"We can ask, but we can't force"

Cocke County Partnership President Don Hurst told members of the group's executive committee on Monday, "We can ask, but we can't force," when asked why traffic continues to be directed up I-81 to I-26, rather than Highway 25/70. Hurst said he and Cocke County Mayor Iliff McMahan have already met with state officials regarding the Oct.

[realist in CC]

Does anyone know of anything that Don Hurst or Linda Lewanski may have done for Cocke County? With the number of times their pictures are featured in the newspaper and the number of trips they take at taxpayers' expense, one would think that Cocke County should be a thriving area full of businesses and tourists. Their salaries and office expenses could be put to another use--say buying books for the libraries? computers for schools? faster internet in the county? With better internet services, Cocke Countians could be more resourceful in marketing products from their small businesses and tourism would likely be a nice by-product. Why can't the county mayor promote business development and tourism...oh, I forgot....he must be available to ride his horse to Christopher's Place or to hunt bear.

[Mrs X]

I would like to know why we don't have any job training or educational services beyond high school. Most manufacturing companies want to locate where they have an available supply of trained and/or educated personel. The only things these people want to see grow around here is the county payroll. In this economic downturn how many jobs have the government(s)(fed, state, and local) cut? While private industry is forced to cut jobs just to compete. It makes me sick to see the calibur of people that get voted into office, then hire every friend or kin that ever done a "favor" for them. Politics in this county stinks and people get offended when someone asks is it really that bad in Cocke County? YES it is THAT bad here! Wake up hold your officials accountable.