Nature lovers in Unicoi County are in for a treat — outgoing U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander now has a park named in his honor. According to the Tennessee State Parks website, 2,058 acres of East Tennessee's scenic wilderness are now called Lamar Alexander Rocky Fork State Park. The three-term senior senator will not seek re-election in 2020, but he’s made an impact.
According to its official website, the park is one of the most biologically diverse habitats in North America. And now Tennesseans (and probably North Carolinians, and likely Virginians, too — hell, anyone in the region who loves migratory birds, counting tree rings and identifying wild scat) can reflect on the legacy Sen. Alexander has spent decades building as the governor of Tennessee and as a U.S. Senator.
About that legacy: Alexander has endorsed and supported CoreCivic (previously Corrections Corporation of America), since its inception in 1983. The for-profit prison giant runs seven facilities in the state and is moving in on detention facilities at the U.S./Mexico border. CoreCivic has been the defendant in many lawsuits alleging unsafe conditions and understaffing.
Alexander has also opposed background checks for Tennesseans applying to buy assault weapons. He voted to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, despite a lackluster investigation into Christine Blasey Ford’s credible accusation that Kavanaugh sexually assault her — because Lamar thinks it's time to respect the SCOTUS nomination process again. He's also sat silent while President Trump has gutted the Environmental Protection Agency and dialed back multiple environmental protections. Sorry, park-goers!Â
Perhaps CoreCivic should name a facility after Lamar instead — and leave birders and hikers to breathe the air while it’s still somewhat fresh.
A press release from Gov. Bill Haslam’s office invites the public to a special event at the park with Lamar and the governor on Monday, Jan. 7. Now about that scat ...
