Area News

NEW CANDIDATES PICK UP ELECTION PAPERS Qualifying for the May 3 Republican and Democratic primary elections entered its fifth week, last Monday. Qualifying began on December 20 (2021) and continues through noon, February 17. To this point, qualifying has been slowed by a series of holiday and snowy weather conditions. Individuals who have either picked…

UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA – FAMILY TIES RUN DEEP Unless you are completely sports illiterate you probably know by now that the “Georgia Bulldawgs” won the National Championship game. Although millions of fans were watching it on television, there were two local fans among the 67,000 in attendance at Lucas Oil Stadium. Dr. David McDonald and…

COVID CASES HIT COUNTY RECORD Active COVID cases are increasing at an alarming rate in the county, even surpassing the highest number recorded since the pandemic began. There were 406 active COVID cases on Saturday (January 15), according to the Tennessee Department of Health’s latest report. The highest number of active cases in the county…

WELL-KNOWN DOCTOR/MILITARY VETERAN PASSES AWAY AT 101 Funeral services are set for Friday afternoon for well-known, longtime Carthage physician and Smith County native Dr. Gordon Petty. Dr. Petty passed away in the early morning hours of Monday (January 24) at the age of 101. Having a career spanning 50 years, the Carthage resident was a…

SUSPICIOUS PACKAGE LEADS TO CHARGES A suspicious package shipped through the U.S. Postal Service to Chestnut Mound has resulted in charges being filed against two people. The two were charged following an investigation conducted by the sheriff’s department K-9 unit and officials with the U.S. Postal Service. As a result of the investigation, Scott A.…

GORDONSVILLE SCHOOL THREAT CHARGES Making a threatening online, verbal or written comment concerning a school is no longer considered a “joke”. A juvenile likely found out it wasn’t worth the temporary satisfaction, following a visit from Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) agents at his home. The juvenile now faces charges in connection with an online…

MANHUNT SUSPECT BEHIND BARS A man who was the subject of a manhunt in the Flat Rock community in August of last year is now in the county jail facing multiple charges. Matthew Madewell, 36, Red Boiling Springs, is charged with aggravated burglary, theft of property, burglary and failure to appear. Madewell was picked up…