A chorus of community
WHAT DO you get when you bring a group of Presbyterians, Methodists, Baptists, Nazarenes, and Mennonites together to sing? A breathtaking group of voices singing songs of inspiration for all to...
Go straight to the best
TAKE A deep breath and smell the aroma of lunch cooking in the kitchen. It was a very important meal. Jesus and the 12 stopped in to visit the home of Martha and Mary, in Bethany. Through the...
Thrive Youth Conference
YOUTH AMBASSADOR for the Franklin County Prevention Coalition Jadon Vanzant earned bragging rights this summer. Vanzant, a grad student at Middle Tennessee State University, working toward a degree...
Let’s Make a Note
SEWING, CRAFTING, learning to play a musical instrument, voice lessons, art, painting… whatever your passion — you can find it at Let’s Make a Note Music, Art, and Enrichment Center in Winchester....
Finding hope at HorsePlay
AS A toddler, 7-year-old Hope Smith babbled like others her age, then, on the autism spectrum disorder, and became non-verbal. When Hope and her adopted sister Allie, who has cerebral palsy, began...
Dogs on Wheels! Catch us if you can!
CORTNEY WOOD, co-owner of C&J Dogs & More, is a naturally shy person. But when she’s in her food truck, she’s in her happy place. "When I’m in my little second home here, I’m comfortable and...
Bringing the Local Butcher Back
JEFF EBNER was riding his motorcycle on a hot Florida day when he stopped at a stoplight and noticed his shoe was stuck to the road. “I checked my shoe thinking I had stepped on a piece of chewing...
Brewing up The Best
THERE ARE those that say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. The magic of coffee could be why it’s so important. For some, it is the life fuel that starts the engine of the day. It...
Life’s short; eat dessert
WE DUST off the artificial pumpkin decorations and pull orange and purple wreaths from storage. We pull out rakes and sweaters as the weather drops like the leaves do. The weather feels therapeutic...
A recipe for a lifetime of success
YOU SMELL the aromas of both sweet and savory as soon as your feet hit the pavement. Friendly flowers blooming along the walkway and carved into the cheerful red shutters offer a welcoming sight to...
Come Gather Here
CHEERS, THE Central Perk, Paddy’s Pub, MacLaren’s, and Monk’s Cafe. What do they all have in common? They are all iconic gathering places. Places that came into our lives each week, via our...
What’s in your truck?
IN AUGUST OF 2020, when local elections were in full swing, a local business owner called Franklin County Mayor David Alexander to see if he could set up a food truck in the parking lot while people...
Walking the Walk & Talking the Talk
THE FAMOUSLY KIND and good-hearted television host, Mister Rogers, often spoke about the importance of helping each other. For over 30 decades he came into our homes each day through his show...
Urgent in Caring
EACH MONDAY, Heather Jolley gets her two children ready for school and drops them off. She makes sure to tell them she loves them and how proud she is of each of them. A kiss for her husband, David,...
Literacy along the lake
RECENTLY UNVEILING a unique reading experience for children and readers of all ages was the Franklin County Library with their latest project, the Stand Tall Trail Tale, that opened to the public in...
Lettuce Shop!
THE SUN shines bright, encouraging all that it touches to get moving and start the day. It’s a nice morning, for the middle of August. The cooler air is a reminder that summer is on its way out, and...
Love, you are not alone
ON A rainy Wednesday in August, over 200 people packed into the quaint Christ Church in Monteagle. They sat shoulder to shoulder in pews and stood elbow to elbow alongside the walls. Each was there...
With care and appreciation
WHEN TRAGEDY and hardship strike, we want to help. We demonstrate our love and care in various ways, but feeding those hit hard meets a basic need and fuels them to manage their situations. Few...
Helping students of Franklin County
FOR THE past 23 years, Chris Hawkersmith has been working tirelessly to help his students be the best that they can be, both mentally and physically. Now he is getting the opportunity to continue...
A roundtable of knowledge
ONCE A month Franklin County’s industries, manufacturers, and local educators come together to observe how they help each other, learn more about each other, and assist each other in the continued...
Remembering Mollie and Abbie
EACH YEAR, the Franklin County community comes together for a weekend of fun, playing softball while raising money for local athletes and remembering two of their own. Their gathering is for the...
Someone Has Your Back
WHEN THE SMELL of warm caramel coffee lingers in the air of your vehicle on the way to work, you don’t have to think about watching your back. While not every driver on the road is aware of their...
The art of Preserving History
PAINTERS CREATE with oils, pastels and watercolor. Sculptures work with clay, stone, and wood, and musicians experiment with melody, harmony, rhythm, and form. Each of these types of artists work...
Trusting the journey, not the destination
IT HAS been said by some of the wisest that it’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey. For 28-year-old Hannah McDonald, that could not be more true. Wise beyond her years, McDonald had...
Game Day Party Recipes
THE ELECTRIFYING atmosphere under Friday night lights is majorly fueled by loyal fans scattered across stadium seats. Young children with painted faces, parents with cushioned seats, and...
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