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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Foster elected to PEC board
ONEIDA | Bryon Foster, a retired lineman at Plateau Electric Cooperative, has been elected to the cooperative’s board of directors.
Foster won a three-way race by a wide margin on Saturday, receiving 567 votes to 137 for Logan Strunk and 123 for Wendell Dobbs.
He replaces Mark Kline, who did not seek re-election to the board.
Running unopposed in Scott County was Craig Chambers, who was re-elected with 453 votes.
Need a good rate on your auto insurance? Contact your local State Farm agent, Roger Baldwin. (Sponsored content.)
Drought relief could be seen this week
A wet-weather pattern appears to be taking shape that could bring much-needed drought relief to the parched Southeastern United States.
Rain will become likely across Scott County on Wednesday, and remain likely each day through the weekend. Constant rain isn’t expected, but at least a little rain is likely each day from Wednesday through Sunday. As much as two inches of rain could accumulate by the end of the day Sunday.
Rain is expected to remain likely through at least part of next week. The bulk of the rainfall is expected to be across the lower Mississippi River Valley and points west, from Louisiana and eastern Texas north to the Ozarks. But substantial rainfall is also possible across much of Tennessee, including the northern Cumberland Plateau. Early indications are that potential rainfall amounts of five to six inches are possible in parts of Tennessee between Wednesday and the end of next week.
Most of the state is currently in a severe to extreme drought.
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.
Hammer’s: A poorly-kept secret was made official earlier this 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.
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.”
O&W Road: The O&W Road into the Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area is slated to re-open before the end of this month, following completion of a bridge over Pine Creek near the intersection with Toomey Road just outside the national park.
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 have been completed, with only some shoulder and 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 building began going up last week and is already under roof. 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.
Veterans Memorial: Work continues on a grant-funding Revolutionary War veterans memorial at the John John Yancey Memorial Park in Huntsville, as part of America’s 250th celebration. The memorial is being constructed adjacent to the parking lot off Glass House Road and will honor the Revolutionary War militia fighters 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.
Casey’s: The Casey’s pizza and convenience store chain has opened a store on Alberta Street in Oneida, located “on the corner” at the site of the former 4WD Performance, which was the home of Marcum’s Parts before that.
Mountain People’s Health Councils: Mountain People’s recently debuted its new, state-of-the-art diagnostic imaging center at its Oneida campus, located on Industrial Lane.
University of Tennessee Medical Clinic: University of Tennessee Medical Center has opened a new medical facility next-door to the Scott County Food Court in south Oneida that is currently accepting patients for University Midwives and UT Rheumatology Associates, as well as cardiology.
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: It’ll be dry and warm today, with temperatures topping out in the upper 80s. Tomorrow will be much the same. Both days will feature breezy conditions. Rain will become likely late Tuesday night, and remain likely each day through the 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. Additionally, Bingo will be offered today at 1 p.m. and Golden Grooves Exercise at 2 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 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 regular 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).
Wednesday: The Scott Appalachian Industries Senior Center in Huntsville will host Golden Grooves Exercise at 1 p.m.
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 Appalachian Industries Senior Center in Huntsville will host Crafts at 1 p.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.
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)