I have received a lot of negative emails and comments from constituents about the recent wastewater rate increase effective October 1st asking me to do something.  I understand the frustration of those asking “…How can my sewer bill be several times higher than my water bill?…”  Within this post I am not going to address […]

A poll on East Ridge News Online about how our elected officials spend taxpayer money drew the attention of Mayor Brian Williams. The poll question asks:  Would you prefer $1 million of your tax dollars spent on improvements to Camp Jordan Park or be spent on a new ladder truck for the fire department? Readers […]

After writing a column about the two referenda on the upcoming November election ballot, I received a phone call from former East Ridge Mayor Mike Steele. I was preparing to hear the pros and cons of liquor stores in our city, and what might result from dropping the residency requirement for lawyers interested in running […]

These unprecedented times have altered the daily routines that often fill our days and our minds. With our own personal worlds upturned, we can find ourselves uneasy today and uncertain about the future. As we navigate the current world, where can we go to sort through our thoughts? Thankfully, our investments in the great outdoors […]

EDITOR’S NOTE: East Ridge News Online does not publish opinion pieces where the author is unknown. The identity of the person that penned this article is known to the publisher of East Ridge News Online, however, he wishes to remain anonymous to readers. I’m sick but it’s not from a virus… I’m sick of corporate […]

Earl Wilson did it, didn’t he? Wilson worked for the better part of six weeks to get more than 706 registered voters’ signatures on a petition calling for the sale of liquor in package stores in East Ridge. Now, the measure will appear on a referendum in the November election. The voters will decide on […]

Are you the kind of person that looks at a glass of water and sees it as half full or half empty? July has been a month in East Ridge that lends itself for you to come to some kind of understanding where you rate on the optimism/pessimism scale. Earl Wilson, he of the “liquor […]

Without a doubt, the most polarizing issue in the history of East Ridge politics is alcohol.  For a generation the issue of “liquor by the drink” split this city apart. At one point in the 1970s, East Ridge had the third highest concentration of motel rooms around an interstate exit in the country. It was […]

The definition of masquerade is “a false show or pretense”.  I think that’s exactly what the mask mandate/debate has created.  If wearing masks (i.e. sock material, dirty t-shirt, 3M dust mask, bandana, etc.) is so darn effective, then why didn’t we do this initially rather than shutting down our society for two months.  Restaurants were […]

It was a war zone in the 600 block of Marlboro Avenue on Saturday night. Pop,pop,pop. ZEEEOOOOWWW.  BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, KABOOM. Turned up the volume on the big screen in an attempt to drown out the full scale fire fight. BOOOOOM. “I’m calling the cops,” I told my wife as 10:30 p.m. rolled around. “I’m […]

On April 10, 1962, President John F. Kennedy proclaimed May 15th as “Peace Officers Memorial Day” and the week in which it falls as “Police Week,” recognizing the essential role our law enforcement agencies play in safeguarding the rights and freedoms guaranteed to every American citizen by the Constitution. Each day, the members of our […]

Last week a disgruntled mother on social media was telling the world about her struggles with city officials as it pertained to youth sports. Apparently, she had registered her three girls in a spring soccer league at Camp Jordan. The scheduled games were cancelled due to the Coronavirus pandemic. When the soccer mom asked city […]

Tomorrow East Ridge will be back in business. City officials have followed Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger and Governor Bill Lee’s lead on re-opening commerce amidst the public health crisis of COVID-19. While many businesses in East Ridge were directed to close or alter operations in an attempt to mitigate the virus, some folks out […]