Weekly Update from Congressman Heath Shuler

White House Great Outdoors Celebrating our Nation’s Independence
I hope that everyone had a Happy and meaningful Fourth of July.  I was blessed to be able to celebrate our Nation’s independence spending time with my family and seeing many old and new friends at parades and at church.
Independence Day [...]

What can one person do?
by Paula Canup
Understandably, many people hate politics and want nothing to do with it. They may also believe that one person can’t really make any difference. But I would like to offer ten suggestions for what you can do to help build a stronger America:
1.  Do your own thinking.  No matter [...]

Leaning Left
Jim Fitzgerald
You would not know it by listening to pundits but Obama’s less than two years in office has been a bittersweet experience for the left. Many progressive ideas, like an affordable public option for health insurance, have been left off of the table. Obama, contrary to what conservative pundits would have you believe, [...]

The Green Column
by Richard C. MacCrea, Andrews Valley Initiative
rmaccrea1@gmail.com
6% Electric Rate Increase July 1
A friend recently showed me a newspaper article announcing a 6% rate increase for Blue Ridge Mountain EMC customers. I was surprised that the article blamed energy conservation for the rate increase. So I went to the source, http://brmemc.com/rateincrease/Rate_Increase_Explained.html
There I learned that [...]

It appears that the White House and Democrat Party leaders have settled on their Fall campaign strategy – the economy! They will say it is a choice between the economic policies of Bush and Republicans that led us into this mess and those that are leading us out, namely Obama and the Democrat’s Stimulus spending.
They [...]

Mrs.Florence Barber von Hof age 87 of Blairsville,GA.passed away on Thursday July 1,2010 following a brief illness.Mrs.von Hof was born on November 26,1922 in Annapolis,MD.,Anna Rundal County,the daughter of the late Robert E.Barber and the late Sidney Fontaine Barber.Mrs.von Hof was the widow of the late W.C. “Bill”von Hof who died in June 1988.
Surviving is [...]

Mr.David Lee Gunn age 52 of Isabella Ave.Copperhill,TN.passed away on Thursday July 1, 2010 following an extended illness.Mr.Gunn was born on Oct.29,1957 in Linton,IN.,the son of Bertha Rose Villian Gunn and the late Paul Gunn.David owned and operated G & D Trucking for several years.He enjoyed fishing, hunting,skiing and four wheeling.He also enjoyed fixing things [...]

George and Carolyn Michelson, holding scissors, owners of George’s Butcher Shop, celebrate the opening of their new Murphy location with a Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting.  They are joined by employees, friends, family and Chamber representatives.  Their new shop is located behind Grocery Outlet at 20 Wells Connector Road, Murphy.  They are open Monday through [...]

By Julie Chautin
Contributing Writer
Katie O’Connor is five years old and loves books.  She and her parents, Matt and Jenn O’Connor were visiting her grandparents, Murphy residents Mike and Marcia Smith, when they stopped by the Murphy Library.
The library has been buying new nonfiction books for its children’s section recently with funds raised at the May [...]

By Julie Chautin
Contributing Writer
Nancy Moss has put her retirement time to good use.  The former librarian at Martins Creek School is volunteering at the Cherokee County Historical Museum.  And she is taking photographs.  One of her photos won first place in the Historic Sites category of the museum’s recent “Natural Scenic Beauty” photography competition.
The winning [...]