The accolades continue to come in for Tourism Director Jake Bennett and the members of the Tourism Commission concerning the Christmas parade. They did a truly outstanding job with this year's parade but they are the first to insist that they had an awful lot of assistance form numerous folks fom our town and our area (and even from other areas). They sincerely appreciate the help of everyone! Jake is currently tying up the loose ends from the parade. But he does intend to have some music in the community conference room on Fridays and/or Saturdays for several weekends during the winter months. And he is working up a schedule to be announced sometime after the first of the year.

Everyone can be inside, stay warm as toast and enjoy the entertainment. (I promise not to sing.) And it might be good if the Tourism Commission or the entertainers or some other group would want to have some concessions available - although I have not discussed that possibility with Jake or the Commission.

I along with Linda Meadows and Betty Hurst were given a briefing on the progress of our city audit for the last fiscal year. The report for the Utilities Department was very good but there were questions raised as to some of the bookkeeping done by our city. At least two items are still being studied and the official report when it is issued will cite the fact that monthly statements were not reconciled with the bank as required and that financial statements regularly presented to the council were inaccurate. However the auditing team emphasized that all funds are accounted for, that cited deficiencies are procedural and that the city is in very good financial condition. And Linda and Betty were commended highly for the excellent way that they have kept our financial records since assuming their positions.

It has been written that there was little discussion during our last meeting of the city council concerning the use of the city building (formerly Jamie's Curtains) by the Youth for Christ organization. That is true but as was pointed out during the meeting, the issue has been the subject of discussion in our town and area for a very lengthy period of time. And everyone was very well acquainted with what was involved long before the meeting was even convened. So the council apparently did not feel that there was a compelling reason for lengthy further discussion during the meeting.

I have not taken any kind of formal poll of our residents but I have been contacted by a few citizens since that last meeting of the council stating their positions concerning the use of our city building (formerly Jamie's Curtains). There have been both pro and con statements but the majority has seemed to feel that the building should be utilized by the city for protecting vehicles and equipment. In fact I was taken to task by a couple of individuals due to my "no" vote on a motion to allow the city to utilize the building. (Actually that motion was well intended but totally unnecessary since the city clearly has the authority to use its own property for city purposes.) But following the meeting, we were given some additional information by the city attorney which could have precluded our allowing use of the building even if the council had voted unanimously to grant the permission to YFC.

Councilman John Davenport proposed making his building (old Five and Dime Store) on North Main Street (that includes a grill and lunch counter), available to the group for what would seem to be a very reasonable monthly fee. And since that time, Patricia Creekmore, owner of Jellico Video, has offered to make the upstairs of that building that includes an arcade, juke box, games, snack bar with tables, gymnasium, etc. available for use by YFC. (I did not have the financial and other details of the proposal at the time this article was written, but as I understand it, she would be willing to restrict the floor for exclusive use by the group during designated meeting times for YFC.

Should YFC decide upon either of those two locations, there would no longer be a question of whether or not sufficient parking would be available. Both are almost directly across from Veterans Park and some parking is also available along the street and possibly in the rear of the building(s). And having the young people gather in the heart of our downtown could help in our drive to revitalize the area.

I do not believe that we have a single member of the council who does not fully support our young people and the idea behind YFC. But they have differing ideas on what is the best location for them and we have to fully respect all opinions concerning the issue. Hopefully the entire matter can be worked out without creating a split among our citizens just when we show every sign of once again coming together for the good of Jellico. We certainly do not need that to happen!

Police Commissioner Jim Dobson reports that all of the new police cars are now properly marked and on the road which is another big plus in the movement toward annexation. And according to Dobson, the Utilities Department has recently adopted a resolution to also be considered by the council intended to serve as part of an application for a grant of something like $ 500,000.00 which would be used to extend our sewer line for annexation (including some present city residences that have not previously had sewer services due to prohibitive costs - if an extension had to be constructed totally from local funds.)

I wrote in these articles in October following 9/11 that I felt that the biggest threat to our nation by terrorists is the spread of small pox. My comments were dismissed by some as far removed from any real possibility. But they do not sound so far removed from reality now that our country is developing plans to possibly inoculate our entire population for that disease. In fact our Jellico Director for Emergency Management (Homeland Security) George Deuel has already attended one of a series of meetings of the Campbell County Health Department in organizing to offer immediate immunizations of our total county population - should the order ever come down from President Bush to do so. And who knows if and when that order might come? The threat is real and we need to be prepared for any eventuality.

It's always great to see Jellico folks and former Jellico folks being recognized for outstanding achievements and that is certainly true of one of the best athletes to ever graduate from Jellico High. Old timers will remember Don Lockard who was gifted at any sport he attempted and who caught the touchdown pass against our then bitter rival - the old Lafollette High - that helped alma mater break the long losing streak that we had suffered at the hands of the Owls. (Dick Creekmore was a lineman on that team and I am sure that he will recall that there was little rest that night in Jellico. There was laughing and there was crying once the team and fans returned to Jellico. And we celebrated nearly all night long - with car horns blasting all over town. The Jellico Police Department patrolman on duty that night just finally gave up and let us enjoy the moment - in spite of all the calls from folks trying to sleep!

Don later became the head basketball coach at Clinton High School where he regularly produced outstanding teams and individual athletes. (All-time Tennessee and Southeastern Conference football great Larry Sievers was coached in Junior High Basketball by my life long friend former Jellicoan George Wilson and in high school by Lockard. With all that Jellico influence, no wonder he was so fundamentally sound when he arrived on the UT campus.)

Don has experienced health problems in the past few years and had to step down as coach after something like 30 years at the helm of the CHS Dragons. And he is so highly regarded that the folks in Clinton insured that the Lockard tradition would continue by naming his son as his successor.

The town and school recently honored Don by naming the Clinton High gymnasium in his honor. Jenny and I were invited to attend the ceremony and we would certainly have been present to represet the city of Jellico in addition to our friendship with Don. But my schedule has been so full of late that I did not find the invitation laying on the mayor's desk until after the dedication on December 6th.

But I want to publicly congratulate Don for the honor that he received. He has made Jellico proud!

I don't exactly know how he obtained a copy of my Jellico News/Mayor's Column of November 28th. But some Kentucky residents tell me that a Lexington, Kentucky television channel sports reporter quoted verbatim some of my remarks in that article during that TV station's evening news and sports program. (I expressed my concern for Tennessee in the upcoming game with Kentucky that weekend due to all of the injuries that the Vols had experienced as well as the great season that the Wildcats were enjoying.) Although I was told that he did not specifically name me, he did note that he was quoting a mayor of a small town in Tennessee just across the state line who also serves as a principal of an elementary school located in Kentucky. The sports reporter my have been given a copy of my article or he may have taken it from the Internet.

But in any case, I am glad that the nightmare of my step-grandson Michael Ray Culver was not realized. Although born and living in Kentucky, Michael Ray is the biggest Vol fan in these here parts. (I may have had a little something to do with that.) And when Kentucky was driving with the ball early in the game, he was already threatening to skip school on the following Monday rather than face his buddies at Whitley Middle School where he plays football. Luckily for him, he didn't have to be truant that day! (Wayne Barton, owner of Ray's Superior Market was interviewed by one Lexington TV station due to the fact that his store sits virtually on the state line and his business has patrons that are fans of both teams. There definitely was more interest in this year's Vol/Cat game than has been displayed in several seasons and Cat fans' hopes were much higher than usual. But regardless of the outcome, they had a fine team that just happened to catch Tennessee as it was finally regrouping and badly wanting and needing a win to continue their streak of season ending bowl games.)

And speaking of football and Kentucky, I have had the same season tickets for many years as have several others from all over the state of Tennessee and other states who sit in our particular section of the stadium. We have become so accustomed to sitting together over the years that we are now like "family". If someone does not show up for a game, everyone is concerned and begins inquiring as to why they are absent.

One couple who sat just in front of us for several years is former Kentucky football player Tom Adkins and his wife Barbara Jo who now live in Oak Ridge. Tom was a standout at Kentucky and played under the legendary Bear Bryant and was on the team that many considered the best team in the nation after defeating Oklahoma in a bowl game. (That team would almost certainly have been crowned national champions had it not been upset in Knoxville in a deep snow). And he regularly attends reunions with other former UK players that played for "The Bear". The Adkins genuinely love football, the unbelievable crowds at Neyland Stadium and all of the pageantry connected with the games. (They even pull for the Vols in every game except one. But their blood still runs dark blue!)

And of course there is a Jellico connection as well! (There most always is!) Mrs. Adkins was a Vermillion and closely related to our Jellico Vermillion family.

This will probably be my last column until after the first of the year. And I want to be sure to wish everyone a great holiday season. During this time of the year it's awfully easy to forget the real reason for the season when we are busily engaged in so many activities. But we must never forget that single event that changed the history of makind - the birth of a Child in the simplest of settings! Nothing that has ever happened in the history of the world including discoveries, inventions, world wars, atomic energy, cataclysmic destructions or all combined, has ever approached the significance of that one birth.