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.
Human remains identified as missing Scott Countian Justin Lowe
HUNTSVILLE | Nearly four years after he went missing, the body of Scott Countian Justin Lowe has been found.
The Scott County Sheriff’s Office announced Thursday morning that human remains discovered five days earlier have been identified as Lowe.
Lowe was last seen on May 5, 2022, near a home on Widow’s Lane in the Annadell area east of Huntsville. He was 41 at the time.
It was near Widow’s Lane that a hunter discovered human remains on Saturday, Feb. 28. While authorities worked to confirm the identity, it was apparent from the start that the remains were likely those of Lowe. Personal belongings found near the body belonged to Lowe.
Lowe was the son of Jimmy Wayne Lowe and Debbie Ann Lowe. Jimmy Lowe died in November 2023.
Lowe is survived by two brothers, Jordan Lowe and Jacob Lowe.
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.)
Candidates removed, then restored, by state Republican Party
HUNTSVILLE | Two Republican candidates in Scott County have been restored to the May primary ballot by the state party.
Amanda Chambers Sexton, a candidate for Scott County Clerk, and Ronnie Phillips, a candidate for Sheriff, were among nearly 150 from across the state who were removed from the May primary by the Tennessee Republican Party — most for unpaid fees to the party.
However, Scott Golden, chair of the Republican Party, said in a Feb. 26 letter to Tennessee Coordinator of Elections Mark Goins that dozens of them, including Sexton and Phillips, are being restored.
The Tennessee Republican Party has strict rules on who can seek elected office as a member of the party. Those candidates must have voted in three of the last four statewide primaries and pay a fee ranging from $50 to run for county commission to up to $5,000 for governor.
This is the first election on Scott County’s main four-year cycle to include a primary, after it was requested by both the Republican and Democratic Party. There was also a primary during the 2024 off-year election. Of the 51 candidates seeking office in Scott County this year, most are running as independents. Only 15 are running as Republicans. Of those, only two will actually compete against opposition in the May primary. Phillips, who is a two-term former Sheriff of Scott County, will face incumbent Sheriff Brian Keeton in the May primary, with the winner advancing to the August general election. Sexton, who sought the Clerk’s office in 2022, is unopposed on the May primary ballot and will advance to face incumbent Felicia Hamby Bilbrey in August. Another independent, Christina Kay Cross, will also be on the August ballot.
Dive Deeper: Complete list of candidates
Huntsville Post-Acute & Rehabilitation Center offers short-term or long-term care … on your terms. Learn more. (Sponsored content.)
Oneida girls win region championship
HARRIMAN, Tenn. | With a 49-43 win over Coalfield here Wednesday night, Oneida’s Lady Indians captured their first region championship since 2023 and secured a home substate game on Saturday.
The Lady Indians led almost the entire game, and built as much as a 10-point advantage in the fourth quarter before Coalfield surged to cut it to three with just over three minutes to play.
Elli West was named the tournament’s most valuable player. Kendall Duncan, Larissa Jones and Kamryn Stiltner were each named to the all-tournament team.
Duncan had a big game in Wednesday’s finale, scoring a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Stiltner added 11 points and Jones finished with 10.
Coalfield’s Lily Wright, the regular season player of the year in District 3-A, finished with 13 points before fouling out of the game late.
One night earlier, Oneida’s boys advanced to substate and the region championship game with a win over Jellico at Harriman. The Indians will face the host Blue Devils in the championship game Thursday evening.
That same night, Scott High’s boys took Fulton, the state’s No. 5 team, to the wire before losing 55-50 to bring their season to a close. The Highlanders trailed by only one point late in the game before losing.
Lady Indians 49, Coalfield 43
Kendall Duncan: 12p / 10r
Kamryn Stiltner: 11p / 3r / 3a
Larissa Jones: 10p / 5r / 2s
Elli West: 6p / 4r / 5a
Elizabeth Zachary: 4p / 2r
Maddie Pike: 4p
Tynleigh Jeffers: 2p / 7r
Oneida 63, Jellico 58
Ben Gilbert: 20p / 17r / 2a
Grady Keeton: 18p / 5r / 2a / 2b
Jesse Zachary: 8p / 16r / 2a / 2b
Brock Ryon: 8p
Drayton Wade: 4p / 6r / 4a / 2s
Canaan Shoemaker: 3p / 3r / 4a
Kenton Lay: 2p / 4r
Fulton 55, Scott 50
Wyatt Lloyd: 21p / 4r / 2s
Jaigen Morgan: 13p / 2a / 2s
Isaiah Washam: 6p / 2r / 2s
Landon Washam: 4p / 3r
Brady Crabtree: 2p / 3a
Brennan Brumett: 2p / 2r
Landon Goodman: 2a
The Weekend!
☀️ Weather: Record temperatures are likely on Friday, soaring to near 80° under mostly sunny skies. There’s a slight chance of afternoon showers. Then rain will become likely Saturday and persist into Sunday before tapering off. Temperatures will remain well into the 70s on Saturday before falling back into the 60s on 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
• Saturday: The U.S.S. Tennessee Battleship Memorial Museum will be open on Saturday, March 7, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. The focus area is Peacetime Service. Admission is free. The museum is located on the campus of Scott High School as part of the Museum of Scott County complex.
• Saturday: In high school sports, Oneida girls will host North Greene at 7 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on the IH Sports Network.
• Saturday: First Saturday night services will be held at Capital 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: 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. 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.
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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)