The River City Ball was created to benefit local non-profits working to improve the quality of life in Smith County through tourism, preservation, and commerce. Each year the River City Ball will benefit a local project or organization and also provide a $1,000 scholarship to two graduating seniors from the local high schools and home school programs.

This application will place your non-profit in consideration to benefit from the 2024 River City Ball proceeds. Applications will be due to the Chamber of Commerce or emailed to rivercityball@outlook.com by November 3, 2023. Completed applications will be reviewed by a panel and applicants will be asked to present in front of the committee on November 6th at 5pm.

Please fill out the application completely and provide any necessary documentation when applicable in order to be considered for the 2024 River City Ball Cause. Preference will be given to established 501(c)(3) organizations.

Please email rivercityball@outlook.com with any questions regarding the application.

Applications Due: November 3, 2023 at the Smith County Chamber of Commerce or emailed to rivercityball@outlook.com

Presentation to River City Ball Committee: November 6th, 2023 at 5 pm. Location Smith County Chamber of Commerce Boardroom.

2024 River City Ball Cause Application

Name/information of non-profit or project:

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Point of Contact w/phone number and email: _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Non-profit status: (please attach proof): ___________________________________________________________________________________________

Mission Statement or Brief Overview of the purpose of the non-profit:

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

How does the organization intend to use the funds raised?:

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Expected Community Impact (how this will benefit Smith County): _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Projected Costs/ Timeline: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Current Supporters (individuals or businesses) Please describe ongoing commitments provided to your organization as well as community support you have experienced in the past: _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Anything else you would like us to know when considering your non-profit/project: __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

HG Staffing has immediate openings in Carthage and Lebanon. The pay rate ranges up to $17.00. A high school diploma or GED is required and applicants must be able to pass a background check and drug screen. You can also apply in person at HG Staffing located at 120 Pauline Gore Way – Carthage, TN 37030.

Almost two dozen young ladies participated in the 2023 William Walton Harvest Queen Pageant on Saturday, September 30th on the stage at the Historic Smith County Courthouse. Winners in 6 age divisions were crowned.

People’s Choice Winners were #15 Ashyln Glover, #12 Sophie Lawson and #3 Avery McCoy.

Most Photogenic awards went to #6 Bentley Newberry and #10 Lana Alvis.

Recognition for Best Dress included #20 Bre-onna Freeman, #17 Gabriella McCoy, #13 Kenzlie Redmon, # 8 Cali Mae Johnson, #6 Bentley Newberry and #2 Collins Johnson.

Recognition for Best Smile included #22 Breanna Stinson, #19 Amelia Jane Turner, #12 Sophie Lawson, #7 Kaylena Austin, #6 Bentley Newberry and #2 Collins Johnson .

The Harvest Queen Pageant was just one of the events on the Historic Courthouse stage at the William Walton Harvest Festival. The Smith County Chamber of Commerce sponsors the Pageant and appreciates the Coordinator Jerri Lin Vaden-Malone, MC Cassie Vaden and the pageant judges Lindsey Pullum, Jessica Griffith and April Holt.

Mark your calendar for next year’s Pageant on Saturday, September 28, 2024. Check out the William Walton Harvest Festival facebook page to see more pictures from the event. 

Smith County Agriculture News – By Katie Martin, Smith County Extension Agent

The crisp morning air and the leaves starting to change are a sure signal that autumn has arrived. Fall is a busy time for all farmers, but it is an especially busy time for agritourism. If your family is searching for corn mazes, pumpkin patches, and hay rides, the Tennessee Department of Agriculture has a tool that can help.

Pick Tennessee Products has helped connect consumers with Tennessee farms and food businesses for more than 30 years. Their website, picktnproducts.org, or their Pick Tennessee Products mobile app allows users to search for specific products and experiences. You can not only search by area by limiting results to a specific county or region in the state, but you can find information about Farmers Markets, Agriculture Festivals, and much more.

Whether you are hoping to purchase more of your meat, eggs, and produce locally or if you’re trying to find the perfect pumpkin patch experience, Pick Tennessee Products can help.

Additionally, if you are a farm or agribusiness looking to sell directly to consumers, I would encourage you to apply to be featured on Pick Tennessee Products. If you are interested in starting a value-added agriculture enterprise or exploring how value-added products could complement your current farming operation, your local extension office along with the Center for Profitable Agriculture can serve as an invaluable resource. With research, marketing, and educational programs and materials, we can assist agri-entrepreneurs with anything from agritourism to direct marketing.

For more information on any of the many extension programs and events, please contact the Smith County UT Extension office at 615-735-2900.

Plan to check your credit reports once a year. It’s free and can save you major credit hassles. The Fair Credit Reporting Act gives you one free credit report per year from three of the major credit bureaus. The bureaus are Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. It’s a good idea to check your report from each of them every year. This way, you will catch any errors that can hinder your ability to receive a loan, job, or rental housing.

Try to check your report at the same time every year so you know that the new data you’re seeing isn’t more than a year old. To help you remember, choose a time of year when other regular events occur. For example, you could check your report around New Year’s, an important birthday, or tax time.

What is a credit report? A credit report is a summary of financial history from institutions that report to credit bureaus. This includes loan paying history and status of your credit accounts. It has five types of information:

· Identifying information (such as current address, social security number, date and place of birth)

· Public records (such as bankruptcies, judgments, and tax liens)

· Collection agency accounts

· Credit accounts

· Inquiries made to your account

Your credit report is different from your credit score. A credit score is a number given to a person that shows lenders their capacity to repay a loan.

Credit report errors are common. A recent study by the Federal Trade Commission found that one in four consumers had an error on their credit report. The study showed that some errors were minor, but about 5 percent had errors that changed their credit score. That change could result in higher interest loans. This cost them money they could have otherwise saved. Remember: It’s up to you to check your credit report for errors. No one else will, and the error will remain on your report for a long time, which could reduce your credit score.

It’s important to check the report from each credit bureau because each report is unique. They will vary because your lenders don’t always report to all three credit bureaus. This accounts for differences in your reports. Also, a mistake may occur on only one of the reports. If you don’t check all three, you may miss an error.

Credit scores aren’t always free. The Fair Credit Reporting Act entitles you to a free credit report from each bureau once every 12 months. This does not include a free credit score. You may need to pay a private organization to see your credit score. However, some credit card companies and banks give customers their credit scores at no charge. If the information on your reports is

correct and you’re not planning to apply for loans in the next year, you may not need to know your credit score.

Where to order credit reports? To order, visit annualcreditreport.com, call 1-877-322-8228, or complete the Annual Credit Report Request Form and mail it to Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281. For more information, contact Mary Parker Draper at the extension office at 615-735-2900.

Chicken Chili Lasagna

2 (8 ounces) packages softened cream cheese

1 medium onion (chopped)

2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese

2 garlic cloves (minced)

¾ teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon minced cilantro or parsley

3 cups cooked chicken (cubed)

¼ cup butter

¼ cup flour

1 ½ cups chicken broth

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1 cup sour cream

1 (4 ounces) can green chiles (chopped)

1/8 teaspoon thyme

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

12 flour tortillas (halved)

In mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, onions, 1 ½ cups of the Mexican blend cheese, garlic, and cilantro. Stir in chicken then set aside. In a sauce pan, melt butter. Stir in flour until smooth; gradually add broth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in Monterey Jack cheese, sour cream, chiles, thyme, salt, pepper and cumin. Spread ½ cup of the cheese sauce in greased 9 x 13 baking dish. Top with six tortilla halves, a third of the chicken mixture and a fourth of the cheese sauce. Repeat 2 more times. Top with remaining tortillas, cheese sauce, and remaining Mexican cheese. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 minutes longer or until heated through. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting. This recipe serves 12. Submitted by Jan Knowles, Elmwood/Chestnut Mound FCE Club

HG Staffing is hiring multiple positions at Bonnell Aluminum, TN. Immediate openings are available for a $17.00 pay rate. A high school diploma or GED is required and applicants must be able to pass a background check and drug screen. You can also apply in person at HG Staffing located at 120 Pauline Gore Way – Carthage, TN 37030.

CARTHAGE, Tenn. Cordell Hull Lake recently received a Handshake Partnership Grant in partnership with Smith County Rescue Squad to make improvements to Bear Waller Gap Trail in Defeated,Tennessee.

Kenny Claywell, Cordell Hull Lake Resource manager, said volunteers re-marked the 5.5- mile trail on the shoreline of the lake and installed new first aid stations along the trail. The two emergency stations include benches, first aid kits, LED lights, and bulletin boards with safety and navigational information.

“The objective of these improvements is to provide injured or lost hikers safety stations to receive first aid and access to a trail map along with emergency numbers,” Claywell said. The trail improvements were made between Sept. 24, 2021, and Sept. 15, 2023. Smith County and USACE contributed $6,000 each worth of labor and/or materials. Eight volunteers from Smith County Rescue Squad volunteered during the project.

The Corps of Engineers Handshake Partnership Program provides a financial incentive to Corps facilities to engage with their local communities to complete worthwhile projects that benefit public lands. From 2004 to 2023 the Corps’ Headquarters has provided more than $3.6 million to Corps facilities for 212 partnership projects to improve recreational opportunities and benefit environmental stewardship activities on Corps-managed lands and waters. The Corps has formal partnership agreements with more than 40 national organizations, including American Chestnut Foundation, Boat US, CAST for Kids, Kids to Parks, Leave No Trace, International Mountain Biking Association, National Audubon Society, Ruffed Grouse Society, Union Sportsmen’s Alliance, the YMCA and more!

These partners have been vital in helping the Corps of Engineers meet its natural resources and recreation management goals. Bear Waller Gap Hiking Trail is a popular destination for hikers wanting a more intense hiking experience. The trail is often used by hikers training for the Appalachian Trail, due to its similar terrain and elevation changes. These features also make the hike difficult for beginner hikers. Bear Waller Gap Trail is a one-way trail, so additional vehicles and adequate water are encouraged before embarking. For more information, call the Cordell Hull Lake Resource Manager’s Office at (615) 735-1034. Visit Cordell Hull Lake on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/cordellhulllake.

NASHVILLE – At noon on Monday, Oct. 2, 2023, the Tennessee State Fire Marshal’s Office (SFMO) formally recognized ten volunteer fire departments who provide lifesaving service to counties in the Upper Cumberland region of Tennessee. These departments received grant funding totaling $346,372.35 to purchase firefighting equipment through the SFMO’s Volunteer Firefighter Equipment and Training Grant Program.

The departments and the counties they serve include: Fairfield Glade FD (Cumberland); Jackson County Central VFD, Flynn’s Lick VFD, Granville VFD, and Fairview VFD (Jackson); Baxter VFD (Putnam); Gordonsville FD (Smith); Piney VFD (Van Buren); Doyle FD and Mt. Gilead VFD (White).

The ceremony included state and local legislators and was held in the offices of the Upper Cumberland Development District offices at 1104 England Drive, Cookeville, TN 38501. Created through legislation overseen by Governor Bill Lee and approved by the Tennessee General Assembly, the Volunteer Firefighter Equipment and Training Grant Program awards grant monies to
volunteer fire departments across Tennessee’s three Grand Divisions. The grants are used to purchase firefighting equipment or to help volunteer departments meet local matching requirements for federal equipment grants. Since the program’s creation in 2020, $6.5 million has been used to purchase the equipment that helps ensure the safety of Tennessee volunteer firefighters.

Team members from Farm Credit Mid-America gathered with other ag industry partners and community members to fight food insecurity at Shooting Hunger on Thursday, September 21. The annual event was held at the Nashville Gun Club and was sponsored by Farm Credit Mid-America, Rural 1st, Tennessee Farm Bureau, and the Tennessee Farmer’s Co-Op. Funds from the event will be distributed to local organizations across Middle Tennessee to help combat hunger. Since 2015, Shooting Hunger events have provided more than two million meals to hungry Tennesseans.

Financial Officers from Farm Credit Mid-America award Morgan Hilliard, from Westport, TN, with a $500 scholarship at Shooting Hunger on September 21 in Nashville, Tenn. Hilliard was the top youth shooter in the afternoon flight for the annual event that raises money to benefit community backpack programs in Middle Tennessee.

Representatives from Farm Credit Mid-America and Rural 1^st award Carter Biggs, from Goodlettsville, TN, with a $500 scholarship at Shooting Hunger on September 21 in Nashville, Tenn. Biggs was the top youth shooter in the morning flight for the annual event that raises money to benefit community backpack programs in Middle Tennessee.

 

WASHINGTON — FEMA, in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), will conduct a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) today, Oct. 4.

The national test will consist of two portions, testing WEA and EAS capabilities. Both tests are scheduled to begin at approximately 2:20 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Oct. 4.

The WEA portion of the test will be directed to consumer cell phones. This will be the third nationwide test, but the second test to all WEA-compatible cellular devices. The test message will display in either English or in Spanish, depending on the language settings of the wireless handset.

The EAS portion of the test will be sent to radios and televisions. This will be the seventh nationwide EAS test.

FEMA and the FCC are coordinating with EAS participants, wireless providers, emergency managers and other stakeholders in preparation for this national test to minimize confusion and maximize the public safety value of the test.

The purpose of the test is to ensure that the systems continue to be effective means of warning the public about emergencies, particularly those on the national level. In case the Oct. 4 test is postponed, due to widespread severe weather or other significant events, the back-up testing date is Oct. 11.

The WEA portion of the test will be initiated using FEMA’s Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS), a centralized internet-based system administered by FEMA that enables authorities to send authenticated emergency messages to the public through multiple communications networks. The WEA test will be administered via a code sent to cell phones. 

This year the EAS message will be disseminated as a Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) message via the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System-Open Platform for Emergency Networks (IPAWS-OPEN).

All wireless phones should receive the message only once. The following can be expected from the nationwide WEA test:

• Beginning at approximately 2:20 p.m. ET, cell towers will broadcast the test for approximately 30 minutes. During this time, WEA-compatible wireless phones that are switched on, within range of an active cell tower, and in a geographic area where the wireless provider participates in WEA, should be capable of receiving the test message. 
• For consumers, the message that appears on their phones will read: “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.”
• Phones with the main menu set to Spanish will display: “ESTA ES UNA PRUEBA del Sistema Nacional de Alerta de Emergencia. No se necesita acción.”
• Similar to when your phone receives an Amber Alert, the WEA alert tone is generally only played when the alert is initially received by the phone and on some devices stops as soon as the user clicks a button.
• If a phone is off before the test alert is sent and not turned back on until after the WEA Test expires (approximately 30 minutes), the phone should not get the test message.

WEA alerts are created and sent by authorized federal, state, local, tribal and territorial government agencies through IPAWS to participating wireless providers, which deliver the alerts to compatible handsets in geo-targeted areas. To help ensure that these alerts are accessible to the entire public, including people with disabilities, the alerts are accompanied by a unique tone and vibration. 

Important information about the EAS test:

• The EAS portion of the test is scheduled to last approximately one minute and will be conducted with the participation of radio and television broadcasters, cable systems, satellite radio and television providers and wireline video providers.
• The test message will be similar to the regular monthly EAS test messages with which the public is familiar. It will state: “This is a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System, issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, covering the United States from 14:20 to 14:50 hours ET. This is only a test. No action is required by the public.”