Area News

COUNTY PROPERTY TAX DECREASE ON TRACK As the County’s Budget and Finance Committee finalizes its 2021-2022 fiscal year budget, it appears a county property tax decrease is imminent. Exactly how much of a decrease had not been decided as of Friday, but an amount was expected to be determined as soon as this week. The…

COUNTY FAIR NEARING The countdown to the Smith County Fair (The Fair By The River) is on. The event is less than three weeks away. While the fair runs from June 28 through July 3 (carnival rides), fair events begin ahead of the arrival of the carnival. Events associated with the fair will begin as…

BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL FRIDAY/SATURDAY The annual Defeated Creek Bluegrass Festival is this weekend. The event is set for Friday night, June 11 and Saturday night, June 12. Performing Friday night will be Clearview and Billy Wise and Mountain Time. Performing Saturday night will be Avery Trace and Bluegrass Solutions. Performing both nights will be the Evermean…

RIDDLETON RESIDENT VICTIM OF WRECK Hydroplaning is being blamed for a wreck which claimed the life of a Riddleton woman. The two-vehicle wreck occurred around 8:55 a.m., Wednesday, on Dixon Springs Highway/Highway 25. The wreck victim was identified as Linda Tabor, 76, a resident of Rome Road. An eight-year-old child traveling with Tabor was not…

WORK ON CITY POOL DELAYS OPENING Repair work on the city pool in Carthage continues. The pool generally opens around Memorial Day. In February, the city’s council voted to rehabilitate the pool mainly because of excessive leakage. Work on the pool has been delayed because the contractor has had difficulty in locating certain parts needed…

‘NORMAL’ SCHOOL YEAR COULD BEGIN IN AUGUST The 2020-2021 school year came to a close last week. More importantly, it provided a glimpses into how the next school year will begin. All students are likely to return to in-person learning in August for what could be a “normal” school year, after an unimaginable 2020-2021 school…

REPAVING OF CARTHAGE’S MAIN STREET PLANNED For some time now, motorists may have noticed Main Street in Carthage has gotten to be a bumpy ride. Plans are in motion to repave the entire city street. A public notice was placed in last week’s edition of the Courier seeking bidders on the project. Main Street North…

DEPOT RESTORED TO ORIGINAL ELEGANCE A project more than six years in the development stage continues to take shape. Work on the Carthage Junction Depot project located on Highway 53 at the south end of Crump Paris Park continues to move forward. In October 2014, the depot was relocated from its former location which was…