Coker Creek Goldfest move marks the End of an Era

Update:2020: https://monroecountytn.blogspot.com/2020/08/atlanta-based-pentecostal-church-buys.html

Rumors of a sale had festered for years, and now finally, the sale of the near 90-acre compound known as Coker Creek Village has been sold to a Spanish-speaking Group named 'OMIP'... It seems to be a well-funded religious corporation, and Spanish is their preferred language...

Update 2018: Sanford Gray's widow (Esther Gray), and daughter, (Marylu Atchley) almost sold the Coker Creek Village Property to a buyer from East, TN. -- The real estate deal that had been in the works for months did not go through, the buyer backed out of the deal. 

There was a 'falling out' with the Coker Creek Goldfest organizers back in 2012, also known as the Autumn Goldfest--since then, the historic 'Goldfest' (which was used to fund worthy causes), has been held nearby, in a much less desirable location: overlooking propane tanks and metal storage units. 
The change took place soon after Frank Murphy Jr., died; Murphy and Sanford Gray were the original organizers of the event. On the Coker Creek Village website, there's no mention that the Goldfest organizers were 'booted out' in 2012...

Update 2012: The autumn event of the historic 'Coker Creek Gold Festival' will take place at a new location; on the grounds of the Coker Creek Elementary School on the 13th and 14th of October. The Ruritan Club building (next to the school) will also be used for the event.

It was rumored as far back as 6 weeks ago that a major 'brouhaha' had been brewing between the movers and shakers that like to think they control most of the major happenings on Coker Creek Mountain.

The Gold Fest's founders (Frank Murphy Jr. and Sanford Gray) have passed on (R.I.P.).
You may hear more than one version as to why the event re-located: the most likely scenario is that the heirs of the Coker Creek Village property did not wish to continue to have the event take place on their property.

Another version claims the reason for moving the event to the Coker Creek Elementary School was a "mutual decision."... However, an insider who did not wish to be identified provided the following details:

• The Ruritan president was given the option of having the event at the usual Coker Creek Village location this year, but he was advised it would be the last time--they would have to find another location.
• Negotiations broke down and the Ruritaners decided to move the event this year--without having long range plans--it appears it was a case of 'if they dont' want us, we'll move now.' " No way to appease Mr. Pease..."
• The Ruritaners contend that a document signed by Sanford Grey bequeathed the use of the Coker Creek Village property in perpetuity for the yearly 2 day Goldfest event, but they did not wish to pursue the matter in court. It is unclear even if such a document exists, how enforceable it would be in a legal stand-off.                                                                                                                                            

Murder victim and Coker Creek resident Franny Graham was a regular at the Ruritan Club gatherings. Some Ruritan members are also linked to the Coker Creek Welcome Center.

Had the Ruritaners accepted the offer to hold the event at the usual Coker Creek Village location this year, it would have given them ample time to come up with more than just one option for long term planning and future use.

The 94 plus acres that makes up the main property of Coker Creek Village is likely the most valuable parcel of land in Coker Creek. (Location, location, location.)
The Murphy Clan (who at one time owned the Coker Creek Village property) has nothing that compares...even with the thousands of acres they still own in Coker Creek.
The End of an Era in the Goldfest location is a significant event...it means that the Murphy Clan and their 'hangers on' were not the arbiters of a major decision.

Man who did a Peter Pan from Bald River Falls 'slipped'

As we now have learned, the incident on July 28, 2012, that took almost two hours of emergency ops involving Forest Service, Rescue Squad, EMS, and MCSD., led to the death of Monroe County resident Ralph Ray Jr., of Ten Mile. The Forest Service incident commander confirmed that the accident victim had made it to the top ledge, but slipped and fell before he could direct his dive towards a spot away from rocks and boulders.

The MCSD confirmed that Ralph Ray Jr., age 46, Mans Hollow Road, died on the following day-- July 29, 2012 at the University of Tennessee Medical Center.

Climbing the falls is extremely dangerous, nevertheless, many visitors to the area still do it--and will likely continue to do it despite the recent tragedy. The initial call requested the Rescue Squad to assist a subject which had been trapped under a rock for ten minutes, at Bald River Falls. After getting the still unresponsive victim out from under the rock, a person on scene started CPR in a futile attempt to save the victim's life: it took a while for first responders to arrive on scene from Madisonville, which is a good 30+ mile distance.

To add to the confusion, one of the first responders unknowingly had an 'open mic' on his HT (handie talkie), which kept the radio repeater jammed up for a short time. All in all, it was a great example how well local agencies can work together in an emergency situation.

For former mayor Powers: The chickens come home to roost

Who would have imagined?... after not being able to account for thousands in missing funds by the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury--former chief of police William "Bill" G. Isbell returns to Tellico Plains, sues the city for back pay he allegedly did not receive while Roger Powers was the city mayor--and after an agreed settlement, is awarded $1,328.

Some of the city council members had rejected (vetoed) the idea of appointing Isbell as Tellico Plains chief of police, perhaps to deflect any blame, in case things did not turn out well. However, Isbell's strongest supporter in the city council Harkey Yates, who many perceived as having more power than the mayor--succeeded in getting Isbell appointed, and the veto was struck down.

(Yates passed away last Christmas-eve, his sudden death was investigated as a possible homicide.)


"The chickens come home to roost"
Meaning
Bad deeds or words return to discomfort their perpetrator
Origin
The notion of bad deeds, specifically curses, coming back to haunt their originator is long established--it dates back to 1390 when Geoffrey Chaucer used it in the The Parson's Tale:
And ofte tyme swich cursynge wrongfully retorneth agayn to hym that curseth, as a byrd that retorneth agayn to his owene nest.

Former Chief of Police William "Bill" G. Isbell investigated in Missing Money Probe

Missing or un-accounted: seized drugs, weapons, and money collected from fundraisers

The D.A.'s  position to not file charges won't change public opinion on Bill Isbell; despite the embellishment and hype that was spun on his alleged 'retirement.'...Particularly when you consider Unicoi County Sheriff Kent Harris was indicted, in part, for mis-appropriation of funds--close to the amount that the TPPD was unable to account for during Bill's Isbell's stint as chief of police.

Isbell-registered police website is shutdown.

As seen in the Advocate&Democrat News--Where did the Money Go?

"Among the findings, the former police chief received $3,800 in cash from four police fundraisers, but the money was never deposited into a town bank account.

Both Isbell and his top crony, Don Charest were 'booted out' of the Tellico Plains Police Dept, listen to Mayor Roger Powers in the link below.   For Charest, wearing a reserve officer badge was important, the feeling of power and authority was paramount--he tried to 'cozy up' to the 2013 chief of police (Jeb Brown),  wanting to bring back the Isbell--Era police squad,  but failed.

As of 2016, The Tellico Plains Police Dept. is still in a public relations 'damage control mode' from the scandals during Isbell's  tenure as police chief--although, the present day TPPD is a stark contrast, and many agree that it's one of the best police dept's in the county.

The 2014 disqualification of Sheriff Randy White led to the interim appointment of Tommy Jones, a young and inexperienced fill-in--Charest wormed his way into the good graces of sheriff Tommy Jones, and, this time he got a Monroe County Sheriff reserve officer badge...

William "Bill" Isbell

Don Charest

'

Chief Bryan Graves warns: 'it's not time to celebrate' global conflicts continue

Recently back from his second military tour this year, Monroe County Sheriff Chief Deputy Bryan Graves' comments mirror the sentiments of other military experts who warn—even if the war in Iraq is over--Global conflicts continue.

Imagine that you wake up tomorrow and discover that Israeli planes had conducted a bombing raid on Iran...How would your world have changed?

Spy drone seized by Iran

Robert Baer, a longtime CIA analyst who spent over two decades in the Middle East is predicting that Israel will bomb Iran in the near future, which would likely drag the United States into another large scale war—just when returning veterans arrive home from (what officially marks), the end of the war in Iraq. See Harry Kreisler and Robert Baer Video--Dealing with Iran.

Iran threatens to close the Strait of Hormuz to international oil shipments if sanctions are placed on Iranian oil exports. 

Confidential sources in Israel have publicly warned that Israel's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak are determined to go to war with Iran.

Former Israeli Intelligence chief Meir Dagan has said there is almost “near certainty” that Israel is planning an attack on Iran, which Israel hopes would “draw the United States into the conflict.”

It would be a nightmare scenario--the Israeli air force would attack "Natanz and other nuclear facilities” to degrade their capabilities. The Iranians would strike back: in Basra, Baghdad, and other key military targets in Israel. The United States would come into the conflict with attacks on Iranian targets. It's a nightmare scenario. We don't have enough troops in the Middle East to fight a war like that." Baer added, "I think we are looking into the abyss."

The recent downing of a U.S spy drone shows Iran would be a formidable opponent. The Christian Science Monitor interviewed an Iranian engineer who claims that Iran managed to jam the drone’s electronic communication links by forcing it to shift into autopilot mode. When the drone (allegedly) kicked into autopilot mode--the engineer claims Iran spoofed the drone’s GPS system with false coordinates, enabling them to "electronically ambush" the drone--fooling it into thinking it was close to home, and land it in Iran without damage.

Judge Blackwood: Baumgartner turned the 'Drug Court into a Farce'

Judge John Kerry Blackwood's long awaited ruling--allows the defendants in the Christian-Newsom murder case re-trials. The ruling may affect thousands of cases previously tried in former Judge Richard Baumgartner's courtroom.

Judge John Kerry Blackwood

The close to 10 minute ruling, in which at one point almost brings him to tears, is clearly one of the most important and difficult rulings that Judge John Kerry Blackwood has made.

He set the tone by saying, "A Judge that is presiding over a Drug Court, to try to help people beat their addiction--nothing can be more nobler than that, nothing can be nobler than that. And then, the administrator of the addicts, is not only an addict himself using drugs, but he is using a court addict to get his own." Watch the judge's ruling VIDEO.

The FBI considers Public Corruption one of it's top investigative priorities--behind only to domestic terrorism. Public corruption costs the U.S. and the public billions of dollars every year. Judge Baumgartner showed a rare glimpse of his mental depravity and possible mental illness...saying, "as we all know, the federal authorities think they are above God."