Good Monday morning! Welcome to a brand new week. This is The Daybreaker, the first of several newsletters that will be published this week by the Independent Herald. The Daybreaker (Monday morning) and The Weekender (Thursday evening) are our two news-first newsletters. We publish several other newsletters throughout the week, as well as our regular E-Edition on Thursday and our Varsity E-Edition on Sunday (during sports season). If you’d like to adjust your subscription to include (or exclude) this or any of our other newsletters, please do so here. If you need to subscribe, it’s as simple as entering your email address:

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Minor damages left behind from Sunday flooding

Flood waters receded across Scott County Sunday afternoon, but left several damaged roads, flooded basements, and other minor damage in their wake.

The Scott County Road Department worked throughout the day Sunday to reopen roads that were temporarily closed by the flooding, but some damage remained as the sun went down. Bull Creek United Baptist Church, south of Huntsville, canceled Sunday evening services after part of the road near the church began to slide away.

At one point Sunday, several roads were closed. Flood-prone roads like O&W Road in Oneida were closed, and also closed were roads with tree damage due to the heavy rains and soft grounds. S.R. 297 through the Big South Fork River gorge was temporarily closed by the National Park Service due to downed trees.

Additionally, widespread power outages occurred throughout Scott County Sunday morning, some due to transformers being struck by lightning, and others due to trees that uprooted in the soggy ground. At one point, more than 5,000 homes and businesses were without power throughout Scott County.

More than six inches of rain fell in places over a 12-hour period beginning just before midnight Saturday night. The National Weather Service had issued a Flood Watch for Scott County and surrounding areas at 8 p.m. Saturday evening, after indications began to grow that thunderstorms might train over the area during the overnight hours. That is exactly what transpired, especially during the last hours before dawn Sunday morning. A Flash Flood Warning was issued and remained in effect until 2 p.m. Sunday afternoon.

At the Scott County Airport in Oneida, 6.12 inches of rain fell over the 12-hour period from midnight to noon. Added to lighter rain that fell earlier Saturday, more than 6.5 inches of rain fell over a 24-hour period.

To put the magnitude of the rainfall into perspective, more rain fell in a 12-hour period Sunday morning that had fallen during the entire months of May and June combined up to that point.

The Big South Fork River was nearing a crest at 24.7 feet near sunset Sunday evening, up almost 20 feet in a 15-hour period. The streamflow of 36,100 cubic feet per second (cfs) smashed the record for the date of June 28, and was the highest streamflow on the BSF River in 3.5 years, dating back to January 2023.

Further upstream, New River was nearing a crest at 22,800 cfs, and Clear Fork crested at 5,770 cfs, as measured at New River Bridge and Burnt Mill Bridge, respectively. Both sites broke single-day streamflow records for the date that were set in 2018.

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The Growth Chart

On Mondays, we present The Growth Chart, a look at recent and ongoing growth throughout Scott County. Already-completed projects will shift to the bottom of this list, before eventually falling off the list. There are no major updates this week.

Toomey Road: Contractors for the Scott County Road Department earlier this month completed a paving project on Toomey Road in the Coopertown area west of Oneida. Toomey Road serves as the entrance for the rapidly-growing Toomey Falls subdivision that extends into Black Oak, and is the entrance to the O&W area of the Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area. This parks the first time the road has ever been paved with “hot mix” asphalt.

Dollar General: Although an official opening date has not been announced, construction of the new Dollar General on Coopertown Road in West Oneida is complete, and the store is being stocked. Following a failed attempt to place a store near the intersection of Coopertown Road and Cooper Lake Road in Oneida, the Goodlettesville, Tenn.-based corporation secured property at the intersection of Coopertown Road and Smith Road in the Coopertown community, across from New Haven Baptist Church. The new location is currently hiring. More information can be found at www.dollargeneral.com. The new DG will join other stores in Oneida, Huntsville, Robbins, and Winfield, and is likely not the last DG location in Scott County.

Hammer’s: Signage is now in place for the forthcoming Hammer’s in Huntsville. It will be located in the former Napa Auto Parts building, which is owned by Oneida-based Brewco and is currently being remodeled. The signage reflects the chain’s recent branding as Hammer’s Dry Goods. Hammer’s is not new to Scott County; the company has a warehouse in the Tibbals Industrial Park in Oneida.

Parkside Villas: Stanley Building General Contractors has begun construction on a new condominium unit near Oneida City Park. Parkside Villas will be located next-door to the Scott County Ambulance Service headquarters off Paint Rock Road and Buffalo Road, and will consist of four units with two-bedrooms and two baths that will be offered for sale once completed. There will be a monthly HOA. Amy Martin, Oneida realtor and Stanley Building representative, called it “a new style of housing here in the county. Home ownership and someone else does the maintenance.”

Niggs Creek Road: After the condemned railroad overpass at High Point was demolished in late April, Cookeville-based contractors have begun construction of the new bridge that will eventually result in the reopening of Niggs Creek Road.

The Oak & Ash: Scott County’s newest restaurant is the Oak & Ash, which opened last week in Winfield. It is located in the building that has formerly housed Moose’s Sports Bar & Grill, Murf’s Gearbox Grill, and Boo’s Roadhouse. The restaurant is open 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 3 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sundays. It is closed Tuesdays.

The Florist: A new flower shop has opened in Oneida. The Florist is located in Northtown Plaza, 20435 Alberta Street, and is owned by Tony Litton. It is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday-Saturday.

Long John Silver’s: A Long John Silver’s fast food seafood restaurant is being constructed at Oneida Plaza, on the south side of McDonald’s. The targeted opening date is August 2026.

Zaxby’s: Zaxby’s, the fast-food chicken restaurant chain, has purchased 1.3 acres of property on Alberta Street, just north of the Oneida Municipal Services Building, and continues to prepare it for the start of construction.

Dairy Queen: Nick Patel, who owns several other businesses in Scott County, is planning to purchase a DQ franchise that will be located in Oneida. Patel told the Independent Herald in March that the property for the new store has not yet been finalized.

Polo’s Italian Restaurant: Polo’s Italian Restaurant & Pizza, which will be located in Oneida Plaza (up the sidewalk from Walmart), announced on April 3 that its new store will open soon. A grand opening has not yet been announced.

Package Stores: The Town of Oneida began accepting applications for certificates of compliance for liquor stores in May, following November 2024 referendums approved by voters of both the town and the county. Two package stores have since been permitted and are slated to open in the coming months. Lisa Meadows announced on Facebook on Dec. 2 that applications for employment are currently being accepted at one of those stores, which will be located in Oneida Plaza.

Huntsville Store: Huntsville, too, will soon have a package store. Signage for that store went up at the site of the old Hickory Mill on S.R. 63 last month. A convenience store and “fast food” are also planned for the location. Mayor Dennis Jeffers says the fast food portion of the business will not be a recognizable chain, but will instead be a store kitchen.

Veterans Memorial: Although not officially open, work has been completed on the new Revolutionary veterans memorial, which is located at the John John Yancey Memorial Park in Huntsville. The memorial pays tribute to the Revolutionary War veterans who later moved to present-day Scott County.

New Flea Market: The 63/27 Flea Market recently opened at the former mobile home retail lot on U.S. Highway 27 just south of the S.R. 63 intersection in Huntsville. Tina Reed — who most folks will recognize from Perdue’s Shell Kitchen in Huntsville — is the face behind the new flea market, which rents spaces for $25 per day.

O&W Road: The O&W Road into the Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area re-opened last month, following completion of a bridge over Pine Creek near the intersection with Toomey Road just outside the national park.

Alberta Street resurfacing: Rogers Group has completed its resurfacing of U.S. Highway 27 through Oneida.

University of Tennessee Medical Clinic: University of Tennessee Medical Center has added cardiology and neurology to the list of services it is offering at its new clinic, located adjacent to the Scott County Food Court on U.S. Highway 27 in south Oneida.

27/63 Site Prep: Excavating work has been ongoing at a commercial lot located at the intersection of U.S. Highway 27 and S.R. 63 in Huntsville, and a home that was located on the property has been demolished. According to Huntsville Mayor Dennis Jeffers, there is no construction slated for the site. Dirt removed from the property is being used for the new convenience store across the road, while the property itself remains for sale through Ayers Auction & Real Estate.

More to Come: Something to add? Email newsroom@ihoneida.com.

Words of Wisdom

Each week, Preacher Johnny Polk and the Oneida Church of Christ present Words of Wisdom, short devotionals that are archived on our website. Here is the current Words of Wisdom. (Sponsored content.)

☀️ Weather: The rain is behind us, and this week is going to be hot and dry. Temperatures will be in the low 90s each day this week, with heat indices reaching 100 degrees or greater at times. Nighttime temperatures won’t offer much relief, as we’ll be stuck in the low 70s at night. It’ll be very muggy. There’ll be slight chances of thunderstorms beginning Wednesday night and continuing through the 4th of July holiday weekend. Check out our daily Eye to the Sky updates on our Facebook page — published each morning at 7 a.m. on the dot — or always available at indherald.com.

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📅 Community Calendar

Monday: The Scott Appalachian Industries Senior Center (Monticello Pike, Huntsville) offers a walking program, puzzles and games, and massage chairs every week day (Monday-Friday) from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Monday: Ridgeview Behavioral Health Services’ Mobile Health Clinic will be in the Walmart parking lot in Oneida from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., offering integrated primary care and behavioral health. No insurance is not a problem. Call (866) 599-0466 for more information.

Monday: The Huntsville Municipal Pool is open from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. each week day. Admission is $3. The Oneida City Park Splash Pad is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Monday: The Scott County Senior Citizens Center (Main Street, Oneida) will serve lunch from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. The cost is $7 for dine-in or carry-out. Phone: (423) 569-5972.

Tuesday: The Scott County Senior Citizens Center (Main Street, Oneida) will host exercise from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m.

Tuesday: Pinnacle Resource Center’s food pantry (1513 Jeffers Road, Huntsville) will be open beginning at 9:45 a.m. There are no income guidelines; however, a photo ID and a piece of mail with a Scott County address are required.

Tuesday: Boy Scout Troop #333 will meet at the Oneida War Memorial Building on Alberta Street in Oneida beginning at 6 p.m.

Tuesday: Wall Builders will meet from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. at Trinity Baptist Church (1611 Glass House Road, Helenwood) for those struggling with addiction or striving to keep off drugs. There will be preaching, teaching, food, fellowship and personal counseling.

Tuesday: Alcoholics Anonymous will meet at 7 p.m. at the Highway 27 Unity Club (17737 S. Alberta Street, Oneida).

Wednesday: The Scott County Senior Citizens Center (Main Street, Oneida) will serve lunch from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. The cost is $7 for dine-in or carry-out.

Wednesday: Alcoholics Anonymous will meet at 12 p.m. at the Highway 27 Unity Club (17737 S. Alberta Street, Oneida).

Thursday: The Gerry McDonald Mission House, located on Church Avenue, directly behind First United Methodist Church, is open from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. You are eligible to receive food once per month. 569-8828.

Thursday: The Scott County Senior Citizens Center (Main Street, Oneida) will host exercise from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m.

Friday: The Big South Fork swimming pool at Bandy Creek is open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The cost is $3 for ages 13 and up, or $2 for ages 6-12.

The Community Calendar is presented weekly by Citizens Gas Utility District. Citizens Gas Utility District pipelines are generally safe. They can be damaged by things such as excavation, natural forces, and automobile accidents. These can potentially cause a leak. Visit citizensgastn.com.

Thank you for reading. Our next newsletter will be Echoes From the Past tomorrow. If you’d like to update your subscription to add or subtract any of our newsletters, do so here. If you haven’t yet subscribed, it’s as simple as adding your email address!

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Our Newsletters:
• Monday morning: The Daybreaker (news & the week ahead)
• Tuesday: Echoes from the Past (stories of our history)
• Wednesday: Threads of Life (obituaries)
• Thursday evening: The Weekender (news & the weekend)
• Friday: Friday Features (beyond the news)
• Sunday: Varsity (a weekly sports recap)

The hottest temperatures of summer — at least to this point — are likely on the way next week, with triple-digit heat indices possible across much of Tennessee.

An Extreme Heat Watch has been hoisted by the National Weather Service for much of Middle Tennessee, west of the Cumberland Plateau, where the agency says the heat index could reach 110 degrees.

Somewhat milder temperatures are likely, as usual, on the Cumberland Plateau. However, widespread temperatures in the 90s are likely even here on the higher elevations of the plateau, and the heat index here could reach 100 degrees at times.

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The heat wave will begin in earnest on Monday, with temperatures expected to top out in the 90s each weekday next week, and pushing close to 90 degrees on the Independence Day holiday, which is Saturday. Slight chances of thunderstorms will return to the forecast near the end of the week, but the first half of the week looks very dry.

Officially, the National Weather Service’s Morristown weather forecast office, which covers Scott County, is forecasting temperatures between 90 and 92 degrees in the Oneida area each day next week. The last time the Oneida area saw temperatures of 90 degrees or greater was Aug. 21, 2025, which concluded four consecutive days of temperatures in the 90s, with a high of 93 degrees on Aug. 20. The hottest temperature so far this summer has been 89 degrees, earlier this month.

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Good Thursday evening! This is The Weekender, a final look at this week’s news from the Independent Herald. The Daybreaker (Monday) and The Weekender (Thursday evening) are our two news-first newsletters. We publish several other newsletters throughout the week, as well as our regular E-Edition on Thursday and our Varsity E-Edition on Sunday (during sports season). If you’d like to adjust your subscription to include (or exclude) any of these newsletters, do so here. If you haven’t subscribed, please consider doing so!

Today’s newsletter is sponsored by Buckeye Home Medical Equipment. Serving Scott County and several other communities in the Upper Cumberland region, Buckeye is a full-line DME providing home health equipment to its patients.

New county budget includes pay increase for county employees

HUNTSVILLE | Meeting in special called session Monday evening, Scott County Commission gave its final approval to the budget for fiscal year 2026-2027, which includes no new taxes and a 6.5% raise for county employees — those employed by county government offices, as well as EMTs and paramedics, sheriff’s department law enforcement officers, and corrections officers.

Incremental pay raises for county employees has become an annual goal of County Commission as a way to bring local government salaries closer to those in neighboring counties, and have been lobbied for by office-holders that include County Mayor Jerried Jeffers and Sheriff Brian Keeton.

According to Jeffers, county employees have now seen their salaries increase 23% over the past four years, while employees with 10 or more years on the job have seen pay increases exceeding 23%, due to longevity pay increases.

The budget for fiscal year 2026-2027, which begins July 1, will leave the county’s property rate unchanged at $1.60 per $100 assessed value for property owners outside the Oneida Special School District. Inside the OSSD, the property tax is $1.96 per $100 assessed value. The special school district tax was approved by voters on referendum in the late 1980s for the purpose of funding new school buildings. The tax levy was approved by commissioners on June 15.

The proposed budget for FY 2026-2027 includes estimated revenues of $11.55 million for the general fund, and total expenditures of $11.48 million. The road department’s budget is $2.47 million, as proposed. The school system’s budget is $26.84 million.

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TCAT launches search for new vice president

HUNTSVILLE | Tennessee College of Applied Technology Oneida/Huntsville announced this week that it has launched a search for a new vice president.

The school’s former vice president, Tim Smith, was promoted to president on June 16, following the retirement of Dwight Murphy, who had served as the school’s president since 2006.

TCAT Oneida/Huntsville has a main campus in Huntsville, satellite campuses in Oneida and Jamestown, and also offers programs in Wartburg and Clarkrange, in addition to the Morgan County Correctional Complex.

TCAT is also searching for a campus coordinator for the Jamestown campus, which is a shared space with Roane State Community College and is slated to open in September.

The application period will close July 17.

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ICYMI

Threads of Life: This week’s Threads of Life newsletter is in remembrance of Betty Robbins, Deborah Cross, Nova Jones, Connie Owens, Marty Shoemaker, Donna Tipton, and Keith Wilson. » Read It

Echoes in Time: This week’s Echoes in Time newsletter looks back at the Paint Rock Coal & Coke Company, which was founded in 1889 as one of Scott County’s first industries and helped transform the community. » Read It

The Weekend

🌧️ Weather: Rain will become likely for a while this weekend. After a slight (30%) chance of thunderstorms on Friday, there’s an 80% chance of rain Saturday and Saturday night. Sunday will see a return of mostly sunny skies, but there’s still about a 50/50 chance of scattered thunderstorms. Check out our daily Eye to the Sky updates on our Facebook page— published each morning at 7 a.m. on the dot.

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⛪︎ Featured Church

Denomination: Baptist
Pastor: Carlie Duncan
Address: 5126 Norma Road, Huntsville

Services

Sunday Morning: 10 a.m.
Sunday School: 11 a.m.
Sunday Evening: 6:30 p.m.
4th Saturday: 6:30 p.m.

» See the complete Church Directory, and thank you to our sponsors of the Church Directory.

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📅 Community Calendar

• Saturday: The Scott County Farmers & Crafters Market (Scott High Drive, Huntsville) will be open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. with fresh produce, baked goods, and handmade crafts.

• Saturday: The Big South Fork swimming pool at Bandy Creek will be open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is $3 ($2 for ages 6-12; free for 5 and under). The Huntsville Municipal Pool will be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $3.

• Saturday: The U.S.S. Tennessee Battleship Memorial Museum will be open on Saturday, June 27, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Admission is free. The museum is located on the campus of Scott High School.

• Saturday: Fourth Saturday night worship services will be held at Straight Fork Baptist Church (7 p.m.), and Antioch Baptist Church (6:30 p.m.). For more information, see our Church Directory at indherald.com.

• Saturday: Narcotics Anonymous will meet at 7 p.m. at the Highway 27 Unity Club (17737 S. Alberta Street, Oneida).

• Sunday: The Big South Fork swimming pool at Bandy Creek will be open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is $3 ($2 for ages 6-12; free for 5 and under). The Huntsville Municipal Pool will be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $3.

• Sunday: Celebrate Recovery, a 12-step program designed to help with addiction, co-dependency and domestic abuse, will be hosted by Fire & Purpose Ministries from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at 27192 Scott Highway in Winfield. There will be food, fellowship, praise and worship. Childcare is provided.

The Community Calendar is presented weekly by Citizens Gas Utility District. You can help prevent pipeline damage and leaks by calling 811 before doing any excavating or demolition and submitting a utility locate request. Visit citizensgastn.com.

Scenic Sale!

This week’s sale items at Scenic Foods in Huntsville! The sale continues through Tuesday. Sponsored content.

Thank you for reading. Our next newsletter will be Friday Features. If you’d like to update your subscription to add or subtract any of our newsletters, do so here. If you haven’t yet subscribed, it’s as simple as adding your email address!

◼️ About the IH • IH Sports Network • The Encyclopedia of Scott County
◼️ Subscribe • Sponsor • Manage Your Account
◼️ Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X/Twitter, YouTube

Our Newsletters:
• Monday morning: The Daybreaker (news & the week ahead)
• Tuesday: Echoes from the Past (stories of our history)
• Wednesday: Threads of Life (obituaries)
• Thursday evening: The Weekender (news & the weekend)
• Friday: Friday Features (beyond the news)
• Sunday: Varsity (a weekly sports recap)

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HUNTSVILLE | Meeting in special called session Monday evening, Scott County Commission gave its final approval to the budget for fiscal year 2026-2027, which includes no new taxes and a 6.5% raise for county employees — those employed by county government offices, as well as EMTs and paramedics, sheriff’s department law enforcement officers, and corrections officers.

Incremental pay raises for county employees has become an annual goal of County Commission as a way to bring local government salaries closer to those in neighboring counties, and have been lobbied for by office-holders that include County Mayor Jerried Jeffers and Sheriff Brian Keeton.

According to Jeffers, county employees have now seen their salaries increase 23% over the past four years, while employees with 10 or more years on the job have seen pay increases exceeding 23%, due to longevity pay increases.

The budget for fiscal year 2026-2027, which begins July 1, will leave the county’s property rate unchanged at $1.60 per $100 assessed value for property owners outside the Oneida Special School District. Inside the OSSD, the property tax is $1.96 per $100 assessed value. The special school district tax was approved by voters on referendum in the late 1980s for the purpose of funding new school buildings. The tax levy was approved by commissioners on June 15.

The proposed budget for FY 2026-2027 includes estimated revenues of $11.55 million for the general fund, and total expenditures of $11.48 million. The road department’s budget is $2.47 million, as proposed. The school system’s budget is $26.84 million.

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HUNTSVILLE | Jaclyn Hamby has been promoted to the role of principal at Scott High School.

Hamby, who served as an assistant principal at the school this past year, will replace Marc Taylor, who assumes his new role as Scott County Director of Schools on July 1, after one year as Scott High School’s principal.

Hamby was among several applicants who interviewed for the position.

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If the name sounds familiar, she is a cousin-in-law to Jeremy Hamby, who served as the school’s principal before leaving that post to become the school system’s CTE director last year. She is married to Matt Hamby of Robbins and has three children. She’s the daughter of Jack Sproles of Huntsville. She is a 2003 graduate of Scott High School.

Taylor moves to the Central Office to replace Bill Hall, who is retiring June 30 after 15 years at the helm of the Scott County School System. He is a native of Kentucky who worked in both the McCreary County and Williamsburg school districts before moving to Scott High School a year ago.

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HUNTSVILLE | The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency will provide law enforcement assistance to Scott County at the New River boat ramp below the U.S. Highway 27 bridge.

By unanimous vote at Monday’s County Commission meeting, commissioners approved an agreement with TWRA and the TN Dept. of Transportation.

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Scott County Mayor Jerried Jeffers said after the meeting that the state agency has law enforcement powers that the local sheriff’s department does not have, which will allow better control of vagrancy that has recently become an issue near the boat ramp.

In other business Monday, commissioners:

• Approved the renaming of a bridge in the 4800 block of Wolf Creek Road near Glenmary the Elvin & Evelyn Shannon Memorial Bridge, after Elvin Franklin Shannon and his wife, Stella Evelyn Muse, who lived in the Wolf Creek community.

• Approved an annual grant agreement that provides funding to the Scott County Health Department.

• Approved application for a Healthy Active Rural Tennessee (HART) grant, which could provide Scott County with up to $150,000 in match-free dollars for improvements at county-owned recreational facilities.

• Approved new terms for the Scott County Library Board, including the addition of Jo Ann Polk.

• Voted to approve the minutes of the Scott Solid Waste Board’s most recent meeting.

Commissioners also approved the property tax levy for fiscal year 2026-2027 and will meet in special session on Monday, June 22, to finalize the budget.

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HUNTSVILLE | Scott County Commission this evening took the first step towards approving a no-new-taxes budget for the new fiscal year, adopting both the property tax levy and department appropriations.

The budget for fiscal year 2026-2027, which begins July 1, will leave the county’s property rate unchanged at $1.60 per $100 assessed value for property owners outside the Oneida Special School District. Inside the OSSD, the property tax is $1.96 per $100 assessed value. The special school district tax was approved by voters on referendum in the late 1980s for the purpose of funding new school buildings.

The proposed budget for FY 2026-2027 includes estimated revenues of $11.55 million for the general fund, and total expenditures of $11.48 million. The road department’s budget is $2.47 million, as proposed. The school system’s budget is $26.84 million.

See Also: Scott County’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2026-2027

In Tennessee, property is assessed at one-fourth of its appraised value. To determine your property tax, use the following formula: Appraised value/4/100x$1.60 = Property tax owed.

For example, if your home is valued at $200,000: $200,000/4 = $50,000/100 = $500x$1.60 = $800 taxes owed for fiscal year 2026-2027.

Scott County’s last property tax rate increase came in 2017.

The county’s current tax rate ranks 42nd among Tennessee counties, meaning there are 41 counties with lower tax rates and 53 counties with higher tax rates.

However, Scott County’s median tax — which is calculated using the average home price in the county — ranks 7th in the state, meaning only six counties have a lower median tax and 87 have a higher median tax.

County Commission will finalize the budget during a special called meeting on Monday, June 22. The meeting will begin at 5 p.m. at the Scott County Office Building in Huntsville.

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WINFIELD | A Scott County woman is recovering at a Knoxville-area hospital after being shot during an altercation here Monday.

The woman was airlifted with what was said to be a non-life-threatening injury after being shot in the leg by another woman with a small-caliber firearm.

The Scott County Sheriff’s Office is investigating.

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ONEIDA | Dr. Jeanny Phillips has stepped down as Oneida Special School District’s director of schools, after a 10-year tenure in that role.

By a 5-0 vote at a special called meeting Monday, the OSSD Board of Education voted to approve a proposal shifting Phillips’ employment from the director of schools position to principal of the school system’s new virtual academy.

Kelly Posey Chitwood, a former principal at Oneida Middle School who currently serves in the central office as the director of the school system’s coordinated school health program, has been named the interim director of schools.

Phillips is a 27-year veteran of the OSSD. She began her career as a kindergarten teacher in 1999, and quickly ascended through the ranks of administration from 2010 until she was appointed director of schools in 2016, first serving as testing coordinator, then instructional supervisor.

Phillips succeeded Ann Sexton as Oneida’s director of schools. She is married to former Scott County Sheriff Ronnie Phillips.

Chitwood transitioned to the Central Office after serving as principal of Oneida Middle School. She also represents the 5th District on Scott County Commission.

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Good Monday morning! Welcome to a brand-new week — a short one for everyone fortunate enough to have Friday (Juneteenth) off work. This is The Daybreaker, the first of several newsletters that will be published this week by the Independent Herald. The Daybreaker (Monday morning) and The Weekender (Thursday evening) are our two news-first newsletters. We publish several other newsletters throughout the week, as well as our regular E-Edition on Thursday and our Varsity E-Edition on Sunday (during sports season). If you’d like to adjust your subscription to include (or exclude) this or any of our other newsletters, please do so here. If you need to subscribe, it’s as simple as entering your email address:

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Early voting is quickly approaching

HUNTSVILLE | Fireworks tents beginning to pop up around Scott County is a reminder that the 4th of July is less than two weeks away — when candidates will migrate to the courthouse mall in Huntsville for the town’s annual Firemen’s Fourth festival and court votes from the thousands of Independence Day revelers who’ll be on hand. And after that, it’ll be less than two weeks until early voting starts.

The start of Tennessee’s early voting period for the August 6 county general election and state primary is now just about a month away. The early voting period begins on Friday, July 17, and continues through Saturday, August 1. Anyone registered voter can cast ballots during that two-week period, either at the Scott County Office Building in Huntsville or the Oneida Municipal Services Building.

For a big election year, this year’s campaign has been relatively subdued. Changing times — and changing modes of communicating — have made modern elections an evolving process. Gone are the 1980s, when full-page ads for county-wide offices dominated the pages of local newspapers, with spirited battles between the likes of Dwight Murphy and the late Clarence “Denny” Lowe for county executive, or the late J.D. “Headin” Lay and the late Ray Hatfield for road superintendent. Gone, too, are the television infomercials of the ‘90s and early 2000s. Both of those trends went the same way as the stump speeches of the early 20th century, and the door-to-door knock-and-talk campaigns of the 1960s and 1970s.

But even by modern standards, this year’s election has seemed — well, quiet. Races have flared up briefly at times. There was the battle for the Republican nomination for sheriff last month, and the Oneida school board race is the current plat du jour. For the most part, though, it seems like everyone is quietly biding their time as Election Day slowly draws nearer.

Scott County’s biggest elections are on an eight-year cycle. That’s when judicial races are thrown in with county races. Eighth Judicial District officials — judges, prosecutors, and public defenders — are on eight-year terms, and they’ll next be up for election in 2030. But the four-year cycle that falls this year is also a big one, with most county-wide officials — aside from property assessor — and all 14 seats on county commission on the ballot, along with a few school board races.

One big reason for the subdued campaign season is the dearth of contested races. Road Superintendent Kelvin King, County Attorney John Beaty, Circuit Court Clerk Donnie Phillips, Trustee Rena Erwin, and Register of Deeds Ashley Newport Riseden are all running for re-election unopposed.

That leaves just a handful of contested county-wide races: The four-way race for county mayor, the three-way race for sheriff, and the three-way race for county clerk.

In the mayor’s race, first-term incumbent Jerried Jeffers is opposed by Huntsville Mayor Dennis Jeffers, Cumberland Clear president Jennifer Shockley, and former county commissioner Dr. Trent Cross.

In the sheriff’s race, first-term incumbent Brian Keeton — who won a tightly-contested Republican primary race against former sheriff Ronnie Phillips in May — is opposed by veteran lawmen Kris Lewallen and Dennis Chambers.

In the clerk’s race, two-term incumbent Felicia Bilbrey is opposed by her 2022 opponent, Amanda Chambers Sexton, and by Christina Kay Cross.

Most of the 14 seats on County Commission are being contested, though there are exceptions. In the 4th District (Helenwood), incumbents Kenny Chadwell and Shonda Gray will be re-elected without opposition. There is limited opposition in the 2nd District (Robbins), where incumbents Taylor Buttram Stephens and Joyce Keeton are being opposed by challenger Adam King. Both the 5th District (Winfield) and the 6th District (Oneida) feature three-person races with one incumbent and one open seat in the mix. In the 5th District, where incumbent Robyn McBroom is not seeking re-election, the ballot includes incumbent Kelly Posey-Chitwood and challengers Zach Strunk and Ralph Trieschman. In the 6th District, where incumbent Shon Terry is not running, incumbent Colby Burke is on the ballot along with challengers Jason Perry and Torrey Slaven.

Elsewhere, incumbents David “Blue” Day and David Jeffers are opposed by Elaine R. Lowe and Allen Phillips in the 1st District (Fairview), and incumbents Jared Burke and Tom Payne are opposed by Kris Byrd and Anthony Carson in the 7th District (West Oneida). The most crowded race for commissioner is in the 3rd District (Huntsville), where there are two open seats up for grabs with both Amy Jeffers and Sheila Buttram choosing not to run. On the ballot are Mike Keeton, Ron Keeton, Kenny Morrow, Daniel Murley, and Dacy Williams.

The school board races feature incumbent Tommy Silcox and challenger Rhonda Marlow Davis in the 1st District; incumbent Angela Anderson King and challenger Roger Douglas in the 5th District; and incumbent Dr. Tressa Murphy and challenger Matt Stiltner in the 7th District. In the 4th District, incumbent Kimberly Kidd is unopposed.

The Oneida Special School District, which will elect three board members with incumbent Dorothy Watson not seeking re-election, features four candidates: incumbents Kevin Byrd and Mark Matthews, along with challengers Benji Jacobs and Stuart Jones.

The deadline to register to vote in the August general election is July 7, ten days before the start of the early voting period.

Need a good rate on your auto insurance? Contact your local State Farm agent, Roger Baldwin. (Sponsored content.)

Train derailment impacts Obed Wild & Scenic River visitation

WARTBURG | A portion of the Obed Wild & Scenic River near here has been placed off-limits to visitors as clean-up continues in the aftermath of a train derailment that occurred last week.

The National Park Service announced Friday that the Nemo Picnic Area has been temporarily closed, and the waters around the Rock Creek Campground and Nemo Picnic Area have been temporarily closed to swimming and fishing.

A train carrying ethanol derailed on the Norfolk-Southern line near Lancing in Morgan County on Thursday. The derailment sparked a fire, and there were concerns that contaminants might leak into the Emory River, which flows through the Obed Wild & Scenic River.

The Obed is a sister park to the Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area, which is not impacted by the derailment cleanup process.

The Growth Chart

On Mondays, we present The Growth Chart, a look at recent and ongoing growth throughout Scott County. Already-completed projects will shift to the bottom of this list, before eventually falling off the list.

Toomey Road: Contractors for the Scott County Road Department last week completed a paving project on Toomey Road in the Coopertown area west of Oneida. Toomey Road serves as the entrance for the rapidly-growing Toomey Falls subdivision that extends into Black Oak, and is the entrance to the O&W area of the Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area. This parks the first time the road has ever been paved with “hot mix” asphalt.

Dollar General: Although an official opening date has not been announced, the new Dollar General on Coopertown Road in West Oneida is nearing completion. Following a failed attempt to place a store near the intersection of Coopertown Road and Cooper Lake Road in Oneida, the Goodlettesville, Tenn.-based corporation secured property at the intersection of Coopertown Road and Smith Road in the Coopertown community, across from New Haven Baptist Church. The new location is currently hiring. More information can be found at www.dollargeneral.com. The new DG will join other stores in Oneida, Huntsville, Robbins, and Winfield, and is likely not the last DG location in Scott County.

Hammer’s: Signage is now in place for the forthcoming Hammer’s in Huntsville. It will be located in the former Napa Auto Parts building, which is owned by Oneida-based Brewco and is currently being remodeled. The signage reflects the chain’s recent branding as Hammer’s Dry Goods. Hammer’s is not new to Scott County; the company has a warehouse in the Tibbals Industrial Park in Oneida.

Parkside Villas: Stanley Building General Contractors has begun construction on a new condominium unit near Oneida City Park. Parkside Villas will be located next-door to the Scott County Ambulance Service headquarters off Paint Rock Road and Buffalo Road, and will consist of four units with two-bedrooms and two baths that will be offered for sale once completed. There will be a monthly HOA. Amy Martin, Oneida realtor and Stanley Building representative, called it “a new style of housing here in the county. Home ownership and someone else does the maintenance.”

Niggs Creek Road: After the condemned railroad overpass at High Point was demolished in late April, Cookeville-based contractors have begun construction of the new bridge that will eventually result in the reopening of Niggs Creek Road.

The Oak & Ash: Scott County’s newest restaurant is the Oak & Ash, which opened last week in Winfield. It is located in the building that has formerly housed Moose’s Sports Bar & Grill, Murf’s Gearbox Grill, and Boo’s Roadhouse. The restaurant is open 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 3 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sundays. It is closed Tuesdays.

The Florist: A new flower shop has opened in Oneida. The Florist is located in Northtown Plaza, 20435 Alberta Street, and is owned by Tony Litton. It is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday-Saturday.

Long John Silver’s: A Long John Silver’s fast food seafood restaurant is being constructed at Oneida Plaza, on the south side of McDonald’s. The targeted opening date is August 2026.

Zaxby’s: Zaxby’s, the fast-food chicken restaurant chain, has purchased 1.3 acres of property on Alberta Street, just north of the Oneida Municipal Services Building, and continues to prepare it for the start of construction.

Dairy Queen: Nick Patel, who owns several other businesses in Scott County, is planning to purchase a DQ franchise that will be located in Oneida. Patel told the Independent Herald in March that the property for the new store has not yet been finalized.

Polo’s Italian Restaurant: Polo’s Italian Restaurant & Pizza, which will be located in Oneida Plaza (up the sidewalk from Walmart), announced on April 3 that its new store will open soon. A grand opening has not yet been announced.

Package Stores: The Town of Oneida began accepting applications for certificates of compliance for liquor stores in May, following November 2024 referendums approved by voters of both the town and the county. Two package stores have since been permitted and are slated to open in the coming months. Lisa Meadows announced on Facebook on Dec. 2 that applications for employment are currently being accepted at one of those stores, which will be located in Oneida Plaza.

Huntsville Store: Huntsville, too, will soon have a package store. Signage for that store went up at the site of the old Hickory Mill on S.R. 63 last month. A convenience store and “fast food” are also planned for the location. Mayor Dennis Jeffers says the fast food portion of the business will not be a recognizable chain, but will instead be a store kitchen.

Veterans Memorial: Although not officially open, work has been completed on the new Revolutionary veterans memorial, which is located at the John John Yancey Memorial Park in Huntsville. The memorial pays tribute to the Revolutionary War veterans who later moved to present-day Scott County.

New Flea Market: The 63/27 Flea Market recently opened at the former mobile home retail lot on U.S. Highway 27 just south of the S.R. 63 intersection in Huntsville. Tina Reed — who most folks will recognize from Perdue’s Shell Kitchen in Huntsville — is the face behind the new flea market, which rents spaces for $25 per day.

O&W Road: The O&W Road into the Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area re-opened last month, following completion of a bridge over Pine Creek near the intersection with Toomey Road just outside the national park.

Alberta Street resurfacing: Rogers Group has completed its resurfacing of U.S. Highway 27 through Oneida.

University of Tennessee Medical Clinic: University of Tennessee Medical Center has added cardiology and neurology to the list of services it is offering at its new clinic, located adjacent to the Scott County Food Court on U.S. Highway 27 in south Oneida.

27/63 Site Prep: Excavating work has been ongoing at a commercial lot located at the intersection of U.S. Highway 27 and S.R. 63 in Huntsville, and a home that was located on the property has been demolished. According to Huntsville Mayor Dennis Jeffers, there is no construction slated for the site. Dirt removed from the property is being used for the new convenience store across the road, while the property itself remains for sale through Ayers Auction & Real Estate.

More to Come: Something to add? Email newsroom@ihoneida.com.

Words of Wisdom

Each week, Preacher Johnny Polk and the Oneida Church of Christ present Words of Wisdom, short devotionals that are archived on our website. Here is the current Words of Wisdom. (Sponsored content.)

☀️ Weather: We’re going to see a couple of days of really nice weather to start this week. Both Monday and Tuesday will feature plenty of sunshine, with a high of only 76 degrees on Monday and 79 degrees on Tuesday. Temperatures will push back into the mid 80s with a slight chance of thunderstorms on Wednesday, then rain will become likely Thursday and Friday. Check out our daily Eye to the Sky updates on our Facebook page — published each morning at 7 a.m. on the dot — or always available at indherald.com.

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📅 Community Calendar

Monday: The Scott Appalachian Industries Senior Center (Monticello Pike, Huntsville) offers a walking program, puzzles and games, and massage chairs every week day (Monday-Friday) from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Monday: Ridgeview Behavioral Health Services’ Mobile Health Clinic will be in the Walmart parking lot in Oneida from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., offering integrated primary care and behavioral health. No insurance is not a problem. Call (866) 599-0466 for more information.

Monday: The Huntsville Municipal Pool is open from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. each week day. Admission is $3. The Oneida City Park Splash Pad is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Monday: The Scott County Senior Citizens Center (Main Street, Oneida) will serve lunch from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. The cost is $7 for dine-in or carry-out. Phone: (423) 569-5972.

Monday: Scott County Commission will meet at the Scott County Office Building in Huntsville, beginning at 5 p.m.

Tuesday: The Scott County Senior Citizens Center (Main Street, Oneida) will host exercise from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m.

Tuesday: Pinnacle Resource Center’s food pantry (1513 Jeffers Road, Huntsville) will be open beginning at 10 a.m. There are no income guidelines; however, a photo ID and a piece of mail with a Scott County address are required.

Tuesday: Boy Scout Troop #333 will meet at the Oneida War Memorial Building on Alberta Street in Oneida beginning at 6 p.m.

Tuesday: Wall Builders will meet from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. at Trinity Baptist Church (1611 Glass House Road, Helenwood) for those struggling with addiction or striving to keep off drugs. There will be preaching, teaching, food, fellowship and personal counseling.

Tuesday: Alcoholics Anonymous will meet at 7 p.m. at the Highway 27 Unity Club (17737 S. Alberta Street, Oneida).

Wednesday: The Scott County Senior Citizens Center (Main Street, Oneida) will serve lunch from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. The cost is $7 for dine-in or carry-out.

Wednesday: Alcoholics Anonymous will meet at 12 p.m. at the Highway 27 Unity Club (17737 S. Alberta Street, Oneida).

Thursday: The Gerry McDonald Mission House, located on Church Avenue, directly behind First United Methodist Church, is open from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. You are eligible to receive food once per month. 569-8828.

Thursday: The Scott County Senior Citizens Center (Main Street, Oneida) will host exercise from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m.

Thursday: The Scott Appalachian Industries Senior Center in Huntsville will host Tai Chi at 11 a.m.

Thursday: The Town of Oneida Board of Mayor & Aldermen will meet at the Oneida Municipal Services Building, beginning at 6 p.m.

Thursday: The Town of Huntsville Board of Mayor & Aldermen will meet at the Huntsville Municipal Building, beginning at 6 p.m.

Friday: The Big South Fork swimming pool at Bandy Creek is open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The cost is $3 for ages 13 and up, or $2 for ages 6-12.

The Community Calendar is presented weekly by Citizens Gas Utility District. Citizens Gas Utility District pipelines are generally safe. They can be damaged by things such as excavation, natural forces, and automobile accidents. These can potentially cause a leak. Visit citizensgastn.com.

Thank you for reading. Our next newsletter will be Echoes From the Past tomorrow. If you’d like to update your subscription to add or subtract any of our newsletters, do so here. If you haven’t yet subscribed, it’s as simple as adding your email address!

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Our Newsletters:
• Monday morning: The Daybreaker (news & the week ahead)
• Tuesday: Echoes from the Past (stories of our history)
• Wednesday: Threads of Life (obituaries)
• Thursday evening: The Weekender (news & the weekend)
• Friday: Friday Features (beyond the news)
• Sunday: Varsity (a weekly sports recap)

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HUNTSVILLE | A Scott County grand jury has indicted a 19-year-old in the death of Scott High student Gage King, 16, which occurred in April.

Cole Heltoff, 19, has been indicted on charges of aggravated assault and reckless homicide. He turned himself in Thursday and was booked into the Scott County Jail on a $50,000 bond.

King died after being shot in the Byrges Creek community south of Huntsville on a Sunday afternoon. His grandmother, Angela Brummett, said at the time: “Losing someone so young and dear is something no family can ever truly prepare for, and our hearts are broken as we try to come to terms with this loss. Gage brought so much joy and love to everyone around him, and his absence leaves a void that can never be filled.”

Grand jury indictments are criminal accusations and do not represent evidence of wrongdoing. Indicted persons are presumed innocent until convicted in court.

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Good Thursday evening! This is The Weekender, a final look at this week’s news from the Independent Herald. The Daybreaker (Monday) and The Weekender (Thursday evening) are our two news-first newsletters. We publish several other newsletters throughout the week, as well as our regular E-Edition on Thursday and our Varsity E-Edition on Sunday (during sports season). If you’d like to adjust your subscription to include (or exclude) any of these newsletters, do so here. If you haven’t subscribed, please consider doing so!

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Today’s newsletter is sponsored by Buckeye Home Medical Equipment. Serving Scott County and several other communities in the Upper Cumberland region, Buckeye is a full-line DME providing home health equipment to its patients.

Fire destroys home in Strawberry Flats area

ONEIDA | A four-alarm fire in the Strawberry Flats neighborhood east of Oneida completely destroyed a resident Tuesday evening.

Paint Rock Volunteer Fire Department was first on the scene, with the first tone sounded at 7:22 p.m. Tuesday. The first arriving firefighters found the mobile home aflame and already partially collapsed. Subsequent tones were sounded for Pine Hill Volunteer Fire Department, Huntsville Fire Department, and East 63 Volunteer Fire Department, as crews aggressively battled the flames to prevent further spread. Oneida Fire Department was also dispatched, but later canceled.

The fire occurred on Walnut Lane, off Strawberry Flats Road. Firefighters remained on the scene for more than four hours, battling the fire until nearly midnight.

No injuries were reported, according to Paint Rock VFD.

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Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken to close after 43 years

ONEIDA | Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken is closing, the Jeffers family announced Wednesday.

The restaurant will first move to an abbreviated schedule, closing at 2 p.m. daily after serving breakfast and lunch, beginning today. It will continue to accept catering orders. The restaurant will “close for good in the next month or so,” it said.

Opened in 1983 as Mrs. Winner’s Chicken & Biscuits, the restaurant is Oneida’s oldest fast-food establishment, pre-dating the arrival of McDonald’s. It has remained a staple in Scott County for 43 years, especially for breakfast and on Sundays. In addition to fried chicken, a fan favorite has long remained the super cinnamon swirls, a holdover from the Mrs. Winner’s days. It has been known as Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken since 2000.

Located in front of the Capitol 3 Theatre that the Jeffers family also owns, the restaurant was established by Oneida business owner Jan Jeffers. Jeffers has owned many businesses through the years, starting with the old Goodyear store, and was one of the original stockholders of the Independent Herald.

“I have determined that the time has come when I should reduce the stress and needs of a fast-paced business,” the 87-year-old Jeffers said, “with my age and a couple of medical issues being the determining factors.”

While several other fast-food restaurants have recently crowded the Oneida market, including the pending construction of a Zaxby’s that will also create competition in the fried chicken niche, Jeffers said Lee’s sales remain strong, which makes the decision to close difficult.

“We want to end our 43-year run on our own terms, at a high point, and with only good thoughts and memories for our guests,” he said.

Jeffers said Lee’s has been “a great company to work with, going far above what was necessary and expected.”

Lee’s has been managed for several years by Louise Phillips, who Jeffers said has been “the heartbeat of the business for years.”

The Jeffers family has been prominent on the Oneida business scene for years. Jan’s sister, Joan Williamson, owns Dilly Dilly Lavender Farm. His nephew, Leif Jeffers, is the 8th Judicial District’s Public Defender. His sister, Judy Davis, established the Horace M. Jeffers Scholarship Fund in their father’s memory to help Oneida High School students attend Tennessee Tech University in Cookeville.

“We have had hundreds of the local population pass through our doors as workers, and are happy to have aided with their transition to adulthood and hopefully contributed to others in raising their families. The thousands of Scott County and Kentucky residents who have literally carried us on their backs throughout the 43-year span should be recognized and thanked for their support as well,” Jeffers said.

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Severe weather is possible Friday

There’s a chance of severe weather on Friday, according to the National Weather Service.

The NWS’s Storm Prediction Center has the entire area under a “slight risk” for severe weather Friday afternoon, primarily for damaging winds. A slight risk means there is at least a 15% chance of severe weather occurring, and is the second step on the SPC’s five-step severe weather threat assessment scale.

The NWS weather forecast office in Morristown, which covers Scott County, said Thursday afternoon that isolated thunderstorms will quickly develop Friday afternoon, bringing damaging wind and hail to some areas. The storms are expected to persist through sunset.

Locally, there is a 60% chance of thunderstorms Friday. Greater chances of storms exist further east, including in the Knoxville area.

Rain will be possible again Saturday night and Sunday, as a cold front approaches the region.

ICYMI

Threads of Life: This week’s Threads of Life newsletter is in remembrance of Regina Allen, Katrina Bertram, Anna Fairchild, Nathan Hill, and Faye McDonald. » Read It

Echoes in Time: This week’s Echoes in Time newsletter remembers H. Clay James, who was quickly becoming a very prominent attorney in Scott County in the early 1900s before his life was cut short by illness. » Read It

Spring Hiking Challenge: Hike #13 of 14 takes us to Gentlemen’s Swimming Hole in the Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area, near the historic Victorian English village of Rugby. » Read It

The Weekend

🌦️ Weather: There’s a 60% chance of thunderstorms this afternoon, and severe storms are possible. Temperatures will top out around 86 degrees. Tomorrow will be dry and sunny, again topping out around 86 degrees. Rain will become likely on Sunday, as a cold front approaches the region. Check out our daily Eye to the Sky updates on our Facebook page— published each morning at 7 a.m. on the dot.

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⛪︎ Featured Church

First Baptist Church of Robbins

Denomination: Baptist
Pastor: Mike Smithers
Address: 251 Sims Road, Robbins

Services
Sunday School: 10 a.m.
Sunday Morning: 11 a.m.
Sunday Evening: 6 p.m.
Wednesday: 7 p.m.

» See the complete Church Directory, and thank you to our sponsors of the Church Directory.

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📅 Community Calendar

• Saturday: The Scott County Farmers & Crafters Market will be at the Scott County Visitor Center in Helenwood (12025 Scott Highway) from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. with fresh produce, baked goods, and handmade crafts.

• Saturday: The Big South Fork swimming pool at Bandy Creek will be open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is $3 ($2 for ages 6-12; free for 5 and under). The Huntsville Municipal Pool will be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $3.

• Saturday: The U.S.S. Tennessee Battleship Memorial Museum will be open on Saturday, June 13, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Admission is free. The museum is located on the campus of Scott High School.

• Saturday: Second Saturday night service will be held at Jake’s Branch United Baptist Church at 6 p.m. For more information, see our Church Directory at indherald.com.

• Sunday: The Big South Fork swimming pool at Bandy Creek will be open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is $3 ($2 for ages 6-12; free for 5 and under). The Huntsville Municipal Pool will be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $3.

• Sunday: Celebrate Recovery, a 12-step program designed to help with addiction, co-dependency and domestic abuse, will be hosted by Fire & Purpose Ministries from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at 27192 Scott Highway in Winfield. There will be food, fellowship, praise and worship. Childcare is provided.

The Community Calendar is presented weekly by Citizens Gas Utility District. You can help prevent pipeline damage and leaks by calling 811 before doing any excavating or demolition and submitting a utility locate request. Visit citizensgastn.com.

Scenic Sale!

This week’s sale items at Scenic Foods in Huntsville! The sale continues through Tuesday. Sponsored content.

Thank you for reading. Our next newsletter will be Friday Features. If you’d like to update your subscription to add or subtract any of our newsletters, do so here. If you haven’t yet subscribed, it’s as simple as adding your email address!

◼️ About the IH • IH Sports Network • The Encyclopedia of Scott County
◼️ Subscribe • Sponsor • Manage Your Account
◼️ Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X/Twitter, YouTube

Our Newsletters:
• Monday morning: The Daybreaker (news & the week ahead)
• Tuesday: Echoes from the Past (stories of our history)
• Wednesday: Threads of Life (obituaries)
• Thursday evening: The Weekender (news & the weekend)
• Friday: Friday Features (beyond the news)
• Sunday: Varsity (a weekly sports recap)

Subscribe now

ONEIDA | Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken is closing, the Jeffers family announced Wednesday.

The restaurant will first move to an abbreviated schedule, closing at 2 p.m. daily after serving breakfast and lunch, beginning today. It will continue to accept catering orders. The restaurant will “close for good in the next month or so,” it said.

Opened in 1983 as Mrs. Winner’s Chicken & Biscuits, the restaurant is Oneida’s oldest fast-food establishment, pre-dating the arrival of McDonald’s. It has remained a staple in Scott County for 43 years, especially for breakfast and on Sundays. In addition to fried chicken, a fan favorite has long remained the super cinnamon swirls, a holdover from the Mrs. Winner’s days. It has been known as Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken since 2000.

Located in front of the Capitol 3 Theatre that the Jeffers family also owns, the restaurant was established by Oneida business owner Jan Jeffers. Jeffers has owned many businesses through the years, starting with the old Goodyear store, and was one of the original stockholders of the Independent Herald.

“I have determined that the time has come when I should reduce the stress and needs of a fast-paced business,” the 87-year-old Jeffers said, “with my age and a couple of medical issues being the determining factors.”

While several other fast-food restaurants have recently crowded the Oneida market, including the pending construction of a Zaxby’s that will also create competition in the fried chicken niche, Jeffers said Lee’s sales remain strong, which makes the decision to close difficult.

“We want to end our 43-year run on our own terms, at a high point, and with only good thoughts and memories for our guests,” he said.

Jeffers said Lee’s has been “a great company to work with, going far above what was necessary and expected.”

Lee’s has been managed for several years by Louise Phillips, who Jeffers said has been “the heartbeat of the business for years.”

The Jeffers family has been prominent on the Oneida business scene for years. Jan’s sister, Joan Williamson, owns Dilly Dilly Lavender Farm. His nephew, Leif Jeffers, is the 8th Judicial District’s Public Defender. His sister, Judy Davis, established the Horace M. Jeffers Scholarship Fund in their father’s memory to help Oneida High School students attend Tennessee Tech University in Cookeville.

“We have had hundreds of the local population pass through our doors as workers, and are happy to have aided with their transition to adulthood and hopefully contributed to others in raising their families. The thousands of Scott County and Kentucky residents who have literally carried us on their backs throughout the 43-year span should be recognized and thanked for their support as well,” Jeffers said.

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Good Monday morning! Welcome to a brand new week. This is The Daybreaker, the first of several newsletters that will be published this week by the Independent Herald. The Daybreaker (Monday morning) and The Weekender (Thursday evening) are our two news-first newsletters. We publish several other newsletters throughout the week, as well as our regular E-Edition on Thursday and our Varsity E-Edition on Sunday (during sports season). If you’d like to adjust your subscription to include (or exclude) this or any of our other newsletters, please do so here. If you need to subscribe, it’s as simple as entering your email address:

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ATV accident near Smokey claims life

HUNTSVILLE | An ATV accident in the Norma Road area south of Smokey Junction claimed a life late Sunday.

The accident occurred in the Stoney Fork area, on the Campbell County side of the county line just south of Smokey.

According to WLAF Radio in LaFollette, the accident was reported just before 6:30 p.m. Sunday. The Scott County Rescue Squad and Scott County Ambulance Service responded to the scene, along with various agencies from Campbell County, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, and the Tennessee Highway Patrol.

No further information is yet available from THP, which is leading the investigation.

Need a good rate on your auto insurance? Contact your local State Farm agent, Roger Baldwin. (Sponsored content.)

County powers workshop is today

HUNTSVILLE | The University of Tennessee’s County Technical Advisory Service (CTAS) will conduct a workshop on Tennessee’s County Powers Act here Monday, June 8, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. The meeting will take place in the conference room of the Scott County Office Building.

The County Powers Act grants counties the authority to exercise certain policies and regulatory powers that are typically reserved for incorporated municipalities. It is designed primarily to help un-zoned counties address public nuisances and regulate potentially harmful land uses in unincorporated areas. According to CTAS, it is used to limit or regulate any business or property use that is detrimental “to the health, morals, comfort, safety, convenience or welfare of the inhabitants of the municipality, and exercise general police powers. Existing homes, businesses, and uses of property, however, are grandfathered in.

A county can only adopt the County Powers Act by a two-thirds majority vote of County Commission. Any zoning ordinance or other action under the Powers Act must also pass by a two-thirds majority vote.

The Growth Chart

On Mondays, we present The Growth Chart, a look at recent and ongoing growth throughout Scott County. Already-completed projects will shift to the bottom of this list, before eventually falling off the list. No major updates since June 1.

The Oak & Ash: Scott County’s newest restaurant is the Oak & Ash, which opened last week in Winfield. It is located in the building that has formerly housed Moose’s Sports Bar & Grill, Murf’s Gearbox Grill, and Boo’s Roadhouse. The restaurant is open 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 3 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sundays. It is closed Tuesdays.

The Florist: A new flower shop has opened in Oneida. The Florist is located in Northtown Plaza, 20435 Alberta Street, and is owned by Tony Litton. It is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday-Saturday.

O&W Road: The O&W Road into the Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area re-opened last month, following completion of a bridge over Pine Creek near the intersection with Toomey Road just outside the national park.

Parkside Villas: Stanley Building General Contractors has begun construction on a new condominium unit near Oneida City Park. Parkside Villas will be located next-door to the Scott County Ambulance Service headquarters off Paint Rock Road and Buffalo Road, and will consist of four units with two-bedrooms and two baths that will be offered for sale once completed. There will be a monthly HOA. Amy Martin, Oneida realtor and Stanley Building representative, called it “a new style of housing here in the county. Home ownership and someone else does the maintenance.”

Hammer’s: A poorly-kept secret was made official last month, when Hammer’s — best-known locally for its store in Clinton, though it also has a store in Wartburg and in several other locations throughout the region — announced that it will soon be opening a new store in Huntsville. It will be located in the former Napa Auto Parts building, which is owned by Oneida-based Brewco and is currently being remodeled. Hammer’s is not new to Oneida; the company has a warehouse in the Tibbals Industrial Park in Oneida.

Niggs Creek Road: After the condemned railroad overpass at High Point was demolished in late April, Cookeville-based contractors have begun construction of the new bridge that will eventually result in the reopening of Niggs Creek Road.

Alberta Street resurfacing: Rogers Group has completed its resurfacing of U.S. Highway 27 through Oneida.

Long John Silver’s: A Long John Silver’s fast food seafood restaurant is being constructed at Oneida Plaza, on the south side of McDonald’s. The targeted opening date is August 2026.

Zaxby’s: Zaxby’s, the fast-food chicken restaurant chain, has purchased 1.3 acres of property on Alberta Street, just north of the Oneida Municipal Services Building, and continues to prepare it for the start of construction.

Dairy Queen: Nick Patel, who owns several other businesses in Scott County, is planning to purchase a DQ franchise that will be located in Oneida. Patel told the Independent Herald in March that the property for the new store has not yet been finalized.

Dollar General: Following a failed attempt to place a store near the intersection of Coopertown Road and Cooper Lake Road in Oneida, Dollar General is in the process of constructing a store at the intersection of Coopertown Road and Smith Road in the Coopertown community, across from New Haven Baptist Church. The new location is currently hiring. More information can be found at www.dollargeneral.com. The new DG will join other stores in Oneida, Huntsville, Robbins, and Winfield, and is likely not the last DG location in Scott County.

Polo’s Italian Restaurant: Polo’s Italian Restaurant & Pizza, which will be located in Oneida Plaza (up the sidewalk from Walmart), announced on April 3 that its new store will open soon. A grand opening has not yet been announced.

Package Stores: The Town of Oneida began accepting applications for certificates of compliance for liquor stores in May, following November 2024 referendums approved by voters of both the town and the county. Two package stores have since been permitted and are slated to open in the coming months. Lisa Meadows announced on Facebook on Dec. 2 that applications for employment are currently being accepted at one of those stores, which will be located in Oneida Plaza.

Huntsville Store: Huntsville, too, will soon have a package store. Signage for that store went up at the site of the old Hickory Mill on S.R. 63 last month. A convenience store and “fast food” are also planned for the location. Mayor Dennis Jeffers says the fast food portion of the business will not be a recognizable chain, but will instead be a store kitchen.

Veterans Memorial: Although not officially open, work has been completed on the new Revolutionary veterans memorial, which is located at the John John Yancey Memorial Park in Huntsville. The memorial pays tribute to the Revolutionary War veterans who later moved to present-day Scott County.

New Flea Market: The 63/27 Flea Market recently opened at the former mobile home retail lot on U.S. Highway 27 just south of the S.R. 63 intersection in Huntsville. Tina Reed — who most folks will recognize from Perdue’s Shell Kitchen in Huntsville — is the face behind the new flea market, which rents spaces for $25 per day.

TCAT: The Tennessee College of Applied Technology Oneida/Huntsville has opened both its new buildings on the Oneida campus, which represents a $17 million investment. The back building houses the college’s diesel and power line programs, while the front building houses industrial maintenance, building construction, and a new program that will launch soon: aviation maintenance. The existing buildings on the Oneida campus have been painted to match the new buildings. The only thing that remains incomplete is the final paving of the parking lots. Gov. Bill Lee visited Scott County to officially open the new buildings on May 12.

University of Tennessee Medical Clinic: University of Tennessee Medical Center has added cardiology and neurology to the list of services it is offering at its new clinic, located adjacent to the Scott County Food Court on U.S. Highway 27 in south Oneida.

27/63 Site Prep: Excavating work has been ongoing at a commercial lot located at the intersection of U.S. Highway 27 and S.R. 63 in Huntsville, and a home that was located on the property has been demolished. According to Huntsville Mayor Dennis Jeffers, there is no construction slated for the site. Dirt removed from the property is being used for the new convenience store across the road, while the property itself remains for sale through Ayers Auction & Real Estate.

More to Come: Something to add? Email newsroom@ihoneida.com.

Words of Wisdom

Each week, Preacher Johnny Polk and the Oneida Church of Christ present Words of Wisdom, short devotionals that are archived on our website. Here is the current Words of Wisdom. (Sponsored content.)

⛈️ Weather: A Flood Watch is in effect today, as widespread thunderstorm activity is expected, some of which may contain heavy rain. Rain will remain likely the next couple of days, and it’s possible that we see rain each day this week. Check out our daily Eye to the Sky updates on our Facebook page — published each morning at 7 a.m. on the dot — or always available at indherald.com.

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📅 Community Calendar

Monday: The Scott Appalachian Industries Senior Center (Monticello Pike, Huntsville) offers a walking program, puzzles and games, and massage chairs every week day (Monday-Friday) from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Monday: Ridgeview Behavioral Health Services’ Mobile Health Clinic will be in the Walmart parking lot in Oneida from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., offering integrated primary care and behavioral health. No insurance is not a problem. Call (866) 599-0466 for more information.

Monday: The Huntsville Municipal Pool is open from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. each week day. Admission is $3. The Oneida City Park Splash Pad is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Monday: The Scott County Senior Citizens Center (Main Street, Oneida) will serve lunch from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. The cost is $7 for dine-in or carry-out. Phone: (423) 569-5972.

Monday: The Scott County Finance Committee will meet at the Scott County Mayor’s Office in Huntsville, beginning at 5 p.m.

Monday: The Winfield Board of Mayor & Aldermen will meet at the Winfield Municipal Building, beginning at 6 p.m.

Tuesday: The Scott County Senior Citizens Center (Main Street, Oneida) will host exercise from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m.

Tuesday: Pinnacle Resource Center’s food pantry (1513 Jeffers Road, Huntsville) will be open beginning at 10 a.m. There are no income guidelines; however, a photo ID and a piece of mail with a Scott County address are required.

Tuesday: TCAT Oneida/Huntsville will host a retirement party for President Dwight Murphy at the Oneida campus (180 Eli Lane, Oneida) from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Come and go as you please! Lunch will be served.

Tuesday: Boy Scout Troop #333 will meet at the Oneida War Memorial Building on Alberta Street in Oneida beginning at 6 p.m.

Tuesday: Wall Builders will meet from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. at Trinity Baptist Church (1611 Glass House Road, Helenwood) for those struggling with addiction or striving to keep off drugs. There will be preaching, teaching, food, fellowship and personal counseling.

Tuesday: Alcoholics Anonymous will meet at 7 p.m. at the Highway 27 Unity Club (17737 S. Alberta Street, Oneida).

Wednesday: The Scott County Senior Citizens Center (Main Street, Oneida) will serve lunch from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. The cost is $7 for dine-in or carry-out.

Wednesday: Alcoholics Anonymous will meet at 12 p.m. at the Highway 27 Unity Club (17737 S. Alberta Street, Oneida).

Thursday: The Gerry McDonald Mission House, located on Church Avenue, directly behind First United Methodist Church, is open from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. You are eligible to receive food once per month. 569-8828.

Thursday: The Scott County Senior Citizens Center (Main Street, Oneida) will host exercise from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m.

Thursday: The Scott County Board of Education will meet at the Central Office in Huntsville, beginning at 4:30 p.m.

Friday: The Big South Fork swimming pool at Bandy Creek is open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The cost is $3 for ages 13 and up, or $2 for ages 6-12.

The Community Calendar is presented weekly by Citizens Gas Utility District. Citizens Gas Utility District pipelines are generally safe. They can be damaged by things such as excavation, natural forces, and automobile accidents. These can potentially cause a leak.Visit citizensgastn.com.

Thank you for reading. Our next newsletter will be Echoes From the Past tomorrow. If you’d like to update your subscription to add or subtract any of our newsletters, do so here. If you haven’t yet subscribed, it’s as simple as adding your email address!

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Our Newsletters:
• Monday morning: The Daybreaker (news & the week ahead)
• Tuesday: Echoes from the Past (stories of our history)
• Wednesday: Threads of Life (obituaries)
• Thursday evening: The Weekender (news & the weekend)
• Friday: Friday Features (beyond the news)
• Sunday: Varsity (a weekly sports recap)

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Heavy rains could create isolated flooding concerns across the northern Cumberland Plateau region and other parts of Tennessee on Monday, according to the National Weather Service.

The NWS’s Morristown weather forecast office on Sunday issued a Flood Watch for all of East Tennessee, effective throughout the day on Monday. The Nashville weather forecast office issued a Flood Watch for all of Middle Tennessee, as well.

According to the NWS, flash flooding will be a concern if heavy rains materialize on Monday. The agency said that rainfall rates could be as high as three inches per hour, and isolated flash flooding is a concern in areas that receive repeated thunderstorms or prolonged downpours.

It is nearly impossible for meteorologists to pinpoint in advance which areas will receive those heavier thunderstorms. It won’t rain all the time on Monday, and not all areas will see heavy rain. However, precipitable water values will be extremely high throughout the region, as moisture-rich air surges north from the Gulf. Precipitable water refers to the amount of moisture that is present in the atmosphere. As a general rule, the higher the precipitable water, the higher the risk for heavy rain if thunderstorms occur.

Short-term, rapidly-updating models indicated Sunday evening that the greatest risk for flooding rains was across the central Cumberland Plateau region and other areas west and south of Scott County. However, that outlook could easily change over the next 12 hours. Unlike rain and storms that are triggered by large-scale atmospheric conditions, convective thunderstorms — which refer to storms fueled primarily by heating — are impossible to pinpoint more than a few hours in advance.

Rain is expected to remain likely Tuesday and Wednesday. In a Hazardous Weather Outlook published Sunday, NWS-Morristown said the threat of isolated flash flooding will remain throughout the week.

The region remains mired in a severe drought, although drought conditions have improved drastically over the past two weeks. Multiple inches of rain fell across southern Scott County on May 30, and even more rain was received that day in parts of Morgan and Anderson counties.

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Good Thursday evening! This is The Weekender, a final look at this week’s news from the Independent Herald. The Daybreaker (Monday) and The Weekender (Thursday evening) are our two news-first newsletters. We publish several other newsletters throughout the week, as well as our regular E-Edition on Thursday and our Varsity E-Edition on Sunday (during sports season). If you’d like to adjust your subscription to include (or exclude) any of these newsletters, do so here. If you haven’t subscribed, please consider doing so!

Today’s newsletter is sponsored by Buckeye Home Medical Equipment. Serving Scott County and several other communities in the Upper Cumberland region, Buckeye is a full-line DME providing home health equipment to its patients.

County proposes fiscal year 2026-2027 budget

HUNTSVILLE | Scott County Commission will meet in special session on Monday, June 22, 2026, for the purpose of approving the budget for fiscal year 2026-2027, which begins July 1.

The proposed budget, which includes no new taxes and leaves the property tax rate unchanged, is a balanced ledger sheet that includes $11.55 million in anticipated revenue and $11.48 million in anticipated expenditures. Both of those numbers are slightly less than fiscal year 2025-2026, which ends later this month.

As proposed, the budget anticipates that the county’s fund balance will be $4.10 million at the end of the fiscal year on June 30, 2027, up slightly from $4.03 million to start the year.

The budget can be viewed in its entirety on the county’s website, at www.scottcounty.com.

The June 22 meeting will begin at 5 p.m. in the conference room of the Scott County Office Building.

Huntsville Post-Acute & Rehabilitation Center offers short-term or long-term care … on your terms. Learn more. (Sponsored content.)

Drought severity scaled back slightly

The U.S. Drought Monitor — a collaborative effort of various state and federal agencies — scaled back the drought severity across Scott County in its latest update Thursday, but the county remains in a moderate to severe drought, with extreme drought extending up the Cumberland Plateau into Morgan County.

Recent rainfall has helped to at least stall a drought that had been worsening for several months. Thanks to heavy rain Friday night, Scott County ended the month of May with slightly above-average rainfall. The Scott County Airport finished the month with 4.97 inches of rain, just slightly above the historical May average of 4.89 inches. That was after receiving just over an inch of rain Friday night into Saturday morning. Some parts of southern Scott County received significantly more rain Friday night.

May snapped a streak of six consecutive months of below-average rainfall in Scott County. However, year-to-date rainfall is still running much below average. Scott County has received 18.9 inches of rain since January 1. In a typical year it has received 25.6 inches of rain by now. Entering the month of May, 2026 was in the running with 2007 for the driest start to a year on record locally.

Streams, which had been at record lows for much of May, are still flowing slightly above average in the aftermath of the heavy weekend rains. The Big South Fork River was measured at 666 cubic feet per second (cfs) Thursday morning. The average flow this time of year is around 400 cfs. Thursday’s reading was slightly above the 75th percentile, meaning the river is running this high in early June less than 25% of the time. Upstream at Burnt Mill Ford, the Clear Fork was running at 208 cfs Thursday morning, close to double its typical flow in early June but below the 75th percentile.

Mountain People’s Health Councils offers general practice dentistry for all ages, using the latest technology for dental imagery and digital scanning. Sliding scale fees apply! Learn more. (Sponsored.)

ICYMI

Threads of Life: This week’s Threads of Life newsletter is in remembrance of Melissa Pemberton, Ashley Acres, Klestle Ellis, Phyllis Pike, Alice Ramsey, and Jim Strunk. » Read It

Echoes in Time: History is full of examples of men who tried their best to avoid jail, but in early 1900s Scott County, a man tried his best to stay in jail! » Read It

Spring Hiking Challenge: Week 12 of the Spring Hiking Challenge takes us to the historic John Litton Farm in the Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area. » Read It

The Weekend

🌤️ Weather: A nice weekend is in store, though it’ll be getting warmer. Friday will be mostly sunny and 83°, and Saturday will be mostly sunny and 85°. There’s a slight chance of afternoon thunderstorms Sunday with temperatures in the mid 80s. Check out our daily Eye to the Sky updates on our Facebook page— published each morning at 7 a.m. on the dot.

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⛪︎ Featured Church

Clay Hill Missionary Baptist Church
Denomination: Baptist (Missionary)
Pastor: Mark Smith
Address: 446 Alderville Road, Winfield

Services
Sunday School: 10 a.m.
Sunday Evening: 6 p.m.
Wednesday: 7 p.m.

» See the complete Church Directory, and thank you to our sponsors of the Church Directory.

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📅 Community Calendar

• Saturday: The Scott County Farmers & Crafters Market will be at the Scott County Visitor Center in Helenwood (12025 Scott Highway) from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. with fresh produce, baked goods, and handmade crafts.

• Saturday: The Big South Fork swimming pool at Bandy Creek will be open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is $3 ($2 for ages 6-12; free for 5 and under). The Huntsville Municipal Pool will be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $3.

• Saturday: First Saturday night services will be held at Capitol Hill Missionary Baptist Church (6:30 p.m.), East Robbins Missionary Baptist Church (6 p.m.), Norma Missionary Baptist Church (6 p.m.), and Black Creek Crossroads Missionary Baptist Church (7 p.m.). For more information, see our Church Directory at indherald.com.

• Sunday: The Big South Fork swimming pool at Bandy Creek will be open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is $3 ($2 for ages 6-12; free for 5 and under). The Huntsville Municipal Pool will be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $3.

• Sunday: Celebrate Recovery, a 12-step program designed to help with addiction, co-dependency and domestic abuse, will be hosted by Fire & Purpose Ministries from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at 27192 Scott Highway in Winfield. There will be food, fellowship, praise and worship. Childcare is provided.

The Community Calendar is presented weekly by Citizens Gas Utility District. You can help prevent pipeline damage and leaks by calling 811 before doing any excavating or demolition and submitting a utility locate request. Visit citizensgastn.com.

Scenic Sale!

This week’s sale items at Scenic Foods in Huntsville! The sale continues through Tuesday. Sponsored content.

Thank you for reading. Our next newsletter will be Friday Features. If you’d like to update your subscription to add or subtract any of our newsletters, do so here. If you haven’t yet subscribed, it’s as simple as adding your email address!

◼️ About the IH • IH Sports Network • The Encyclopedia of Scott County
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Our Newsletters:
• Monday morning: The Daybreaker (news & the week ahead)
• Tuesday: Echoes from the Past (stories of our history)
• Wednesday: Threads of Life (obituaries)
• Thursday evening: The Weekender (news & the weekend)
• Friday: Friday Features (beyond the news)
• Sunday: Varsity (a weekly sports recap)

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Good Monday morning! Welcome to a brand new week. This is The Daybreaker, the first of several newsletters that will be published this week by the Independent Herald. The Daybreaker (Monday morning) and The Weekender (Thursday evening) are our two news-first newsletters. We publish several other newsletters throughout the week, as well as our regular E-Edition on Thursday and our Varsity E-Edition on Sunday (during sports season). If you’d like to adjust your subscription to include (or exclude) this or any of our other newsletters, please do so here. If you need to subscribe, it’s as simple as entering your email address:

Subscribe now

Open your account online — anytime, anywhere! First National Bank makes it easier than ever to bank with us. You can open an account online, from the comfort of your home or on the go. Start now. (Sponsored content.)

First story headline

HUNTSVILLE | Officially, much of Scott County is still in an extreme drought. However, that drought status appears to be on life support, as early-summer rains have put a big dent in the year-to-date rainfall deficit.

Multiple inches of rain fell across southern Scott County during the pre-dawn hours Saturday morning. Between two and four inches of rain were received in places like Smokey Junction and Glenmary, and much more was received further south in parts of Morgan County.

As a result, local rivers went from record-low streamflows to record-high streamflows for the date of May 30, as both New River and the Big South Fork River crested at around 12,000 cubic feet per second, as measured at the U.S. Highway 27 bridge near Huntsville and Leatherwood Ford, respectively.

Officially, the Scott County Airport received 1.1 inches of rain — far less than areas further south, but still enough to end the month with 4.97 inches of rainfall, making June 2026 the first month since October 2025 that has ended with a rainfall surplus.

For the year, Scott County has received 18.7 inches of rain, still well below the normal of 26.1 inches that typically falls by June 1. However, the month of May started with 2026 on par with 2007 for the driest start to a year in Scott County’s history. The trend, at least for now, is in a positive direction, and NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center is forecasting another month of above-average rainfall in June.

Need a good rate on your auto insurance? Contact your local State Farm agent, Roger Baldwin. (Sponsored content.)

Tennessee turns 230

Today — June 1, 2026 — is the State of Tennessee’s 230th birthday.

Tennessee was admitted to the union on June 1, 1796, becoming the sixteenth state.

The area that is now Tennessee was originally claimed by North Carolina. The earliest white settlements were in upper East Tennessee and in the Nashville area. Eventually, North Carolina ceded its land west of the Appalachians to the federal government to pay off debts from the Revolutionary War. The settlers west of the mountains set up the State of Franklin, in what was the first attempt to establish a state on the western side of the mountains. Franklin had a constitution, a legislature, and even a governor — John Sevier. But the federal government wasn’t ready for a new state, and gave the lands back to North Carolina. The land that is now Tennessee became known as “The Territory South of the River Ohio,” or the Southwest Territory. William Blount was placed in charge of the territory by President George Washington.

But the people of Tennessee didn’t stop. In 1796, a census was conducted that found more than 77,000 people living here. A petition for statehood was carried to Philadelphia — then the nation’s capital — on horseback, and the Senate eventually voted to make Tennessee the sixteenth state. President Washington made it official with his signature on June 1, 1796.

The Growth Chart

On Mondays, we present The Growth Chart, a look at recent and ongoing growth throughout Scott County. Already-completed projects will shift to the bottom of this list, before eventually falling off the list.

The Oak & Ash: Scott County’s newest restaurant is the Oak & Ash, which opened last week in Winfield. It is located in the building that has formerly housed Moose’s Sports Bar & Grill, Murf’s Gearbox Grill, and Boo’s Roadhouse. The restaurant is open 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 3 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sundays. It is closed Tuesdays.

The Florist: A new flower shop has opened in Oneida. The Florist is located in Northtown Plaza, 20435 Alberta Street, and is owned by Tony Litton. It is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday-Saturday.

O&W Road: The O&W Road into the Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area re-opened last week, following completion of a bridge over Pine Creek near the intersection with Toomey Road just outside the national park.

Parkside Villas: Stanley Building General Contractors has begun construction on a new condominium unit near Oneida City Park. Parkside Villas will be located next-door to the Scott County Ambulance Service headquarters off Paint Rock Road and Buffalo Road, and will consist of four units with two-bedrooms and two baths that will be offered for sale once completed. There will be a monthly HOA. Amy Martin, Oneida realtor and Stanley Building representative, called it “a new style of housing here in the county. Home ownership and someone else does the maintenance.”

Hammer’s: A poorly-kept secret was made official last month, when Hammer’s — best-known locally for its store in Clinton, though it also has a store in Wartburg and in several other locations throughout the region — announced that it will soon be opening a new store in Huntsville. It will be located in the former Napa Auto Parts building, which is owned by Oneida-based Brewco and is currently being remodeled. Hammer’s is not new to Oneida; the company has a warehouse in the Tibbals Industrial Park in Oneida.

Niggs Creek Road: Construction of a new railroad overpass at High Point has begun, with the demolition of the existing bridge — which has been condemned by TDOT — beginning in late April and nearing completion.

Alberta Street resurfacing: The resurfacing of Alberta Street through Oneida is nearing completion. Rogers Group is laying down new asphalt along a stretch of highway from near the Boys & Girls Club on the south end to near Bear Creek Road on the north end. The lanes of travel and shoulders have been completed, with only some intersection work needed to complete the project.

Long John Silver’s: A Long John Silver’s fast food seafood restaurant is being constructed at Oneida Plaza, on the south side of McDonald’s. The targeted opening date is August 2026.

Zaxby’s: Zaxby’s, the fast-food chicken restaurant chain, has purchased 1.3 acres of property on Alberta Street, just north of the Oneida Municipal Services Building, and continues to prepare it for the start of construction.

Dairy Queen: Nick Patel, who owns several other businesses in Scott County, is planning to purchase a DQ franchise that will be located in Oneida. Patel told the Independent Herald in March that the property for the new store has not yet been finalized.

Dollar General: Following a failed attempt to place a store near the intersection of Coopertown Road and Cooper Lake Road in Oneida, Dollar General is in the process of constructing a store at the intersection of Coopertown Road and Smith Road in the Coopertown community, across from New Haven Baptist Church. The new location is currently hiring. More information can be found at www.dollargeneral.com. The new DG will join other stores in Oneida, Huntsville, Robbins, and Winfield, and is likely not the last DG location in Scott County.

Polo’s Italian Restaurant: Polo’s Italian Restaurant & Pizza, which will be located in Oneida Plaza (up the sidewalk from Walmart), announced on April 3 that its new store will open soon. A grand opening has not yet been announced.

Package Stores: The Town of Oneida began accepting applications for certificates of compliance for liquor stores in May, following November 2024 referendums approved by voters of both the town and the county. Two package stores have since been permitted and are slated to open in the coming months. Lisa Meadows announced on Facebook on Dec. 2 that applications for employment are currently being accepted at one of those stores, which will be located in Oneida Plaza.

Huntsville Store: Huntsville, too, will soon have a package store. Signage for that store went up at the site of the old Hickory Mill on S.R. 63 last month. A convenience store and “fast food” are also planned for the location. Mayor Dennis Jeffers says the fast food portion of the business will not be a recognizable chain, but will instead be a store kitchen.

Veterans Memorial: Although not officially open, work has been completed on the new Revolutionary veterans memorial, which is located at the John John Yancey Memorial Park in Huntsville. The memorial pays tribute to the Revolutionary War veterans who later moved to present-day Scott County.

New Flea Market: The 63/27 Flea Market recently opened at the former mobile home retail lot on U.S. Highway 27 just south of the S.R. 63 intersection in Huntsville. Tina Reed — who most folks will recognize from Perdue’s Shell Kitchen in Huntsville — is the face behind the new flea market, which rents spaces for $25 per day.

TCAT: The Tennessee College of Applied Technology Oneida/Huntsville has opened both its new buildings on the Oneida campus, which represents a $17 million investment. The back building houses the college’s diesel and power line programs, while the front building houses industrial maintenance, building construction, and a new program that will launch soon: aviation maintenance. The existing buildings on the Oneida campus have been painted to match the new buildings. The only thing that remains incomplete is the final paving of the parking lots. Gov. Bill Lee visited Scott County to officially open the new buildings on May 12.

University of Tennessee Medical Clinic: University of Tennessee Medical Center has added cardiology and neurology to the list of services it is offering at its new clinic, located adjacent to the Scott County Food Court on U.S. Highway 27 in south Oneida.

27/63 Site Prep: Excavating work has been ongoing at a commercial lot located at the intersection of U.S. Highway 27 and S.R. 63 in Huntsville, and a home that was located on the property has been demolished. According to Huntsville Mayor Dennis Jeffers, there is no construction slated for the site. Dirt removed from the property is being used for the new convenience store across the road, while the property itself remains for sale through Ayers Auction & Real Estate.

More to Come: Something to add? Email newsroom@ihoneida.com.

Words of Wisdom

Each week, Preacher Johnny Polk and the Oneida Church of Christ present Words of Wisdom, short devotionals that are archived on our website. Here is the current Words of Wisdom. (Sponsored content.)

The Week Ahead

🌦️ Weather: There’s a slight chance of thunderstorms this afternoon. Otherwise, it’ll be partly sunny with a high near 80°. After today, we’ll be dry the rest of the week, with plenty of sunshine and temperatures that start off in the mid 70s on Tuesday before warming into the mid 80s by Friday. Check out our daily Eye to the Sky updates on our Facebook page — published each morning at 7 a.m. on the dot — or always available at indherald.com.

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📅 Community Calendar

Monday: The Scott Appalachian Industries Senior Center (Monticello Pike, Huntsville) offers a walking program, puzzles and games, and massage chairs every week day (Monday-Friday) from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Monday: Ridgeview Behavioral Health Services’ Mobile Health Clinic will be in the Walmart parking lot in Oneida from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., offering integrated primary care and behavioral health. No insurance is not a problem. Call (866) 599-0466 for more information.

Monday: The Huntsville Municipal Pool will be open each day this week from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $3. The Oneida City Park Splashpad is open daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Monday: The Scott County Senior Citizens Center (Main Street, Oneida) will serve lunch from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. The cost is $7 for dine-in or carry-out. Phone: (423) 569-5972.

Monday: Scott County Commission will meet in work session at the Scott County Office Building in Huntsville, beginning at 5 p.m.

Tuesday: The Scott County Senior Citizens Center (Main Street, Oneida) will host exercise from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m.

Tuesday: Pinnacle Resource Center’s food pantry (1513 Jeffers Road, Huntsville) will be open beginning at 10 a.m. There are no income guidelines; however, a photo ID and a piece of mail with a Scott County address are required.

Tuesday: Boy Scout Troop #333 will meet at the Oneida War Memorial Building on Alberta Street in Oneida beginning at 6 p.m.

Tuesday: Wall Builders will meet from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. at Trinity Baptist Church (1611 Glass House Road, Helenwood) for those struggling with addiction or striving to keep off drugs. There will be preaching, teaching, food, fellowship and personal counseling.

Tuesday: Alcoholics Anonymous will meet at 7 p.m. at the Highway 27 Unity Club (17737 S. Alberta Street, Oneida).

Wednesday: The Scott County Senior Citizens Center (Main Street, Oneida) will serve lunch from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. The cost is $7 for dine-in or carry-out.

Wednesday: Alcoholics Anonymous will meet at 12 p.m. at the Highway 27 Unity Club (17737 S. Alberta Street, Oneida).

Thursday: The Gerry McDonald Mission House, located on Church Avenue, directly behind First United Methodist Church, is open from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. You are eligible to receive food once per month. 423-569-8828.

Thursday: The Scott County Senior Citizens Center (Main Street, Oneida) will host exercise from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m.

Friday: The Big South Fork swimming pool at Bandy Creek is open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The cost is $3 for ages 13 and up, or $2 for ages 6-12.

The Community Calendar is presented weekly by Citizens Gas Utility District. Citizens Gas Utility District pipelines are generally safe. They can be damaged by things such as excavation, natural forces, and automobile accidents. These can potentially cause a leak.Visit citizensgastn.com.

Thank you for reading. Our next newsletter will be Echoes From the Past tomorrow. If you’d like to update your subscription to add or subtract any of our newsletters, do so here. If you haven’t yet subscribed, it’s as simple as adding your email address!

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Our Newsletters:
• Monday morning: The Daybreaker (news & the week ahead)
• Tuesday: Echoes from the Past (stories of our history)
• Wednesday: Threads of Life (obituaries)
• Thursday evening: The Weekender (news & the weekend)
• Friday: Friday Features (beyond the news)
• Sunday: Varsity (a weekly sports recap)

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Good Thursday evening! This is The Weekender, a final look at this week’s news from the Independent Herald. The Daybreaker (Monday) and The Weekender (Thursday evening) are our two news-first newsletters. We publish several other newsletters throughout the week, as well as our regular E-Edition on Thursday and our Varsity E-Edition on Sunday (during sports season). If you’d like to adjust your subscription to include (or exclude) any of these newsletters, do so here. If you haven’t subscribed, please consider doing so!

Today’s newsletter is sponsored by Buckeye Home Medical Equipment. Serving Scott County and several other communities in the Upper Cumberland region, Buckeye is a full-line DME providing home health equipment to its patients.

Big South Fork Medical interim CEO talks addition of services

ONEIDA | At a meeting of the Scott County Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, Big South Fork Medical Center interim CEO Cathal McGuckin said that the hospital continues to add services that are concentrated on “closing the service gaps” that exist in local health care.

McGuckin, who has overseen day-to-day operations at the hospital since the untimely passing of Hal Leftwich in 2025, pointed to the recent opening of an infusion center, last year’s opening of a wound care center, and the addition of low-dose CT scans for lung cancer screenings. He added that the hospital has also added echocardiogram imaging — a non-invasive ultrasound that provides heart diagnostics for physicians.

BSFMC has also introduced a swing bed program, which helps patients continue the recovery process close to home. Swing beds are short-term skilled care for patients who need therapy, IV antibiotics, wound care, or other support services before they can return home.

In regards to the $1 billion Tennessee will receive from the Trump administration’s “Big Beautiful Bill” for rural health care initiatives, which state Sen. Ken Yager had mentioned earlier in the meeting, McGuckin said it is “a lot of money, but there are a lot of people looking for it.” Nevertheless, he said, “we’re going to continue to fight for it.”

McGuckin pointed out that it has been nine years since Florida-based Rennova Health reopened the Scott County hospital. “There have been ups and downs, (but) I think that’s health care in general,” he said.

On a related but separate note, Myrtle Recovery Centers CEO Bob Merritt provided an update on his facility, which opened in 2023 and provides recovery services in Scott County.

Myrtle is a 30-bed facility that operates inside an unused portion of Big South Fork Medical Center.

Merritt said that as of the first quarter of 2026, Myrtle has admitted a total of 870 patients and has accumulated more than 12,000 “patient days.” It has had more than 2,200 referrals, he said, which have come from 78 of the 95 counties in Tennessee.

“We have quite the reputation out there,” Merritt said, adding that Myrtle is highly regarded for the recovery services it offers.

Despite the statewide referrals, Merritt said that 47% of patient referrals come from Scott, Anderson, Campbell, Morgan, and Knox counties — and that 350 have come from Scott County alone.

He added that the facility’s patient satisfaction surveys show that 98% of past patients would “strongly recommend” Myrtle.

“We’re very proud of what we do,” he said. “We have a very strong program.”

Huntsville Post-Acute & Rehabilitation Center offers short-term or long-term care … on your terms. Learn more. (Sponsored content.)

Yager addresses landfill, nuclear, and data centers

ONEIDA | State Sen. Ken Yager, R-Kingston, addressed the proposed Roberta Phase II landfill and several other topics in an appearance before members of the Scott County Chamber of Commerce at the Scott County Senior Center in Oneida on Thursday.

Yager, who has steadfastly opposed the construction of a second landfill in Scott County, applauded the recent developments that have derailed the proposed landfill, though he said “the beast is still breathing” and vowed efforts to stop it will continue.

Specifically, Yager applauded a decision by the TN Dept. of Environment & Conservation (TDEC) to deny an Aquatic Resources Alteration Permit (ARAP) to Roberta Phase II, saying he had been confident all along that would be the case.

“There was little discretion that TDEC had with the landfill permit,” Yager said. “The EPA sets the guidelines on that. But the ARAP is a different issue. I’ve been waiting for the other shoe to drop because I felt confident the commissioner would deny that permit. He has done that.”

That echoes comments Yager made to the Independent Herald months ago, when he expressed confidence that TDEC would not approve the project.

The state agency issued a permit for a 24-acre landfill in 2010. However, construction on that project never began. The permit was recently sold to Atlanta- and Chattanooga-area developers, who moved forward with the purchase of 700 acres of property and applied for re-certification of the permit, along with a nearby rail transfer station. Because more than one year had elapsed, TDEC re-certification was needed, and ARAP laws that have been updated since 2010 applied. In rejecting the re-certification process last month, TDEC said that any future efforts to move forward with the landfill will be subject to local approval through the Jackson Law, where it would almost certainly be doomed to fail.

Yager said Thursday that the two options developers have remaining are to resubmit their application with changes, or to litigate TDEC’s decision.

Legislation filed by Yager and state Rep. Kelly Keisling, R-Byrdstown, this past session sought to permanently stop the proposed landfill by classifying the Big South Fork River as a scenic river under a 1960s-era state law and add extra stipulations that would not allow another landfill anywhere in Scott County. That bill sailed through the Senate but narrowly failed in a House committee.

Yager pledged to continue efforts to pass that bill in 2027. He said Scott Countians owe a “thank you” to Keisling for his work on the bill in the House of Representatives, and added that he and Keisling had believed the votes were in place to pass it. “One of the fellas who told us he was going to vote yes, we lost him in committee and lost by one vote,” Yager said. He added that some of the language in the bill may change before it is reintroduced this winter, but it will remain substantially the same.

Other topics addressed by Yager at Thursday’s meeting included state and federal funding for rural health care, nuclear waste, and data centers.

On health care: Yager said that Tennessee will receive $1 billion over a five-year period from the Trump administration’s “Big Beautiful Bill” for rural health care transformation. Some of that money, he said, could be utilized by Big South Fork Medical Center, Mountain People’s Health Councils Inc., or by Roane State Community College for its education.

On nuclear: Yager spoke positively about the nuclear renaissance that is taking place in Tennessee. Nuclear industrial development has been a buzzing topic lately, and Yager said that communities throughout East Tennessee stand to benefit. He said that Morgan County recently received a grand for nuclear site development, and encouraged Scott County to file its own grant application — which the Industrial Development Board’s Stacey Swann said has already happened.

In response to a question about the storage of nuclear waste and the possibility that the 700-acre landfill property might be repurposed for such a use, Yager said that nuclear storage is a possibility he supports — but it doesn’t look like people might think it does.

Yager explained that the days of disposing barrels of nuclear waste that have to be stored forever are gone. The new era, he said, involves recycling nuclear waste so that it can be used again. Tennessee has applied for a federal permit to do just that, though it has not received word on whether the permit will be issued. He said the Tennessee Association of County Mayors unanimously endorsed the project, signaling its potential to benefit communities across the state.

Yager said the bulk of this activity will occur in Oak Ridge, which is the state’s hub of nuclear industry, but added that the supply pipeline could easily extend to Scott County, supporting a local business that might spring up.

The key, Yager said, is appropriate messaging so that residents are educated on what nuclear storage does — and does not — consist of.

On data centers: Yager said he is not aware of any current interest to build a data center in Scott County, but said that he has strong reservations about data centers for two reasons. One, he said, involves the high usage of electricity, which can drive up costs for other electric customers. Another, he added, is the release of heated water, saying he questions what that will do to the lifespan of streams.

Mountain People’s Health Councils offers general practice dentistry for all ages, using the latest technology for dental imagery and digital scanning. Sliding scale fees apply! Learn more. (Sponsored.)

O&W Road reopens after bridge replacement

ONEIDA | The O&W Road into the Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area has reopened for vehicular traffic after being closed for the better part of two years.

The Scott County Road Department reopened the road earlier this week, following the completion of a bridge replacement project over Pine Creek. The road had been closed at the Toomey Road intersection, just outside the Big South Fork NRRA, since the TN Dept. of Transportation condemned the bridge in Fall 2024.

The bridge, originally constructed in 1914 as part of the Oneida & Western Railroad, was removed and rebuilt by Cookeville-based King General Contracting, which won the contract with Scott County. The same company is also rebuilding the railroad overpass on Niggs Creek Road at High Point.

Construction of the bridge began in August 2025.

The bridge was one of three original bridges from the O&W Railroad days remaining on the rail bed, which has been a county road for decades. The two remaining include another bridge over Pine Creek inside the Big South Fork NRRA, and a bridge over the Big South Fork River. The latter has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places and will eventually be closed to vehicular traffic once the state deems it unsafe for travel.

ICYMI

Threads of Life: This week’s Threads of Life newsletter is in remembrance of Crystal Worley, James Brown, Marlys Devries, Hollis Gibson, Billy Shoemaker, Allen Thomas, and Mary Wilson. » Read It

Echoes in Time: This week’s Echoes in Time newsletter takes a look back at Jehu Phillips, one of Scott County’s earliest county officials who provided invaluable insight into the early days in this area. » Read It

The Weekend

🌥️ Weather: After a partly sunny day on Friday with a high of 83°, we’ll see rain chances return Saturday. There’s a 60% chance of rain Saturday with a high of 77° expected. There’s a 50% chance of rain on Sunday, with temperatures again in the upper 70s. Check out our daily Eye to the Sky updates on our Facebook page— published each morning at 7 a.m. on the dot.

—

⛪︎ Featured Church

Bible Believers Baptist Church
Denomination: Baptist
Pastor: Joey Zachary
Address: 120 Cooper Lake Road, Oneida

Services
Sunday School: 10 a.m.
Sunday Morning: 11 a.m.
Sunday Evening: 6 p.m.
Wednesday: 7 p.m.

» See the complete Church Directory, and thank you to our sponsors of the Church Directory.

—

📅 Community Calendar

• Saturday: Huntsville Municipal Pool will be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The cost is $3. The Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area swimming pool at Bandy Creek will be open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The cost is $3 for ages 13 and up, and $2 for ages 6-12. The Oneida City Park splash pad will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. (weather permitting).

• Sunday: Huntsville Municipal Pool will be open from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. The cost is $3. The Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area swimming pool at Bandy Creek will be open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The cost is $3 for ages 13 and up, and $2 for ages 6-12. The Oneida City Park splash pad will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. (weather permitting).

• Sunday: Celebrate Recovery, a 12-step program designed to help with addiction, co-dependency and domestic abuse, will be hosted by Fire & Purpose Ministries from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at 27192 Scott Highway in Winfield. There will be food, fellowship, praise and worship. Childcare is provided.

The Community Calendar is presented weekly by Citizens Gas Utility District. You can help prevent pipeline damage and leaks by calling 811 before doing any excavating or demolition and submitting a utility locate request. Visit citizensgastn.com.

Scenic Sale!

This week’s sale items at Scenic Foods in Huntsville! The sale continues through Tuesday. Sponsored content.

Thank you for reading. Our next newsletter will be Friday Features. If you’d like to update your subscription to add or subtract any of our newsletters, do so here. If you haven’t yet subscribed, it’s as simple as adding your email address!

◼️ About the IH • IH Sports Network • The Encyclopedia of Scott County
◼️ Subscribe • Sponsor • Manage Your Account
◼️ Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X/Twitter, YouTube

Our Newsletters:
• Monday morning: The Daybreaker (news & the week ahead)
• Tuesday: Echoes from the Past (stories of our history)
• Wednesday: Threads of Life (obituaries)
• Thursday evening: The Weekender (news & the weekend)
• Friday: Friday Features (beyond the news)
• Sunday: Varsity (a weekly sports recap)

Subscribe now

ONEIDA | State Sen. Ken Yager, R-Kingston, addressed the proposed Roberta Phase II landfill and several other topics in an appearance before members of the Scott County Chamber of Commerce at the Scott County Senior Center in Oneida on Thursday.

Yager, who has steadfastly opposed the construction of a second landfill in Scott County, applauded the recent developments that have derailed the proposed landfill, though he said “the beast is still breathing” and vowed efforts to stop it will continue.

Specifically, Yager applauded a decision by the TN Dept. of Environment & Conservation (TDEC) to deny an Aquatic Resources Alteration Permit (ARAP) to Roberta Phase II, saying he had been confident all along that would be the case.

“There was little discretion that TDEC had with the landfill permit,” Yager said. “The EPA sets the guidelines on that. But the ARAP is a different issue. I’ve been waiting for the other shoe to drop because I felt confident the commissioner would deny that permit. He has done that.”

That echoes comments Yager made to the Independent Herald months ago, when he expressed confidence that TDEC would not approve the project.

The state agency issued a permit for a 24-acre landfill in 2010. However, construction on that project never began. The permit was recently sold to Atlanta- and Chattanooga-area developers, who moved forward with the purchase of 700 acres of property and applied for re-certification of the permit, along with a nearby rail transfer station. Because more than one year had elapsed, TDEC re-certification was needed, and ARAP laws that have been updated since 2010 applied. In rejecting the re-certification process last month, TDEC said that any future efforts to move forward with the landfill will be subject to local approval through the Jackson Law, where it would almost certainly be doomed to fail.

Yager said Thursday that the two options developers have remaining are to resubmit their application with changes, or to litigate TDEC’s decision.

Legislation filed by Yager and state Rep. Kelly Keisling, R-Byrdstown, this past session sought to permanently stop the proposed landfill by classifying the Big South Fork River as a scenic river under a 1960s-era state law and add extra stipulations that would not allow another landfill anywhere in Scott County. That bill sailed through the Senate but narrowly failed in a House committee.

Yager pledged to continue efforts to pass that bill in 2027. He said Scott Countians owe a “thank you” to Keisling for his work on the bill in the House of Representatives, and added that he and Keisling had believed the votes were in place to pass it. “One of the fellas who told us he was going to vote yes, we lost him in committee and lost by one vote,” Yager said. He added that some of the language in the bill may change before it is reintroduced this winter, but it will remain substantially the same.

Other topics addressed by Yager at Thursday’s meeting included state and federal funding for rural health care, nuclear waste, and data centers.

On health care: Yager said that Tennessee will receive $1 billion over a five-year period from the Trump administration’s “Big Beautiful Bill” for rural health care transformation. Some of that money, he said, could be utilized by Big South Fork Medical Center, Mountain People’s Health Councils Inc., or by Roane State Community College for its education.

On nuclear: Yager spoke positively about the nuclear renaissance that is taking place in Tennessee. Nuclear industrial development has been a buzzing topic lately, and Yager said that communities throughout East Tennessee stand to benefit.

In response to a question about the storage of nuclear waste and the possibility that the 700-acre landfill property might be repurposed for such a use, Yager said that nuclear storage is a possibility he supports — but it doesn’t look like people might think it does.

Yager explained that the days of disposing barrels of nuclear waste that have to be stored forever are gone. The new era, he said, involves recycling nuclear waste so that it can be used again. Tennessee has applied for a federal permit to do just that, though it has not received word on whether the permit will be issued. He said the Tennessee Association of County Mayors unanimously endorsed the project, signaling its potential to benefit communities across the state.

Yager said the bulk of this activity will occur in Oak Ridge, which is the state’s hub of nuclear industry, but added that the supply pipeline could easily extend to Scott County, supporting a local business that might spring up.

The key, Yager said, is appropriate messaging so that residents are educated on what nuclear storage does — and does not — consist of.

On data centers: Yager said he is not aware of any current interest to build a data center in Scott County, but said that he has strong reservations about data centers for two reasons. One, he said, involves the high usage of electricity, which can drive up costs for other electric customers. Another, he added, is the release of heated water, saying he questions what that will do to the lifespan of streams.

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ONEIDA | The O&W Road into the Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area has reopened for vehicular traffic after being closed for the better part of two years.

The Scott County Road Department reopened the road earlier this week, following the completion of a bridge replacement project over Pine Creek. The road had been closed at the Toomey Road intersection, just outside the Big South Fork NRRA, since the TN Dept. of Transportation condemned the bridge in Fall 2024.

The bridge, originally constructed in 1914 as part of the Oneida & Western Railroad, was removed and rebuilt by Cookeville-based King General Contracting, which won the contract with Scott County. The same company is also rebuilding the railroad overpass on Niggs Creek Road at High Point.

Construction of the bridge began in August 2025.

The bridge was one of three original bridges from the O&W Railroad days remaining on the rail bed, which has been a county road for decades. The two remaining include another bridge over Pine Creek inside the Big South Fork NRRA, and a bridge over the Big South Fork River. The latter has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places and will eventually be closed to vehicular traffic once the state deems it unsafe for travel.

Subscribe now