The management and staff of Scott County News, welcome letters of community interest. Letters must be original and contain the signature, address and the daytime telephone number of its writer. The letter should not exceed 250 words. Please send letters to P.O. Box 4399, Oneida, TN 37841 or email scnoneida.net The editors reserve the right to edit or reject any letter and to limit frequent writers. The opinions and views represented on this page are not necessarily those of Scott County News or its employees. We welcome your comments and suggestions, feel free to contact us at (423)-569-8351

Dear Editor: My name is Matthew Phillips Jr, an Eagle Scout from BSA Troop 333 of Scott County. I recently completed by Eagle Scout Service Project, which involved building a Flag Retirement Box and a Flag Retirement Ring for the VFW Post 5669. This massive undertaking would not have been possible without the overwhelming generosity…

Protecting Our Roots: Why the Proposed Landfill Threatens the Systems That Feed Us Scott County has long done its part in managing its own footprint. We understand that waste has to go somewhere, and we have lived alongside a local landfill for years. But the proposal for a second, massive rail-waste landfill represents a fundamental…

A New Chapter for SCN Change is inevitable. Some have said it is the only constant in our lives. If that’s true, then perhaps it’s fitting that Scott County News – an institution that has chronicled change for more than a century –would embrace a little of its own. So, it’s time for us to…

Dear Editor, Publishers, and Radio Partners, I want to extend my sincere gratitude for your continued partnership in keeping Tennesseans informed. Your willingness to run my weekly column and air “Talkin’ the 12th” has provided an important platform to share updates on legislative issues, community priorities, and the work being done on behalf of the…

Dear Editor, I just wanted to take a few minutes to commend you on the excellent job you’re doing with reporting the news. As a McCreary County resident, I appreciate your coverage of important and newsworthy articles from here at home. Although your paper is in another town, county and state, we are very close…

Foreigners, Outsiders, and What to Do By Ethan Cotton If you read that headline, you might think you’re going to see a rant about the scourge of outsiders on a small mountain town that wishes to be left alone. But that would be ridiculous, and yet some people would have those beliefs. The reality is…

From Waste to Wealth: A Better Path Than Roberta II Dear Editor: Communities across the Tennessee and Kentucky border from Scott County to McCreary County and Russell County, and the Cumberland River region face a defining choice. Do people accept another massive landfill—specifically the proposed Roberta II Landfill—sold as “economic development” but destined to become…

Editor, I like many, grew up in Oneida and moved away for work. I visit regularly and have been getting the papers one way or another for over 20 years. Lately I’ve noticed the quality of the writing and reporting has greatly improved and I just wanted to pass it on. Keep up the good…

“A Call For Preservation” I’ve always been a history nerd. I can talk about everything from Stone Age human intuition to the Spanish Reconquista. As someone in tune with history, I have respect for our county’s history. That is why I’m calling on everyone in Scott County to think about whether they have anything historically…

Go Home, Roberta!