Area News

ACLU LAWSUIT CLAIMS SCHOOL ‘INCORPORATES PRAYER’ IN SYSTEM Case Management Conference Set In ACLU Lawsuit Initial proceedings between the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Tennessee and legal counsel for the local school system concerning religious practices within the school system is not expected to take place until February of next year. The court has…

ONE CHARGED AFTER FLEEING FROM DEPUTY A man faces charges after being discovered with several grams of marijuana and fleeing from a sheriff’s department deputy. The investigation began when Deputy Nathan Williams observed James Thomas Franklin, 36, Hickman, traveling on Sykes Road around 10:51 a.m., on Sunday, November 10. Deputy Williams checked with dispatch which…

SM. CO. NATIVE & GHS GRAD KILLED IN SEPARATE WRECKS Separate automobile accidents this past week claimed the life of a Smith County native and a Gordonsville High School graduate. Both accidents occurred outside the county. Smith County native and Cheatham County Deputy Stephen Michael Reece, 50, was the victim of a two-vehicle wreck which…

FATAL FIRE CAUSE UNDETERMINED Funeral services were held Saturday for sixty-one-year old Pleasant Shade resident Phillip Evitts. The lifelong resident of the Pleasant Shade community was the victim of the community’s second house fire in as many weeks. The cause of both fires is undetermined, according to County Fire Investigator Jason Powell. Having managed Smith…

ACLU SUES SMITH COUNTY SCHOOLS The ACLU of Tennessee filed a lawsuit against Smith County Schools on behalf of two families who say the school system regularly incorporates prayer into school events and proselytizes students. The plaintiffs are listed as Kelly Butler and Jason and Sharona Carr. The suit reads: “KELLY BUTLER, on his own…

COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS LIGHT PROJECT PLANNED A community Christmas event is expanding to include the entire county this year. Residents across the county are encouraged to participate in “aCross Smith County Community Lighting Project”. To be a part of the project residents can simply erect a lighted cross or cross scene in their yard or elsewhere…

WORK ON BRIDGE EXPECTED TO BEGIN; DETOURS SET UP Work was expected to begin this week on the bridge crossing Mulherrin Creek on Highway 53 in the New Middleton community, according to the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT). Starting this week the bridge was expected to be reduced to one nine foot lane, according to…

ELMWOOD RESIDENT WRECK VICTIM A Smith County man was killed in a single vehicle wreck in Putnam County over the weekend. The victim was identified as Michael Owen Massey, 38, Elmwood. The accident occurred around 11:54 p.m., Saturday on Highway 96/Medley Amonette Road near the Smith County line. Massey was pronounced dead on arrival at…

FIRE CLAIMS PLEASANT SHADE MAN A Pleasant Shade man was killed in a house fire Monday night. According to Jacky Carver, owner of Sanderson Funeral and county fire chief, the body of Phillip Evitts, former manager of Smith Farmers Cooperative in South Carthage, is at the medical examiners office for positive identification. Carver has been…

JUDGE JOHN WOOTTEN SET TO RETIRE Judge John Wootten Jr. plans to retire, effective January 1 (2020). Wootten has served the Fifteenth Judicial District, which includes Smith, Jackson, Macon, Trousdale and Wilson counties, as a circuit judge since 1998. “I have notified Governor Bill Lee of my decision to retire in order for him to…