I’ll bet a lot of readers of the Polk County News got a nice self-righteous buzz from Laura Lewis’ attack on Bruce Walters in the March 18th issue. “How dare he write a letter to the editor! She sure told him! Go back to Florida! And stay there!”
But what if he’s right? What if the river road could be made safe for a lot less money? Right now, not dozens of years in the future? What if it doesn’t make sense to build a superhighway for truck traffic through the middle of the Cherokee National Forest? Aren’t long distance shippers already moving from trucks to much cheaper rail alternatives?
It’s terrible to lose a loved one on any road. But if you’re trying to prevent more deaths and make intelligent decisions, you need to look at the facts, not just heap scorn on people who disagree with you. According to the Chattanooga Times, “The safety argument doesn’t hold water. That stretch of highway has a lower-than-average traffic accident rate” (Forget Highway Boondoggles, February 14, 2009).
They should have gone on to say that most of the accidents are at two or three bad spots, and they need to be fixed now, not in twenty more years, and that we need guardrails and more passing areas. But it really is just a boondoggle, a welfare project for the road contractors. Something tells me that they don’t want you to know that it’s going to be a toll road. (Excuse me, a “public-private partnership.”) If this thing ever gets built, most of us who live here will probably go right on using the same old unimproved river road instead of paying a $5 or $6 toll every time we want to go to Cleveland.
Obviously, the people who are going to make millions from building this road are telling us that it is going to lead to a new era of instant economic prosperity for Polk County. We’ve heard all this before, and if you believe it, there’s a bridge or two you might want to buy. The truth is, it isn’t going to benefit anyone who doesn’t own a gas station. If they build this road where they want to build it – over the mountain - it is going to ruin every acre of national forest between the Ocoee and the Hiwassee. If they build it through the gorge instead, it’s going to destroy the gorge.
Our economic base is tourism, not interstate truck traffic. People come here because it’s quiet and beautiful, not because they want to see big trucks roll on wonderful superhighways. They can see that at home. If we let this thing get built, it’s goodbye to our tourism industry and our second home industry forever. That’s goodbye to our economic future and to our present way of life. If you just really hate Floridians, maybe that’s a reasonable price to pay. But if you love and care about our mountains and our young people, it isn’t so good.
Our happy local road boosters seem to think that the wonderful, benevolent government wants to spend a couple of billion dollars just to help us out, so we can get to Cleveland a little faster. They seem to think that we’re the only people who are going to be allowed to ride on it. These people need to wake up. They want to build it to take all that truck traffic off I-40 west of Asheville. Maybe you people should drive over there some day and take a look at that and ask yourself what Ducktown and Polk County are going to be like with that mess smack in the middle of it, and whether you really want that for our area and our people.
I’ve said this before, but maybe I should say it again. All this nonsense is just TDOT’s latest, greatest, and slickest excuse for not fixing the river road. Let’s get smart and push for that, not for an interstate truck route over the mountain that will never be built.
The governor’s proposal to increase class sizes in the elementary schools, and to base the state’s payments on those maximums, could mean a significant loss of revenue for teaching positions in Polk County.
Video surveillance has been installed at the county’s convenience centers to identify people leaving garbage outside the fence at the convenience centers or throwing it over the fence when the centers are closed.
The collision happened around 6:45 a.m. Dec. 28 when a westbound truck carrying around 20 tons of calcine lost control coming around a curve on Hwy. 64 and flipped on its side.
Board members spent a majority of the meeting listening to a laundry list of ranging from mold issues to the proper wording on “no smoking” signs on the outside bleachers.
The state’s report card provides achievement scores showing the amount of knowledge students have, and value-added scores showing the gain in test scores, or lack of it.
While there was some improvement last year, it was not enough to overcome low scores after the state raised standards in 2009; there were also some declines.
While the big race nationally is for President, there are several countywide races on tap, as well as School Board, constables, and municipal elections.
Lee University’s Encore Program, which offers people age 60 and over the opportunity to take university courses, has a new line up of specially-designed mini-courses for the spring.
Horse Trainer and owner of Double S. Stables, Randy Speegle of Benton took second place in the Legends division at the Mustang Challenge in Murphreesboro on October 21st – 23rd.
Local residents got their first look at potential routes for a Copperhill-McCaysville Bypass, at a public information open house held last Thursday by Project Engineers for the Georgia Department of Transportation.
Tennessee Agriculture Commissioner Julius Johnson has authorized a statewide referendum for cattle producers to vote on a $0.50 per head increase in the assessment to fund the in-state promotion of beef.
While some students may be nervous about how the upcoming exams could affect their college options, the Tennessee Electronic Library (TEL) has the tools they need to succeed.
Principal Mrs. Patricia Smith proudly announces the Copper Basin Elementary 1st and 2nd honor students. Students must have a 93 or higher average in all classes for the 1st honor roll.
Mrs. Deborah Swafford of Old Fort, was chosen by Northwest Elementary Faculty in Murray Co, Georgia to be Teacher of the Year for the 2011-2012 School year.
On Oct. 7, with the help of Vice Principal Turner, who kept her out of class for a few minutes to get it set-up, The Senior English 12 Class threw a Surprise party for Mrs. Ellen Carr.
On Wednesday September 20, Ms. Bigham's English 11 class gave their book reports. One of the students, Tyler Queen, dressed up for his book report on Harry Potter.
In an effort to provide added security measures at Cleveland State, the college has purchased Code Blue emergency blue light pedestals to be placed in different locations throughout the main campus and one at the CSCC Athens site.
Virginia Deloris Brown Trantham, affectionately known to family, friends and coworkers as “Sally”, age 77, of Copperhill, TN passed away Tuesday, January 24, 2012.
Peggy Wood, 79, of Ventura, CA went to be with her Lord and Savior on December 26, 2011. Peggy passed away after a long battle with Alzheimer’s Disease
I just wanted to say a big “Thank You” to Cheryl Maxwell, Mayor Stephens, Linda Caldwell, and others who planned and carried out a very successful 2nd Annual Heritage Days festival in Benton.
There is an old saying, which many credit to Native Americans as advising, “You can’t really understand someone else, unless you live their life or walk in their shoes (so to speak).
Photo from 1910 provided by Bill Lillard shows the family of Calvin Higdon, who built the Higdon Hotel in Reliance. Calvin (1836-1919) and Amanda Linderman Higdon (1845-1926) were married in 1860.
From Polk County News, 9/13/34
Famous Monroe County Hotel Is Now No More
People from All Over South Visited the “Saratoga of the South” in the Good Old Days.
The Museum Center at 5ive Points will host a presentation on Learning to Care and Maintain Your Featherweight Sewing Machine by Stan Pegram on Saturday, February 11 from 10:00 - noon.
Sequoyah Birthplace Museum is offering a Cherokee language class in Vonore, TN on the following Mondays, January 9, 16, 23, 30, 2012 from 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Each day kids will create their own holiday spirit by making decorations, learning games and trying foods from the past. Campers are asked to bring a sack lunch.
The Museum Center at 5ive Points with the Sassy Brass Big Band invite you to a Christmas concert called “Swing into Christmas” on Tuesday, November 29.
“It was like seeing a freight train coming down the tracks 90 miles an hour and trying to stop it by stepping in front of it”, Coach Danny Rogers said.
After a week off, the Copper Basin Cougar football team regrouped to break a three game losing streak by defeating the Marion County Warriors 41-18 at Cougar Stadium.
The Copper Basin Medical Center’s District Board honored Dr. William E. Lee last week. Dr. Lee, 85, has spent a lifetime in service, not only to the community but to the world through his medical mission trips.
EPA is proposing actions to improve the water quality of the Ocoee from Copperhill to Dam No. 3, at Dam No. 3, and at the upper reach of Parksville Dam.
The Ocoee River Outfitters Association will conduct a stream cleanup with the help of approximately 130 volunteers on Friday, May 27, 2011 starting at 9:00 am.
Beginning in mid-January culverts will be replaced on Sina Branch Road where it crosses Sawmill Branch in the Ocoee Ranger District in Polk County, TN.
Drawdown is underway at Apalachia Lake, according to David Bowling with River Operations at TVA. He said the lake will drop 18-20 feet for routine maintenance work.
Trout stocking will be reduced about 20% in the coming fiscal year and could be reduced 85% after that, according to Frank Fiss, Assistant Chief of Fisheries at the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.
TVA has created a smartphone app for those wanting to check on reservoir elevations, water release schedules and more. The information has been available online, but the new app will allow access by cell phone.
Unseasonably high temperatures -- in the 90s -- are sending folks to the water. The Ocoee Whitewater Center is a popular place when the river isn't flowing, and the Hiwassee and Ocoee are popular when it is.
People come from near and far to experience a variety of outdoor recreation activities including camping, picnicking, hiking, bike riding, water play, fishing and much more.
More than six hundred museums in all 50 states and the District of Columbia—including the McMinn County Living Heritage Museum in Athens, Tenn.—are taking part in the initiative.
VEC was recently notified by a neighboring utility that they have been receiving complaints from customers who have been visited by scam artists posing as energy evaluators.
The Tennessee Historical Commission is now accepting nominations for its Certificate of Merit Awards to honor individuals or groups that have worked to preserve Tennessee’s cultural heritage during 2011.
The Tennessee Tobacco QuitLine offers personalized support for Tennessee residents who want to quit smoking by connecting them with trained quit coaches to guide them through the quitting process.
The Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance (TDCI) Consumer Affairs division is urging consumers to be wary of emails that request participation in a survey and that promise a gift card in return.
While many job placement firms may be legitimate and helpful, others may misrepresent their services, promote outdated or fictitious job offerings and charge high fees in advance for services that may not lead to a job.
The annual campaign has enrolled tens of thousands of children in the low-cost health insurance plan, which provides coverage for everything from physician visits to hospitalization to dental and vision care.
The Tennessee Department of State has launched a campaign to educate citizens about the new photo identification requirement that will go into effect for elections held in the state after Jan. 1, 2012.
All of the legislation approved this year, during the first session of the 107th General Assembly, is now available online at the Office of Secretary of State web site.
Applications for the State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program (SEEARP) are available online at www.e-rebates.org/teearp or by phone at 1-877-741-4304 on a first-come, first-served basis.
Individuals who have received LIHEAP assistance since July 2010 must wait until October 1 for the new program year to begin before they can re-apply for benefits.
The next time you see an electric utility vehicle working on the side of the road, slow down and give it room. The workers will appreciate your courtesy, and a new Tennessee law requires it.
“Kids Fishing Day” event in Cherokee National Forest’s Ocoee/Hiwassee Ranger District is scheduled for May 21, 2011 at McCamy Lake. Anglers 15 years and under are invited to try their luck.
Ducktown resident Jack Suites and his partner Bitt Ledford of Murphy, N.C. took home the $700 second place prize at the Tri-County Community College Foundation Fishing for Scholarships Bass tournament on April 2.
More than four months after a spotted bass weighing 6 pounds, 7 ounces was caught on the Ocoee River in Polk County, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency has confirmed the fish as a new state record
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