July 2023

Rosenwald School featured in Tennessee State Museum exhibit

The former Hohenwald Rosenwald School still stands as part of the Lewis County Senior Citizens Center. This is just one of the stories told in the Tennessee State Museum’s new exhibition Building a Bright Future: Black Communities and Rosenwald Schools in Tennessee, which will run from June 16, 2023 to February 25, 2024.

Pickleball Courts open at Memorial Park

A Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting event for the two new Pickleball Courts was held last week at Memorial Park.

Huge turnout for “Rock The Lot”

People from all around came out in droves to celebrate the Fourth of July on Saturday night in The Lot for the fifth annual “Rock The Lot”. Approximately 3600 people attended the event.

Bentley Anthony advances to national finals

The Tennessee High School Rodeo Association held their state finals on June 9, 10 and 11 at Tennessee Technological University in Cookeville. Each contestant competed in three rounds of rodeo. Contestants were not only trying to win a state title, but also trying to qualify for the National High School Finals Rodeo in Wyoming.

The top four cowboys or cowgirls in each event got to advance to the national finals. When the dust settled on the last day of the Tennessee Finals Rodeo, Hohenwald’s Bentley Anthony won the championship in tie-down calf roping. Bentley also finished in third place in the team roping. The first and third place finishes qualified Bentley for the 75th annual National High School Finals Rodeo in Gillette, Wyoming July 16-22.

Oak Grove Fish Fry back after 3 year pause due to covid

Friday morning, July 14th, the men and women of the Oak Grove Community will be back in familiar territory, preparing for a night they haven’t experienced in three years.

For 70+ years, everyone has come together with their hands out, but it’s not for a hand-out. Just the opposite, in fact. Some will be gloved, some holding tongs, and others covered in batter, but their hands are reaching out into the community by way of the infamous, OAK GROVE FISH FRY.

Lewis County 9/10 All Stars finish at top in state tournament

The Lewis County 9/10 year old All Stars traveled to Loudon, Tennessee last weekend to compete in the State Tournament.

County receives $185,947 back from the state for Justice Center Building

Lewis County Government recently received $185,947 back from the State of Tennessee in unclaimed funds pertaining to its 2018 purchase of the old Sentinel Trust Building, which is currently home to the Lewis County Justice Center.

Commission votes: No new property taxes

The Lewis County Board of Commissioners met in regular session Monday night, July 24th.

After public input, of which there was none, the commissioners voted in favor of adopting the 2023-2024 Property Tax Rate as follows:

$1.2919 from the County General Fund, $0.0309 from the Highway Department, $0.5610 from the General Purpose School Fund, with a total estimated collection of $4,812,446.48.

This vote allowed the property tax to stay the same as it has been for the last nine consecutive years. Mayor Keltner applauded the commission for the work done to be able to do so.

August 2023

Commissioners approve funding for major public safety project

Last month, Lewis County Commissioners unanimously approved spending $686,715 in federal ARPA grant money to provide major upgrades to Lewis County’s Emergency Radio System.

The County has been working with the local Emergency Management Agency and First Responders on this project for over two years, in order to enhance the overall efficiency and effectiveness of emergency response in our community.

The project includes installing new technology at the two existing radio towers, as well as adding a third tower along Paul Spears Road, which will significantly improve radio coverage and signal strength to the eastern half of Lewis County. All three towers will also be upgraded to a simulcast broadcasting system.

Local earns “Learner of the Year” award

The Tennessee Association for Adult and Community Education promotes and supports adult education throughout the state of Tennessee by providing advocacy, leadership and professional development in adult education. Each year, they honor leaders in their area of education.

At this year’s award ceremony, Hohenwald’s own, Kimberly Prouty, proudly accepted the “Tennessee Adult Basic Education Learner of the Year Award” July 20th at the Marriott Convention Center in Chattanooga.

Contractors finally on-site at High Forest Apartments after five months of wet, molding living conditions

In March of this year, storms swept through our area, ripping roofs off houses, demolishing barns, and tearing trees from the ground at the roots. While most of that destruction has been cleared, and structures rebuilt, the community at High Forest Apartments on North Walnut Street has been living with wet insulation falling from the massive holes in their ceilings, floors flooding every time a hard rain falls, and the smell of mold due to the consistently wet, open area.

After being cited in court, and threatened with sizable fines, the contractors were found on the roofs of one of the buildings Tuesday morning, August 8th, and plan to stay until the job is complete. Residents were glad to see them “putting band aids on,” but “hope the complex will move on to actually fixing the wet carpets, molding walls, and more.”

State suspends admissions at local nursing home

Earlier this year, The Board for Licensing Health Care Facilities responded to several tips, and reports of abuse and “disgusting living conditions” at the local AHC Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. Following those reports led the board to travel to Hohenwald, Tennessee to conduct an investigation. That ended June 1 and revealed violations of licensure statutes and regulations that are “detrimental to the health, safety, and welfare of residents.”

South Central Area Fair arrives

The South Central Area Fair arrived in town, and local residents were encouraged to join with the local fair board as they celebrated the 100th year of the South Central Area Fair!

Basketball courts get major facelift

Thanks to a generous donation from Tanner Coatings and Pipeline Services, as well as funding from the Park Board, the basketball courts at Memorial Park were recently cleaned and repainted for the first time in decades.

2023 Miss Fairest of the Fair

The South Central Area Fair held its Fairest of the Fair beauty pageants on Saturday, August 26th with record-breaking attendance for its Centennial Celebration! Your 2023 Miss Fairest of the Fair is Raegan Murphy.

She is the 16 year old daughter of Howard and Tabitha Lancaster of Lewis County. She will be representing our fair at the State Fairest of the Fair pageant on January 19th in Murfreesboro.

September 2023

Open House at New Jail

Lewis County Jail will hold an open house at their new facility on Tuesday, September 12 from 4:00-6:00 p.m.

Community leaders address the county’s need for a hospital and 24-hour emergency care facility

Leaders from Lewis County Government and the City of Hohenwald have been working diligently to try and find a solution to the absence of a hospital and 24-hour emergency health care facility in our community.

This past Spring, County Commissioners created the “24-Hour Emergency Health Care Facility Study Committee”, which is composed of county and city officials, as well as local residents.

Philbilly Ride September 16

The 10th annual Philbilly Cancer Ride will be held Saturday, September 16. This year’s event is in memory of Tony “Pineapple” Barber. All proceeds go to the Lewis County Cancer Victims Fund.

Homeless in Hohenwald

Complaints of panhandling, theft and loitering have risen in 2023, and a majority of those are coming from citizens referring to unsheltered, unemployed people walking the streets of Hohenwald. Prior to the recent uptick, the homeless population in this community has stayed almost hidden. Staying on a friend or family member’s couch, living night-to-night at motels and in abandoned buildings around town has been the norm in this circle. However, according to the outcry of many locals, it has become an epidemic. But why choose Hohenwald, and what can we do to help to get them off the streets and safely sheltered? September 5, 2023, several members of the community came together to work on a solution to help the growing population of homeless in Hohenwald. From Lewis County and City Governments to churches to rehabilitation centers, all were there for the common good.

Multiple county police pursuit ends with man facing several charges

A multi county pursuit ended in Lewis County after a 20 mile vehicle pursuit and a 100 yard foot chase.

Perry County Sheriff Nick Weems said that Perry County was notified by Lewis County that a Lewis County officer was in pursuit of vehicle whose driver had warrants for his arrest. Lewis County had terminated the pursuit on Hwy 48 at the county line. The vehicle proceeded into Wayne County and then turned back to Lewis County where he was captured after a chase.

October 2023

Coming Soon: Hohenwald Estates

Mill Street has been busy with the sound of construction, as Gateway Construction Corporation, Inc. has been clearing land to make way for Hohenwald’s newest development.

Hohenwald Estates is a 56-unit multi-family apartment complex located in the City of Hohenwald, in Lewis County. It will consist of 3 residential buildings and a clubhouse/community building and will include 6 one-bedroom units, 30 two-bedroom units, and 20 three-bedroom units.

The estimated completion date for the project is Fall of 2024.

Search warrant results in seven arrested

Investigators with the Lewis County Sheriff’s Department and Hohenwald Police Department received information of multiple wanted persons residing at a residence in Hohenwald earlier in the week. Investigators began investigating and conducting surveillance on the residence. One of the multiple wanted persons was observed at the residence which led the investigators to obtain a search warrant for the residence.

While executing said search warrant, evidence of the presence of narcotics was present which led to an additional search warrant being served on the residence.