Area News

By Eddie West Staff Writer The start of a busy election year begins next week. Early voting in the May Democratic and Republican Primary Election will take place beginning Wednesday, April 15 and continue through April 30. Only one race will be contested in the upcoming primary election. READ MORE IN THIS WEEK’S COURIER

By Eddie West Staff Writer A man apparently escaped critical injuries following a horrific single vehicle wreck in South Carthage. The vehicle in which the man was driving crashed through a guardrail, traveled several yards down a steep embankment before landing upside down near a creek and the Cumberland River. The incident occurred Wednesday (March 25)…

By Eddie West Staff Writer It’s not uncommon for a teenager to request a pet for their birthday. Possibly a puppy. Maybe a cat. But when Grant area resident Samantha Blankenship asked her son Matthew what he wanted for his last birthday she wasn’t prepared for his answer. It was a bird. Not an exotic bird…

By Eddie West Staff Writer Reviewing his career in the educational field, it may seem the person selected to become the county’s next director of schools is far removed from Smith County. However, that’s not the case. Murfreeboro’s Central Magnet School Principal John Ash has followed his  career in the field of education predominantly to places…

John Ash was selected by the county’s school board to become the new Smith County Director of Schools. Ash was selected during Tuesday night’s (March 17) regularly scheduled monthly school board meeting. The next step in the process includes discussions between Ash and School Board Chairman Tommy Manning and Vice Chairman Scotty Lewis on a…

The search for a new director of schools is down to two candidates John Ash and Elizabeth Lackey. The two were selected during a special called school board meeting held on Monday night (March 9). The two will participate in a second interview session on Monday night (March 16). The final selection is planned for…

Full-time office candidates Six full-time county offices are up for election this year. Here’s how qualifying for county offices went: County Mayor— •Incumbent County Mayor Jeff Mason is seeking re-election. The county mayor qualified to run in the May Republican Primary Election. County commission seats Interest in seats on the county commission in this year’s elections is mixed. The…

By Eddie West Staff Writer A disturbance call in Carthage turned tragic as a man jumped into the Cumberland River and drown. The incident began shortly after 5 a.m., Tuesday (February 10) when the Carthage Police Department received a call related to a disturbance outside an Upper Ferry Road residence. The residence was located between Walnut…

The county’s school board will be interviewing six applicants to become the school system’s new director of schools. The final six candidates include John Ash, Elizabeth Lackey, Mike Lytle, Jimmy Maynord, Bobby Storie and Tim Towns. The six were selected from 10 applicants. Originally, the school board received 12 applicants for the position. Of the…

By Eddie West Staff Writer A man facing murder charges in Texas is expected to be extradited to that state this week. The suspect was arrested following a pursuit along Interstate 40 and subsequent investigation conducted by the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) and a Smith County Sheriffs Department deputy. On January 24, Deputy Nathan Williams responded…