Mark's Weekly Update

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Washington, DC, May 19, 2014 | comments

Visiting Local Small Businesses

This past week, I was glad to spend time in the district visiting local industry. On Wednesday, I spent the day in Morganton stopping by small businesses and speaking with their owners and employees. I met with local officials at Pat's Snack Bar and tried my hand at frying an egg. Later that morning, I stopped into Smokefoot Trade and Loan, My Local Bakery, and Kala Contemporary Craft Gala where I picked up a pair of colorful socks for my friend, Rep. Howard Coble. You can read about my visit through Morganton in the News Herald here.


Speaking with the owners of Pat's Snack Bar	Visiting Smokefoot Trade and Loan	Socks for Rep. Howard Coble from Kala Gala

Teaming Up With Former Rep. Heath Shuler on 'Road to Nowhere' Funding

Next week, former Democrat Representative of the 11th District, Heath Shuler, will join me to tesitfy before the House Sub-committee on Public Lands and Environmental Regulation urging it to pay Swain County funds allocated for the "Road to Nowhere."

The National Park service is currently witholding $4 million that was allocated to Swain County back in 2012 as part of a settlement with the federal government over a road that was supposed to be constructed as payment for the county when they conveyed land to the NPS for Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 1943, but the road was never built.

The hold up in releasing the funds is a typical case of government bureacracy and former Rep. Shuler and I will strongly urge they move forward and pay the money owed to Swain County. You can read more about it in the Citizen Times here.

Appearing on WCNC in Charlotte

I sat down with WCNC's Dave Wagner on Thursday evening to discuss a variety of issues.

Visiting Local Schools

During my time in the district this week, I had the opportunity to visit four different schools. It is always a pleasure to meet and speak with students as well as the teachers and faculty who work tirelessly to give them the best education possible. If you're a student, parent, or teacher who would like me to come by your local school, don't hesitate to reach out to my office and we will do our best to try to coordinate a visit.