Thomas & Christine Mallette

It seems daily we are reminded of the unemployment numbers in this country. I have been thinking for over a year now that the true picture of unemployment is very misleading. The reason? I think one of the hardest hit professions of this recession is real estate and more specifically Realtors. It seems we fall through the cracks in many ways. Since we are independant contractors we really do not have a "job". It would be very tough for any of us to go to an agency and request unemployment. Personally, that is the last thing I would ever do, but does the government understand the effect this recession has on Realtors? They will spend billions to bail out our financial sectors, billions to bail out the car makers, and billions soon to be spent on a "new" health care system. I am not saying we need billions. Personally, I do not think we need anything, except for credit to flow, taxes on small business to be lowered, and allow the free market to be well, free! Let's not let the government forget about us, but also lets not let them get in our way either. Who better to lead the rebound than small business?

Sales in the Maggie Valley have been sluggish thus far in 2009. Last year from 1/1/08-4/10/08 we had 18 sales of single family residential homes in Maggie Valley compared to 15 this year (2008 was sluggish as well!). As we head into our "selling season" and the tourist return to the area we will get a good idea of how the "season" will shape up. Below our the current market stats for single family residential homes sold form 1/1/09- 4/10/09.

Total # of Homes sold:15

Average Listing Price: $245,507

Average Selling Price: $227,593

Average Days on the Market: 191 Days

Months Supply on the Market: 33.6 Months

As we head into our "selling season" here is a fresh look at the winter and early spring numbers for Residential (single family homes) sales in Waynesville NC from 1/1/09- 4/10/09

Total # of Homes Sold: 41

Average Listing Price: $250,873

Average Selling Price: $229,191

Average Days on the Market: 185 days

Months of Supply on the Market: 22.17

I have been waiting for days to make some comments on this AIG fiasco. I wanted to hear as many details as possible before giving any sort of opinion. First of all I will say it is wrong for these companies to take tax payer money and then give it out like it is candy. BUT! Our government knew about this and the facts are starting to come out. It was not just the Bush Administration, but also the current administration. They are all at fault. For our so called "leaders" now to stand up and say this is an outrage is well, an outrage! Did or did they not just pass a $400 Billion budget omnibus bill with 8,000 earmarks worth $80 billion dollars? And they are now "outraged" over $160 million.

I feel sorry for the CEO at AIG. The man was retired and from what I have heard was a great leader for Allstate and had a great career. He comes back to assist for payment of $1 (I am not sure I fully believe this) and no bonus and jumps right into a tigers cage. He did not authorize the payments although he should have curtailed them some how. I watched his testimony the other day and it sounds like (again, trust is a huge issue with all of us these days) he and AIG have made some huge gains and he has a "plan" to continue to pull the company forward. What a novel concept: A Plan! What do we have to do to get "a plan" from the adminstration or the treasury secretary in regards to all the toxic assests that are continue to paralyze the economy thus our business in real estate?

Again, I hate that the bonus money was given out and tax payer money was most likely the main source, but is this not the United States of America? We are told from birth that if you work hard and get an education you can do whatever you want in life. I suspect many of the AIG employees worked hard and are very well educated. They signed on with the company with a salary and benefits package and their contract said they would be paid X amount. Who are we to question that? That is just unamerican! I personally do not think anyone is worth millions of dollars, but if that is their earning potential, well then congratulations. I get the sense that the adminstration is more concerned about leveling the playing field for all across the country. I think that is called socialism, but I may be wrong.

The part of all this that scares and upsets me the most is the reaction from Congress. Do you realize the house passed a bill to retrocatively tax the bonus money up to 95%? Do you not think there is something wrong with that? It sounds like something that Cuba or the former Soviet Union would do to its citizens. I will say again AIG should have modified the bonus structure, but a contract is a contract. For the Congress to step in and make a law is outright illegal in my opinion (I am no attorney, but I do have a bit of common sense). What are we doing here? We are we going as a country? It is getting scarier by the day the direction our leaders are taking us. (Case and point take a look at the Pelosi Video in regards to immigration from a few days ago).

What can we do? It seems that we are powerless, but I have taken quite an interest in Glen Becks "We Surround Them" cause. His 9/12 Project is gaining much support to take all of us back to the principles that built this great nation. All Americans must first get educated on the facts. They are hard to find becasue the media seems to be part of the problem. We do know that our "leaders" do not appear to be in it for us, but for themselves and self-interests. They also do not seem to understand the history of our country. It is the land of the free, home of the brave! Lets not let them forget that!

Josh Boatwright • JBoatwright@CITIZEN-TIMES.com • published March 17, 2009 12:15 am

A Maggie Valley Icon, Popcorn Sutton passed away at his home in TN yesterday. See the story below. He will be missed in these parts.

PARROTTSVILLE, Tenn. - Haywood County moonshine legend Marvin "Popcorn" Sutton was found dead Monday in his eastern Tennessee home, friends and family said.

Sutton, 62, spent much of his life making moonshine, a craft that brought him fame and a string of criminal convictions dating to the 1970s.

He was facing 18 months in federal prison on moonshining and weapons charges and had told a judge at his sentencing he was in poor health and would rather die at home than in jail.

Pam Sutton declined to discuss the circumstances of her husband's death, saying it was under investigation by the Cocke County. Tenn., Sheriff's Office.

The detective handling the case could not be reached Monday night.

"He was a good man, he really was," Pam Sutton said.

Federal authorities arrested Sutton a year ago on charges of running a moonshine operation that produced hundreds of gallons of liquor.

A judge in January sentenced him to 18 months in prison, rejecting arguments that Sutton had learned his lesson and was too ill to serve time.

"I'd like to die at home instead of in a penitentiary," Sutton said in court at the sentencing.

Nearly 1,500 people had signed petitions asking for leniency in his sentence.

Born near Maggie Valley, N.C., Sutton was revered by some for preserving a dying piece of mountain history.

His reputation grew beyond the mountains through a book and film he produced about his craft and Internet and cable TV documentaries in which he demonstrated how to make his famous liquor.

Sutton evoked curiosity from people around the world, drawing tourists to places like the Misty Mountain Ranch Bed and Breakfast in Maggie Valley, which has a suite dedicated to the moonshiner.

"He made a very big impact on the whole world because people have called me from all different countries, all over the U.S., asking for his books and tapes and anything you could tell him about Popcorn," said Misty Mountain co-owner Karen Hession.

Hession and her husband had been friends of Sutton for more than 10 years.

Hession said he captured the spirit of the mountains, but there was also a gentle side to the man that those close to him knew well.

"He was a very kind, thoughtful person," she said. "I wish everybody knew him like we did".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPuWX7d7yEw