Live Updates: Moore County Coronavirus Closings

LOCAL NEWS — Sometimes life comes at your fast. Over the past week, we’ve witnessed the coronavirus situation evolve quickly … even in our small town. Things seem to change rapidly. So we’ve gathered a comprehensive list of all the Moore County related closings and postponements in one handy list.

{Editor’s Note: This list is in alphabetical order and will be updated daily. Last update March 17 at 11 a.m.}

Jack Daniel’s Distillery – Brown-Forman will closed the distillery to public tours beginning Monday, March 16 until further notice. Miss Mary Bobo’s and the Lynchburg Hardware and General Store will also close. The Distillery will continue to operate normally. Click here for more details.

Lynchburg Nursing Center – In an effort to protect their vulnerable patient population, the Lynchburg Nursing Center will significantly limit visitors for the time being. The Center is helping families communicate in alternative ways including telephone, texting, and video calls to residents.

Metro Utilities Department – As of Monday, March 16 the lobby of the MUD office in Lynchburg will be closed to walk in traffic. Employees will continue to report to work and the drive through will be open during regular business hours to accept payments.

Moore County Court System – Per an order from the Tennessee Supreme Court, most in-person judicial proceedings in Tennessee will be postponed for the remainder of the month of March. This includes Moore County General Sessions and Moore County Circuit Court hearings. Click here for more details.

Moore County Public Library – The library remains open regular hours but is closed to foot traffic. Patrons may borrow books, videos, and other materials on a drive thru/curb side basis. There are also several ways to access materials online. Click here for more info.

Moore County Schools – All Moore County schools will close on Tuesday, March 17 and remain closed through March 31. Click here for more details.

Motlow College – College officials have decided to extend spring break until March 22. Classes will resume online only on Monday, March 23. Click here for more details.

Oak Barrel Half Marathon – In response to COVID -19 and Distillery’s decision to suspend some operations, the organizer have postponed the annual Oak Barrel Half Marathon until October 24. The event usually takes place in April. Click here for more details.

{The Lynchburg Times is the only independently owned and operated newspaper in Moore County … covering Metro Moore County government, Jack Daniel’s Distillery, Nearest Green Distillery, the Lynchburg Music Fest, 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.}

State orders in-person courts, including Moore, closed through March

On Friday, the Tennessee Supreme Court Chief Justice Jeffery Bivins declared a state of emergency … essentially closing all state and county courts to in-person proceeding except in cases where the proceedings are “necessary to protect the constitutional rights of a defendant.”

According to the order, essential individual courts and court personnel will remain in office and “will remain open under all circumstances” but most in-person proceedings will be postponed.

“Each day across the State of Tennessee, thousands of people attend court proceedings in-person when they come to the courthouse as jurors, witnesses, litigants, or in another capacity. Public spaces in courthouses tend to be small, tightly packed bench seats that provide the type of situations public health officials have encouraged people to avoid during the COVID-19 outbreak,” said Chief Justice Jeff Bivins.

“However, judges, court clerks, and others provide essential constitutional functions that must be carried on. In issuing this Order, the Court struck a balance in limiting the public’s exposure to the virus with continuing essential court functions judges must provide to ensure the administration of justice.”

Exceptions to the order would include orders of protection, emergency child custody hearings, emergency matters of child protection, temporary injunctive relief, mental health orders, emergency protection of elderly or vulnerable individuals, and any proceedings directly related tot he COVID-19 public health emergency.

Court proceedings will be limited to necessary individuals only and closed to the general public. In the event the court offices are closed to the public, those office would remain “open” through telephone and email during regular business hours. Drop boxes would be used to file official court documents.

“This is new territory for everyone,” Chief Bivins said. “We encourage judges, court clerks, attorneys, law enforcement, and others to work together to develop creative solutions that work for their individual jurisdictions. The goal is to limit the number of people coming into court each day while continuing to meet our duty and administer justice. We may amend this Order as the situation evolves, and we understand more about the obstacles judges and court staff are facing.”

To read the order in full, click here. •

Pre-K registration happens April 3

LOCAL NEWS — Many educators swear by it and decades worth of studies confirm it. Pre K programs lead to greater success in academics and in life … especially for at risk students. It’s just a simple fact that kids who attend public preschool programs are better prepared for kindergarten than kids who don’t.

In Tennessee, over $85 million in public funding operates 935 Pre K classrooms that serves almost 18,000 four year olds and allows them an opportunity to develop school readiness skills … including Moore County’s Pre K Program.

Registration for Moore County Pre K will take place on Friday, April 3 from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. To qualify, your child must meet certain qualifications including being a resident of Moore County and the child must turn four years old before August 15. To register, you’ll need a copy of your child’s birth certificate, Social Security card, proof of residency ( a driver’s license or ID card with a Moore County address), proof of income (two recent pay stubs or your most recent W2), and your child’s current immunization records.

For more information, call 759-7388 and ask to speak with Karen Blankenship. •

{The Lynchburg Times is the only independently owned and operated newspaper in Moore County … 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.}

Raiderettes play Eagleville in region finals game on Wednesday

EAGLEVILLE — The Moore County Raiderettes season moves forward on Wednesday with a regional final game against tournament host Eagleville High School at 7 p.m. The Lady Eagles took out top seed Huntland in a 63-44 blow out win on Monday night – breaking the Lady Hornet’s perfect record against District 8-A opponents.

Against Fayetteville City on Monday, fierce defensive play and sold offensive play … especially by Raiderette post Chloe Brazier … helped Moore County easily move past the Tigers for a 47-32 semifinal win.

Moore County pulled ahead early with a 18-8 lead in the first quarter and never looked back. Smart, disciplined defensive play helped the Raiderettes keep Fayetteville City off the scoreboard entirely in the second period. They went into the locker room with a 24-8 lead. In the third period, a pair of three point shots from Olivia Richards helped Moore County add to their lead while the Raiderette D stayed on point … only allowing the Tigers five buckets.

Against Eagleville, not only will the Raiderettes need to contend with a large, tournament host crowd but they’ll also need a plan against a dogged Eagleville defense that like to keep their opponents shooting from the perimeter. Against Huntland, the Lady Eagles also managed to take advantage of second-chance opportunities under the basket – managing an impressive plus-26 rebounding margin. The Raiderettes will also need to keep a close eye on senior point guard Haylee Ferguson who managed 17 first half points against the Lady Hornets.

The Raiderettes tip off against Eagleville at 7 p.m. on Wednesday. The game takes place in Eagleville or you can watch on the NFHS Network by clicking here. •

{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.}

Snow possible late Wednesday in Moore County

{Editor’s Note: This is a developing story. We will update it as more details become available. }

LOCAL NEWS —The last chance for Moore County student to do their snow dance could be here Wednesday night.

According to the National Weather Service Huntsville office, there’s a slight chance it could snow beginning late Wednesday night. Daytime highs should linger around 48 with 10-15 mile per hour (mph) winds. Gusts as high as 25 mph could make it feel much colder.

As the sun sets, temperature will drop below freezing and moisture will move into the area, which means there’s a slight chance of seeing snow in southern, middle Tennessee from 11 p.m. Wednesday to around 1 a.m. on Thursday. The National Weather Service estimates there is around a 30 percent chance and no accumulation is expected.

Even if we do get some snow, it won’t be around long. Daytime highs on Thursday will be back around 42.•

Moore Angel Tree applications open

LOCAL NEWS — Lynchburg’s angel tree program, Moore County Christmas Stockings, recently opened applications for the 2019 holiday season. Applicants must be Moore County residents, must be the legal guardian of the children enrolled, and must meet the income guidelines. Documentation will be required. Applications are available at the Moore County Resource Center located inside the Moore County Health Department located at 251 Majors Boulevard. They are open on Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and Thursdays from 3-4:30 p.m. The application deadline is November 29 by 4 p.m.

Adopt a Moore County Angel

Citizens who would like to shop for Moore County angel children may do so by choosing a stocking at two participating local banks: Farmers Banks and the Jack Daniel Employee Credit Union. Each stocking ornament will give details about the children like their gender, age, sizes, and wishes. Stockings will be on those trees beginning Monday, November 25. All purchased items should be wrapped and placed inside a non-see-through bag with the stocking securely attached to the outside. Those bags should be returned to the original bank from which you got the stocking details by no later than Wednesday, December 11.

Christmas Stocking Party

Each family who successfully enrolls in the Christmas Stocking Program will received a postcard notification by mail. Families must present this postcard to gain entry to the party, which takes place at the Moore County Public Library from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturday, December 14. If you are unable to attend the party for any reason, you must make prior arrangements by calling 931-434-6808.

For more information, visit the Moore County Resource Center FB page or call 931-434-6808. •

MC Historical Society meets on Sunday

George Stone will talk about Dr. E.Y. Salmon, the original owner of Miss Mary’s Boarding House, at the Historical Society’s November meeting. {Historic Photo}

LOCAL NEWS | The Moore County Historical Society will meet on Sunday, November 10 at 2 p.m. at the Masonic Lodge in Lynchburg. George Stone will talk about Dr. E.Y. Salmon, one of the early settlers of Moore County.

Dr. Salmon was a Civil War veteran, physician, entrepreneur, and public official who built the structure currently known as Miss Mary Bobo’s Boarding House. The Greek Revival home located on Lynchburg’s Main Street originally opened as the Grand Central Hotel in 1867. During Dr. Salmon’s term as Moore County Clerk from 1872-80, the second floor also served as the Moore County Courthouse.

The home eventually sold to Frank and Mary Bobo, who turned it into the Bobo Hotel. It’s most famous resident was Jack Daniel’s nephew, Tom Motlow, and it existed as a frequent meeting site for Jack Daniel’s employees. The home now sits on the National Register of Historic Places.

Stone’s program is free and open to the general public. For more information, contact George Stone at georgestone@cafes.net or 931-581-2621 or Betty Robertson at grannyjorobertson@gmail.com or 931-759-7763. •

Raiders lose an ugly one at Mount Pleasant

LOCAL NEWS | Sports — Moore County lost their final game of the 2019 season on Friday with a 47-28 loss at Mount Pleasant. It was an ugly affair … one that was hard for Raider Nation to watch or listen to.

Mount Pleasant has long prided themselves on playing smash-mouth football but game film reveals not one but two body slams, a Tiger player blindsiding a defenseless Raider player, and Moore County QB Kyler Parker taking a flagrant knee to the face as he attempted to get up from a tackle … most were no calls.

Despite the rough a tumble play, Moore County battled but came up short. The loss puts them out of playoff contention with Fayetteville City, Cornersville. Huntland, an Mount Pleasant making it into the playoffs.

Raiders hang tough in first half

The Tigers won the toss and elected to kick off to the Raiders. The Raiders went a quick three and out before the Tigers scored nearly as quickly on a three play drive ending with QB Hayden Lovely finding Keshawn Hudson on a pass for their first six points. The PAT gave the Tigers a 7-0 lead.

Undaunted, the Raiders answered as Kyler Parker, Joshua Parks, and Brayden Cashion put Moore County near the red zone. On a second and ten, QB Parker called his own number and ran 21 yards into the end zone. Chase Bradford’s PAT was good to tie the score at 7-7.

The Tigers and Raiders then traded possessions before the Tigers put together three first down plays to find themselves first and goal at the eight yard line. Hudson scrambled into the end zone on the next play to give the Tigers back the lead, 14-7.

On the second possession of the second quarter, QB Parker did the heavy lifting to get the Raiders first and goal at the six yard line. Tyler Smith battled his way into the end zone and Moore County’s “money” kicker Bradford nailed the PAT to tie the score, 14-14.

Mount Pleasant answered on the next set of downs but missed the PAT. With 4:00 remaining in the first half, they led 20-14.

The Raiders punted on their next possession. With time quickly expiring, the Tigers scored on a second down and long but not before their star running back, Keshawn Hudson got ejected from the game for unsportsmanlike conduct.

The Raiders got the ball back with a chance to score. Tyler Smith got them in excellent field position with his return to the 48. On the first play, QB Parker got body slam tackled by Mount Pleasant as the Coach Dobbs protested enthusiastically.

The Raiders went into the locker room trailing 26-14 and it was mostly downhill from there. As the refs looked on, the game degenerated into what one observer called, “a sanctioned street fight.”

Chippy second half

The Tigers scored again at the 6:35 mark in the third to pull them ahead 33-14. In the fourth quarter, they scored on their first possession to extend it to 47-14. Then Moore County answered when Tyler Smith got two consecutive first down to set up Kyler Parker for the score. With 9:11 remaining the Tigers continued to lead, 41-21.

The Tigers scored on their next possession to pull ahead 47-21.

With around four minutes remaining in the game, the Raiders tackled the Tiger QB in the back field and he fumbled. Raiders Bryson Dobbs scooped it up and ran for the score and then the refs did the darnest thing … they called the live play dead. Dobbs stood defiantly in the end zone refusing to budge as Coach Dobbs fumed from the sidelines.

The Raider D shut down Mount Pleasant on their next possession. Kyler Parker and Tyler Smith then combined for yardage to get the Raiders one last score. With 2:35 remaining the score was Tigers 47, Raiders 28.

The Raiders ended their season with a 4-6 overal record and 1-4 district record. •

Raider Recap: Richland loss puts playoff berth in jeopardy

LOCAL NEWS | Sports — Though both Moore County juniors Kyler Parker and Raider punter Bryson Dobbs had huge nights on Thursday, it wasn’t enough to get the Raiders a crucial regional road win in Lynnville. Moore County lost to Richland 20-14 in a sluggish battle being played a day early due to serve weather concerns.

The Blue Raiders headed into the game controlling their own destiny, securely in third place in Region 5 after last week’s home victory against Huntland. But the Raider’s loss at Richalnd plus Huntland’s surprising 35-7 win over Cornersville that same night have the Raiders post-season play looking uncertain. Now the Raiders must not only beat Region 5 opponent Mt. Pleasant next Friday but also hope Richland can defeat Huntland to keep the post season hopes alive.

Sluggish first half

The Raiders traded two sets of possessions before either made it into the red zone. With 5:30 remaining in the second half, Coach Dobbs switched into a spread offense. This allowed Tyler Smith to get two big runs and a first down. Then quarterback Brayden Cashion called his number to get a second first down. With time quickly expiring, Parker got crucial rushing yardage to the 25 yard line to get Smith in position to break into the red zone.

On first and goal, Parker scrambled in and scored on the first play of the second quarter. Chase Bradford’s PAT gave the Moore County Raiders a 7-0 lead. Richland answered on their next drive to make the score 7-7 with a little over six minutes to play in the first half.

Momentum then started to slowly shift Richland’s way. Moore County went three and out and Coach Dobb’s decided to play for field position. Bryson Dobb’s punt went deep into Richland territory and took a Moore County roll. A few plays later, Richland executed a fake punt on fourth down to keep the series alive. But the Raider defense held. Both sets of Raiders went into the locker room tied at 7-7.

Smith hits 1,000 yard mark

During halftime, Huntland led Cornersville. With the ante now upped, the Blue Raiders would need sustained drives and solid defense to get the W. The two teams again traded possession with each offensive and defensive line battling it out in the trenches. With a little under two minutes remaining in the third quarter, Richland earned first and goal before scoring on a fullback dive into the end zone to give them the 14-7 edge.

Moore County answered on the very next series. Parker and Cashion put together two first downs to get the Raiders around midfield as time expired. As the drive continued in the fourth quarter, Cashion threw a deep ball to Parker to snag another first down. Smith then ran along the edge to get Moore County in the red zone … setting up Cashion for a QB keeper score. Bradford’s PAT was good to tie the ballgame, 14-14.

The two teams then entered into a defensive stalemate, trading possessions and punts. Raider punter Dobbs kept Moore County in the game by helping them win the battle for field position. With 5:43 remaining, Richland’s Montel Bobbitt broke free for a 50 yard run into the end zone. Hayden Carter then blocked the PAT to give Moore County a shot at a game-winning drive.

The Blue Raiders kept possession for the final four minutes of the game with a sustained drive that allowed Tyler Smith to hit the 1,000 yard mark but wasn’t enough to win the game. Moore County lost 20-14.

Next week, they’ll head to Mount Pleasant (5-3 overall, 1-3 district) for a must-win game if they hope to keep post season play dreams alive. Senior Tiger QB Hayden Lovely’s putting up solid numbers this season with 637 yards and nine passing touchdowns and three rushing scores. On the rushing side, the Raiders will need to contend with a couple of effective Tigers. Senior Keshawn Hudson’s racked up seven rushing TDs including one 95-yard run and seven receiving scores. Fellow seniors AJ Busby and Markayne Foster have combined for over 1,500 all purpose yards. •

Raiders battle for 22-12 home win over rival Hornets

LOCAL NEWS | Sports — Mark Twain once said, “It’s not the size of the dog in the fight; it’s the size of the fight in the dog.” The Moore County High School (MCHS) Raiders epitomized this idea on Friday night with a 22-12 home victory over rivals Huntland Hornets.

With Huntland running back Cameron Reed approaching 1,000 all purpose yards on offense and tackle Garrett Jernigan creeping up on 100 solo tackles, the Hornets were formidable foes with daunting stand outs. Throw in the unpredictable nature of rivalry games, and the Raiders anticipated tough sledging.

But it turns out that the Raiders possessed a few superlatives of their own, a coaching staff with an excellent game plan, and tenacity. Tyler Smith, Brayden Cashion, and Kyler Parker refused to quit on offense and the Raider D let by Zac Carawan and Donavin Pearson got crucial stops when necessary, despite the fact that both of Huntland’s star rushers (Cameron Reed and Kolbi Stewart) put over 100 yards each on MCHS.

In front of a huge home crowd at Doug Price Field, the Raiders won the toss and elected to receive the ball first. On third and eight Raider QB Cashion came up a little shy of a first down and the Raiders punted. On their first offense series, the Hornet put together several first downs (helped in part by a Raider penalty) to get them third and one at the 40. One play later, Reed scrambled down the sideline for six points. Abraham Morris’s PAT was no good and the Hornet let 6-0.

On the next offense series for the Raiders, Parker and Smith worked in tandem to get Moore County within striking distance but a bumbled snap saw the Raiders with fourth and sixteen and they turned the ball over on downs. On the next offensive series, the Hornets tested the edges. Why? Because Smith, Pearson, and Carawan were shutting down inside runs. They managed just one first down before time expired in the first quarter. The score remained: Raiders 0, Huntland 6.

In the first offensive series of the second quarter, QB Cashion doggedly pushed forward for repeated first down yardage setting up Tyler Smith for a quick score inside the red zone. Chase Bradford’s PAT gave the Raiders the 7-6 lead.

With Huntland’s Reed bottled up by the Raider front seven, the Hornets looked to Stewart and Bryson Turner for some outside yardage. They managed fourth and five and decided to go for it just inside Raider territory. They fumbled giving Moore County excellent field position.

The first half ended without a score change: Raiders 7 – Huntland 6.

Defense giving the offense a chance

We’re not sure what Raider Head Coach Jason Dobbs said to his team at the break but it was effective. The Raiders held the Hornets to small yardage on the first series. They then decided to go for it on fourth and five but Bryson Dobbs would have none of it. He sniffed out the Hornet play and tackled Reed for a loss. On the very next play, Tyler Smith ran the ball 57 yards for his second touchdown of the night. Cashion then threw a quick pass to Joshua Parks for the two point conversion to give the Raiders a 15-6 lead.

The Raiders and Hornets exchanged punts and fumbles before the Raider defense started playing light out. They held Stewart to short yardage and tackled Reed in the backfield to give their offense the ball back to start the fourth quarter. The Raiders failed to convert on a fourth and short giving Huntland the ball back on downs. With Stewart now a QB, he completed several short passes to Reed, who eventually made it into the end zone on a second and eight play. He scored but Morris’s PAT was again no good. The Raiders held a precarious 15-12 over the Hornets with 8:15 remaining.

The Raiders then went three and out again. Huntland put together short yardage before getting themselves again into four down territory. Stewart’s pass to Reed was intercepted by Tyler Smith, who ran it down to the six yard line. QB Cashion handed off to Smith who then scored his third touchdown of the night. Bradford’s kick sailed through the uprights to make it Raiders 22, Huntland 12.

The new scoreboard sure looked good displaying the first Raider home win of the season as time expired. The Raiders improved to 4-4 and 1-2 to while the Hornet fell to 4-4 overall and 1-2 in district play. The top four teams in each district make it into post season play. The win allowed Moore County to tie Huntland for third place. Down the stretch, the Raiders will play two consecutive district games to end the regular season: at Richland (Overall 4-4, District 0-3) on October 25 and at Mount Pleasant (Overall 5-3, District 1-3) on November 1.•