifications planned for that building should really change and improve its appearance. (And yes! Wayne Barton says that the "balcony" will have a roof. So I have already put in my reservations for a place for my rocking chair where I can use it rain or shine.)

But not all of the improvements are taking place right in our downtown. Have you noticed the beautiful painting job done by Charles Cox to both Buddy's Barbeque and the adjacent office? Charles in really into the swing of things and told me that he still plans more work at those two locations - especially the parking areas. (And he is also getting some painting done on the Cox Funeral Home which is part of our downtown area.) I have already cited work being done at both the Llewellyn Funeral Home and the Harp Funeral Home. The construction that Jerry Sharp is doing at the corner of South Main and Florence Avenue is sure changing the appearance of that area. And the staff at Indian Mountain State Park is also contributing to area improvements including the placing of benches, adding playgrounds, etc.. (I am going to ask Jerome Cummins to place also place a shed over the bench next to the water and then to reserve it for me when I re-retire. Then I can work back and forth between the laundry mat and the park to loaf.)

Towns sometimes just "go to the dogs" and with several stray canines around town I was afraid that might be happening to us. But it seems that we are just going to the animals in general. Several have told me about seeing deer in the fields near town and even in the grassy area behind Rite Aide Drug Store. But when I came through town early one morning a few weeks ago I couldn't believe my eyes when I spotted a deer almost in the street next to the caboose. It appeared to be in no great hurry to leave the area - but when some dogs got its scent and appeared on the scene it was gone in a flash. There was absolutely no doubt as to the winner of that race.

Even more strange was a house cat making itself at home one morning last week almost in the very center of North Main Street very close to the traffic light. I sat through the light on Fifth Street but the cat never moved. And to boot it all, a big coal truck came down North Main, saw the cat in time and swung very wide through the light to keep from hitting it. Nothing seemed to bother the feline and I thought that it might have been injured. But not so! It was just stubborn.

I parked and then ran it out of the street. But it took its cool easy time in making an exit. And as it went across the parking lot in front of the Family Dollar Store, it was still occasionally looking back and was in all probability, strongly questioning my authority in such matters.

And I may even owe our stray dogs an apology. For some time now I have been blaming them for overturning the garbage cans on South Main Street and scattering the garbage all over the sidewalk. But some of the guys on the corner informed me that dogs have not always been the guilty parties. According to them, a big raccoon sometimes comes around the nearby grocery store at night and that some have fed him sardines and other delicacies in the past. Now he is spoiled and looking for a handout. When that doesn't happen he just comes on into town hunting his midnight snack. And he has been observed on occasion rummaging through those very same over-turned garbage cans. (Come to think of it, 'coons look like they are wearing masks and apt to be up to such criminal behavior. Very suspicious looking characters!) JOHN CLIFTON, Mayor, City of Jellico