Liberty Christmas Parade Set for Sunday, December 1

November 5, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

Christmas cheer and holiday spirit will fill the town of Liberty Sunday afternoon, December 1 during the annual Christmas Parade.

(View video of the 2018 Liberty Christmas Parade below)

The line-up begins at 1 p.m. at Salem Baptist Church with the parade to start at 2 p.m.

November 5, 2019
By:

The 2019 statewide muzzleloader/archery season for deer opens in Tennessee on Saturday, Nov. 9 and continues through Friday, Nov. 22 in all of Tennessee’s deer hunting units, according to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. The opening of muzzleloader season in the state has a permanent opening date of the third Saturday before Thanksgiving.

For Unit CWD only in addition to muzzleloader, gun season will open on Nov. 9. The newly-created Unit CWD in the southwestern portion of the state was established after the confirmation of chronic wasting disease (CWD) last December.

Muzzleloading firearms are defined as those firearms which are incapable of being loaded from the breech. Muzzleloading firearms of .36 caliber minimum, plus long bows, compound bows and crossbows are legal hunting equipment for this season. Hunters are also reminded that they must meet the blaze orange requirements while hunting.

The statewide bag limit for antlered bucks is two. No more than one antlered deer may be taken per day.  Hunters are allowed the following antlerless bag limits: Unit L-3 per day, Unit A and B-2 total, and Unit C and D-1 total.

In Unit CWD, muzzleloader/archery season began Oct. 28. In Unit CWD, there is a limit of three antlerless deer per day with no season limit and the statewide bag limit of two antlered deer.

For the exact boundaries of the different deer units, hunters can refer to the 2019-20 Tennessee Hunting and Trapping Guide, available where hunting and fishing licenses are sold and at all TWRA offices. In addition, regulations and other information for Unit CWD are included on pages 33-37 of the guide.

A list of the state’s permanent annual opening hunting dates is on page 12 of the guide. The guide can also be viewed at TWRA’s website at www.tnwildlife.org.

Resident hunters, ages 16 through 64 must possess in addition to other appropriate licenses, an annual big game license for the equipment used.  Lifetime Sportsman license, Junior Hunt/Trap/Fish, Adult Sportsman license and Permanent Senior Citizens license holders are not required to purchase supplemental big game licenses.

In addition to private lands, including public hunting areas, several wildlife management areas (WMAs) will be open to hunters during this muzzleloader season.  Hunters need to refer to the 2019-20 Hunting and Trapping Guide for a listing of these WMAs or go to TWRA’s website.

Tennessee’s gun season for deer opens in units A, B, C, D, and L on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. This year’s date is Nov. 23. The season for gun/muzzleloader/archery will then continue through Jan. 5, 2020.  Archery equipment is legal during muzzleloader and gun seasons. Muzzleloaders are legal during gun season.

November 4, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

Should a portion of West Main be made a one way street for diagonal parking in the downtown business district?

Mayor Josh Miller and some business owners on that street seem to think so.

During Monday night’s regular monthly meeting, Mayor Miller asked the aldermen to consider the move after the planning commission takes a look at it in order to create more customer parking spaces for downtown businesses. If approved the portion of West Main Street from the public square to the intersection of South College Street at the flashing traffic light would become one way (westbound only). Two other downtown streets are already one way including West Walnut Street (westbound) and West Market Street (eastbound).

Mayor Miller said downtown Smithville is growing with more businesses moving in and the city needs to help them.

“I was approached by some business owners on that street about this and when someone brings something to me I think its our obligation to look into these things. I definitely think there is a problem with (enough) parking around the square in general. We have a lot of businesses on West Main Street and we have two more businesses moving in within the next couple of weeks,” said Mayor Miller.

“The proposal I would like to see happen is to make West Main a one way street with diagonal parking on one side. Public works went out last week and measured the road. We were hoping to be able to put diagonal parking on both sides of the road but after doing a lot of measuring it wouldn’t work. But we could probably add twelve parking spaces on West Main if we made it a one way street,” Mayor Miller continued.

Although they are more narrow than West Main, Mayor Miller said diagonal parking might also be considered for both Walnut and Market Streets. “Someone asked if we could be make diagonal parking on Walnut and Market Streets. I don’t know why we couldn’t. I think any more parking is just going to be a plus. I think we need to try and take care of these business owners,” added Mayor Miller.

Although he backs the move and so do most business owners who would be affected, Mayor Miller said support for it is not unanimous. “I am 100% for this and so are the majority of business owners on West Main but not everyone. Those who are for it want to know when we can get started,” said the mayor.

Miller said the city’s planner has advised taking the issue before the planning commission before moving forward. “I spoke with our planner Tommy Lee today (Monday). I wanted to make sure everybody was on the same page. He told me that we probably at least needed to run this by the planning commission”.

Alderman Brandon Cox said he also thinks the aldermen should do a little more thinking on this before taking action

“It’s a big change. I have had discussions with some people who have concerns about making West Main outbound from the square one way because if you are coming toward the square on West Main Street and you come to the flashing light then the only way you can enter the square is to take a right at the light and then left onto Market Street unless you go left and come down by Gayla’s (Hendrix) law office. I think it needs more of a look before we say let’s do it,” said Alderman Cox.

The planning commission’s role is to consider issues and make non-binding recommendations either for or against to the city council but the mayor and aldermen have the final say.

Meanwhile Mayor Miller said the city needs to better mark other downtown streets. “We need to mark the streets better. I sit in my office and see people go around the courthouse the wrong way. Downtown needs to be concern of ours,” he said.

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