It was an exciting year in Limestone County. From the county’s first presidential visit to a dispute over whether to spread human sewage sludge on crops, local residents turned to The News Courier for details on theses top stories:

President Bush visits Athens

It was a history-making day June 21 when President George W. Bush visited Limestone County to commemorate the successful restart of Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Unit 1 after 22 years. The reactor was idled in 1985 because it was unsafe. Bush was only the fourth sitting president to visit a TVA installation, according to board records. While here, Bush touted his “Twenty in Ten” initiative to cut U.S. gas consumption by 20 percent in 10 years. But for Limestone Countians, it was a unique chance to turn out with banners, binoculars and cameras to capture a moment of history.

Drought cripples crops

Drought destroyed much of the county’s cotton, soybeans and corn. The drought followed a devastating freeze earlier in the year that destroyed fruit, wheat and corn.

Local agricultural experts said it was one of the worst years on record for county farmers. The loss to the local economy was in the millions of dollars, officials said.

Alcohol sales in Athens

In August, 6,318 Athens residents voted by a 2-to-1 margin to continue selling alcoholic beverages in the city limits. The issue came back before voters three years after sales were legalized when a local group called Athens-Limestone Quality of Life Committee gathered enough signatures on a petition to try to repeal legalized sales.

The committee, led by Isom’s Chapel United Methodist Church pastor Rev. Eddie Gooch, said they believed the sale of beer and wine changed Athens’ small-town atmosphere and was detrimental to family values. Those who supported alcohol sales said Athens had become a more progressive city and repeal would be a step backward.

On the same ballot, Limestone County residents voted against a proposal to raise the sales tax by 1 cent to pay for renovations, construction and improvements at county schools.

Yankee doodoo