Now October's come and gone. Left me here to sing this song.
It's the last week of a month which I'm sure just started last Friday. Did any of you see those colors? I Hope somebody got some pictures.
Once again many of the best whitewater boaters in the world will be on the Russell Fork this weekend but they'll be doing their trick or treating in Haysi because the mayor and council and police chief in Elkhorn don't want them.
The hundreds of whitewater fans and industry leaders coming for the festival will stay in Virginia because of this. The businesses in Elkhorn City will lose money because of this. The citizens of town will lose tax revenue because of this. Anyone looking to develop a tourism friendly business will stay away because of this.
Elkhorn City Hall's animosity to tourism is just pitiful in so many ways.
The first way is people want to come here. It is still the friendliest town in outdoor tourism, despite city hall. We're still sitting next to one of the most popular natural destinations in the country. We're still the crossroads of two cross country trails and a world class whitewater and fishing river.
The second is how much money we're missing out on. Literally millions of dollars have passed Elkhorn City in the last few years because city hall waved it on by. That's just from potential visitors.
Development dollars, foundation dollars, and state and federal dollars have also passed us by because we don't go for them. We're sitting on a gold mine and can't figure out how to use a pick axe.
For me, the saddest thing now is we finally have a state representative who gets what tourism can do for the local economy. She's helped small businesses catering to visitors explode in Whitesburg and Letcher county in the last few years, even with the pandemic.
If Elkhorn had anything even resembling a tourism program, we'd be seeing state supported economic development like the other parts of our new district because we'd have an experienced representative working for us. It's really that simple.
Maybe even our neighbors would quit wondering what's wrong with us. Being admired beats being ridiculed every time.
But it's the end of the month and not much will be happening in Elkhorn this weekend despite the good weather. The color on the trees peaked a couple of weeks ago. We should still see a few foliage watchers out anyway.
You'll see a few kayak laden trucks roaming around the edge of town but not as many as the mayor of Haysi will see. The festival Elkhorn ran off will bring hundreds to his town. I'm sure he'll be welcoming his visitors with a wave and a smile.
Haysi's businesses will make money because of this. The town will get tax dollars because of this. New business will come because of this.
Old October's come and gone. Left me here to sing this song. Pretty little town with potential long. Never will see it with direction wrong.