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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Scott County unemployment rate drops below 4%
Scott County’s unemployment rate dropped from 4.4% to 3.9% in December, according to new data made available by the TN Dept. of Labor & Workforce Development.
The update shows that Scott County’s jobless rate declined half a percentage point between November and December. The year-over-year unemployment rate is up ever so slightly — it was 3.8% in December 2024 — but the number of working Scott Countians has greatly increased over the past year. According to the Labor Department, there were 8,714 Scott Countians employed in December 2025, up from 7,805 in December 2024.
The current unemployment rate is based on an estimated work force of 9,067 people, down slightly from November’s estimated work force of 9,094. Of that number, 8,714 were employed, up from 8,695 in November, and 353 were unemployed, down from 399 in November.
Scott County’s half-point unemployment rate decrease was part of a statewide trend that saw jobless rates decrease in 87 of 95 counties during the month of December.
Among neighboring counties, Anderson County’s jobless rate was down half a point to 3.1%, Campbell County’s was down four-tenths of a point to 3.7%, Fentress County’s was down six-tenths of a point to 3.3%, Morgan County’s was down half a point to 3.6%, and Pickett County’s was down six-tenths of a point to 4.8%.
The state’s highest unemployment rate in December was found in Maury County, at 5.7%, followed by Lewis County at 5.6%, Perry County at 5.3%, and Meigs County at 5.0%. Rounding out the list of 10 highest unemployment rates were Pickett, Hardeman and Hancock counties at 4.8%, and Lauderdale, Lawrence and Greene counties at 4.6%.
The state’s lowest unemployment rate in December was found in Williamson and Cheatham counties at 2.6%, followed by Sevier, Wilson, Rutherford, Dickson, Macon, Sumner, Knox and Haywood counties at 2.7%.
Among the state’s major metropolitan areas, Nashville and Knoxville were tied at 3.0% unemployment in December, followed by Chattanooga at 3.3% and Memphis at 4.1%.
The statewide unemployment rate was 3.4% in December, down two-tenths of a point from November. The national unemployment rate was 4.1%, also down two-tenths of a point from November.
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Six Scott High School wrestlers qualify for substate
Six of eight wrestlers from Scott High who competed in the region tournament at Gibbs High School on Saturday qualified for the substate.
Seniors Bo Laxton and Cayden Moffett finished as runners-up in their weight class at the regionals, while sophomore Osmond Smith also finished as runner-up. Senior Mason Lewallen finished third, while Desmond Bowling and Daniel Eskew each finished fourth. All six qualified for the sectionals, which will be held at Gibbs on Feb. 14. Ryder Norman and Carter Slaven qualified as alternates with fifth place finishes at the regionals.
Earlier this season, Scott High won its first district championship in wrestling, defeating Anderson County in a home duals match.
Basketball recap
Oneida picked up a district sweep of Oliver Springs on Thursday and Wartburg on Friday, with the men winning overtime games on back-to-back nights. Scott High split with McCreary Central on Thursday and Loudon on Friday, and picked up a district sweep of Gibbs on Saturday, with both teams securing third place in the final regular season standings.
Standout performers were Wyatt Lloyd with a career-high 35 points against Gibbs, Ben Gilbert with a career-high 25 rebounds against Wartburg, Grady Keeton with 23 points against Oliver Springs, and Addy Rogers with a double-double of 15 points and 11 rebounds against Loudon.
Check out the complete wrap-up here.
This Monday (and every Monday), we’ll present The Growth Chart, a look at recent and ongoing growth throughout Scott County.
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. According to Scott County Mayor Jerried Jeffers, cardiology and high-risk pregnancy will be added later.
Swan Hollow Brew Project: Oneida will soon have its second brewery. The father-and-son team of Jeff and Chris Swanson are planning Swan Hallow at 281 Underpass Drive in Oneida (former site of the Coffey Medical Center), according to the Scott County Chamber of Commerce. It will offer craft beer brewed on site, as well as food and entertainment. It will be Oneida’s second brewery. Big South Fork Brewing opened in the former First Trust & Savings Bank building on South Main Street earlier this year.
The Grizzly: The Grizzly is a locally-owned, dine-in restaurant located at 271 South Main Street in Oneida (former location of The Little Kitchen). It offers hand-cut steaks and hand-crafted burgers, among other items. The restaurant announced a limited menu on Dec. 7, one day after its soft opening after the annual Scott County Chamber of Commerce Christmas Parade.
Long John Silver’s: A Long John Silver’s fast food seafood restaurant will soon be constructed at Oneida Plaza, on the south side of McDonald’s. Scott County Mayor Jerried Jeffers announced earlier this month that Oneida Plaza owner Mendy Bohm has entered into an agreement with the company, and 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 is currently preparing it for the start of construction.
Casey’s: The Casey’s pizza and convenience store chain is currently constructing a store on Alberta Street in Oneida, located “on the corner” at the site of the former 4WD Performance.
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, too, will soon have a package store.
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 purchasing property for a store a little further west, at the intersection of Coopertown Road and Smith Road. Scott County Mayor Jerried Jeffers made that announcement at a County Commission meeting in November. This will be Dollar General’s fifth location in Scott County, joining stores in Oneida, Huntsville, Robbins and Winfield. And it may not be the last. DG is currently eyeing potential locations in other parts of Scott County, though it has not finalized anything.
TCAT: The Tennessee College of Applied Technology Oneida/Huntsville is adding two new buildings on its Oneida campus. The first, which will house the college’s diesel and power lineman programs, will open in January. The second, which will house earthmoving equipment operator, industrial maintenance, and several other programs, is slated to open late Spring 2026.
O&W Road: The O&W Road into the Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area is slated to re-open in mid-to-late February, following completion of a bridge over Pine Creek near the intersection with Toomey Road just outside the national park. Shortly thereafter, construction will begin on a new bridge overpassing the Norfolk-Southern Railroad on Niggs Creek Road in Oneida.
More to Come: There are several other businesses that are in the preliminary or planning stages, including some in Huntsville. No official announcements have yet been made, but could be forthcoming shortly.
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: Our warmup continues today, with temperatures topping out near 60° under mostly sunny skies. We’ll be well into the 60s tomorrow as a south wind begins to puff ahead of an approaching storm system. Rain tomorrow night and Wednesday. 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 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 4:30 p.m.
Monday: Scott County Commission will meet at the Scott County Office Building 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.
Monday: Scott High basketball will travel to Halls 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: Boy Scout Troop #333 will meet at the Oneida War Memorial Building on Alberta Street in Oneida beginning at 6 p.m.
Tuesday: Oneida basketball will host Jellico at 6:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on the IH Sports Network.
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.
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: Scott High basketball will travel to Union County at 6 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on the IH Sports Network.
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 Bingo at 1 p.m.
Thursday: The Scott County Board of Education will meet at the Central Office in Huntsville, beginning at 4:30 p.m.
Friday: Oneida basketball will host Coalfield at 6:30 p.m. Scott High basketball will travel to Monterey at 7 p.m. The Oneida/Coalfield game will be broadcast live on the IH Sports Network.
Saturday: Oneida basketball will host Sunbright at 4 p.m. and Scott High basketball will host Campbell County at 4 p.m. Both games will be broadcast on the IH Sports Network.
The Community Calendar is presented by Citizens Gas Utility District. Citizens Gas Utility District will be closed February 16th, 2026 in observance of Presidents’ Day. Call 811 before doing any excavating to submit a utility locate request.Visit citizensgastn.com.
Thank you for reading. Our next newsletter will be Echoes in Time 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!
◼️ Monday morning: The Daybreaker (news & the week ahead)
◼️ Tuesday: Echoes in Time (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)