A concrete soldier lives
In 2007, we moved into our new structure that became known as the Veterans Building. Soon afterward, the owners of a produce stand where the foot doctor is today presented us with a gift – a 5-foot-tall concrete soldier.
It was placed where we thought the front of the building was going to be. The soldier would face N.C. 141 so the many people driving by would marvel at this beautiful soldier. This took place in 2008.
For many years, we used the rear door and forgot our soldier. There was no way it could be seen by drivers on N.C. 141 because of the embankment. No thought was given until the main park was renamed Konehete Veterans Park.
The idea was tossed around of transferring the statue from its location to a more suitable location. Our citizens, as well as tourists, can visit this sight where the flags are located.
I’m sure that the Hughes family, who gave us this special gift, would approve of our decision.
Our thanks to S&P Monument for transporting our soldier to a better location.
Oscar Valdes, Murphy
The ouster of George Santos
A December op-ed approved of 11th District U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards’ (R-N.C.) vote to expel Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.), making Santos the third member removed from the lower chamber since the Civil War and the first to be expelled without being convicted of a crime or being a Confederate.
The Republicans who sided with Democrats in ousting Santos displayed Neanderthal political acumen. Santos was the most conservative representative in the New York delegation with a Heritage Action conservative scorecard of 100 percent. Edwards’ Heritage Action conservative scorecard is 70 percent. Santos became the first openly LGBT member elected to Congress as a non-incumbent Republican and represented New York District 3, which Biden won by 10 points.
America is in trouble. There’s an invasion at our southern border, an intellectually challenged president, skyrocketing inflation, a compromised “rainbow” military and coordination with Big Tech companies to censor free speech.
With serious issues at the forefront, surely congressional Republicans are using all tools at their disposal to decipher them – right? Nope.
Instead of tackling policies destroying the country, Republicans spent part of November colluding with Democrats to remove one of their GOP allies from Congress. It’s intuitive that Santos is an unethical fellow who doesn’t deserve to be re-elected. But what’s bonkers is Republicans – who control the House with a slim four-vote majority – giving floor time to Democrat priorities and expelling one of their own members from Congress.
With two Republicans announcing retirement prior to November 2024, their chamber majority is a tenuous “one.” Democrats are poised to take control without a warning shot.
The stark reality is there’s scant Democrat Party opposition. The GOP has morphed into a deceptive political organization pretending to represent voters. Establishment Republicans perfected this facade because they presumably detest their voters – just like Democrats do.
Terry Payne, Marble
Seeking the right patches
I hope that you do not find this letter to be an inconvenience, but I that you can possibly assist me. I am a collector of police, sheriffs’, fire, EMS, search and rescue, tribal ranger and natural resource patches as well as ambulance, fire marshal, rescue patches from towns and cities in Cherokee County, and mountain area of Tennessee and North Carolina.
I am writing to you in hope that you can assist me with my Cherokee County and mountain area patch collection, for the longest time been trying to obtain several fire department patches in Murphy/Cherokee County. They are Cherokee Rescue, Grape Creek VFD, Ranger VFD, Peachtree FD, Murphy FD, Valleytown Rural Fire, Unaka VFD. I would really like to have those fire department patches from Cherokee County that I am missing represented in my display of the towns and cities in Cherokee County, and mountain area of Tennessee and North Carolina.
If obtainable, fire department patches that I am missing will be displayed proudly with the other patches that I have collected throughout the years in my Cherokee County and mountain patch collection.
I would be more than happy to purchase or trade for those fire department patches that I am missing from Cherokee County, as well as any other different styles you may have.
I am grown up and continue to collect patches. I have enclosed some newspaper articles about me and my collection when I was just getting started. They are enclosed with my letter so people will know that I am a serious patch collector.
Thank you for not only taking the time out of your busy schedule to read my letter but thank you for all help you may be able to provide in the future. I look forward to hopefully hearing from you.
David Chiacchio, 70 Bumble Bee Circle, Shrewsbury, MA 01545
Holidays in rehabilitation
As we enter into the holiday season, we see many addicts who wish to wait until after the holidays to seek treatment. They would like to spend time with their families and avoid missing yet another holiday. But what happens in most cases is they use more to get away from the harsh reality of their life that confronts them.
They think there is no way out of the stresses of life and no way out of their addiction. The next thing they know, these anxieties push them to keep using, which could ultimately lead to an overdose and/or death. The realization that you must prioritize your needs over your wants is the most difficult aspect of entering rehab.
I never wanted to become an addict when I was younger. Having a family and becoming an electrician were my goals. I got lost somewhere on that road. One pill turned into many, which turned into an endless amount, and I had no idea how to deal with my problems.
One of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make in my life was to go to rehab, but it was ultimately the best one. Who knows where I could’ve ended up if I had put it off?
Parents will always look at us as their little children. Yet, when we are deeply engrossed in our addiction, neither our parents nor relatives can identify us. But they would rather not watch us battle anything, much less an addiction that could drive us away.
Yes, of course, it will hurt to miss one holiday, but going to treatment is focusing on the bigger picture. For it would be far worse to miss every holiday for the rest of their lives.
Details: Visit narcononnewliferetreat.org or call 1-800-431-1754.
Matthew Goodson, Denham Springs, La.
The writer is with Narconon NewLife Retreat.
New Year’s resolutions
Every year I try hard to keep one resolution for the new year, but after a month or so I lose interest and am back to square one.
I could be doing lots of other meaningful things, like reading my Bible more. Praying more. Helping others in need. Getting more involved in church activities, maybe even pondering a mission trip.
These endeavors are worth looking into for the new year coming. Having different folks from our church over for supper would be a good ministry.
God gives all His children certain gifts to share with others in and out of church, so we have no excuse not to get busy this coming year to exercise our talents and gifts God has so lavishly bestowed on us.
When Jesus Christ started His ministry on Earth, he performed many miracles seen by His disciples and those who followed Him. Jesus went around teaching everyone about the love of God and what they must do to be saved and go to heaven. He healed many from their illnesses whether they had leprosy, blindness, the lame, the demon possessed, even raising the dead back to life.
Jesus didn’t do miracles to draw attention to Himself, but to illustrate who He was and who His Father is in heaven.
For all out there who don’t have a personal relationship with God, I invite you to consider searching out for yourself in the New Year who Jesus really is and how He loves you with an everlasting love into eternity. Spending time with God, Creator of all things seen and unseen, will give you a new perspective that will enlighten your life and bring you closer to the One who wants to spend eternity with you.
This would be the greatest New Year’s resolution gift you could receive.
Frank Combs, Blairsville, Ga.
Peace be upon you
I don’t know when, but many years ago I began wishing people “Happy Holidays.” To me, there were two of them, Christmas and New Year. However, having grown up in New York City with Jewish friends, Chanukah fell during this same period. Living in my little bubble, as most of us do, I was never fully aware when it began and ended.
“Happy Holidays” had me nicely covered. As time went on I learned of Kwanza and Buddha’s birthday. My circle of friends expanded, and I was still covered.
In the past few years, to friends whom I thought were Jewish because of their last names, Shoemaker and Zuber, I said, “By your name I’m not sure if you are Jewish or not, but if you are, Happy Chanukah.” Both replied it wasn’t yet offered thanks. “Happy Holidays.”
It’s easy here in Murphy to say “Merry Christmas.” Most times, you hit the bull’s-eye for obvious reasons. But not all of us fall within that reason.
I was brought up Catholic, a devout altar and choir boy. A priest even came to speak with my parents about my going to seminary school. It was the same time when I discovered girls, so I guess you know how that went. Back on point.
Though not a practicing Christian, I know who Christ was. I still follow the teachings He gave us.
Yet, my path is different. It suits the heart, mind and intellect that I have. I have been given the understanding and the knowledge (not a philosophical or theoretical belief, mind you), that there is only the One. And He, She, It, the Universe, Allah, Jehovah, Yahweh, Buddha, God, Jesus or any other name we ascribe to that Unconditional, All Embracing Love, is the same Energy that flows through each of us. The Name and teachings may change to suit each person’s heart, mind and intellect but we are all children of the same Being.
“Happy Holidays.” May the peace of the One ever be upon you and all of those you love.
David Bellino, Murphy
A restaurant and the rules
On Dec. 19 about 6 p.m., I ate supper at a Murphy restaurant. After paying for my meal and sitting down in the back corner of the dining room, I got up and complained to a female, who identified herself as the manager, that the music was so loud I could not enjoy my dinner, and asked her to at least turn it down, if not completely off.
As I was watching her and the employees in general, they were handling food with their bare hands along with multiple things like taking money from people at the cash register then handling food, making food with their bare hands, filling containers, etc.
I was rudely told the manager washed her hands and a list of other excuses. I asked for her name, and the owner’s name and phone number, to talk to the owners about the employees rudeness and poor health practices with handing food.
She refused to give me her name nor the owner’s, and ordered me to leave the restaurant or she would call the police. I left her my business card with my name, phone number and email address for the owner to contact me and promptly left the restaurant. As of Dec. 21, I have not received any contact from anyone affiliated with the restaurant, so I thought it was a Cherokee County Health Department matter and decided to file a formal complaint with them.
Filling containers of food with bare hands, not wearing food gloves to cut up and make food, not regularly washing hands nor using hand sanitizer, etc., convinced me this is a big problem that will endanger the people eating there and must be stopped.
Don Pagani, Murphy
Give a child a new smile
As we embrace the spirit of giving and celebrate the wonder of the season through the eyes of children, there is an easy way to fulfill the wishes of some of our youngest citizens in North Carolina.
Assessments by the N.C. Division of Public Health reveal startling disparities in dental health among children, which put them at risk for oral and other health problems now and as they get older. For instance, in 2022-23 in Cherokee County, more than 30 percent of kindergartners had untreated tooth decay and more than 4 percent had an urgent need for dental care because of signs or symptoms that include pain, infection or swelling.
The Delta Dental Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Delta Dental of North Carolina, is committed to addressing these disparities through the Smiles for Kids grant program. By providing grants of up to $5,000 to non-profits across North Carolina, including in Cherokee County, we aim to transform these statistics into success stories of improved child dental health.
Smiles for Kids grants are available to community-based oral health nonprofit programs and organizations for programs designed to promote and/or improve the oral health of underserved children living in at-risk populations.
The application period is open through Friday, and nonprofits can easily apply for funding at deltadentalnc.com/giving-back/smiles-for-kids.
In 2024, DDF will award up to $150,000 to organizations across the state that meet the above criteria.
In 2023, DDF granted $148,728 to 39 North Carolina nonprofits under the Smiles for Kids program, which benefited nearly 78,000 children.
We have not received a grant request from Cherokee County, and we want to change that. Our wish is to reach all 100 counties through this year’s program.
Help us light up a child’s life with the gift of a healthy smile and make 2024 a starting point for healthier futures for our children.
Curt Ladig, Raleigh
The writer is president and chief executive officer of Delta Dental of North Carolina.
Time to play ‘no Trump’
He’s the most irreligious leader we’ve ever been dirtied by. Anyone who ever says “Two” Thessalonians has yet to open the Big Book.
Why is it that so many of us want such an un-Christ-like leader? Who in their right mind would lack so much self-respect to support such an openly totalitarian, fascist, un-American leader?
If we re-elect him, remove “under God” from our money and our pledge. We can’t have it both ways.
Harry Holdorf, Brasstown