Looking back at 2022
Jan. 3—After taking a look back into the first six months of the year in our Thursday and Saturday editions, we — the editorial staff of the Lebanon Democrat — continue our glance back at some of the top happenings in Wilson County in 2022 by focusing on what took place from July through September.
JULY
Protests on the Lebanon square
The Supreme Court ruled to overturn the long-standing federal protection for abortions and sparked protests around the country on June 24.
In Wilson County, a teen decided that women in his community needed to know that someone had their backs. Aiden Pratt, president of the Wilson County Young Democrats, along with other members of the group, organized a demonstration on the Lebanon square.
Pratt and his group marched to the Wilson County Courthouse, waving signs that objected to the Supreme Court decision.
Mt. Juliet updates ambulance services
It was decided that ambulatory services in Mt. Juliet would soon be conducted exclusively by the city in a move that the fire chief says is needed with so much growth between the lakes.
The move was previously approved in June by the Mt. Juliet city commission and amended the relationship between Mt. Juliet and the Wilson County Emergency Management Agency (WEMA).
In addition to the three emergency ambulances, Mt. Juliet also obtained an ambulance for non-emergency situations.
Soccer complex approved
Lebanon City Council approved the first reading of an ordinance to set aside funding for a multi-sport complex inside the city.
The complex will have conventional grass fields and one artificial turf field.
Bid-winner RELYANT Global's vice president of the Americas, Howard Haynes, said that his company was thrilled to be on the project, adding that he was surprised that it was the only bid submitted.
Mt. Juliet celebrates 50th anniversary
Over the last 50 years, Mt. Juliet transformed into a bustling place to live, an afterthought for the farming community that once worked the land.
Mt. Juliet celebrated its 50th birthday in July at Charlie Daniels Park.
The event featured live music, kid-friendly activities and a hot-air balloon ride.
An aerial view gave guests who have lived through the changes a clear vision of how much the city has grown.
Cumberland football field to get artificial turf
Cumberland University's Nokes-Lasater Field has been the only natural-grass field used by Mid-South Conference football teams, but the Phoenix home field will receive artificial turf for the 2023 campaign.
Other upgrades planned for the 57-year-old facility — which was the former home of Lebanon High School — include a jumbotron scoreboard, sidewalks and play clocks.
The turf will be multi-purpose and lined with football, soccer and lacrosse markings, enabling the Phoenix the opportunity to move a match from the on-campus Lindsey Donnell Stadium to the football field and play night games under the lights.
Women's lacrosse will become the 24th varsity sport at Cumberland and 31st including junior-varsity teams.
Groundbreaking is expected in February.
TCAP results revealed
School officials revealed Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) results during the Wilson County School Board meeting in July.
The school district ranked third in the state in districts with more than 4,000 enrolled students for third grade through eighth grade in English Language Arts. Wilson County Schools also ranked third for the same age group in mathematics.
For high-school students, the results were even better. The district ranked second statewide in English I, English II, and Biology. It also ranked third in Algebra I, Algebra II and Geometry.
Men arrested after vandalizing headstones
In July, local authorities arrested two Lebanon men in connection to the desecration of more than 100 headstones at two Lebanon cemeteries back in February.
Justin Emler, 31, and Jeremy Heaton, 23, were charged with vandalism of more than $60,000 for their role in the destruction that took place at Cedar Grove Cemetery and Wilson County Memorial Gardens Cemetery on South Maple Street.
Staffing woes come to a close
After Wilson County agreed to increase wages for first responder personnel in June, County officials said that the increase already alleviated the staffing shortfalls that precipitated it in July.
Wilson County Emergency Management Agency EMS Chief Brian Newberry said that the department put out applications for uncertified, which means they don't have formal training. The department planneed to train those applicants in house to make up the gap that Newberry said was caused by the "market not being there."
Wilson Central principal moves to central office
Wilson Central High School Principal Travis Mayfield was named as the new Wilson County Schools Deputy director of operations in July.
Mayfield served as principal at Wilson Central High School for seven years. Under his leadership, the school achieved numerous state and national awards/honors.
His new role as the district's director of operations is one that he was eager to start.
With the district experiencing substantial annual enrollment growth, the school system felt that effective project planning and operations management among its current schools — and schools to be built in the future — is essential for its long-term success.
The school's ssistant principal, Dr. Jennifer Ankney, was selected as the new principal.
AUGUST
Armistead leaves school board
The Wilson County School Board formally said goodbye to board member Linda Armistead during its August meeting.
The farewell drew the curtain on a career spanning 48 years between her time as an educator and board member.
Armistead declined to seek reelection.
Armistead taught for 38 years before running for a school board seat and first joined the school board in 2014.
Wilson County commission and school board elections in the books
Wilson County commissioners Lauren Breeze (district 18) and Chris Dowell (district 15) won reelection campaigns against challenges from Republican candidates.
Republican challenger Blake Hall defeated independent Wilson County commissioner Sara Patton in district 9.
In district, 1 Robert Fields defeated a challenge from Michelle Newton. In district 6, Beth Bowman won the vacated seat of outgoing county commissioner Kenny Reich.
Republicans won every school-board seat that was up for grabs during the August election.
Joseph Padilla defeated independent Dottie Critchlow by more than 300 votes.
Newcomer Dr. Beth Meyers defeated long-time board member Bill Robinson.
Incumbent Kimberly McGee defeated a challenge from independent Dalton Teel in the other contested race.
Local lawyer indicted for theft
A grand jury indicted a Lebanon-based lawyer in August on a charge of theft of more than $250,000. The Supreme Court suspended her law license.
Jennifer M. Porth was formally indicted after an investigation by the Tennessee Comptroller's Office, which was working in conjunction with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and at the request of the District Attorney General of the 15th Judicial District Jason Lawson.
An investigation revealed that Porth allegedly misappropriated at least $254,000 from multiple clients. Those amounts include $220,800 in direct-cash withdrawals from 10 separate conservator and probate accounts and $22,895 in transfers made from client accounts into her personal bank account.
K-9 helps in arrest
A teen burglary suspect was apprehended in Mt. Juliet in August with help from a local K-9 unit named Majlo.
Mt. Juliet Police Department officers responded to a burglary alarm at Tractor Supply Company, located at 14295 Lebanon Road. Sgt. Chris Barth and K-9 Majlo were the first to arrive, and the K-9 was deployed to find the suspect.
The individual suspected in the case is a juvenile who was identified as a 16-year-old male from Antioch.
Biotechnology facility brought jobs to Lebanon
A biotechnology industry giant, Thermo Fisher Scientific, opened a 400,000-square-foot facility in Lebanon in August.
The facility is engineered to meet the demand for bioprocessing materials needed in the production of vaccines and therapies for cancer, as well as other diseases.
The site represented a $105-million investment in Wilson County and brings with it the promise of 1,400 new jobs.
Tritium establishes foothold in Lebanon
The old Toshiba plant in Lebanon is now the U.S. base for a global leader in the electric-vehicle industry.
Representatives from the Australia-based company Tritium commemorated their establishment of a North American foothold in an industry charging full steam ahead.
Figures provided by the company indicated that the Lebanon manufacturing facility would include up to six production lines and employ 500 people over the next five years. Initially, the plant will produce more than 10,000 DC fast charger units per year, potentially producing approximately 30,000 units per year at peak capacity.
Fair worker assaulted
A Texas man who came to Lebanon to work the Wilson County Fair-Tennessee State Fair was hospitalized in August following an altercation.
Daniel Brown, 23, of San Antonio, Texas, responded to an ad for temporary employment from an independent contractor at the fair. He made the 900-mile trip from Texas to Middle Tennessee and began the term of his employment.
According to Brown, he was supposed to be paid $1,650 for the length of his contract. He indicated that he was not paid the agreed-upon amount for his services. When he tried to address the discrepancy, he claimed he was jumped by multiple people, who left him bloodied and requiring hospitalization.
State fair draws record number of attendees
Attendance rates at the Wilson County Fair-Tennessee State Fair soared above previous totals and shattered records nearly every day.
Compared to last year, the 2022 fair drew nearly 300,000 more visitors.
In total, 776,195 people attended the fair.
In addition to the visitors from the Volunteer State, 32 other states were represented by fair-goers over the 10-day duration. On top of that, people from 12 different countries also took in the festivities at the fair.
Monkeypox confirmed in Wilson County
The Wilson County Health Department confirmed that the county had a confirmed case of monkeypox.
A press release from the health department described monkeypox as a "previously rare disease, caused by a virus that's in the same family as smallpox but much less severe and less contagious."
Symptoms are reportedly similar to a flu-like illness but are more commonly characterized by a rash or skin lesions that look like little blisters, pimples, or sores.
CU track and field coaching changes
Cumberland University head men's and women's track and field coach Mardy Scales resigned on Sept. 9, and assistant coach Atsu Nyamadi was promoted to interim head coach beginning on Sept. 12.
Scales was the first ever track and field head coach hired by Pavan in December of 2016.
Scalees ran track professionally from 2004-09 with Nike, representing the United States in various athletic events around the globe, earning silver medal in the 100-meter dash in the 2003 Pan American games. Scales was a member of the USA Track & Field world championship team in 2005 after winning the USA Indoor 60-meter championship that year.
During his tenure at Cumberland, Scales produced three individual NAIA national champions, most recently this last spring when Praise Idamadudu won the outdoor 400-meter and Sibanda Dumoluhle won the triple jump. The first national champion from the track program was Charles Shimukowa in the 800-meter indoor.
Nyamadi spent the past four seasons as the Phoenix assistant coach. Prior to joining the Cumberland staff, Nyamadi spent 2017-18 at Florida A&M University as the multis, jumps and throwing coach.
Cleaners closes after 50 years
Sparkle Cleaners turned off its open sign one last time in September and drew to a close the owner's 50-year career in the industry.
The dry cleaner has dedicated his career to cleaning Lebanon's clothes. It's impossible to estimate how many articles he has returned to form. He was in grade school when his father, David McKinney, bought the business at 319 East Main St. in Lebanon and rebranded it as Sparkle. Alongside his brother Sam, David McKinney ran the business and raised a family.
SEPTEMBER
Former Cumberland players involved in vehicle fatality
Former Cumberland defensive lineman Marcus Webb, 22, was killed, and four others were injured as the result of a one-car auto accident on Sept. 4 in Murfreesboro.
Cornerback Brandon Pace, Jr., 20, was listed in critical condition after the accident.
According to a release from the school, former defensive back Jamir Johnson, 24, sophomore defensive lineman Jeremiah Matthews, 20, and sophomore running back Lamar Childress, 22, were in stable condition following the accident.
Johnson, the driver of the vehicle, was later charged with vehicular homicide and three counts of vehicular assault.
Cumberland canceled its football game the following Saturday at Reinhardt (Georgia) University.
Three new century farms in Wilson County
Wilson County has more than 100 century farms, and there are roughly 2,100 across the state. The main requirements for the century farm are continuous family ownership and uninterrupted annual farm production.
Three Wilson County farms obtained that recognition this year. The George Alexander Cunningham-Troy Judson Cunningham Farm, Cassetty Farms, and the Bingham-Thorne Farm officially joined the ranks.
New WCS chairperson elected
A narrow vote decided the next chair for the Wilson County School Board.
School board member Jamie Farough, who represents the county's zone 7, emerged against her colleague Kimberly McGee, who represents zone 6, for the seat by a count of 4-3.
The school board dispensed with a ceremonial switching of the guard during its September meeting, as Farough remained in her usual seat, where she conducted the remainder of the agenda's business.
Watertown explosive storage facility withdrawn
An explosive-product storage facility request in Watertown was withdrawn from consideration at the Wilson County Planning Commission meeting on Sept. 16.
Concerns from the community ranged from various elements of safety impacts, between the increased traffic volumes that would inevitably follow the construction of a business out there to the prospect of something going wrong with the explosive stored on site.
The request concerned property at 100 Taylor Road and would have seen it rezoned from A-1 agricultural district to I-2 industrial zoning.
NASCAR to return to Nashville Superspeedway
NASCAR will make its third consecutive trip to Nashville Superspeedway during the last week of June in 2023.
The third annual Ally 400 will run on Sunday, June 25. The Tennessee Lottery 250 Xfinity Series race will be held on Saturday, June 24, and the Rackley Roofing 200 Craftsman Truck Series will be on Friday, June 23.
Tickets went on sale in October.
NASCAR will celebrate its 75th anniversary season in 2023.
Schools receive recognition for excellence
Eight Wilson County schools from every learning level obtained high enough scores to be labeled reward schools in the Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE) rankings.
Schools are recognized as a reward school if they demonstrate high levels of performance and improvement by meeting annual measurable objectives across various indicators and student groups.
The four schools that obtained reward distinction were W.A. Wright Elementary, Springdale Elementary, Gladeville Elementary, and Rutland Elementary.
In the Lebanon Special School District, Sam Houston Elementary School earned reward status following its performance on a year-over-year accountability scale.
Reward status is the top distinction a school can earn in Tennessee and is based on performance of all students on each indicator, as well as performance of historically-underserved student groups across all eligible accountability indicators.