After 20 years with Jack Daniel’s Distillery, Jeff Arnett is stepping down from his position. No official word yet on what’s next for the distillery’s seventh master distiller or who will replace him. {Photo Credit: Jack Daniel’s Distillery}
Jack Daniel’s announced Thursday morning that following a 20-year career at the distillery – including the last 12 years as master distiller – Jeff Arnett was stepping down from his position with the company. According to sources, employees were informed via a company wide email on Wednesday.
Arnett took over the position in April 2008 and was the distillery’s seventh master distiller following a long line of whiskey makers including Jess Motlow, Lem Tolley, Jess Gamble, Frank Bobo, and Jimmy Bedford. Recently, the distillery’s also recognized that its founder Jasper Newton Daniel named a freed slave, Nathan Nearest Green, as his first master distiller.
As Master Distiller, Arnett was responsible for the overall whiskey-making operations in Lynchburg. Prior to that position, he oversaw quality control and the Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel program. Throughout his time at the distillery, he worked in a variety of capacities including warehousing, maturation, distillation, charcoal mellowing management, barrel quality and bottling, and enjoyed a long tenure on the Master Tasters’ panel. He also traveled the world as a brand ambassador for the distillery.
“When Jeff became the master distiller, we said that he would carry on the long tradition of folks who have made the world’s best whiskey for more than 150 years, and that’s exactly what he’s done,” said Jack Daniel Distillery SVP and General Manager Larry Combs. “He has worked tirelessly on behalf of the distillery and brought with him the creativity and the expertise that makes Jack Daniel’s the most valuable whiskey brand in the world. We thank him for his leadership not only at Jack Daniel’s but in the whiskey industry and wish him all the best.”
According to a press release from the distillery, they will name Arnett’s replacement sometime in the next few weeks. •
{The Lynchburg Times is the only independently owned and operated newspaper in Lynchburg. We cover Metro Moore County government, Jack Daniel’s Distillery, Nearest Green Distillery, Tims Ford State Park, Motlow State Community College, Moore County High School, Moore County Middle School, Lynchburg Elementary, Raider Sports, plus regional and state news.}
According to numbers provided by both Jack Daniel’s and the Tennessee Department of Health, tourism number are up in Moore County since the Visitor’s Center resumed public tours while active COVID cases are trending down. {Photo Courtesy of Jack Daniel’s Distillery}
LOCAL NEWS — Maybe it’s too soon to tell, but the re-opening of Jack Daniel’s Distillery to public tours doesn’t appear to be causing a local spike in COVID-19 numbers.
In early August, the distillery quietly resumed public tours at the Visitor’s Center and re-opened both the Hardware and General Store on the square and Miss Mary Bobo’s Restaurant, though all three modified things a bit. Masks are required. Hand sanitizer is at the ready, and in order to encourage social distancing, the number of folks allowed in all three at one times has been greatly reduced.
So we wondered, what effect (if any) is this having on both local COVID numbers and the many local business that cater to tourism in Lynchburg.
Weekly COVID numbers trend down in Lynchburg
Despite the fact that Jack Daniel’s draws tourist from not only around the state but around the world, the weekly numbers reported by the Tennessee Department of Health (TDH) seem to be trending down. Just prior to the reopening, Moore County gained 17 new COVID cases for the week ending August 7. Since then, that number has been trending down. For the week ending August 14, there were 13 new cases, 11 new cases the following week, and just eight new case the final week in August.
As of Wednesday’s 2 p.m. COVID numbers provided by the TDH, there were just 36 active cases in Moore County — a decrease from the previous week.
Small businesses get bump but still struggle
We spoke to three historic district small businesses recently and all three reported seeing a small increase in foot traffic but numbers that were no where near 2019.
“Last year on this day, I was $500,000 in sales above my sales today,” one small business owner said. “The COVID situation has really impacted our businesses.”
Another local business manager said she’d noticed a slight difference but no major increase in foot traffic since tours resumed. In part, she attributed this to the fact that the Visitor’s Center stopped utilizing buses on tours as a COVID 19 precaution. This means the distillery is not currently dropping off tourists on the Lynchburg Square as the last part of its public tour.
“We’ve seen a slight increase,” she said. “But it hasn’t been huge.”
Another business owner estimated that her business was up by about 25 percent since tours resumed.
“We would love for things to be back to ‘normal’, but we are optimistic that things will get better,” she said.
Situation that’s constantly evolving and monitored
Distillery officials say the active case counts and trends are something they are monitoring weekly.
“In terms of the COVID numbers, we evaluate these on a weekly basis as well as being informed anytime there is a new case,” Jack Daniel’s senior leadership told us. “Our HR team is responsible for tracking and contact tracing. This team includes our onsite nurse who serves as point for this work. We have a Homeplace review every Friday and this is one of the factors considered. Ultimately, senior leadership will make the decision if we adjust any operations in response.”
Jack Daniel’s say they would not hesitate to shutdown public tours again if that’s what the data suggested was in the best interest of both the distillery and the community but at the moment the numbers seem to be trending down. When we asked them what impact (if any) resumption of tours had had on local COVID numbers, they responded with a confident, “none.”
“In terms of resumption of tours impacting COVID cases in Moore County, we are confident it is none,” distillery officials told us. “The daily cases have dropped considerably.”
Distillery officials say they believe the summer spike was completely driven by the summer vacation season.
This graphs provided by Jack Daniel’s Distillery shows that there has been no real spike in new COVID-19 cases in Moore County since the Visitor’s Center re-opened to public (if modified) public tours in early August. {Graphics Provided}
“Daily guest count continues to climb as COVID cases have dropped back to near zero as vacation season wrapped up.”
Officials say the next trend they’ll monitor will be the impact of return to school.” •
{The Lynchburg Times is an independently owned and operated newspaper that publishes new stories every morning. Covering Metro Moore County government, Jack Daniel’s Distillery, Nearest Green Distillery, Tims Ford State Park, Motlow State Community College, Moore County High School, Moore County Middle School, Lynchburg Elementary, Raider Sports, plus regional and state news.}
Thousands of Purple Martin take over the trees near the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in downtown Nashville. {Photo Provided}
NASHVILLE — Due to COVID-19, the Nashville Symphony isn’t currently performing but there’s still a show happening nightly in downtown Nashville. An estimated 150,000 Purple Martins have taken up roost in the tourist district on the plaza outside the Schermerhorn Symphony Center … and they are causing quite the stir.
Purple Martin exist as a staple of Tennessee summers. They arrive each March, many to the same Martin house or box they’ve summered in for years, and leave each September to winter in South America and the Amazon. Each year, the global population of martins gather at just 350 roosting sites to prepare for their winter migration. {Editor’s Note: We reported on the Purple Martin’s return to Moore County earlier this year, to read that coverage, click here.}
Martin and humans enjoy a special relationship. They are North America’s largest swallow and in the East, they are nearly 100 percent dependent on human-made birdhouses for nesting areas. It’s a tradition started by this areas Native Americans who once hollowed out gourds to provide nesting spots. They can be seen in all 95 Tennessee counties but rarely in urban areas.
“Most of the purple martin population no longer nests in natural cavities. The species only continues to exist because individuals invest in and maintain purple martin houses,” said Tennessee Wildlife Federation (TWF) CEO Michael Butler. “When we saw what was happening downtown, it only seemed right to the Federation to share in the cost of their roosting site when it’s hurting a fellow nonprofit already impacted by the pandemic.”
If you’re looking for a fun, social distanced outing, the Purple Martins are putting on quite the show … but it will have a short run. They’re fueling up for a long flight back to South America. Be warned though as the birds swan dive and move in ballet like motion across the sky, they tend to poop … and 150,000 birds create a lot of it. It covers the sidewalks, the fountains, the windowsills, the Symphony Hall, the trees outside … and you might get dive bombed just looking up. You’ve been warned. The flock of birds are also loud and can be heard from blocks away.
Purple Martin are protected migratory songbirds by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, so despite the fact that they’re wreaking havoc, the symphony is being patient if not chagrined hosts. They says once the Martins have traveled South, they’ll break out the press washers. Until then they’re enjoying a bit of entertainment … completely on brand for 2020.
In fact, they’ve partnered with the TWF to raise money to help with the unexpected clean up costs. Without income from performances, the symphony — like many non-profits during COVID — doesn’t have extra cash just lying around. The TWF will match donations dollar-for-dollar (up to $5,000). This partnership transformed the Purple Martin visit from a nuance to a once-in-a-lifetime performance.
“We are profoundly thankful to Tennessee Wildlife Federation, as well as to The Nature Conservancy and other conservation groups, for stepping in and helping raise funds to help us take care of the Schermerhorn,” said Nashville Symphony President and CEO Alan D. Valentine. “This will help us stay focused on the critical work of bringing back the musicians and staff who fulfill the Nashville Symphony’s mission of providing great music and education programs to the diverse population of Middle Tennessee.”
The TWF set a goal of raising $10,000 for the clean up and as of September 1, they’d raised $10,600.77. If you’d like to contribute to help with the clean up, click this link. •
{The Lynchburg Times is an independently owned and operated newspaper that publishes new stories every morning. Covering Metro Moore County government, Jack Daniel’s Distillery, Nearest Green Distillery, Tims Ford State Park, Motlow State Community College, Moore County High School, Moore County Middle School, Lynchburg Elementary, Raider Sports, plus regional and state news.}
Miss Mary Bobo’s Restaurant sits inside a historic Greek Revival home that originates back to a time before even the distillery existed. It’s dining with a slice of southern culture served with a side of local history. {Lynchburg Times Photo}
Written by Tabitha Evans Moore | Editor & Publisher
In ordinary times, lunch at Miss Mary Bobo’s Restaurant in Lynchburg isn’t just a meal … it’s a slice of southern culture served with a side of local history. Diners pass heaping platters of Lynchburg favorites around large tables, family-style, as local hostesses regale with tales about Jack Daniel, the Motlow family, and Miss Mary Bobo herself.
In March, the local restaurant closed it’s doors along with public tours at the distillery and the Lynchburg Hardware and General Store due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. Ever mindful of not only its local but also global interest, Jack Daniel’s parent company, Brown-Forman, decided to shut down the marketing side of the distillery while continuing to make whiskey in the hollow — but with a few extra precautions.
In July, Miss Mary Bobo’s re-opened but with some social distanced changes to make sure everyone – from its local staff to its guest from Lynchburg Tennessee, the U.S., and around world – stayed safe. You’ll get your temperature checked at the door. Masks are available for anyone that doesn’t already have one and hand sanitizer is at the ready. The long, family style tables are gone, replaced by smaller, antique tables and chair. Seating is a bit more limited, so you’ll probably want to make a reservation.
Today things are a little different … but just as charming.
A slice of local history
Miss Mary Bobo’s exists as one part restaurant and one part museum of Jack Daniel’s storied history in the community. Framed copies of Arnold Worldwide’s famous Postcard from Lynchburg ad campaign grace multiple walls along with historic photos. It’s one of the longest-running advertising campaigns in history featuring both local characters like Mayor Bonnie Lewis and famous faces like Frank Sinatra and Queen Victoria.
Even the restaurant itself is a slice of local history, as it existed well before Jack Daniel licensed his now famous distillery in the hollow in 1866. Originally built in 1820 around a natural spring that still exists on the property, the two story Greek Revival building possesses a certain unmistakable charm.
Miss Mary, her husband, and two children bought the home from the Salmon family in early 1900 and turned the unused bedrooms into rooms for rent. One of her most famous (and most frequent) boarders was Tom Motlow, Lem Motlow’s younger brother and the founder of Farmer’s Bank. He boarded at Miss Mary’s for more than 40 years until he died at the age of 96.
Miss Mary continued to host boarders until 1970 and continued to oversee the kitchen right up until her death in June 1983 just one month shy of her 102 birthday. Jack Daniel’s Distillery bought the house soon after and re-opened it as a public restaurant in May 1984.
Southern charm and social distancing
So what’s it’s like to eat at Miss Mary Bobo’s without storytellers at the head of each table. We decided to grab a reader, Jill Estfon, the winner of our Lunch with the Editor contest and find out.
For the time being, guests dine at smaller, more intimate tables spaced further apart. Instead of family-style presentation, one of Miss Mary’s scholarships students serves each table. If you aren’t familiar, the restaurant boasts a long history of supporting Moore County students. Each scholarship student is a MCHS graduate attending Motlow State Community College while Jack Daniel’s provides the work experience, books, and labs fees.
The service is friendly, attentive, and completely unobtrusive. Servers wear masks for guests protection. The tables, each adorned with fresh flowers grown by Miss Mary’s Bobo’s manager Debbie Baxter, still feel like Sunday morning.
During our visit, Jill and I were seated in the far left corner of the Evans Room. It didn’t take us long to strike up a conversation with Chris visiting from Salt Lake City across the room. It seems whether hostesses are seated at the head of the table or not the restaurant still inspires meeting and mingling … even at a distance.
“I love the pace and the ability to just sit and enjoy a meal,” he said.
A taste of Lynchburg
Though the menu changes often, crispy, southern-style fried chicken is often on it. Diners choose from a meat, and two or three sides. All meals come with bread and iced tea. {Photo Credit: Laura Zimbrick for Miss Mary Bobo’s}
Miss Mary’s menu changes frequently and features two meats, five sides to choose from, fresh-baked bread, and iced tea. Dessert is optional. All meals are created by a culinary team headed by Jack Daniel’s great great-grand nephew, Chris Dickey. Entrees include items like Boarding House Meatloaf, Southern Fried Chicken, Chicken Pastry, Fried Catfish, and Country-Style BBQ Ribs. On our visit, Jill enjoyed the meatloaf while I dug into the fried chicken.
“The meatloaf tastes super moist with a tangy, spicy bit of heat,” Jill said.
You can get a taste of our famous local product at the distillery. You can also get a southern-inspired taste at Miss Mary Bobo’s. The Lynchburg Candied Apples made with a touch a Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey is a must if you want the full Lynchburg experience.
Other sides include seasoned greens, fried okra, broccoli rice casserole, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes and, of course, every meal is served with a fresh-baked biscuit or cornbread.
Our Lunch with Editor winner, Jill Estfon, raved about Miss Mary Bobo’s fudge pie recipe. “This is on par with what my grandmother made,” she said. {Lynchburg Times Photo}
For dessert, Jill and I both enjoyed the Fudge Pie topped with homemade whipped cream.
“My grandmother set a high bar,” Jill said. “This fudge pie is on par with what my grandmother, Elizabeth Smith, used to make.”
Other featured desserts include chess, pecan, oatmeal, or buttermilk pies.
Miss Mary Bobo’s Restaurant is located just off the historic Lynchburg Square at 295 Main Street. Seatings are generally available every 15 minutes from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Saturday but reservations are highly recommended and can be made at 931-759-7394.
They also boast an impressive gift shop perfect for a little early Christmas shopping. For more information, check out their Facebook page or visit the Jack Daniel’s website. •
{The Lynchburg Times is the only independently owned and operated newspaper in Lynchburg. We cover Metro Moore County government, Jack Daniel’s Distillery, Nearest Green Distillery, Tims Ford State Park, Motlow State Community College, Moore County High School, Moore County Middle School, Lynchburg Elementary, Raider Sports, plus regional and state news.}
The MCHS Raiders prepare for their first conference match up this week in Cornersville. The away game kicks off at 7 p.m. {Photo Courtesy of the Moore County Sports Network}
SPORTS — If you’ve been paying attention so far this season, you’ve noticed that new Head Coach Kris White is well on his way to creating a memorable season for his 2020 Raider team. He has managed to lure a host of athletes from other sports to play football. The MCHS roster is now packed with not only returning stars from last year but also starters from the basketball and baseball teams plus a class of freshman talent who won the state middle school championship last year.
Players are excited to play for Coach White and his assistants, TJ Christian, Manny Buchanan, Randy Morey, Wes Black, and Schuvaud Whitaker. In fact, just last week the Raiders added three new players: Noah Blankenship, Will Baker, and Landon Lavergne.
So far this season, MCHS has stacked up two early season non-conference home wins: a 15-0 victory over Cascade and a 41-8 shellacking of Community. On Friday, they travel to Cornersville for their first conference match up against a rival with a winning streak and an eye on the playoff.
The Bulldogs beat Community 36-6 at home on August 21 and glided past Eagleville 35-13 in Cornersville last week.
So what’s the trick to maintaining their winning streak?
The Raider spread offense has played smart, consistent football so far this year but the Bulldogs’ hard-hitting defense isn’t likely to just lay down. The Raiders will need execution on both the rushing and passing side of the offense to keep the Cornersville D on it’s heels.
Led by Bulldog left-handed QB Jackson Farler the Cornersville offense clicks on several fronts including tight end Eli Welch, who is both big and fast, as well as, Alex Hilliard, who ran for 106 yards against Community. They are helped by a O-line led by Brady Callahan and Cason Warner that does not yield.
Friday night’s game could end up being the battle of the safeties. Cornersville boast two ball hawks protecting it backfield. But Moore County boasts it’s own defensive weapons — the White brothers. Freshman free safety Dawson White and senior strong safety Kaden White have combined for 22 tackles and an interception through two games.
If they can keep the Raiders from being burning by the long pass, the defensive line led by Donavin Pearson (20 total tackles, 10 solo tackles) and Tyler Smith (17 total tackles, 8 solo tackles) can handle the inside run game, hopefully preventing the dynamic Cornersville offense from gaining momentum.
The Raiders played mistake football against Community with zero fumbles and zero interceptions. It’s a trend that will need to continue for the Raiders to come back to Lynchburg with a W on Friday night. Cornersville has won the past three straight match ups.
Coach White says that Cornersville will be returning numerous players including their QB and several defensive players.
“We’ll have to be able to stop the run,” he says. “Based on film through two games, they like to run the ball and do so almost 80 percent of the time,” he said.
Coach White also said that one of the keys to success will be for Moore County’s players not to get rattled by a loud away game.
“They have a DJ who plays music in between plays. It’s loud,” Coach White says. “It’s an awesome game atmosphere but one that can’t serve as a distraction.”
The game kicks off in Cornersville at 7 p.m. If you can’t travel to the game, it will be broadcast live on Raider Country 105.1 and 95.5 FM, on the NFHS Network, or The Lynchburg Times will post live score updates on our Facebook page.
{The Lynchburg Times is an independently owned and operated newspaper that publishes new stories every morning. Covering Metro Moore County government, Jack Daniel’s Distillery, Nearest Green Distillery, Tims Ford State Park, Motlow State Community College, Moore County High School, Moore County Middle School, Lynchburg Elementary, Raider Sports, plus regional and state news.}
Igniter Productions announced Saturday that Big Machine Records performer Justin Moore will headline the Lynchburg Music Fest on Saturday. The three-day festival is planned for October 2-4. {Photo Provided}
LOCAL EVENTS — On Saturday, the Lynchburg Music Fest announced Justin Moore as the final of its headliners for the three-day music festival planned for October 2-4. Moore will headline of Saturday. Josh Turner will headline on Friday night and Kip Moore will headline on Sunday night.
Igniter Productions, the events promoter, announced months ago that the festival would expand to three days and move to a new venue in its second year. This year’s three-day festival will take place in “Music Hollow” a sprawling, rural farm located near Louse Creek Road in Mulberry.
Arkansas Native Justin Moore should be a familiar name to country music fans. He’s produced five studio albums and now performs under the umbrella of Toby Keith’s Big Machine Records. He’s charted 16 times since his self titled debut in 2009 including hits like “Small Town USA”, “If Heaven Wasn’t So Far Away.” and “You Look Like I Need a Drink.”
He also won the Academy of Country Music Awards New Artist of the Year in 2014.
Moore plays to the rowdy kids with a good heart from a small town crowd and is a perfect fit for a music festival in the most famous small town in America.
Igniter has not announced the complete 2020 lineup but promises those details are coming soon. For more information, visit their social media pages. To buy tickets to this years event, visit the Lynchburg Music Fest website.
{The Lynchburg Times is the only independently owned and operated newspaper in Lynchburg. We cover Metro Moore County government, Jack Daniel’s Distillery, Nearest Green Distillery, Tims Ford State Park, Motlow State Community College, Moore County High School, Moore County Middle School, Lynchburg Elementary, Raider Sports, plus regional and state news.}
Senior running back Tyler Smith waits for the Community defense to line back up so he can get another shot at the ball. Smith had a big night on Thursday with three touchdown, a two point conversion, 97 rushing yards, six tackles, and an interception. {Photo Courtesy of the Moore County Sports Network}
SPORTS — In 2020, there is no normal, so a Senior Night on a Thursday during the second game of the season that gets lightening delayed in the first quarter? Why not?
Despite the chaos, Moore County snagged an impressive 41-8 win against the Community Vikings in Lynchburg on August 27. It was their second win under new Raider Head Coach Kris White. The Raiders beat Cascade 15-0 at home the previous week.
On Thursday, the Vikings came into the game a clear underdog despite the early season unknowns on the Moore County side of the ball. Community, on a four game losing streak, lost big to Cornersville at home the previous week in a 36-6 shellacking.
It was a trend that would continue.
Clicking offense and unyielding defense
In the first half, the boys in Columbia blue scored on every single posession while forcing the Vikings to either punt or turn the ball over on downs. The Raiders got on the scoreboard first when Tyler Smith and Donavin Pearson blasted through the Viking defensive line creating space for the QB draw. Kyler Parker shouldered his way into the end zone for six points with 9:34 remaining on the first quarter clock.
On Community’s first possession, Viking QB Dallas Grooms tried to get his offense moving with a quarterback keeper and short runs by senior running back, CJ Rivera to set up a third and two in Raider territory. The Raider D stopped Grooms run toss to Rivera short. Then in a gutsy first quarter gamble, Viking Head Coach Chris Grooms decided to go for it on fourth down. The Vikings lined up clearly attempting to pull the Raiders offside but the disciplined Moore County defensive line didn’t bite. After a time out, the Vikings still didn’t punt. Instead, QB Grooms handed it off to Rivera who got stuffed by 250 pound, eighth grade center Aydan Blair and the Vikings handed over the ball to Moore County on the Raider side of the field.
Apropos of Senior Night, on the next series senior QB Parker threw to senior wide receiver Kaden White for a completion, setting up senior fullback Tyler Smith, who broke two tackles and made them pay for it with another six points. Senior kicker Chase Bradford added the extra point to give the Raiders a 13-0 lead with 7:09 left in the first half.
The unyielding Raider defense just would not let up. On the next Vikings series, they allowed just three yards before forcing the punt. Kaden White ran the kick all the way to the Raider endzone but officials called the play back for an illegal block in the back. After backing up 15 yards, Parker hit Dylan Scruggs midfield for a first down. Then after a no gain play, Parker handed off to Smith who spun and stopped two yards short of the end zone. The duo seemed determined to add six more and after a hand off for a loss, Smith pushed his way forward for a Raider touchdown. Bradford’s PAT added one more to give the Raiders a 20-0 lead with 3:36 left in the first.
And then the lightening came
With 3:16 left to play in the first half the winds whipped on Doug Price Field and lightening threatening in the distance. In an abundance of caution and per TSSAA rules, officials sent both teams to the locker room.
The big question coming out of the 30 minute lightening delay: Did the “additional halftime” break the Raider momentum and give the Vikings a chance to regroup? After play resumed, Tyler Smith answered with a resounding “nope” as he snagged a Grooms to Rivera pass in the drizzling rain inside the Raider 15 yard line. Brayden Cashion, now in at QB, called his own number for positive yards setting up a pass to Joshua Parks for six more Raider points. This time the Raiders went for a successful two point conversion by Smith to give Moore County a 28-0 edge.
And then the rain came
Maybe it was the prolonged, soggy game. Maybe it was the 28-0 Raider lead. Regardless, things got chippy in the second quarter as it continued to rain misty drizzle and Raider points in Lynchburg.
On the first series, Cashion connected with J. Parks on a 10 yard pass to set up Dawson White for the running touchdown with just 33 seconds off the second quarter clock. Bradford’s point after connected to give the Raiders a quick 35-0 lead.
The next Viking series came with offsetting personal fouls and a fourth and 11 punt. Afterward, Parker returned as QB and managed a first down run to the 33 yard line with the quarterback draw. After a rare play for a loss, Moore County punted for the first time in the game. On the next series, the Raider D turned up the heat. The White brothers, freshman free safety Dawson and senior strong safety Kaden, put a stop to anything beyond 10 yards of the Viking line of scrimmage while the Raider defensive line shut down the middle. Then Cashion snagged an INT with 1:10 to go in the first half.
Parker then connected with Scruggs for a 48 yard pass to set up the QB keeper for the score. However, there was a Raider flag on the play and time expired before they could get a second shot at a first half score. The teams headed back into the locker room with Moore County blanking Community 35-0.
The second half kicked off with another gutsy but unsuccessful call by Vikings Head Coach Grooms. A Community onside kick only went four yards and the Raiders took over possession. Neither team scored in the third quarter.
On the Raiders first series of the fourth quarter, Smith ran to the edge on a first down and sprinted toward the Raider pylon only to be called short of the end zone.
“We really need a pylon camera,” one of the Raider announcers snarked over the live broadcast.
Undaunted by the one yard mark short of the goal line, on the next play, Smith lowered his shoulder and eeked into the end zone for his third and final TD of the night. The PAT fell flat and the Raiders led 41-0 with 7:30 left in the game.
On their next possession, Community avoided the shutout and scored their only points of the night. The game ended with a resounding 41-8 Raider win over Community. The Raiders advanced to 2-0 and the Vikings fell to 0-2.
It was a quality win for Coach White and his 15 seniors as well as an opportunity to get some younger Raiders some valuable playing time. Freshman Keller Morley, Logan Hegwood, Tanner Parks, Will Parker, Wes Clifton, and Alex Copeland all got their jerseys dirty in the second half as Coach White substituted heavily despite the fact that Community kept the majority of their starters in.
On offense, Tyler Smith led the Raiders with 97 all purpose yards. Joshua Parks and Kaden White led the receivers with 28 yards each. Smith led in rushing yards with Kyler Parker calling his own number for 64 more. Dylan Scruggs added another 53 yards. Quarterbacks Parker and Cashion shared playing time for 74 combined passing yards.
On defense, Donavin Pearson led with 10 tackles including five solo tackles. Hayden Carter and Smith added six tackles each.
The Raiders move on to their toughest game of the 2020 season this Friday in Cornersville. Both teams are still undefeated with Moore County snagging wins against Cascade and Community at home and Cornesville managing a road win in Unionville and a home win against Eagleville. Kick off will be at 7 p.m. If you can’t travel to the game, you can listen to Joe Abraham and Jonah Deal call the game of Raider Country 95.9 and 105.1 FM, over the web on the NFS Network, or The Lynchburg Times Facebook page will post live score updates. •
{The Lynchburg Times is the only independently owned and operated newspaper in Lynchburg. We cover Metro Moore County government, Jack Daniel’s Distillery, Nearest Green Distillery, Tims Ford State Park, Motlow State Community College, Moore County High School, Moore County Middle School, Lynchburg Elementary, Raider Sports, plus regional and state news.}
{Graphic Courtesy of the National Weather Service}
WEATHER — National Weather Service officials predict that Moore County could see some severe weather from Hurricane Laura as she makes her way northeast. The hurricane made landfall Wednesday night as a category 4 storm near Cameron, Louisiana with recorded winds near 150 mph. It left over 500,000 without power in Louisiana and another 126,000 without power in Texas.
Highest risk Friday afternoon
Locally, NWS officials in Huntsville predict the greatest threat of severe weather will come Friday afternoon. For this reason, many high school football games across southern, middle Tennessee – including the MCHS versus Community game – were moved up a day.
Friday afternoon and into Friday evening bands from Tropical Storm Laura will hit middle Tennessee with potential impacts ranging from heavy rainfall and flooding to downed trees with or without high winds due to saturated soil. The greatest threat will happen from 4-9 p.m. There’s also a smaller risk of severe thunderstorms and a few tornadoes. Expected rainfall will be around one to two inches.
Marginal risk continues onto to Saturday
The remnants of Tropical Storm Laura will continue toward the Ohio Valley on Saturday. Lingering heavy rain could fall in Lynchburg with gusty, damaging winds. According to NWS, a tornado or two cannot be ruled out, but the threat should diminish on Saturday. •
{The Lynchburg Times is the only independently owned and operated newspaper in Lynchburg. We cover Metro Moore County government, Jack Daniel’s Distillery, Nearest Green Distillery, Tims Ford State Park, Motlow State Community College, Moore County High School, Moore County Middle School, Lynchburg Elementary, Raider Sports, plus regional and state news.}
There’s good news for those panicked by the end of the weekly $600 federal post to state unemployment. New money is now available for local unemployed through FEMA Lost Wages Supplemental Payment Assistance. {File Photo}
On Saturday, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced a grant that would give those unemployed due to the COVID-19 pandemic an extra $300 a week on top of state-provided unemployment. It’s part of the Lost Wages Assistance Program. FEMA made up to $44 billion available from the Disaster Relief Fund to provide financial assistance to Americans.
It’s great news for locals who are struggling to make ends meet after the $600 a week federal boost to state unemployment ended through the CARES Act on July 25.
For more information, visit the FEMA Lost Wages Supplemental Payment Assistance Guidelines page by clicking here. Those who would like to apply may do so through the Grants.gov portal. •
{The Lynchburg Times is the only independently owned and operated newspaper in Lynchburg. We cover Metro Moore County government, Jack Daniel’s Distillery, Nearest Green Distillery, Tims Ford State Park, Motlow State Community College, Moore County High School, Moore County Middle School, Lynchburg Elementary, Raider Sports, plus regional and state news.}
Dove season is a favorite among Moore County hunters. The season kicks off on September 1. {File Photo}
September means many things to many people … cooler nights, the kick off to college football, county fairs, and to area hunters, the beginning of dove season – one of the state of Tennessee’s long-standing outdoor sports traditions. The first segment of Tennessee dove season open on Tuesday, September 1 and closes on Monday, September 28.
According to the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency (TWRA), mourning doves are a popular game bird and one of the most widely distributed and abundant birds in North America. More mourning doves are harvested than all other migratory bird species combined in 39 of the continental states. In Tennessee, an estimated 15,500 hunters harvested approximately 277,000 mourning doves last year.
Moore County exists in Region 2 with wildlife managed dove fields located at Pickett Farm in Franklin County and the William’s Farm in Lincoln County. For a complete list of TRWA managed fields, click here.
The TWRA reminds dove hunters that it’s illegal to hunt on a baited field – meaning no additional grain, salt, or other feed has been added to the field to attract doves. To learn more about baited field regulations, click here. Hunter will also need need a state permit to harvest birds.
The second dove hunting segment will take place October 10 through November 1 and the third and final will happen December 8 through January 15. For more dove hunting info, visit the state’s migratory bird page but clicking here. •
{The Lynchburg Times is the only independently owned and operated newspaper in Lynchburg. We cover Metro Moore County government, Jack Daniel’s Distillery, Nearest Green Distillery, Tims Ford State Park, Motlow State Community College, Moore County High School, Moore County Middle School, Lynchburg Elementary, Raider Sports, plus regional and state news.}
