On Tuesday, April 12, 2022, Smith County Insider will host a Candidate Forum prior to the start of early voting for the May 3 primary election. This event is co-hosted by Smith County Insider and the Smith County Chamber of Commerce.

The Candidate Forum will be live streamed on Smith County Insider’s Facebook page beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday evening April 12 and will be FREE to watch. The forum will not be open to the general public to attend in person, but there will be limited studio audience seating available. Tickets for the studio audience seating will be available for purchase, proceeds will benefit the Smith County Chamber of Commerce with tourism projects in Smith County. Tickets will be available for purchase on March 1 at this link.

All candidates are invited to speak at the candidate forum. Candidates will receive a letter inviting them to the forum once qualifying is over on February 17. A list of candidates that have signed up to speak will be posted at a later date.

Each candidate will have the 3-5 minutes to speak (depending on the number of participants.)

If you or your business is interested in being a sponsor of the forum, please reach out to us at news@smithcountyinsider.com.

This year’s River City Ball will be held on the evening of May 7, 2022 at Catesa Farms.  The event theme is Southern Elegance, think formal derby. Tickets for this year’s River City Ball are available here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2022-river-city-ball-benefiting-the-american-legion-tickets-259907719987

The River City Ball is a fundraising Gala with a mission to support the ongoing efforts of local community projects and organizations who serve to improve the quality of life in Smith County through tourism, preservation, and commerce. Each year applications from community organizations are submitted and reviewed. No members of the organizations who apply are able to serve on the selection committee or be present at the voting on the beneficiary.

This year the American Legion Post 57 was selected to be the beneficiary of funds raised at the River City Ball event. The
American Legion Post 57 exists to enhance the well being of Smith County veterans and their families. They advocate for patriotism and honor, promoting strong national security, and continued devotion to fellow service members and veterans.
They have recently purchased a building on Main Street and invest in programs such as Boys and Girls State, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and assisting veterans and widows of veterans.

The other applicants will also be highlighted at the River City Ball and information will be shared on how the community can help them in the future. Check out the River City Ball Facebook page for more information and to look back at photos from previous River City Ball events. https://www.facebook.com/rivercityball/

The Stephens Center will host “A Night to Sparkle” fundraising event on February 12, 2022, 6-9 p.m. at Duck Pond Manor in Sparta, TN. Tickets to the formal event are $50 and will include dinner, two drinks and dessert. There will be live music, a cash bar and an auction. TIckets can be purchased online at Stephens Center Facebook page or by calling the number on the flyer. https://www.facebook.com/Stephens.Center/

The Carthage location of the Stephens Center is on Upper Ferry Road. The mission of the center is to promote healthy, nurturing families through appropriate home-visiting, parenting classes, and community education programs. The Stephens Center is accredited by both Healthy Families America and the National Exchange Club. The Center is also licensed by the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services. The Exchange Club/Stephens Center provides services to children and parents in Overton, Putnam, Cumberland, DeKalb, Macon, Clay, Pickett, Jackson, Smith, and White Counties.

The Exchange Club/Stephens Center, a non-profit, 501( c )3 family support agency, was established in 1988 by Anna Stephens in memory of her late husband, Holland J. Stephens.  The Center is part of the nationwide network of Exchange Club Centers and receives annual support from the Exchange Clubs of Lake Tansi and Livingston.

The American Red Cross is facing the worst blood shortage in over a decade. Additionally, they have struggled like many other area businesses to maintain sufficient staffing. Every pint matters. Please come and give blood at the Smith County Chamber of Commerce on Monday, February 28, 2022 from 1-6 p.m., 939 Upper Ferry Road, Carthage, TN. You can schedule your appointment by visiting RedCrossBlood.org and entering sponsor code Carthage19. Your pre-donation reading and health questions can be completed using your rapid pass visit RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass.

By Chris Hicks, County Director, – UT Extension Smith County

Many of our educational programs over the years have focused on the production of certain commodities. We’ve had classes on how to raise healthier livestock, field days focused on growing better forage, and seminars on how to control weeds in crops. While these production-focused efforts are important, it is equally important to think about farm management.

Regardless of what commodity you are growing or raising, be it livestock, row crops, fruits and vegetables, or something else, being a good manager will lead to a higher likelihood of success. When I think of farm management, things like recordkeeping, tax planning, and financial statements come to mind. While no farmer I know got into farming because they just absolutely love doing those things, they are nonetheless important to having a profitable, financially sustainable operation.

The Tennessee Master Farm Manager course will focus on solid business principles and efficiently utilizing resources on the farm. The face-to-face sessions will be held at the Smith County Ag Center at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday nights from February 10 – March 8. Registration is $75 for an individual or $100 for a couple and can be paid at the UT Extension office. A complete schedule and enrollment form can be found at smith.tennessee.edu/spring-2022-master-farm-manager/.

The class will focus on farm financial management. Topics to be covered include understanding financial statements, business structure, lending, trade issues, recordkeeping, tax planning, lease agreements, and farm transitioning.

Any agricultural producer, regardless of size or experience level, will benefit from the Tennessee Master Farm Manager program. As an additional benefit, completion of Master Farm Manager satisfies the educational requirement for 50% cost share through the Tennessee Agricultural Enhancement Program (TAEP). Please reach out to me at the UT Extension office at 615-735-2900 if you have questions or would like to sign up.

Join Wilson Bank and Trust for the 2022 Southern Home & Garden Expo and turn your home into your happy place.

This year’s in-person event will be held on Friday, February 11, from 4 – 8 p.m. and Saturday, February 12, from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. at the Farm Bureau Expo Center, located at 945 East Baddour Parkway in Lebanon. Admission is free!

Take advantage of this opportunity to reconnect with familiar faces, meet our exhibitors and lenders, and have the chance to win prizes and giveaways valued at $13,000.

Whether you’re interested in a minor renovation or a major remodeling project, the Southern Home & Garden Expo is the place to go! Join us at this year’s in-person event to connect with local home improvement vendors and get all the insights and inspiration you need to transform your house into your dream home.

For more info, visit their website at https://www.wbthomegardenexpo.com/

UPDATE: 1/16/22 – The cleanup day has been cancelled due to inclement weather. Another date will be set in the spring.

The Keep Smith County Beautiful committee encourages all Smith County residents to make Monday, January 17, 2022, a “day on” instead of a day off. On Martin Luther King Day, the committee is hosting a community volunteer day.

The day will begin at 9:00 a.m. at the Smith County Ag Center located at 159 Ag Center Lane – Carthage, TN. Breakfast will be served.

Volunteers should dress warmly. Gloves and safety vests will be provided.

Community service hours will be verified if needed.

The day will end with lunch at 1:00 p.m.

This is a great family event and an opportunity to be a positive example for youth in the community. 

Join the Keep Smith County Beautiful committee in serving the community through cleanup and beautification!

For more information about the volunteer event, visit Keep Smith County Beautiful’s Facebook page. 

The Gordonsville Church of the Nazarene invites you to come out on December 18th at 6:pm and December 19th at 10am to the “The Mystery of the Kidnapped Keys”.

It is a whodunnit mystery play that the audience will vote on who they think is the guilty party. After the audience has voted the play ends as they feel the guilty party should be. Be prepared to laugh and enjoy a good time of fun as the congregation of Pine Valley Church finds the true purpose of Christmas.
Detective Vic Torious is called to Pine Valley Church by their secretary, Barb Dwyer who reports the church’s historic, antique grand piano missing! Key members of the congregation (aka suspects!) arrive at the request of the detective. Was it Barb Dwyer herself, who may or may not be a piano player and perhaps may want to frame someone else? Or maybe it’s the new pastor, Rev. Oliver Sudden. Little is known about him. Perhaps it was Fred A Delivery, a truck driver who makes deliveries almost daily, or Anne Tickwitty, an antique dealer whose great-grandfather had a connection to the instrument. Savia Money, the frugal church treasurer, has been looking for ways to raise money — was this her idea of a fundraiser? And let’s not forget Jess Churd, the youth group drama team leader who is upset there is no drama in the upcoming Christmas program. After the suspects have been questioned, the audience will cast their votes for the most likely guilty party during intermission. Then the true culprit is revealed.

The Gordonsville Church of the Nazarene is located at 168 Main Street East in Gordonsville, TN.

Once again aCross Tennessee is lighting yards and neighborhoods to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas. This will mark the third year that citizens have participated in this event. No matter what country road you may travel, you are likely to find a brightly lit cross or two anywhere you go here in Smith County. In fact, this event has now grown to reach across the entire state. The official event dates are November 26, 2021 to December 31, 2021. To learn more about the aCross Tennessee cross lighting ministry, visit www.aCrossTenn.com or find them on Facebook at aCross Tennessee. Founder Robin Underwood can also be contacted at 615-489-5921 or by email RobinUnderwood75@gmail.com.

Blade Trader Day, a knife & gun show and swap meet, will take place inside the Smith County Ag Center on Saturday, November 20, 2021. The event will begin at 9:00 a.m. and continue until 4:00 p.m.

Guns and anything with a blade is welcome! There will be tons of pocket knives, fixed blades, guns, coins, currency, and accessories to buy, sell, and trade.

Admission is $5 per person. Each entry ticket gets entered into several door prizes. Concessions will be available, so come hungry!

Click the link to follow the event on Facebook to for more information. Link: https://www.facebook.com/events/294806479126490

If you are interested in being a vendor at Blade Trader Day or if you would like more information about the event, please call or text 615-489-0572 or 615-489-0247. 

Tables are available for rent, $25 for one and $10 for each additional. 

The Smith County Ag Center is located at 159 Ag Center Lane • Carthage, Tennessee 37030.