Norma Morgan CAP, who works for the Polk County UT Extension office in Benton has been named the 2012 Administrative Professional of the Year by the Cherokee Chapter of the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP).
Tennessee’s Commissioner of Agriculture and several members of his department met with local farmers on Thursday, April 19th.
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2011
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An early-morning fire destroyed the home of a Reliance family Christmas morning, but the spirit of Christmas burned stronger.
An early-morning fire destroyed the home of a Reliance family Christmas morning, but the spirit of Christmas burned stronger. Justin and Candace Taylor, along with their three young children Colby, Kinsley and Kali were able to escape but the home on Hwy 315 was a total loss.
“There was enough heat that his hair was singed,” West Polk Fire & Rescue Chief Steve Lofty said. According to Lofty, Justin Taylor awoke around 8 a.m. to realize the house was on fire. Lofty said the fire appeared to have started in the electrical panel and had fully engulfed the attic by the time Taylor was able to wake his family and get them outside.
Heat from the fire was so intense, Lofty said, the lenses on the front of one of the fire engines melted. He said volunteers from Springtown Firehall were able to get there within a matter of minutes, but the fire was already venting through the roof. Volunteers determined that it was unsafe to go inside, so an exterior attack was made.
Justin Taylor said he was thankful to God that he woke up in time. Candace and the children escaped the home wearing nothing but pajamas and without shoes.
“The house was already 80% engulfed,” Lofty said. “There was more fire than there was water to put it out.” Two tanker trucks plus portable pumps on a neighbor’s swimming pool were utilized to get the fire under control.
It didn’t take long for the community to rally around the stricken family. Lofty said fifteen bags of clothes, new Christmas presents and cash donations had been gathered for the family within a matter of hours following the fire. “Some of the smaller kids from the families of fire department members gave their own presents up to help the Taylor kids,” Lofty said. William Wallace, owner of Action Video, used his store as a collection spot for the family. Lofty said as customers came in and heard the story, they started giving money to the cause. The Red Cross also stepped in to provide assistance.
Ruth Ann Taylor said Greasy Creek Baptist Church asked the children there to donate one gifts from their Christmas presents.
“One little girl, all she had asked for was an Easy Bake Oven and she got it, but she gave it to Kinsley,” Taylor said. She said another child gave them a Wii with games because he had gotten an XBox 360.
Taylor said the family wrapped all the presents and took them to the children’s great-grandmother’s house and told them Santa saw their house was on fire and wanted to leave the presents somewhere safe.
“The true reality of what we do and who we are really comes to light in situations like this,” Lofty said. “Christmas is a day for families, and more than 25 volunteers left their own families to assist. You could see how they felt about a family losing their home on Christmas just by the looks on their faces.” Fire and EMS volunteers as well as Action Video customers, church members and other local residents all chipped in to help the Taylor family.
Monetary and clothing donations are still being accepted for the family. An account has been set up at First Volunteer Bank, and donations may be made at any branch.
Gift Cards from Lowe’s, Home Depot and Wal-Mart would also be graciously accepted. Taylor said as soon as the family gets the green light, they will start re-building.
“They built the home themselves with the help of friends and family and are gonna rebuild it. It was a beautiful home,” Taylor said.
Those wishing to donate clothes, the kids sizes are: boys size 12 husky pants, 12-14 shirt and 5 1/2-6 shoes; girls size 4 or 5 pants, size 5-6 tops and 10-10 1/2 or 11-11 1/2 shoes. If you would like to help the family contact 423-338-7062 or 423-715-8986 or email: cjtaylor1102@bellsouth.net.
In addition to several engines and tankers from WPFR, a tanker from Conasauga Valley also responded to the blaze.
Polk County Planners approved multiple plats during the April meeting and discussed permitting staff approval on plats that meet all necessary qualifications.
A handicapped-complaint building for concessions and restrooms will be built at the Benton ball fields following action by the county commission April 19.
The governor’s recently released three-year transportation program does not include any Polk County projects, although current projects are continuing.
Questions have been raised about the cost of a precinct rental and the decision to put the sample ballot in the Fannin County, GA newspaper rather than the Polk County newspaper.
Diane Wilson said she was more upset by the response of Election Administrator Steve Gaddis when she reported the incident than she was by the incident itself.
A Special Master’s Hearing was held last Wednesday to take an accounting of the Home Owners Association for Ocoee Mountain Club in preparation for an upcoming trial.
Paul Hunter has asked the U.S. District Court to award him at least $169,920 in “front pay” following last month’s verdict that his firing from Copperhill was due to age discrimination.
If 20 or 30 people had turned up for opening night, we would have breathed a big sigh of relief and considered the evening a success.
The final head count was 82 people, from three states
Talley recommended to the congressional delegation new statewide incentives for solar energy development, cellulosic ethanol production, biomass gasification and waste to energy.
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.
Walking the Line, a series of drawings inspired by 16 years of attendance at the John C. Campbell Folk School’s Friday Night Concert series, is now on display at the Folk School’s History Center.
On May 19th at 5pm there will be a Walk-A-Thon to raise awareness for Domestic Violence. The event will be held at the Park by the Greenway on Raider Drive in Cleveland.
The Overhill Shutterbugs, a regional photography club, present their 2nd Annual Photography Exhibit through June 1, 2012 at the Etowah Arts Commission,
“The Journey of the Lost Boys of Sudan” will be held on Monday, March 19, 2012 at 7 p.m. in the George R. Johnson Cultural Heritage Center Theater on CSCC’s campus.
Cleveland State Community College and Chattanooga State Community College will be co-hosting information sessions about the Veterinary Technology Program at Chattanooga State.
Miss Misty Brooke Hill and Mr. Mason Ray Cross, both of Cleveland, exchanged marriage vows on Saturday, January 14th at the Kingdom Hall of Jehova’s Witnesses in Cleveland.
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.
Scott Jones and daughter Abby recently enjoyed a backpacking trip on the John Muir Trail, starting at the Hwy. 68 and making their way down to the lower section
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.
Fall trips on the Hiwassee River Rail Adventure are quickly selling out. On Oct. 22, the train traveling along the Old Line took 210 passengers to Copperhill for a two-hour layover. (Photo by Robert J. Duncan Sr.)
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.
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.
“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.
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