If the comments made by our Grand Marshal Rick Russo and his family are any indication, or if the Monday morning review by Williamsburg Radio Station WEZJ is correct, we sure had a great Christmas Parade. The Russo's were totally surprised by the size of our parade as well as the tremendous turnout and the radio program report from the out-of-town station was glowing according to several listeners. The weather cooperated with just enough chill in the air to make it feel like Christmas time. Our biggest problem was a good one! The number of entries was so large that those working the parade had trouble in getting them into position which delayed the start of the parade for several minutes. (But there apparently was a shortage of candy according to several complaints that have been made to me.)
There were some great floats and other units. And here's hoping that you did not miss the presentation of the "Passion of the Christ" at the main traffic light. The sound track, set and acting were something to behold and there were some wet eyes on the part of those who witnessed it.
On behalf of the City of Jellico, I want to thank Tourism Director Jake Bennett, our Tourism Committee, our City and Utilities employees, our volunteers, our participants and everyone who contributed in any way to what had to be one of our best parades yet. And as some of the Shriners from Knoxville and Greenville stated as they left Jellico, "We can't wait until next year. This parade just gets better all of the time". There's an awful lot of us that feel that way and here's hoping that it finally grows so large that we have to form up at Indian Mountain Park and reverse the order of march in order to have enough space for entries and parking. And that may not be too far in the future!
Working in Whitley County I talk with a lot of non-Jellico residents on a regular basis. And some cannot compliment our Christmas activities, lights and decorations enough. And according to several individuals, we have the prettiest holiday lights anywhere in our area. One of our two school librarians at Boston Elementary School, Debbie Partin who lives in Williamsburg, says that she and her family come to Jellico each Christmas season to see our parade and our lights and decorations and that that really gets them into the Christmas spirit. According to Debbie, no town around here anywhere including her own town, can compare to Jellico at this time of the year and she doesn't mind being quoted.
And Tourism Director Jake Bennett says that he has been receiving similar comments from the out-of-town folks that he meets. That speaks well for our city government and employees, the Utilities Department and their employees, our business places and our residences. And we need to make that fact - and all positive things about Jellico - known throughout our area. We have a lot of which to be proud as so many have pointed out!
I have heard nothing but positive reactions from every single individual who has talked with me concerning the appointment of Bob Daniel to the City Council to fill the vacancy created when Gene Beck resigned the position. As I stated in my last column, we are very fortunate to have someone with Daniel's credentials who is willing to serve. And our citizens clearly agree with that statement. In fact a Utilities Department employee told me the day following Bob's appointment to the Council that he had often thought what an outstanding candidate Bob would be for public office if he should ever decide to place his name on the ballot. Another individual who is very active in our town, told me that the appointment of Daniel caught him completely by surprise but that in his opinion, the Mayor/Council had sure made a great choice by naming him.
In my last article I mentioned the Campbell County Joint Economic & Community Development Board on which I serve. At the time this article was written, I along with Utilities Director John Leach, Electric Dept Supervisor Wally Carroll and Water and Sewer Dept Supervisor Woody Swafford were scheduled to meet in Jacksboro with our Campbell County Executive, Mayors of Lafollette, Jacksboro, Caryville and Lake City and other members of the committee. Purpose of the meeting was to talk with Rarity Mountain Developer Mike Ross, to discuss the anticipated requirements of that development for services and how to best go about supplying those services. (Leach and Ross had already had preliminary discussions.)
The construction of the interchange is progressing rapidly and as Administrative Assistant Jay Willoughby pointed out during our last meeting, the development itself will soon be shifting into high gear.
One of our senior citizens had read the account in the Lafollette Press concerning our last meeting of the Council and the issue of Radio Station WJJT. And she asked me about what had happened. She did not even know where the station is located but she was adamant in her insistence that we do not need to lose it. According to her, a lot of senior citizens and "shut-in" listen to the station and love it. Not being familiar with any of the circumstances surrounding the current situation, she could not understand why a complaint had been filed against it.
I am in complete agreement with her and a lot of other folks that we do not need to ever be without a radio station in Jellico although I know that the issue of its location is expected to arise during the next meetings of the Planning Commission and the City Council. The recent absence of the station brought question after question to me as to when it would return to the air. And once it resumed broadcasting, I was thanked by some of the folks for getting it back on the air. I had to explain to them that I had not been involved in any way in restoring it to operation but that I was glad for them that it was again broadcasting since they were so happy to have it available for their listening pleasure. I certainly hope during the upcoming weeks that the current issue can be resolved to everyone's satisfaction. Again! We must have a radio station in Jellico.
It sure didn't surprise some of us locals who once served with the 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment (ACR), Tennessee Army National Guard made up of East Tennesseans, to hear reports that it was a member of our old Regiment who raised the now well publicized questions with Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld in Kuwait concerning their equipment and the lack of sufficient armor on some vehicles as they prepared to move into Iraq. Even several years ago we had folks in the ACR, especially veterans of the regular Armed Forces, who didn't care to speak out - although the troops knew and respected military discipline and courtesy and like good soldiers always do, followed orders once they were issued whether or not they agreed with them.
So it pained some veterans and even active service personnel when it was reported that the soldier's questions had actually been formulated by a newspaper reporter. It was totally appropriate for any trooper to express his concerns about the condition of equipment but most - even including one of our former 278th ACR Chaplains - feel that no one should have been publicly questioning our second in command in such a manner for the benefit of a reporter during a press conference. The soldier's concerns are very real and badly need to be addressed. But many who have served are insistent that a newspaper reporter should never have been allowed to use him in such a way - but that he should have gone through the proper channels.
Several of us well remember the Gulf War when armored units were being deployed. We somewhat anticipated possibly being included in that call-up for support but never were (although some individuals volunteered and were sent into the conflict and quite a bit of our trucks and equipment were called into service for use by other units). We always suspected that we were not called up due to the fact that part or all of our line units still did not yet have the then new main battle tank available nor had most of us been to Desert Warfare School at that time. Both of those two deficiencies have since been corrected and it was almost a foregone conclusion that the 278th ACR would be deployed to Iraq sooner or later in view of the current situation.
Few are left in the 278th ACR with whom most of us served. But former Woolridge resident and Jellico High grad John Carroll is reportedly with those who have been deployed to Iraq and possibly there are other locals. We are following their progress with great interest and a Knoxville radio station has been doing interviews with the 278th troops on a regular basis. Christmas is a bad time to be so far away from home doing an extremely dangerous job and we sure need to keep them - and all military personnel - in our thoughts and prayers wherever they are!
And in that same light! Want to do something this Christmas that is really different but yet will do an awful lot of good for the morale of our wounded troops? I recently received an e-mail from a Veterans Group with whom I have been corresponding that states
"It is the holiday season and I know that you have a lot of demands being made on you. However the young men and women who are at Walter Reed (Military Hospital) have given a lot. Now it is our turn to help them. Yellow ribbons tied around trees and red, white and blue stickers on the backs of SUV's saying "Support Our Troops" are things that make civilians feel good but do nothing for the men and women actually in uniform.
'So please consider the following: The number ONE request at Walter Reed Hospital is PHONE CARDS. The government doesn't pay long distance phone charges and those wounded soldiers are rationing their calls home. Many will be there throughout the holidays. Really support our troops - send phone cards of any amount to:
'They need an endless supply of these and any amount, even $5.00, is greatly appreciated. Walmart has good prices on AT&T cards, Sams Club is even better, if you are a member........
Website: https://thor.aafes.com/scs/default.aspx
As mentioned above and as the year 2004 comes to a close, we have an awful lot as a town of which to be proud and thankful. We are well on our way to completing the water purification/waste water treatment corrective action that was both badly needed and federally and state mandated; our tourism activities have greatly increased the number of peple coming into our town; the UROC competition has brought ESPN, Newsweek magazine and the New York Times to Jellico and is expected to grow even larger during the upcoming competitive seasons; the Rarity Mountain development promises to bring about a great deal of media attention and economic stimulus; and our downtown renovation has made great strides and likewise promises to show more visible improvement in the near future. (One possible development - if finalized - can have a big impact on either restoring or eliminating one of our remaining buildings that so badly need major repairs.) Like any other town, we have our problems but we have our good news as well!
But the really good news of Christmas is that long ago proclamation, "On Earth Peace, Good Will Toward Men"! And in keeping with that wonderful declaration, here's wishing everyone PEACE, A TRULY WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS SEASON, A HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR AND GOD'S CONTINUED BLESSINGS UPON US ALL!!!
E-mail me at: mayor@jellico.tn.us
Visit the Archives of the Mayor's Column .
Visit the City of Jellico's Web Site at: www.jellico.tn.us