 |
There have been some lean times in town in recent years, but 2022 is starting off with good things happening in the Andrews Valley.
First comes news that that the Andrews Recreation Department is reforming under the leadership of Director James Ellis. He has big plans to restore the facilities back to their glory days, when most of the town’s residents gathered at the pool and recreations fields on weekends and holidays.
Next, we learned that the Cherokee County Fair is being revived for the first time since 2017. And instead of it being held at the old county fairgrounds in Ranger, on your way to the Tennessee state line, it’s going to be held at Andrews Recreation Park off Main Street. The fair, along with a fun schedule of events from the Andrews Chamber of Commerce, will give the town a chance to show off for more people this year.
Then comes word that, for the first time, the Andrews Police Department has a certified K-9 officer – Kiera, a 4-year-old Belgian Malinois. She will be used to alert officers to the presence of narcotics, a major deterrent to criminals and a huge assistance to Police Chief Rocky Burrell’s ongoing efforts to get illegal drugs off the streets.
For residents and businesses alike, these things are a big deal that hopefully will raise the quality of life, and the economy, on the east end of the county.
Worst of politics
 |
The last couple of weeks have been, to borrow a cliche, the best of times and the worst of times for U.S. Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R-N.C.), who represents Cherokee and surrounding counties in Congress. It started well with him winning his court battle to stay on the ballot, but it’s been downhill ever since.
A group of voters filed a challenge with the State Board of Elections, claiming that Cawthorn should be banned from the ballot and citing his actions supporting the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on Congress. However, on March 4 a judge threw out the case, though it could be appealed.
On March 3, Cawthorn was charged with driving while his license was revoked, a charge he faced in 2017 that was dismissed. He was also charged with speeding twice in two months. While all three charges are still pending, it’s not a good look for a congressman.
While much of the world has been supporting Ukraine after Russia’s unprovoked military assault on the country, Cawthorn decided this would be the perfect time to call courageous Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky a “thug” and his government as “incredibly evil.” Cawthorn later doubled down on that by saying the Ukrainian government is “so well known for corruption,” without offering evidence. He also was one of only 15 Republicans who voted against banning oil from Russia.
In a way, those remarks aren’t surprising, because Cawthorn is making a career out of setting verbal fires and walking away, like accusing Nancy Pelosi of alcoholism when the House speaker is a well-known teetotaler. A Washington Post report quoted local residents as being disappointed in his performance, yet Cawthorn still leads the polls among candidates in the 11th Congressional District. The primary is Tuesday, May 17.
– Publisher David Brown