Slightly more than half of the 36 states and D.C., including North Carolina, are in the running for incentive federal education funds amounting to $ 3.4 billion. Eighteen states and D. C.  made the cut in round two. They will each send a five-member committee  to Washington, D.C. on August 9th to make in-person presentations [...]

Guests who attended a recent ceremony at Industrial Opportunities Incorporated (IOI) were astounded by the numerous illustrations of courage and accomplishment.
On June 25, Tri-County Community College (TCCC) personnel jointed elected officials and members of the IOI staff to commemorate the achievements of students who had completed the Compensatory Education program provided by the college.
The focus [...]

DOLLAR GENERAL STORES SUPPORT SCHOOL SUPPLIES DRIVE
Hundreds of children in Cherokee and Clay Counties will get the school supplies they need if people help to “stuff-a-bus” with supplies during the next two weeks. Collection
boxes have been distributed to more than 30 local churches and businesses, including the Dollar General stores in Murphy, Peachtree, Andrews, [...]

Attention jobseekers.  Come one come all.
As a response to the current economic crisis and a tight labor market, Congressman Heath Shuler is bringing together jobseekers with companies who want to expand their labor pool.
The 2010 Tri-County Business Expo and Job Fair will be held Saturday, August 14 beginning at 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.  This [...]

Her views on education, off-shore drilling, illegal immigration
By Frank Bradley
Sentinel writer
If you have followed politics in North Carolina during the past 20 years, you might have noticed the only time a sitting U.S. senator or NC governor or candidates running for those offices have visited the western counties of Clay, Cherokee and Graham has been [...]

Holds round table discussion about job creation, job training and transportation
By Frank Bradley
Sentinel writer
If you have followed politics in North Carolina during the past 20 years, you might have noticed the only time a sitting U.S. senator or NC governor or candidates running for those offices have visited the western counties of Cherokee, Graham and [...]

Should we extend the Bush tax cuts?
by Paula Canup
The Bush tax cuts are set to expire at the end of this year, and Congress must decide whether or not to extend them. This is bringing about an important discussion about taxes, spending, stimulus, and the deficit. As noted in a previous column, economists are divided [...]

What can we do to end the corrupt political system of wasteful spending in Washington?
Recently I learned that 81% of all donations to our Federal elected representatives come from one twelfth of one percent (0.0012) of our voters, principally funneled through lobbyist groups.  Incumbents received 99% of these lobbyist donated funds in the last election [...]

Leaning Left
Jim Fitzgerald
We have allowed our media and politicians to present a black and white political world that reduces very complex issues into a sound bite or two. Consider the issue of illegal immigration. In the early 80’s, Reagan handled the issue without a lot of fanfare; granting amnesty, cracking down on employers, and allegedly [...]

The Green Column
by Richard C. MacCrea, Andrews Valley Initiative
rmaccrea1@gmail.com
Less Smog in Our Mountains
TVA has agreed to install scrubbers and catalytic converters on three coal fired plants in Tennessee and one in Alabama. Emissions from these plants has been blamed in contributing to smog in our area.
According to the Asheville Citizen-Times, North Carolina sued TVA to [...]