Tired of the Bull. 12/05/06
Come on, Just My Opinion. Get your head out of the sand. Massengill has been kicked around for years. They have put him everywhere trying to make him quit but it wasn't until he supported the sheriff's opponent in the last election that he got fired. And I suspect there will be more firings. Every sheriff's employee knew they had to support Guider for sheriff and Aikens for mayor to keep their job.
Eyeball 12/03/06
People keep electing the
sheriff because a lot of them never hear of
the problems. People are afraid to take a
good look at what is going on and are
satisfied with the status quo. That is why
this web site is such a good thing. People
can voice their opinions and keep citizens
informed of what is
going on behind the scenes. It's like a
water leak in your walls, the faucet still
works , but the water is rotting the walls
out and you don't even know it. They could
be a better department if they took control
and did a little management. Doing the best
with what they have is an excuse. they get
and
have a lot of resources that are mismanaged.
If they just utilized what they have now
they would be a better department.
Tom, Lenoir City 12/03/06
Why are so many of you so down on the sheriff's dept.? If things are really that bad then why do the citizens keep reelecting Tim as their sheriff. I for one think he does a good job with what he has to work with. The commission just won't give him enough money. Sounds more to me like a bunch of sore losers.
Just My Opinion Loudon 12/01/06
The Lenoir City election has come and gone and not much has changed. We've still got the same mayor and I expect we will continue to have the same problems. Brookshire told everybody if they voted for him, we could expect two more years of the same thing we had gotten for the last five years and yet for some unbelievable reason people still voted for him. So, if we take him at his word we can expect the fire hydrants to continue to fail, the sewer to continue to fail, the drinking water to continue to be contaminated and the developers to continue to destroy our city. What were the voters thinking?
Raymond LC 12/01/06
You know, while I sympathize
with Arp's being sick, the question remains
that with Arp incapacitated, who is running
the county? What happened to the
21-day rule the paper was talking about? Or
is commission just going to ignore the fact,
like they ignore most other issues and hope
no one is watching?
I say while the cats away, the mice will
play. Since this county has some awfully
rowdy mice, I think something ought to be
done. I say we get a petition together and
run Van Shaver for office again- this time
BY the people FOR the people!
At least we would be assured of still HAVING
a county. Shaver seems to be the only one
who cares what happens to it. It is a given
that we would know what is going on if he
was in office.
One Loudon County citizen for honest
government 12/01/06
On the blog about the
trustee arrested in Blount County, it is
well known how tight Aikens and the gang are
with the sheriff's dept. in Blount county.
that's why every time there is a car broke
down, they have to call Blount county to
come and help. I'd hate for the law
enforcement in this county to be self
sufficient. From what I hear, they share
more than just law enforcement secrets. I
wonder if anyone on this blog heard the
rumor that before the election, guider went
around promising that, if re-elected, he
would do something with some of the
troublemakers in the dept. I wish people in
this county would wake up and quit voting
for the guider name and realize that in my
opinion the sheriff in this county is
actually Aikens. Doesn't it alarm people
that he is a city councilman, wanted to be
county mayor, and is running the sheriff's
dept. sounds like a power trip to me
Tom, LC 12/01/06
Great Christmas Parade LC.
Susan Wills LC 11/30/06
Most
of you remember the story of the
Little Red Hen, but it bears
repeating in light of the recent
behavior by the Lenoir City School
Board when informed of
their unearned and undeserved gift
of tax dollars by Loudon County
Commission. Where were
these pillars of the community when
it came time to lay the groundwork
for the tax, build a coalition to
support it, weather the storm from
builders, developers, and realtors?
County Commissioners ought to follow
the example of the Little Red Hen
and say, "Well then, if that's the
kind of thanks we get, we'll just
take all that 'bread' and eat it
ourselves!
One day as the Little Red Hen was scratching in a field, she found a grain of wheat.
"This wheat should be planted," she said. "Who will plant this grain of wheat?""Not I," said the Duck.
"Not I," said the Cat.
"Not I," said the Dog.
"Then I will," said the Little Red Hen. And she did.
Soon the wheat grew to be tall and yellow.
"The wheat is ripe," said the Little Red Hen. "Who will cut the wheat?""Not I," said the Duck.
"Not I," said the Cat.
"Not I," said the Dog.
"Then I will," said the Little Red Hen. And she did.
When the wheat was cut, the Little Red Hen said, "Who will thresh the wheat?"
"Not I," said the Duck."Not I," said the Cat.
"Not I," said the Dog.
"Then I will," said the Little Red Hen. And she did.
When the wheat was threshed, the Little Red Hen said, "Who will take this wheat to the mill?"
"Not I," said the Duck."Not I," said the Cat.
"Not I," said the Dog.
"Then I will," said the Little Red Hen. And she did.
She took the wheat to the mill and had it ground into flour. Then she said, "Who will make this flour into bread?"
"Not I," said the Duck."Not I," said the Cat.
"Not I," said the Dog.
"Then I will," said the Little Red Hen. And she did.
She made and baked the bread. Then she said, "Who will eat this bread?"
"Oh! I will," said the Duck."And I will," said the Cat.
"And I will," said the Dog.
"No, No!" said the Little Red Hen. "I will do that." And she did.
Please don't knock the locals. Most of them are God-fearing individuals who are just trying to make a living to take care of their families.
Just remember, we usually get the government we deserve.
EUDORA COURTNEY
Loudon Knoxnews.com 11/27/06
What about getting rid of political parties? With so many needs in the world, the amount of money spent on the election was criminal. The result has been to make most people disgusted with politics in general.
We are so sick of signs, ads, mail and phone calls that we wonder: Could we start a petition in Tennessee to allow only Independents to run for offices? No party politics would be permitted.
It would probably fly but might be unconstitutional. Anyone want to start it?
JOYCE PETRAK Loudon Knoxnews.com 11/27/06
Citizens,
It is true that our Sheriffs department has
some issues that need to be corrected.
* Bill Shirk's attitude towards his
employees and inmates.
*A certain narcotics agent is
a ticking time bomb, he has a temper that
would land him in most jails for domestic
violence. He seems to work when he wants to
and take only high profile calls. It is my
understanding that he is not allowed at the
911 office because he was acting aggressive
towards a 911 employee which he once dated.
* The County patrol cars are looking ratty.
I often see them on the road with
substantial body damage.
* In my opinion, Chief Akiens does call the
shots in most cases.
* A close friend of Aikens' is a lawsuit
waiting to happen. he often goes armed while
under the influence of alcohol and while
behind the wheel of a car. He tried to stop
a female on Tellico parkway while in his
personal vehicle. This vehicle has police
blue lights which are against the state law
and by the way he was intoxicated that
night.
* our officers drive way to fast.
*A deputy had an affair while on duty and
was chased by the females husband and all
the time the deputy was fleeing he was in
uniform, on duty and driving a patrol car.
* From what I hear the department has no
consistency in policy or discipline.
Sheriff Guider please get a grip on your
employees. It is embarrassing to our county.
signed
Embarrassed 11/26/06
Anybody know the details of all the sheriff's dept. boys making a trip to Las Vegas? I hear it was a humdinger. Wonder who paid for the trip?
Eyeball 11/25/06
I would personally like to thank Van Shaver for his website. I look forward everyday to seeing what is happening in the county. Not only is it free of charge, but it is as close to the truth as it gets. The added bonus is getting to say what you think about it.
The News Herald does not have a clue anymore, or if it did, it is keeping it quiet since Mr. Burcham became a part of the good old boy system. He sits on the LCEDA and the chamber of Commerce. We would not want all the new people Phillips is trying to recruit to have a bad first impression. They might take their money elsewhere.
So thank you Shaver for the public service free of charge, and for telling on the bad guys when you smell a rat. This county needs more like you in the PEOPLE's corner, instead of special interest.
A blog fan 11/25/06
Not only is Mayor Matt safely ensconced on high ground atop Quality Hill away from the sewer problems, but his daddy in law got him a new water line run to his fire plug. At least him and his family will be safe in the event of a fire. Too bad about the rest of us. Ah, the perks of having your family running the utilities.
Sick of all of them 11/25/06
Re the Towncreek Project article in the News-Sentinel, I wonder what the Swahili word for "our sewers overfloweth" is? Lenoir City/LCUB is under a state Commissioner's Order to clean up their act and fix our antiquated sewer system. At one point not long ago, there was even talk of a state-imposed moratorium on new development along 321 until the City replaced at least two main pipelines and expanded treatment capacity at the main plant.
I just read Tom and the guy below Toms
post and agree with all they said and
then some. I have been beating my head
against the wall of irresponsibility
for a long time now. I have written to
congressional representatives and
senators and to every agency in between and
so far all I have heard is they
agree but it is not their place to
intervene. I would say that most citizens
have about had it with all the special
interests, but fear that in the
county's case we have not begun to see what
we have in store for us the next
four years. And while I hope the new
councilmen will have an affect on the
city- don't count on it.
One suggestion that I have is that if EVERY
single citizen would write a
letter to their congressional representative
and senators and demand that
they do something. Eventually something
would have to be done- especially if
they know that they will not receive your
vote next election. They would not
have to fear retaliation for that.
We need some kind of accountability for
local governments, and until we get
that, we are at the mercy of whatever our
officials want to throw at us.
There ARE laws to cover public records,
sunshine law meetings and such, but
there is little to no penalty to them. I am
especially enraged about all the
conflicts of interest- but they are not
against the law. So unless more
people start going to council and commission
meetings and standing up and
saying they are against an issue, the
officials are going to pass it- they
have no reason not to. My point is that
unless everyone starts voicing their
outrage and trying to do something about it-
it is only going to get worse.
With all this development, those special
interests are going to make more
than a few very rich. And with money comes
power...
Frustrated in the county 11/23/06
I have been a resident of
Loudon County all my life. The politics in
this county are destroying it. They have
corrupted every facet of the government.
You have the “good ole boy” syndrome that
effects every promotion and hire in the
county. You are people who are promoted to
positions that they are
not qualified for. They are usually promoted
because of who they know not what they know.
You have people that are promoted to
supervisory positions that are not
qualified. When this occurs, it magnifies
and causes big problems within an
organization. Take law enforcement for
example. You have chiefs, sergeants and
corporals running the day to day operations
that have very little experience in law
enforcement and very little knowledge of
supervision. This makes for an environment
ripe for law suits. How can you be a captain
over patrol when you have no patrol
experience and probably
know very little about it?
You have chiefs that are hired or promoted
that never have had supervisory experience
or management training. How can this person
ever make decisions or bring about change in
an organization. They are hired not because
of education, experience or knowledge, but
because of who they know. How can anyone in
that agency respect that person? People can
not respect someone that does not have the
knowledge required to perform in a position.
How can you be a city attorney when you can
barely practice law? Is this the best choice
to protect the citizens’ best interest? I
would say no.
This “good ole boy” practice hurts not only
the organization and the employees, but the
citizens of the city or county. When
incompetent people are in charge you will
breed incompetent agencies and departments
of the government. From things you read in
the paper and see on television breeding
must be good. Incompetence rules in our fair
county.
Tom , Lenoir City 11/24/06
LC 11/23/06
I am very sorry that Mayor Arp is sick and I hope he gets better soon, but in the mean time, who's minding the county affairs? County Mayor is not like property assessor where he could be absent much of the time. Somebody has to be in charge. It's my understanding that Roy Bledsoe was suppose to take over after 21 days but apparently there is still nobody in the office. Just try calling the mayor's office to try to find out anything. No body knows anything. Commissioners are going to have to do something.
Worried About The County 11/22/06
I for one support Tim Guider even though it is undeniable that there are issues at the Sheriff's dept. I think Tim's biggest problem is, he is too easy and trusting of his employees. He should have taken some kind of action when his officers were indicted. He should have fired Shirk along time ago if in fact there were all the problems. He should have fired Massengill a long time ago if in fact he hadn't been doing his job. Seems Tim's biggest fault is letting things slide when he should taken action sooner. Maybe he is being too nice to his employees. Tim, be the boss.
Don in Loudon11/22/06
Well, here we go again.
another Loudon County deputy fired. Anybody
remember Bill Shirk? Sheriff Aikens fired
him as well, and then had to pay
all his back pay and lawyer fees because
they wrongfully terminated him....I just
wonder how much taxpayer money the county
has paid for things like this and the guy
that Aikens extorted, as I remember his
lawyer fees were reimbursed....can
they not get their ducks in a row? And by
the way, I don't know how much Aikens makes,
but is it enough to be buying all of the
property that he owns? Something stinks
around here. Maybe he got a loan
from a certain deputy's wife that has stolen
several thousand dollars from the Loudon
Quarterback Club. How did this
administration get reelected?
It's obvious Tim Guider has no say in the
day to day operations of his own
department. Don't you just feel safe with
Aikens and Jimmy Davis calling
the shots?
Tom, Lenoir City 11/21/06
California court: websites not liable for
libel in third-party postings
Nov 20 6:15 PM US/Eastern
California court:
websites
not liable for libel in third-party postings
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) - Websites that
publish inflammatory information written by
other parties cannot be sued for libel, the
California Supreme Court
ruled Monday.
The ruling in favor of free online
expression was a victory for a San Diego
woman who was sued by two doctors for
posting an allegedly libelous e-mail on two
websites.
Some of the Internet's biggest names,
including Amazon.com, America Online Inc.,
EBay Inc., Google Inc.,
Microsoft Corp. and Yahoo
Inc., took the defendant's side out of
concern a ruling against her would expose
them to liability.
In reversing an appellate court's decision,
the
state
Supreme Court ruled that
the
Communications Decency Act
of 1996 provides broad immunity from
defamation lawsuits for people who publish
information on the Internet that was
gathered from another source.
"The prospect of blanket immunity for those
who intentionally redistribute defamatory
statements on the Internet has disturbing
implications," Associate Justice Carol
Corrigan wrote in the majority opinion.
"Nevertheless ... statutory immunity serves
to protect online
freedom
of expression and to
encourage self-regulation, as Congress
intended."
Unless the
U.S.
Congress revises the
existing law, people who claim they were
defamed in an Internet posting can only seek
damages from the original source of the
statement, the court ruled.
What the heck is going on with the Sheriff's Department. Akins is getting rich, the Sheriff has sued the County and now he has fired James Massengil a 25 year veteran with the Sheriff's department. Could this be because Massengil has questioned some of the things that have been going on. You would think that if Officer Massengil was doing something to get fired for, it would have happen before now. It seems that our county law enforcement is running a muck.
Just Wondering. LC 11/20/06
I prefer being oprimistic. LC 11/19/06
With the absence of our esteemed Mayor Arp, who's running the show? What's next.
Pop Loudon 11/17/06
Optimistic in Lenoir City 11/17/06
This message is in regards
to our sheriff's department. As a lifelong
resident of our great county, and as a Tim
Guider apologist for too many
years, I believe it is time to voice my
opinion. Many people have stood
behind the sheriff as his department has
wasted taxpayer money for years and
now he is suing the county over 1 patrol car
and 1 deputy. I just wonder
how many people he has sitting down there
behind a desk on day shift that
could be out answering calls. Lets's see
Tony Aikens, Jimmy Davis, Tony
Arden, The Sheriff himself. That's more
people than they usually have
patrolling. If you don't believe me, listen
to the scanner....they are
constantly asking Loudon City and Lenoir
City to answer their calls for
them....and how many people have they nearly
run off the road while on their
way to a call. Another issue is all the
deputies they have who have been in
trouble. What other police or sheriff's
department has had this happen? I
remember when Aikens first got indicted for
extortion. Didn't he state that
he wasn't aware he was supposed to file some
kind of paperwork with the
state when he took the guy's car and money?
If this was the case, how can a
lawman with 20 years of experience make such
an error? Maybe he knew what
he was doing was illegal. Either way, these
mistakes, if you want to call
them that, can no longer be accepted. Where
is the accountability? How
much more taxpayer money will he waste on
this lawsuit? I've voted for
Guider for the last time, as have many i've
talked to.
a very unhappy Loudon county citizen
11/16/06
I just heard a dandy. The night before the election, LCUB employees, on call, after hours and on over time, had to go to the mayor's house to fix his dishwasher. If this is true, somebody should report it to the LCUB manager. Oh yea, the manager is his father in law. What a place to live.
Fed Up In LC. 11/15/06
I would like to respond to the deteriorated potable water (drinking water) piping system that the City is facing. It is a fact that most cities throughout the country face this same problem. As these systems age, there are going to be problems. These pipes get clogged with calcium build up, iron, etc. and other natural contaminates that are indigenous with any water system.
As a general contactor and piping engineer I have provided similar solutions to these types of problems throughout the United States.
It is true that a pipe 25%-75% clogged will not produce the same volume of water as a new pipe free of obstructions. A new 6” diameter pipe will flow 700 gallons per minute (GPM) at 8 feet per second (fps). Lets say a clogged pipe of 50% reduces the pipe diameter to a 3” it will flow 180 GPM at 8 fps. (Less than half the flow). Therefore resulting in the lack of flow to the Fire Hydrant issues.
But, all hope is not lost. There are some less expensive solutions to this problem without massive excavation and replacing the existing water lines. The photo’s that you have made available is good information to determine the most adequate corrective action to open these clogged pipes.
Listed below
are a few examples:
Hydro
blasting
Is using water at high pressures and/or high
volumes (high impact) to clean. It is also
chemical free cleaning.
Mechanical Cleaning
A couple different methods may be used, one
is brush cleaning and the other is using
pigs. Pigs can be forced through lines by
gas or fluid pressures or by hauling on
cable systems. For smaller pipes, mechanical
pigging operations may be the method of
choice. Pigs are available in a wide variety
of designs and are manufactured to clean
larger diameter pipes. Generally, the piping
will need some modifications to provide
entrance and exit capabilities.
Chemical
Cleaning
Although this technology is brand new, the
procedure and the chemical cleaning solution
composition has been analyzed and certified
for use in the treatment of public drinking
water systems by the NSF International
(National Sanitation Foundation) under
ANSI/NSF Standard 60.
Keep in mind that these methods will not bring the water flow to 100% of new lines, and will interrupt the water service to our homes and businesses, but this may be an alternative to total line replacement for now?
Whatever is
done we all know something must be.
Thanks
Steve Sarten 11/14/06
TL
The members are Mike Lawson, Juanita Pearman, Bryan Chambers, Chris Smallen and Paula Finley. The public never knows when or where they meet and their meetings don't seem to ever be published in the paper. You should be able to pick up a copy of the plan at City Hall and it has all the information about the plan in it.
A watchful citizen in LC 11/14/06
"My focus for the next two years is to focus on those things that got me started in local government and that is the downtown area and trying to preserve this city's history."
Excuse me but Matt just tried to push through a downtown Redevelopment plain not a restoration plain! I guess Matt's preserving history by not fixing the old fire hydrants that haven't worked for years and still don't!
Matt has not increased the man power of our police department since he's been in office. As a matter of fact it's the same as it was in the 1990's, well I guess this could be considering preserving history. Matt continues to preserve the tradition of small town politics.
I don't think Matt remembers Lenoir City the same way I do. I remember when there weren't any Mexicans in this town. I remember when people weren't allowed to ride up and down the street playing loud music, and using loud exhaust to disturb the piece of people trying to enjoy some serenity in there own home.
I remember when Lenoir City's fire department was strictly volunteer, they were very good and they very seldom lost a house, even under the worst conditions.
I still can't understand why Lenoir City would put Matt in office for two more years, but like Van says, "you have to respect the people's vote."I'm a person that believes good can prevail, I've made a commitment to protect this town from crooked politics, and that is a promise! I will not give up on Lenoir City because even though it's a nice place to live it can be better. This town generates enough tax revenue to have the best provisions in the area, such as police and fire protection, education, ect.
Any way time shall tell about the Matt-pack and Big brother will be watching!Rusty W. Loveday LC 11/12/06
As investors in a downtown Lenoir City business property on Broadway, we believe in Lenoir City and its future. That’s why we invested in it and are preparing to renovate the storefront we purchased and the loft area above it. We want to be part of Lenoir City’s future. At the same time, we have some concerns about the proposed Redevelopment Plan for Lenoir City.
Though a redevelopment plan may be a good thing, if it starts small and builds on what the city can actually provide support for, this plan is not right for Lenoir City. Despite the words spoken and written by various officials, it is the actual written plan that will govern what is permitted.
The following issues exist: First, nearly all commercial property or potential commercial property along Hwy 11 south of 321, that is rising in value, is included in the plan. The included homes appear to be either intermixed with or near commercial property. Second, the plan’s definition of “blighted” means that probably more than 90% of the properties could be identified as “blighted”. Third, action would be triggered by the Redevelopment Committee determining that they want an action performed on a property. The owner has 90 days to present a plan and 60 days to appeal it if denied. Fourth, if the owner’s plan is denied, the Redevelopment Committee will “solicit proposals from individuals willing to redevelop such owner’s property.”
Regardless of what other words are spoken or written, this is what the plan states in writing. In summary, the Redevelopment Committee can identify a property, declare it “blighted”, deny the owner’s plan, and solicit proposals to sell it to someone else. This is the power that the committee would be given if the Plan is approved. The actions of the Redevelopment Committee will only be as good as the majority on the Committee at that time. We believe that’s too much unchecked power for a committee of this importance.
We are enthusiastic about Lenoir City and its future, and would support a Redevelopment Plan if were more narrowly targeted and provided strong protections for property owners. This plan does neither, but rather opens the possibility for abuse.
Sharon Addison and Victor de Groote Loudon 11/12/06
OK, so the election is over. We have the same do nothing mayor and at least four councilmen. What happens now? We still have the hydrant problem and the sewer problem and a host of other problems. The mayor and council have done nothing in five years. Why should we think they will do anything now. Is there no state agency that can force this bunch of do nothings to address the city's problems?
A very disappointed LC resident 11/12/06
On the topic of Tony Aiken's friend Jim Wilson, back in March of this year after a Tony Aikens fund raiser at Cedar Hills Golf Club, Jim Wilson and officer Paul Curtis left the shindig about 3:00am and immediately crashed Wilson's SUV. Both subjects left the scene shortly after the arrival of sheriff's deputies. No investigation, no charges filed. Get a report on this one.
A few months ago, Jim Wilson's son was hired at LCUB. There were two candidates considered for the position. Guess who cast the deciding vote to hire Wilson's son?................................Tony Aikens. I guess it pays to have friends in high places.
Not Happy At LCUB 11/11/06
"If I
die before the next city council
meeting, here is what I'd say"
First I would like to welcome our new
council men. I recommend you remember
why the citizens of this town elected
you, because they can also reject
you. That is what makes democracy the
greatest government in the world. You
talked the talk, now will you walk the
walk?
At the beginning of ever city council meeting we pray to help the council make the right decisions, and do what's in the city's best interest. I ask each of you treat us as your children and this town as our home. Every decision you make should be decided by asking yourself this question," As a father of this town am I making the right decision for my children the citizens of this town?"
Now as for you Shannon Little-ton I've done my home work, but you'll have to pass the test. I understand the fire marshal is holding the mayor and fire chief personally responsible for the faulty fire hydrants, and will be held liable if a house burns around the afflicted fire hydrants. Not to worry, Shannon the super lawyer will represent them in court after he figures out what he's talking about.
I'll never forget the way you talked down to me at the last city council meeting. Why would you ridicule a citizen that was trying to protect human lives? By the way I recommend you never talk to me that way again! The fall out from smart mouth will result in a harassment suit.
Citizens of Lenoir City,
I've
already told many of you this, but I
want to tell you again...thank you.
Thank you for your faith in me, for your
support, for your advice and counsel .
Many of you have been right by my side
through out this campaign and I hope you
know that I will never forget you or
what you have done.
The city needs us now more than ever, it
is our duty to hold mayor Brookshire and
the City council responsible for their
actions or lack of. (over taxed sewer,
Fire Hydrants) We as citizens need to
stand up to the mayor and let him know
he works for us and he will treat every
citizen with respect, this is our city
and it will be run as such.
I would also like to say that I am proud
of the way every person that represented
me acted with dignity and respect
towards everyone, even towards the
Brookshire -.Nelson crew. I am however
sadden that the Brookshire- Nelson crew
did not act as such The more I think
about it they have not been treating the
people of Lenoir City with respect for
years. Why start now!
Two years will give me enough time to
prepare for a new campaign and during
this time I promise you this, my
supporters and I will be keeping a close
eye on the Mayor and the city council.
See you in Two,
Kelli Sarten Watkins
The people have spoken. Now it is time to move forward. The Mayor and City Council have a hard road ahead. With the continuing growth and blighted city infrastructure that the city now faces, with the inadequate water supply and under sized sewer system. This will not be an easy job. The future of Lenoir City will be determined over the next couple of years. As the city continues to grow the current tax base will not keep up with the demands that the city will be faced with. I predict we will see an increase in taxes, additional spot zoning, and additional properties being taken for "Re-Development" and any other money scheme that the people will be forced to pay. There will be a lot of finger pointing on who is responsible for this or that. Also keep in mind that there is just so much grant money that a sprawling city can obtain. I don't mean that these issues would not exist if the voters, voted for someone else. We would still have the same problems and issues to face. As citizens of Lenoir City. We need to ensure that our voices are heard, our values expressed, and that the people elected are often reminded that they work for you THE PEOPLE of Lenoir City.
Remember our young men and women at war and lets all pray for a speedy end to the war and a safe return home.
Thanks Van, for allowing me to express my views.
Just another Tax Payer. 11/9/06
A Loudon Acquaintance 11/8/06
Two more years of Brookshire. I don't think I can stand it. Maybe I'll just go ahead and give them my house and get out of town.
Sick in Lenoir City 11/8/06
If you will look in the Nov. 5-6 News Herald, in the crime log, You will find a James A. Wilson charged with BUI and implied consent. I believe you will find this to be Tony Aiken's partner James A. Wilson. The charges stem from an altercation at Calhouns where he left the scene and was later arrested on his boat by TWRA officers.
Another Concerned Loudon County Resident 11/8/06
This Email is in response to
Franklin of Tellico Village. His assumption
that Tony Aikens owns part of the Kingston
Street Laundromat is partly right. It
is actually owned by Jim Wilson and his
brother-in-law Billy (can’t remember his
last name). Wilson is a card carrying
deputy of the Loudon County Sheriff Dept.
Actually he is a chief deputy also (don’t
know how?). Wilson and Aikens were also the
co-owners of the motel in Loudon, that
was the million dollar deal. They supposedly
sold this hotel.
What amazes me, is the amount of people
running around with bond cards issued by the
Loudon County Sheriff Dept. These people
never have or get any law enforcement
training. They have blue lights in their
cars and try on a regular basis to enforce
the law and stop the citizens of Loudon
County.
They also are allowed to carry weapons (now
that’s scary). Most have probably never
qualified or handled a weapon. I looked up
the rules for law
enforcement officers in Tennessee. The
Tennessee Peace Officer Standards and
Training Commission (they regulate law
enforcement throughout the state) require
that all officers, full time, part-time,
reserve and auxiliary, attend 40 hours of
training each year. State law requires these
people also have 8 hours of firearms to
carry a weapon. I doubt seriously that these
people attend any type of training. Most
only have a card because they donated to the
sheriff’s campaign or are attached to Aikens
in some way.
If I were a citizen of Loudon County, I
would question who is out here with a Loudon
County Sheriff Dept. ID and the sheriff’s
judgment. Each of these people represents
the sheriffs department. If they take some
action and it ends up being wrong, the
county is liable for a large civil judgment.
A Concerned Loudon County Resident 11/8/06
LCYFO Fan 11/7/06
I was wondering if anyone
else had a problem with changing the highway
(70) at that road. That's the worst piece of
planning I've seen in a while. Almost as big
a snafu as the sinkhole over on hwy 321 past
Greenback turnoff. Glad someone else notices
things and isn't afraid to speak up.
Bug 11/8/06
I was under the impression
that good reporting gave an unbiased opinion
of both sides, yet Mr. Webb seems to be
doing the very thing that he is
accusing Mr. Shaver of doing, but he is
doing it FOR the politicians, corrupt and
otherwise! So, where is the other side of
the story? We know
what John Tuck gets out of it. What is Mr.
Webb up to, and if he does not vote, why
should we care what he has to say?
GG LC 11/7/06
To respond to Joe Webb's comment about qualifications. One must keep in mind. Just because you have had the opportunity to go to school. Doesn't make you smarter than the other candidates. Business people are that, business people. The city is a big business and being a school teacher or having a bunch of paper to hang on the wall, isn't the same as running a business. This time the people get to decide. So go and VOTE rain or shine…..
Thanks
Loudon County
Resident 11/6/06
Well, I just found Joe Webb's web site. What a joke. I don't know why you would include it on your web site. But I guess that's being fair. The web site goes on at nauseam about openness and honesty. maybe Joe should give us a few more facts about himself. Like, why isn't he registered to vote? Does he have a criminal background? What activities has he ever been arrested for? I think Joe should remember the old saying about throwing rocks when you live in a glass house.
A little league fan. LC 11/6/06
A Lenoir City 11/3/06
Ok sheriff Guider, according to The Comptroller of the Treasury's web site, so far this year your chief deputy Aikens has personally bought about a half million dollars of property in Loudon County. Then there is JAM Construction. J = T. Scott Jones, Aikens defense attorney, A = Aikens, M = David Martin, Lenoir City Council candidate. These are the ones developing all the vacant lots in Sharp Estates. Another $518,000.00 investment. Then there is the million dollar motel deal. And I think but am not positive, R & W Industries, the old Kingston Street Laundromat is partly owned by Mr. Aikens.
It may be time for the sheriff to ask Mr. Aikens if he wants to be a landlord, a developer or a chief deputy. How could he possibly do them all? Is this why he needed an assistant at the sheriff's office?
Franklin Tellico Village 11/03/06
I hope nobody is being fooled by Matt Brookshire's lies. I've heard his commercials and read his ads and apparently the truth is just not in him. I am glad he keeps reminding us he has been in office for the last five years because Lenoir City has gone down hill more in the last five years than ever in it's history and it's all because of Brookshire and those ignorant councilmen. Please citizens of Lenoir City, help us get rid of this sorry bunch.
Justice 11/01/06
So, what happened to the county's big plan to ban open burning? There have been huge brush fires burning at the new development between Fort Loudon Estates 1 & 2 for a week. I guess the new law only applies to certain developers and not others.
Fort Loudon Estates resident 11/01/06