Hamilton County Commissioners Jim Coppinger and Warren Mackey took their respective oaths as chairman and vice chairman of the County Commission on Wednesday.

County Clerk Bill Knowles swore in Mr. Coppinger as chairman. General Sessions Court Judge Bob Moon swore in Dr. Mackey as vice chairman, with a little slip-up as he administered the oath of office.

When he was supposed to say “Hamilton County Board of Commissioners,” he first said “Hamilton County Board of Education.”

“I swore (school board member) Rhonda Thurman in last week, and I’m not over that,” Judge Moon said.

kissin’ commissioners

Commissioner Curtis Adams and former Commissioner Harold Coker looked back on a love-hate relationship Wednesday as the commission celebrated 30 years of the current form of county government.

Mr. Coker reflected on one particular argument that took place at Claude Ramsey’s first meeting as county mayor.

“I don’t know what the issue was, but I thought Curtis was on the same side I was on this issue,” Mr. Coker told the assembled crowd. “I found out right quick when the meeting time came that Wednesday morning he was on the other side. He was already seated. I came in, and I got down on my knees. I don’t think the tears were quite as large as I remember them, but I was pleading with Curtis to vote however way it was.”

Mr. Ramsey finished the story.

“I’m not going to use the exact language, but one of them said to the other one, ‘I’ll knock you on your ... .’ That was my first day of leadership,” he said.

Mr. Coker said he and Mr. Adams later “kissed and made up.”

Mr. Adams said he and Mr. Coker often went to breakfast or lunch to reconcile their differences.

“Some of the happiest years of my life I was fighting with Harold Coker, then kissing and making up,” Mr. Adams joked. “And I’ll tell you, he can’t kiss worth a dern.”

Littlefield figures shelters probably important

A question came up during the Legal and Legislative Committee of the Chattanooga City Council on Tuesday about buying shelters for the city’s fire department.

Councilman Leamon Pierce asked why the shelters were needed, but no firefighters were present at the meeting. Council members then turned toward Mayor Ron Littlefield and asked him.

Mr. Littlefield shrugged his shoulders.

“I don’t know,” he said. “Sounds pretty necessary, though. They need shelter.”

Fire department officials later told the council the shelters were temporary lodging and staging areas during disasters.

davenport for vp?

In a video last week, the two political pundits of Murfreesboro, Tenn.-based RedStateUpdate.com had some questions about Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin’s qualifications to be vice president.

“She just ain’t got no experience,” said commentator Dunlap, attired in a Lynyrd Skynyrd cap and American flag T-shirt.

Bearded, cigarette-smoking co-anchor Jackie issued a rebuttal.

“You sound like the elite media,” he said. “You’re going to tell me that a mayor of a small town of 10,000 people ain’t qualified to be vice president?”

Dunlap retorted, “I would be very nervous if (Sen. John) McCain’s plane landed in the yard of the mayor of McMinn-ville, Tenn., and they’re like, ‘Get your kids ready, come on, we’re going to be on CNN in half an hour.’”

McMinnville Mayor Royce Davenport is a U.S. Army veteran who served in Vietnam. He served two terms as mayor in the 1980s and is now in his second consecutive four-year term.

U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., the GOP’s presidential nominee, announced Gov. Palin was his running mate on Aug. 29.

911 no joke, gaines says

During the Chattanooga City Council meeting Tuesday night, Councilwoman Debbie Gaines heaped praise on the city’s police department after a crisis at her home.

Just two weeks ago, Ms. Gaines said she heard a noise at the back of her home and immediately dialed 911.

“I had one officer in my backyard and one on my front porch in three minutes,” she said. “I want to say, ‘Thank you.’”

A few minutes later, Councilman Manny Rico joked about name dropping.

“Leamon Pierce just whispered in my ear that if he ever dials 911, he’s using your name,” he said.

that mysterious guitar-playing executive

When Dr. Paul Nolan took his seat on the Hamilton County Commission, he was intrigued by the prospect of meeting then-County Executive Dalton Roberts, he told attendees at Wednesday’s commission meeting.

“I didn’t know the executive, and I heard that he played his guitar and performed in nightclubs on weekends,” Dr. Nolan said. “And I said, ‘Well, I want to meet him.’ And on election night, I went over and met Dalton, and I have never been disappointed in Dalton since.”

Dr. Nolan joined the commission in 1982 and served until 1998, when he retired.

an impromptu baptism?

Former County Commissioner Charlotte Vandergriff told a crowd at the 30th anniversary of Hamilton County’s form of government that she didn’t have too many regrets about retiring from the commission, but the announcement of the new Volks-wagen plant made her want to get back in on the action.

“When it happened, I was so excited. I was in a public building downtown, and I was jumping around and shouting, ‘Hooray! Hooray! It finally happened!’” she said.

Ms. Vandergriff said the fact that she voted against the fountains at the Enterprise South industrial park, where VW will build its new plant, led to a proposition from Mr. Ramsey.

“When we had one of our dedication events out there, the county mayor kind of suggested he might like to baptize me in that fountain,” she said.

Medical association offers tips for grandparents

In honor of Grandparents Day on Sept. 7, the American Medical Association issued a news release with tips for healthy living in the golden years.

Tips for healthy aging include:

* Focus on prevention: At age 50, screenings for colorectal cancer should begin for both sexes, and men should have a prostate exam. Screenings for osteoporosis should start at age 60 for those who weigh less than 154 pounds.

* Keep track of medications: Bring a list of prescriptions and over-the-counter medications to physician appointments to avoid adverse interactions.

* Write down health concerns: Get down in writing the questions you want to ask you doctor.

* Understand advice: Patients should write down care instructions from doctors and ask lots of questions at appointments.

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