Looking back over 2007, I came upon several quotes that struck me as profound, sad or silly. Here they are. See if you can guess who said them. Answers are listed under the first section of the column.
1. “If something happens to that bridge, you’re talking about shutting down the Eastern seaboard of the United States.”
2. “Everybody knew schools weren’t performing … I can’t believe there were people who believed that with as many schools we had failing, that the district was OK.”
3. “For every innocent person that’s in prison, there is a guilty one on the streets, so we need to get the right one.”
4. “These are not the actions of a child.”
5. “We cannot sit back as a community and let innocent people be hurt. These are our children.”
6. “Where’s global warming when you need it?”
7. “Ten years from now, they are going to say, ‘The North Carolina crowd had it right to focus on food and nutrition.”
8. “It’s the fizz. It’s got to be the fizz.”
9. “I feel like I’ve been attending my own funeral.”
10. “It’s a disgrace. … There’s my whimper.”
11. “We’ve got plenty of water. Don’t hold back.”
12. “Start a strawberry festival, see what happens.”
13. “His practice was so Norman Rockwell. … I thought this is how medicine really should be practiced.”
14. “It is my hope that people can find it in their hearts to forgive me.”
15. “Unlike Bill Clinton, I admitted I had sex with the woman.”
16. “In God We Trust.”
17. “The driver looked at me and smiled.”
18. “She is, without question, the voice of the people.”
19. “One success is great, two is nice , but I’ll be OK when I have three.”
20. “We’re still waiting for the Post to sue us from the last time you said we broke the law.”
21. “No group in America pays its own way.”
22. “All the grass is just jumping up and down.”
23. “This is a big fake, evaluators. Go home.”
24. “I didn’t feel this way when I quit.”- – –
1. State Sen. Andrew Brock, talking about the I-85 bridge over the Yadkin River.
2. Former school board chairman Sharon Deal, after the public learns the Rowan-Salisbury School System as a whole had missed making adequately yearly progress for several years.
3. Rowan County District Attorney Bill Kenerly, upon being named to the state’s Innocence Commission.
4. Rowan County District Court Judge Kevin Eddinger, ruling that Christopher Crocker, 16 ó who led a store owner and police on a chase ending in a crash that kills another driver ó will be tried as an adult.
5. Salisbury Mayor Susan Kluttz, pledging a citywide resolve to address gang activity and fight gun violence after the death of 13-year-old Treasure Feamster.
6. Dr. Steve Leath, director of the N.C. State Institute for Advanced Fruit and Vegetable Science, talking about its role at the N.C. Research Campus.
7. Rusty Lowe, after winning a burp contest that was part of Cheerwine’s 90th birthday celebration in May.
8 The Rev. Billy Graham, after former presidents and others praise him at the Billy Graham Library’s opening.
9. Dyke Messinger, after Commissioner Jim Sides says local business leaders should stop whimpering over the news leak about a wind tunnel coming to Rowan.
10. Salisbury City Manager David Treme in June, urging Salisbury water customers to keep using all the water they want, despite a statewide drought.
11. Biker Charlie Saltkeild of Chillicothe, Ohio, on Rowan County’s decision not to renew its contract for the SmokeOut biker rally to be held at the county fairgrounds.
12. Dr. Bill Thompson, remembering the month he spent with Salisbury physician Dr. Myron Goodman while Thompson was on loan here from Wake Forest University’s Bowman Gray Hospital. Thompson was speaking at a roast of Goodman that raised money for Community Care Clinic.
13. The Rev. Coy Privette, after pleading guilty to aiding and abetting prostitution in late August.
14. Privette just a few days later, after refusing to leave post as a Cabarrus County commissioner.
15. Words posted on the Rowan County Administration Building.
16. Kannapolis Officer David Horne, describing Rigo Martinez’ reaction before speeding away and crashing into another vehicle, killing Leeanna Newman and her unborn child.
17. Former mayor Paul Bernhardt, talking about retiring Post columnist Rose Post at the Mayor’s Spirit Luncheon that honored her on Oct. 2.
18. Salisbury native and author John Hart, author of two successful novels set in Rowan County, first “King of Lies” and, in 2007, “Down River.”
19. School board Chairman Bryce Beard, questioned by a reporter about the board’s procedures for going into closed session. After conferring with an attorney later in the week, Beard admitted he was wrong.
20. Dr. James H. Johnson of the University of North Carolina, presenting data on the impact of Hispanics on the state’s economy.
21. Ron Bivens, golf course superintendent at the Country Club of Salisbury, after 3 inches of rain fell in late October.
22. Graffiti left on Boyden High School’s steps 50 years ago by “The Boyden Six” in protest of the school’s preparations for an evaluation team’s visit. During its 50th reunion in October, the class reminisced about the incident and planted a tree to replace one vandalized as part of the protest.
23. Former Food Lion President Tom Smith, on becoming emotional during induction into the company’s Hall of Fame and saying he misses Food Lion’s people.