An armed robber made off with pain medication from Tallent Drugs in Copperhill Monday morning.
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January
2010
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2009 in Review
Unprecedented road bond issues and discussion about subdivision regulation updates were two issues that remained at the forefront of Polk County’s Planning Commission meetings in 2009. Talk had been ongoing about the need for updated regs for well over a year, with a concerted effort being made towards the end of the year. Planning Board membership turnover was prevalent throughout the year, but a full board was in effect for meeting held in the last quarter of 2009.
Discussion about road bonds throughout the year centered mostly around Ocoee Mountain Club, who pushed the limits of the subdivision regulations, which currently permit a one-year road bond and two six-month extensions. Issues began in March when Register of Deeds Kandi Bramlett told the board she had not heard anything about a bond renewal for Phase 5 and that renewals for phases 2 and 4 were due in April.
In April, final road bond extensions were given for phases 2-5 of Ocoee Mountain Club. Some of the bonds had not been renewed on time and copies of all the bonds were required in order to be accepted by the planners. Discussion about how and when to call road bonds was heard in October, when the deadline for Ocoee Mountain Club’s Phase 3 passed and Phase 5 was coming up.
A clause in OMCs road bond requiring a 30-day written notice before bonds could be called in halted that process, and developer Paul Fetzner requested an extension to complete the roads. Fetzner said they were 3/4 complete and cited weather as the reason.
OMC resident Sheryl Fincannon asked the board how developers were able to go for two years without building the roads. She said it was not bad weather that had held them up for two years. Opinions on calling the bond changed when board members learned the bond money would have to be turned into the state. Planners decided to give developers until the end of the month, plus rain days and voted to send written notice to call the next bond if the deadline was not met.
Mark Bishop, who joined the board in October, suggested the board consider not allowing bonds. Developer and Surveyor Jimmy Richmond suggested if bonds were to be permitted, that a certain percentage of development be completed before bonds were allowed. Also discussed was raising the amount of bond money required. Board Chairman Laura Crawford suggested requiring an application process before road bonds extensions are considered.
Another first for the board was a request in June by developer Chris White for a one-way road in his Ocoee Ridge subdivision. White also asked for 15-foot setbacks for his houses, but later decided to ask for setback variances for each lot individually, instead of the phase as a whole. Most of the board felt 15 feet was not enough of a setback.
Other discussion about updating the subdivision regulations included easements and simple land splits. Board Vice-Chairman Carroll Cate repeatedly stated throughout the year that the board should stick to the regulations and not grant variances unless a specific need required it.
The Polk County Planning Commission voted last month to send a letter of intent to call in the remaining $24,000 of the road bond for Phase V of Ocoee Mountain Club.
State-of-the-art mapping technology is located in every ambulance now that Rural/Metro has takesnover, thanks to the foresight of the Polk County 911 Board.
The McMinn County Living Heritage Museum’s iconic schoolhouse quilt has been replicated on an 8-foot-square block and installed above the museum’s front entrance as part of the Appalachian Quilt Trail program.
After the social hour and meal the business session was held and several important items were discussed, including the selection of the 2010 scholarship recipient from Polk County High School.
Polk County High School students put their skills and talents together at the National Technology Students Association Conference and came away as National Champs in the On-Demand Video Competition.
The Museum Center is pleased to host an exhibition that looks at the history of the fraternal lodges in Bradley County and the impact that they have made on the development of our area.
The Bonnie Blues 956 Chapter of the Children of the Confederacy made a trip to Franklin, Tennessee on June 18 and 19 to attend the Tennessee Division Convention.
The long-awaited book is an update of the very popular “Nonnative Invasive Plants of Southern Forests: A Field Guide for Identification and Control,” published by the Station in 2003.
How effective have plastic bag bans and restrictions been on reducing plastic litter and other problems associated with their proliferation? And is it really better to use paper bags, which will just lead to more deforestation?
Wildlife linkages can have a significant impact on decreasing animal deaths on roadways as well as highway safety, according to An Assessment of Wildlife and Aquatic Habitat Linkages.
A pair of juvenille White Ibis have been visiting the East Tennessee Nursery during the last two weeks ... seemingly content to feed on the abundant Junebug population.
Jim Caldwell snapped this picture last week, commenting that he couldn't believe he saw something so unusual as a deer grazing in the middle of the Hiwassee River.
Subscriber Carol Cooper captured what appears to be a special moment between two cardinals at about 7:15 last Wednesday morning at Campbell Cove Lake in Turtletown.
A group of Copper Basin High School students learned about environmental cleanup, the importance of clean water and the history of copper mining during Earth Day activities hosted by Glenn Springs Holdings.
The new, easier-to-use site provides new ways to explore Living Heritage Museum’s current and upcoming exhibitions, its programs and events, and detailed information about the Museum and its collection.
The Tennessee Overhill Heritage Association (TOHA) hopes to capitalize on that trend by promoting driving tours that link the Cherohala Skyway and Ocoee Scenic Byway.
Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture Officials report that three American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (stimulus) funded projects in the Cherokee National Forest were recently completed.
Each year, the State of Tennessee Department of Tourist Development publishes a Vacation Guide that includes a collection of Tennessee’s finest communities.
A Tennessee Overhill trail will be included in the initiative, and the Cherohala Skyway between Monroe County and North Carolina is included in the byways section.
Linda Caldwell, executive director of the Tennessee Overhill Heritage Tourisim Association, is helping to coordinate the local effort under the state guidelines.
In addition to destroying part of the county’s major highway, last week’s rockslide also damaged the county’s major tourism infrastructure – the whitewater rafting put-in.
Governor Phil Bredesen today announced the 2010 Back to School CoverKids outreach campaign to help enroll Tennessee’s children in the state’s free, comprehensive health insurance plan.
A man claiming to be a representative of Volunteer Energy Cooperative (VEC) telephoned at least two Meigs County residents early Wednesday morning attempting to get money.
The Department of Revenue is reminding Tennessee shoppers that during these three days of savings, you can save almost 10 percent on tax-free clothing, school and art supplies and computer purchases.
Volunteer Energy Cooperative (VEC) officials were recently alerted of a person trying to gain access to a VEC customer’s home by claiming to be an employee of “the electric company.”
In fact, due to ARRA incentives, initial federal data shows the average tax refund for 2009 is up nearly 10 percent, or $266, from the previous year, according to Internal Revenue Service Commissioner Doug Shulman.
While the economy slowly recovers, many budget-conscious homeowners are looking for simple, cost-effective ways to transform their homes' exteriors into inviting outdoor "land-escapes" that can be enjoyed year around.
Dear EarthTalk: I see a lot of “healthy snacks” being marketed for kids that list “natural flavors” but don’t identify them. Should I use these products?
Flowers and plants are blooming, the sun is shining and the weather is finally getting warmer after winter's chill. So why not bring some of spring's beauty into your home so you can enjoy it day after day?
Reports from across the nation indicate fake agents and sales representatives are going door-to-door claiming to be with the federal government to peddle phony health insurance policies.
At a Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission meeting, action was taken which reduced the bear archery season to three weeks from the originally proposed five week season.
The second Kid’s Fishing Day, hosted by TWRA, Forest Service and the Cherokee Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation, will be at McCamy Lake in the Chilhowee Recreation Area on May 15th, 8 am-12 pm.
An economic benefit study of trout fishing in Tennessee showed total expenditures of $1.5 million for the Hiwassee River during a 6-month period in 2002.
What many consider the "King of American Game Birds", the wild turkey is quite vocal during the spring breeding season. The call (gobble) of the wild turkey in the mountains of east Tennessee is an unforgettable sound.
TWRA officials met with the county’s Fish & Wildlife Committee and more than a dozen citizens to discuss the planning process for a new five-year management plan for the river.
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