Surprise deliveries of free books showed up in Moore County mailboxes this week

Local kindergartener Abriella Smart, says she felt excited this week when an unexpected box of books arrived in her mailbox. All Moore County students in grades K-3 received the book packs as part of a state literacy program aimed at preventing the “COVID slide.” (Photo Provided)

Did your local kiddo receive a mysterious book delivery in the mail this week? It’s part of a a new state literacy program aimed at preventing so called “COVID slide” in kids grades kindergarten through third grade.

Moore County was one of over 50 school districts participating in the K-3 School Year Book Delivery Program, which will deliver books and literacy resources directly to the homes of students and teachers, at no cost to families or participating school districts. Book packs consist of ten high-quality, grade appropriate books with guided activities and tips for parents to engage with students as they read. Book packs and resources are expected to begin being delivered to students’ and teachers’ homes by the end of 2020 and began arriving at Moore County homes this week. Additionally, K-3 families will gain access to engagement tips via text.

“The School Year Book Delivery program is an incredible opportunity for our state to make important early literacy gains,” said Commissioner Penny Schwinn. “This partnership could not have come at a more important time, as many students, families and teachers are working hard to make up for classroom time lost last spring. Building literacy skills early is foundational to lifelong educational success and the department is grateful to GELF and Scholastic for their work to expand access to high-quality books and literacy resources and help students and families read together at home.”

The new book delivery program comes on the heels of a successful summer reading pilot where GELF and Scholastic distributed 2,100 book packs to students. The response from children, parents and caregivers was overwhelmingly positive, sharing feedback about the excitement of receiving new books in the mail, the joy of sharing stories together and the magic of escaping through a good book.

The program will also offer parent, teacher resource through Best for All Central, Tennessee’s Hub for Learning and Teaching. You can visit it by clicking here. •

{The Lynchburg Times is the only independently owned and operated newspaper in Lynchburg, Tennessee. 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.}

Raiders ranked #5 in state according to latest AP poll

The Raiders ranked #5 in the latest AP Poll. They take on Mount Pleasant on Friday to end the regular season. (File Graphic)

There isn’t much movement this week in the Associated Press (AP) Tennessee High School Football poll released on Monday as all of the top five teams won their October 23 games or enjoyed a bye week.

Number one South Pittsburg(8-1) beat Sale Creek 84-8. The number two Coalfield (7-0) Yellow Jackets beat Oliver Springs 14-7. Number three Greenfield (8-0) got a win over number eight Lake County (5-1) via forfeit. Number four Copper Basin (8-1) enjoyed a bye week and number five Moore County (8-1) beat Richland 35-7.

According to the TSSAA website, Moore County secured the number two spot in Division 1, Class 1A, Region 5 with their win over Richland. The current sanding are Fayetteville, Moore County, Huntland, Cornersville, Richland, and Mount Pleasant.

In the Coach T poll, Moore County (8-1) dropped to number three behind Coalfield (9-0) and Greenfield (8-0).

Moore County will play their final regular season home game this Friday against Mount Pleasant. It will be First Responder’s Night. Kick off will be at 7 p.m.

If you can’t attend the game, it will be broadcast live on Raider Country 105.1 and 95.5 FM with Joe Abraham and the Moore County Sports Network, on the NFHS Network, or The Lynchburg Times will post live score updates on our Facebook page. •

Deer archery season opens September 26

Deer Archery-only season will open statewide in Tennessee on Saturday. {File Photo}

OUTDOORS | It’s a rite of passage for Volunteer State hunters each fall. On Saturday, September 26 the 2020 Deer Archery-only season will open statewide in Tennessee and run September 26 through October 30 and November 2-6. Once deer season opens officially, hunters may use archery equipment throughout the season, which will end on January 3.

For local hunters looking for opportunities, the state offers over 100 wildlife management areas (WMA) and refuges for hunts. Click here for a list of the WMAs. Southern middle Tennessee exists in Region II and includes nearby WMA at AEDC, Woods Reservoir Refuge, Flintville Hatchery, and Mingo Swamp. Click here for more information.

Regardless of the hunting location, all hunters must possess a current, valid hunting license and the state reminds hunters that they must obtain permission from landowners to hunt on private land.

For more information, you can access the 2020 Tennessee Hunting Guide by clicking here. You can also visit the TWRA website for more information. •

Middle Tennessee in urgent need of blood donations

According to the American Red Cross, there’s currently an urgent need for blood donation in southern, middle Tennessee. So much so, that if you donate blood with them through June 30, you’ll receive a $5 Amazon gift card.

There are no Lynchburg American Red Cross Blood Drive planned in the next two weeks, but there are opportunities in surrounding counties: Heritage South Community Credit Union on June 15, Sir Pizza in Shelbyville on June 19, and the Fayetteville Parks and Rec Building on June 23. For a full list of Red Cross blood drives happening 25 miles from Lynchburg in the next two weeks, click here.

Blood Assurance is also looking for individual who have recovered from COVID-19 to be plasma donors for those currently fighting the disease as well as blood donations. They will be hosting mobile blood drives throughout the month to bolster local supplies including: Home Depot in Decherd on June 17, Franklin County Co-op on June 22, and Tullahoma Utilities on June 18. Click here for a complete list of Blood Assurance donation opportunities. Also donation can always be made at the Blood Assurance Donor Center located at 604 North Jackson Street in Tullahoma.

According to the American Association of Blood Banks, donations by healthy, eligible individuals are perfectly safe and necessary to maintain adequate local supplies. Blood donation locations also practice frequent disinfecting, personal protective gear, and social distancing of donors.

“Individuals are not at risk of contracting COVID-19 through the blood donation process or via a blood transfusion, since respiratory viruses are generally not known to be transmitted by donation or transfusion. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration continues to report that there have been no reported or suspected cases of transfusion-transmitted COVID-19 to date. In addition, no cases of transfusion-transmission were ever reported for the other two coronaviruses that emerged during the past two decades (SARS, the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus, and MERS-CoV, which causes Mideast Respiratory Syndrome),” according to their 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.}

State Officials: 2020 tick season could be worse ever

With so many people flocking outdoors, health officials say we should be extra diligent about avoiding tick bites. {File Photo}

Forget Murder hornets … state officials say locals should worry more about ticks in 2020. According to officials with the UT Ag Extension office, mild temperatures and lots of rain this winter will combine for higher than normal number of the creepy little bloodsuckers – especially in May and June when they tend to be more active.

According to local vet Dr. Bryant Morton, he’s already seeing both dogs and cats suffering the affects of tick bites this year and the season’s barely begun.

When it comes to pets, Dr. Morton advises that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of veterinary cure, which can often be lengthy, expensive, and largely unsuccessful. Dogs most commonly suffer from rickettsial disease, which causes shifting leg lameness, reoccurring fevers, and overall malaise. In cats, bobcat fever is more common. Both collars and topicals are available for both dogs and cats that kill ticks but they are notoriously difficult to repell, according to Dr. Morton. Owners can also give dogs oral monthly products.

Human exposure greater due to COVID-19

In Tennessee, there are 15 different ticks species many whose bite can cause serious disease in humans. In fact, 60 percent of the Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever cases in the United States come from just five states: Tennessee, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Missouri.

Experts expect another trend to affect the number of local tick bites this season. Due to COVID-19 concerns, a greater number of people are spending time outside now more than ever.

When spending time outdoors, especially in wooded areas and tall grass where ticks like to hide, experts recommend wearing long pants or spraying your clothes with tick repellent. Experts say throwing your clothes immediately in the washer or in a hot dryer for 10 minutes when you get home will keep ticks from lingering. You should also shower within two hours.

It’s a good idea to thoroughly check yourself and others for ticks when you return. If you locate one of the creepy little hitchhikers, pull it off with tweezers as close to the skin as possible. It’s also a good idea to throw the specimen into a plastic container and preserve in the freezer in case illness symptoms develop later. This will make both diagnosis and recovery easier.

For more information about tick-borne diseases, check out the state health department’s website. •

{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.}

Lynchburg native killed overnight in crash

Thomas Sullenger, better known as Matthew by close friends, died in an overnight two vehicle collision in Mulberry. {Photo Courtesy of Facebook}

Many in Lynchburg woke up Wednesday morning to shocking news, one of their own died unexpectedly overnight in a horrific car crash in Mulberry. According to family members, Thomas (Matthew) Sullenger died Tuesday night. He was just 45 years old.

According to the Tennessee Highway Patrol report, Sullenger was traveling east on the Lynchburg Highway in Mulberry around 5:30 p.m. when his 1997 Oldsmobile struck a guardrail and then traveled into the left lane striking a 2003 Ford Ranger driven by Richard Wiser, age 77, of Fayetteville.

After the collision, Sullenger’s vehicle came to stop pinned against the guardrail, according to THP’s preliminary report. Wiser was transported to Huntsville Hospital, according to family members.

Graveside service held on Friday

Born on September 12, 1974 in Tullahoma to Thomas and Debra Sullenger, Matthew lived in Lincoln County and worked at Higgins Funeral Home as a funeral director and embalmer. He graduated from Moore County High School before attending Faulkner University, Slidell Baptist Seminary, and graduated from John A. Gupton College of Mortuary Science.

According to his full obituary, “Matthew was of the Baptist faith. He loved his boys, his family, and his baseball boys very much. He enjoyed coaching baseball, spending time with family and friends, bass fishing, as well as, making everyone smile.”

In additional to his parents, he is survived by his children,Gavin and Breyer Sullenger, of Huntsville and Joey Hobbs of Fayetteville; brother, Mark Sullenger of Tullahoma; nephew, Miles Sullenger of Winchester; and niece, Courtney Sullenger of Winchester; along with several aunts and uncles.

Graveside services will be held at Lynchburg Cemetery on Friday, May 29 at 2 p.m. You can view the full obit by clicking here. •

May 15 COVID-19 Update: 4 Thing You Need to Know Today

{Graphic Courtesy of TN Dept. of Health}

The Tennessee Department of Health released new COVID-19 case counts on Friday at 2 p.m. and Tennessee now reports 15,544 confirmed cases (271 more than the previous day). Our state has now experienced 290 deaths. That’s three more than yesterday. According to the state, 9,280 COVID-19 patients have recovered. That’s around 52 percent of reported cases. As of today, 309,756 of Tennessee’s 6.8 million residents have been tested. Here’s the top four things you need to know for today:

1|Weekly numbers show moderate increases. This week (from Saturday to Friday) 2,529 more Tennesseans tested positive for COVID-19. That’s a 17 percent increase from last Friday’s total. According to state reports, 66,178 more people were tested. That’s a 28 percent increase from last Friday. Forty nine more Tennesseans died this week from COVID-19 related illness.

2|Tennessee continues to test aggressively. According to a state-by-state analysis conducted by NPR, Tennessee continues to stand out nationally for its “when in doubt get a test” mentality … even if someone is symptom-free. According to the report, Tennessee can test everyone who wants a test because the state’s paying for it … they aren’t relying on federal dollars.

3|Weekend testing stopped. There are no weekend testing sites planned for this weekend. State official originally planned weekend tests for April 24-25, May 2-3, and May 9-10.

4|Fourth Tennessee inmate dies of COVID-19. On Friday, the Tennessee Department of Corrections announced that a 71-year old inmate at Trousdale Turner Correctional Center had died … making him the fourth state prisoner to die from COVID-related illness.

Purple Martins return to Moore County

A momma Purple Martin brings lunch to her brood. In Tennessee, Martins are nearly 100 percent dependent on human-made birdhouses for nesting. {Photo Courtesy of Leslie Scopes Anderson for the Audubon Society}

If a Purple Martin could write a wanted ad, it would a lot like this:

WANTED: Summer rental preferably near the water. Seasonal short term renter but will likely return next year. No pets but three to six kids possible by the end of season. Prefer the country but city living also okay.

Since the U.S. started dealing with the COVID-19 situation, bird watching has become oh-so-popular. And why not? You can see dozens of species with a simple set of binoculars from the comfort of your back porch or riding down a winding rural road.

Purple Martin return to Moore County every spring. In fact, they can be seen in all of Tennessee’s 95 counties. They are North America’s largest swallow and in the East, they are nearly 100 percent dependent of 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.

Purple Martin begin arriving in March and usually migrate back in September. They are also a lot of fun to watch because they eating flying insect … and do so while suspended in air. If you’re lucky enough to spot a Purple Martin house or box, watch it carefully and you’ll see its homeowner swan dive into it from great heights.

If you’d like a fun quarantine project, you can build your own Purple Martin nest box by following a design provided by the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency. Click here for that plan. •

State cash assistance to needy families is live now

STATE NEWS — The program we told you about earlier in the week goes live today.

The Tennessee Department of Human Services now offers monthly cash assistance to Moore County families adversely affected by COVID-19. The program, which is called Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Emergency Benefits, offers cash assistance from $500 to $1000 per household depending on size. Benefits will be available for up to two months.

To qualify, a family must have children in the household, be at or below the eighty-fifth percentile of the state media income, and be able to show they been impacted by COVID-19. Documentation will include birth certificates, tax returns, school attendance records, or other documentation that verifies that children live in the household.

To apply for the program, click here. •

Positive COVID-19 case in Sewanee

SEWANEE — A Grundy County pre-school announced Thursday through a public statement that the parents of one of it’s students recently tested positive for COVID-19. This is the closest confirmed case to Moore County since the global pandemic began.

Grundy County Mayor Michael Brady also confirmed the cases in a video announcement on the GRUNDY 1st public Facebook page.

Both parents of a student at Sewanee Children’s Center tested positive. The couple own residences in both Davidson County (where there are 75 confirmed cases) and Grundy County. According to Mayor Brady all person suspected to have contact with the parents are now being tested or are in self-quarantine. He went on to state that the couple has not been back to their Sewanee home since March 5. •

{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.}