Recent editorials from Tennessee newspapers:
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May 28
The Knoxville News Sentinel on how Sevier County is recovering from wildfires:
The mountains of Sevier County will bear the scars of last year’s wildfires that killed 14 people, burned more than 17,000 acres, destroyed or damaged more than 2,400 structures and caused more than $1 billion in damages for years to come.
The state’s largest fire in the past 100 years forced more than 14,000 residents and tourists to flee Gatlinburg, which was ringed by flames and closed for nearly two weeks.
But the people of Sevier County are as resolute as the slogan “Mountain Tough,” adopted in the days after the Nov. 28 wildfire that began at the Chimney Tops Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, rained down on Gatlinburg and spawned wildfires in Wears Valley and Pigeon Forge and Cobbly Nob.
People, famous and not so famous, scions of settlers of Sevier County and immigrants seeking a better life are shoulder to shoulder in their efforts to restore their businesses, their homes and their way of life.
The restoration began almost immediately. People pitched in from across the country offering sweat, money and prayers.
Sevier County superstar entertainer Dolly Parton, a self-described “Smoky Mountain girl,” raised more than $11 million, with $9 million coming from a telethon on which her musical friends performed.
The fund dealt out $10,000 each to nearly 900 people who lost their primary residences in the fire and another $3 million to help fund the recovery effort.
The assistance included more than $45 million in state and federal aid, for things such as firefighting efforts, waste management, worker recovery and small business loans.
Private efforts raised several million dollars, including a Chamber of Commerce drive that brought $1.6 million for the Gatlinburg Relief Fund.
A “Smokies Strong” T-shirt fund, sponsored by the Knoxville News Sentinel and WBIR-TV, has raised more than $700,000. Bacon and Company Inc. of Knoxville says more than 80,000 T-shirts have been sold with proceeds going to the American Red Cross, the Dollywood Foundation and Friends of the Smokies.
The stories of heroic and kind deeds - helping strangers escape the night of the wildfires to shoveling debris of scorched homes and businesses to providing food, shelter and clothing - continue to surface as time passes.
And visitors are returning to a tourist mecca that generates more than $2 billion annually in revenue. The sounds of rebuilding resonate throughout the county. Skeletons of buildings jut skyward. Infrastructure is being reconstructed. While many areas still bear stark reminders of the devastation, the cleanup progresses.
Six months after the historic wildfires, however, many struggles and questions remain: Personal anxiety from perilous escapes; elusive financial help; enough affordable housing; response to the one-and-half-acre Chimney Tops 2 wildfire allegedly set by two teenage boys playing with matches; lack of an evacuation plan; failure of a widespread alert system; contamination of soil and water.
Those who survived want answers and action. City leaders and others say they’re coming: An after-action report on the city’s response to the wildfire and what was learned will be released soon; a federal panel review of the National Park Service’s response is due in July.
The people of Sevier County have proven their mettle. They are waiting to see if their leaders will do the same.
Online: https://www.knoxnews.com/
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May 29
The Daily Times of Maryville on how Tennessee’s water sources provide jobs:
Our state is blessed with rivers and lakes. Tennesseans and visitors recently took advantage of the rivers and lakes on Memorial Day, which traditionally symbolizes the start of summer to take to the waterways.
Boating, swimming, fishing, skiing, tubing, water boarding or just floating in the water while basking in the sun, people enjoy the natural gifts our fresh waters provide.
Nature can’t be credited with all those pleasantries. If it weren’t for the Tennessee Valley Authority our utility department workers would be doing more than fixing up after wind damage and power outages. Coming on the heels of recent abundant rainfall, Sunday’s swift-moving storm likely would have left East Tennesseans in a serious recovery mode after rivers and creeks overflowed their banks.
The recreational opportunities are fun - great, actually - but a fortunate byproduct of an environment enhanced by man’s ingenuity as TVA provides flood control, electric power and navigation.
Those who power their boats up and down the waterways today, including along Blount County’s Fort Loudoun Lake shores, might try taking a guess at the dollars being contributed to the economy.
Actually, you don’t have to guess. A University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture study released this month concludes the combination of aquatic recreation and waterfront property along the TVA’s managed river system creates $11.9 billion of annual economic impact.
Put in perspective, that’s the equivalent of $1 million per shoreline mile.
The study found recreational visitors to the TVA reservoir system generate more than 130,000 local jobs, $4.45 billion in labor income and $916 million in state and local taxes.
That’s not the whole of it. The UTIA study doesn’t take into account the additional economic impacts created by nonaquatic-based recreation such as camping, hunting and hiking. Neither does it consider the economic benefits of flood control or river transportation.
So as you’re having fun on the water this summer, remember nature can’t take all the credit.
Online: https://www.thedailytimes.com/
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May 31
The Daily Post-Athenian on avoiding collisions with pedestrians while driving:
School books have been closed, which means it’s time for drivers to open their eyes.
Now through early August, our area’s youngsters will be saying so long to backpacks and homework and hello to afternoons at the pool, long weekends at the lake, staying up and sleeping in, memorable family vacations, and all the other rites and rituals of summer that are just as much a part of growing up as the time leading up to summer spent in the classroom.
It’s a bittersweet time for parents. While they can take pride in their children’s accomplishments over the school year, they know their children have grown another year older and another year closer to leaving the nest.
Bittersweet is better than bitter, which is why we want to encourage awareness of more kids being out on the streets and sidewalks during summer - both on foot and on two wheels - so that we can make sure those children return home to the nest each evening.
Kids will be out and about during the daytime on local streets and sidewalks, meeting friends in parks, cooling off at public pools, taking first rides without training wheels, or walking to a friend’s house for an afternoon play date.
All too often, these youngsters get caught up in the excitement of a game. If a ball rolls into the street, it’s not unusual for them to dart into the street without checking traffic first. No matter how often parents remind them to look both ways before crossing the street, some will still run into the roadway. That’s a danger for both the children and drivers. Remember to keep an eye out for kids, especially in neighborhoods and subdivisions or around parks where you know children will often congregate.
This is also the time for parents to remind their children about the dangers of playing in the street and riding bicycles, skateboards, and rollerblades there. But, parents need to do more than admonish - they also need to monitor their children’s outdoor activities from time to time to ensure they are indeed being careful.
Older children may not be out walking on the streets - they may be driving on them.
Young drivers who have been in high school during the business day should be aware they will be sharing the road not only with fellow young drivers, but commercial drivers - such as postal service vehicles, delivery trucks, and semi-trucks - and daily business traffic.
Drivers both young and old should remember to drive with even greater caution over the next few months and watch for children.
We encourage everyone to be vigilant and exercise caution while on and around the roadways this summer. It’s the best way to ensure both adults and youngsters will have a truly great summer.
Online: https://www.dailypostathenian.com/
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