On Politics

Wedding bells – With Benny Wallis moving his wedding chapel business out of Gatlin-burg, the City Commission at the request of the Gatlinburg Wedding Chapel Association has appointed Dan Saffelder to replace Wallis on the city’s Tourism Advisory Board. Who gets to say cheese? – State Senator Bill Ketron (R-Murfreesboro) has released a letter sent to Governor Bredesen last week. The letter urges the Governor to reevaluate his opposition to Senate Bill 1188 sponsored by the senator. SB 1188 would require applicants for a TN driver’s license to have either a social security card or official papers from the Bureau of Citizen and Immigration Services (formerly INS). Currently a TN license can be obtained without these papers and Ketron and other legislators believe that it has created a loophole in national security. Excerpts from a Federal General Accounting Office report released on September 12 indicate that several undercover investigators were able to use false papers to obtain licenses to establish a fake U.S. identity. The Governor has not yet publicly responded to the letter. Sirens of alarm – Gatlinburg was forced to make some changes to the new Reagan Drive Fire Hall project. The lowest of the bids was $300,000 over the $850k the city had budgeted for the project. Commissioners made cuts at a workshop prior to the regular city commission meeting. At one point, removing the fire hall’s sprinkler system was on the table. Cut the deck – The Sevier County Commission officially reshuffled itself for the next year at its September meeting. The commission reorganizes after the start of each fiscal year. It is expected that designees to fill the vacant seats of Ray Godfrey and Riley King will be announced in the next few weeks. A Perfect 10 – With the addition of General Clark, there are now 10 official Democratic Party candidates for President. The next six months of fund raising will be more pivotal than normal as funds for 10 separate primary campaigns in the current economy will be hard to generate. If the campaigns are overly successful in fund raising now, the few party leaders not running for the top office worry that the dollars will be short for a nominee to challenge President Bush in the general election.