Letters to the editor: 07/26/01

Officials should prevent land desecration

To the Editor:

A local developer is tearing up the mountains and hillsides, destroying the trees and terrain, much like the parasite that killed all those fir trees. This is being done to put trailers in a former wooded hillside.

Don't county officials have any say in the desecration of the land? They seem to have many other restrictions, but they don't care what you do with a bulldozer.

Bob Tice

Greens Creek

South River Road should receive 'scenic' designation

To the Editor:

It is also a dusty, litter-strewn speedway. I have personally seen people doing 50+ mph on the road, which is gravel. I know the road was to be paved this year, but due to right of way disputes, it was postponed. I recently contacted the Jackson County right of way division and was told the road could be paved, if $7500 were raised to pay for survey and appraisal work.

Why can't Jackson County make South River Road a scenic road? If it were paved and had a nice walkway or bikeway, people would use it, and the people who use it now for fishing and jogging and walking their dogs would not be covered with dust. The road needs speed bumps to keep the traffic moving at a slower pace before a fisherperson, biker or jogger is killed.

The sidewalk from Webster was recently replaced and looks great. Why not continue it to the end of South River Road? The road has some of the most beautiful trees and riverside close to Webster or Sylva. I don't feel the road needs to be widened or made into a cut across. Keep it small and simple for the scenic beauty that is there. It would only benefit the county to make it a prettier and cleaner road to travel.

Like it or not, tourism does make this county a lot of money, and this road is prime for public use. People like to drive, and South River Road, continuing down North River Road to Dillsboro, is one of the oldest and most beautiful routes through the heart of Jackson County. Through traffic or business traffic can use N.C. 116 or Ashe Settlement Road. These roads are already paved, wide enough and currently in use.

Let's try to preserve some of the beauty before it is over run with the congestion that seems inevitable. Think about it.

Thank you,

Kelly Timco

Sylva

WCU official clears up slogan's meaning

To the Editor:

During this past spring, the athletic department, with the assistance of alumni, Catamount Club members, faculty, coaches and student-athletes, developed a long-term strategic plan. From this plan, one main goal surfaced and that was to make Western Carolina University the best place to be a student-athlete in the Southern Conference.

This goal covers a number of areas from academics, to facilities and equipment to legitimately competing for championships. This is not a goal that will be accomplished overnight and without the hard work and dedication of our staff and student-athletes. Also, it is not a goal that is unattainable or an unrealistic expectation. "One Goal... To Be the Best" is a long-term goal for our entire department and each of its areas and not just a slogan to sell more football tickets in 2001.

The slogan, while in its infancy, is already making its mark. It is on the ticket brochure, posters, schedule cards, media guides, game tickets, banner at our venues, promotional T-shirts and billboards, just to name a few. The expense our current web page facilitator charges to add this slogan as an addition to our masthead on catamountsports.com is not a feasible avenue at this time.

An official release will be sent out announcing our slogan and how it came to be. We are beginning to turn the corner in how the local community thinks about our department, and I would hate to have incorrect facts and opinions set us back a step.

An additional note, the all-access pass was developed at the request of our Catamount Club board of directors during a spring meeting. Addressing the needs of our Catamount Club members was our main point of emphasis in development of this concept, not the originality of the idea.

Sincerely,

Hunter Yurachek

Senior Associate

Athletic Director

Back to Archive: 07/26/01.