Squirrel Season Set to Open; Tennessee’s 2018 Free Hunting Day Is August 25

August 23, 2018
By: Dwayne Page

Tennessee residents are allowed to hunt without a license on Saturday, Aug. 25 which coincides with the opening day of squirrel season.

In addition to the opening of squirrel season, it will be the middle day of the statewide three-day archery private lands only/antlered only deer season. This is the first year for this type of deer season.

Free Hunting Day is an event the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency annually provides in hopes of increasing interest in hunting. Squirrel hunting is one of Tennessee’s oldest and favorite traditions. The day serves as an excellent opportunity for persons to experience the enjoyment of the sport.

The TWRA encourages regular hunters to introduce friends and family members (young and old) to the outdoors sport. It is also an excellent opportunity for persons who have not tried hunting in a while to be reintroduced to the sport.

On Free Hunting Day, state resident hunters are exempt from hunting licenses and WMA permit requirements. Many of the WMAs are open to hunters seeking public access on Aug. 25. Hunters are asked to check the information for particular WMAs in the newly-published 2018-19 Tennessee Hunting and Trapping Guide which is available online at www.tnwildlife.org or copies are available at any TWRA regional office or at most outlets where licenses are sold.

The TWRA offers a reminder that hunter education requirements are not waived for Free Hunting Day. Anyone born on or after Jan. 1, 1969 is required to have successfully completed a hunter education course. An apprentice license is required for those born on or after Jan. 1, 1969 if the hunter education course has not been completed. This license exempts the hunter from the mandatory hunter education law for one year from the date of purchase, but may only be purchased for up to three consecutive years during the lifetime of the hunter.

Hunters are allowed to harvest up to 10 squirrels a day from the opening day of squirrel season through Feb. 28, 2019 with each hunting day beginning a half-hour before sunrise and ending a half-hour after sunset.

In addition to squirrels, those species that have a year-round season will be open as well. The year-round species include armadillos, beavers, coyotes, groundhogs, and striped skunks.

For the archery, private lands only/antlered only deer season, sportsmen are reminded to ask for permission to hunt on private lands.

For more information about hunting in Tennessee, visit TWRA’s website at www.tnwildlife.org or contact your nearest TWRA regional office.

August 22, 2018
By: Dwayne Page

Katherine Pack has been one of the longest serving Circuit Court Clerks in DeKalb County history but her tenure which has spanned sixteen years will be ending next Friday, August 31.

Pack was first elected in 2002 and re-elected without opposition in 2006, 2010, and 2014. She shares the distinction with the late Jack S. Allen and the late Hobson Reynolds as the longest serving circuit court clerks in DeKalb County history dating back to 1838. Allen served from 1910 to 1926 and Reynolds held the office from 1954 to 1970.

A retirement party was held for Katherine last Friday and many family members and friends turned out to say thanks for her service to the county and to wish her well.

“We had a tremendous amount of people to come out and it was a humbling experience for me,” said Katherine.

“I was thankful and glad to see all the judges who came to the retirement party including the retired judges that came back who I haven’t seen in a while. My fellow elected officials were all there too. They have been very supportive of me over the years. We have become very close and I am thankful for their friendship and especially thankful for all they did for me during this retirement time,” she said.

“I had a lot of friends and family who helped in my party. My children were the back bone of it and a lot of my church family and the girls that work here for me helped in the party and I just want to say a special thank you to them. We couldn’t have done it without them. It was truly a success. It was everything I wanted,” Katherine continued.

“I would just like to say thank you to DeKalb County. The people of DeKalb County have been so kind and good to me over the last 16 years that I have been clerk and I just want to say thank you very much to them. I will miss being around the people and the judges and those I see every day here,” added Katherine.

As for her retirement plans, Katherine said “I don’t have a lot of plans right now. I will play it by ear and wait and see what God has in store for me in the next chapter of my life”.

August 21, 2018
By: Dwayne Page

Motlow State Community College recently received a $4,500 donation from customers of the Middle Tennessee Natural Gas Utility District through the District’s “Project Hometown Help.” The donation is for the Automation and Robotics Training Center that is under construction at the Motlow McMinnville campus.

Funds from the Hometown Help voluntary program, which come from an automatic rounding up of participating customers’ bills to the next highest whole dollar amount, are used to advance education, assist economic development, promote local charities and provide relief to the disabled and elderly for payment of natural gas bills.

Pictured from left, are Charles Morrison, superintendent for the District’s McMinnville office; Jerry Cooper, former state senator; Michael Torrence, Motlow president; Larry Flatt, Motlow executive director of Advanced Robotics; and Mike Corley, the District’s vice president – human resources and general counsel.

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