Area News

EXPLOSION OCCURRED AT PIPELINE IN 1949 The explosion in the Pleasant Shade community, along what is known as the East Tennessee Natural Gas pipeline, is believed to be the second major blast on its primary route in Smith County since its installation in the late 1940s. The main pipeline enters northern Smith County from Trousdale…

EXPLOSION PROBE TO TAKE MONTHS An investigation to determine the cause of a natural gas pipeline to suddenly explode, rocking the Pleasant Shade community, is expected to take months. The 22 inch pipeline is owned and operated by Enbridge, a Houston, Texas based energy company. Michael Barnes, a spokesperson for Enbridge, estimated it would take…

LETTERS TO SANTA/CHRISTMAS GREETINGS The 2018 Carthage Courier Christmas Greetings & Santa Letters section is in this weeks Courier!

MURRAY NAMED NEW SCHS FB COACH Last Thursday, Smith County High School introduced a new head coach for the Owls’ football program. Scott Murray, a 1990 graduate and former football player for the Black-and-Gold, was selected to lead the Smith Co. High football program. Murray explained how attaining the position and returning to his alma…

EXPLOSION – ROCKS PLEASANT SHADE REASON FOR NATURAL PIPELINE BLAST UNCLEAR A natural gas line explosion rocked the Pleasant Shade community, Saturday. Meanwhile an investigation into what caused the explosion is being conducted by the company which owns the gas line. While no one was injured, the community is fortunate. The explosion sent tons of…

EVACUATED – DEFEATED ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ENGULFED IN THURSDAY BOMB SCARE HOAX Defeated Elementary School was evacuated after becoming engulfed in a nationwide bomb scare, Thursday. According to Director of Schools Barry Smith, the school system’s safety plan for the elementary school, which included evacuation of students and teachers, was implemented when school officials became aware…

WOMAN HELD AT GUNPOINT, RAPED, STRANGLED A man faces aggravated rape charges for allegedly holding a woman at gunpoint, strangling and raping her in a vehicle at the Smith County Welcome Center in Buffalo Valley. Charges were filed by the Smith County Sheriff’s Department on Wednesday of last week against Joshua Andrew Stephen Fox, 40,…

INDICTMENT – AGGRAVATED SEXUAL BATTERY ON A CHILD A man faces a host of charges after allegedly having sexual contact with two minors under the age of 13. A sealed indictment was returned by the grand jury this month charging Ricky Dewayne Murphy, 38, Gordonsville with two counts of aggravated sexual battery of a child…

ATTEMPTED 1ST DEGREE MURDER INDICTMENT A man has been indicted on two counts of attempted first degree murder for allegedly shooting at two deputies. A 10 count indictment was handed down by the grand jury on December 3 against Steve F. Mabe, Jr., 44, Smithville. In addition to firing at officers, Mabe is charged with…

BREAKING NEWS: DECEMBER INDICTMENTS The grand jury met for its December session and returned more than 50 indictments. Indictments include: Christopher M. Denney, 38, Lebanon, theft under $1,000. James Paul Hewitt Jr., 47, McMinnville simple possession of schedule II drug methamphetamine, simple possession of schedule VI drug marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia. Jennifer Leigh Mathis,…