Our now annual observance of 9/11 will be held this Thursday in Veterans Park. Starting time will be "dark thirty" which translates to something like 8:00 PM although it could be a little later. Candles will probably be available but bring your own if you like. And proudly wear the red, white and blue. Carry a flag! Patriotism is never out of style!

Once the main thrust of our military actions in Afghanistan and Iraq were completed, many of us expected the threat to our homeland to decrease. However that has not happened and federal officials tell us that the threat level for terrorism in this country remains very high. For that reason - as well as in remembrance for the nearly 3,000 innocent victims that died that day - it is in the words of Abraham Lincoln at Gettysburg, "altogether fitting and proper" that we should take the time to both remember the deceased and to pray for the future of our country.

The Jellico Ministerial Association will plan the activity and Rev. John and Rev. Ginger Richardson will be in charge of the program. As mentioned earlier, the colors will be presented by a color guard from the U. S. Army Reserve 100th Division that will include both the National Colors and the 100th Unit Colors including its four battle streamers. And our city flags will be up that day. We will also have a small section of steel on display from one of the World Trade Center Towers.

Few tragedies have ever brought home to us the extent of the danger that emergency workers face any time that they are called out as 9/11 did. Firemen, policemen and rescue personnel lost their lives in an almost unheard of number. And in their honor, we will again ask our police officers, firemen, rescue squad members, dispatchers, ambulance service personnel and ALL emergency workers to attend the observance in uniform as a symbol of our appreciation for their service to our town and area.

(It may still be pretty warm at that time in the evening and Wayne Barton, owner of Ray's Superior Market and a member of the Jellico Volunteer Fire Department, will again provide free drinks for those in attendance.)

Those of us who receive comments concerning annexation have become convinced of one thing. And that is the fact that a lot of folks in the areas eligible for annexation would like to be incorporated but do not want to say or do anything that might upset their neighbors who may oppose that action. A very few supporters of annexation have strongly requested that their names not be used in anyway in conjunction with the issue. And we have honored their requests.

Some senior citizens have told me and some members of council, that they would dearly love to see police cars circulating through their neighborhoods on a regular basis. They admit that they are sometimes fearful and would feel much more secure with an increased police presence. And as I have reported numerous times in the past, folks have talked to all of us at one time or another about the sewer problem that exists in at least part of the areas eligible for annexation.

Eventually the Tennessee State Office of Planning will have the plan compiled of proposed services that would be provided within five years to any areas that may be annexed. And that plan will be presented during a public meeting. Since Tennessee Public Law 1101 is based upon a "planned and orderly" annexation process - in addition to the plan of services - we actually also need to compile a list of the pros and cons of annexation (although that is not a part of the PL 1101 legal requirements).

But there are numerous benefits to becoming a part of our incorporated limits including:
The above mentioned regular police patrols
Street lights to be place at specified intervals throughout the annexed areas that will also help increase security.
Fire protection for all residents with elimination of the fee of $ 100.00 annually for non- city residents and $ 200.00 annually for non-city businesses
Fire hydrants installed at specified intervals throughout the annexed areas
Lower fire insurance premiums equal to those paid by citizens living and operating businesses within incorporated areas. And the rates in the incorporated areas are expected to be lowered even more in the future.
Much lower rates for both water and sewer (roughly one-half). For example 2000 gallons of water inside the city cost $ 7.22 but outside the city $ 13.76.. And 2000 gallons sewer inside the city runs $ 11.10 while outside the city the amount is $ 22.19.
Garbage is collected weekly in the city for $ 9.90 per month (A couple of years ago I forget to put my garbage out on collection day and I had to load it in my truck and haul it to Oswego. Before I was through with that task in the hot sun, I would gladly have paid twice that $ 9.90 monthly amount for just that that one weekly collection - much less for 4 or 5 weekly collections.)
And there are other advantages to living in an incorporated area as I personally found out after I was incorporated into the city of Jellico many years ago while living on Indian Mountain.

Even if surrounding communities should be annexed, there is no danger of them ever losing their names, identities and traditions as some seem to fear. Newcomb will always still be Newcomb; High Cliff will always be High Cliff; Old Standard will always be Old Standard; Bowlin Strait will always be Bowlin Strait, etc., etc.. Becoming a part of Jellico will not change those things any more than they have changed all of the other names, identities and traditions of areas that have been annexed down through the years - including South End, Tannery Hollow, Crouches Creek, the section of Black Oak located in Tennessee, Indian Mountain and any other annexed sections or communities.

The major point of disagreement with any annexation - and basically the only strong argument that has been made against annexation (other than the fact that some do not want to be part of Jellico) - appears to be the fact that city residents must pay city taxes. And that is a legitimate point. But city of Jellico taxes are very low compared to many other areas and many of us believe that the cost of the services provided by those taxes are far more expensive than the amount they bring in. Only 10% to 15% of revenue available for the City of Jellico's annual budget comes from city taxes.

As stated above, it is true that some residents of the areas eligible for annexation just do not want to become a part of Jellico. And we all have to respect their feelings. But we take the same position that was taken by the Tennessee State Legislature when it drafted and adopted Public Law 1101. The Legislature at that time held that municipalities must have the right to grow in a planned and orderly manner. And it is our position that Jellico, like all towns and cities, has that same right to grow. And our only areas for potential growth are toward High Cliff and Newcomb. We can't go North and we can't go South - with the possible exception of the proposed Rarity Mountain Development.

Jellico is "town" to most residents of the outlying areas and some tell me that they have always felt a part of Jellico to at least some extent. Most area children attend Jellico Elementary or Jellico High and participate in Jellico activities. Additionally we have a lot of folks living in those areas who work and/or operate businesses in Jellico. (One individual a few months ago made a point to me that I have touched on before, but he put it much more bluntly. According to him, he doesn't understand how anyone who works in Jellico and/or has family member(s) working in Jellico or runs a business in Jellico can be opposed to becoming a part of Jellico. In his words, "If Jellico is a good enough place to make a living in, then it ought to be a good enough place to live in". It's hard to argue with his logic on that point!) But we would like to have residents in all eligible areas to both willingly and officially become part of Jellico. They are welcome and we think it could be good for all concerned!

The repaving of our town's main streets/highways was nearing completion at the time this article was written (and may be completed by now). And everybody seems extremely glad to have gotten that work done. It has sure smoothed out driving on the affected streets. I again want to thank the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) for scheduling us ahead of some other towns that equally need a lot of repaving. I have always found the folks at TDOT to be very cooperative and helpful and to do all that they can do with available resources to improve roads all over the area.

The Council has called for bids and hopefully we can now soon accomplish some improvements on the streets that have been identified as priorities for repairs. And weather permitting, we should be able to get back to the work on our downtown including painting of the metal utilities poles, buildings, etc.. We need to get as much done as possible before the Fall Fest and JHS Homecoming.

On a different note: I will know this winter once and for all if there really is anything to our "old time" winter weather indicators. (The prediction for the number of winter snows based upon the number of fogs in August has long. long ago been discredited.) But I have always been told by old-timers that thick husks around the ears of corn definitely mean a very cold winter.

Well Jenny had me to remove the husks from some corn that we were having for supper the other evening and I didn't think I was ever going to get them all off. If there is a grain of truth in that old saying, look out this winter"! It could be a dilly! (Has anybody checked the "wooly worms" yet?

That's probably just as accurate as the long term predictions that we see on TV and Internet.)

Two articles ago I mentioned that I like to walk the railroad because I enjoy the solitude that it provides as well as the beautiful scenery and the wildlife that I often observe. But I also emphasized the fact that I have not yet encountered the bear during any of my walks.

That last statement immediately caught the eyes of Eudell Sowder who regularly reads these articles and who is very familiar with the area in which I travel on foot. In fact she lives nearby. And she made it a point to inform me that bear tracks have been seen there several times in recent months and that some dogs were believed to have been killed last spring by a bear in that same vicinity.. She also said that one bruin had actually come in near her home.

I have always heard that humans cannot possibly out run a bear. And according to Eudell, some reports hold that a bear is actually capable of reaching speeds of up to thirty-five (35) miles an hour when chasing prey. That immediately started me to wondering if the world is quite ready yet for a man my age establishing a new international speed record by running thirty-six (36) miles per hour.

We all need good friends and I found out the other day that I have one very good friend that I can rely on when I really need her. She is in a kindergarten class at Boston Elementary School. One day the school halls were clear (or so I thought) as I returned to the office from a visit to the playground. Since there was no one to hear me and to critique my singing voice, I broke into a couple of lines from "The Tennessee Waltz" as I came down the hallway. Just as I finished my terrible rendition of that personal favorite, a very little girl suddenly appeared in the hall very near to me as she was returning to her classroom from the bathroom.

She looked up and in a very serious voice informed me, "Mr. Clifton, I heard you singing but don't worry! I promise, I won't tell anybody! (Not many ladies today can keep a man's secrets!)