A Dollar Here a Dollar There
The Big Picture, by Steve Diggs
It was the late Senator Everett Dirksen in the 1960's who said, A billion here, a billion there, and pretty soon you�re talking about real money.
That was then. This is now. Today Dirksen would have to rephrase his comment and insert the word trillion. As we all watch the Wizards of the Potomac spend money they don't have on projects we don�t understand our collectively mouths widen more and more. Since you and I don't have the luxury of living in the Beltway Bubble, let's talk about some practical things we can do right now to pick up a few extra bucks and cut our cost of living.
Get a short term job. If your vacation is coming up, consider not taking the credit card on a two week sabbatical this year. For many of us, paying down some debt will bring a lot more peace of mind than lying under a palm tree giving our credit cards a tan while we get burned! But, you complain, how am I going to get a two week job? Glad you asked. Why not clean yards? (Note: Never sell your time by the hour charge for the job. If you figure it'll take 3 hours, tell the owner that you,ll do a bang-up job for $90. That'll be an easier sell than asking for $30/hour.) Or, check a website like CraigsList.com that lists short term jobs. Maybe you'll find someone willing to pay $250 for you to drive their car from point A to point B.
Reduce your cost of living. Make it a family game to see who can take the shortest shower. Opt for the small TV instead of the big flat panel. (Flat panels suck up a lot more juice.) Unplug your unused second refrigerator. At restaurants order the large meal. It usually is only 20-40% more and you can take the extra home for tomorrow's lunch. Tilt the hose into the car at the gas station when you stop the pump that can be good for a few extra miles of fuel.
Be a saver. When you stay at a hotel grab the extra soap and free amenities. (This doesn't include the towels and the TV set.) I've tried it. Hotel soap works just fine at home. When you're through shaving dry the blade. Leaving razor blades wet is what dulls them the fastest. A constantly dried blade will last forever!
Be creative. Make saving money and earning money a family sport. You'll be surprised
at how much you'll save during these hard times and how much discipline you'll have when things improve.
Steve Diggs is an international speaker, broadcaster, and a writer who can be reached at www.SteveDiggs.com
Teacher suspended and under investigation.
Dean Branam, a 30 year veteran of the Campbell County school system, is on paid administrative leave pending an investigation by the Jacksboro Police department.
Branam currently teaches at Jacksboro Middle School.
The nature of the investigation has yet to be revealed by either the Campbell County Board of Education or the Jacksboro Police.
We will be running brackets for March Madness check out CampbellCountySports.com for more details.
Commission moves to fund libraries
In Monday�s meeting of the county commission�s financial management committee a pair of motions were made that would increase funding to the count�s four public libraries.
The libraries had their state funds cut which would have prevented them from getting new books and dvds for their patrons.
Adrian Baird made the motion to fund the libraries enough money to get them through this operating year and still get new books. Stan Marlow made the motion that they approve $1000 dollars a month for each library during the next budget year. Both motions carried.
Inmate dies in Campbell County Jail
BY PATRICK PEBLEY
Sheila Jean Riggs,40, was pronounced dead of a cardiac arrest Monday Night as St. Mary's Medical Center of LaFollette. She was an inmate at the Campbe;; County Jail.
She was found unconscious in her cell around 11:30 a.m. Monday morning. Corrections officers attempted to use CPR to revive Riggs until emergency medical personel arrived on the scene.
Her cause of death is under investigation by the University of Tennessee forensics center.
Commission passes resolution to elect School Superintendents
By Patrick Pebley
At a recent county commission meeting a resolution was passed to ask the state legislature to allow the electing of School Superintendents.
Lynn Letner made a motion for the resolution and the county commission passed it unanimously
The resolution requests that the state legislature to let the individual counties to decide if they want to appoint or elect the head of a school system.
It is now up to the state to decide if this will be passed on a state level.
A related story is on Campbell County Politics
Campbell County Sports has an updated story
Campbell County the beautiful
What ever Campbell County is lacking in jobs, and culture, it makes up for in natural beauty. The natural land forms, hiking trails, and mountains identifies our quaint litle county. The way the fog hangs during the morning with the sunrise glowing through makes you feel as if you have escaped to the Smokey mountains minus the crowds. Campbell County over the last decade has became a poplar tourist attraction/second home to many people. Most of these people come from states to the north.
Who can blame them. Campbell County offers a pristine beauty with very affordable land, and many lakes for water sports. If you want to hike, Campbell County offers many trails. Is this the future of Campbell County? It appears that the powers that be chose the direction of tourism over industry for good or bad. I think a combination of industry and tourism would have been better, but it appears the direction is set. This means ample job opportunities in the future in the service industry for our children, but the politicians in office need to step up and get the infrastructure up to a suitable level. There needs to be additional exits added. Also, the main road needs to be extended to be a six lane. That should have been started ten years ago. There needs to be an additional 4 lane road built as an alternative. Campbell County will also have to allow liquor to be served in restaurants, and they will need to accomdate a liquor store. If this is the direction we are headed we need to do it right so we can start creating jobs, and move forward. If we leave it as is, we will have a tourism industry that is sub-par. I would never want to see Campbell County turned into a Sevierville, but we can have a balance that will bring in revenue and create a stable local economy. I would much rather collect revenues from people enoying our county than have my land taxes raised.
Nepotism- Some Exempt?
Last Tuesday the LaFollette City Council voted to exempt themselves from the city's neoptism policy. After a premeeting worksop failed to produce any sort of decision for an alternative to the policy councilman Hansford Hatmaker suggested the council vote on it.
Hatmaker made the motion to exepmt the city council and mayor from the policy. The policy does not change for the city department heads.
Council members Bob Fannon and Wayne Kitts voted against changing the policy. Council members Hatmaker and Joe Bolinger voted in favor of ammending the policy. Mayor Mike Stanfield broke the tie in favor of ammending the policy.
CCHS Drama - a Look Back at Excellence
By: Joe Muse
I was just looking back at my annuals from Campbell County High School and remembering my time in the "Drama" Department. I feel the time period that I was involved in was a golden age for the drama department there (around 1988-1990). The golden age was not brought about because I was part of it, but because the community was part of it. Yvonne Crutchfield and Arnold Jones combined with the students and parents to put on successful production after successful production. Around 1994 or so Arnold Jones stepped aside, and the department fell into shambles. I'm merely interjecting my opinion about this, but it is an opinion backed by 54 hours of theatre classes, and a theatre degree.
It was the amazing time I had in high school that caused me to pursue theatre at the college level. While in high school I was involved in A Christmas Carol, Li'l Abner, The Vigil, and The Sound of Music. I'm sure I'm leaving something out, but that was 20 years ago. We were so successful with these productions that we had enough money after the $1,500 royalty fees we had to pay for the musicals, that we even bought computers for the school. We had sell out show after sell out show. This didn't happen by accident, this happened with community involvement and wonderful parents giving their time to help construct elaborate sets. Students were giving their time, staying 3 or more hours a day to rehearse. The teachers were sacrificing their time and talents for no extra pay. We were no broadway touring company, but we had fun and gave the audience something to applaud, and play after play to remember.
Where did the energy, enthusiasm, and the great shows go? After I graduated from college in 1996, I came back and helped with Fame, with Patrick Pebley, and the teacher Anne McGhee. This was dismal. I came from a college that gave me $10,000 to construct a set, to a high school that had no money to build a set. That was my budget - I was given $0. To further complicate matters, the lighting board was a disaster. I cobbled together old pieces of scenery, and bypassed most every safety protocol to make the lighting work. Still this play paled in comparison to what we had accomplished a mere 8 years earlier. What was the difference? To start our first major production we had to raise money. We sold doughnuts, and everything else we could. After that we had enough money for every other play we attempted. For Fame, no one stepped up to raise the money. That was one part. The second and most important part was the teacher. Crutchfield and Jones both were superbly qualified to put together a show. Since Fame, there has been one true theatrical production put on by a music teacher, who was shortly displaced by a lesser qualified candidate. Until Campbell County gets a qualified candidate the theatre program will not be putting on any productions, and that is truly sad. I'd say that may be the only chance for most of those kids to take part in, or view a play.
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Most people will probably say, well, that class doesn't really matter. I would have to disagree. If we want our children to compete in the next level of education we have to offer a well rounded environment so that they have a chance to thrive. If your child doesn't care much for art or music, well then theatre is a fun way to take part in the arts. Theatre gives them a chance to get up in front of a crowd. Theatre builds confidence and inner strength.
Send thoughts or comments to Xanthlore at yahoo.com.
Other fine productions I wasn't lucky enough to be part of:
Sydney Fellow, Harvey, Wizard of Oz
COUNTY MOURNS THE LOSS OF PETREE
Reverend Glen Petree wore many hats for folks in the area. The long time minister and head of the Campbell County Baptist Association passed away Sunday from ALS, more commonly known as Lou Gehrig�s disease.
Petree was known throughout the community as he guest pastured at a multitude of area churches. He also served as chaplain for a variety of organizations including the LaFollette Police Department and the Campbell County EMS.
The family of Reverend Petree received friends Wednesday night at Martin Wilson funeral home. He was laid to rest Thursday Morning with the Reverend Ronnie Arnold performing the graveside service.
WHAT IS LOU GEHRIG�S DISEASE?
BY PATRICK PEBLEY
With the recent passing of Reverend Glen Petree of Lou Gehrig�s disease some people have asked me what it is,
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis is the scientific name for the disease. It is a progressive and fatal degeneration of the nerves cells in the central nervous system. The disorder causes muscle weakness and atrophy throughout the body as both the upper and lower motor neurons degenerate, ceasing to send messages to muscles.
The onset of ALS may be so subtle that the symptoms are frequently overlooked. The earliest symptoms are obvious weakness and/or muscle atrophy. Twitching, cramping, or stiffness of affected muscles; muscle weakness affecting an arm or a leg; and/or slurred and nasal speech follows this. The twitching, cramping, etc. associated with ALS is a result of the dying muscle.
No test can provide a definite diagnosis of ALS, although the presence of upper and lower motor neuron signs in a single limb is strongly suggestive. Instead, the diagnosis of ALS is primarily based on the symptoms and signs the physician observes in the patient and a series of tests to rule out other diseases. Physicians obtain the patient's full medical history and usually conduct a neurological examination at regular intervals to assess whether symptoms such as muscle weakness, atrophy of muscles, and spasms are getting progressively worse
No cure has yet been found for ALS. However, the Food and Drug Administration has approved the first drug treatment for the disease: Riluzole (Rilutek).
