Red Bud on the Hill and other matters

Today we are going to take a look at a few items of possible interest. Most of them will deal with issues on local scene. Many affect our lives on both local and enlarged considerations.

We begin by looking at a significant mistake on I- 75. The mistake is on the exit sign north of exit 315 declaring “Redbud” exit. There is exception taken here to the one word “Redbud.” It should be Red Bud. In 1979, when I went to Red Bud High to coach, one of the first moves I succeeded in instigating was changing any designation on a letterman’s jacket or other apparel from a single “R” to “RB.” There are many schools beginning with “R” but there is only one Red Bud High.

On Tuesday, a conversation with Sandy Hunton Gilbert at Dr. Van Horne’s office allowed the pretty and vibrant graduate from Red Bud to tell about the closeness and allegiance of Red Bud graduates and supporters. If I remember correctly ( and I do), did we not all learn about those feelings during the attempted removal of the name “Cardinals” from descriptive expressions of the school? That was a battle worth winning.

It is worth noting again that my obituary will read “Coach Smith was born in Downtown Red Bud.” All principals involved in any final arrangements have been dutifully informed of that designation. For all who ask “Where is Downtown Red Bud?” just let me answer by saying “there is one.” You decide. Also, the designation “Red Bud” refers to a large area on the map and represents a people with a background rich in tradition and association. Coach Frank Hall and I have agreed we are going to take a long ride over the area and look at the places with great meaning for so many.

I once again ask where was indicated that refund was about the amount Luther was making. Only Jerry Van Dyke could have pulled off the scene.

So the question to all of us did we make the deadline in filing out income tax?

Ironically, I never saw an episode of that show when it was a regular on the schedule. It wasn’t until a few years ago and it was in syndication that it became a show for me to watch.

The horror scenes and reports of Atlanta morning and afternoon traffic are regularly received in Calhoun and other small towns away from that crunch. The personal disdain for my going to Atlanta has been greatly documented in this space. An isolated location in the backwoods or mountains of Northwest Georgia is much more appealing as a place to live than Atlanta.

With that said, may we all observe that the traffic load on the streets of Calhoun at certain times of the day resembles Atlanta? This is no reflection on those who design and operate our roads, streets and traffic. We have grown since the days of one- car or no- car families. The days when cars and wagons pulled by mules could all function on the streets of Calhoun have long disappeared.

The two avenues making the biggest impact on this writer are South Wall Street and the Fairmount Highway, beginning at the intersection with South Wall. It is hard to imagine when there was only the traffic light in front of the courthouse gracing our streets. What would we do today without turn- lanes on our streets? And what about I- 75 to allow the travelers from up North to bypass downtown Calhoun?