Herman Heath has informed me that the Veterans Committee now has enough donated funds to purchase the American Flags for the graves of all decreased veterans in local cemeteries that will be placed as usual during the Memorial Day weekend. But the Committee does so much in taking care of the flags each year as well as maintaining the Veterans Monument in such an outstanding condition - in addition to helping with other veterans' affairs - that I hope that folks will continue to contribute to such a very worthy cause. Their efforts and contributions are clearly visible to everyone!
The Committee plans to conduct some type of ceremony at the Monument during that same weekend honoring all veterans killed in action including those that are listed on the memorial. And
the name of Sergeant First Class Gregory B. Hicks from Duff/Habersham who recently gave his life in Iraq, will be added to that roll of honor. The family will be invited and presented with a flag in a very attractive container bearing the following appropriate inscription:
The family will also receive a plaque for display that reads:
I talked with some visitors from Michigan following the recent UROC competition. They were bubbling over in praise of our town and all that was done to make them feel welcome. And that is the kind of comments that we like to hear.
I attended the activities held in our Veterans Park and talked with UROC officials but I did not go to the actual competition at White Oak. However I was informed that the attendance there was in the neighborhood of 6,700 folks. And I do know that our local motels and other commercial sites reported some brisk business that weekend. (According to some officials with UROC, the national event to be held in June should really pack 'em in here. And national TV coverage is expected!)
In recent weeks and months we have had to face some well publicized financial problems just as have all towns and cities. And fortunately we were able to handle our situation very well. However also like all other cities and towns in Tennessee, we must now develop a performance budget for 2004-'05 that by state law cannot include any funds that are held in reserve. And the Knoxville News-Sentinel reported last week that the mayor there will propose a tax increase in order to be able to develop such a budget for that city. (The shocking thing was the fact that the article indicated that a raise in city property tax was largely being looked upon by citizens as a favorable action.)
Our mayor and council do not want to have to vote an increase in our city taxes unless it is entirely necessary. We don't like the idea of paying more taxes either! And the fact remains that our tax rate is so low that even a large increase in the rate would produce only a relatively small amount of revenue anyway. But an increase may eventually have to be enacted..
Folks who see the photos of our "Jellico Mountain Wedding Chapel" on the Internet for the first time including the beautiful horse drawn carriage, are greatly impressed to say the least. In fact two couples who searched the Web for prospective wedding sites chose our facility over those in Gatlinburg and other locations - including one couple from Tampa, Florida and Lexington, Kentucky who decided to come to Jellico for their wedding after seeing what we have to offer.. (To view the photos, access site http://www.jelllico.tn.us and then go to the link for "Tourism and Attractions". That in turn will present links to "Pictures Jellico Mountain Wedding Chapel" and "Wedding Carriage Pictures". The Website even has some beautiful wedding music playing as the equally beautiful photos appear. It provides some very enjoyable viewing and listening!
Tourism Director Jake Bennett reports that to date, seventy-four (74) weddings have been conducted in our chapel since it opened with at least six (6) scheduled for the future. And folks all around the country are now finding and calling up the Website. I don't think anyone could have imagined the chapel becoming so popular so fast - and that popularity is expected to continue to grow as the word spreads by Internet and more importantly, word of mouth from those who have been here.
I recently met a very nice lady from another town who had earlier returned to this area from Florida. And after having had the time to look over the situation very carefully, she said that it appears to her that Jellico has more potential for business growth than any other surrounding town. She said that she is interested in a particular type of business that she thinks could go over very well around here. She also indicated that she is considering purchasing property in which to locate that business which I also felt would do well. I emphasized to her that we welcome new businesses!
Last week I talked with Rodney Woods whom Vol fans will remember as an outstanding point guard on those highly competitive teams that we had in the days of Coach Ray Mears and assistants Stu Aberdeen, Marty Morris, Gerald Oliver, A. W. Davis, etc.. Rodney is presently the head basketball coach at Wayne County (Ky) High School and we had not talked in a very lengthy period of time. He was shocked when I informed him of the passing of his former fierce high school coaching rival but friend David Chitwood. And he sent his condolences to David's family.
Rodney is the individual who recommended Chris Lofton from Mason County (Ky) High School to the present Vol coaching staff after watching him have some outstanding games in the Kentucky State Basketball Tournament. Rodney says that Lofton is a very fine outside shooter - something badly needed by the Vols. (In the recent Louisville Derby Classic, he was 14-25 in the halftime outside shooting competition including 9 for 9 from the corners. However he could never find the range in the game and ended up 2-11 and we need consistency.) Apparently there is some question as to whether he can play Southeastern Conference level defense but Rodney says that he feels that Lofton can if he is willing to work hard with that objective in mind. (At the time this article was written, Lofton had not yet signed with Tennessee.)
In earlier articles I have written that some have classified the Lady Vol's recruiting bonanza this year as possibly the most impressive group in the history of women's basketball. Three national organizations that follow women's basketball recruiting have each picked a different "national high school player of the year". And the University of Tennessee has signed all three of them. More recently, "USA Today" placed those three in its selections of the five best in America. What's more, from many different accounts the other signees are not far behind those three in their talent levels. (And Pat Head Summitt has two of her top scorers in Ely and Zolman returning from this year's team- plus defensive standout Lori Moore who is expected to be back from her season ending knee injury that really hurt our chances against Connecticut in the NCAA finals.)
Having such a tremendous stockpile of talent does not guarantee future success with the murderous schedule that the Lady Vols play every year. But it sure has a lot of us looking to the future. And if anybody can blend so much talent into a cohesive unit, Summitt and her staff can.
I reported a couple of weeks ago how the citizens of Kentucky have truly become concerned about their environment and how it is not uncommon to now see truly concerned citizens out along roadways and other areas picking up litter. The Whitley Republican reported last week that an announced clean-up campaign conducted on Saturday, April 24th had an amazing 516 citizens to show and actively participate. But even that number paled in comparison to the estimated 1,000 that appeared for a cleanup around Lake Cumberland. Organizer and current Laurel County Judge-Executive Lawrence Kuhl was quoted as stating, "There is just such a change in people's views from what they were 10 to 15 years ago. They know what they want their community to look like and the kind of place they want to live".
Compare that statement to one published recently by our "concerned" and Self-Appointed City Overseer (SACO). According to the SACO, a fellow "concerned citizen" made the statement Quote: ""Well, clean up fix up week is coming up, does the city want us to do that job for them too?" It is the attitude of that citizen and other citizens with similar "concerns" that they might be asked to contribute something to our town, that helped to lead Jellico into its demise and terrible appearance of six years ago. And it is that kind of "concerned" attitude that we must ignore!
I mention the above because our Jellico "Clean Up, Fix Up, Paint Up Week" does begin this Saturday, May 8th and runs through Saturday, May 15th.. And we need everybody to acquire the same true concern of those in nearby Kentucky and to get similarly involved in our efforts.
Some of our downtown and near-downtown buildings are still extremely run down. But some progress is being made there! Mike Siwinski told me that the contract has been awarded for the complete renovation of his building on North Main Street at the state line and that the work should be completed within a matter of weeks. Wayne Barton's new gasoline service center in that same locale is making progress and as reported earlier, is expected to be ready to open by early summer which should help to further revitalize that area. The new structure that will house the Town and Country Bank is nearing completion and is markedly changing the landscape along the four-lane section of Fifth Street - an area that is becoming more and more commercialized. However the "sorest" of sore-thumb buildings still sit untouched and we have got to have some corrective action taken by someone - whether the owners, volunteer citizens or whomever. The more the appearances of other buildings are improved, the worse those five or six stick out.
We have a chance this spring and summer to greatly improve the appearance of Jellico if we all pitch in a do the work that is required. But as I point out over and over, that work will not get done unless we ALL do get involved. And everyone is asked to do what is needed whether at business places, residences or neighborhoods. Make repairs! Scrape and replace faded and peeling paint! Wash some windows! Hose down the sidewalk and steps! Pick up litter! There is no end to the things that need to be done and almost everyone can help in one way or another. With all of our surrounding natural beauty, we can make Jellico into one of the prettiest small towns anywhere. But to do that we have to be truly concerned citizens and exert positive effort!
E-mail me at: mayor@jellico.tn.us
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