Corker: Strike on Taliban leader helps terror fight
U.S. Sen. Bob Corker, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, on Saturday released a statement regarding the apparent death of Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour in a U.S. airstrike.
“If verified, the death of Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour would be an important victory in the fight against terror and welcome news to our military personnel in Afghanistan and the Afghan government.”
“I am thankful for the work our military and intelligence communities are doing to bring justice to those responsible for spreading evil. If Pakistan would play a more constructive role, we could destabilize the Taliban far more rapidly.”
Alexander urges Cumberland residents to oppose wind farm
U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander in a news release last week urged Cumberland County residents and all Tennesseans to oppose Apex Clean Energy’s wind farm proposal, called Crab Orchard Wind Project.
The Tennessee Republican said the Virginia-based company’s plan “would spoil [Tennessee’s] mountain beauty” with “twenty-three 45-story wind turbines” less than 10 miles from Cumberland Mountain State Park and less than five miles from Ozone Falls Scenic State Natural Area.
Speaking on the Senate floor, Alexander highlighted the “massive” size of wind turbines – “over two times as tall as the skyboxes at the UT football stadium” – and said the wind blows “only 18.4 percent of the time” in Tennessee.
“As a United States senator I have voted to save our mountaintops from destructive mining techniques. I am just as eager to protect mountaintops from unsightly windmills,” Alexander said.
“I have voted for federal clean air legislation and supported TVA’s plan to build carbon-free nuclear reactors, phase out its older, dirtier coal plants and put pollution control equipment on the remaining coal plants. Already the air is cleaner and our view of the mountains is better,” Alexander said.
“I hope that citizens of Cumberland County – and all Tennesseans – will say a loud ‘no’ to the out-of-state wind producers who are encouraged by billions in wasteful taxpayer subsidies to destroy our mountains. If there is one thing Tennesseans agree on, it is pride in the natural beauty of our state. There are few places in our state more beautiful than Cumberland County. We should not allow anyone to destroy the environment in the name of saving it.”
Marion Democrats holding yard sale
To raise money for candidates in local elections, the Marion County Democratic Party will hold a yard sale and meet-and-greet Saturday in downtown Jasper, Tenn.
A news release said the party is looking for contributed items for the sale and for volunteers to help set up and conduct the sale. Besides shopping for bargains, participants will have an opportunity to make cash donations.
The sale is set for 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. CDT in the parking lot of First Volunteer Bank.
For information or to contribute or volunteer, contact one of these coordinators:
– Alice Demetreon in Whitwell: 660-247-2288 or Demetreon1981@gmail.com
– David Hale in South Pittsburg: 423-364-4731 or dlhale@yahoo.com
– Jim Lewis in Kimball/Jasper: 423-903-9724 or jim.lewis.217@gmail.com
– Bill Longwell in Monteagle: 931-924-8486 or wslongwell@gmail.com