I along with an awful lot of folks have just lost a very close friend. And our town and our area have lost a truly dedicated public servant with the passing of James Edward Branam. I first became acquainted with James Edward when we were enrolled in his mother's Sunday School class at the First Baptist Church. If I remember correctly, we were about five or six years old at the time. And we remained life long friends.

James mother started him to school one year earlier than my mother enrolled me. And of course he graduated a year earlier than I did (1955). But we remained very close during the three years we were together at JHS.. A couple of years after graduation, I bought a used 1947 Plymouth coupe from him that he had "babied" until it looked as if it had just rolled off the assembly line. We both received our draft notices and reported to the military induction center on exactly the same days. However as often happens, we were assigned to different areas located half way around the world.

James had a distinguished record of public service including the United States Army, serving as a member of the Jellico City Council, Chairman of the Jellico Utilities Board, Chairman of the Jellico Beer Regulatory Board, member of the Campbell County Board of Education, Chairman of the Campbell County Board of Education, active member in the local lodge, deacon of his church and a multitude of other functions - most of which were totally voluntary or only symbolically compensated.

But as someone remarked following his funeral, he's going to be missed for taking photos of almost every imaginable event including weddings, family reunions, new births and all kinds of activities too numerous to list. He made countless photos for me down through the years, purchased the camera and the film, got them developed and brought them to me. But he never would accept one penny. And to the best of my knowledge that was basically the approach that he took with virtually everyone.

There are many things that I will always remember about James Edward including his love for Janna and his family, his love for Jellico, his love of the Big Orange and his great sense of humor. Some of us were visiting him following Tennessee's loss to Vanderbilt and in spite of all that he had endured for a very long period of time, he informed us that he wished that he had not watched that game. He said it "made him sick". That brought a smile from everyone there and that's how he wanted it.

He was so looking forward to the Kentucky game but God in his infinite wisdom called him home prior to that contest. But it goes without saying that he would surely have been pleased with the outcome.

He enjoyed reading these columns and never missed an issue. And in fact he mailed out copies to other folks that also enjoy them including retired Federal Administrative Law Judge Billy Ridenour and others.

I am glad that his brother Bill sang "How Great Thou Art" during his funeral. James once sang that song beautifully and on numerous occasions. Before my mother passed away, she requested him to sing it at her funeral which he did. And I have never heard it sung any better!

James Edward was a wonderful man and we are all richer from having known him! And he will most assuredly be missed!

I often quote e-mail that I receive due to the fact that I think they will be of interest to my readers.. And I received one recently from Charles "Chuck" Cox that really caught my attention.

Just wanted to tell you how much I enjoy reading your Mayor's Column. I especially enjoy the past which you usually include. In your November 4, edition, I noticed you mentioned the Rachael Scott Tourist Home building. I am enclosing a link for you to check out. The Tourist Home was actually located in the Cox and Son Funeral Home building. The link has a picture of the home taken from a postcard as well as some information about it which I thought you would enjoy reading as well as enclosing in a future column. Rachael Scott's son also married Grace Moore's sister. The link is: www.wvc.net/~wil/veldren.htm.

Also, I read that you are interested in constructing a "Gateway to Jellico" sign near the traffic light at the corner of Fifth and Sunset Trail to direct people into our downtown area. I don't know exactly where you had in mind, but the Buddy's Barbeque property is located on this corner as you know, and the Cox Family would like to extend the offer to the city to build this sign on our property if there is a spot appropriate for it. The visibility should be excellent to direct people in the proper direction, and it would certainly be our pleasure to donate the property to help our city. Please let me know if this is something that interests you and if we can be of any help…………………….."

That's a great offer Chuck and the corner of your Buddy's Barbeque lot would be absolutely perfect for one half of the sign if it will fit there. (We may also need an area on the opposite side of the highway and erect a matching sign there. But hopefully we can work that out as well.) It would be a very appealing sign and add a lot to the appearance of the area as well as helping to attract and direct motorists to our downtown. If I remember correctly, the two sides would be constructed of very nice brick, have a place for a low lying flower beds and be topped off with lights - possibly Old English type. But we will probably need the help of the ladies in making those decisions. (The grant application is processing but I do not know how long it will take.)

And thanks Chuck also for the information and web link concerning the Veldren Tourist Home that was located on Fifth Street. Father time had played tricks on my mind as he now often does and I erroneously remember the Tourist Court as being located in the present Thornton property. In my earlier report, I was also wrong concerning Mrs. Rachael Scott's husband who was Dan Scott and who was connected to a Jellico newspaper, "The Carryon" that competed with the "Advance-Sentinel". I cited Earl Scott who may have been very closely related to Dan and who was called by some as Jellico's first great amateur baseball player - and possibly the one who organized our first amateur baseball team. If that is not accurate, it is for certain that he was one of our very first.. I many years ago saw a photo of a team that played sometime around 1900 and if memory serves me right, Earl Scott was the manager of that team which in all probability means that he had reached the age at that time where he no longer could be an active player.

(And Earl Scott was involved in the printing business and may have printed The Carryon.)

I have become very encouraged concerning the interest that is now being shown by our citizens concerning what future projects we may have planned for the improvement of Jellico.

It seems that almost everywhere I go folks are asking that question. And that's good!

We do have several projects that we hope to accomplish during the upcoming year including erection of the "Gateway to Jellico"; completion of the walking trail leading from the caboose in Veterans Park to the area of the city baseball fields and the new Indian Mountain State Park walking trail; and another project that hasn't yet reached the point of a public announcement. And Orin Buck has informed me of some plans that the Buck's have for their buildings and one of them in my opinion, can be instantly successful if implemented.

Due to popular demand, the days and hours of operation for the "Common Ground Coffee Shop" have been increased. The shop is now open Monday through Saturday. Hours Monday through Thursday are 6:30 AM - 2:00 PM.. Friday and Saturday from 6:30 AM until 4:30 PM..

So far almost all of the new businesses that have opened in our downtown in the past few years have apparently prospered including the sandwich shop. And I still believe that there is a real potential for an "old town" style restaurant downtown that would have atmosphere, good food and good service. There are no guarantees when a new business starts up but I sure believe that the opportunity is there for someone who knows the restaurant business.

Note: (Photos taken Dr. David McCray in Louisiana during the relief efforts there are currently on display at the Common Ground Coffee Shop and I understand that they provide some interesting and very thought provoking viewing.)

That was really a nice gesture on the part of "Men and Women of Action", Church of God with Headquarters Cleveland, Tennessee along with Pastor Ozell Bunch and the Jellico Church of God Christian Center in distributing so many nice Christmas gifts to area children. Workers that I met came from Ohio, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee and possibly other states. Over 800 very nice gifts were available for distribution at Jellico High School on Friday, November 26th..

And there was a very good turnout to receive the gifts..

As mayor and as a school principal it seems that I sometimes meet myself going and coming. There are all kinds of meetings and functions which come with both jobs as well as those that I am expected to attend and others to which I am invited to attend. And I try to make everyone that I possibly can. But on a few occasions I have simply become exhausted to the point that I have had to take a break before resuming my schedule. And like everyone else, I sometimes fall "under the weather". My sincere apologies when I don't make all functions

We are now down to a little over a week until our annual Christmas Parade on Sunday, December 11th.. We constantly repeat the day and hours of the Parade because no matter how many times they are repeated, not everyone gets the word. And we want everyone to know the times and to participate. Remember that units are to line up at Jellico High School at 2:00 PM and the column will move out at 2:30 PM..

And speaking of the Christmas Parade: I get a lot of contacts from a lot of folks and many of them from great distances.. But I was really shocked the other day when I was contacted by a Mr. S. Claus that I believe to be the jolly one that shakes like a bowl of jelly when he laughs. It's for certain that he is well known! And he definitely resides a long way from Jellico.

According to Mr. Claus, he has been coming to our Christmas Parade for several years now and has become really impressed during his visits with the improvements that he has seen taking place. In fact he stated that he has been so impressed that he has always described those improvements to Mrs. Claus immediately upon his return to the North Pole.

And now Mrs. Claus desires to see for herself what is taking place in Jellico so she wants to accompany Ole Saint Nick when he arrives on December 11th.. It will be great to have her here and to ride the fire truck too.. (But for Santa's sake, let's hope she's not a backseat driver!)

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