tnAchieves, in partnership with the Tennessee Higher Education Commission/Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation (THEC/TSAC), is providing 60+ Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) clinics in counties throughout the state. These events are open to the public and are designed to provide students and families with an opportunity to complete the 2024-2025 FAFSA prior to the August 1, 2024 TN Promise deadline.

Students and families should complete the 2024-2025 FAFSA at FAFSA.gov as soon as possible. Filing the FAFSA is not only a requirement for the TN Promise scholarship, but it is the primary application for all state and federal financial aid, including the Hope Scholarship, the Federal Pell Grant and the Tennessee Student Assistance Award. Visit tnAchieves.org/FAFSA or CollegeForTN.org/FAFSA for helpful resources.

For questions, please email tnAchieves@tnAchieves.org and follow @tnAchieves on social media outlets for future updates.

Listed below are dates for counties in Middle Tennessee

· Bedford County: TCAT Shelbyville on 7/10/2024 from 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM

· Clay County: Clay County High School on 7/30/2024 from 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM

· Coffee County: Motlow State Community College (Main Campus) on 7/15/2024 from 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM

· Davidson County: Nashville State Community College (Southeast Campus) on 7/2/2024 from 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM

· Davidson County: Nashville State Community College (Main Campus) on 7/17/2024 from 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM

· Davidson County: Nashville State Community College (North Davidson) on 7/30/2024 from 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM

· Dekalb County: Dekalb County High School on 7/23/2024 from 1:00 PM – 6:00 PM

· Franklin County: TCAT Shelbyville (Franklin County Campus) on 7/22/2024 from 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM

· Marshall County: Columbia State Community College (Lewisburg Campus) on 7/16/2024 from 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM

· Maury County: Columbia State Community College (Main Campus) on 7/9/2024 from 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM

· Montgomery County: Austin Peay State University on 7/13/2024 from 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM

· Montgomery County: Nashville State Community College (Clarksville Campus) on 7/17/2024 from 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM

· Montgomery County: Nashville State Community College (Clarksville Campus) on 7/31/2024 from 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM

· Overton County: Volunteer State Community College (Livingston Campus) on 7/24/2024 from 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM

· Putnam County: Cookeville Higher Education Campus on 7/10/2024 from 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM

· Robertson County: Springfield High School on 7/16/2024 from 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM

· Rutherford County: Motlow State Community College (Smyrna Campus) on 7/2/2024 from 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM

· Rutherford County: Motlow State Community College (Smyrna Campus) on 7/17/2024 from 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM

· Rutherford County: Technology Engagement Center on 7/20/2024 from 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM

· Rutherford County: Motlow State Community College (Smyrna Campus) on 7/29/2024 from 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM

· Smith County: Smith County High School on 7/22/2024 from 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM

· Stewart County: Stewart County High School on 7/30/2024 from 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM

· Sumner County: Volunteer State Community College (Main Campus) on 7/9/2024 from 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM

· Sumner County: Volunteer State Community College (Main Campus) on 7/15/2024 from 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM

· White County: Motlow State Community College (Sparta Campus) on 7/29/2024 from 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM

· Wilson County: Cumberland University on 7/8/2024 from 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM

· Wilson County: Cumberland University on 7/11/2024 from 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM

Launched in 2009 as a public/private partnership, tnAchieves is on a mission to enhance post-secondary opportunities and outcomes for all Tennessee students. For more than 15 years, tnAchieves has provided holistic student supports rooted in community and accountability. To learn more about tnAchieves and to get involved in helping Tennessee students thrive, visit our website at tnAchieves.org.

For questions and additional information, please contact Ben Sterling, tnAchieves Vice President of Content and Public Relations at ben@tnAchieves.org.

NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) participates in Operation Dry Water (ODW), a year-round boating under the influence (BUI) and enforcement campaign. ODW’s heightened awareness and enforcement annually takes place around the July 4^th holiday.

The July 4^th holiday means an increase in boater activity, and the TWRA will be on heightened alert for boating under the influence infractions. Over the course of the July 4^th holiday period, law enforcement officers will also be working to increase public awareness of the dangers of boating under the influence of alcohol or drugs, for both operators and passengers. Boaters will notice an overall increase in officer patrols on the water. The combined efforts of the participating law enforcement agencies will result in the removal of impaired operators from the state’s waterways, providing a safe and enjoyable experience for boaters.

“Boating under the influence is a 100 percent  preventable crime that will not be tolerated by wildlife officers” said Lt. Col. Matt Majors of TWRA’s Boating and Law Enforcement Division. “It is very selfish and irresponsible to endanger your life or the safety of others by consuming alcohol or drugs and operating a boat in Tennessee.”

To support the enforcement and education initiative, the TWRA is partnering with the U.S. Coast Guard, the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA), and Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD). Operation Dry Water was started by the NASBLA in 2009 and has been a highly successful campaign drawing public attention to the dangers of BUI.

Alcohol use is the leading contributing factor in recreational boater deaths. Sun, wind, noise, vibration, and motion intensify the effects of alcohol, drugs, and some medications. Operating a boat with a Blood Alcohol Content of .08 percent or higher is illegal in Tennessee, the same as operating a motor vehicle. Penalties may include fines, jail, boat impoundment and the loss of boat driving privileges.

On June 30, at approximately 6:15 a.m. while on patrol in Smith County at the Buffalo Valley Rest Area on I-40, Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) Troopers were investigating a suspicious vehicle parked at the rest area. A trooper approached the vehicle and observed a male and female sleeping inside the vehicle. During the investigation, the trooper confirmed by a V.I.N. check that the vehicle was stolen.

The trooper instructed the occupants out of the vehicle and detained them with handcuffs behind their backs. The female occupant was identified as Karen Vallie, 42 years of age, from Montana. The male occupant provided the trooper with a fraudulent name and social security number. The male was eventually identified as Charles D. Lawson, 55 years of age, from Tennessee.

Mr. Lawson was secured in a THP patrol vehicle. As the troopers inventoried the stolen vehicle’s contents and interviewed Ms. Vallie, Mr. Lawson gained control of the trooper’s patrol vehicle and fled the scene. Mr. Lawson soon after crashed the stolen THP patrol vehicle in Putnam County around Tucker Ridge Road. All of the trooper’s weapons were secured and accounted for within the patrol vehicle. There were no weapons taken from the vehicle.

If you spot Mr. Lawson do not approach him, instead we ask that you dial 911 immediately. THP Aviation and numerous K-9 Units are in the area attempting to locate Mr. Lawson. This incident remains under investigation.

The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security’s mission is to serve, secure, and protect the people of Tennessee.

The University of Tennessee Extension Smith County partnered with the Smith County Health Department to offer Walk Across Tennessee in Smith County again in 2024. 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 May 26th.

Thank you to our wonderful Walk Across Tennessee program sponsors: DTC, Smith County Drug Center, Citizens Bank, Sanderson Funeral Home, Riverview Regional Medical Center, Hackett’s Discount Drugs, Wilson Bank and Trust, Smith County Drug Prevention Coalition, 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: Night Owls, The Young and the Breathless, The Rambling Redcoats, The Golden Girls, Elmwood/Chestnut Mound FCE, Step Together, All About That Pace, Wednesday Walkers, and Agony of De Feet.

Our third-place team, The Rambling Redcoats, finished with 1,637 miles! Members included Wendolyn Kittrell, Laura Dyer, Ethan Profitt, Heather Brewer, Jessica Tongate, Emily Long, Lori Stiggins, and Lynn Taylor. Our second-place team, Night Owls, completed a total of 2,334 miles! Members included Janice Fox, Jeanette Doggett, Pat Bush, Becky Cookston, Myrna Huffines, Denise Hackett, Lisa Harville, and Martha Hesson. Our first-place team, The Young and The Breathless, crossed the finish line with a total of 2,384.49 miles! Members included Courtney Maynard, Megan Campbell, Nick Campbell, Carol Smith, Eerah Lankford, Brandy Jackson, Stephen Jackson, and Angel Williams.

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

· Courtney Maynard for being Most Outstanding Team Captain

· Most Enthusiastic Team to Elmwood/Chestnut Mound FCE (Jan Knowles, Joanne Bynum, Lucille Mullinax, Linda Lankford, Karen McDonner, Cheryl Puhl, Vicki Fields, and Jill Mears.)

· Most Creative Team Name to All About That Pace (Lindsey Gull, Rachel Smith, Megs Martin, Rebekah Webb, Ashlyn Carlisle, Yolena McKay, Amanda Bryson, and Tina Roberts.)

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

First Place Team, The Young and the Breathless (L-R): Carol Smith, Courtney Maynard, Megan Campbell, and Angel Williams. Not pictured: Nick Campbell, Eerah Lankford, Stephen and Brandy Jackson.

Pictured above Third Place Team, Rambling Redcoats (Seated L-R): Emily Long and Jessica Tongate. (Standing L-R): Heather Brewer, Lynn Taylor, Ethan Profitt, and Wendolyn Kittrell. Not pictured: Laura Dyer and Lori Stiggins.

Pictured above Most Outstanding Team Captain, Courtney Maynard.

Pictured above Most Enthusiastic Team, Elmwood Chestnut Md. FCE (L-R): Cheryl Puhl, Linda Lankford, Lucille Mullinax, Jan Knowles, Jill Mears, and Joanne Bynum. Not pictured: Karen McDonner and Vicki Fields.

Pictured above Most Creative Team Name, All About That Pace (Bottom L-R): Amanda Bryson, Rebekah Webb, and Ashlyn Carlisle. (Top L-R): Yolena McKay, Tina Roberts, Megan Martin, and Lindsey Gull. Not pictured: Rachel Smith.

Apricot Pound Cake

Lemon Cake Mix

1 cup Apricot Nectar

4 Eggs

½ Cup Oil

½ Cup Sugar

Mix all ingredients together with mixer. Bake at 350 degrees until brown and toothpick comes out clean.

Icing: 1 cup powdered sugar

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

Mix well, pour over cake.

Submitted by: Janie Mundy, Defeated FCE Club

By Katie Martin, Smith County Extension Agent

Smith County Extension invites you to celebrate July as Beef Month! You can find cattle in all of our ninety-five counties across the state, and Tennessee is home to more than 45,000 operations and 2 million cattle. Beef cattle are consistently among the top three for Tennessee’s agricultural commodities, accounting for nearly 17% of all agriculture cash receipts.

Beef is also a tasty and versatile ingredient. It is great to throw on the grill this summer or use as an ingredient in many different recipes, from pasta to tacos. Beef is also a good source of ten essential nutrients including high-quality protein, iron, zinc, and choline, making each 3 oz. serving highly nutritious.

We hope you will make plans to stop by Sav-Way on July 12th at 5:00 p.m. to enjoy a free beef meal brought to you by Smith County Young Farmers & Ranchers and Smith County 4-H! These two groups are partnering to participate in the 2024 Beef Backer Contest hosted by the Tennessee Beef Industry Council. They will have hamburgers with beef provided by local cattlemen as well as promotional items and giveaways! Be one of the first 200 people to stop by to make sure you receive your free burger!

For more information about beef or other agriculture-related topics, contact the UT Extension office at 615-735-2900.

NASHVILLE — The application period for the 2024-25 season long Waterfowl WMA hunts is open June 26 through July 17. The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) will not be holding in person announcements of draw results this year, instead, successful applicants will be notified by email when the drawing is finalized on Aug. 3.

The online application is available at the Go Outdoors Tennessee website quotahunt.gooutdoorstennessee.com. Hunters should verify their email contact information is correct at the time of application to ensure they receive draw results.

Only current Tennessee residents, native Tennesseans who have an approved application for the Native Tennessean license, and Lifetime Sportsman License holders are eligible for the season long blinds. There is no application fee, but applicants must have a valid license to hunt waterfowl to apply.

Hunters can select up to 48 hunt choices. No person may apply more than once. Only parties of 4 to 8 members may apply for the drawing.

All hunters who are successfully chosen for a blind must claim their permit by Aug. 7. If there are any leftover permits by the application deadline, there will be a leftover drawing Aug. 22.

The next available application period will be Sept. 25-Oct. 15 for early segment duck quota hunts. The mid application dates are Oct. 23-Nov. 12 and the late application dates are Nov. 13-Dec. 3.

Waterfowl hunters and Tennesseans of all ages are also invited to attend the 2024 Tennessee Waterfowl Field Day on Aug. 3, 8 a.m.-12 p.m. at Bogota WMA. Join TWRA and our waterfowl partner organizations to spend time with fellow duck hunters, talk with waterfowl biologists and habitat managers, hear the latest research, and shop from local vendors. Participants will also have the opportunity to compete in a duck calling contest and listen to live podcast recordings for The Bogota Boys and Tennessee WildCast. Free registration for the event is open now at Tennessee TWRA License – View Event (gooutdoorstennessee.com).

At approximately 8:57 a.m. CST on June 25, 2024 a single-engine airplane made an emergency landing near the Jackson County/Smith County line. The aircraft was traveling to Ohio from Murfreesboro, Tennessee when it experienced engine problems. A flight emergency was declared to the Memphis air traffic control tower prompting them to subsequently contact Jackson County 911.

Jackson, Smith, and Macon County public safety personnel were quickly dispatched to the area in an attempt to locate. Jackson County 911 dispatchers were able to use GPS coordinates to locate the aircraft’s approximate location. The aircraft was located by Jackson County personnel in the vicinity of the Jackson/Smith County line just off of Salt Lick Creek Road at approximately 10 a.m. CST.

Both the pilot and passenger of the plane were not injured.

The Smith County Board of Education met at 5:00 p.m. on June 18, 2024

You can watch the full meeting below.

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

Subscribe to Smith County Insider’s YouTube channel to stay up-to-date on meeting coverage, business spotlights, video features, and more!

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/.

by Katie Martin, Smith County Extension Agent

“The Fair on the River” is coming up July 1- July 6 on the grounds surrounding the Smith County Ag Center. Whether you are young or just young at heart, there is something for you at the Smith County Fair. From the carnival rides to the fair food and from the demolition derby to the livestock shows, there will be plenty to see and do.

One of the highlights of any county fair is the agriculture exhibits. While our fair is on the early side for many of our home gardens, if you do have fruits, vegetables, or crops to bring, we would love to display them. Whether you grow a thousand acres of crops or have one fruit tree, bring your entries from 7:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. on Monday, July 1st for some friendly competition and a chance to win a blue ribbon and prize money.

Check the fair book or smithcountyfairtn.com for a complete list of eligible items to enter. Also, do not forget we have a Junior Agriculture Show for ages 6-19. Best of Show in the Junior Show wins the $75 David Carr Memorial award given by Tractor Supply Company in memory of the former Gordonsville FFA advisor.

Livestock shows are a longstanding tradition at fairs across the nation, and ours is no exception. This year’s livestock shows include the draft horse and mule show and beef, poultry, hog, goat, and sheep shows.

It’s impossible to cover every event in one article, so I encourage you to stop by the University of Tennessee Extension office at 67 Cookeville Highway, Suite 102, and pick up a copy of this year’s fair program if you haven’t already. The fair will be fun for all, so bring your family and friends and enjoy all the great activities at this year’s Fair on the River!

For more information about the Smith County Fair or any agriculture-related topics, contact the UT Extension office at 615-735-2900.