NEWS
PAGE 2A v INDEPENDENT APPEAL
WEDNESDAY, MAY 16, 2018
What do statewide candidates say about rural Tennessee? By Frank Daniels
Gubernatorial candidates
For the Independent Appeal
Like most of America, Tennessee’s metropolitan areas have prospered during the last eight years, while the rural areas have lagged in almost every measure. The state has 19 of its 95 counties classified as “distressed.” What can and should we do to give every Tennessean a chance to succeed? Each of the major candidates for governor and U.S. Senate were asked to tell our readers about their views on infrastructure investment.
Diane Black – Republican
I spend a lot of time in rural Tennessee. Over half of the counties I represent are rural and I can assure you, Tennessee’s history, values and traditions are inextricably tied to our state’s rural roots. The people I know in our rural communities love their way of life - and the next Governor must help them keep it. If we don’t do something to provide more infrastructure, our young people will move away, and our small towns will even-
tually close down. Investing in infrastructure means so much more to our rural communities than just smooth roads – it means a better economy, flourishing careers and more job opportunities for the next generation. In every rural community I visit, I hear the same thing: we need broadband. I will remove the obstacles and make rural broadband a reality. Rural communities need broadband now – so I support whatever method brings broadband to rural communities the quickest. We will have fast, reliable broadband and address other infrastructure needs,
whether it be a road or a storm water system. That will encourage businesses to
See ELECTION, 7A
Planetarium opens doors for preview
Town goes to work filling in potholes By Joel Counce For the Independent Appeal
Selmer is addressing the problem of potholes in the town. The street department is filling the potholes with cold mix – a type of asphalt that does not require heat. “It’s pliable until it’s put into a pothole,” said Selmer Street and Sanitation Supervisor Raymond Ouellette. “We put it in the back of a truck and send two guys out to use it to patch the potholes.” City workers shovel the mix off the truck, level it into the hole before going to the next one. “Potholes occur more frequently in some places than others,” said Ouellette. “They are naturally occurring.” Three things cause potholes – the freezing and thawing pattern in winter,
Issues and Answers is a monthly series being produced by the Independent Appeal and the Tennessee Press Association to take an in-depth look at issues in the 2018 elections for governor and U.S. Senate.
By Ethan Huggins For the Independent Appeal
Staff Photo by Joel Counce
Selmer Street Department employee Jacob Ray burns cold mix into the asphalt on East Court Street in Selmer. City workers patch the potholes in the city streets during the spring and summer. water under the streets or a poor base for the structure of the road. “The freezing and thawing go hand-in-hand,” said Ouellette. “It freezes at night and thaws out during the day, then freezes again. The water will rise and that
plays a part in it as well.” Ouellette said cold weather plays a big part in potholes forming. “It’s constant,” he said. “It starts as soon as the weather gets cold and continues until about midspring.”
Streets used to be paved with a gravel foundation. A newer mix of finer gravel called 33C – which consists of about 50 percent clay, 25 percent sand and 25 small gravel – lasts a lot longer.
See POTHOLES, 7A
CORRECTION The date for the Ramer Days Fall Festival was incorrectly listed in the May 9 edition of the Independent Appeal. The festival will be Saturday, Oct. 20.
LONGLEWISCORINTH
All of the hard work has paid off. The McNairy Central High School planetarium – dormant for at least the past 20 years – has finally opened its doors again. The efforts of former MCHS student Allie Ray and McNairy Central teacher Sarah Allison helped make a preview possible. The preview of the planetarium was held Saturday on the last day of McNairy County’s National Travel and Tourism Week. The public attended a special viewing of the planetarium on Tuesday. The renovation project was started three years ago as the Senior Project of Ray. McNairy Central senior Layla Brothers and 2017 graduate Trase Jester also used their Senior Projects to renovate the planetarium. “I saw the potential our school had as we have one of 14 planetariums in the state of Tennessee thought it would be really cool to bring it back to life,” said Ray, who now attends UT-Martin. “It is a blessing to have worked so hard to see it finally finished.” Allison, Ray’s advisor on the project, is glad the planetarium is complete.
See PLANETARIUM, 7A
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2018
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