Tennessee Broadband Association recently featured Catesa Farms in their online newletter as a “Broadband Success Story”. Catesa Farms, located on Dixon Springs Highway in Riddleton is owned by George McDonald and family. They grow over 15 acres strawberries, as well as hundreds more acres of corn, milo (a type of sorghum) soybeans, wheat and watermelons.

In the article, McDonald shares that access to broadband allowed his business to make several improvements especially in the area of communications and social media.

Visit tennesseebroadband.com to see the feature article. The Tennessee Broadband Association is an industry trade organization formed for the purpose of promoting telecommunications service in Tennessee.

The best way to keep up with Catesa Farms and all its fresh, quality products is to like and follow the Catesa Farms LLC Facebook and Instagram pages and @catesafarms on TikTok.

On July 5th, Sgt. Junior Fields stopped a Silver Jeep after checking the vehicle’s speed by stationary radar. Radar indicated that the vehicle was traveling 93 mph in a 70 mph on I-40 near the 262 mile marker traveling eastbound.

Upon stopping the vehicle and speaking to driver Sgt. Fields noticed an odor of marijuana. The driver, Dyllan Reeves was asked to step out of the vehicle. Sgt. Fields spoke to him and inquired about marijuana being present. Reeves indicated that there was nothing illegal was in the vehicle. While speaking to a passenger, identified as Reeve’s 19 year old girlfriend, she was observed trying to hide a vape which she stated was a THC vape.

A second unit was requested, the officers had each of the remaining four passengers exit the vehicle. Upon Sgt. Robbie Woodard arriving on scene Sgt. Fields retrieved a Pittsburgh Steelers drawstring bag from the vehicle which Reeves had stated contained a firearm. Upon searching it a small bag of crystal methamphetamine and a glass methamphetamine pipe inside a sock was found. Also located in the bag was a 9 mm Ruger semi auto pistol.

Reeves stated the drugs and gun belonged to him. He was placed under arrest and transported to the Smith County Jail for processing.

NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency has confirmed a new state record for a blue catfish caught by the same man who held the previous record set just last year. Micka Burkhart landed the huge fish on Barkley Reservoir in Stewart County. It hit the scales at 122 pounds, 3 ounces and was 57.5 inches in length with a girth of 42.5 inches.

Burkhart made the catch June 28. It was certified and the official record process was completed by the TWRA on July 11.

The new record surpasses the previous mark of a 118-pound catfish that Burkhart landed on Barkley Reservoir in September 2022. Burkhart released both of his trophy catches.

Micka Burkhart with the state record blue catfish caught on Barkley Reservoir in Stewart County. He later released the trophy catch as he did his previous record holder.

We all know the farmers’ market is an excellent place for picking up fresh fruits and vegetables. On July 24, in addition to picking up some home-grown tomatoes, you can pick up some research-based knowledge, as well. UT Extension will be at the Smith County Farmers’ Market offering a food demonstration, along with suggestions for selection and storage of the flavorful fruits and vegetables available at the market. This demonstration and outreach are part of a UT Extension program called Farmers’ Market Fresh. The principal objective of the Farmers’ Market Fresh program is to encourage the purchasing of fresh fruits and vegetables at local farmers’ markets.

The best part of the program is that each person who stops by the UT Extension booth will receive a recipe card for the food being demonstrated. The recipe to be featured will depend on what our local farmers have harvested recently. We have had a hot Tennessee summer, so the recipe will not involve standing over a hot stove or oven!

Mark your calendars for Monday, July 24, 2023, from 8-11 a.m. for this tasty and educational event. Of course, plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables will be available for purchase, as well! Hope to see you there!

Pretzel Salad Dessert

Bottom Layer:

2 1/2 cups pretzels, crushed

3 Tablespoons confectioner’s sugar

3/4 stick melted butter

Middle Layer:

8 oz cream cheese

1 cup confectioner’s sugar

9 oz container Cool Whip

Top Layer:

1 large package strawberry Jell-O

2 cups hot water

2 10 oz packages frozen strawberries

Mix ingredients for bottom layer and press into 9 x 12 inch pan. Bake for 12 minutes, then cool. Cream the cream cheese with powdered sugar, adding Cool Whip. (A small amount of milk can be added, if needed.) Spread mixture on top of pretzels and refrigerate. Mix Jell-O with hot water. Add strawberries. Chill, then spread on top. Submitted by Janice Lynch, Grant FCE Club.

By Katie Martin, Smith County Extension Agent

We are excited to once again be hosting our “Home, Farm, & Garden Lunch & Learn” series at the Smith County Chamber of Commerce. Sessions will be held on the first Tuesday of each month in August, September, and October from 12:00 p.m. until 1:00 p.m.

Lunch & Learns are a great opportunity to grab a bite to eat while enjoying an educational talk on the advertised topic. The cost for each session is $5 and can be paid at the door. We do ask attendees to pre-register by calling the UT Extension office at 615-735-2900 by the Friday before the event to give us an accurate headcount for lunch.

The schedule for our upcoming Lunch & Learns is as follows:

· August 1st – Renovating Your Lawn

· September 5th – Cool Season Gardening

· October 3rd – Cool Flowers

We hope you will make plans to join us for a good meal and great speakers!

The Smith County Republican Party has called a county primary to be held March 5, 2024, the same day as the Presidential Preference Primary. The County Republican Primary will include all county offices that will be on the August 2024 General Election Ballot. The Smith CountyDemocratic Party has chosen not to have a primary for the county offices. As a result, the only Democrat candidates listed on the March ballot will be for President.

This will be somewhat different than the past county election in 2022 when both political parties decided to hold a primary, a move that was a departure from a longstanding history in Smith County of all local candidates running as an Independent and not under a party label. With the Republican Party calling a primary and the Democratic Party deciding not to have a primary, all local candidates on the August 2024 ballot will be listed either as a Republican nominee or an Independent.

While the August 2024 election is more than a year away, candidates need to be aware of a qualifying deadline that is in this 2023 calendar year. Under state law, if one party calls a primary, all candidates must qualify at the same time, including Independent candidates.

Persons interested in running for a county office in 2024 will have a qualifying deadline of Noon, December 14, 2023. The first day petitions will be available is October 16, 2023. Persons wishing to run as a Republican or Independent candidate will qualify at the same time, although Independent candidates will not have their name listed on the March primary ballot.
Independent candidates will face the March Republican winner in the August General Election.

The offices currently subject to the March primary are Assessor of Property, Road Superintendent, County Commission to fill unexpired terms in Districts 1, 3, and 6, and School Board members (Districts 1, 2, 5 and 7). Road Superintendent candidates will have an additional earlier filing due November 30, 2023 with the Tennessee Highway Officials Certification Board.

With the Republican party holding its local primary with the Presidential Preference Primary in March, the state will bear most of the cost of the election instead of the county. At the present time, city offices are exempt from primaries and will not be included in the March election. Qualifying deadlines for city elections will fall a few months later in 2024.

Carthage, TN – Riverview Regional Medical Center recently announced that Flo Agee has been recognized as the facility’s 2023 Mercy Award winner. The Mercy Award recognizes one employee from each of Lifepoint Health’s facilities who profoundly touches the lives of others and best represents the spirit and values on which the company was founded.

The Mercy Award is an annual recognition program that honors the life and contributions of Scott Mercy, Lifepoint’s founding chairman and chief executive officer. The award is considered the highest honor a LifePoint employee can receive.

“At Riverview Regional Medical Center, we share Lifepoint’s commitment to making communities healthier, and we recognize this is supported by the good work and service of our employees on and off the job,” said Carolyn Sparks, CEO of Riverview Regional Medical Center. “We are extremely proud to recognize Flo Agee for her efforts on behalf of our patients and our community. She takes ownership of employee engagement and wellness throughout the facility over and beyond what her job duties require.”

Flo Agee is the Executive Assistant/ Director of Volunteer Services at Riverview Regional Medical Center. She has worked with the hospital for five years and has made a lasting impact on her fellow co-workers and community. Flo is known to come into work on weekends to provide staff with treats. She brings lunch to staff members who have had a busy day and makes sure everyone is cared for. Flo is compassionate to the volunteers at Riverview Regional Medical Center. Flo checks up on volunteers who are out sick and prioritizes their health and safety. She took breakfast to a volunteer who lives alone every day when he was out sick. Flo is also very involved in the Carthage community. She is an active member of her church and is the secretary of the local Rotary Club. Flo is a dedicated member of the Riverview Regional Medical Center family by planning employee encouragement activities, such as an Easter Egg Hunt around the hospital. She is committed to helping others and has been a great leader in our facility.

Each facility winner, including Flo Agee, will be considered for Lifepoint’s 2023 companywide Mercy Award. The companywide winner will be announced this summer and honored during a ceremony in Nashville, Tenn., in August.

About Riverview Regional Medical Center

A part of LifePoint Health, Riverview Regional Medical Center (RRMC) is a 35-bed critical access hospital in Carthage, Tennessee. RRMC provides general medical and surgical care, 24-hour emergency services (including an accredited chest pain center), skilled nursing, psychiatric services, childbirth and geriatric care to residents of Smith and surrounding counties. Riverview Regional Medical Center is a facility of HighPoint Health System. To learn more, call 615-735-1560 or visit MyRiverviewMedical.com.

On July 10, 2023, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation released its annual report detailing the crime statistics for the ninety-five counties of Tennessee. Upon receipt of the information, District Attorney General Jason Lawson released these crime statistics to each county, including a comparison of these crime statistics to the prior year.

Smith County saw reductions in the number of robberies, domestic violence cases, sex crimes, aggravated assaults, vehicle thefts, and fraud cases. Smith county saw increases in drug crimes and DUIs.

“Overall, I am pleased with the statistics from this year. Improvement was made in key areas,” said Lawson.

Lawson also cautioned about the interpretation of certain statistics.

“We do have to factor in the apprehension rate. For crimes like aggravated assault there is a very high detection and apprehension rate due to medical treatment. The same is not true in crimes like drugs and DUI, which are more covert in nature. Law enforcement does not detect and apprehend one hundred percent of drug and DUI offenders. So higher numbers in these areas could reflect that crime actually increased, or it could reflect that law enforcement detected and apprehended more drug and DUI offenders last year then we did the year before,” said Lawson.

The most disturbing trend Lawson noted was that fraud crime cases remained constant. Fraud crime saw 27 cases in 2021 to 26 cases in 2022.

“The fraud numbers remain way too high,” stated Lawson. “This crime is particularly difficult to apprehend and prosecute because many of the persons committing these crimes are not based in the United States, which makes solving the crime and prosecuting the individuals extremely difficult.”

Lawson said that the key to avoiding and reducing this crime is for victims to engage in protecting themselves. “People should not trust any unsolicited contact, whether by telephone or email or text. If people want to verify that a situation is real, they should get a telephone number from a completely independent source and make the call themselves to verify the legitimacy. Scammers are after money, gift cards, or personal information. And never trust a telephone number or website link provided by the person who contacted them first.”

Still, Lawson has hope. “I believe that one of the great improvements that we will see in the future of law enforcement will be technological advancements that will create a greater ability to track fraudulent transactions and solicitations back to their source. I still believe that there will need to be greater international cooperation in this area to be effective in preventing future fraud, but solving the cases themselves will be an important first step.”

“It is a credit to our law enforcement agencies that our numbers remain so low,” said Lawson, “While we wish that the numbers were zero in every area, anytime you have this many people living together, some are going to choose to break the law. That is why it is important for us to consider these numbers and trends each year to evaluate the areas where we are making progress and find those areas where there is still work to do. In the end, it is all about increasing public safety.”

Graphic Packaging International in Gordonsville is currently hiring for multiple production positions. They offer a competitive salary and benefits package.

According to their website Graphic Packaging International, produces the paper cup that held your coffee this morning, the basket that transported those bottles of craft beer you enjoyed last weekend, and the microwave tray that heated your gourmet meal last night. They are one of the largest manufacturers of paperboard and paper-based packaging for some of the world’s most recognized brands of food, beverage, foodservice, household, personal care and pet products.

With almost 25,000 employees working in more than 130 locations worldwide, they strive to be environmentally responsible in the industry and in the communities where we operate. We are committed to workplace diversity and offer compensation and benefits programs that are among the industry’s best to reward the talented people who make our company successful.
If this sounds like something you would like to be a part of check out their website at career.graphicpkg.com.

The 2023 Mr. and Miss Baby Fairest of the Fair Pageants were held at the Smith County Fair on Saturday , July 8, 2023. The pageants were divided into three divisions include boys and girls from each of the age ranges 0-6 months, 7-15 months and 16-23 months.

Three boys 0-6 months participated. The photo above includes the Mr. Baby Fairest of the Fair (0-6 months) Winner in the center Deacon James McKinney. 1st Runner Up, Henry Dickerson is on the left and 2nd Runner-up Ashton Key is on the right. Deacon James McKinney also won Most Photogenic.

Two girls 0-6 months participated. The photo below includes Miss Baby Fairest of the Fair (0-6 months) Winner Hadley Hopkins (left) and Shelby Jordan Baker (right). Hadley Hopkins also won Peoples Choice.

Harrison “Boone” Hackett (pictured below) was awarded the title of Mr. Baby Fairest of the Fair (6-15 months).

Three girls participated in the 6-15 months division (photo below). The Miss Baby Fairest of the Fair (6-15 months) Winner was Hattie Lynn Warden. 1^st Runner-up was Scarlett Candler and 2^nd Runner-up was Trinity Davis. Hattie Lynn Watson won Most Photogenic. Trinity Davis won Peoples choice .

Three boys participated in the 16-23 month division. The Mr. Baby Fairest of the Fair (6-15 months) Winner was Logan James Inman. 1^st Runner up was Lukas Ray Thomas and 2^nd Runner up was Levi McPherson.

Three girls participated in the 16-23 month division. The Miss Baby Fairest of the Fair (6-15 months) Winner was Kollins Piper Long. 1^st Runner-up was Rosalyn Pearl Horton. 2^nd Runner-up was Josie Powell and 3^rd Runner-up  was Tallie Miller. People’s Choice & Most Photogenic were awarded to Rosalyn Pearl Horton.

Check out the July 2023 edition of the Smith County Chamber Corner Show!

This month’s show features local businesses, community organization and events going on in and around Smith County.

If you would like to promote your event or local business on the Smith County Chamber Corner Show, contact the Smith County Chamber of Commerce by calling 615-735-2093 today. 

Watch the full show below, or catch it on DTC3 TV.

On June 3rd, Sgt. Junior Fields along with Sgt. Robbie Woodard and Deputy Levi Grigg went to 69 Dixon Springs Circle Dixon Springs TN. 37057 to attempt to locate Mrs. Lynn M Kenyon who had an active warrant for theft over $1000 and false report. Upon arrival contact was made with Mrs. Kenyon who was advised she was under arrest. She retrieved her shoes and sat down to put them on. Sgt. Fields inquired about anyone else or drugs being present in the home at which she stated no one else was present and immediately requested that the officers exit.

Mrs. Kenyon was given her Miranda Warning after she produced two small bags of marijuana from her pockets. Sgt. Fields requested consent to search the residence at which she stated she did not have a key to get in and smiled. She then stated that she did not know her door code and that she usually uses her key. She stated that no one else was present in the residence at this time to let them back in. Officers observed a code lock on. the door and no key access.

After obtaining a search warrant Sgt. Fields returned to the residence. The search warrant was served at which time entry into the residence was made through an unlocked side door.Deputy Grigg located Mr. Eddie Walker sitting in the living room. Walker was known to have current bond conditions due to pending Domestic Assault charges with Mrs. Kenyon being the victim.

Upon searching the residence two small bags of meth weighing 3.6 GM each for a total of 7.2 GM. were located in the living room along with two glass meth pipes. Three additional glass methamphetamine pipes, a marijuana grinder, six bags of hypodermic syringes, and a marijuana pipe were located in the bedroom.

Upon speaking to them after being advised of their miranda warning Mr. Walker and Mrs. Kenyon each stated the drugs belonged to the other one thus they both were transported to the Smith County Jail for processing.

The 2023 Smith County Fair Apple Pie Contest had a successful second year. Bakers could enter their pies featuring a Traditional Double Crust. The pies were judged on Overall Outside appearance, internal characteristics and flavor.

Winners got bragging rights and great prizes. Wildwood Resort and Marina sponsored the event. Owners Natasha and John Deane are pictured with the winners. They are excited to announce the addition of a homemade ice cream contest to be added next year.