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Editorials - 10/03/02

Loss of Ashley is blow to Sylva
When looking back through past issues from late 1998 and early 1999 for the story of Ashley's merger with DeMoulin to find background for this week's story, we were struck by headlines about closings at Chasam and Belk.

We remember viewing the January 1999 announcement of the planned expansion and job creation that would follow Ashley's affiliation with Illinois-based DeMoulin as particularly good news in the wake of the textile jobs that had been lost with Chasam and the departure of a Main Street anchor store like Belk.

We welcomed DeMoulin CEO's statements about the company's commitment to Jackson County, and we were pleased and excited with the signs of success for longtime Sylva residents and Ashley co-founders Bill Schutters and Mike Trull.

Now it appears our optimism was naive.

Ashley is going the way of so many textile plants. Jobs are lost to offshore manufacturers, profits drop and businesses shut down.

In this case, Sylva's jobs are being sacrificed in order for DeMoulin to keep people working in Illinois.

"If they're not making money, that's unfortunate, but it doesn't help us," is what Jackson County Economic Development Commission Chairman Tom McClure had to say about it, and we agree with him.

This one is especially painful given the history of Ashley. It was started right here, in Sylva, by young men who saw a way to make a living manufacturing specialty items for marching bands. They succeeded in building a national company, and they put people in their hometown to work.

Losing Ashley is a shock and blow, as McClure and Sylva Mayor Brenda Oliver said. It's 55 jobs gone, and another empty manufacturing plant.

It's a sad day for Sylva.

HOSA students represent us well
We also have some good news on the front page this week - a national gold medal for the 14th year in a row!

Year after year, for 17 years, Smoky Mountain High health occupations teacher Frances Hess helped students get ready for national Health Occupations Students of America competitions, and year after year they brought home the gold.

Thanks to the efforts of Hess and her students, Smoky Mountain High is now recognized nationally for its outstanding health occupations program.

With the departure of Hess and fellow HOSA leader Linda Fisher, the SMHS program is now in the hands of Brenda Bumgarner and Dean Hodde.

We appreciate the hard work and dedication of Hess and Fisher, and we wish Bumgarner, Hodde and their students continued success.

Back to Archive: 10/03/02.