Our March in Support of Our Troops and Candle Light Ceremony on 9/11 was a moving one. As always we are indebted to Carbide Warman for his help with the music along with Police Officer J. J. Hatmaker for the traffic control and all those who helped with the activity.. And of course Rev. Steve Meeks as always did such a great job with his very meaningful address. A little rain fell during the ceremony but as someone remarked, it was no discomfort at all when we remembered what those innocent victims and emergency workers suffered on those awful days..

Think Fall Fest! It's now only three (3) weeks away and we need to be getting ready in earnest but knowing Jake, he probably already has all the details already worked out. Certainly the Fest is now one of the events most looked forward to each year and its popularity just continues to increase with each passing year.. And consequently more planning and effort is required..

Lt. Col Scott Cuel and I finally were able to make contact and he informed me that he will definitely make the flyover for us again this year in his A-10.. He will come in over our Veterans Park stage on Saturday, October 7th at 7:00 PM.. (Mark your personal calendar). And as everyone knows - barring bad weather, difficulty in getting off the runway due to due to heavy usage or other problems and in keeping with military standards and traditions - you can almost bank on being able to set your watch at 7:00 PM when he comes roaring over the stage.

Staff Sergeant Nathan Burks, Recruiting Non-Commissioned Officer stationed in Corbin, Kentucky, currently plans to be here for the Fest at the invitation of Col. Cuel.. SSgt Burks hopes to be able to possibly set up some type of Air Force exhibit(s) and of course to be available to enlist any young men and women interested in serving in that branch of our military.. (Any who witness the flyover would have to be impressed by the sight.) Of course we welcome representatives from all of our armed forces who would like to be present for that and all events..

And Derek Brown has been given clearance to bring one of the nine hi-tech/state of the art national emergency reaction vehicles here for the Fest unless required for hurricane relief or some other national emergency.. Viewing that vehicle's equipment will be of interest to everyone but it will be especially educational for our young folks. And here's hoping that our local schools will encourage their students to attend the Fest and become aware of the vehicle's technology..

The Bucks meant what they said when they told me that they would erect something in our downtown going back to the 1940's.. According to them, the hardware sign that has been erected on one of their buildings in fact was made and erected in Buford, North Carolina circa 1940-1945 where it remained in place for many years. Later it was taken down and stored for something like twenty years before being purchased by the Bucks who scraped and painted it and also added all new tubing. It has sure received the compliments from our citizens and to me it kinda brings back memories of the old Western Auto sign that hung there for many years.

Orin Buck indicated that there might possibly be another sign of some type erected on one of the other buildings although that is not a definite. As I have written several times in the past, I can't wait to see all of their buildings when completed.. Our town is beginning to look more and more the way that I had hoped it would eventually look when I first assumed the office of Mayor!

These notes get widespread circulation and they often bring responses from former Jellicoans who live great distances from their hometown. And one of those who sent me word by a former classmate at Jellico High last week really surprised and pleased me.

Doris Ellison Robinson, a former outstanding citizen of our community, student, athlete and lady who now lives in the St. Louis area said that she wanted to highly compliment us on all of the improvements that she has been told by old her friends have been taking place in Jellico since her last visit a few years ago. I certainly appreciate her going to all of the trouble to send me that word since she said that she had been attempting to e-mail me but had been unsuccessful.

We didn't have the Lady Vols when Doris played and very few colleges had women's basketball.. But I venture to say that had Pat Head Summitt been around in those days that she would have camped out in Jellico. Doris was one of the greatest players in the history of alma mater and in our entire area for that matter. I will never forget watching her from the balcony in the old Jellico High School on Florence Avenue. She had all of the skills and she could drive to the basket and score with what seemed like the greatest of ease. And I have always believed that she would have been a star on any level of competition.

Sometimes I am absolutely amazed at the popularity of these notes - locally as well as nationally.. I began distributing my last issue at approximately 5:00 PM on a Thursday and by 8:30 PM that same evening, I had already been contacted twice concerning the e-mail from Mr. Lloyd Dodd requesting information on Bill Elliot, a former Jellico resident and fellow serviceman during World War II.. Later several others also identified Elliott to me. (Then I remembered that my good friend George Wilson who now lives in Clinton had mentioned Elliott to me.)

I was quickly reminded that following the war, Elliott had resided in the original Doctor Slimmon's (stone) house located at the corner of South Main Street and London Avenue. But that respondent did not know his current whereabouts.

But the sad news I relayed to Mr. Dodd came from Jerry Llewellyn, Sr. who informed me that both Mr. Elliott and his wife (her maiden name was Arnett) are both deceased. Unfortunately Mr. Dodd's hoped for reunion of the two old Navy veterans will not occur.

And that story just serves to remind us that our World War II veterans - correctly called "The Greatest Generation" are passing at the rate of 1,100 to 1,500 a day. We are still blessed to have several in our area including some that were wounded in action and it would be great if we occasionally take the time to thank them for what they did for us.. Without question they saved this wonderful freedom that we still enjoy daily and if we thanked them every day it would not be nearly often enough!

In that same light, it was great that the University of Tennessee athletic department recognized former players killed in action during World War II at the Air Force Academy game.. I have always thought that only their numbers should be retired and no matter how great an athlete performs on the football field, he should not be placed on the same level as those fellows (Bill Nowling, Clyde Fuson, Rudy Klarer, and Willis Tucker).

And as I always write, there is a Jellico connection somewhere if we just dig deep enough for it. Clyde Fuson was one half of the brother duo of "Ig and Ug" that played for Middlesboro High School before the war and later went on to star at Tennessee before entering that conflict where he soon gave his life.

Jellico in 1930's and '40's was highly respected for its football and played all areas schools regardless of their size including Middlesboro. The Jellico quarterback, Roy "Spud" Carroll now deceased, was very small but also very tough and often attempted to make yardage when facing a ferocious lick rather than running out of bounds. Then Football Coach Charlie Lindsay was concerned that he would be injured and lost to the team and encouraged him to get out of bounds in some situations - which he was very reluctant to do. But he once laughingly told me that Ig and Ug made him look for the sideline. (However some of his teammates told me that he was joking and that Spud Carroll seldom ever failed to take on the licks from anybody..)

I had always heard that Carroll was knocked out a total of seven or eight times in one of their games with Middlesboro featuring Ig and Ug.. But he could not confirm nor deny that story many years ago when I asked him about it... He said that could not remember anything that happened after the Fusons knocked him out the first time.

Environmental Officer Glennis Monday told me at our home opening football game that he had read my comments concerning a "Fall Clean Up, Paint Up, Fix Up Week" and as always, that he is ready to assist us in any way. (He often brings his crew to our area to do litter removal and we greatly appreciate the outstanding job he does..) In view of that fact I am going to declare the week of Monday August 9th through Saturday, August 14th for that special week.. The Fall Fest will have been concluded and we generally have good weather at that time. Let's get involved!

We have been wrestling with the problem with Pigeons in our downtown for a long time now but recently I was informed by some that they are starting to see what may be at least a small decline in their numbers. And a few days ago I along with several others, may have witnessed the reason for that possible decrease brought about by Mother Nature herself..

I had been told that some type of bird of prey has been taking them out for what appears to be pure sport for the bird. That was hard for me to imagine until I stopped by Jellico Towers B for the last cookout of the summer for the residents of both towers.. While standing and talking to one of the residents, what appeared to be a very large Hawk of some type suddenly came swooping into the area. And just as suddenly it knocked a Pigeon from the air to the concrete walkway below, jumped on the feathered victim's back and appeared to be snapping its neck with its talons. Just as quickly it flew off leaving the Pigeon to die - and it soon did die.

That resident said that he and others had seen the same thing take place above the roofs of some of our downtown buildings on three or four previous occasions.. That's a tough way for the Pigeons to go but Mother Nature does have her own way of keeping things in balance.

Russell Edwards told me that some towns and cities in Illinois have actually utilized Falcons for the same purpose. But that Hawk appeared to be well capable of handling our situation and he may even have a buddy or two that will be willing to pitch in and help him.. (Any services that they provide will be at absolutely no cost to the city! Well maybe an occasional mouse or two!)

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