Area News

Pikeville will celebrate Independence Day with a Star Spangled Celebration on Saturday, July 3, beginning at 4:00 p.m. with a Cruise-In and Summer Nights at the Farmers Market. Fireworks are being sold at the Bledsoe County Rescue Squad building on the bypass in Pikeville. For more see the July 1 issue of The Bledsonian Banner.

Two brothers from Bledsoe County, Andrew (Andy) and Justin Swafford, broke ground for their new charity, Hero’s Retreat, at Swafford’s Hollow last week. The goal is for the retreat to serve as a training network for veterans and first responders. Hero’s Retreat will operate through the non-profit Hands-On By Design (HOBD), of which Justin is…

Pikeville City officials discussed the want of residents for a water park or splash pad and playground upgrades and how the City can pay for those at its June 14 meeting at the Pikeville Municipal Building. Alderwoman Jeania Lansing said she saw social media posts with robust discussion speaking of the City needing a splash…

A fake sinkhole opened up at the Bledsoe County Nursing Home last Thursday, June 19, and Bledsoe County emergency responders immediately got to work for a mock training drill performed by the Bledsoe County Emergency Management Agency (EMA). The call came in at 9:30 a.m. a sinkhole opened up in two rooms in Hall B…

A new Child Advocacy Center (CAC) for the Twelfth Judicial District officially opened last Thursday, June 10, in Dayton. Children who are victims of abuse in Bledsoe and Rhea Counties have already been utilizing the center as a welcoming, safe environment for them while authorities handle their cases and interview them about alleged abuse. For…

NOTICE: The Bledsoe County Emergency Management Agency will be performing a mock evacuation drill at the Bledsoe County Nursing home this morning, June 17, starting at 9:30 a.m. Do not be alarmed as crews are on scene for the mock drill. See next week’s issue of The Bledsonian-Banner for details.

Erlanger Bledsoe announces the arrival of a new 3D mammography machine relaunching mammography services in the area. A 3D mammography is an imaging process that combines multiple X-rays to create a three-dimensional picture. The many benefits of 3D mammography include reducing the need for follow-up imaging, detect slightly more cancers than a standard mammogram alone,…

In 2009, in response to concerns about the number of stray animals in the Sequatchie Valley, a group of citizens organized to form a group named “The Pikeville Animal Shelter Committee.” Through a school contest, the name of the group became Paws and Claws Animal Shelter and was chartered, then registered as a 501(c)3 charitable…

Independence Day weekend in Pikeville will bring an event-filled evening downtown at the annual Star Spangled Celebration on Saturday, July 3, according to Main Street Committee Chair Jeania Lansing. For more see the June 10 issue of The Bledsonian Banner.

Tires spinning, smoke filling the air, and a large crowd cheering, the first use of the burnout pad on Main Street in Pikeville was held. It was introduced as part of the monthly cruise-in and Summer Nights music held the first Saturday. The June 5, brought around 500 people to Pikeville to take part in…