Fair Weather Fair

One of the most important community events to be revived in the last decade for the citizens of Bradley County is the county fair. As community events go, the fair, the Foothills Country Fair ranks up there with the Christmas Parade and the Independence Day fireworks display. It has taken many hours of hard work and planning by the folks of the Ruritan Clubs to make the dream into a reality. This, the second year of the new fair, and despite the expanded entertainment features had a disappointing turnout, primarily due to the early season scheduling and the weather. I have to say that it may have been a mistake to use the Tri-State Exhibition Center for the fair's venue. A county fair should be a summer activity and should be given the priority that an important occasion deserves, not squeezed in to accommodate out-of-town events that are of little interest to the community at large. Wanting to project an image of a posh and upscale Cleveland has ruined many of what should be primarily local events, sacrificed to enhance the image to outsiders. Calling the county fairground the Bradley County Fairground was too redneck for some of our snobby leaders - didn't project the right image for VIP visitors. So the name is boosted to Tri-State to portray something that a few sheds in a field next to a landfill is not. Same with the fair itself. What was wrong with calling it the Bradley County Fair. At least local people would have believed it was primarily for them. It is a good thing to open up our community to outsiders - to share a taste of what our community has to offer - but to try to attract outsiders as the main aim but to expect local people to fit in and supply a financial base is grossly misguided. The fair is a great idea. The best country fairs I have attended were designed for the locals, named for the locals and run for the locals. They were popular with outsiders because the atmosphere was local. Not in Bradley County. The people that conceived the idea for a fair and worked hard to make it happen were short changed by being scheduled almost in the winter - April - during a time of unsettled weather. If the Tri-State Exhibition Center wants to cater to rich outsiders then let them do so. Truly local events would be better served being held in a field with tents and porta-potties. To make the Tri-State Exhibition Center successful needs the support of local people and the more locals that attend, the more outsiders will attend. Upscale equestrian shows may enhance the image of the exhibition center but alone cannot make it successful.
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Just a flag, or a symbol of national pride?

"What do you think" Continued

What is going on? Have we selected the most stupid people to be officials at law? What has happened to the law of common sense? The latest stupidity is that we are being told American citizens do not have an absolute right to hang an American flag in their yard. And the legal rocket scientist responsible for this well thought out opinion is none other than Tennessee's top attorney, Attorney General Paul Summers. His reasons for declaring that the symbol of our national pride and the colors our troops give their lives for have no legal standing is because it is unconstitutional on three fronts. First the absolute right to hang our country's flag would interfere with existing contracts between home owners and neighborhood associations. Second, it probably violates the right of free speech by picking the American flag over other flags people might want to display. Third, it may be construed as a move by the state to interfere with private property rights without compensation. Hog wash! How much are we paying this guy? We are talking about the prime symbol representing our country. This is about national pride and patriotism. This is Old Glory. It is well known that attorneys are notorious for distorting reality to suit the occasion. Two of them can have opposing views and the next day represent the other side, but Summers decision is tantamount to treason. What he is saying is that the symbol of our country is of no more importance than that of any other and an American citizen, proud of his county, can't advertise the fact on his own property. And that zoning and land covenants take precedence over his right to free speech and use of property patriotic preference. No doubt he would win the legal argument but it does not distract from the fact that he brings shame and distrust to the legal profession and is a disgrace to our state. This man should be shunned by every patriotic American and his parents should disown him.
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Free Crime Zone

If one takes note of crime in Cleveland one can't help noticing that there are certain areas that seem more prone to have problems than others. One side of the street can be crime free yet the other a hot spot for the criminal. Why is this? Do criminals instinctively know the best and safest areas to do the deed? One such puzzling area is the retail plaza across South Lee Highway from the Village Green. The Star-Vue Square. I have yet to hear of any break-ins at the Village Green but stores across the street and those behind them are plagued with trouble. Why is this? If I didn't know better I could believe that crime is being allowed to fester in this area so property prices will drop and shops remain vacant, so that a lucky speculator in the know can snap them up for a song, then improve police activity and the retail value. I don't believe that because it would need a conspiracy involving some of our more upstanding citizens, and anyone reading my column would know that those things don't happen in Cleveland.
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A lot of wind.

Sen. Lamar Alexander is a courageous politician. He is actually speaking out about the disadvantages of wind generated power. I can see the tree hugging green power freaks plotting to have him removed from office at this very minute. Personally, my estimation of Alexander has improved because I see a man with common sense not influenced by political correctness, who is not afraid to point out that the king has no clothes.
I was talking to a relative the other day who firmly believes that so-called green power does not consume non renewable resources. Just like electric cars. As Alexander pointed out, wind turbines are unsightly and noisy and disfigure the landscape but more importantly, they are also high maintenance, expensive to manufacture and energy costly to construct for the amount of power they produce in their lifetime, and also rely on mother nature's schedule for peak efficiency. But those indoctrinated with the idea that wind generated power is efficient, will not ask themselves why green energy cost more and cannot compete in efficiency to other forms of generation. Well done Lamar Alexander.
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