Area News

Aviagen will invest $35.3 million to expand in Pikeville with a new state-of-the-art feed mill off the U.S. 127 bypass, Governor Bill Lee and Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bob Rolfe announced on Thursday, July 16.  Aviagen is a leading global company of poultry breeders which already has a footprint in the…

July 10 and 11 marked the end of the inaugural regular season for the Bledsoe County High School Bass Warriors fishing team. Two teams, including Emory Olinger, Caleb Wagner, Bryson Tucker, and Dakota Simmons, competed in the Commissioner’s Cup Tennessee Bass Nation High School State Tournament on Pickwick Lake. A total of 157 boats with…

A rural outreach event held by the non-profit organization Mother to Mother from Nashville distributed items to a large group of parents in Bledsoe County last Thursday, July 9. The group distributed diapers, clothes, toys, gear, books, and more to families. According to Mother to Mother, 265 children were served during the event in Pikeville.…

Early voting for the August 6 Bledsoe County General Election along with State and Federal Primaries begins this Friday, July 17. The early voting period lasts through August 1 and the deadline to request an absentee ballot is July 30. Early voting takes place at the Bledsoe County Election Commission Office inside the Bledsoe County…

The first Saturday of the month through September promises to bring entertainment and outdoor fun for attendees of Pikeville Summer Nights. The events begin with a Cruise-In and Summer Nights at the Farmers Market beginning at 4:00 p.m. and musical entertainment at 7:00 p.m. For more see the July 16 issue of The Bledsonian Banner.

The Bledsoe County Board of Education will be asking the Bledsoe County Commission for increased funding in the form of a property tax increase due to a decrease in Basic Education Program (BEP) funding from the state and increased expenses, along with the unknown expenses associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Board Finance Director Janice Ritchie…

Bledsoe County again received the designation of a “distressed” county in a new report by the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC). Each year, ARC prepares an index of county economic status for every county in the United States. Economic status designations are identified through a composite measure of each county’s three-year average unemployment rate, per capita…

Bledsoe County Mayor Gregg Ridley will not require citizens to wear masks despite Governor Bill Lee giving mayors around the state the authority to do so. Ridley said he believes the wearing of face masks is effective in stopping the spread of COVID-19 and is a responsible choice during the pandemic. He encourages everyone to…

For many years now, when you would travel along Main Street in Pikeville, you would see two stray dogs making their rounds. They have been known as the “Piggly Wiggly” dogs because they spent most of their time in the parking lot, begging for food from patrons. They now have a new home in the…

The 101st Bledsoe County Fair will be held this August as planned, although with certain restrictions as recommended by the Tennessee Association of Fairs (TAF) and Governor Bill Lee due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “Because of social distancing regulations, the fair will be scaled back, but just as fun and memorable,” according to Board members.…