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Letters

  • Analogy flawed with Watts Bar vs. Claytor lakes

    With regard to the March 22 article, “Carp Control Weeds” in the Roane County News, I offer the following observations on its contents:

    Claytor Lake in Virginia is 4,500 acres and approximately 21 miles long with an area of 7.031 square miles.

    The Claytor Lake group spent between $12,000 and $15,000 per year for two years and stocked about 10,000 carp in total.

    Watts Bar Lake is 39,000 acres, approximately 73 miles long with an area of 61.08 square miles. It has 722 miles of shoreline.

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  • It’s up to us to reclaim democracy at every level

    Candidate Donald Trump promised that health-care replacement would include the right to buy insurance freely across state lines — releasing the consumer from arbitrary and artificial limitations to choice and competition.

    I wrote to our Congressman Fleischmann asking where this provision appears in the GOP bill. I have not received an answer, not even the usual, neutral drivel about how he is so very concerned with this issue on our behalf.

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  • Viewpoints on Trump, others fair and balanced

    I want to express my appreciation for the interesting and meaningful articles that Hugh Willett authors and includes in the Roane County News.

    I especially appreciated the

    article, “All we are saying is

    give Trump a chance,” which

    appeared in the Friday, March 17, issue.

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  • Ruby Tuesday helped raise funds to battle cancer

    I would like to give a “shout out” of thanks to Ruby Tuesday Restaurant, Harriman, for their willingness and help with Roane County’s Relay for Life teams in their fundraising efforts to combat cancer.

    Three of their employees came in on their own time to cook a pancake breakfast on Saturday, March 11, and to provide such a wonderful atmosphere for the community to sit and eat together all for a good cause. Together with a few items we had at a silent auction and ticket sales, this event helped raise a total of $1,000!

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  • Trump has done very little to deserve a chance

    Friday, our editor admonished us to “Give Trump a Chance.”

    Could this be the same Trump who has repeatedly told us that the press is the enemy of the American people?

    We’ve elected an obviously unhinged individual, one who Saturday’s circumspect New York Times called “a real nut job.” This nut job has consistently worked to undermine the press, one of the pillars of our democracy. To have our local leader of the Fourth Estate defending Trump is mind numbing.

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  • What does schools director think is education priority?

    What are our county’s top needs for more funds in education?

    In other words, if we citizens decided to make more tax or debt money available to our educators, where and how would they spend it?

    (I am, of course, assuming that everyone’s top goal is to improve our kids’ level of education.)

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  • A lot of facts need to be faced before mega school OK

    Roane County taxpayers should marvel at the school board’s recent 7-3 vote to close all five high schools in Roane County and make one mega high school located, most likely, near the Roane State campus.

    FACT: The taxpayers of this county are already carrying county general fund debt, county rural debt, and county education debt on an ongoing basis. A $60- to $80-million mega school built using suggested “alternative” financing is actually more debt piled on us.

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  • What’s the big rush on costly school project?

    For the last couple of months, I’ve been feeling more and more movement of those hands that are always in my pocket and on my wallet.

    They are pulling, tugging, twisting, jerking — wanting to remove more of my hard-earned income from my wallet. Resist as I might, seems no amount of blood, sweat or tears deter these sticky fingers.

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  • Aquatic weeds even worse than the ash spill

    The invasion is well underway, and a way of life on Watts Bar Lake is changing.

    No longer can a boater expect to approach the shoreline casually, whether to fish or to enjoy the many water sports that have been carefree for decades.

    No; now the boater must know “ What Lies Beneath.” lest his propeller(s) contact the invasive non-native underwater vegetation that the TVA has allowed, nay encouraged, to proliferate.

    And for what? To improve the fishery we were told in the recent County Commission meeting.

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  • Midway only campus with land for expansion

    I find it hard to believe that the school board has opened the consolidation scheme again. It may be necessary for some of the high schools but not to create one super school.

    I’d like to address two points as they apply to Midway. Item one: It takes up to an hour that the students are on the bus each way. A consolidated school would add significantly to that time. Secondly: Midway has a unique advantage over all the other high schools. It has land for any future expansions.

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