The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) will fully close the Rome – Highway 70 (SR 24) bridge over Round Lick Creek in Smith County for repairs over the next two weekends.

Mid-State Construction crews will shut down the bridge to all traffic starting Friday, September 6th at 6 p.m. until Monday, September 9th at 6 a.m. The bridge will also be closed the following weekend, from Friday, September 13th at 6 p.m. to Monday, September 16th at 6 a.m.

This closure is necessary to repair damaged steel in the overhead truss.

During both closures, the following detours will be in effect:

• Westbound traffic to Carthage: Detour via Sparta Pike to I-40 East to SR 53.
• Eastbound traffic to Lebanon: Detour via SR 53 to I-40 West to Sparta Pike.

Travelers should plan for extra travel time due to the detours.

Please note that all work is weather-dependent. Drivers are reminded to slow down and move over in work zones. Tennessee’s Move Over Law, enacted in 2006, carries penalties of up to 30 days in jail and a maximum fine of $500 for violations.

For the latest updates on construction and traffic, visit the TDOT SmartWay map at TDOT SmartWay or call 511 for travel information.

On August 22nd, the Smith County High School Lady Owls Soccer Team hosted 2A Goodpasture Christian. With several players sidelined due to illness, the Lady Owls struggled but fought hard throughout the match. Despite their efforts, they suffered a loss, with the team’s only goal scored by Aubrey Felice, assisted by Kiley Jenkins. This game marked the end of their home games for the next three weeks. Their next match was scheduled for August 27th, the District opener at Cannon County.

In their District debut at Cannon County, the Lady Owls faced a physically demanding game but emerged victorious with a 4-0 win. Goalkeeper Catie Belle McCarter, supported by a solid defensive line, kept a clean sheet. Aubrey Felice scored the first goal with a penalty kick and later added a second goal, assisted by Kiley Jenkins. Aubree Spain contributed the third goal, with an assist from Felice, and Kiley Jenkins sealed the win with a free kick.

On August 29th, the Lady Owls traveled to 2A Greenbrier for a scorching game, both in terms of temperature and intensity. The Lady Owls displayed remarkable focus and drive, securing an impressive 8-1 victory. Aubrey Felice scored the opening goal, marking her 100th career goal as a Lady Owl, with an assist from Addie Cripps. She went on to score twice more, with assists from Matty Walker and Kiley Jenkins. Kiley Jenkins added the fourth goal with an assist from Aubree Spain, then converted a penalty kick for the fifth goal. Felice scored her fourth goal, and 103rd overall, with an assist from Makenzie Turner. Freshman Lexie White scored the seventh goal with an assist from Turner, and Aubree Spain wrapped up the scoring, assisted by White. This team, from the seasoned Seniors to the promising Freshmen, has shown remarkable talent and determination. Be sure to come out and support them!

The Lady Owls will face York Institute in a District match on September 3rd, and from September 6th to 8th, they will travel to Gatlinburg for the Smoky Mountain Cup Tournament. (article and photo submitted by Vivian Schaffers)

Middle Tennessee archery hunters who want to hone their skills prior to the upcoming deer hunting season have options. The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) maintains and partners in several archery ranges in the mid-state area for sportsmen to utilize.

TWRA archery ranges are located at Cheatham WMA Firing and Archery Range, the Montgomery County Shooting Complex, and the Stones River Hunter Education Center. Information and fees for each of these ranges can be found in the Tennessee Fishing, Hunting and Trapping Guide at tnwildlife.org.

The TWRA also partners with local municipalities and parks to provide opportunity for archers in Williamson, Maury, and Dickson Counties.

The archery range at Yanahli Park in Maury County has been open for two years. TWRA partnered with Maury County Parks to build this ADA compliant archery range at Yanahli Park located in Columbia, TN at 922 Iron Bridge Road. The range features eight shooting stations, a concrete shooting platform and walkway to access targets from 15 to 50 yards. No broadheads are allowed. The range is open during park hours, and there is no cost to access the range. Coordinates to the range are: 35.60661, -86.99332.

TWRA and Montgomery Bell State Park partnered to create a target archery range on park property. The range features eight stations allowing archers to shoot from 20 to 50 yards in a wooded setting. No broadheads are allowed on the range. The range is open during park hours and there is no cost to access the range. Montgomery Bell State Park is located at 1020 Jackson Hill Road, Burns, TN. The visitor center phone is 615-797-9052.

To find the archery range continue past the visitor center on Jackson Hill Rd. Coordinates to the range are: 36.0814096, -87.2750781.

The Ag Expo Archery Park at the Williamson County Ag Expo serves Franklin and the surrounding area. The archery range was constructed in a partnership between the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and Williamson County in 2013. The range features 10 stations, ranging in distance from 10 to 60 yards and is open during daylight hours. Arrows equipped with broadheads are not allowed, and there is no cost to access the range. The Ag Expo Archery Park is located at 4201 Long Ln, Franklin, TN. Coordinates to the range are: 35.8604667, -86.8242843.

The traditional opening date for the statewide archery season is the fourth Saturday in September. This year, it falls on September 28, 2024.

Nothing marks the end of summer in my mind quite like the Tennessee State Fair. I believe there is no better way to gear up for going back into the classrooms with 4-H than with some good old-fashioned fair food! Since the Tennessee State Fair now makes its home in neighboring Wilson County, that always leads to some cool opportunities for our Smith County 4-H’ers.

For me, this year’s state fair festivities began on Friday, August 16, with the Tennessee 4-H Picnic at the Fair, where I sat at a table with our Administrative Assistant Nancy Malone, local 4-H volunteers and supporters, and members of the Smith County Fair Board.

The Tennessee 4-H Picnic at the Fair is held annually to help raise money for 4-H Camp and educational conference scholarships for children all across the state. This summer, Smith County sent two 4-H’ers to camp on half-scholarship due to funds raised at the 4-H Picnic at the Fair in 2022 and 2023, as did every 4-H program in all 95 counties in Tennessee.

My favorite thing about this year’s 4-H Picnic at the Fair is how well-represented Smith County was!

As this year’s 4-H State Council President, Smith County 4-H’er Gabe Harville was asked to speak alongside “Voice of the Vols” Bob Kesling to welcome the crowd. As an avid fan of the Tennessee Volunteers, it was incredibly exciting not only to get to hear Bob Kesling’s voice in person but to also see one of my 4-H’ers stand beside him and speak with just as much poise and finesse – albeit with a bit heavier southern accent!

Gabe also submitted a piece of original artwork to be auctioned off to raise money for the 4-H program. Gabe’s painting of a farm scene brought $350 in the live auction. In the photo below Gabe Harville shows off his original artwork during the live auction at the Tennessee 4-H Picnic at the Fair. Photo Courtesy of the Tennessee 4-H Foundation.

Smith County’s own Jennifer Wright, who won the 2023 Tennessee State Fair Apple Pie Contest, also contributed to the live auction by making one of her award-winning apple pies. Jennifer’s pie sold for a whopping $2,600. That deserves a blue ribbon indeed!

Another opportunity that our Smith County 4-H’ers participated in during the Tennessee State Fair was the Open Livestock Judging Contest, which was held on Monday, August 19.

Thirteen of our 4-H’ers competed in this contest, along with nearly 500 other 4-H’ers and FFA members from all across the state. 4-H’ers judged five classes of livestock, including two classes of doe kids, a class of heifers, a class of market lambs, and a class of breeding ewes.

McCall Kemp was named 1st Place High Individual in the Junior Division. Our Junior team, made up of Gracie Driver, McCall Kemp, Josie Harville, and Scarlett Hicks, placed 2nd overall in their division. Scarlett also placed 7th individually.

Our Junior High team made up of Kara Brooks, Bryant Locke, Emma Locke, and Marshall Taylor placed 5th overall in their division.

Also competing in the Junior High Division were Charlotte Driver, Clay Driver, Jay Driver, and Aubrey Hicks. Kynlee Davis competed as a Senior High individual.

Finally, on Friday, August 23, four of our 4-H’ers, Easton Bibbings, Emmy Bibbings, Gabe Harville, and Kynlee Davis, worked inside the 4-H/FFA building, volunteering to teach fairgoers about sun safety, proper hydration, and the importance of choosing healthy snacks to keep our bodies fueled.

Thanks to all the dedicated volunteers and event organizers that make the Tennessee State Fair-Wilson County Fair possible and successful year after year!

If you have any questions about the many opportunities that Smith County 4-H can offer our local youth, please email me at rpetty@utk.edu or call the UT Extension office at 615-735-2900.

Carthage, Tennessee – September 2024: BauerFinancial, Inc., the Nation’s Premier Bank Rating Firm, is pleased to acknowledge Citizens Bank, Carthage, TN, for its continued 5-Star status. September 2024 marks the 143rd consecutive quarter that Citizens Bank has earned this distinction, which gives it the added prestige of being a “Best of Bauer Bank”. Only banks that have earned and maintained this highest 5-Star rating for 25 years (100 consecutive quarters), or longer, may claim this distinction. This latest rating is based on June 30, 2024 financial data and signifies that Citizens Bank continues to be one of the strongest banks in the nation.

“Bauer rates banks based on their overall financial condition,” reports Karen Dorway, president of the rating firm, “and has been doing so for over 40 years. Bauer’s approach of taking current financial data along with historical trends has enabled Bauer to anticipate certain events before they unfold. From speculative lending to interest rate pressures and even changes in accounting rules, Bauer has been through it all, and its reputation is second to none. So, when Bauer says Citizens Bank has earned its 5-Star rating, you can have confidence that it is one of the strongest banks in the nation. Not only that, as a community bank, Citizens Bank’s top priority is you, its customer. It is very satisfying,” Dorway continues, “to see banks that care so much about their communities also being top financial performers.”

Since its inception in 1929, Citizens Bank has been an ardent supporter of the people and organizations in the communities it serves. Its employees are your neighbors and friends. They live here too. Their children go to the same schools and play on the same playgrounds as yours. This is what community banking is all about and what Citizens Bank has been focused on for 95 years. Visit citzcar.com.

U.S. Representative John Rose’s (TN-6) district staff will hold a series of local office hours for constituents to connect directly with caseworkers and receive assistance with federal agencies throughout the month of September.

During the local office hours, district staff will be available to answer questions and assist constituents with federal casework, such as social security and veterans’ benefits, steps for obtaining a passport, and more. Local office hours occur monthly. If you have questions, please contact one of Representative Rose’s offices so a staff member may help you.

“We are ready to assist constituents with federal casework and welcome anyone with questions to sit down with staff,” said Representative Rose. “My goal is to make the expertise of my staff and the resources of this office easily accessible to every person I represent.”

Details for local office hours can be found below and on Representative Rose’s website.

Tuesday, September 17, 2024

TIME: 1:00pm-2:00pm

WHAT: Smith County Local Office Hours
LOCATION: Smith County Chamber of Commerce (939 Upper Ferry Rd., Carthage) TN 37030

WHO: Representative Rose will be represented by Field Representative Lou Nave during this visit.

from 1-2pm on Sept. 17.

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – For the third year in a row, Tennessee Tech University is making it easier for rising high school seniors and transfer students to become Golden Eagles by waiving application fees during the month of September.

“At Tennessee Tech, our commitment to putting students first starts with the application process,” said Frank Tittle, director of admissions at Tech. “We aim to make applying to Tech as simple and affordable as possible year-round, but we’re especially pleased to offer prospective students the opportunity to submit an application at no cost to them throughout the month of September.”

Tittle added that the promotion is tied to the state’s College Application and Exploration Month, which is supported by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission.

“We know that a college education delivers meaningful benefits to individuals and their communities, from higher wages and better career options to greater personal happiness,” added Tittle. “We want everyone to have a sense of confidence around the college application process, and we’re proud to take part in this effort to empower students with a no-cost opportunity to apply to Tennessee Tech.”

As part of the month-long promotion, there will also be a special “Why Apply” day on Friday, Sept. 20, during which students, faculty, staff and alumni are encouraged to wear their purple and gold Tech gear and share on social media why they believe students should apply to Tech, using #WhyApply and #TNTech.

Interested applicants should visit tntech.edu/apply. The application takes only 10 to 15 minutes to complete.

As students fill out the application, there will be no payment screen displayed for the month of September for those completing the undergraduate application, which will waive the standard $25 application fee. Applying early is encouraged so students have the best chance of being eligible for scholarships. The priority application deadline for scholarships is Dec. 15.

Tennessee Tech is ranked as a “Best National University” by U.S. News & World Report. The university offers more than 200 programs of study and Tech grads leave with the least debt of all public universities in the state. In fact, based on total cost and alumni earnings, Tech provides students with the highest return on investment for any public university in Tennessee, according to PayScale.

Find out more at tntech.edu/admissions.