The Smith County Board of Education met at 5:00 p.m. on July 16, 2024

You can watch the full meeting here – https://www.youtube.com/live/UXJzxKfvZCM?si=CGJkGP13LXdy43Ze

The live broadcast of this meeting is sponsored by Teresa’s Gifts.

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The Smith County School Board meets on the third Tuesday of each month at 5:00 p.m. at the Smith County Board of Education, located at 126 Smith County Middle School Lane in Carthage, Tennessee.

All meetings are open to the public and streamed live at https://www.facebook.com/smithcountyinsider/.

Carthage, TN – Highpoint Health – Riverview with Ascension Saint Thomas has recently opened a brand new, highly advanced wound care center, Highpoint Health Wound Care – Riverview with Ascension Saint Thomas. The new center brings board-certified wound healing to Smith County, where previously patients were traveling to Gallatin or further. Some of the various wounds treated at Highpoint Health Wound Care – Riverview include burns, diabetic foot ulcers, chronic wounds, non-healing wounds and much more.

Millions of Americans suffer from chronic wounds each year, with circulation problems and diabetes being the most common causes of wounds. Because of the remarkable need for wound care treatment, Highpoint Health with Ascension Saint Thomas now provides wound care on an inpatient and outpatient basis from a team of highly trained professionals in Carthage.

Paula Marshall, FNP-C, CWON, who has been serving as a provider at Highpoint Health Wound Care – Sumner since 2012, has played a big role in the development of this new center. With her years of experience, and passion for wound healing, Highpoint Health Wound Care – Riverview has a very bright future ahead.

“I jumped at the opportunity to offer wound care services to Highpoint Health – Riverview,” Marshall said. “I love being able to change a patient’s outlook on life by healing their wounds, and I knew Carthage would be a great place to do that. It is so important to offer high quality health care services in rural towns like Carthage because it can make a huge difference in a patient’s perspective and experience with wound care.”

Highpoint Health Wound Care – Riverview provides patients with the care they need from the comfort of their hometown, utilizing advanced wound care treatments to help patients recover as fully as possible. These advanced treatments range anywhere from negative pressure wound therapy to wound debridement.

A wound that does not heal for thirty days or more is considered a chronic wound. When untreated, chronic wounds can have life-changing consequences, so it’s important to have these wounds looked at as soon as possible. Highpoint Health Wound Care – Riverview is now accepting new patients. If you are concerned about a wound that isn’t healing, diabetes related wounds, or chronic wounds, learn more by visiting HighpointHealthSystem.com/wound-care or call 615.735.5260. Highpoint Health Wound Care – Riverview is located at 131 Hospital Drive, Suite 2000 in Carthage, TN.

About Highpoint Health with Ascension Saint Thomas

Highpoint Health with Ascension Saint Thomas, part of Lifepoint Health, is a regional health system dedicated to making communities healthier in northern Middle Tennessee. It is composed of Highpoint Health – Sumner, the 167-bed flagship hospital, and Highpoint Health – Sumner Station located in Gallatin; Highpoint Health – Riverview, a 35-bed critical access hospital in Carthage, and Highpoint Health – Trousdale, a 25-bed critical access hospital in Hartsville. The system’s innovative partnership with Ascension Saint Thomas 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.

SMILE ON 65+, a statewide oral health program for older adults funded through a grant contract with the state of Tennessee and Interfaith Dental, has launched in partnership with over 20 dental clinics across the state providing oral health care services and case management to older adults in need. Services will be available at the newly opened dental health clinic at the Smith County Health Department.

SMILE ON 65+ removes barriers to affordable dental care for income-constrained older adults. Oral health for seniors in Tennessee is among the worst in the nation and we do not have a safety net health insurance program for older adults who can’t afford private dental insurance. SMILE ON 65+ identifies these adults who need a dental home and connects them to oral healthcare they can afford, ultimately alleviating the pain, embarrassment, and health risks caused by untreated oral decay and disease. Those who may qualify for SMILE ON 65+ are a minimum of 65 years old; a Tennessee state resident; mobile (able to self-transport or receive transport to clinic); have a household income level below 200% poverty and be dentally uninsured. The program covers many common dental procedures including cleaning, extractions, fillings, and dentures for a $25 per visit facility fee. Assistance with transportation may be provided based on need.

While Interfaith Dental serves as the lead agency, they have 20 dental provider partners with more than 30 locations. The program plans to add more dental providers and continue building the network across the state.

For more information, visit www.smileon65plus.com or call the hotline at 1-800-509-6055. This project is funded under a Grant Contract with the State of Tennessee.

COOKEVILLE – Two men face felony charges in connection to the ongoing investigation of a shooting last week of a trooper from the Tennessee Highway Patrol.

At the request of 13th Judicial District Attorney General Bryant Dunaway, TBI special agents began investigating the Friday evening shooting, which occurred in the area of I-40 East at Exit 286 in Putnam County. Investigative efforts revealed the trooper stopped a white Kia Forte, with a temporary tag, driven by Timothy Laquan Davis, Jr. (DOB 7/9/1999). As the trooper approached the vehicle, the driver fired upon him, critically wounding him. At the time of this release, the trooper remained hospitalized in Nashville.

On Tuesday night, authorities arrested Davis in Nashville without incident, charging him with one count of Attempted First Degree Murder. Davis’s passenger, Braze Rucker, is also in law enforcement custody and faces a charge of Criminal Responsibility of Facilitation of a Felony in relation to Friday’s shooting.

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 law.

An account has been set up to assist Trooper Cothron and his family at Citizens Bank, which has 21 locations in the following counties: Bedford, Clay, Coffee, DeKalb, Jackson, Macon, Overton, Putnam, Smith, Sumner, and Wilson.

The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) today announced a grant of $313,906 for the Smith County Board of Education from the state’s Tire Environmental Act Program.

The Smith County Board of Education will provide matching funds of $78,476 and use the grant to install rubber mulch as playground surfaces for 18 playgrounds and one picnic area at seven district schools using recycled scrap tires. The project costs $392,382 and provides sustainable play surfaces that meet safety requirements to help protect the school children. 

“The Tire Environmental Act Program provides ways to retrieve old tires and repurpose them into community assets,” said TDEC Deputy Commissioner Greg Young. “These grants help make that happen, and we look forward to the results that come from this process.”  

The combined playground surfaces will require 680 tons of rubber mulch with is equivalent to approximately 62,000 scrap tires. Rubber mulch has proven to last much longer than wood mulch, which will help the schools to significantly reduce the costs associated with restocking these surfaces each year.

The purpose of the Tire Environmental Act Program is to select and fund projects that best result in beneficial uses for waste tires. Projects must qualify for one of three categories: tire processing/recycling, tire-derived material use, or research and development. The program provides grant funding to eligible entities, including local governments, non-profit organizations, higher education institutions, K-12 schools, and for-profit businesses.

Tennessee established the Tire Environmental Fund in 2015. Upon the first retail sale of a new motor vehicle to be titled and registered in Tennessee, a flat fee based on the number of a vehicle’s wheels is assessed. The fee goes into the fund, which is used for projects creating or supporting beneficial end uses for waste tires.

Since 2015, grantees have been awarded almost $9.2 million, and approximately 7.6 million tires or nearly 82,000 tons of scrap tires have been diverted from landfills. The tires are repurposed for use in rubberized asphalt, tire-derived aggregate, tire-derived fuel, granulated rubber porous flexible pavement, and other beneficial end uses that result in tires being diverted from landfill for a higher and better use. 

The June 2024 session of the Trousdale County Grand Jury indicted 29 defendants for cases occurring at Trousdale Turner Correctional Center. Of the 29 people indicted, 25 offenders were in possession of contraband inside of the prison, consisting of drugs, weapons, or cellular telephones. Of the same 29 offenders, 12 were indicted for the crime of aggravated assault with a weapon and 1 additional defendant was indicted for assault without a weapon. There were 7 offenders charged with drug possession, 1 with a sexual offense, and 5 with official misconduct charges.

“It is important in understanding the numbers to realize that if an inmate assaults another inmate with a weapon, the offending inmate would be charged with both aggravated assault as well as contraband in the prison for the possession of the weapon,” said Jason Lawson, District Attorney. “As another example, if a defendant is caught with drugs, he would be charged with both the drug offense as well as contraband in the prison for possession of the drugs. So in realizing that some offenders receive more that one criminal offense, it is easy to understand why a total of 29 offenders might receive many more overall charges.”

Lawson also noted that not all of the people charged were inmates of the prison. “While a large number are inmates, the Grand Jury also indicted people who were on the outside of the prison and helped smuggle the drugs into the prison. If a person is an employee of the prison, they would be charged with official misconduct, while if the person is an inmate’s girlfriend, wife or relative who sent or brought the drugs into the prison either through the mail or visitation, that girlfriend, wife or relative would be arrested and charged with introduction of contraband into the prison,” said Lawson.

“If there is one message to be taken away, it is that those who assist in smuggling drugs into the prison are likely to find themselves joining their loved one on the inside. Drug contraband is an important issue that costs a lot of people their lives, and both TDOC and the DA’s office are going to prosecute these cases,” said Lawson.

Lawson credited the Department of Corrections creation of a Contraband Interdiction Unit with investigating and presenting a number of the offenses leading to charges. “While there are some charges such as an assault that produce an instant investigation and lead to charges, other charges such as drugs and contraband are not always obvious to the prison staff. I commend Commissioner Strada and his department with the creation of the Contraband Interdiction Unit to work these cases and attempt to lessen the amount of drugs in our prisons,” said Lawson.

Lawson said that contraband and drug enforcement is critical to the success of the prison in safekeeping the prisoners sentenced there. “While there are occasional deaths from natural causes, and occasional deaths from homicides, many of the deaths at the prison are drug overdoses. Combating the drug smuggling problem is the key factor in addressing deaths at the prison.”

On Wednesday, July 17, 2024, the River City Ball committee donated $10,000 each to the Spot and Smith County Humane, made possible by the funds raised at the 2024 River City Ball.

The River City Ball presented by Rackley Roofing was held on May 11, 2024 at Catesa Farms. This is the third year the event has been held at Catesa Farms.

River City Ball was created to benefit local non-profits working to improve the quality of life in Smith County. Each year the River City Ball benefits a local organization chosen through an application process and provides a $1,000 scholarship to two graduating seniors in Smith County. The 2024 scholarships were presented to Savannah Agee and Ephraim Rodenbach

River City Ball greatly appreciates all the sponsors that went into making this event possible. Please make sure to follow the event on Facebook and Instagram for the most up to date information. If you are interested in applying to be a sponsor or the cause for 2025, please reach out to the committee through social media or at rivercityball@outlook.com

Two teachers and twenty-nine members of the SCHS Class of 1964 plus 23 guests rendezvoused at the Smith County Heritage Museum at 4:30 PM on June 22, 2024, to celebrate their Diamond Jubilee year.  In the 96-degree late afternoon heat, Donny and Shirley Horton Harbison arrived in a sweat in their un-airconditioned, all original, 1962 Oldsmobile Starliner convertible, which became a showpiece in the parking lot. Once inside, classmates clipped on their yearbook picture nametags so they could easily identify each other. Roaming through displays of history, these classmates became displays of history, living examples of the first wave of the Baby Boomer generation (1946-1964) to graduate high school. 

After a class photo outside, the group re-entered the museum and proceeded to Performance Hall where the most popular songs of the early sixties were being played.  Claiming vibes from dearly departed band director Fowler Stanton, Vivian Reynolds, reunion coordinator, opened the event in her “band announcer” voice before the parliament of Owls.  This event also served as a surprise celebration of Dr. Jane High, clinical psychologist who was retiring after fifty years of study and practice in the field of psychology.  Also celebrated was our teacher Wayne Lankford and his wife Ana Mai Massey who were married 67 years ago in June.  Special efforts to attend were recognized:  Doris Beasley Drennan flew in from Atlanta, Bobby Harville drove in from Baton Rouge, Jane Gore Moore from Birmingham, and Frank Anderson from Elizabethtown, Kentucky.

Museum board member and teacher, Nancy Woodard Pettross, gave the invocation followed by remembrances of deceased classmates led by Frank Anderson and Faye Woodard Glover.  Dismissal for the food line was ordered.  Veterans were first, following by those with replacement body parts:  heart (including pacemakers), knee, hip, shoulder, etc.  Charles Givens and wife Anita provided potato salad; deviled eggs by Linda Dickens Lankford; barbecue, buns and beans by Donna Skelton Macon and cake by Vivian Reynolds.  

While dining and viewing video and audio of more top 60’s songs, our valedictorian, Jane Gore Moore, reminded us of the social, cultural and political climate during our high school years.  Phil Kemp followed with memories of class hangouts.  Donny Harbison led the conversation about cars and entertained us by singing a few country songs while we ate carrot cake, the most popular recipe of 1946.  The first slices of the cake, adorned in the center with a large costume diamond, were served to our teachers.

Faye Woodard Glover named a few of our favorite dances. Shirley Horton Harbison reminded us of band trips, majorettes, cheerleaders and chorus.  In discussing clothing and grooming, we could not remember any outliers to the common standard of the day. Girls wore clothing with hem lengths at the knee; boys wore trousers.  Boys did not wear long hair or facial hair and girls styled their hair so that it didn’t touch their shoulders. No one would think of coming to school looking disheveled or wearing tattered clothing.

A cook for thirty years at SCHS, Linda Dickens Lankford helped us remember our nutritious meat and vegetable meals that were rarely unconsumed. Milk or water were the drink choices. Richard Brooks took us back to specific football games, also remembering that athletes used salt tablets and drank little water.  Mary Friss Wilburn Lamoureux reminded us of the rite of passage in FHA (Future Homemakers of America): the straight-line stitching of ricrac on our handmade aprons. 

Collectively, we remembered the physical health, mental health, and safety services provided.  A small room with two cots was available to those who were sick; no one could remember classmates with obvious mental health concerns; the school doors were all unlocked; every boy carried a pocketknife; and some had long guns in their trucks. 

Few discipline issues could be remembered but we all knew that SCHS principal Ervin Smith used his authority to efficiently and effectively process any problems in his office.  Several school bus drivers were known to expel loud and disobedient riders spontaneously along the highway.  For the most part, though, students respected authority and behaved in classrooms and school events.

A longtime teacher and our salutatorian, Donna Skelton Macon, reminded us of our curriculum, credits needed, grading structure, and the atmosphere of students and faculty on the hill.  Since her last teaching stent in another county ended in December 2023, she knew and revealed some disturbing information about today’s public education. 

Immediately following and specifically addressing each of the topics that had been discussed, special guest Dillon Reed, educator and member of the public information team for the Smith County Schools, informed us what high school is like today.  Obviously, an expansive and “enlightened” culture has changed the face of education as we knew it.  Perhaps we Owls could steer positive changes in education issues if we would give a hoot!

After video instruction on how to perform an owl’s hoot, we listened to Larry Bennett as he told a story about reunions, emphasizing that the more the years pass, the less we remember.  We already knew that was true because neither Shirley Horton Harbison nor Richard Brooks remembered that their ambitions (documented in the 1964 Black and Gold newsletter) were to become President! 

Approaching four hours into our Diamond Jubilee celebration, we lifted our voices in unison to the salient words of our alma mater: “Proudly standing as the years go by . . . forward ever be our watchword . . .”  Then the parliament of Owls dispersed, humbly hopeful to rendezvous again in 2034, the year of our Platinum Jubilee.   Submitted by Vivian Reynolds, class reporter.

An investigation by the Tennessee Comptroller’s Office has resulted in the indictment of Rosemary Downs, the former treasurer of the Upperman High School Fishing Booster Club in Baxter, TN. The booster club supports the school’s fishing team and is led by parents and other volunteers.

Investigators determined that Downs misappropriated club funds totaling at least $14,806.82 from November 2022 through March 2024. As treasurer, Downs had direct access to the booster club’s checking account and debit card.

Down’s stole money from the club for her own personal use using the following four schemes:

• She completed and signed 15 checking withdrawal slips at the bank and withdrew cash totaling $11,215.
• She used the club’s debit card to withdraw $798 in cash from ATM machines.
• She wrote eight unauthorized checks payable to her husband totaling $2,393.82 and subsequently endorsed the checks by signing her husband’s name on the back without his knowledge.
• She used the club’s debit card to make two Carnival Cruise transactions totaling $400.

Downs admitted to investigators that she used club funds for personal use. She also made personal deposits to the club totaling $6,025 that she claimed were used to reimburse the club.

Based upon this investigation, in July 2024, the Putnam County Grand Jury indicted Rosemary Downs on one count of theft of property over $10,000 and one count of forgery.

“Booster club thefts continue to be an area of concern across Tennessee,” said Comptroller Mumpower. “As in many other cases, this situation involved one person who was given too much control over all financial duties without others being involved. A basic level of oversight would include requiring two signatures on all checks.”

To view the investigative report, go to tncot.cc/doireports.

The Smith County Health Department is proud to announce that Dr. Bozeman is now serving patients in the Smith County Health Department dental clinic.

Tooth decay is one of the most common chronic conditions throughout the United States, as well as Tennessee, and oral disease has been linked with other chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. Oral health plays a key role in determining an individual’s quality of life. Poor oral health can influence an individual’s self-esteem, school performance, ability to obtain employment, and school and work attendance.

‘’We are very pleased that Dr. Bozeman is joining our great team of health professionals at the Smith County Health Department and to provide much needed dental services to the people in our community.’’ said County Director, Michael Railling.

‘’I’m honored to be a part of the Smith County Health Department and this special community.’’ Dr. Bozeman said. ‘’I’m excited to get started as we work to improve dental health.’’

The Smith County Health Department Dental Clinic provides clinical dental services for anyone who needs oral health care.

For specific information on availability of services contact the Smith County Health Department at 615-735-0242.

Jason Lawson, 15th Judicial District Attorney General, has been elected by fellow members of the Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference (TNDAGC) to serve as part of the statewide organization’s Executive Committee, the Conference’s highest leadership team. In this role, Gen. Lawson will play a crucial role in overseeing the operations, strategic direction, and policy formulation for the Conference and judicial districts across the state.

“I am truly honored and humbled by the trust that my colleagues have placed in me, and I look forward to working with the rest of the executive committee to improve criminal law and prosecution practices in the state of Tennessee.”

“The Executive Committee is vital in shaping our strategies to enhance public safety and serve the people of Tennessee,” explained TNDAGC Executive Director Steve Crump. “I look forward to working with Gen. Lawson to ensure the safety of our great state.”

Gen. Lawson first became District Attorney General of the 15th Judicial District in 2021 after an appointment from Governor Bill Lee. He was later elected to a full term in 2022. Prior to his election, Lawson served as the Deputy District Attorney in Gen. Tommy Thompson’s office, prosecuting drug offenses and homicides. He also chairs the TNDAGC Justice & Professionalism Committee, is a member of the Child Support Committee, and has previously served on the Victim Services and Legislative Committees.

The Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference was created by the General Assembly in 1961 to provide for a more prompt and efficient administration of justice in the courts of the state. It is composed of the elected District Attorneys General from the state’s 32 judicial districts. www.tndagc.org.