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.
Construction resumes on High Point bridge
ONEIDA | Construction of the Niggs Creek Road overpass of Norfolk-Southern Railroad in the High Point area of south Oneida resumed Thursday, following a lengthy delay to await the arrival of materials.
Scott County Road Superintendent Kelvin King said Thursday morning that he had spoken with the company providing the steel beams for the new bridge, and that the materials were on the road and scheduled to arrive at the construction site around 10 a.m.
Workers with Cookeville-based King General Contracting, the firm building the bridge, were on site before daybreak Thursday morning preparing for the arrival of the steel. King had moved its equipment, including a crane that will be used to lift the steel beams into place, back to the site last week.
Construction began on the new High Point bridge in late April, and the existing bridge — which had been condemned by the TN Dept. of Transportation — was quickly removed. However, the project hit an unexpected snag with lengthy and repeated delays in the delivery of materials.
King said the steel was originally supposed to be delivered on June 15, but there were multiple delays in production, with the company manufacturing the materials initially saying tariffs were the reason behind the delay.
The new projected completion date of the bridge, King said, is late January. That target will depend on the cooperation of the weather.
The new bridge on Niggs Creek Road is going to be similar in size to the old bridge, which was originally built in the 1940s and was heavily repaired in the 1970s after being damaged by a train. There will be some minor adjustments in height and width due to requirements of the railroad.
The road has been closed since Spring 2024, when TDOT originally condemned the bridge.
The cost of the new bridge is $1.9 million.
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Honor Roll students named at Fairview
HUNTSVILLE | Fairview School has named its Honor Roll and perfect attendance students for the first nine-week grading period, Principal Scott Cash announced last week.
Pre-K
Perfect Attendance: Remington Bowling, Emersyn Cook, Amari Goodman, Graceson Lowe, Jeremiah Mason, and Zayn Roebuck.
Kindergarten
Perfect Attendance: Jericho Adkins, Connor Greene, Nathalene Kennedy, and Timothy Potter.
1st Grade
1st Honor Roll: Kyson Anderson, Kyson Botts, Hadley Cook, Raelyn Bowling, Fennic Crowley, Oakleigh Massengale, and Ryan Mills.
2nd Honor Roll: Baker Blakely, Canaan Lawson, Ella Goad, Layla Duncan, Maddie Emmons, Azeria Lowe, Raylinn Phillips, Cruz Foster, Lane Flowers, and Paisley Phillips.
Perfect Attendance: Layla Duncan, Lane Flowers, Malachi Haynes, Liam Huckeby, Azeria Lowe, Oakleigh Massengale, and Karter Ward.
2nd Grade
1st Honor Roll: Robert Boocher and Harper Stephens.
2nd Honor Roll: Joe Chambers, James Yancey, and Clayton Lowe.
Perfect Attendance: Jasmine Adkins, Jeffery Adkins, Dixon Day, and Clayton Lowe.
3rd Grade
1st Honor Roll: Ava Lawson, Levi Newport, and Levi Potter.
2nd Honor Roll: Allie Byrge, Maylee Douglas, Dillon Gagne, Emma Greene, Harper Hembree, Airistyn Jones, Adalynn Mason, Brentley Silcox, and Riley Young.
Perfect Attendance: Allie Byrge, Dillon Gagne, Ava Lawson, Jolie Lowe, Kade Newport, and Riley Young.
4th Grade
1st Honor Roll: Brentley Goodman and Arielle Ranta.
2nd Honor Roll: Gabby Botts, Peyton Jeffers, Jayden Lowe, Sadie Massengale, and Athena Yaden.
Perfect Attendance: Gabby Botts, Blaine Cash, Braylin Day, Sadie Massengale, and Shelby Smith.
5th Grade
1st Honor Roll: Zane Shepherd.
2nd Honor Roll: Bentley Ford, Teddy Goad, Patience Jeffers, Ethan Mason, Cadee Winnie, Anna Young, and Tyson Pennington.
Perfect Attendance: Jansen Adkins, Bree Hayness, Aaliyah Jones, Zane Shepherd, Cooper Watson, and Anna Young.
6th Grade
2nd Honor Roll: Emma Anderson, Braylon Bond, Bentlee Cash, and Kamden Strunk.
Perfect Attendance: Troy Caldwell, Bentlee Cash, Tanner Emmons, Mea Fitzgerald, Dayson King, Brynlee Lloyd, Rylee Mills, and Piper Morrow.
7th Grade
1st Honor Roll: Makinlee Carson, Mackenzie Crowley, Josie Duncan, Bethany Young, and Emily Young.
2nd Honor Roll: Parker Braden, Caleb Garrison, Aisaac Goad, Baylie Harness, Kaydence Holicki, Neveah Jeffers, Kylie Shepherd, and Isabelle Young.
Perfect Attendance: Emberlyn Cotton, Mackenzie Crowley, Baylie Harness, and Emmalee Ross.
8th Grade
1st Honor Roll: Ava Fitzgerald, Harley Hembree, Brantley Jeffers, Hannah Massengale, and Cooper Urann.
2nd Honor Roll: Jacob Boutcher, Wyatt Bell, Jaxon Cummins, Katie Henson, and Emma Lowe.
Perfect Attendance: Ava Fitzgerald and Isaac King.
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Huntsville Middle names Honor Roll students
HUNTSVILLE | Honor roll and perfect attendance students have been named at Huntsville Middle School for the first nine-week grading period, Principal Rachel Lay announced last week.
5th Grade
1st Honor Roll: Evan Patton, Jace Sexton, Evelyn Hutson, Reegan Jeffers, Braylee Sexton, Abel Carson, Ethan Horne, McKinley Humphrey, Adalyn Richardson, and Xarayah Roberts.
2nd Honor Roll: Ashlynn Bowling, Camdyn Cotton, Elleigh Hutson, Brinleigh Jeffers, Landon Lowe, Kade Carr, Jycen Casey, Brandy Hall, BayLee Brummett, Kaezleigh Day, Abigail Jones, Rhett Lawson, Braxton Lilly, Alyssa McGee, Lariah Stephens, and Isabella Tegarden.
Perfect Attendance: Sofia Bates, Cali Boyatt, Abel Carson, Camdyn Cotton, Zion Griffith, Elleigh Hutson, Brinleigh Jeffers, Abigail Jones, Landon Lowe, Alyssa McGee, Jeremiah Norton, Xarayah Roberts, Braylee Sexton, Jace Sexton, Joshua Sexton, and Peyton Vaden.
6th Grade
1st Honor Roll: Emma Bass, McKinleigh West, Westen Winchester, Gabriel Butts, Amara Chambers, Destiny Holter, Addilyn Lowe, and Savannah Harness.
2nd Honor Roll: Rylee Adkins, Ivy Beam, Tanner Birchfield, Paisley Goodin, Owen Hatfield, Hadlee West, Lily Yancey, Maxton Braden, Penelope De La Cruz, Rebecca Horne, Ava Huling, Maddox Lay, Tyjah Lowe, Sarah Caldwell, Bailey Emmons, Isaiah Freitag, Brentley Lloyd, Avah Myers, Jeremiah Phillips, Zoey Rogers, Rowan Slay, and Alex Butts.
Perfect Attendance: Rylee Adkins, David Anderson, Emma Bass, Ivy Beam, Austin Bell, Melanie Bohl, Shaylee Bohl, Ocean Bowe, Easton Bowling, Amara Chambers, Hunner Crowley, Luc Harness, Destiny Holter, Rebecca Horne, Paul Hutson, Destinee Lay, Kali Love, Addilyn Lowe, Dylan Lowe, Tyjah Lowe, Jaleigh Riseden, Xavier Roberts, Hunter Smith, Emmalee Strunk, Lucas Terry, Hadlee West, and McKinleigh West.
7th Grade
1st Honor Roll: Nixon Lay, Kallen Stephens, Khloe Bond, Emma Anderson, Canton Flowers, Rayleigh Reynolds, and Caleb King.
2nd Honor Roll: Addison Kennedy, Jaylene Key, Emery McConnell, Lincoln Ross, William Freitag, Abigail Kennedy, Koleson Krahn, James Pritchard, Annalisa West, Dagen Chambers, Ahmelia Cross, Teagan Ellis, Suri Griffith, Briella Lawson, and Jayden Bowling.
Perfect Attendance: Elaina Bell, Chase Boyatt, Ana Guzman-Ramirez, Lincoln Ross, Avery Sosa, William Freitag, Gwendolynn West, Aaliyah George, Rydel Rodgers, Jayden Gansore, Rayleigh Reynolds, and Aria Yancy.
8th Grade
1st Honor Roll: Railey Montgomery, Zoe Chambers, Destiny Byrd, Elizabeth Beam, Liberty Hughett, Lily Lawson, Mason Ellis, and Hayden Perkins.
2nd Honor Roll: Hunter Wagaman, Caleb Adkins, Patience Perry, Krisha Prajapati, Rudrakumar Prajapati, Harper Buttram, Markaylynn Humphrey, Makayla Hutson, McKinley Lowe, and Remy Terry.
Perfect Attendance: Caleb Adkins, Elizabeth Beam, Destiny Byrd, Zoe Chambers, Jace Davidson, Mason Ellis, Makayla Hutson, Victoria Hutson, Kolton McKamey, Railey Montgomery, Briland Norris, Rylan Sellers, Axel Thompson, and Conner Vaden.
ICYMI
Threads of Life: This week’s Threads of Life newsletter is in remembrance of Earl Moore and Eric Lay. » Read It
Echoes in Time: This week’s Echoes in Time newsletter takes a look back at the Black Creek community through the years. » Read It
The Weekend
🌥️ Weather: Warm and mostly dry will be the story this weekend. We’ll be mostly sunny and 76° Friday, and mostly cloudy and 72° on Halloween. There’s a very slight chance of showers Halloween night, but it’ll come late if it comes at all. Otherwise, it’ll be cloudy — perfect for Halloween, right? There’s a slightly better chance of some rain showers 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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⛪︎ Featured Church
Norma Missionary Baptist Church
Denomination: Baptist (Missionary)
Pastor: James C. Pennington Sr.
Address: 127 Norma Church Road, Huntsville
Services
Sunday Morning: 11 a.m.
Sunday Evening: 6 p.m.
1st Saturday: 6 p.m.
» See the complete Church Directory, and thank you to our sponsors of the Church Directory.
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📅 Community Calendar
• Saturday: Trick-or-treat activities will take place throughout Scott County Saturday evening. Please drive carefully and pay close attention to your surroundings. The Town of Oneida will host Halloween on Main from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
• 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 weekly 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)