The University of Tennessee/Tennessee State University Extension Smith County partnered with the Smith County Health Department to offer Walk Across Tennessee in Smith County again in 2025. Walk Across Tennessee is a program that persuades and motivates people of all ages to make that most important change . . . to get started exercising.

Teams of eight worked towards the goal of walking, biking, swimming, etc. “across Tennessee” from Bristol to Memphis. Ten teams “walked” the distance of Tennessee, a little over 500 miles! This eight-week program concluded on June 29.

Thank you to our wonderful Walk Across Tennessee program sponsors: DTC, Smith County Drug Center, Citizens Bank, Sanderson Funeral Home, Highpoint Health Riverview with Ascension Saint Thomas, Hackett’s Discount Drugs, Wilson Bank and Trust, Community Wellness Alliance Smith County Drug Prevention, Smith County Bank, Farm Bureau, and Smith County Health Department. Because of our sponsors’ donations, each participant received a Walk Across Tennessee t-shirt. The Smith County Health Department sponsored first and second place winners’ prizes, and DTC also sponsored various prizes.

The teams for this year’s Walk Across Tennessee program were: The Golden Girls, Night Owls, Mean Machine, Pickleball Divas, Fast & Furious, Step By Step and Extension Sole Steppers.

Our third-place team, Night Owls, finished with 1,776.5 miles! Members included Janice Fox, Teresa Kemp, Myrna Huffines, Terri Dillehay, Connie Dyer, Lisa Price, Martha Hesson, and Leann Allison Lavender. Our second-place team, Golden Girls, completed a total of1,890 miles! Members included Marilyn Shumake, Sharon Winfree, Joann Caamano, Jenny Givens, Tracey Martin, Jeanette Massey, Jan Johnson, Teresa Gentry. Our first-place team, Pickleball Divas, crossed the finish line with a total of 2,272 miles! Members included Mary Leslie Wakefield, Connie East, Marcie Mofield, Janice Wilmore, Randy Wakefield, Joann James, Diana Pierce, and Christopher Pierce.

Congratulations to all the teams for completing this eight-week journey! You all made a huge accomplishment!

This year’s awards are as follows:

· First, second, and third place teams

· Marilyn Shumake for being Most Outstanding Team Captain

· Most Enthusiastic Team to Step by Step (Kevin Alsteens, Jessica Tubbs, Briana Hallums, David Farmer, and Susan Martin.)

· Most Creative Team Name to Mean Machine (KJ Kitchens, Amanda Bryson, Lindsey Gull, Rachel Smith, Michael Railling, Ashlyn Carlisle, and Cindy Garmon.)

If you are interested in competing in the Walk Across Tennessee program next year, please contact Mary Parker Draper at the UT/TSU Extension office at 615-735-2900.

Layered Mexican Dip

Step 1

8 oz lite cream cheese (softened)

Taco mix – small amount to taste (1-2 teaspoons)

Stir these 2 things together for the 1st step for bottom layer

Step 2

1 can refried beans, put on top of 1st step

Step 3

8 oz sour cream, put on top of 2nd step

Step 4

1 small jar of Picante sauce (salsa), put on top of 3rd step

Step 5

1 finely chopped tomato and 1 bunch chopped green onions, put on top of 4th step

Step 6

2 cups finely shredded cheddar cheese, put on top of 5th step for your top layer.

Layer ingredients in step order. Serve with tortilla chips. You can put your layer on a round glass dish or a Pyrex 9 x 13 dish. You can make this the night before and put in refrigerator.

Submitted by: Judy Long, Gordonsville FCE Club

The countdown to a new school year has begun as Smith County teachers return to school on Tuesday, July 29, 2025. While students still enjoy their summer break, educators across the county will be back in classrooms, preparing for a fresh academic year filled with learning, growth, and new opportunities.

To help kick off the school year with encouragement and appreciation, the Smith County Board of Education is collecting door prizes for teachers to be given out as a special surprise during their first day back. Several generous individuals and businesses have already stepped up to donate, but there’s still time for others to join in!

If you or your business would like to participate in showering our teachers with love and support, donations of door prizes will be accepted now through the afternoon of Monday, July 28, 2025, at the Smith County Board of Education.

Door prizes can include anything from gift cards and snacks to school supplies or small gift items—anything that would make a teacher smile as they gear up for the busy year ahead.

In addition to classroom setup and lesson planning, returning staff will take part in meetings, training sessions, and school-wide planning to ensure a smooth and successful start for students. Events like these not only bring energy and enthusiasm to the school community but also remind teachers just how valued they are.

Let’s come together to show our educators that their dedication and hard work don’t go unnoticed.

Mark your calendar: Back to School for Teachers is Tuesday, July 29!

For more information about contributing, please contact the Smith County Board of Education.

Carthage Mayor Steve Babcock recently submitted a formal letter of resignation to the city. His resignation is effective as of August 1.

The City Council agreed Vice Mayor Anthony Hackett will continue serving in the role as acting mayor. Vice Mayor Hackett presided over the May, June and July meetings in the absence of Mayor Babcock, who has been on medical leave.

During the council’s July meeting Thursday night, Vice Mayor Hackett read the mayor’s resignation letter to council members. The brief letter acknowledged his appreciation of the time he was able to serve as the city’s mayor and thanked employees for their work.

The winning entries for the 2025-26 Tennessee Wildlife magazine photo contest have been selected by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and will appear in the annual calendar, starting in August.

TWRA staff selected photographs from a record number of submissions and had the challenge to narrow the entries to 14 photos that will appear in the calendar issue. The other entries will be kept on file and could have the opportunity to appear in future agency publications and on the agency’s website.

The photographers with the selected entries are Lisa Byrd (Rutherford County), Donna Bourdon (Decatur), Peggy GeFellers (Greeneville), Bill Gelsleichter (Crossville), Phillip Grubb (Mascot), Mark Harriman (Germantown), Timothy Loyd (Sumner County), John Mack (Ithaca, N.Y.), Rick McCulley (Rockwood), Becky Ross McRae (Bartlett), Sue Mitchell (Lenoir City), Michael Pachis (Memphis), Houston Reasonover (Lebanon), and Frank Snyder (Athens).

The staff of Tennessee Wildlife congratulates the winners and reminds photographers that if your photo was not chosen, next year’s entry could be a winner. Rules and deadlines for the next Tennessee Wildlife photo contest will be available in future issues of the magazine and on the TWRA website. Photographers will again be invited to submit their best photos on fishing and wildlife species native to the Volunteer State, and fishing and hunting scenes in Tennessee.

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency is responsible for protecting, managing, and conserving fish and wildlife species for the benefit of Tennesseans and visitors. The Agency also maintains public safety through law enforcement and safety education on waterways.

Highpoint Health – Riverview with Ascension Saint Thomas recently announced that Natasha Mullinix, RN in the Critical Care Unit (CCU), has been recognized as the facility’s 2025 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.

Established in 2001, 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 Highpoint Health – Riverview, our caring and compassionate team members are at the heart of advancing our mission of making communities healthier – and Natasha Mullinix is a shining example of this day in and day out,” said Cole Stockton, CEO of Highpoint Health – Riverview. “Her commitment to patients, coworkers, and the broader community is inspiring, and we are honored to recognize her with this well-deserved award.”

Natasha’s journey at Riverview began as a lab tech before she pursued nursing, first earning her associate degree and later a bachelor’s degree in nursing. She is known for her positive attitude, willingness to help in other departments, and eagerness to learn new things. Always encouraging others, Natasha uplifts both patients and fellow staff members with acts of kindness and compassion.

One memorable moment involved a patient who had been in the CCU for several days. Natasha took time to paint the patient’s toenails, which was an act the patient described as feeling truly “pampered” and special. In another example, Natasha organized Christmas presents for a coworker and her children who were going through difficult times. She is also known for leaving thoughtful, encouraging notes for team members throughout the facility.

Each facility winner, including Natasha, will be considered for Lifepoint’s 2025 companywide Mercy Award. The companywide winner will be announced this summer and honored during a ceremony in Nashville, TN., in August.

About Highpoint Health with Ascension Saint Thomas

Highpoint Health is a regional health system dedicated to making communities healthier in Middle Tennessee. It is composed of Highpoint Health – Sumner, a 167-bed hospital in Gallatin; the Highpoint Health – Sumner Station campus in Gallatin; Highpoint Health – Riverview, a 35-bed critical access hospital in Carthage; Highpoint Health – Trousdale, a 25-bed critical access hospital in Hartsville; and in March 2025, Highpoint Health – Winchester and Sewanee (jointly 198 acute and skilled care beds) joined the system as well. Highpoint Health is operated as part of a joint venture between Lifepoint Health and Ascension Saint Thomas. This collaboration brings together the organizations’ clinical excellence, best practices, and talented caregivers to collaborate in new ways that improve access to high quality clinical programs and specialty care for patients and communities. To learn more, visit HighpointHealthSystem.com.

NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Foundation (TWRF) has once again compiled 10 outstanding prize packages for its annual Wildlife Conservation Raffle. Proceeds from the raffle fund important conservation projects such as public land acquisition and habitat management.

Returning is a $50,000 voucher which can be applied to a new vehicle from any Mid-South Ford dealership. For the second year, a Caymas CX-19 Pro boat with a trailer will be available for a lucky winner. 

Other prizes include an Encore RV Camper, Tracker Off Road UTV, an elk tag for the Tennessee Premier Elk Zone, a trophy deer hunting package on President’s Island, waterfowl hunting package on historic Reelfoot Lake, an Outdoor Adventure package featuring a $5,000 Academy + Sports Outdoor gift card, a long-range shooting package, and an American Hunting Blind package. 

Tickets are on sale now through Sunday, Sept. 14 and are available as single tickets for $20, three tickets for $50, and 10 for $100. There is no limit to the number of raffle tickets that can be purchased, and the more tickets purchased, the better opportunity there is of winning one of the packages. Raffle tickets may be purchased online directly at https://wildliferaffle.com/.

Ten winning ticket numbers will be drawn on Tuesday, Sept. 16. The lucky winners will have the opportunity to select their prize in the order that they are drawn. The winners will be announced Sept. 18 via email and on the TWRF website.

TWRF is a non-profit organization, and partner of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) dedicated to promoting habitat conservation, responsible land stewardship, and Tennessee’s hunting and fishing heritage for the benefit of Tennessee sportsmen and women.

—TWRA—

NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission (TWFC) unanimously passed a pair of wildlife proclamations and a boating safety exams permanent rule during a Friday (July 11) meeting at the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency’s Region II Ray Bell Building.

The actions repeal and replace certain license-related provisions in the proclamations passed by the Commission at its April meeting. The first proclamation for wildlife management areas (WMAs), public hunting areas (PHAs), and refuges hunting seasons, limits, and miscellaneous regulations reverts to use of specific WMA license types, including WMA Small Game Permit, WMA Big Game Permit, and WMA Non-Quota Big Game Permit. The Reelfoot Preservation Permit would also be needed in addition to the WMA Permit when applicable. The second proclamation for statewide big game hunting seasons and bag limits adds “Big Game” back into the name of the WMA Permit.

During the rulemaking hearing process, the Commission unanimously passed a permanent rule to comply with a recently passed law that removes the requirement that boating safety exams must be proctored. The hearing was a follow up to the emergency rule passed by the Commission at the April meeting. Additionally, this rule sets the fee of $10 for the Boating Safety Exam Permit and $5 for any replacement from any licensing agent that sells hunting and fishing licenses, which includes TWRA Region Offices and the TWRA online licensing portal.

The next TFWC scheduled meeting is set for Aug. 21-22 and will be held in the Region II Ray Bell Building.

—TWRA—