Get Ready, Get Set, Go To School!

Hickman County Tennessee Schools will start back on Friday, August 5, 2011. This will be a full day of school. Usually, there is a 1/2 day at first so students can get lists of everything that they need to purchase - but not this year. They begin right out of the gate.

Also, there will be other changes to the school calender. Instead of having a full week off for fall break, students will be out the full week for Thanksgiving. And instead of getting out for a full week for spring break, schools will only be out for two days. According to the Hickman County School Board, this will allow more instruction time before the standardized TCAP tests that the students must take each year. I will publish more details later. To see the entire school calendar, visit the Hickman County Schools website.

Banana Pudding Festival in Hickman County, Tennessee

Mark you calenders! The Banana Pudding Festival in Hickman County in Middle Tennessee will be held October 1, 2011 at the Ag Pavilion in Grinder's Switch. Last year's event drew around 3,000 visitors to the festival. The event coincided with the Car Show and the Quilt Show. I heard plenty of people say that there were probably more people in Centerville that day than any other day ever.

I hope this event gets bigger and bigger.

School's Out For The Summer!

I know two boys that are happy today. Yesterday was the last day of the school year. They have plans to do nothing this summer but swim and play video games. However, they will be surprised. I have other plans for them; cleaning out the basement and mowing the lawn. Next year they both will go to Hickman County High School in Centerville, Tennessee. It is hard to believe that they are already that old.

The youngest kid, Zack, made the Hickman County Basketball team this year. He had tried out for the Middle School team for two years but didn't make it. But he practiced (and grew) and said that he was going to make the high school team and he did. Both kids will be playing football this year. I guess we will be busy all year.

Deja Vu All Over Again In Hickman County?

Last May 1, Hickman County received about 18 inches of rainfall and last night and today, we received as much as 8 inches in spots according to one Nashville TV station. I was beginning to wonder if it was going to be the same as last year. However, it finally quit raining.

School was out today because several roads in the Hickman County area were flooded and downed trees blocked roadways. It was the same in several counties in Middle Tennessee. If any of you have been keeping up with the Centerville and Hickman County area, you know that last year was a major disaster with the Duck River overflowing its banks and flooding several homes and creeks leaving their banks and destroying roadways. Many roads are not back to normal yet.

I'm glad history did not repeat itself this time.

Hickman County, TN Has A New Football Coach

The Hickman County Bulldog football team in Centerville has a new coach. According to Mike Smithson, the former professional baseball player and now the Bulldogs Athletic Director, Tommy Rewis has been named to the position.

Rewis has been the Ravenwood assistant the past two seasons. His resume includes playing running back at Samford, head coach at Fairview and Heritage in Tennessee and Robert Toombs Academy and Tift Area in Georgia.

Smithson said that there had been about 45 applicants for the position and they took their time to hire a new head coach. He said that he believed that this was an important position that was left vacant when former Bulldog head coach Nick Patterson resigned last month.

Hickman County has a winning tradition, having made it to the playoffs in 2007 and 2008, but only won a couple of games last season.

Hickman County Commissioner Charged With Voter Fraud

Hickman County, TN Commissioner, James Hassell has been charged with five counts of voter fraud. Mr. Hassell has served eight years as a County Commissioner from Centerville. According to News Channel 5 in Nashville, Mr. Hassell said that he had been convicted and served time for making and selling moonshine nearly 30 years ago. He also stated that he did not know that he was forbidden from voting and admitted that he had never missed an opportunity to vote. Mr. Hassell's rights of citizenship were restored March 30, 2010, when a circuit court judge signed an order that allowed him to vote again. I have known James for several years and it was common knowledge that he had served time for moonshining. There is a video on Youtube.com of him discussing the time period when he made moonshine: Moonshining in Hickman County. Seems like a "witch hunt" to me.

Hickman County Population Increases

According to the 2010 census, Hickman County's population increased to 24,690 from 22,295. This is an increase of 10.74%. You can view all of the census information at: www.census.gov.