Area News

Historical stories and more are told in the new Main St. Walking Tour in downtown Pikeville. Join the Bledsoe County Tourism Committee  for the tour’s official kickoff Monday, August 14, at 10:00 a.m. around the town clock in front of the Courthouse, weather permitting. For more see the August 10 issue of The Bledsonian Banner.

Women indicted for child abuse of student The two women accused of abusing a young student in one of Pikeville Elementary’s special needs class were indicted by the Bledsoe County Grand Jury. They are scheduled to be arraigned September 27 in Circuit Court. A two-count indictment was returned against Shelia K. Schmidt, 64, for child…

A black bear that was relocated from the Great Smokey Mountains National Park has made its way to downtown Pikeville. Reports of the collared bear originated Sunday, July 23 on the Cumberland Plateau and Monday and Tuesday, July 24-25 in downtown Pikeville. The National Park Service is tracking the bear. Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency (TWRA)…

Bledsoe County students were give free backpacks and school supplies to help get them ready for the first full day of school on Monday, August 7. A total of 522 students received the items at the Give a Child a Chance Day held July 20 at Bledsoe County High School. “On behalf of Bledsoe County…

The stage was set and contestants from various areas competed in the Bledsoe County Fairest of the Fair pageant held Saturday, July 22, at Bledsoe County High School. Emily Renae Winningham was crowned Bledsoe County’s 2023-24 Fairest of the Fair. Emily is from Clarkrange, and said she plans to be a strong leader for Bledsoe…

If the walls could talk, what stories they could tell. Stories of murderers, outlaws, and thieves who got to spend their nights incarcerated in the historic 172-year-old Bledsoe County Jail building on Frazier Street in Pikeville. Now it can be yours for no less than $300,000. The Bledsoe County Commission voted to sell the historic…

The Pikeville Police Department has received six automated external defibrillators funded through the Gary Sinise Foundation, announced Assistant Police Chief David Decker with the Pikeville Police Department. These life-saving devices were placed in each Pikeville patrol car, and one at City Hall, he said. For more see the July 20 issue of The Bledsonian Banner.

A $1.2 million Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) grant has been awarded Bledsoe County to roof the old Bledsoe County High School that houses the Head Start program, and renovate the old high school gymnasium, announced County Mayor Gregg Ridley. He said the ARC grant will replace the Head Start roof at a cost of $172,000,…

On Thursday, July 20, free school supplies are going to be given out at Bledsoe County High School from 9:00 a.m. to noon. In addition to many area businesses handing out supplies, Tennessee’s First Lady Maria Lee is scheduled to be there handing out some of the backpacks to Bledsoe County students. For more see…

Pikeville Clinic has been cited for not accurately reporting TennCare Prospective Payment System (PPS) visits and payments on its submitted quarterly settlement requests, which resulted in a net overpayment of $73,357 from July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2022, according to the Division of State Audit with the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury. For more…