With just 5 days until the November 15, 2024 mentor recruitment deadline,  4 volunteers are urgently needed in Smith County. With a record 67,000+  students applying for the TN Promise scholarship, mentors are needed to ensure each student has local support in their pursuit of a post-secondary credential.

tnAchieves mentors serve as a resource and encourager for local high school graduates as they navigate the process of applying to college. Many TN Promise applicants are first-generation college students trying to navigate the challenges of the college-going process. Mentors answer questions and connect students with resources as they determine their post-high school plans.

Those interested in helping Smith County graduates take the next step into college and career are encouraged to volunteer as a tnAchieves mentor in 2025. To learn more and register, visit https://tnachieves.org/mentors. The deadline to register is this Friday, November 15.

While the time commitment may seem small, requiring less than one hour per month, the impact can be significant!

“tnAchieves is working to prepare Tennessee’s future workforce, which is only possible when Smith County thrives,” Shared tnAchieves Vice President of External Partnerships Tyler Ford. “By connecting students with high-quality post-secondary pathways to four year universities, community colleges and technical colleges, students gain the skills necessary to access a meaningful career. Mentors play a critical role in ensuring that students can meet 21st-century workforce demands.”

tnAchieves is a 501(c)3 nonprofit serving students across Tennessee. Learn more at tnAchieves.org and by following at @tnAchieves. Any interview requests, questions or updated mentor recruitment numbers in specific counties can be directed to Tyler Ford at Tyler@tnAchieves.org.

The 2024 statewide muzzleloader/archery season for deer opens in Tennessee on Saturday, Nov. 9 and continues through Friday, Nov. 22 in all six of Tennessee’s deer hunting units. Muzzleloader season traditionally opens the third Saturday before Thanksgiving.

The statewide bag limit for antlered bucks is two. In Units 1, 2, and 3 there is an antlerless bag limit of three per day, and a limit of two antlerless for this season in Units 4, 5, and 6. The bag limit may only be exceeded as part of the Earn-A-Buck program or as replacement buck in a CWD positive county.

During season setting, new hunting units were implemented for this season. Hunters should refer to the 2024-25 Tennessee Fishing, Hunting and Trapping Guide for specific information about their hunting unit.

Tennessee’s statewide gun season for deer opens the Saturday before Thanksgiving, which falls on Nov. 23. The season for gun/muzzleloader/archery will run through Jan. 5, 2025. Archery equipment is legal during muzzleloader and gun seasons. Muzzleloaders are legal during gun season.

It seems stores are starting earlier and earlier with their deals and promotions for the holidays. Personally, I do my holiday shopping year-round. Once I see something that reminds me of an individual on my list, I either purchase it at a good price or keep an eye on it to buy at a better price when on sale. I make sure I write it on a list so I do not forget about it, and then store the item until it is time for the holidays; that way I do not feel pressured to buy in a designated time frame. Even with planning, purchasing, and packing ahead of time; there may be items that I forget to budget for holiday expenses.

“One reason it’s hard to budget for the holidays is that there are many expenses we may simply forget about,” says Christopher T. Sneed, UT Extension consumer economics specialist and assistant professor. “The holiday season is busy, and some costs that we wouldn’t normally think about can add up quickly, which means budgeting is even more important. We want to avoid debt, stick to our shopping plan, and enjoy the holidays without derailing our financial goals.”

Sneed has identified several areas that may become costly if they don’t make it into the holiday budget.

Extra Transportation Costs and Meals Out

Hidden expenses associated with holiday shopping may include extra fuel or other transportation costs while going from one shopping site to another or while making out-of-town shopping trips and meals during these trips. If shoppers plan an entire day of shopping, it’s likely they will need to eat at least one meal out. If multiple shopping trips are planned, then these food dollars can quickly add up. To reduce both travel costs and food costs, plan for one to two shopping days and no more. While shopping, purchase a few small gifts, like chocolates or other consumables, for anyone you may have inadvertently left off your shopping list. Reducing trips will limit transportation and food costs but it will also decrease the chances of buying more gifts than necessary.

Holiday Decorations

Holiday décor is another expense that is often forgotten. As more and more elaborate decorating styles become popular each year, the costs associated with decorating for the holidays add up. Sneed suggests adding holiday color to items you already have at home in order to achieve a festive feeling without the expense and trouble of purchasing and storing items that are only used a few weeks of the year. Greenery from around the home, such as pine, cedar, and holly, can also be brought indoors to unify décor both inside and outside and add flair to holiday decorations with minimal or sometimes no cost.

Taxes and Gift Wrap

Be sure to include taxes in budgets for individual gifts. In most areas of Tennessee, the sales tax rate is 9-10 percent, and a good strategy is to always purchase gifts with tag prices adequately under the limits you’ve set to allow for tax. So, if you have $20 budgeted for a gift, the tag price needs to be around $18 in order to stay under budget. Sales tax can quickly add up, tanking your budget without adding any value to your gifts. Paying extra for gift wrapping in the store is also a tempting add-on that can quickly derail a solid gift budget. Purchasing gift wrap after the holidays when it’s on sale for next season’s gifts can reduce costs, as can reusing holiday-themed gift bags. Alternative gift wraps, like reusing newspaper, tissue paper, paper grocery bags turned inside out, or fabric scraps are also popular ways to eliminate the cost of gift wrap and ribbons.

Unexpected or Last-Minute Gifts

Finding a gift last minute for someone inadvertently left off your list can be an expensive hassle, both in terms of time and money. And an invitation to a holiday gift exchange or holiday party where a white elephant gift exchange may occur is easy to forget in the busyness of the season. With all this in mind, it’s a good idea to wrap a few generic items, like books, bath soaps, or restaurant gift cards, as contingency gifts just in case. These items can serve as decoration until they are needed, and if they last through the holidays, unwrap them and celebrate all the decorations being put away.

Extra Groceries and Food

It’s easy to underestimate the amount of baking ingredients, turkey and fixings, and other holiday meal needs can increase your spending. Generally, food expenses for a family can quickly jump 20 percent or more during the holiday season. While extra ingredients or dishes make a meal festive and special, they are often pricey at the supermarket. Food items are also typically overlooked when planning holiday spending. Begin to look at your holiday calendar now and add a couple items to your weekly grocery trip to spread costs out over several weeks. Also watch for sales as grocery stores stock up on popular items, like pumpkin or brown sugar, and purchase when costs are lower.

Through its land-grant mission of research, teaching and extension, the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture touches lives and provides Real. Life. Solutions. utia.tennessee.edu.

Praline Topped Sweet Potatoes

2/3 cup butter, softened and divided

2 (14 ½ oz) cans mashed sweet potatoes

¾ cup sugar

2 large eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup light brown sugar

½ cup flour

1 cup chopped pecans

Combine 1/3 cup butter and next 4 ingredients, stirring well; pour into a buttered 8 x 8-inch baking dish. Combine remaining 1/3 cup butter, brown sugar, flour, and chopped pecans, stirring until crumbly. Sprinkle over potato mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Submitted by: Karen Hubbard, Carthage FCE Club.

A routine traffic stop in Smith County led to the arrest of a passenger after methamphetamine and prescription drugs were found in the vehicle. The incident took place in the early morning hours of September 26, when Sgt. Junior Fields pulled over a 2005 Silver Dodge Dakota.

During the stop, Sgt. Fields spoke with the driver, Hurbert Zile, who disclosed that he was on parole. This information prompted the officer to search the vehicle, uncovering drug paraphernalia and illegal substances.

Among the items discovered were digital scales typically associated with drug distribution. Officers also found 2 grams of crystal methamphetamine concealed behind the glove box, along with 6 Gabapentin pills and 2 Suboxone pills. A marijuana pipe was located in the purse of the passenger, Rebecca Bolden.

Bolden admitted to hiding the methamphetamine and pills behind the glove box before the vehicle was stopped. She was subsequently arrested and taken to the Smith County Jail for processing.

The drugs were submitted to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation for further analysis.

The charges and allegations referenced in this release are merely accusations of criminal conduct and not evidence. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and convicted through due process of the law.

On October 10th, an overdose response in Smith County on Sunday led to the arrest of two individuals after law enforcement discovered methamphetamine, fentanyl, and firearms at a residence on Hartsville Pike in Carthage, Tennessee.

Sgt. Junior Fields, along with Sgt. Robbie Woodard and Deputy Burl Johnson, responded to a call about an overdose in progress at 268 Hartsville Pike. Upon arrival, they found Amber Martin in a shared bedroom with Matthew O. Gregory. Smith County EMS had already administered Narcan to Martin, who was awake and speaking when officers arrived.

During the initial investigation, Sgt. Fields observed burnt tin foil on the bed, a common indicator of drug use. This wasn’t Martin’s first encounter with authorities, as she had previously been arrested for methamphetamine possession and admitted to past overdoses. When asked about her last overdose, she stated it had been “a while.”

While EMS was attending to Martin, a paramedic pointed out that a methamphetamine pipe was visibly pushing against her shirt in the bra area. Sgt. Fields instructed her to retrieve it, and she complied, placing the pipe on a nearby chair.

Further investigation revealed a THCA dab pen box on the bed. Upon opening the box, officers found a small bag of crystal methamphetamine, a separate bag containing 0.4 grams of fentanyl, and a tied-off bag containing methamphetamine pipe scrapings.

When officers requested consent to search the property, Gregory refused, prompting law enforcement to obtain a search warrant. Once the warrant was secured, a thorough search of the property uncovered a variety of illegal substances and firearms, including 18 grams of marijuana, 2.5 grams of crystal methamphetamine, three glass methamphetamine pipes, rolling papers, and two bags of baggies commonly used for drug distribution.

Additionally, officers discovered two firearms: a 7mm Spanish Mauser rifle and a Remington Model 512 .22-caliber gun.

Amber Martin and Matthew O. Gregory were arrested and transported to the Smith County Jail for processing. The drugs and paraphernalia were submitted to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations for analysis.

The charges and allegations referenced in this release are merely accusations of criminal conduct and not evidence. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and convicted through due process of the law.

A home visit by the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services (DCS) resulted in the arrest of a couple in Smith County after authorities found methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia in their home. Their five-year-old child has since been placed in DCS custody.

The incident occurred on September 26, 2024, when Sgt. Junior Fields from the Smith County Sheriff’s Department joined DCS to investigate a report of a child exposed to drugs. Upon arriving, they spoke with the child’s mother, Chelsey Morgan, who was leaving to pick up her child from school. During her absence, officers spoke with Gary Greer, who also lived in the residence.

Greer confessed that Morgan had recently used methamphetamine and informed the officers about the presence of drug paraphernalia in the home. When Morgan returned, she corroborated his claims regarding the items in the house.

A search of the residence uncovered four baggies of crystal methamphetamine, including one weighing 2.3 grams, easily accessible on the bathroom sink. Authorities also found a loaded syringe containing methamphetamine and an uncapped syringe with blood, raising serious concerns about the child’s safety.

Both Greer and Morgan were arrested and taken to the Smith County Jail for processing. During a subsequent interview with DCS, the child revealed that both adults had been using drugs in the bathroom, further linking the discovered narcotics to the situation.

The child was taken into protective custody, and the methamphetamine was sent to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations for analysis.

The charges and allegations referenced in this release are merely accusations of criminal conduct and not evidence. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and convicted through due process of the law.