Kidspace  located at 245 JMZ Drive in Gordonsville, TN recently celebrated joining the Smith County Chamber of Commerce with a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony.

Kidspace is a licensed Child Care Center owned by Jade Dorsam.  Jade was born and raised in Southern Indiana. She graduated from Oakland City University with an Associates in Early Childhood Education and has worked over the past ten years as a teacher and business administrator with children ages 6 weeks-12 years.

She said “As soon as I started as an educator, I fell in love with it. I decided early into my career, I wanted to do as much as I can for families and small communities.”

She knew she wanted to start a child care center but was unsure where to start. While looking around for a director’s position she saw the for sale ad for the former Smith County Childcare Facility Center. Quickly she and her fiancé drove down here for a tour. That weekend we decided to make the move from Indiana. “It was a very quick transition, but we wouldn’t change anything about it” she shared.

She is excited about being a business owner and a part of the Smith County Community. She said she feels like there is unlimited potential in running a business and is excited to have her future in her hands. She acquired the business late Fall 2022 and has worked hard to renovate the building and curriculum.  “Seeing the kiddos smile and knowing how much the families appreciate it, makes all the hard work worth it.” 

In the future she hopes to expand the services provided by Kidspace and open additional facilities.  Access to licensed childcare services is a critical need in Smith County.  Lack of childcare in Smith County has an impact on the ability of parents to maintain adequate employment.  Major Smith County employers also indicate that the limited availability of childcare often impacts hiring and maintaining the employment for families with children and especially for single parents.

KidSpace offers children a loving and interactive child care environment.  They are open 5:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Monday thru Friday.  Children learn social/emotional, basic problem solving, fine/gross motor skills, and so much more through a mixture of creative play and teacher-based curriculum. Jade says “We pride ourselves in allowing children to make their own discoveries!”

For more information check out their website kidspacetn.com or facebook page.

For elderly and disabled people, doctor and hospital visits can be a regular part of life, causing a seemingly never-ending stream of medical bills.

For those with low incomes, even the portion of those bills not covered by Medicare can be unaffordable. Thankfully, a set of programs known as the Medicare Savings Programs offer additional state-administered financial assistance to help cover this shortfall.

Tennessee has three primary Medicare Savings Program tiers, each with different benefits and eligibility rules. Two of them, Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary (SLMB) and Qualifying Individual (QI), are similar in many respects and both cover the Medicare Part B premium of $164.90 a month for outpatient services and doctor visits. A third, Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB), is the most generous and is intended for residents with the lowest incomes. It pays Medicare Parts A and B premiums, the annual deductible ($260), as well as any other coinsurance and copayments.

Some may lose coverage accidentally

A recent change could put some recipients’ Medicare Savings Program benefits at risk. Starting in March 2020, in order to keep as many people as possible insured during the COVID pandemic, the federal government ordered state agencies like TennCare to maintain coverage for anyone receiving assistance, even if they were no longer eligible. As of March 2023, that period of continuous coverage has ended, and TennCare is now in the process of going through its rolls — a total of 1.7 million people — to check every enrollee’s eligibilty.

The last time TennCare went through a full redetermination of its rolls after a long pause was roughly seven years ago. TennCare renewals stopped in 2014 to facilitate implementation of the Affordable Care Act, and resumed in 2016. During that process, we at Legal Aid Society discovered that a lot of older folks on Medicare Savings Programs were losing benefits they should have received. Often, the reasons they lost benefits were procedural — such as missed paperwork, due to changing addresses, or confusion about what they needed to do.

Losing Medicare Savings Program benefits can be bad enough, but it can also cause a domino effect with other benefits a person might be receiving. If a Medicare recipient’s monthly premium isn’t paid by TennCare, it automatically comes out of their Social Security check. To make things even more confusing, there’s typically a lag of a couple of months before that money starts to be taken out — so, for example, if a person loses their Medicare Savings Program benefits in June, they might not even realize anything’s wrong until their August Social Security check is suddenly much lower than expected. Any financial shortfall that large can throw a person’s life into upheaval, putting them at risk of not making rent or being unable to afford food or other essentials.

Get answers about your benefits

While we at Legal Aid Society can assist with fixing this kind of situation, it’s far better for the person involved if it never happens in the first place. That’s why we’re asking Medicare Savings Program recipients to stay alert for any mailed communications from TennCare over the coming year.

If you’re among the Medicare Savings Program recipients who receives a large packet in the mail this year from TennCare, please don’t disregard it. Even if it looks irrelevant or confusing, it could be essential that you fill it out in order to continue receiving benefits. If you have any doubt over whether something you’ve received in the mail is legitimate or not, don’t throw it off to the side — please call us at Legal Aid Society and we’ll help you determine what to do.

To be clear, not everyone is going to receive a packet, so just because you haven’t received one isn’t cause for concern. Some people will be receiving their packets later in the year, and others will have their eligibility automatically renewed without having to fill out a packet at all.

The best way to find out for sure is to call TennCare at 855-259-0701 and ask when you’re going to be up for renewal. TennCare should be able to share your target month for renewal (though these are estimates). If necessary, TennCare can also update your address in its system to ensure any communications get to the right place. If your month of renewal has come and gone without receiving anything, it’s also good to call and check if you’ve been reapproved or if there’s an issue that needs to be sorted out. If you miss your renewal, you still have 90 days to reestablish eligibility in order to avoid a gap in coverage.

How Legal Aid Society can help

If you’ve lost Medicare Savings Program benefits that you should have received, or you’re having trouble determining where you stand, Legal Aid Society offers free legal services for low-income residents across Middle Tennessee. If you think you may qualify, please call us at 800-238-1443 and we’ll do all we can to help.

Article Author – Allison Jones

Allison Jones is a staff attorney in the Nashville office of Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands (LASMTC) practicing in the areas of health, public benefits and special education. LASMTC is Tennessee’s largest nonprofit law firm, offering free civil legal representation and educational programs to help people in its region receive justice, protect their well-being and support opportunities to overcome poverty.

Defeated Creek Marina will host a Flea Market on Saturday, June 3rd from 8am-4pm. There will be over 75 vendors of all sorts. 

Family fun will include face painting, bounce houses, animals and a gellyballz activities for kids. Food trucks and dessert vendors and a lot more will fill the day.

This event is to fund the trunk or treat in October at haunted trail Nightmare on Marina Lane.

Washington, DC—U.S. Representative John Rose voted “Yes” on H.R. 467, the Halt Fentanyl Act, which would permanently classify fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I drugs under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) and allow law enforcement officials to continue seizing them at our borders and in communities across the United States.

The bipartisan legislation passed 289-133.

Rep. Rose released the following statement:

“Without this legislation, homegrown fentanyl would effectively become street legal. Our law enforcement officers would lose their ability to seize this deadly drug in our communities and at the southern border,” Rep. Rose said. “As the number one killer of Americans between the ages of 18 and 49, it’s a no-brainer to permanently criminalize this deadly drug.” 

The current Schedule I designation for fentanyl-related substances is set to expire Dec. 31, 2024, effectively legalizing many variations of the deadly drug, until the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has identified and scheduled each chemical formula individually. As of December 2022, the DEA reported 38 new substances meeting the definition of fentanyl-related substances. By placing all fentanyl-related substances in Schedule 1, H.R. 467 aims to remove the incentive for producers of homegrown or chemically altered fentanyl drugs.

Background:

In 2017, the DEA controlled all fentanyl-related substances in Schedule 1; however, the agency’s emergency scheduling authority only lasts two years. Since then, Congress has passed a series of extensions to maintain the designation.

The CSA places all drugs, substances, and certain chemicals into one of five schedules depending on their acceptable medical use and dependence potential. Schedule 1 drugs are defined as drugs with no current accepted medical use, a high potential for abuse, and have the potential to create severe psychological and/or physical dependance.

In 2022, 109,680 people died from drug overdose. Most of the increases in fentanyl deaths over the last three years are related to illicitly made fentanyl that is being mixed with or without the users’ knowledge. In FY 2023 alone, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) seized over 14,000 pounds of fentanyl coming across the Southwest border—enough to kill 3.1 billion people.

U.S. Representative John Rose is currently serving his third term representing Tennessee’s Sixth Congressional District and resides in Cookeville with his wife, Chelsea, and their two sons, Guy and Sam. The Sixth District includes Cannon, Clay, Cumberland, DeKalb, Fentress, Jackson, Macon, Overton, Pickett, Putnam, Smith, Sumner, Trousdale, Van Buren, and White counties as well as portions of Davidson, Scott, Warren, and Wilson counties. Representative Rose is an eighth-generation farmer, small business owner, and attorney, and currently serves on the House Financial Services Committee and House Agriculture Committee.

Carthage, TN (May 23, 2023) – The stigma surrounding mental illnesses can be reduced when people are made aware of disorders and treatments. During the month of May, and all year-round, Riverview Regional Medical Center aims to raise awareness and bring resources to people who may be struggling with mental illness.

Our population is aging; and aging can have a mental toll on an individual. According to the Pan American Health Organization and World Health Organization, “At least one in four older adults experiences some mental disorder.” Common mental disorders in elderly individuals are anxiety, depression, dementia, sleep disorders, psychosis, behavioral disorders, and more.

“Mental illness can be hard to come to terms with and sometimes seeking help seems like a daunting task,” says Sharon Jendras, MSN, RN, Senior Life Solutions Program Director at Riverview Regional Medical Center and Trousdale Medical Center. The Senior Life Solutions program provides necessary resources to those who are struggling with anxiety and depression.

Jendras says recognizing the symptoms of anxiety and depression is the first step to getting help. Some of those signs can include:

· Loneliness

· Isolation

· Feelings of hopelessness

· Helplessness

· Difficulty sleeping

· Hypersomnolence (excessive daytime sleepiness)

· Decreased Energy

· Loss of a loved one or loss of independence

· Crying spells

· Loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities

· Change in appetite

· Struggling with chronic health conditions

· Struggling with new health diagnosis

· Hypervigilance with health concerns

If you or a loved one is experiencing any of these symptoms, the Senior Life Solutions program can help. This program is an outpatient intensive counseling group assisting elderly people struggling with anxiety or depression. Individual assessments allow our providers to understand every person uniquely and can develop personal connections to all members of the group. The group meets three times per week to provide support and encouragement to one another. Participants can attend these meetings in person or through telehealth.

Another resource for individuals experiencing a sudden loss in cognitive ability or mental health crisis is the Renewal Center. This facility, located in the Riverview Regional Medical Center, is an inpatient treatment center that strives to create a better quality of life for aging individuals by providing a mix of psychological and medical care.

Mental health is important. For more information, call 615. 735.5310 or visit MyRiverviewMedical.com/Renewal or MyRiverviewMedical.com/senior-life-solutions.

About Riverview Regional Medical Center – 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.

During Gordonsville High School’s graduation on Friday, May 19, 2023, the Southside Lions Club presented the Taylor-Wills Memorial Citizenship Award to Mr. Andrew Williams.

Each year, the Southside Lions Club presents this award to commemorate the memory of Joe Taylor and Shannon Wills, two Gordonsville High School graduates who lost their lives during the Vietnam War.

Joe Kenneth Taylor was a 1960 graduate of Gordonsville High School. He died on February 22, 1966, at the age of 24.

Roy Shannon Wills was a 1968 graduate of Gordonsville High School. He died on July 14, 1969, at the age of 19.

The Southside Lions Club established the Taylor-Wills Memorial Citizenship Award to be presented annually to an outstanding member of the Senior Class of Gordonsville High School who possesses the qualities of patriotism, bravery, leadership, citizenship, reverence, friendliness, and a desire to achieve.

Andrew Williams was selected by the Southside Lions Club per recommendations submitted by Gordonsville High School faculty and students.

The award was presented to Mr. Williams by Anthony Apple at Gordonsville High School’s commencement ceremony Friday night.

A familiar face has been the latest addition to the local District Attorney’s Office. Kendra Lankford of South Carthage has accepted a position in the criminal division of the Carthage office. Lankford is a life-long resident of Smith County where she will now work to provide support to criminal prosecutors. She is a graduate of Smith County High School before attending the University of Tennessee Chattanooga where she earned her degree in Criminal Justice.

“We are blessed to have Kendra join our office,” said District Attorney Jason Lawson. “She is very smart and has strong communication and organizational skills. She has a pleasant disposition that will suit her well as the initial person that the public will encounter when they call or come into our criminal division”.

Lankford marks the latest Smith County native to join the DA’s office.

“It was important to me that if I opened an office in Smith County, that office would provide employment opportunities for Smith County residents,” explained Lawson. “I have found some very talented people in Smith County who can enjoy a close workplace and produce quality work for our office.”

Lankford is excited to be the newest member of the DA’s staff.

“I just look forward to doing what I can do to help the DA’s office serve the people of this

Article courtesy of WJLE

Two people escaped serious injury after their single-engine plane went down Sunday afternoon, May 21, in an open field near Old Temperance Hall Road near the Smith/DeKalb County line.

According to DeKalb County Sheriff, Patrick Ray, the pilot was 61-year-old Eric Garrison of Powell, Tennessee and 60-year-old Debbie Cook of Knoxville was the passenger. Garrison sustained a minor injury. Cook was not hurt.

“DeKalb Central Dispatch received a call from the Nashville Approach Air Traffic Control at 2:50 p.m. that stated a plane had gone down around the Old Temperance Hall Road area,” said Sheriff Ray.

“DeKalb EMS, the Smithville-DeKalb County Rescue Squad, the DeKalb County Fire Department, and the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department responded to the Old Temperance Hall Road address,” he continued.

“The pilot said he was flying in a 1966 fixed-wing Piper Cherokee 180 when the engine failed. A witness on the ground in the Old Temperance Hall Road area observed that the plane appeared to be in distress, and he saw it go down. The witness reached the plane on a Side-By-Side and helped get the pilot and passenger out of the plane. He also helped bring emergency personnel to the scene and then returned them all to the roadway,” said Sheriff Ray.

“According to the pilot, he filled up with fuel in Knoxville, flew to Nashville, and was on his way back to the Seymour Airport in East Tennessee when the plane went down in DeKalb County,” he said.

“I want to thank Central Dispatch and the responding agencies that came to help us,” Sheriff Ray concluded.

Summer fun for children and families involves lots of outdoor activities with water sports being the most popular with people young and old.

Children are more at risk for “dry and secondary drowning”. Nearly everyone thinks the risk of drowning ends when their child leaves the water. Not so! According to Mark A. Mitchell, DO, an osteopathic emergency medicine physician from Chicago, danger can exist up to 24 hours after being out of the water.

Dr. Mitchell states that dry and secondary drowning can occur after inhaling water through the nose or mouth. This causes the water to trigger a spasm in the airway causing the airway to close and impact breathing.

According to Dr. Mitchell, symptoms of dry drowning usually occur right after a water incident, but symptoms of secondary drowning can appear hours later.

Watch for these warning signs:

· Trouble breathing

· Coughing

· Sleepiness or a drop in energy level

· Irritability

· Chest pain

· Vomiting

Although dry and secondary drowning are rare, treat this as a medical emergency if symptoms appear. Doctors can tell if the airways are blocked, if water is in the lungs, or if oxygen level is low. The doctor will be able to provide the best treatment.

To help prevent water-related injuries and emergencies, Dr. Mitchell encourages parents and caregivers to:

· Teach water safety, including no diving in shallow waters and only swimming in areas with lifeguards.

· Help your kids learn to swim as early as possible.

· Ensure pools are properly guarded.

· Warn teens of the risk of swimming under the influence of drugs and alcohol.

· Never let children swim alone. Be vigilant when watching them swim or play around large and small bodies of water such as plastic pools or bathtubs.

· Discourage rough play, such as head dunking, in and around water.

Dry and secondary drowning can be prevented. Always be attentive to sudden changes in behavior after your child has been in the water. Be safe and have fun in the water!

Double Chocolate Mocha Delight

1 box brownie mix

4 Tablespoons instant coffee

2 boxes white chocolate instant pudding

1 bag of toffee chips

1 8oz tub Cool Whip

1 3/4 cup milk

Bake brownies as directed and cool. Dissolve coffee in 1/4 cup hot water. Mix pudding and milk. Whisk until it thickens and add coffee, then fold in Cool Whip. Cut up brownies and make a layer. Then layer pudding mix

The Central Region 4-H Clover Bowl Contest was held on May 16, 2023, at Hyder-Burks Ag Pavilion in Cookeville. Three teams of Smith County 4-H’ers competed.

This event tests 4th through 8th grade students on their knowledge of subjects like 4-H, agriculture, government, life skills, science, and Tennessee history. The Clover Bowl consists of three- or four-member teams competing in a double elimination, quiz bowl-style tournament format. 41 teams from 15 Middle Tennessee counties competed.

Members of the 4th grade team were Clay Driver, Aubrey Hicks, Charlotte Driver, and Marshall Taylor. Representing 7th grade was Alex Asbury, Everett Keys, Joshua Massey, and Noah Massey. The 8th grade team was made up of Marshall Apple, Julion Dillon, Noah Smith, and Eric Shaw.

Each of these teams studied for weeks, putting time and effort into this contest, and they represented Smith County 4-H exceptionally well against some tough competition! We would especially like to thank Mrs. Jill Huddleston and Ms. Amanda Thompson of Forks River Elementary for helping organize these teams!

For further information relating to any of the many 4-H activities, events, and projects, please contact Katie Martin in the Smith County office of the University of Tennessee Extension at 615-735-2900.

The 4-H Youth Development Program delivers programs through cooperative efforts of the University of Tennessee, Tennessee State University, and public and private sector volunteers. 4-H educational programs are offered to all youth, grades 4-12, on an age-appropriate basis, without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or disability.