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Letters to the WCP Editor – 8.05.10

Letters to the WCP Editor – 8.05.10

Posted: Friday, August 6, 2010 2:36 pm

Dear Editor,
More years ago than I want to admit, Goodyear Union City, Tennessee Plant had a movie titled, “We Gotta Save Joe`s Bar & Grill”!
They sent most of the plants’ employees to see it. It was about cost, safety, absenteeism, in general, doing a good job. In today’s Union City plant, it seems the personnel has changed, but the problems are the same.
Today, we need to save Appleby’s in Union City, thus saving our selves. I have heard that some people do not care if Goodyear Union City closes!
I think, everyone needs to re-think that. Jobs are like hens’ teeth these days, hard to find and harder to keep!
I, for one, do not want to lose those jobs at the Goodyear plant in Union City.
If you think things are tight now, if that plant closes? I ask the last one to leave Union City, Tennessee, to turn out the lights. It is not just the Goodyear plant itself, it is all of the small plants that service the Union City plant, the businesses that depend on Goodyear employees to purchase from them. Now, before you start blaming the Union, listen up.
The United Steelworkers of America local 878-L has given back until it hurts. One of the truths is that the (USWA) does not want to lose the plant.
It seems in today’s world, a job in hand is worth two in the Bush, no pun intended. Some very positive things have taken place recently. Mr. Terry Tennyson has been placed in the position of plant manager.
Terry Greer has been placed back in the tire-room as business center manager.
Ricky Waggoner, President of the local Union has worked diligently to try and keep his plant opened. Goodyear Union City no longer has any protected language to stop plant closure.
“This is not where we want to be, but we are!”  I’m asking you to go to your local elected officials, mayor, aldermen/women and ask them if they are concerned in regard to the possibility of Goodyear Union City closing. Write, call or e-mail Con. John Tanner. Find out if he is concerned.
I realize he is a lame duck, but nothing ventured, nothing gained. State Sen. Roy Herron, who is running for Tanner’s seat in Congress, says, “It’s Jobs, Jobs, Jobs!
Write, call or e-mail him.
Ask Judy Barker, your state representative, if she is concerned about Union City?
Write or call Gov. Phil Bredesen, with your concerns. Listen closely, If things do not get better, Goodyear Union City is closed! We should all be concerned about that fact!
Ask yourself, what can I do to keep this plant opened? The job you save, may be your own!
If there is anything this writer needs to do, please let me know. I have contacted all of the above in this matter.
Don V. Jones
Martin

Dear Editor,
The Martin Beautiful Committee wishes to thank everyone who nominated sites for the annual Martin Beautiful awards. 
The nominees in the Residence category are: Hugh and Cathy Wright, 145 Gene Adams Road; Harold and Dottie Smith, 220 Laura Street; Steve Robey and Mike Burt, 211 University Street; Joanne Carter, 323 Davis Street; Helmut and Sharon Wenz, 135 Fonville Street; Chad Long, 417 Main; Tim and Mickey Routhier, 115 Tobacco Road; and Chris and Coco Boone, 120 Tobacco Road.
Among the Businesses are: First State Bank Branch, 123 University Plaza, and Pocket’s Shell Station, 821 University Street.
The Adopt-A-Site nominees are: Gazebo, maintained by Busy Bob (Bob Busby), Downtown Festival Park; and Martin West Welcome Sign, maintained by the Optimist Club (especially Led Symmes).
The trio of Churches are:  Central Baptist Church, 801 Harrison Road; The Shepherd’s Field Church, 500 Fowler Road; and First United Methodist Church, 225 Main Street.
The Public Places are:  Downtown Lindell Street and Brian Brown Greenway.
In a month, everyone will know the winners!
We also call to your attention two new Adopt-A-Sites, both memorializing black community leaders.  The late Charlie Moore is honored with the flower bed near the north entrance of Oak Grove Missionary Baptist Church on West Peach Street and the late Robert F. Nunley, the first minister, at Old Fulton Road Church of Christ.  Further additions are planned for those locations.
 Sincerely,
 Marvin Downing (chair), Russell Cook, Carolyn Deck, Joyce Hooker, Lon May, Penny Moser, Tommy Mount, Carmen Pendergrass, Joan Pritchett, Audrey Roberts, Bob Smith, Led Symmes and Wes Totten

Dear Editor,
In Richard Saunders’ letter in the July 29 edition of The Press, he complained the Republican Party was trying to “dominate politics and dictate policy … in a bald grab for power.”
His evidence was a letter that he said was sent to Republicans asking them to vote for Republican candidates. Now that sounds like a real conspiracy.
Maybe someone should investigate, but before that, just look at the facts.
In the very same edition of The Press on the facing page there were 11 candidates for office, eight of which 73 percent were Democrats, and seven of which, 64 percent, were incumbent Democrats.
None of the three Republican candidates were incumbents.
Does Mr. Saunders begrudge Republicans of the small percentage of positions they currently hold or their attempts to improve on that position?
It sounds like he doesn’t want Republicans breathing up any of the fresh air in Weakly County to which he feels Democrats are entitled.
His concern about single-party domination seems ridiculous given the fact that the target of his complaint has never controlled politics in the history of this county.
Maybe he’s just a defender of the status quo so long as it is his party that has the status.
Also in his letter Mr. Saunders referred to three historically corrupt political machines – Crump, 1930’s Chicago, and Tammany Hall. Besides being corrupt, what did they have in common? You guessed it, all three were Democrat controlled machines.
Chuck Oliver
Martin
WCP 8.05.10