Harness, Chadwell surprised with awards at Commission meeting
Plus: Comptroller releases findings of Paint Rock Fire Department investigation, Scott County man sentenced to prison after child sex crimes conviction, Marshals Service arrests fugitive in Oneida...
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.
Christy Harness, Kenny Chadwell surprised with awards at Commission meeting
HUNTSVILLE | Fourth District Scott County Commissioner Kenny Chadwell and Scott County Family Justice Center executive director Christy Harness were surprised with awards by state Rep. Kelly Keisling at Monday’s meeting of County Commission.
Keisling, R-Byrdstown, awarded both Chadwell and Harness near the end of the County Commission meeting at the Scott County Office Building.
Chadwell received the Ralph Puckett Outstanding County Commissioner award from the Tennessee County Commissioners Association. The award is presented annually to one county commissioner from each of Tennessee’s three grand divisions who demonstrates exceptional leadership and service.
Chadwell represents Helenwood and the mid-county area on County Commission.
Harness, meanwhile, received the Janice M. Holder Access to Justice award. Holder was the first female Chief Justice of the Tennessee Supreme Court, serving in that capacity from 2008 to 2014.
Harness was nominated for the award by Rural Legal Aid of East Tennessee. Also present at Monday’s meeting to help present the award was Scott County General Sessions Judge Scarlett Ellis.
In formal actions taken by County Commission at Monday’s meeting:
• A policy was approved regarding pay for unused vacation time accumulated by employees of the Scott County Ambulance Service.
• An application was approved for an historic development grant from the TN Dept. of Economic & Community Development for rehabilitation of the old Scott County Courthouse, in an amount of up to $500,000, which would include a 5% local match.
• Lori Miller replaced Marjorie Mason on the Scott County Library Board.
• Fundraising road blocks were approved for Paint Rock Volunteer Fire Department (Nov. 8 at the Annadell/Buffalo intersection) and 7th District Volunteer Fire Department (Nov. 21 at Chester Street and Grave Hill Road).
• A proposal to close Swinging Bridge Road in the Norma community (a side road and not the main Swinging Bridge Road) was tabled at the behest of County Attorney John Beaty, who said a meeting has been scheduled to discuss the situation.
See Also: Scott County renegotiates host fee agreement with Volunteer Regional Landfill.
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State comptroller releases finding after Paint Rock Volunteer Fire Department audit
NASHVILLE, Tenn. | Tennessee Comptroller Jason E. Mumpower on Tuesday released the findings of an investigation into records of the Paint Rock Volunteer Fire Department.
The audit was the second in recent years involving the fire department, and this time was limited to selected records from March 27, 2023 through Nov. 11, 2024, according to Mumpower. The last investigation, the findings of which were released on Dec. 5, 2023, covered the period of January 2022 through March 2023.
The most recent investigation came after a different former fire chief — not named in the investigative report — served from March 27, 2023 through Nov. 11, 2024.
The investigation found that the chief made “questionable cash withdrawals” totaling $5,043.99 from the fire department’s bank account, including $2,843.99 in ATM cash withdrawals — often more than one withdrawal on the same day — and $2,200 in over-the-counter cash withdrawals.
According to Mumpower’s report, the board of directors of Paint Rock VFD “has corrected or intends to correct these deficiencies,” and the findings of the investigation were communicated to the office of the 8th Judicial District Attorney General.
Montgomery sentenced to 30 years on child sex abuse charges
HUNTSVILLE | A Scott County man was sentenced this week to 30 years in prison without possibility of parole after being convicted earlier this year of child sex abuse charges.
Michael Timothy Montgomery, 56, of Helenwood, was sentenced Monday by Scott County Criminal Court Judge Zachary R. Walden. According to 8th Judicial District Attorney General Jared Effler, the 30-year sentence must be served at 100% with no possibility of parole.
Montgomery was convicted by a Scott County jury in January of rape of a child and two counts of statutory rape by an authority figure. He was charged in 2023.
At 56, Montgomery would be in his mid 80s before being released from prison.
The case was investigated by Scott County Sheriff’s Office Detective Lisa Anderson. The state was represented at sentencing by Assistant District Attorney Apryl C. Bradshaw.
U.S. Marshals arrest wanted Scott County man
HUNTSVILLE | The United States Marshals Service said Wednesday that it has arrested a fugitive from justice who is accused of assaulting a Scott County sheriff’s deputy.
Holden Sexton was arrested this week, nearly one month after he fled from local authorities and struck a deputy with his vehicle in the process.
Law enforcement officers had responded to a disturbance in the Cherry Fork community in Helenwood when they encountered Sexton, who struck a deputy and caused minor injuries as he fled the scene, according to the Marshals Service, which added that Sexton was wanted for aggravated assault and evading arrest.
The Scott County Sheriff’s Department requested assistance from the Marshals Service’s Smoky Mountain Fugitive Task Force on Oct. 16, which received information that Sexton was located at a home on Mathews Road in Oneida. When authorities arrived at the home, Sexton allegedly fled on foot into a wooded area. When he was approached by a K-9 from Blount County, Sexton allegedly slashed at the dog with an open switchblade-style knife. The canine was uninjured.
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Robbins School announces Honor Roll
ROBBINS | Robbins Elementary School Principal Dana Storey has announced the school’s Honor Roll and perfect attendance students for the first nine-week grading period.
PreK
Perfect Attendance: Grayson Pemberton and Wyatt Willoughby.
Kindergarten
Perfect Attendance: Weston Davis, Hayes King, and Amelia Manis.
First Grade
First Honor Roll: Marley Anderson, Nora Duncan, Lori Flarity, and Bella Hatfield.
Second Honor Roll: Rustle Boshears, Lorelei Caban, Addilynn Gayheart, Piper Miller, Khloe Soloe, Ryker Stephens, and Kamden Willoughby.
Perfect Attendance: Rustle Boshears.
Second Grade
First Honor Roll: Cannon Blevins, Clara Davis, Grayson Elliott, Raven Harness, Rhylee Henry, Kaidon Hughett, and Katalina Newport.
Second Honor Roll: Kodah Blevins, Hazel Blevins, Haley Myers, and Amelia Ross.
Perfect Attendance: Hazel Byrge, Gabby Geames, Kyleigh Geames, and Harleigh St. Claire.
Third Grade
First Honor Roll: Easton Gibson, Marshall Russelburg, Blake Walker, and Brynlee West.
Second Honor Roll: Damien Jeffers, Kable Jeffers, Paige Lavery, Avalee Kimbrell, Callie Terry, and Harley Terry.
Perfect Attendance: Zander Daugherty and Asher King.
Fourth Grade
First Honor Roll: Millie Carson, Noah Price, Darcee Stonecipher, Roderick Terry, and Granger Thompson.
Second Honor Roll: Kevin Melton, Arabella Newport, Raylynn Oxendine, Arya Smith, Kaylee Soloe, Raeleigh West
Perfect Attendance: Collin Myers, Noah Price, Kaylee Soloe, Raeleigh West
Fifth Grade
First Honor Roll: Rosalie Russelburg.
Second Honor Roll: Ireland Boutcher, Kayleigh Hughett, Levi Kidd, Trinitee Kimbrell, Joyanna McKinnie, Blake Overton, Easton Pendergrass, Matthan Sharpe, Camden Swinson, and Nakeeah Webb.
Perfect Attendance: Easton Pendergrass and Rosalie Russelburg.
Sixth Grade
First Honor Roll: Kelci, Duncan, Greyson Frogge, Paisley Hammonds, Rhylee Stonecipher, and Hadley West.
Second Honor Roll: Aliyah Byrge, Harley Cooper, Rylan Daugherty, Mattie Hamby, Greyson Smith, and Jace Storey.
Perfect Attendance: Emma Daugherty, Kelci Duncan, Grayson Smith, Jace Storey, and Hadley West.
Seventh Grade
First Honor Roll: Houston Carroll.
Second Honor Roll: Alyssa Nagy, Xavier Overton, Hannah Gilbert, Lydia Griffith, Emma Kidd, Baylen Miller, Lillian Newport, Jad Overton, Brielle Swinson, Silas Terry, and Faith Wagner.
Perfect Attendance: Hannah Gilbert, Lillie Newport, and Brielle Swinson.
Eighth Grade
First Honor Roll: Jacob Byrd, Xander Kimbrell, Banner Ritchie, Roland Russelburg, and Jerri Lin Terry.
Second Honor Roll: Melanija Bjelanovic, Erilynn Griffith, Preston Hammonds, Rubyann Melton, Sadie Price, Kaylee Richardson, Kaitlyn Russ, Elijah Shelton, Railey Smith, and Gabe Valladares.
Perfect Attendance: Preston Hammonds, Xander Kimbrell, Eli Myers, Sadie Price, and Urijah Terry.
The weekend
☀️ Weather: The weekend will start off beautiful, but a cold front will bring rain to the region Saturday night and Sunday. 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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📅 Community Calendar
• Friday: Oneida will host Polk County and Scott High will host Wartburg. Both games will kick off at 7:30 p.m. and will be broadcast live on the IH Sports Network, with the Rogers Group Pregame beginning at 6:30 p.m. It’ll be Senior Night at each game.
• 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: The Scott County Chamber of Commerce will host its 9th annual Fall on the Mall at the Huntsville Mall on Saturday, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. The event will include a live performance by Jaeda Newport at 2 p.m., a karaoke contest at 3 p.m., a costume contest at 4 p.m., and trunk-or-treat at 5 p.m.
• 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 by Citizens Gas Utility District. Citizens Gas’s pipelines reliably distribute natural gas to customers across Scott and Morgan counties. Visit citizensgastn.com.
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📢 Programming Note: Watch for our weekly E-Edition later this evening! You can always find our E-Editions here. The E-Edition is published on Thursdays (and on Sundays during the high school sports season) and includes all digital content from the week in an easy-to-read, flip book format.
Scenic Sale!
This week’s sale items at Scenic Foods in Huntsville! The sale continues through Tuesday. Sponsored content.
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◼️ 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)