People

Rick Stephens, alderman with the town of Petersburg, died Aug. 13, 2023, at the age of 63 following a vehicle accident. Stephens had been chosen to fill a vacancy on the Petersburg Board of Mayor and Aldermen on May 2. A native of Muncie, Ind., he was employed as a machinist at Schwan Cosmetics in...

Lt. Kody Fox of the Cleveland Police Department was recently selected as the 2023 American Legion Department of Tennessee Law Enforcement Officer of the Year. Fox has served CPD in a variety of ways, including on the SWAT team, as a field training officer, and as a criminal investigator. During his...

Lexington Mayor Jeff Griggs recently swore in three new officers with the Lexington Police Department. From left to right: Officer Chad Hollingshead, Officer Seaira Hack, Officer Conner Hemphill, and Lexington Mayor Jeff Griggs.  

Gwen Noe, fire chaplain for the Nolensville Fire Department, was named the 2023 Fire Chaplain of the Year by the Tennessee Foundation of Fire Chaplains. Noe has served as a critical incident stress management trainer, peer supporter, and first responder for psychological crisis with the department...

A Nashville post office has been renamed in honor of late Tennessee state lawmaker Sen. Thelma Harper, becoming one of less than 1,000 nationwide and only 11 in Tennessee named for a person. An act of Congress approved the renaming of the post office on Rosa L. Parks Boulevard to honor Harper, the...

Rachel Malone has been selected as the new recreation and event manager with the Farragut Parks and Recreation Department. Prior to joining the town of Farragut, Malone served as a recreation generalist with the Johnson City Department of Parks and Recreation where she helped start a therapeutic...

Burt Johnson, city manager of Soddy-Daisy, has been selected to serve on the Parkridge Health System Board of Trustees, which provides input on strategic direction and leadership. Parkridge recently broke ground on a new, freestanding emergency room in Soddy-Daisy projected to be open in the spring...

Burkett L. Witt, the longtime former and first black mayor of Athens, died Aug. 11, 2023, at the age of 97. Witt spent more than 30 years on the Athens City Council after being first elected to office in 1971 as the city’s first black councilman. In 1983, he was elected mayor by his fellow...

Christina Temple has been selected as the new chief of staff for Secretary of State Tre Hargett. As chief of staff, Temple will serve as senior advisor to Secretary Hargett and lead legislative affairs with the Tennessee General Assembly and Tennessee’s congressional delegation. A ninth generation...

Jerry Neal, Jellico alderman, died August 5, 2023, at the age of 79. Born in Greensburg, Pa., Neal graduated from Jellico High School in 1962 then attended Cumberland College where he majored in business administration. He also served in the U.S. Army. Neal worked for 32 years at the McComb Supply...

Lexi Dearborn has been selected as the new marketing coordinator for the city of Columbia’s Tourism and Marketing Department. The newly created position will focus on executing marketing strategies for Visit Columbia as well as promote the city and its departments to better communication and serve...