letters to the editor
New gun rights law
The following State Law took effect July 1. Looks like it is time to remove the “NO FIREARMS ALLOWED” decals from the doors of Town Hall. Right click or cut and paste into your browser to read the article. https://www.nraila.org/articles/20170629/tennessee-pro-gun-legislation-goes-into-effect-on-saturday. The bottom line is that if we as a Town choose to curtail or prohibit the exercise of a God-given, unalienable, Constitutionally protected right of our citizens; then we are responsible for what happens to them on our property and may be subject to legal action if the unthinkable should occur. Unless we are willing to install metal detectors and maintain armed guards on our premises, then we have no right to ask our citizens, particularly trained, licensed carry permit holders, to make themselves vulnerable on our premises. In doing so we create a “soft target” for evildoers.
It is refreshing and encouraging to every freedom-loving and civic-minded American to see the wrong-headed, subversive policies of the past few decades finally coming under scrutiny of our elected officials and being overturned or replaced with common-sense laws like this. Virtually every mass shooting in modern history has occurred in so-called “gun free” zones. As we celebrate the Declaration of Independence of our great constitutional republic, I think it would be fitting irony to have removed these offensive decals bright and early Monday morning, July 3. If they are still there on my way home from work Monday afternoon, I will be happy to bring my razor scraper to remove the now-illegal encumbrances from our doors before they cause any harm to the Town.
And you can all be confident in knowing that Capt. Lawson’s will not be the only licensed firearm in the room at our Board meetings. This should give us all some comfort given the constant drumbeat of news stories of attacks on public officials and official gatherings.
Bob Markli
Alderman, Ward 1
Traffic, congestion talk
Ball Homes LLC is at it again. If you have seen what they have done along S. Northshore [Drive], just west of the roundabout, the same thing is going to happen on Choto but with far worse effects; 27 acres adjacent to The Mill at Choto is being turned into 82 to 89 lots. Not sure of the lot size but the home count is to be about 3 homes per acre. Do the math. This amounts to around 80 or so homes.
The only roads that will enter this development will be from Choto Road. You can imagine what this will do at the Choto/Northshore roundabout with the amount of traffic now passing through that roundabout coming from the west, especially during school year. That roundabout is already at 85% capacity. The alternative route is along Early Road which is already under pressure from the developments that the Knox County Commissioners have approved and in many places, so narrow cars must pull over to allow other cars to pass.
Some weeks ago, there was a traffic accident on Northshore just east of the Montgomery Cove entrance. This caused a gridlock on Northshore all the way back to the Concord round-about. As it is, trying to enter Northshore from Choto Road is extremely hazardous causing more aggressive driving and issues of road rage as drivers get irritated by the delays of heavy cross traffic. Consider the other issues such as construction vehicles moving along Choto getting in and out of the construction area. Since none of the Knox County Commissioners live in either of the two ZIP codes that encompass the Southwestern Sector.
They have no clue as to the damage they are causing and the MPC has very little concern for the residents that live here. July 13 is the next meeting of for the MPC to hold hearings on this project. We need people from this area to be there to express their displeasure for this madness and insanity. We must do all we can to stop the destruction of the tranquility and beauty of this part of West Knox County. Our mayor, Tim Burchett, must share in the responsibility of this as he appoints the County Commissioners [sic] and as stated earlier, none of them live in this area.
If you don’t care about the quality of homes being built in our neighborhoods or traffic congestion on our narrow 2 lane roads, then do nothing. If you do care, stand up and be counted at the July 13 meeting at the City County Building. This will be item #19 on the MPC agenda. Check the MPC website for meeting times.
Jack Alman
Channel Point HOA
