UROC will be here again the weekend of July 23rd and 24th!
Now that the Fourth of July is well behind us, Tourism Director Jake Bennett is already working on our annual Fall Fest (Friday, September 30th and Saturday, October 1st) that he instituted immediately after assuming the position of Director. (Actually he was already in the process of organizing for our Fest even as he prepared for the Fourth's activities.)
So far he has been successful in lining up one of the most popular entertainment groups for this year's Fest. Luckily the very popular group, "Classic Tunes from Klassyc Tymes", Monticello, Kentucky still had that weekend open when Jake contacted them. They will be here on Saturday, October 1st at 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM with their great assortment of songs from the classic times of the '50's, 60's, 70's, etc.. Folks are going to love them! (And yes, they have the classic musical instrument that us old timers love most - the saxophone. There couldn't have been the golden age of '50's music without the sax.)
Last year we had Hallerin Hill here to do his very popular Knoxville WNOX Radio talk show and I was told by individual after individual from out of town - and especially the Knoxville area - that they listened to that show and greatly enjoyed it.. I hope that John Fawaz and the Union Bank will decide to bring Hill back again this year. That's great publicity for our town.
And at least two other Knoxville media have indicated the possibility that they will be here for coverage as well..
We have been bringing Boston Elementary School students to the event each year and it would be good if all our area schools would do like wise. We will probably never reach the point where schools are called off like they are in Knox County, Kentucky for the Daniel Boone Festival in Barbourville. But possibly dismissing school for one-half day on Friday, September 30th could help build interest in the event as well as providing some educational experiences for students as well, e.g. making of molasses, making hominy, churning butter, etc., etc.. Those skills seem destined to soon disappear from our culture and it would be good for students to witness them while there are still a few folks around who can demonstrate them. And our kids at Boston Elementary love it! (They don't mind partaking of the food and drinks either.)
Mark the dates of Friday, September 30th and Saturday, October 1st on your personal calendar and make plans now to attend and participate. As Developer Mike Ross told me prior to last year's Fest, that is the type of activity that can attract future Rarity Mountain residents into town.
A fellow who read my last article concerning the new attitude that seems to be developing in Jellico that can turn our town around, commented that he too agrees with me on that. According to that individual who has lived in Jellico for only a few years, when he first moved here the attitude seemed to be, "He won't do anything to his property so why should I do anything to mine?" Now he says that he seems to be hearing more in the nature of "Since folks are trying to improve our town, I guess that I should do something as well".
As I wrote last week, if that is indeed now the attitude of the majority of our citizens, then we have a large part of the battle already won. And if he is correct, we will see more and more progress being made in Jellico in the future.
An unsigned e-mail from Caroltenky@wmconnect.com remembers those good ole days in Jellico that we are trying so hard to bring back: . "Johnny, I just had to drop you a note and tell you how much I enjoy your column. None of them have resonated with me like the column of June 23rd. Since you and I are close to the same age (I think you were a year or two ahead of me in school) I can really relate to your stories of how vibrant Jellico used to be. The memory of you walking from Yellow Row with your Dad to your first movie was wonderful. I can't remember any of the movies I saw at the Capital except for Elvis in "Love Me Tender". Needless to say, like all other girls of my age, I was a big fan so that memory stayed with me."
(I made a correction in my last column that the Gay Theatre was located on North Main Street but prior to the release of "Love Me Tender", had moved to the present site of Rite Aide Drugs where it was renamed the Capital.)
The Buck's are still staying right on the job in improving the appearance of their three buildings on North Main Street. And Raymond and Rosella Petrey ("Pete and Repeat" as they are affectionately known to so many of us), gave me a photo of North Main Street taken sometime during the 50's that includes those buildings. I passed the photo to Ronnie Buck for display in their planned new community museum.
And Ronnie showed me a photo of the old Bill's Dollar Store given to him by Roy Price that was made sometime many years earlier when Jellico still had wooden sidewalks. The photo is in black and white of course, but it is plain to see that although the structure may not be painted yellow, it is certainly a much, much brighter color than those surrounding it.
And guess what! Directly in front of that building and along the sidewalk, are trees planted in rows just like our present Dogwoods. And they are even larger than our Dogwoods.
Ronnie indicated that he may have the photo restored and that would sure make a great display for the community museum. And I hope that folks will display interesting historical items in the museum that they may have as well.
Speaking of the Dogwoods: We now feel that they are large enough to trim and shape, and that is planned for late this fall when they should not be injured by major pruning.. City employee Jerry Hyslope who is always willing to help with what is being done to improve our town -as are several of our city employees - is going to perform that task on his own time.
Just prior to the terrorist attacks in London, England I received two e-mails from that country and it's always good to hear from my overseas readers. Ironically one was from David Whitworth, a retired British police officer who along with his daughter Katie (12), collects US police department patches and would like to have one of ours.
In view of what has happened over there, I hope that our police department will send them one: David and Katie Whitworth, 9 Sunny Bank Road, Bankfoot, Bradford, West Yorks, BDS 8NB England, UK.. (E-mail is member@lizwhitworth.wanadoo.co.uk
I also received an e-mail from an individual in England stating that he or she is a distant relative of Grace Moore and requesting information about her life in Jellico. (The inquirer stated that he or she is descended from the brother of Grace Moore's father who apparently remained in that country.) I inadvertently erased that mail so I cannot respond. I do apologize to that individual and hope that they will again contact me so I can answer the questions that were posed.
Another e-mail from Robert Reeves trying to get a copy of the 1959 Jellico High School Yearbook. If anyone knows where one can be found, he would appreciate them contacting him at rreeves@indy.rr.com
I am getting more and more requests for information from Jellico High grads as Homecoming 2005 grows closer. (October 14th and 15th). The address for information is: jhshomecoming@jellico.com
This years homecoming is being billed as the 100th anniversary of the first class to graduate from alma mater - although there has always been questions as to whether the first class actually graduated in 1905 or 1906. But in either case, this year is close enough to commemorate that very notable event. (Talk about feeling old! I served for over 20 years as Principal of JHS or one fifth of its entire history -and longer than any other Principal during those 100 years.)
And this year's annual Assembly by the Church of God, Mountain Assembly will be its 99th gathering. (Amazing how the two organizations began at almost the same time - in fact if not at the very same time.) In addition to that, our town was first incorporated in 1883 which means that the history of all three run relatively close together.
I propose a parade next year through town for the opening of the 100th CGMA Assembly sponsored by the Church of God and assisted in every way possible by the City of Jellico in commemoration of that event. And my suggestion for a theme would be "For God and Country -One Nation Under God" in recognition of two of the things that Jellico and CGMA hold dear.
The fact that the most recent hurricane to hit Florida came ashore near Pensacola serves to remind that we have several former Jellico residents now residing in that area. But thankfully none so far have been reported as injured. From all indications this is going to really be a rough year on folks living on or near our southern shores where the hurricanes first hit the mainland.
And the terrorists attacks and feared attacks have added greatly to our apprehension -especially in the more populated areas - although most folks are carrying on with their lives as they normally do.. But something that really sounds ominous that hopefully will never develop into a more serious problem are the reports that we are now seeing in the media on a regular basis concerning avian or bird flu.
We've about all experienced what the flu can do to us and some strains have been much harder on us than others - not counting the terrible killer flu of 1919. That flu outbreak before our time -or before most of us were around anyway - hit this country before the days of flu vaccine and severely affected so many and killed an enormous number of its victims. Now the potential is there for the bird flu to do the same thing or even worse since there is no vaccine available for it at the present time either - although work is being done feverishly with that objective in mind.. From all reports, the Communicable Disease Center constantly monitors the as yet very limited outbreak of that strain; in some foreign countries; millions upon millions of chickens, birds, etc. have been killed; and so far there has been very little if any, person to person spread. But viruses mutate and the fingers of the world are crossed that the strain does not develop the ability to spread person to person. That could create a truly catastrophic epidemic.
It's getting closer to "Football Time in Tennessee". And thank goodness! We need a fix!
Our Jellico High Blue Devils start practice on August 1st and will open the season at home versus Oakdale on August 19, 2005.. (And then them there yeller jackets from Williamsburg that so badly need a good swattin', come to our house for the second game on August 26th..)
Internet Site utsports.com has occasionally been flashing the days, hours, minutes, seconds and even fractions of seconds until the Vols kickoff against Alabama-Birmingham at Neyland Stadium on Sept.3rd. (But unfortunately it can't move the season any closer!)
E-mail me at: mayor@jellico.tn.us
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