The community is invited to attend an Open House and Ribbon Cutting for the Sewanee Welcome Center. The event will be from 2–4 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 1, at 17 Lake O’Donnell Road, Sewanee. Remarks will begin at 3 p.m. Light refreshments will be served. RSVP by Monday, Sept. 22 via the link at <https://sewaneecivic.org;. This event is co-hosted by the Sewanee Civic Association, the University of the South, the Mountain Goat Trail Alliance, and the Sewanee Business Alliance.

Currently, the site serves as the trailhead for the Mountain Goat Trail in Sewanee, a new Welcome Center, and headquarters for the state park rangers of Tennessee’s newest state park. The building is the old freight depot for the NC&StL railroad, then the L&N railroad, known as the historic Mountain Goat railroad. The building was remodeled in 2023-2024 as a project with the Sewanee Civic Association, the University of the South Economic Development office, and the Mountain Goat Trail Alliance (MGTA). Funding for the project came through grants from the South Cumberland Community Fund, Sewanee Community Council, Mountain Goat Trail Alliance, University of the South, and a reunion gift from the Class of 1973.

The Center’s purpose is to inform both community members and visitors of the historical and current assets to be enjoyed in our area. The most important result will be fuller participation in community and regional life by both full-time residents and visitors across an array of interests: more MGT users, Perimeter Trail hikers, students of local history — including the 19th-century coal economy which created the Mountain Goat Railroad — and the seven towns along it, as well as the University, more patrons of local restaurants and shops, and more visitors to our entire area.

In May 2023, the Sewanee Civic Association entered an MOU with the University to utilize the exterior premises of the building, as the Mountain Goat trailhead and an information center, known as Phase 1 of the project. Phase 2 of the project renovated the interior and includes an ADA compliant restroom.

The first Sewanee depot was constructed in 1860. Both the freight and passenger depots stood on the north side of the railroad tracks, which is now the middle of Highway 41A. This was part of the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railroad and transitioned to Louisville & Nashville Railroad ownership in 1957. The current building was constructed when both the passenger and freight depots were razed for the bypass around the University in the 1960s. This depot, which was placed on the south side of the railroad tracks, opened in 1964. It currently stands on the southeast corner of US Highway 41A and University Avenue.

By the 1970s, the depot was under-used. Since it was no longer being used for railroad purposes, the building reverted to the University. The railroad, which at its height ran 3-4 trains a day with both coal and passenger cars, stopped running freight trains in 1984 and this branch line was officially abandoned on May 1, 1985. In 1986 the tracks were removed, leaving the stone building as a depot without a rail line. The building was used as a bait shop, the Sewanee Drug Company, the Sewanee Pharmacy, and finally the Hair Depot.

The Mountain Goat Trail in Sewanee would be developed starting in 2000 where the tracks had been through a Transportation Enhancement and Transportation Alternatives Program Award of $40,000, spearheaded by community member Ian Prunty, former Franklin County Mayor Monty Adams and former Franklin County Commissioner Louise Irwin.

The Mountain Goat Trail Alliance (MGTA) officially formed as a nonprofit in 2006. The MGTA is a rail to trail community outdoor recreation project to convert the route of the Mountain Goat Railroad into a multi-use recreational corridor between Grundy and Franklin Counties on the South Cumberland Plateau in Middle Tennessee. Currently, 14 of the 40 miles of the trail are completed. This trail incorporates the Mountain’s history while providing progress for the future. <https://www.mountaingoattrail....;.

Since 1908, the Sewanee Civic Association’s primary purpose was to raise money the town could not raise in taxes, because it was unincorporated, in order to make municipal improvements. The purpose of the SCA is to foster a well-informed, harmonious and dynamic greater Sewanee community by providing a forum for community issues and social interaction, by managing the Sewanee Community Chest and the Sewanee Classifieds, and by sponsoring projects deemed by the membership to be beneficial to the community. <https://sewaneecivic.org/>;.

The rangers for Tennessee’s newest state park are using part of the Sewanee Welcome Center as their headquarters until their visitor center is built. Currently managed as part of South Cumberland State Park, the newest state park is 4,258 acres located in Franklin County containing the headwaters of Crow Creek. This park joins together the following four state natural areas to provide more and better outdoor recreation opportunities:

Sherwood Forest State Natural Area is a 3,075-acre parcel in Franklin County that protects the federally-endangered Morefield’s Leather Flower and the federally-threatened painted snake coiled forest snail, in addition to several other state-listed plant and animal species.

The Mr. and Mrs. Harry Lee Carter State Natural Area is a 931-acre natural area with a significant cave system extending from Lost Cove to the head of Crow Creek. The stream systems draining into Lost Cove disappear and travel underground for over a mile, emerging at the main entrance of Buggytop Cave.

Natural Bridge State Natural Area is a one-acre natural area with a 25-foot high natural sandstone arch spanning 50 feet that provides a scenic overlook of Lost Cove. There is a wet weather spring associated with a rock house located behind the natural bridge.

Hawkins Cove State Natural Area is a 249-acre natural area located in Franklin County. It was originally acquired by The Nature Conservancy of Tennessee and then sold to the State to protect a population of Cumberland rosinweed. Cumberland rosinweed is a type of sunflower found only on the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee.

For questions, contact <sewaneecommunitychest@gmail.com>.

by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

“I love this place” were the final words spoken at the Aug. 21 community meeting of the Plateau and Valley Chapter of SOCM. Martin Springs born, 92-year-old lifelong area resident Carl White echoed the sentiments of probably everyone attending. The community is fighting three legal battles to protect not only the natural resources and pristine beauty of the area, but the very air the residents breathe and the water they drink. Legal battles, one currently before the Tennessee Supreme Court, rage on, challenging a sand and gravel quarry on Clouse Hill Road, a proposed 150-bay truck stop in Monteagle, and a proposed sand and gravel quarry in the Jumpoff neighborhood. Updates on the three legal battles resounded with the refrain, “Don’t quit.”

East Tennessee SOCM organizer Adam Hughes pointed to the successful battle to ban strip mining in Fall Creek Falls State Park 25 years ago. SOCM, then called Save Our Cumberland Mountains, has since changed its name to Statewide Organizing for Community eMpowerment. “We’re here to protect the mountain from people withdrawing resources, not speaking out against development,” stressed Talon Sulfridge, chair of the Plateau and Valley Chapter.

The Clouse Hill quarry was what first drew SOCM’s attention to the Grundy County area. Primary among the concerns of the residents neighboring the Clouse Hill quarry were the health hazards caused by silica dust. When Tinsley Sand and Gravel began blasting in early 2022, Grundy County Mayor Michael Brady visited the site and presented the operators with a copy of the County Powers Act Resolution passed in 2019. The act required a license for sand mining in Grundy County and prohibits quarries within 5,000 feet of homes. Three subdivisions border the quarry site. “Tinsley challenged the Power Act in Chancery Court,” said Plateau resident Shari Lydy. “When Tinsley lost, they appealed and again the judge ruled in favor of Grundy County. Tinsley appealed to the Tennessee State Supreme Court in early July.” A decision is pending.

Jumpoff residents opposing Tinsley’s intention to locate a quarry there looked to the example of Grundy County and urged Marion County to pass a Powers Act Resolution. “The farmers opposed us,” Lydy said, “even though state law does not allow Powers Act resolutions to regulate farmers.” Unsuccessful with the Marion County Commission, residents turned to SOCM for help. Key in the legal battle is Jumpoff Creek’s state designation as Exceptional Tennessee Waters because of the creek’s high level of exceptional biological diversity. “On July 3, TDEC issued an NPDES (National Pollutant Elimination Discharge System) permit that would allow Tinsley Sand and Gravel to discharge stormwater and wastewater into Jumpoff Creek and the groundwater,” said Jumpoff resident Kathrine Zammit. “Our attorney issued an appeal on July 31. The appeal is to reverse the permit. The main thrust of the appeal is that TDEC improperly granted the permit because it improperly concluded that the damage to Jumpoff Creek and the exceptional waters downstream would be de minimis, meaning insignificant, especially in light of the kind of weather we’ve been having with these torrential storms. Also, we’re concerned about the flow of discharge into groundwater that will affect wells so many people rely on.” A hearing is pending.

United to Protect the Plateau, formed in opposition to a proposed Monteagle truck stop, has also reached out to SOCM for help. They are fighting to protect Monteagle’s drinking water supply, Laurel Lake. “Ninety percent of the water from that truck stop will go into Hidden Creek and Laurel Lake,” said Monteagle resident Will Foering citing hydrological reports. “Our last contact with TDEC was, ‘Stop contacting us about that business.’” Lacking any other recourse, the group sued the city of Monteagle and the developer. Although unsuccessful so far, the nuisance suit is still pending, and the group achieved a local victory when Monteagle passed a storm water ordinance. “Remember what you got into it for. One of the greatest victories has been the friends we made and the community we built,” said Monteagle resident Mary Beth Best. “It’s been an uphill battle,” acknowledged resident Billy Best. His advice to those battling the Jumpoff quarry: “Don’t quit.”

Anonymous donors have offered a match of up to $12,000 for contributions to the Jumpoff Quarry Legal Defense Fund. Donate online at <https://bit.ly/44z53it; or by mailing a check to SOCM Resource Project PO Box 12667, Knoxville, TN 37912, designating the donation for the SJOQ Legal Fund. All donations fall under the umbrella of SOCM’s 501(c)(3) status and are tax deductible.

“If Marion County had a Powers Act, we might not be having this fight,” said Jumpoff resident Cliff Huffman. “We need to get more involved in the local government, and we need to fund this fight.” To those who “love it here,” yet are reluctant to donate, Huffman pointed out, “Where are you going to go to find the treasure we have here? If you moved to another place like this, your property taxes would be seven times as much.”

The Monteagle-Sewanee Rotary Club needs your help, now more than ever. The 11th annual Hunger Walk will take place Saturday, Sept. 20, in Sewanee at Angel Park. This year’s Walk is in memory of William (Bill) Davis who passed away in October 2024. Bill was a devoted member of the Monteagle-Sewanee Rotary Club and worked to make our club community and world better.

Proceeds benefit local food banks in the South Cumberland Plateau area. Contributions last year made it possible for us to exceed our goal allowing MSRC to give $70,000 to Grundy County Food Bank, Morton Memorial Feeding Ministry and the St. Mark and St. Paul’s Community Action Committee. Here are some facts and figures regarding food insecurity on the Plateau:

• 19.8 percent of people in Grundy County

• 15.8 percent of people in Franklin County

• 17 percent of people in Marion County

• 3,300 (19.2 percent) children across these three counties

Food insecurity is defined as a lack of consistent access to enough food for every person in a household to live an active, healthy life. This can be a temporary situation for a household or can last a lifetime. Food insecurity is one way to measure how many people cannot afford food.

May we count on you to fight food insecurity in the greater Sewanee community? A gift of any amount will go directly to feeding those in need. Giving is easy and only takes a couple of minutes. To give online, click on <https://givebutter.com/hungerw...;; to pay by check, send to Monteagle Sewanee Rotary Club, PO Box 336, Monteagle, TN 37356.

As a note GiveButter has a setting on its donation page that requests tips. You should feel no obligation to pay a tip when making your donation.

Several student groups and Greek organizations have set up teams and are raising funds for the cause. If you wish to join a team, or create your own, click on the drop-down menu and choose a team. The Greek organization that raises the most money will have its name on a permanent plaque hanging in the student center, Biehl Commons.

For more information on Hunger Walk 2025, please visit <https://www.monteaglesewaneero...;.

The Sewanee Review is pleased to announce that Rebecca Gayle Howell is the recipient of the 2025 Aiken Taylor Award for Modern American Poetry.

Rebecca Gayle Howell is a writer, literary translator, librettist, and editor. Her books include two novels in verse— “Render / An Apocalypse and American Purgatory” —both of which were named Bestsellers of the Decade by Small Press Distribution. She translated Patagonia poet Claudia Prado’s “El Interior de la Ballena” and Amal al-Jubouri’s “Hagar Before the Occupation / Hagar After the Occupation.” Howell’s work has received critical acclaim from such outlets as the Los Angeles Times, Poetry London, Publisher’s Weekly, and the Kenyon Review. She is an Advanced Assistant Professor of Poetry & Translation for the University of Arkansas MFA program, and she also serves on faculty for the University of the South’s Sewanee School of Letters. From 2014 to 2024, she was the Poetry Editor for the Oxford American. Her sixth book, “Erase Genesis,” will be released this November by Project Poëtica/Bridwell Press.

University Vice Chancellor Dr. Robert Pearigen and Sewanee Review editor Adam Ross will present Howell with the Aiken Taylor Award this October at the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee. As part of this year’s award celebration, poet Corey Van Landingham will lecture on Howell’s poetry. Van Landingham is the author of three books of poetry: “Antidote,” “Love Letter to Who Owns the Heavens,” and “Reader, I.” She is a recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship and a Wallace Stegner Fellowship from Stanford University. She teaches creative writing at the University of Illinois.

We hope you will join us this October to celebrate this poet and her exceptional body of work.

by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

“The cost wasn’t as high as I expected,” Sewanee Utility District manager Ben Beavers reported to the SUD Board of Commissioners at the Aug. 19 meeting, explaining his decision to authorize purchase of new software. The cost fell below the $10,000 discretionary fund limit for purchases, so did not require board approval. In discussion about extending the wetlands project until Aug. 30, 2028, the board decided to have SUD attorney Don Scholes review the contract.

The meter reading software SUD currently uses is no longer supported by Itron, the manufacturer of the meter reading equipment. At the July meeting, Beavers speculated the software upgrade would require a new computer as well, but he has since learned that was not the case. Beavers anticipates the projected training cost will be half the $10,000 quote, bringing the total cost for the upgrade to less than $9,000. The annual subscription fee for the software, $4,000, will come from the operating budget. “Possibly on the horizon is upgrading the radio [that reads the meters] and the computer,” Beavers said. “That will be next year’s budget at the earliest.”

The trial constructed wetlands, a research project undertaken jointly by the University of the South and the University of Georgia in 2015, studies wetlands’ effectiveness in cleaning wastewater. Data collected monthly from July 2022 through June 2024 demonstrated significantly lower concentrations of total nitrogen and phosphorus. In a report to the board, Sewanee biology professor Deb McGrath explained the researchers wanted to extend the 10-year contract “To determine if the patterns in N and P removal that we see from data collected during the 2022-2024 study are maintained over time.” If the contract is extended, the researchers plan to resume monthly sampling from June 2026 through May 2028.

“The one thing that seems to be missing from the research is there is nothing that extrapolates the size of a wetland to some output of treatment,” commented Board President Charlie Smith.

“The size of the wetlands was designed primarily for the size that Coca Cola was interested in,” Beavers explained. Coca Cola funded the project to determine what size wetlands could effectively treat water in the bottling and manufacturing plants the company operates worldwide. “The size of the project fit the model of the flow in the villages where [Coca Cola] was putting these in.”

Smith also questioned whether SUD should require proof of insurance since the contract stipulates, “The University agrees to indemnify and save harmless the District, its commissioners, officers, employees and agents, for the injury to or death of any persons and for the loss, damage or injury to any property” occurring because of the project.

Beavers will ask SUD’s attorney to review the contract.

Beavers noted the contract was largely the same as the previous contract. McGrath wanted to add language stipulating the University could access the property for “teaching” purposes as well as academic research and maintenance.

“She wanted to make sure they could still bring students out there,” Beavers said.

“We would expect that,” Smith said.

The contract allows SUD to intervene if the project negatively impacts wastewater treatment. In lagoon C, invasive duckweed has negatively impacted BOD (the ability to support life based on the oxygen level of the water). The University has reached out to Grundy County Extension Agent Creig Kimbro, an expert on aquatic weed control, to offer advice on the problem.

In other business, SUD Commissioner Donnie McBee asked about repair of the water leak in the Woodlands residential area. Beavers said the leak was in an old galvanized line. Beavers will initiate the location of the leak, and anticipates repair will be done next week. SUD also has another leak to repair on Oak Hill Circle.

On a bright and joyful afternoon, Housing Sewanee, Inc. (HSI) welcomed friends, supporters, and volunteers to a housewarming celebration for the newest resident of the Sherwood Springs neighborhood. This marks the third home completed in the neighborhood, a milestone for HSI and a new beginning for its latest client.

The celebration brought together the new tenant’s friends, community members, and many of the dedicated volunteers whose hard work helped build the home. Bruce Baird, president of HSI, offered warm remarks about how thrilled the organization is to have such a wonderful person joining the Sherwood Springs community. He also shared the exciting news that HSI has already broken ground on the next home in the neighborhood’s second phase. When complete, Sherwood Springs will have at least eight homes, and applications for future tenants are now open on the HSI website.

Rev. Annwn Myers gave a heartfelt blessing for the home, and Susan Binkley, founder of Blue Monarch, spoke movingly about the new resident’s journey as a Blue Monarch graduate. She described the perseverance and dedication it took to make this dream a reality, and how meaningful it was to see this chapter begin.

The day was filled with celebration, gratitude, and community spirit — a reminder of what can be accomplished when people come together with a shared vision for hope and home.

The Community Action Committee (CAC) is serving more neighbors each day and we desperately need your help to keep our shelves stocked before our next food delivery. Currently, CAC is in need of chicken noodle soup, canned tuna, macaroni and cheese, cereal, canned vegetables, and peanut butter. Any food donations are greatly appreciated.

Donations can be placed in the cabinet located on the porch outside the CAC doors, or the bin located inside the church doors at St. Mark & St. Paul. Both buildings are located at 216 University Ave., Sewanee.

We appreciate your support in helping serve our neighbors.

Amazon Wish List available for those who prefer to shop online <https://a.co/f6TXKX4>;.

St. Andrew’s-Sewanee School opened the 2025-2026 school year by welcoming students from 12 countries, 11 states, and across Tennessee, marking the 158th year of Episcopal, independent, secondary education on the campus.

Boarding students moved onto campus Aug. 16, and all students and parents gathered for the all-school assembly Aug. 17 followed by registration and class activities.

In addition to its new students and faculty, the school is celebrating the completion of a new Outdoor Learning Complex that features a professionally designed bouldering gym and includes storage space for outdoor equipment and bicycles. The building is flanked with a new pump track, a topnotch training area for the mountain biking team and participants in the school’s Outdoor Adventure: Cycling program.

“We have an extremely competitive mountain biking team, and the program is increasingly popular here and across the country,” said Karl Sjolund, head of school. “The same is true for our climbing team. While our focus will remain on outdoor climbing, this new bouldering wall will allow our climbers to train more efficiently and increase their skills more quickly.

“The center strengthens our commitment to utilizing our 550-acre campus as a learning lab, for everything from adventure education to outdoor teaching spaces.”

SAS will officially mark the opening of the Outdoor Learning Complex during Fall Family Weekend, Sept. 26-28.

A unique holiday event is coming this December as Christmas in The Caverns: Symphony & Sing Off brings orchestral music and local voices together in a one-night-only celebration underground.

Presented in partnership by The Caverns, the University of the South, and the South Cumberland Community Fund (SCCF), the event will feature a live performance of Christmas and holiday music by the Sewanee Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Sewanee Assistant Professor of Music Mario Alejandro Torres.

“Through music, we come together to celebrate the bonds of community, the traditions we cherish, and the joy of the season,” says Maestro Torres. “To perform in this remarkable space, joined by the voices that echo the heart of our region, is to feel music come alive in its truest form.”

The evening also includes a regional Sing Off, a vocal competition inviting local talent of all ages from across the South Cumberland region. The concert will take place on 7 p.m., Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, inside The Caverns’ underground concert hall and is free to the public with advance RSVP required for limited seating for residents of Tennessee’s South Cumberland region. Doors open at 6 p.m. Free tickets will be available to community members to reserve starting Oct. 15 at <TheCaverns.com>.

“This is the kind of event that uplifts our communities by showcasing local talent, investing in young artists, and providing access to cultural experiences,” says Tom Sanders, executive director of the South Cumberland Community Fund. “It’s a joyful way to celebrate the season and the people who make this region special.”

The Sing Off is open to residents and community members of the South Cumberland region, which consists of Altamont, Beersheba Springs, Coalmont, Gruetli-Laager, Monteagle, Palmer, Pelham, Sewanee, and Tracy City or those with strong ties to the area. Three finalists will be selected to perform live with the Sewanee Symphony Orchestra during the Dec. 5 event at The Caverns. A panel of judges will select the winner, and the audience will select a crowd favorite.

This competition is open to all: from those who sing in the shower and have never performed in public to those professionally trained—and from young to old.

Prizes include: First place: $1,000 cash award, a performance with the Sewanee Symphony Orchestra, two tickets to an upcoming show at The Caverns with overnight yurt accommodations, venue merchandise, and a professional video of their performance with the orchestra. Second place: $500 cash award, a performance with the Sewanee Symphony Orchestra, two tickets to an upcoming show at The Caverns, venue merchandise, and a professional video of their performance with the orchestra. Third place: $250 cash award, a performance with the Sewanee Symphony Orchestra, two tickets to an upcoming show at The Caverns, venue merchandise, and a professional video of their performance with the orchestra.

Crowd favorite: In addition to one of the prizes above, the crowd favorite will win a package consisting of goods and services donated by local and regional businesses.

To audition for the Sing Off, submission window through Sept. 15, 2025. Submit at least two vocal performances via MP3, video links, or TikTok links. Submit entries at: <TheCaverns.com/SingOff>.

At least one submission must feature one of the required songs that the Sewanee Symphony Orchestra will be performing during the concert: “Santa Baby,” “Santa Dear,” or “It Wouldn’t Be Christmas Without You.”

Judging panel includes representatives from Sewanee, The Caverns, and SCCF.

Finalists will be announced in October, and will have an opportunity to rehearse with the orchestra before the Dec. 5 event.

This special evening offers a rare opportunity to experience the magic of live orchestral holiday music deep underground while supporting and celebrating local singers from across the South Cumberland region. Community members are encouraged to audition for the Sing Off or reserve seats early for this unforgettable seasonal event.

Sewanee’s Office of Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability (OESS) and the Mountain Goat Trail Alliance (MGTA) are excited to announce that the next section of Mountain Goat Trail construction will happen in downtown Sewanee.

MGTA recently received a grant from the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) to utilize an alternative paving product made from recycled tires on its trail. Two sections of trail were recently completed in Grundy County using this product, and materials were delivered this week to Sewanee to start on the next section.

The 0.4-mile section of abandoned railbed between downtown and Sherwood Road has been part of the Perimeter Trail for many years. This resurfacing project will bring it up to the standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act and make it more accessible to users of all abilities.

This section was initially scheduled for construction next year, but extra materials from the TDEC grant made it possible to begin sooner. “We’re excited to use this new porous pavement, which helps reduce the number of tires in Tennessee landfills,” says Patrick Dean, executive director of the MGTA. “Our thanks to TDEC and the Tire Environmental Act Program for choosing the Mountain Goat Trail to be a part of this innovative initiative.”

When complete, the Mountain Goat Trail will span almost 40 miles between Cowan and Palmer. Thirteen miles of the trail have been completed, with another 25 miles currently in design. According to the MGTA, more than 79,000 people per year currently use the trail every year. That number is expected to increase substantially once the project is complete.

Clearing and construction of the new trail section is scheduled to begin on Monday, Aug. 18 and we hope to have construction complete by Oct. 1.

by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

“TCA (Tennessee Code Annotated) requires now we teach a firearms safety class,” School Health Coordinator Chris Hawkersmith told the Franklin County School Board at the Aug. 8 meeting. Hawkersmith talked about the age-specific focus of the instruction and why it was needed. In regular business, the board approved 10 policy amendments recommended by the Tennessee School Board Association addressing crowdfunding, anti-Semitism, and diversity goals.

“In the United States, unintentional injuries from firearms is the fourth leading cause of death among infants, and the top among children and adolescents from one to 17,” Hawkersmith said. “The [training] is a strategy to help reduce this number. No political stuff. It’s not handling firearms or shooting firearms. In K through 6, the main focuses are stop, don’t touch, leave the area quickly, and tell an adult. In grades 6 through 12 [the basics] are firearm identification, basic home firearm safety, storage of firearms and ammunition.”

Parents received a letter explaining the focus and key points of the training. Parents may ‘opt out’ by signing and returning the letter. Information on the specifics of the training is available on the Tennessee state website.

Significant among the policy amendments, the Fundraising Policy no longer forbids crowdfunding. “In the eyes of the Tennessee comptroller, any time we are asking for money or school supplies is a fundraiser,” explained Deputy Director of Finances Jenny Phillips. “Crowdfunding is asking people to go online and give money.” Phillips cited the example of an Amazon Wish List. The policy stipulates all fundraising must be approved by the school principal and director of schools. “The amended policy gives more options,” said Human Resources Supervisor Roger Alsup. Board member Erik Cole requested clarification of the provision, “students shall not go door to door,” asking if this applied to students asking businesses to give money. “The [rule] is for the safety of the students,” said board member Sara Liechty. Parents accompanying the child would be a different circumstance, board member Sandy Shultz observed. Phillips suggested the policy stipulate children should not go to residences. Alsup suggested the policy stipulate students were “discouraged” from going door to door. He will add verbiage to clarify the door-to-door provision.

The Instructional Programs policy statement “The Board shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or disability in its instructional program or activities” was amended with the addition “Discrimination shall include anti-Semitism.” The amended Discrimination/Harassment policy stipulated including “anti-Semitism” as a form of “religious discrimination/harassment” among the forbidden practices.

The amended policy addressing the Personal Goals of the board removed the provision that called for setting goals for educators to “take into consideration the diversity of the student population.” Board member Sarah Marhevsky questioned the policy change. “It [the diversity goal] must come out,” Alsup said. Board chair CleiJo Walker concurred. The board will discuss the diversity-goal issue at a workshop. Questioned after the meeting, Marhevsky said, “This change is related to the [Trump] administration’s requirements.” According to NPR, “The Trump administration has threatened to withhold federal funds from public schools that have diversity, equity and inclusion programs.”

In the Legislative Update, Marhevsky recommend the board pass a “Resolution in Support of a Free Public Education for All Students in Tennessee,” in response to proposed state legislation that would allow public schools to charge a fee if students could not prove they are legal residents of the United States. The resolution states, “the 14th Amendment to The Constitution of the United States includes the Equal Protection Clause and the Due Process Clause, which through court cases, including Plyler, has been shown to include free public education as a property right (5th Amendment) for all.” The resolution passed with board member Erik Cole voting, “nay.”

In the School Spotlight, the board heard from Sewanee Elementary School Principal Allison Dietz. SES is celebrating its “100th year of education.” In the most recent data available, SES received a letter grade of “A” for the 2023-2024 school year. Equally impressive, in English Language Arts 76.7 percent of SES students tested at grade level or above, a 2.6 percent increase from the previous year; in math, 78.7 percent of students tested at grade level or above, a 9.3 percent increase; and in science, 78.3 percent of students tested at grade level or above, a 3.3 percent increase.

St. Andrew’s-Sewanee School is excited to welcome five new faculty members and announce some changing roles among existing faculty.

Jo Lind Weaver was named Chief Development Officer in January. With more than 20 years of development experience with independent schools and other educational endeavors, Weaver has a proven track record of strategic planning and implementation of development objectives. She has a bachelor’s degree in business management from Aquinas College.

Charles Houston Beaumont, ’95, joins our faculty as learning resources coordinator and mathematics teacher. Beaumont has more than 20 years of experience as an exceptional education teacher, developing and implementing individualized education plans (IEPs) to help students maximize their success. A long-time resident of the mountain, Beaumont also has experience as a wilderness counselor and an Episcopal summer camp director. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in multidisciplinary education.

Margo Cloniger brings her extensive teaching experience in arts and literacy to the Humanities faculty as an English teacher. She is passionate about student voice, experiential learning, storytelling, and personal narrative. Certified as a Montessori educator, she holds a Bachelor of Science degree in anthropology and sociology from UNC Asheville. Cloniger is also an experienced home-school educator

Larson Heitzenrater, ’19, joins the faculty full-time as Associate Admissions Counselor and Varsity boys’ basketball head coach. Larson holds a Bachelor of Science degree in economics from Wofford College and brings sales and management experience to his role. For the past two years, he has served as head coach of the Middle School boys’ basketball and soccer teams. Rob Zeitler will now serve as the head coach of the Middle School boys’ basketball team.

Michael Kochinski is our Father Flye Fellow, teaching mathematics and adventure education and assisting with mountain biking, climbing, and cycling. A graduate of the University of the South, Michael holds a Bachelor of Science degree in biology and has worked in animal husbandry with the Foothills Wildlife Research Facility in Fort Collins, Colo., and as leader of the reforestation crew with EcoForesters in Asheville, N.C.

In addition to new faculty members, several SAS faculty have made significant shifts in their responsibilities. Rachel Malde returns full-time to the art classroom and remains service coordinator, and Katie Gibson, librarian, is the new Middle School coordinator in addition to coaching Middle School volleyball. Stephen Brehm will teach Middle School music, and Jeff Christopher will serve as Mathematics Chair. Sandy Glacet will serve as the Assistant Dean and Registrar, as John Phillips takes the role of Interim Associate Head of School and Dean, and Tracy Randolph is the new Director of Marketing and Communications. Tim Wallace will teach seventh-grade humanities, and Nick Ercole will serve as co-chair of the Humanities Department.

by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

Late on the afternoon of Aug. 8, Marion Animal Resource Connection cofounder April Bowden received the following text from Grundy County Sheriff Detective Avery McGinness: “I have extracted eight children from a home. The home has 41 dogs, a pig, and some cats that need to be extracted. I need some help.” McGinness also contacted Easy’s Dog Shelter in Tracy City and several other Tennessee shelters. MARC and Easy’s were both full. Tennessee Department of Children’s Services took custody of the children. In a Facebook post, Easy’s founder Andy Wostal wrote, “Tomorrow evening is the last the Sheriff’s department can tend to [the dogs]. If they are still on the property they will have to euthanize them.” In a social media update the following evening, the sheriff’s department wrote, “Some of these animals passed away overnight and into the day due to their conditions.”

Bowden coordinated her schedule with the sheriff’s department and visited the site late Saturday afternoon. By then, all but 15 dogs had been placed in shelters or with individuals. Five escaped during the effort to confine them. “One of the deputies got bitten,” Bowden said. “The dogs were starting to bite out of fear. They were terrified.” Based on what Bowden learned, when McGinness arrived, there were some dogs in a cage outside, others tied to trees, and a large number in the house. Plans were underway to livetrap the escapees.

Law enforcement arrested Zachariah Nunley and Vera Nunley. Charges included child neglect and animal cruelty. The Smithville residence hosted a Facebook page, Nunley’s Menagerie, asking for donations and professing to rescue dogs and offer spay-neuter services.

“My question is, was the family pretending to be a rescue,” Bowden said.

“When I moved to Marion County in 2005 there were six people doing what they considered to be animal rescue, because there was no shelter. It can turn into hoarding, and it turned into hoarding five times in front of my eyes watching from the sidelines.”

In one of the most horrific incident, Annette Mobely was arrested after investigators discovered almost 150 dead, sick and/or neglected animals at the Perry Link Memorial Humane Society operated by Mobley in Whitwell.

“These people think they’re helping, but they don’t have the resources, they don’t have the education,” Bowden said. “It turns into animal suffering.”

“It will keep happening until there is animal control and people aren’t encouraged to do it themselves. I don’t know what happened in [the Smithville] situation. I don’t think these people were purposely torturing animals. I think the woman would take animals probably with the intention of helping them or finding them homes. No one can afford to feed 41 animals if they have eight children they’re supposed to be feeding, too.”

“I’ve seen it happen so many times,” Bowden insisted. An elderly couple Bowden visited in 2011 had 28 dogs chained to trees or in crates outside in the dead of winter. “They were adamant they were keeping these strays from getting hit by cars,” Bowden said.

More recently, in 2021, a Grundy County woman, Margaret Allanson, was arrested and 211 animals rescued from her property near Gruetli-Laager. Law enforcement found over 160 skulls at the site. Officers were called to the property back in 2012, when Allanson had over 100 dogs on her property, but she wasn’t prosecuted.

Just this past July, 14 starved and neglected dogs were seized in Marion County and three Marion County residents charged with animal cruelty.

“There are probably hundreds of hoarding cases in the area,” Bowden said. Jasper has a law prohibiting people to own more than three dogs. “They don’t have a problem,” Bowden observed. “There needs to be some protocol in place,” she insisted, “simple things like the minimum length of a chain and the number of dogs allowed per square foot.” Bowden also argues there needs to be “a punishment,” not necessarily jail time, but perhaps prohibiting those who hoard or neglect animals from owning animals for five years.

Another concern Bowden pointed to was, due to the urgency of the recent Smithville hoarding case and lacking a shelter, unvetted dogs were placed with unvetted owners. “A dog with Parvo-like symptoms died while we stood there watching,” Bowden said. Another dog tested positive for Parvo, a highly contagious disease. Although two vets were on the scene volunteering services, the majority of the dogs went to new homes or foster homes without receiving testing or medical attention. Bowden has been fielding phone calls from panicked people who rescued one of the Smithville dogs and now want to be freed of the obligation due to concern about their own pets catching Parvo. Bowden suggested in hoarding rescue instances a temporary shelter might be set up at a firehall or similar location to allow the dogs to be screened for disease and serious medical conditions before being placed in homes.

Thanks went out from the Grundy County Sheriff’s Department for the outpouring of support and assistance from individual and area shelters. In addition to Easy’s and MARC, Animal Harbor, the Coffee County Humane Society, Nashville Humane Society, and Ruff Rescue responded to the call for help.

Founded in 2011, MARC was never intended as a shelter, but rather, to provide spay-neuter services and to find homes for animals in need. While applauding the generous community response to the sheriff department’s call for help and endorsing the need for shelters, MARC cofounder Sue Scruggs conceded, “Another shelter would fill up in two hours.”

The final piece of the Mountain Goat Trail between Monteagle and Tracy City has been completed. The half-mile segment between Northscenic Road and Grundy Housing Authority will allow walkers, runners, and cyclists to travel from the City Hall/DuBose Center area in Monteagle to the Tracy City Roundhouse Park, all on paved mulitmodal trail.

“We’re excited to have Monteagle and Tracy City connected by the Mountain Goat Trail. This gives us six miles of continuous trail for community members and visitors to enjoy, and opens the door for events between the two towns,” said Patrick Dean, executive director of the Mountain Goat Trail Alliance.

The Mountain Goat Trail will extend from Cowan to Palmer along the route of the historic Mountain Goat Railroad, and is expected to be close to forty miles long when connected. In addition to the completed section, two short segments connecting to the South Cumberland State Park Visitor Center and to the Fiery Gizzard trailhead are under construction. For more information, visit <www.mountaingoattrail.org>.

by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

Bo’s Buddies is a story about Michelle Story’s answer to that question. The story begins almost four years ago. “A dog got shot. It was a family pet. The people were looking for their dog,” Story said. She soon learned it was not uncommon for people to shoot stray dogs in Marion County. “I started trying to figure out why this is happening. People told me [law enforcement] said to shoot a stray dog if they felt threatened.”

A registered nurse and owner of medical spas in Jasper and Monteagle, Story moved to Sequatchie in 2015. In 2021, she adopted a dog from Marion Animal Resources Connection (MARC). The trauma of imagining how she would have felt if her dog had wandered off and been shot prompted her to talk with Marion County Mayor David Jackson, who in turn put her in touch with Sheriff Ronnie Burnette.

Story sympathizes with people who feel threatened by stray dogs. “If there is a vicious dog in my yard, I don’t want to have that responsibility [to shoot the dog]. I want to have someone I can call. Technically, the sheriff’s department is responsible. Animals running at large is against Tennessee state law.”

But when Story spoke with Sherriff Burnette, a far more complex picture began to emerge. “When I asked why they don’t respond to animal calls, he said, ‘We don’t have the resources. What are we supposed to do with them? Put them in jail? Bring them to the police station?’”

Marion County has an Animal Control Committee composed of five county commissioners, but no officer dedicated to animal control and no shelter. Founded in 2011, MARC’s mission is to offer low cost spay-neuter services to reduce pet overpopulation and to rehome animals in need. Never intended as a shelter, MARC places dogs and cats in temporary foster homes until a forever home can be found.

“MARC is always full. They do everything they can for this community,” Story said.

And the dogs that people contact MARC about are often not only homeless, but tragically in need of medical care.

On July 2, a Marion County Deputy arrested three individuals for animal cruelty. The photographs of the 14 dogs found at the residence are difficult to look at. Some of the dogs literally resembled dog skeletons with skin stretched taut over the bones. Story accompanied the deputy who made the arrest. “It was a tough day,” Story acknowledged. “Dogs with their poor bones showing through their skin. Tick infested and flea infested, skin irritations and urine stains on their paws, toenails that were uncomfortable for them to walk on, ears with insect bites.” Ultimately, all 14 dogs went to MARC. “Some had heartworms. All of them tested positive for intestinal parasites and needed medical attention. Having a shelter in place for when these things happen would have been a lot easier than the blood, sweat and tears of trying to figure out what we were going to do and how we were going to do it,” Story said. Several days later, another Marion County dog owner was arrested for animal cruelty and five more dogs went to MARC.

Convinced of the need for a Marion County shelter, Story crafted a proposal based on a Rhea County shelter formed as a nonprofit and receiving financial support from the local government.

“All the county commissioners were very receptive to the idea,” Story said.

Story established a nonprofit called Animal Protective Services of Marion, Inc. The board of directors includes a Marion County educator, attorney, and veterinarian. The nonprofit operates under the business name “Bo’s Buddies.” “Who doesn’t know who Bo is?” the website asks. Who hasn’t had a ‘Bo’ in their life, a loyal four-legged friend who offered unconditional love and trust?

“Some people just don’t know how to maintain dogs or end up having more dogs than they can take care of,” said Mayor Jackson. “There is a definite need to have a shelter. Once Bo’s Buddies gets their plan put together, hopefully the county commission will throw some funding that way.”

“Our mission is to provide resources and establish an animal shelter to support local law enforcement agencies,” Story said. “By equipping them with the necessary tools to respond to animal cruelty and neglect cases, we also enhance public safety and promote humane treatment for all animals in Marion County, Tenn.”

Story’s top priority need is a location, land to lease, or reasonably priced land to buy, or, better still, land donated to the county. Her dream location would have 5-8 acres so the shelter could eventually expand to take farm animals. Another recent animal cruelty case resulted in a horse being euthanized.

Land is the first crucial ingredient, Story stressed. She explained grant funding is available, but the baseline requirement for funding is having property to build on or, at the least, identified to purchase. Volunteers have offered to help with excavation, plumbing and electrical, and even to supply concrete, possibly at low or no cost.

Story also needs people to help with fundraising and to educate the public about the need. Volunteers have stepped forward from South Pittsburg Mountain and Jasper Highlands, but Story pointed out, “This county is huge.” She would love to hear from people in Jasper, Kimball, South Pittsburg, Whitwell, Crossroads, and Haletown willing to help coordinate fundraising and spread the word.

And finally, Bo’s Buddies, needs money. To donate and learn more about the effort visit <https://www.bosbuddies.org;.

“I’m a great supporter,” said Sheriff Burnette. “As far as dogs running at large, we have some.” In cases where the owner is known, a deputy issues a warning and, after 3-4 warnings, will write a citation “Our biggest problem is people having dogs in pens and not feeding them proper and not taking care of them,” Burnette insisted. “I have a deputy who has charged several people. He’s a lover of animals. He would love the job of animal control officer. But first we have to have a place.”