The Tennessee Democratic and Republican Primaries on August 2 will feature several contested races for state offices.

Six Republicans and three Democrats are in the race for Governor.

Seeking the Republican nomination for Governor on August 2 are Diane Black, Randy Boyd, Beth Harwell, Bill Lee, Basil Marceaux, Sr. and Kay White.

Democrats in the hunt for their party’s nomination for Governor are Karl Dean, Craig Fitzhugh, and Mezianne Vale Payne.

Two Republicans and three Democrats are looking to succeed Bob Corker as U.S. Senator

Candidates in the GOP primary for the US Senate are Marsha Blackburn and Aaron L. Pettigrew.

Democrats seeking the nomination for the US Senate are Phil Bredesen, Gary Davis, and John Wolfe

For the US House of Representatives,6th District, contenders for the GOP nomination are Bob Corlew, Judd Matheny, Christopher Brian Monday, John Rose, and Lavern “Uturn Lavern” Vivio.

Democrats looking to be nominated for Congress are Dawn Barlow, Christopher Martin Finley, Peter Heffernan, and Merilee Wineinger.

In the race for State Senate, District 17, the candidates are Republican Mark Pody and Democrat Mary Alice Carfi. They are each running unopposed for the nomination of their respective parties on August 2.

For the State House of Representatives in District 40, Terri Lynn Weaver and Chad Z. Williams are vying for the GOP nomination. There is no Democratic candidate.

In the District 46 race for the State House of Representatives, the GOP candidates seeking the nomination are Clark Boyd and Menda McCall Holmes.

Democrats seeking the nomination for District 46 are Mark Cagle and Faye Northcutt-Knox

For GOP State Executive Committeeman, District 17, the candidates are Jerry Beavers and Dwayne Craighead.

Two candidates are running for GOP State Executive Committeewoman, District 17, Terri Nicholson and Jennifer Franklin Winfree.

Aubrey T. Givens is in the race for Democratic State Executive Committeeman, District 17 while Carol Brown Andrews is seeking the position of Democratic State Executive Committeewoman, District 17.

Winners of the primaries will face off in the November Tennessee General Election

The Smithville Mayor and Board of Aldermen are expected to get down to business on passage of the city’s 2018-19 fiscal year budget Thursday night.

A work session will be held at 6 p.m. to hash out what extras if any are included in the new spending plan from this past year based on requests from the aldermen and city department supervisors. A special meeting will follow the workshop to act on first reading passage of the budget. If it is approved second reading action will follow at a special meeting next Thursday, June 21 at 6 p.m.

For the past 12 months, the city has been operating under a $6.3 million budget funded partly by a property tax rate of 64.9 cents per $100 of assessed value (the same as previous years). The city property tax rate generates $884,000.

Water and sewer rates increased this past year. City water customers now pay $7.25 per thousand gallons of usage. Rates for customers outside the city limits are now $10.88 per thousand. City sewer customers pay $6.75 per thousand gallons plus a flat usage rate of $3.62.

City officials said the rate increase was needed to help make up the difference in the loss of revenue due to the departure of the DeKalb Utility District as a water customer.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) encourages America’s farmers and ranchers to nominate candidates to lead, serve and represent their community on their local county committee. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) will accept nominations for county committee members beginning Friday, June 15, 2018.

Producers across the country are already serving on committees where they play a critical role in the day-to-day operations of FSA, making important decisions on programs dealing with disaster and conservation, emergencies, commodity price loan support, county office employment and other agricultural issues.

“Our county committees make decisions about how federal farm programs are administered locally to best serve the needs of agriculture in their community,” said Acting FSA Administrator Steve Peterson. “We strongly encourage all eligible producers to visit their local FSA office today to find out how to get involved in their county’s election. There’s an increasing need for representation from underserved producers, which includes beginning, women and other minority farmers and ranchers.”

Nationwide, more than 7,700 dedicated farmers and ranchers serve on FSA county committees, which consist of three to 11 members and meet once a month, or as needed. Members serve three-year terms.

Producers can nominate themselves or others. Check your local USDA service center to see if your local administrative area is up for election this year. Organizations, including those representing beginning, women and minority producers, may also nominate candidates to better serve their communities. To be eligible to serve on an FSA county committee, producers must participate or cooperate in an FSA program and reside in the area where the election is being held.

To be considered, a producer must sign an FSA-669A nomination form. The form and other information about FSA county committee elections are available at www.fsa.usda.gov/elections. All nomination forms for the 2018 election must be postmarked or received in the local FSA office by Aug. 1, 2018. Visit farmers.gov for more information.

Election ballots will be mailed to eligible voters beginning Nov. 5, 2018. Read more to learn about important election dates.