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Columns

  • Once again, suicide plays out in the news

    In one of these columns some months ago, we explained why the suicide of a local woman was not mentioned — outside of a simple obituary — in this newspaper.

    In contrast, last week a case of suicide was splashed prominently across the top of the front page of our June 1 edition.

    Why the difference?

    The suicide of J.T. Woods was big news for a number of reasons.

    Primarily, it was news because Woods was a public figure, a man running for the office of property assessor.

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  • A VIEW from LICK SKILLET by Gerald Largen: Lincoln’s out and Reagan’s in at GOP event

    Well, gentle reader, continuing with our long-standing tradition, we attended the Republican Party’s Annual Dinner last Saturday Evening.

    These dinners were previously called “Lincoln Day” Dinners, but this year the name was changed to “Reagan Day Constitution Dinner,” the reason for which is still unclear to your humble servant.

    Considering the role played by Mr. Lincoln in the establishment and continuation of the Republican Party, it strikes us as a bit strange that his name should be stricken.

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  • ’Round Rockwood-May 28

    We here in Rockwood have had showers of blessings from dark clouds above.

    Our grass is growing, even needs mowing. Beautiful flowers, roses, daffodils, daisies.

    I was so glad to receive a big fresh bouquet of large orange tiger lilies that Shirley Byrd brought me from her yard.

    Unlike down in Eagle Furnace, the dust just flies when Steven mows his yard, and the deer eat up his garden, green beans, corn and even okra.

    The groundhogs come eating roses and anything that grows green and blooms with beautiful flowers.

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  • Buffett buy ringing endorsement for newspapers

    Perhaps you saw the news last week: Berkshire Hathaway, the prominent investment company headed by Warren Buffett, purchased Media General, a group of 63 newspapers.

    Unlike many investment firms, Buffett’s, under his guidance, is known for solid decision-making and building up its purchases.

    Too many others are known for dismantling their purchases for a quick, short-term profit. This often leaves hundreds and thousands of employees jobless and fewer prospects in the overall employment pool.

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  • A View from Lick SKILLET by Gerald Largen: Will it be a ‘bully pulpit’ or a pulpit for a bully?

    Gentle reader, as you know, there has been a widely perceived problem in this country that has come more and more to the fore over the last few years — the problem of bullying.

    One of the most serious consequences of this pernicious practice has been an unacceptable number of teen-age suicides brought on by bullying, especially the bullying of youngsters who appear to be effeminate or homosexual.

    There has been, and there is now, an ongoing programme on the internet to assure victims that “Things will be better.”

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  • New uranium processing facility needed

    By RON WOODY
    Roane County Executive
    Y-12 involves much more than maintaining the nation’s nuclear stockpile.  

    Work completed in the uranium processing facility will include dismantlement and disposition, material recycle and recovery, nuclear nonproliferation, producing fuel for naval reactors, and supplying medical isotopes that will be used in cancer treatment.

    Opponents of the new Y-12 uranium processing facility are simply misleading the public in referring to this facility as a “bomb plant.”  

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  • A VIEW from LICK SKILLET by Gerald Largen: Do European elections foreshadow U.S. ones?

    Much of the news the past few days and weeks has originated in Europe, particularly in the European Union and the Euro Zone.
    Three of the more prominent identities mentioned in this European news are the President of France, the Prime Minister and Cabinet of the United Kingdom, and the leaders of the largest news organization, News Corp., Inc., the Murdoch family. Each of these has a lesser or greater connexion with the United States.

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  • Roane County Executive Ron Woody: A national park for Roane County is in the works

    Continuing with the Five Point Star management approach, one of the current focuses is industrial and economic development.

    There are many aspects of economic development, one of which is tourism and overall livability for the area.

    This piece focuses on making the Manhattan Project a national park, helping not only tourism for Roane County but also adding an important aspect of culture, history, art and livability.

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  • A VIEW from LICK SKILLET by Gerald Largen: A tale of extraordinary courage and achievement

    Come August of this year, one of the alumni of the class of 1984 of Roane County High School will be a member of a team of 20 or so climbers who will scale Africa’s tallest mountain, Mt. Kilimanjaro.

    This climber will be Roger Long, and the climbing group will be the Team Fox Kilimanjaro Expedition, organized by Michael J. Fox on behalf of The Michael J. Fox Foundation, which is an organization founded by Fox to aid in the fight against Parkinson’s Disease, from which both Roger Long and Michael J. Fox suffer.

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  • Looseleaf Laureate by Terri Likens: Here’s proof that we really walk the talk

    I regularly talk to people who have ended up on the wrong side of the law and want to keep the incident out of the newspaper.
    My answer is invariably a polite no-can-do. If the situation is a matter of our usual public record, it all goes in the paper.
    We make no exceptions.
    Employees of this newspaper are held to the same standard  — including me.
    Which brings me to the point of this column. On Saturday night, in a neighboring county, I was charged with DUI.
    I wanted you to hear it from me first.

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Copyright © 2013

The Roane County News is your source for local news, sports, events, and information in Roane County and Kingston, Tennessee, and the surrounding area.