Recovery Efforts Ongoing After Catastrophic Flood
BY KEN LITTLE STAFF WRITER
Fooding spawned by Hurricane Helene carved a wide swath of destruction in Greene County.
Remnants of the powerful hurricane that swept through east Tennessee on Sept. 27-28, 2024, caused unprecedented flooding and catastrophic damage along the Nolichucky River and its tributaries, claiming one life and forever altering many others.
Region-wide flooding swept away major bridges, inundated homes and destroyed water lines and other infrastructure.
Heroic efforts by first responders and private citizens saved many lives. The Hurricane Helene recovery process, including debris removal, remains underway in 2025 and will continue for years to come.
Storms like Helene drive home the importance of public preparedness, said Heather Sipe, director of the Greeneville-Greene County Office of Emergency Management.
“Each year, it becomes more pertinent to increase awareness and ultimately preparedness when it comes to severe weather potential,” she said.
An open house about the Waterway Debris Removal Project Removal Project and other Hurricane Helene-related topics was hosted in March by the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency and debris cleanup contractor Phillips & Jordan, Inc.
About 1.4 million cubic yards of debris had been removed from areas along the Nolichucky River through early March, TEMA district coordinator Michelle Matson said.
Greene County Mayor Kevin Morrison is among those at the forefront of recovery efforts.
‘A
GUT PUNCH’
“We received a gut punch from Mother Nature” last September, he said at the open house, held at the Greeneville Emergency & Rescue Squad.
Extensive recovery efforts remain to be done. Morrison said Greene County has already established a “great reputation” with federal and state officials based on the rapid, efficient recovery response carried out since Tropical Storm Helene, the powerful remnant of Hurricane Helene, ravaged the region.
“We want to help individuals as much as we can. We’re not here to take any property away from you,” Morrison said of the ongoing debris removal project along the Nolichucky River,
“We’ve got a long way to go, but we’re getting there,” Morrison said.
The Tennessee Valley Authority in late 2024 released data collected during and after Tropical Storm Helene that provides insight into the magnitude of the event.
“Significant and catastrophic flood damage to communities occurred
throughout northeast Tennessee and western North Carolina. These were areas where TVA flood control operations could not mitigate impact,” according to the TVA.
“When that floodwater began flowing into the Tennessee River watershed, TVA’s network of dams, and employees, were already at work to protect people downstream.
“Greene County was aided immeasurably by engineer representatives from TVA from the very early stages of the storm and flooding affecting Greene County,” Morrison said.
Flooding on Sept. 27 “was some of the highest flood levels we’ve seen in the Tennessee Valley in its entire history,” said James Everett, TVA’s general manager of river management.
“We saw a record amount of flooding and we saw tremendous amounts of rainfall that caused that flooding. TVA’s dams and the people who manage these dams stepped up to that challenge and managed this record-setting event,” Everett said.
Two months of normal rainfall in just three days fell in the Tennessee River Watershed.
“The reservoir system and its ability to store water during floods led to significant overall reduction in flood crests in communities along the river system. Without TVA’s system of dams, the river stages at Lenoir City and Chattanooga would have been about 21 to 23 feet higher than the observed levels during Helene.
The Nolichucky Dam along Asheville Highway withstood nearly twice the flow of Niagara Falls. The dam held fast, saving further destruction by raging floodwaters in communities downriver. Floodwaters caused significant damage along the river, including the destruction of the historic dam powerhouse, which was built in 1913.
“TVA’s timely, accurate, and wise forecasting and professional advice to our leadership team on the conditions of the Nolichucky River and the Nolichucky Dam saved lives,” Morrison said.
The ongoing debris removal project “is aimed at restoring and maintaining the state’s waterways following Tropical Storm Helene,” Sipe said.
Immediately after the storm, the Tennessee Department of Transportation began damage assessment, inspecting all stateowned bridges, and repairing connectivity in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
Counties with the most significant flooding damage include Greene, Washington, Carter, Unicoi and Cocke, “but this has a major impact across east Tennessee,” Sipe said.
“Long-term closures will be in place across the region as many routes will require significant repairs and for others, a total rebuild,” she
said.
DEBRIS REMOVAL
Phillips & Jordan began the monumental task of debris removal in February. The sheer force of floodwaters on Sept. 27-28 as the remnants of Hurricane Helene tracked across the region realigned the course of the river in some places and left huge debris piles along the flood path.
Tropical Storm Helene “brought heavy rainfall, flooding, and strong winds, leaving massive amounts of debris - including trees, sediment, and man-made materials - across east Tennessee’s waterways. This accumulation threatens local ecosystems, increases the risk
of further flooding, and hampers the use of water resources for communities and businesses,” according to TEMA.
Waterway debris removal remains focused on the:
• Nolichucky River in Greene, Unicoi, and Washington counties
• French Broad River and Pigeon River in Cocke County
• Watagua Lake and Tributaries
• Johnson County waterways
Ongoing project goals include safely removing debris to restore natural water flow, reducing future flood risks, protecting wildlife habitats and water quality, ensuring public safety and infrastructure
PHOTO SPECIAL TO THE SUN
Heather Sipe, left, and Letisha Ricker, director and operations officer, respectively, of Greene County Emergency Management and Homeland Security, survey the destruction left behind at Davy Crockett Birthplace State Park by the remnants of Hurricane Helene.
SUN FILE PHOTO
During the Nolichucky River flood on Sept. 27, 2024, water levels rose to 8 feet above the roof of the three-story Greeneville Water Commission pump station building on Holly Creek Road. This is how the building appeared in early January. Repairs on the structure and machinery housed inside are underway.
Greeneville Water Commission’s Intake Destroyed By Flood, Temporary Pumps Installed
BY SPENCER MORRELL STAFF WRITER
On the evening of Sept. 27, the Greeneville Water Commission’s water intake facility along the Nolichucky River, which houses the pumps that pump water out of the river for the county’s water supply, was completely submerged by floodwaters.
The damage to the structure and the pumps from the flood was severe as the flooding river rushed through it and over eight feet above it.
Two walls of the structure were destroyed, and a round hay bale was found inside the building.
The destruction of the facility located on Holly Creek Road led to the loss of water service to Greeneville and much of Greene County as many of the county’s utility districts are supplied by the Greeneville Water Commission.
Three massive emergency pumps were brought in and placed next to the structure in order to restore water service to the county.
Water service began to return to those within the Town of Greeneville about three days after the flood. Water began returning to the county around five days later. The diesel-fueled pumps continue to supply the county with water.
A boil water advisory was put in place after the flood, and the advisory was eventually lifted on Oct. 15, 2024, signaling that the community’s water supply was safe for consumption.
Water interruptions for some parts of the community were protracted, particularly those in the
Chuckey Utility District and Glen Hills Utility District as pipes delivering water to some residents were severed when bridges collapsed or were damaged.
Crews worked to put temporary lines back in place, including lines on the deck of the damaged Earnest Bridge, to restore water service.
After the flood, officials began working on a plan to repair the Greeneville Water Commission’s intake facility.
It was determined in January 2025, through consultation with Federal Emergency Management Agency officials, that the intake structure would not be moved, but would be repaired where it stood.
Officials noted that some of the caissons for the structure are 150 feet deep in the ground in bedrock, and are 3 feet in diameter, which helped prevent its complete destruction.
Federal officials noted that the facility could be “hardened” against future disasters, which could mean adding another story to the top of the building in an effort to keep the top floor of the building out of harm’s way if a similar flood were to occur in the future.
The repair costs for the structure are expected to be around $14 million.
The Greeneville Water Commission will use zerointerest loan funding from the state of Tennessee’s HEAL program to pay for the repairs. Once the Water Commission is reimbursed by FEMA, it will pay back the loan.
Officials hope to be able to move pumping operations back inside the facility sometime in the summer of 2025.
From FLOOD | page 2E
functionality, and supporting economic uses such as tourism and agriculture.
Work underway includes the extraction of debris from waterways and adjacent lands and the disposal of disaster-approved materials at approved sites.
Work also includes the reconstruction of access points on private lands where needed and the restoration of any property impacted during access construction.
Flooding is not the only severe weather threat possible in Greene County.
“In East Tennessee, we see a variety of weather that at times impacts Greene County,” Sipe said. Still vivid in the memories of those who lived through it is the 2011 tornado outbreak in Greene County.
Greene County has experienced 11 confirmed tornadoes between 1950 and 2024. In April 2011, five tornadoes touched down in one night in several Greene County communities, causing seven
fatalities, multiple injuries, and extensive property damage.
“Severe weather can impact everyone, as our weather and continued recovery from the Helene devastation continues to prove,” said Letisha Ricker, county emergency management operations officer.
“Preparing early is key,” Rcker said.
For more information, visit https:// www.ready.gov .
TVA STORM FACTS
• Water flow over the Nolichucky Dam at the height of flooding was 1.3 million gallons per second. The dam did not fail and remains stable. The dam’s old powerhouse has been removed because of damage caused by flood waters - the facility hadn’t been in service since 1972.
The seven-day rainfall average in the eastern Tennessee River Valley ending on Sept. 29, 2024, was 7.67 inches, about 10 times the normal amount of rainfall that occurs in a normal week in late September.
• Douglas Dam was instrumental
The swollen Nolichucky River
to help prevent downstream flood damage. Between Sept. 26 and Sept. 29, 182 billion gallons of water made Douglas Lake rise almost 22 feet in three days. That is enough water to fill Neyland Stadium in Knoxville 661 times.
• Douglas Dam set a maximum hourly flow record of about 475,000 gallons per second set on Sept. 29. The previous record of about 400,000 gallons per second was set on May 8, 1984.
• The French Broad River in Newport reached a stage of 23.34 feet, just more than 13.34 feet above Flood Stage and just under the flood of record elevation of 24 feet. The flood was the largest on the French
Broad River at Newport since 1867.
• The Pigeon River at Newport reached a new record stage of 28.9 feet, 20.9 feet above Flood Stage and surpassing the previous 1904 flood of record by 5.5 feet.
• The Watauga River at Elizabethton reached 5 feet above flood stage and is the highest flood level in Elizabethton since 1940.
• TVA’s Watauga Dam on the Watauga River in Carter County, east of Elizabethton, reached an elevation of 1,970.29 feet, which broke the previous record by about 3 feet.
• The Doe River at Elizabethton reached 10.78 feet — nearly 3 feet above Flood Stage and just inches below the flood of record in 1998.
SUN FILE PHOTO
John Ottinger Jr. looks over where the Nolichucky River washed away farmland during historic river flooding on Sept. 27, 2024. Ottinger estimated that he lost at least an acre of land, while others lost more.
SUN FILE PHOTO
cascades over the spillway near the Asheville Highway bridge on Sept. 26, 2024. Catastrophic river flooding from the remnants of Hurricane Helene devastated some communities along the river on Sept. 27. The spillway held, although the historic powerhouse at its base was destroyed.
SUN FILE PHOTO
The temporary water pumps placed on the banks of the Nolichucky River to provide Greene County with water have to be constantly monitored, even at night.
NEW MOON PRODUCTIONS
The Greeneville Water Commission’s water intake facility along the banks of the Nolichucky River sustained heavy damage during September 2024’s flooding, which caused much of Greene County to lose access to water for days. Temporary pumps were brought in and placed beside the structure to return water service to the community.
SUN FILE PHOTO
The temporary water pumps supplying the community with water were winterized so they did not freeze during the cold winter months.
Nolichucky Dam Withstands Historic Floodwaters
BY LISA WARREN LIFESTYLES EDITOR
Fooding spawned by Hurricane Helene carved a wide swath of destruction in Greene County.
The Nolichucky Dam has become known as “the little dam that could.”
Following Hurricane Helene, the 111-year-old dam on the Nolichucky River in the South Greene community took on more water than it ever had in the evening and early morning hours of Sept. 27-28, 2024.
Remarkably, the dam held — despite enduring a peak water elevation of 1,266 feet above sea level, which Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) officials say was 9.5 feet over the previous record elevation of 1,256.5 feet set on Nov. 6, 1977. To put this in perspective, the dam took on a water flow rate that was more than double that of Niagara Falls, officials noted.
When TVA dam safety engineer Jim Bryant received word that flood waters were at least 6 feet over the top of the Nolichucky Dam, he admits the news shook him. “It makes you pause because you weren’t expecting that. It certainly makes you heighten up,” he recalled.
TVA officials issued an unprecedented “Condition Red Alert” for the Nolichucky Dam around 11:30 p.m. the night of Friday, Sept. 27. This alert did not mean that the dam had failed, but rather conditions were creating that potential. Bryant compared it to the National Weather Service issuing a tornado warning — and said that TVA’s decision to issue the warning was “the correct one” in that circumstance.
As night turned into day — and the dam was still intact — surprise and relief washed over not only the TVA dam safety team, but the thousands of residents who live downstream from the historic structure.
“That old girl, she really held on,” said Jennifer Dodd, TVA’s general manager for Dam Safety. “That was a really old dam taking on way more water than has ever been seen there. That dam held on in greater adversity than you would ever expect. But maybe that girl is representative of that community. It’s a strong and resilient community.”
Greene County Mayor Kevin Morrison said, “Greene County was aided immeasurably by engineer representatives from TVA from the very early stages of the storm and flooding affecting Greene County. TVA’s timely, accurate, and wise forecasting and professional advice to our leadership team on the conditions of the Nolichucky River and the Nolichucky Dam saved lives.
“We are eternally grateful to the TVA team for standing side by side with us throughout this disaster, recovery and rebuild,” Morrison added.
The Nolichucky Dam was built by the Tennessee Eastern Electric Company in 1912-1913 for hydroelectricity generation. The dam was initially 35 feet high, but an additional 30 feet was added to it in 1925.
The dam was initially equipped with two generators, and TEEC added two more in 1923, according to TVA.
In 1941, the East Tennessee Light & Power Company obtained
ownership of the dam when it purchased TEEC’s assets.
The Tennessee Valley Authority purchased East Tennessee Light & Power in 1945. TVA made various improvements, and at its height, the dam was capable of producing 10,640 kilowatts of electricity.
TVA used the dam for power generation until 1972, when sediment buildup in Davy Crockett Lake made continued electricity generation impractical.
The dam and reservoir are now used for flood control and recreation. The reservoir, which includes about 800 acres of water surface, is a wildlife management area still owned by TVA.
While the Nolichucky Dam withstood the flood waters of Helene. There was damage to the site and embankment. The flood catastrophically damaged the dam’s old powerhouse beyond repair, which precipitated the need to completely raze the structure as repair work got underway. Additionally, the embankment and shoreline on the right side of the dam suffered tremendous erosion from the flood waters. A paved road and parking area that once curved
Greeneville Airport Hosted 101st Airborne
During Flood Recovery
BY SPENCER MORRELL
STAFF WRITER
The Greeneville Municipal Airport became a buzzing hub of activity in the aftermath of flooding from Hurricane Helene, including a stay by the 101st Airborne.
“During the first two weeks, the employees handled at least four times the usual amount of aircraft activity due to volunteers flying in relief supplies for hurricane victims. In the beginning, staff unloaded the
supplies from the planes until we started getting volunteers. Then employees were more freed up to park and fuel aircraft and direct volunteers and keep them safe at the airport,” Airport Manager Angela Alley said in a report to the Airport Authority board in December 2024.
“During this time the airport became a collection and distribution point for water for Greene County. Greeneville
underneath the Oscar B. Lovette Bridge on the Asheville Highway (State Route 70) was completely washed away by the floodwaters. Several homes along the Davy Crockett Reservoir, which stretches 6 miles upstream from the dam, received significant flooding as well.
Since the flood, TVA Dam Safety crews have worked to repair and reinforce the site. To date, more than 24,000 tons of rocks have been trucked onto the site to shore up the
embankment since the flood. TVA has not yet made the determination if the parking area, which was once located under the Lovette Bridge, will be replaced.
TVA officials say that at least two months of normal rainfall fell in three days on the Tennessee River Watershed due to Helene.
“TVA’s flood mitigation strategies prevented approximately $406 million of potential damages,” officials say.
TVA PHOTO
This aerial photo provided to The Greeneville Sun by the Tennessee Valley Authority shows the Nolichucky Dam in October after demolition of the old powerhouse that stood by the dam for decades before floodwaters damaged the powerhouse beyond repair.
SUN FILE PHOTO
Jim Bryant, senior program manager of the TVA Dam Safety Team, is shown in November at the Nolichucky Dam.
PHOTO SPECIAL TO THE SUN/DAVID WEEMS
This aerial photo was taken the morning of Sept. 28, 2024, as flood waters rushed over the Nolichucky Dam.
SUN FILE PHOTO
Col. Travis McIntosh, a Chuckey native and deputy commander for support of the 101st Airborne Divison, stands at left in October 2024 during a visit to Greene County, where elements of the 101st assisted in recovery efforts following flooding in the region from Hurricane Helene. Also pictured with other 101st soldiers holding a Greene County flag are Greeneville Mayor Cal Doty and Greene County Mayor Kevin Morrison.
Municipal Airport was able to free up a commercial tenant’s hangar space to use for storing water.”
The airport then became a base of operations for the 101st Airborne’s hurricane relief efforts in early October 2024.
“The airport also became a temporary military base for the 101st Airborne and 39th Army Engineer Battalion which flew needed supplies and aid to hurricane victims in North Carolina. There were initially nine Blackhawks and 11 Chinooks that staff frequently worked into the dark to keep fueled,” Alley said in the report.
Over 500 soldiers with the U.S. Army’s 101st Airborne Division
fanned out from the mission support site at the Greeneville Municipal Airport to assist in disaster relief efforts in the stormstruck regions of East Tennessee, Western North Carolina and Kentucky.
The base became known as “Fort Greene Devil” during the military’s stay.
The site provided “rapid, scalable, and responsive support to the Appalachia region as requested by our military and civilian agency counterparts,” according to a 101st spokesman in October 2024.
Col. Travis McIntosh, a Chuckey native, serves as deputy commander for support of the 101st Airborne Division. He called returning to the region for disaster relief “emotional.”
PHOTO SPECIAL TO THE SUN/BRYAN CANNON
The Greeneville Municipal Airport was selected by the federal government to be used as a forward staging base by the 101st Airborne Division to assist in relief efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene in October 2024. The 101st Airborne Division’s base is in Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
Emergency Responders Answer The Call To Help Residents
BY NELSON MORAIS STAFF WRITER
Emergency responders, from water rescue personnel to law enforcement to firefighters and many others, answered the call to serve and help residents when the remnants of Hurricane Helene hit upper East Tennessee, and specifically Greene County, in late September.
David Beverly, chief deputy with the sheriff’s department, recalled how on Friday, Sept. 27, just before the storm, “several of us went to the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) at the Emergency Management Agency (in Greeneville) and received our briefing for the path of the hurricane.
“We started making the necessary staff preparations and called in extra shifts that were off,” Beverly stated.
“After the storm hit, and the (Nolichucky) River was rising significantly, we posted deputies at the bridges throughout the county,” he said.
The official water gauge located upriver in Embreeville, which normally allows Greene County officials to determine how much the river level is rising, was washed away Sept. 27.
“We lost Kinser Bridge and Easterly Bridge early in the storm. Birds Bridge and Jones Bridge were not passable anymore,” Beverly recalled.
On Saturday, all bridges in Greene County were closed.
Sheriff’s deputies and others were dispatched to specific areas to deliver food and water. Making things difficult was the fact that the route to get to the south side of the Nolichucky River “took just over an hour and a half,” Beverly said.
“I can’t say enough for the efforts that (Emergency Response Chaplain) Danny Ricker made during this time,” said Beverly.
“He was always there and made so many trips back and forth to the deputies assigned at the bridges and water distribution sites. He always made sure that he was there for them spiritually and was great for morale with the long hours everyone had to endure.”
The EOC had a unified command structure.
Heather Sipe, director of Greene County Emergency Management and Homeland Security, was the incident commander.
“Every local response entity, from every jurisdiction, was involved in some way to make a team that was united and unified,” she recalled in a March interview.
“The first 72 hours were non-stop as the disaster progressed with catastrophic flooding, 12 water rescues, roads and bridges closed, bridge collapses (state and local) and the Nolichucky Dam being in an imminent failure status for several hours.
“State and local responders joined our team and worked tirelessly alongside us during a two-week span,” she stated.
Said Sipe, “Along with response, there was a much needed presence in the EOC from local key officials, utility crews, road crews and local health personnel who assisted in the management of what became issues with water and power outages, roads and bridges being closed and health concerns from the rising waters.”
She continued, “So many in the region, and from outside the region and so many other states, joined the efforts to take care of our community
members who were in immediate need. We can never be thankful enough.
“The coming together (was noteworthy) in a time of uncertainty as the disaster unfolded, having a certain level of fear as response levels were amped up, and the sheer undertaking by each and every one in the Emergency Operations Center
and out in the field,” Sipe stated. “On Sept. 27-28 and for two solid weeks, the EOC was fully activated due to a devastating flood event unlike any other our county has seen,” Sipe said.
Wesley Miller, shift captain, and paramedics Michael Loudy and
PHOTO SPECIAL TO THE SUN
The Emergency Operations Center at the Greene County-Greeneville Emergency Management Agency was the hub of emergency response operations in Greene County for weeks following the flooding of the Nolichucky River in late September.
SUN FILE PHOTO
Michael Loudy, left, and Easton Keeton are two paramedics with the Greene CountyGreeneville EMS who worked hard helping people after the remnants of Hurricane Helene hit the area in late September.
AIDNET Activates Quickly In Response To Hurricane Helene
BY AMY ROSE STAFF WRITER
For the third time in 23 years, AIDNET of Greene County activated in 2024, this time to provide recovery for those affected by flooding from Hurricane Helene.
The nonprofit organization continues to work with property owners to repair and rebuild homes damaged by the devastating storm that hit Greene County on Sept. 27-28.
AIDNET activated quickly this time with board members meeting the morning after the disaster to work toward immediate emergency response, according to Chairman Jeff Idell.
The board met weekly until the holidays, and after Christmas they began meeting bi-weekly.
AIDNET’s long-term recovery efforts are ongoing with 26 cases remaining open earlier this month.
Official numbers from the Greeneville-Greene County Emergency Management Agency said a total of 114 structures were affected: 48 were destroyed and 51 suffered major damage.
For the purposes of Hurricane Helene recovery, AIDNET has mapped out four zones and assigned a volunteer to coordinate assistance in each zone.
As of AIDNET’s March 4 board meeting, Zone 1 had two open cases between the western border of Greene County and the Newport Highway.
Zone 2 had seven open cases between the Newport Highway and the Asheville Highway.
Zone 3 had five open cases between Asheville Highway and Jones Bridge Road.
Zone 4 had 12 open cases between Jones Bridge and the eastern border of Greene County.
In January, Treasurer Wendy Peay said AIDNET had received a total of 62 applications for assistance and had allocated nearly $1 million for recovery from Hurricane Helene
flood damage.
All of AIDNET’s funding comes from donations like those made by individuals, businesses, other organizations, and fundraising events.
“We’re spending it like crazy,” Peay said of that funding. “Our goal is going to be to spend it all.”
AIDNET specializes in long-term recovery, so unlike the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) no deadline for applications has been set, and fundraising is ongoing.
So how does AIDNET spend its funding? They don’t rebuild $500,000 homes, Peay gave as an example.
They also don’t purchase specialty items like specific types of kitchen cabinets, she said.
Instead, AIDNET focuses its efforts on repair or replacement of drywall, flooring, and electrical, just to name a few examples.
AIDNET’s actual purpose is to serve as a tool that coordinates volunteers from the local area and from around the country who wish to help with recovery. AIDNET gives the volunteers a list of those in need and possibly the materials they need to help the applicants.
Determining who receives assistance is based on need, according to information Peay shared from Wayne Bettis, a founding member of AIDNET.
The AIDNET board reviews all applications with the goal being to help the neediest qualified people first to get them in some sort of housing as soon as possible so they can start rebuilding their lives.
“Since AIDNET has limited funds and resources, we have to make the difficult decision where the aid will best meet that goal,” Bettis said.
A crucial element to AIDNET’s guidelines requires the applicant to be a homeowner, and they must live in Greene County. Renters and businesses do not qualify. If someone applies and does not
qualify, AIDNET will make an effort to refer them to other organizations who might be able to help.
AIDNET is not a government program and does not receive government funding. It is administered and operated by local volunteers.
Because AIDNET does not receive local, state or federal funds, it is under no obligation to help an applicant, Bettis noted.
AIDNET originally started to provide assistance after massive flooding in 2001 in Camp Creek and other southern Greene County communities.
This is the third time AIDNET has activated, the second time being when tornadoes hit Greene County in 2011.
For additional information on AIDNET, visit “Aidnet of Greene County” on Facebook.
SUN FILE PHOTO
Part of AIDNET’s role is to coordinate visiting volunteers. Chairman Jeff Idell, right, is shown with Steve Freeman, pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Springfield, Tennessee, who led efforts to rebuild six Greene County homes in four days in November.
SUN FILE PHOTO
One of the volunteer groups AIDNET helped coordinate was the University of Tennessee baseball team, shown here praying at a flood site in October.
When Helene Rushed In, So Did A Flood Of Helping Hands
BY LISA WARREN LIFESTYLES EDITOR
The people of Greene County have always been known for the help that they readily provide to those in need. This was never so true than in the days, weeks and months following Hurricane Helene.
When Helene’s floodwaters rushed in, a flood of helping hands also rushed in.
In addition to the emergency responders, numerous local individuals, businesses, civic clubs, churches and other organizations stepped up to aid in the flood reponse and recovery efforts. A number of those helping hands also came from outside the regions — some coming from hundreds of miles out of the state to help the hard-hit areas of Northeast Tennessee and Western North Carolina. Not all drove cars, some came in helicopters. Others brought boats and pack mules.
Multiple staging areas for hurricane response teams were quickly established throughout the region. Some were right here in Greene County.
One of those was set up at the Crossroads Cowboy Church, which not only became a donation collection site, but also a distribution center and a hub for private helicopter response teams from the Sevier County-based Scenic Helicopter Tours of the Smoky Mountains (SHTSM), who shuttled supplies to hard-hit and hardto-reach areas of Western North Carolina. These private pilots helped to supplement the work of professional rescue and relief pilots from the U.S. military who were delivering supplies into western North Carolina.
In a video posted to the church’s Facebook page, one of the helicopter pilots, Les Center, of SHTSM, said the church reached out to them about providing a place to land and pick up supplies.
“The church became a hub for us, which helped us to make quicker runs into Western North Carolina,” Center said.
Center said the pilots would fly into areas and find out what individuals’ needs were, then let the church volunteers know what they would need to pick up on their next run.
“By the time we got back they would have everything ready and weighed. We’re weight limited on the helicopters,” he explained.
Pastor Tim Goss, of Crossroads Cowboy Church, said the helicopter pilots were “a super big help to us and the relief program. We’re really grateful for all that they have done.”
On Feb. 28, the church shipped out its last load of supplies to disaster victims/.
In a social media post on that day, church officials said, “Today we sent out the final load of flood relief supplies, marking the completion of a mission we took on 146 days ago – back on Oct. 1, 2024. Since then, we’ve been honored to serve those in need, delivering hope, help and the love of Christ to communities affected by disaster. While the supply efforts are finished, we are still walking
alongside a few families as they rebuild. There’s still an opportunity to help by donating funds toward their recover. Every gift makes a difference in restoring homes and lives.”
The church has established an online donation site via https:// pushpay.com/g/crossroadscowboy for anyone who would like to contribute.
Another local church that played a huge role in the hurricane relief response was Trinity United Methodist Church of Greeneville.
The church partnered with the American Red Cross to serve as a temporary shelter. It also became a distribution site for people to donate or to pick up any needed supplies.
By the third week of its operations, Trinity UMC started moving away from from emergency response mode into a place where food and cleaning supplies were available. The church also worked with AIDNET of Greene County to provide office space and storage as rebuilding efforts started on impacted local homes.
“There was something to do for every age and ability level,” said Trinity Pastor Sarah Varnell.
“The outpouring of volunteers was amazing! Over the next two weeks (after the flood), we had 120-160 volunteers every day. People came whenever we called (day or night) for more help to unload trucks and deliver items.”
In addition to collection and distribution of supplies, many volunteers offered their time and skills to helping property owners clean and restore their flood-damaged homes and businesses.
Dennis and Kim Tompkins, who live on Davy Crockett Drive in the South Greene community, said the community response to help flood victims in their neighborhood was “unreal.”
“It’s been a blessing. It’s the only way it’s been possible. It wouldn’t have been possible without them,” Dennis Tompkins said. “I’d say 1,000 people have come through the street. There’s over 100 a day.”
Kim Tompkins said her family has felt completely supported by the community, and are having their needs addressed.
“It’s like we just think it, and somebody shows up,” Kim Tompkins said.
One of their neighbors, Stephen Gregg, said he was so thankful for the incredible outreach shown to them by members of the community. “We’ll never be able to thank everyone enough,” Gregg said. “That’s the biggest fear I have. I don’t want anyone to go unnoticed.”
A host of fundraising events to help relief efforts were also held in the weeks and months following Helene’s devastation.
These fundraisers were hosted by a variety of individuals and organizations, from musicians to civic clubs.
One of the largest fundraising events held was by members of The Band Perry, who reunited after a two-year hiatus to perform a benefit concert on Jan. 25 at the Niswonger Performing Arts Center in Greeneville.
In addition to raising money
through ticket sales, the band also sold specially designed merchandise for the effort. All proceeds from the concert and merchandise sales — which totaled $50,000 — was presented to AIDNET of Greene County.
“East Tennessee will always be home to us, it’s the place we’ve written all the songs that are the most important to us. Seeing and knowing these places on a personal level, we want to support the
ongoing and long term efforts of the community to rebuild the area,” said band member Kimberly Perry, who initially spearheaded the effort. “The outreach for Helene support has been so strong, and we know these are efforts that take time. We’ve been so moved by how AIDNET of Greene County is in the area and, just as our community has endlessly supported us over the years, we want to do what we can to provide as much hope and support as possible.”
J.P. King, left, and Patrick Powell are seen installing new kitchen cabinets in a stormdamaged home on Davy Crockett Drive. The men, members of Grace Baptist Church in Springfield, traveled from the Middle Tennessee town to Greeneville to help rebuild six homes in four days.
David Crockett Birthplace State Park, Kinser Park Badly Damaged By Helene
BY SPENCER MORRELL STAFF WRITER
David Crockett Birthplace State Park and Kinser Park, which is operated by Greene County, sustained heavy damage when the Nolichucky River escaped its banks as remnants of Hurricane Helene passed through the region in late September 2024.
David Crocket Birthplace State Park in Limestone was completely destroyed by the flooding Nolichucky River.
The structures on the property, including the old Stonecypher cabin and primitive Crockett homestead cabin, were washed away or heavily damaged in the flood.
The park’s visitor center was “rendered unusable,” according to officials, and had to be demolished.
The park’s campground was completely destroyed, as well.
All pavilions and structures were either washed away by the flood or damaged beyond repair.
However, all park staff and visitors were evacuated prior to the flood, and no one was hurt.
The donkeys that resided at the park were also evacuated.
The park was completely engulfed by floodwaters, tossing sections of split-rail fencing around and covering the park grounds with thousands of pounds of debris and mud.
Park Manager Joe Nowotarski said that seeing the damage to the park was initially “overwhelming,” but that the park had reassurance from the state that it would eventually be reopened.
The park has been closed to the public since the flood, but cleanup efforts have been ongoing.
David Crockett Birthplace State Park is expected to be restored and reopen, but officials do not yet know when the park’s rebuild and reopening will occur as debris removal continues.
In the meantime, the park began welcoming the public back to the park’s grounds through a series of controlled cleanup events titled “Helping The Homestead” in early 2025.
The events require pre-registration and include everything from mud removal to split rail fencing retrieval.
Nowotarski said in early January 2025 that, while safety remained paramount at the park, the staff was looking forward to having members of the community involved in the park’s recovery.
“It’s the community’s park. Getting them back and involved with it, and getting the community’s buy-in is important. My staff misses the public more than anything. They
signed up and took this job to interact with the public. To teach and serve the public. Over the past four months they’ve been kind of blue,” Nowotarski said. “It’s going to be awesome to have the public back. The staff is excited to renew that relationship. This is a step in the right direction for park morale.”
Nowotarski said he was proud of the park’s staff and the community for their support.
“I couldn’t be prouder, not only of the resilience shown by the community but also by the staff. Nobody signed up to do any of this. We signed up to take care of a park. We’re all kind of pushing each other along, and that’s awesome,” Nowotarski said.
KINSER PARK DAMAGED
The campground at Kinser Park, which is operated by Greene County, was badly damaged by flooding from the Nolichucky River.
The park closed for the rest of the year after the flooding, which devastated over half of the park’s RV campground.
Over 60 privately owned campers were damaged or destroyed in the flooding. A bathhouse in the campground was also completely submerged in floodwaters and must be replaced.
Much of the campground was covered in several feet of mud, and debris was strewn throughout the area.
Two roads in the campground were washed away entirely, as well as many electrical power boxes.
Park manager Anthony Carter said in October 2024 that no one was hurt in the flooding, and that all those camping at the park were evacuated “in the nick of time.”
The task of cleaning up the park appeared a daunting one. However, it progressed faster than Carter ever imagined.
By early November 2024, just one month after the disaster, hardly a trace of mud or debris could be found at the campground.
“It’s gone better than I thought it ever would,” Carter said in November 2024. “We knew it was going to take time to put it back. How did we do this so quick? Well, we had a lot of help.”
Carter said volunteers descended on the park to make quick work of cleaning up the mud and debris, which Carter said he thought would be “the hardest part” of getting the campground repaired.
“It’s a big deal. I don’t think we would have ever got done as quick as we did without all the volunteers we had,” Carter said. “All these people came to help us and we
started making headway. We’re very thankful. It was a job.”
Nearly 400 loads of mud and debris were hauled out of the campground in the month after the flood.
A new bathhouse still must be constructed at the campground, but
the park is on track to reopen soon. After the flood, Carter was not sure when the campground could reopen or what parts of it would be accessible. Now he believes the entire park and campground will be open for the start of its annual regular season in April.
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David Crockett Birthplace State Park was destroyed by floodwaters in September 2024. No structure is left standing on the park grounds.
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The campground at David Crockett Birthplace State Park was devastated by flooding related to Hurricane Helene, and left covered in mud.
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Campers were washed away, tossed about and destroyed at the Kinser Park campground by the flooding Nolichucky River in September 2024.
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Charles Rucker and his daughter Lizzie work to clean up their belongings at Kinser Park in the aftermath of September 2024’s flooding.
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By early November, the Kinser Park campground had been mostly cleaned of mud and debris thanks to a herculean effort from local volunteers and the Tennessee National Guard.
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The Stonecypher cabin at David Crockett Birthplace State Park was destroyed in flooding in late September 2024. Only the chimney remains standing.
TENNESSEE STATE PARKS PHOTO
A group of volunteers help clean up litter and debris in February that washed into David Crockett Birthplace State Park during flooding caused by Hurricane Helene.
BY NELSON MORAIS AND SPENCER MORRELL STAFF WRITERS
Greene County experienced closure of all 10 of its bridges spanning the Nolichucky River as a result of Hurricane Helene in September.
That included the complete washing away of the Elbert Kinser Bridge on Route 107/Erwin Highway in Tusculum, the Poplar Springs Bridge and the Conway Bridge.
“The total number is 10, but one belongs to Cocke County,” explained Greene County Mayor Kevin Morrison.
The Conway Bridge was a historic road bridge that crossed the river between Greene and Cocke counties, and is the responsibility of the Cocke County Highway Department, Morrison stated.
“At the outset, once the sun came up Saturday (Sept. 28), for the first 84 hours, all 10 bridges (in Greene County) were closed. Of the 10, five were damaged or destroyed. That’s 50%,” Morrison said.
He added, “When the water receded and debris removed from the bridges, it was discovered the state had two of the bridges: Earnest, which was damaged significantly, and the Erwin Highway, which was destroyed. County assets upon inspection were the Birds Bridge, which was damaged; and the Poplar Springs Bridge, which was destroyed.”
In addition, damage to Interstates 26 and 40, which shut them down, “forced traffic onto State Route 70 (the Asheville Highway), essentially making it the interstate for a short period of time,” Morrison recalled.
“The only way to get to Asheville (North Carolina) was to take Highway 70. The biggest impact on local traffic was it consolidated traffic onto the bridges with minimal damage, like the Jones Bridge,” Morrison said.
Morrison stated it was his understanding that the Nolichucky River crested around 35 feet during the storm.
“The dam was in danger of collapsing on Friday night the 27th, from about 11 p.m. to 3 a.m.,” he said.
Work continues on rebuilding and repairing the state- and countymaintained bridges in Greene County.
Significant progress has been made in efforts to repair infrastructure and remove debris in the roughly six months since catastrophic Nolichucky River flooding occurred when the remnants of Hurricane Helene hit the region as a tropical storm.
Much additional work remains to be done.
Drilling for bridge shaft pours were being conducted in mid-March at the site of the Kinser Bridge on Route 107/Erwin Highway in Tusculum, according to a Tennessee Department of Transportation spokesman.
Contractors “previously constructed a causeway for geotechnical exploration,” Mark Nagi said.
He said the ambitious reconstruction project remains on schedule. Nagi said the due date for completion is June 23, 2025.
Morrison said the bridges that collapsed were “most certainly destroyed by debris in the water — we believe remnants of homes and large trees,” and contents of the washed away homes.
EARNEST BRIDGE
After initially being closed due to flooding of the Nolichucky River, one lane of traffic was opened across the Earnest Bridge on Chuckey Pike. The bridge sustained structural damage during the river flooding.
As of mid-March, traffic was still operating with one lane open under temporary traffic signalization.
Repairs to bridge railings still needed to be completed as of midMarch.
The planned completion date for the work is June of this year.
BIRDS BRIDGE
Repairs on the damaged countyowned Birds Bridge on Old Asheville Highway are expected to officially begin on April 14, according to a preconstruction meeting in mid-March between Greene County Highway Department officials with SummersTaylor and Robert Campbell and Associates.
The cost of the repair project is $3.3 million.
According to officials, the repairs are scheduled to take 60 days from
the start date.
Birds Bridge will be reopened to vehicular traffic once repairs are completed.
The bridge did not collapse when the Nolichucky River flooded in September 27 and 28 in 2024, but has been closed since then.
Rushing water from the flood created voids underneath some of the footers that support the bridge’s piers, which support the superstructure of the bridge itself. Measures were planned to allow crews to fill those voids with concrete.
Repair will also take place on the abutment of the north end of the
bridge, which is the end closest to Greeneville. The other abutment did not sustain considerable damage.
A water line belonging to Glen Hills Utility District will be fully repaired once the bridge project is completed. There will also be some repair work done to the deck of the bridge. Debris that remains hung up under the bridge will also be cleaned out as a part of the project.
POPLAR SPRINGS/ EASTERLY BRIDGE
Morrison estimated work will begin on the Poplar Springs/ Easterly Bridge sometime in June.
Sgt. Elbert Kinser Bridge on Route 107/Erwin Highway. The bridge
Greeneville Energy Authority Endures Losses Of CEO And Board Member, Flooding Disaster
BY SPENCER MORRELL STAFF WRITER
The Greeneville Energy Authority pushed through a year of loss and difficulty in 2024 as the local power provider endured the loss of its
In early April 2024, GEA President and CEO Chuck Bowlin passed away unexpectedly at the age of 56 while vacationing with his wife and friends in St. Croix. Bowlin was chosen as Greeneville Energy Authority President in May 2020, and served in that position since July 2020.
Prior to being chosen as president, Bowlin was director of operations and engineering for Greeneville Energy Authority. He worked at GEA for over two decades.
Bowlin was an active member of the community, serving on the board of the Boys & Girls Club of Greeneville & Greene County. He was also a member of the Greeneville Lions Club.
As president, Bowlin led the Greeneville Energy Authority through the process of providing broadband internet to the people of Greeneville and Greene County,
County Officials Guide
Greeneville Energy Authority bucket trucks led a lengthy procession of GEA employees and community members up
Bowlin’s body was escorted into Greeneville.
NPAC Celebrates 20 Years
BY AMY ROSE STAFF WRITER
The Niswonger Performing Arts Center celebrated its 20th anniversary season beginning in November 2024 with the return of legendary vocalist Gladys Knight.
In January 2005, Knight was the grand opening performer when NPAC first opened its doors. So it was fitting that the timeless artist helped NPAC celebrate its anniversary.
“The great ones endure, and Gladys Knight has long been one of the greatest,” an NPAC news release said.
The state-of-the-art venue has hosted a variety of other musical acts from Earth Wind & Fire to The Oak Ridge Boys, attracting visitors to Greeneville from across the region and other states.
It also hosts such art forms as ballet, comedy and variety acts and serves as a world-class venue for school programs and community events.
Over the past 20 years, NPAC has more than quadrupled its schedule of shows, from eight acts in its inaugural lineup to 34 this season.
Originally, the venue was planned as an 800-seat auditorium to cost $2.5 million, but as NPAC’s website points out, “A visionary group of local businessmen suggested that by adding private funds to the public money, a performing arts center could be built that would be an asset for the Greeneville City School system and the region.”
A donation from Scott Niswonger expanded the scope of the project into a $7 million venue of 39,000 square feet with a seating capacity of nearly 1,150 audience members.
The Greeneville Board of Education voted in June 2003 to name the venue the Niswonger Performing Arts Center in honor of Niswonger, who ultimately contributed a total of $6.2 million to the overall Greeneville High School expansion and renovation project, NPAC’s website notes.
Construction began in the summer of 2003, and the venue opened in December 2004.
“Over the past 20 years the Niswonger Performing Arts Center has far exceeded our expectations,” Niswonger said. “This past season our final show, Brothers of the Heart, had visitors from 25 states and Canada. Over 32,000 people bought tickets this past season, 60% of which were outside of Greene County.”
Brothers of the Heart, a group of four well-known vocalists and musicians, are returning to NPAC this season on May 20, 2025.
Members are Jimmy Fortune, Bradley Walker, Mike Rogers and Ben Isaacs.
NPAC Executive Director Vicki Hudson said the single performance that generated the greatest excitement locally was ZZ Top in October 2016, which sold out in less than an hour.
“Since opening in December 2004, NPAC has experienced remarkable growth and brought some of the biggest names in entertainment to Greeneville,” Hudson said. “One thing remains constant: NPAC is a community-centered performing arts center dedicated to enriching the quality of life for Greene County residents and the entire region.”
Niswonger said he believes NPAC is by far the leading tourism generator for Greeneville and Greene County.
Jeff Taylor, president and CEO of the Greene County Partnership, which oversees local tourism, said NPAC plays an important role in the community in a variety of ways.
“We are so fortunate to have a world-class venue that attracts major names and acts to bring the performing arts to our region and provide our students with an opportunity to perform on a professional stage. Additionally, the venue hosts events that cultivate education and entertainment for our children in numerous ways,” Taylor said.
Greeneville Director of Schools Steve Starnes agreed.
“We are thrilled to offer our students the opportunity to perform at the NPAC, a professional-grade venue that enriches their educational experience. From kindergarten through 12th grade, students have the unique chance to showcase their talents in a special and memorable setting,” Starnes said.
“The NPAC also provides valuable educational programs each year and an extraordinary opportunity for students to perform alongside renowned professional artists,” he added.
One such experience came in January 2024 when the Greeneville High School Advanced Chorus performed as backup singers for bluegrass artist Rhonda Vincent & The Rage.
“These experiences can ignite a passion for the arts and inspire students to pursue careers in this field,” Starnes noted. “We are incredibly fortunate to have such a venue within our school system. We are deeply grateful to Mr. Niswonger, the School Board, and the Town of Greeneville for their visionary partnership in making this possible for our students, community, and
the region twenty years ago.
Hudson mentioned Camp NPAC Kids as a successful program for NPAC.
“For the past decade, Camp NPAC Kids has undoubtedly been one of our favorite highlights each year. Every summer, our dedicated campers and camp staff bring an impressive production to the stage in just 5 days.
“For the past 12 years, we’ve presented an Arts Education Series each season, welcoming schools from across the region. We love seeing the buses lined up out front and the students eagerly pouring into NPAC to experience the arts live on stage!”
She also mentioned a recent technological upgrade to the venue.
“We’ve recently installed a stateof-the-art LED Video Wall to elevate the patron experience by adding dynamic visuals to many of their favorite shows. This cutting-edge technology not only enhances our community events and school performances but also significantly upgrades our venue’s capabilities. Primarily used in larger venues, this substantial improvement represents a major investment in our future, offering an engaging platform for both audiences and artists,” she said.
Asked what challenges NPAC has faced over the years, Hudson said balancing the high cost of booking entertainment with affordable ticket prices.
“There are many important pieces to the puzzle when bringing
performances to the NPAC stage, and it’s often difficult to make everything align. Securing artists while keeping ticket prices affordable continues to be a challenge due to the rapidly escalating costs of booking entertainment,” she said.
Hudson noted that NPAC always tries to provide memorable experiences for its patrons.
“Over the years, we’ve had the privilege of serving our community and local school systems while bringing exceptional entertainment to Greeneville, always striving to make each performance a memorable experience. Creating and sustaining a top tier performing arts facility is a significant undertaking, and we are deeply grateful for the unwavering support of our community, sponsors, donors, and patrons.”
Niswonger also expressed appreciation for support of NPAC, commenting, “I am grateful for the continuing support from our school systems and community. In addition to the commercial performances, we provide a professional venue for both instrumental, vocal music and performing arts for our two educational systems and the region. This would not be possible without an outstanding Governing Board, leadership team, patrons and volunteers. I look forward to the next 20 years of great performances!”
For more information on NPAC, including this season’s lineup of performances, visit www. npacgreeneville.com .
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This photo collage shows scenes from the grand opening celebration of Niswonger Performing Arts Center in January 2005. The event included entertainment by Gladys Knight and remarks from Scott Niswonger.
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The Greeneville High School Chorus performs with bluegrass artist Rhonda Vincent.
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A long line of people wait to buy tickets to shows at the Niswonger Performing Arts Center.
PHOTO SPECIAL TO THE SUN
Students from EastView Elementary School perform one of their Christmas programs on the stage of Niswonger Performing Arts Center.
with the project being given approval in December 2021.
The initial project within the town limits of Greeneville was completed in 2024, and the service reached over 1,000 customers in 2024 as well.
Bowlin also led GEA through its transition from Greeneville Light and Power System to Greeneville Energy Authority and guided the power system’s first steps into cheaper renewable energy through local solar farms permitted by the Tennessee Valley Authority.
The GEA board held an emotional called meeting just days after Bowlin’s death to discuss the loss of Bowlin and how to manage the power utility moving forward.
In late April 2024, the GEA board began an internal search for an individual to serve as the power utility’s interim president and CEO.
In late May, GEA Power Services Director Dwayne Wells was chosen from a pool of in-house applicants by the board to fill the interim position, and he filled the role immediately.
Wells, who has been a GEA employee for 30 years, was hired on for a three-month probationary period. Wells’ permanency in the role was to be addressed at the end of the period.
At the time, Wells said that he would work to establish “stability” at GEA.
“I hope for stability. I hope that everybody can have that stability and get back to a comfort level with that. It is a huge thing to lose Chuck like we did. It’s been felt by everyone, and everybody’s been nervous about what comes next,” Wells said after his appointment. “So just trying to get some stability back for everyone and project that forward. I want to see the system do as well as we can over the next five or 10 years, however long I get to serve.”
However, in early July 2024 GEA suffered another loss with the passing of long-time board member Jim Emory. Emory had served on the board since 1991.
In late July, the GEA board moved unanimously to cut the thee-month probationary period short by 30 days, and named Wells the permanent CEO and President of GEA effective Aug. 1, 2024.
The members of the board noted that they would work to address filling the board vacancy left by Emory’s passing at a future meeting.
However, in late September 2024 GEA found its hands full facing yet another challenge when remnants of Hurricane Helene swept through the region causing historic flooding and knocking out to thousands.
Over 10,000 GEA customers were left without power on Sept. 27, 2024, and GEA crews worked tirelessly for days to restore power to all customers. Power was fully restored to all customers, besides those whose homes were too heavily damaged to receive service, seven days later in what Wells called “a herculean effort.”
Wells said the widespread outage from the flood was one of the most challenging local disasters GEA has had to tackle. He said every GEA team member pitched in and played a role, and “did a great job.”
Wells said both men and women with GEA worked to get the job done, including those who usually serve in the fiber internet or metering department.
Those who normally do not serve in power services were able to help flag traffic and assist in other tasks.
“I’m grateful to the men and women of GEA. It took all of them. They all worked together,” Wells said in October 2024.
“Everybody did their part.”
Greeneville Energy Authority had some outside help in getting the power restored.
Crews from Paducah Power System from Paducah, Kentucky, Athens Utility Board from Athens, Tennessee, and contract crews from Davis H. Elliot were in Greene County to lend a hand.
Crews from GEA often travel to help restore power in disaster areas across the country, and Wells said it was meaningful to have the favor returned.
“It means a lot that people care enough to come help. We
help each other in the industry. We’re not in competition with each other. We’re working together as one team,” Wells said.
Wells said the biggest challenge faced by GEA crews in restoring power was a lack of access to areas of the county, particularly early in the process.
“The lack of access initially was a huge issue. With the bridges being closed, that’s something we’ve never had to deal with before,” Wells said in October 2024.
Wells said that a few crews were on
the other side of the closed bridges, but they had a limited amount of material and supplies and only a single bucket truck.
“We were able to get them some more materials eventually,” Wells said.
While some bridges began to reopen, access remained an issue. New power lines had to be run across the Nolichucky River using boats in some cases.
Wells said he appreciated the patience of the public as crews worked relentlessly to restore power to the whole
county. He also extended special thanks to those in the community who provided food to GEA crews.
In December, Wells noted that though GEA had faced obstacles and difficulties in 2024, it had persevered and he was working to create a positive atmosphere at the utility in his first months as its leader.
“It has been a very positive time compared with the circumstances which led up to this transition. The company as a whole has been very
supportive, from our board of directors to our great employees. We started this year with many losses, most being very personal, and that has been one of the main reasons I have wanted to create a positive environment as much as possible over the first six months in my tenure,” Wells said in December.
In January 2025, the GEA board nominated Justin Jeffers to fill the seat left vacant by Emory’s passing. The Greeneville City Council approved the nomination in February.
SUN PHOTO BY SPENCER MORRELL
Dwayne Wells, left, participates in his first meeting as Greeneville Energy Authority president and CEO in June 2024. Wells was initially named interim CEO, before becoming the utility’s permanent leader after the death of previous CEO and President Chuck Bowlin in April 2024.
CHUCK BOWLIN
YMCA Makes Improvements, Surpasses Capital Campaign Goal
BY AMY ROSE STAFF WRITER
The YMCA of Greene County completed several improvements to its facility in 2024.
The Y recently surpassed its capital campaign goal of $650,000 to fund three projects: renovated family locker rooms with a new all-purpose room, new outdoor pickleball courts, and expansion of the Terry Bellamy Soccer Park.
Executive Director Mike Hollowell announced in February a sizeable gift from donor Ruth Whitfield helped the YMCA raise the funds needed for three projects.
“For all of us at the Y, there is such a sense of accomplishment when you have the opportunity to dream of ways to improve our YMCA facility and services,” Hollowell said. “As a group you put the plan together, you determine a goal of funding and then individuals, foundations, corporations and businesses provide the necessary funding. Even more exciting is the opportunity to see children and their parents using the private family locker rooms, our active older adults playing board games in the new all-purpose room and young adults, older adults and families playing on all six outdoor pickleball courts.”
INTERIOR RENOVATIONS
Inside the facility, the new locker rooms and all-purpose rooms were completed in 2024.
The locker room project totals 1,250 square feet at a cost of $250,000, according to Hollowell.
It includes three private changing rooms and three private locker rooms, each with a shower, sink and toilet.
Families with small children have a private locker room space as they prepare for swim lessons or open swim, Hollowell explained.
Also included in the interior project is an all-purpose room, which the YMCA board of directors named in honor of Sandy Pruitt.
The room of 410 square feet is adjacent to the family locker rooms and the pool, a perfect set-up for weekend pool party rentals, Hollowell said.
The room also has been rented as a meeting space and used by the Y’s Active Older Adults for various activities.
The Sandy Pruitt All Purpose Room is named for the retired operations director, who worked fulltime at the local Y for 44 years. She retired in July 2024.
The new room features a refrigerator, sink and microwave.
OUTDOOR PROJECTS
The outdoor pickleball project also was completed in 2024. Cost of the pickleball project is $65,000, according to Hollowell.
The growing sport combines elements of tennis, ping-pong and badminton for all ages.
Hollowell stressed that the pickleball courts are not limited to use by Y members only, but can be
used by the community in general.
The largest portion of the capital campaign is $320,000 for expansion of the soccer park.
The Y has purchased 2.1 acres of a former lumber mill property for parking and other uses for youth sports.
Hollowell said the Y plans to gather community leaders involved in youth sports within the next six to eight months to determine the best use of this property for the community.
The first step will be to add approximately 40 parking spaces in the next couple of months to a paved parking area off Crum Street, Hollowell said.
This timeline will help provide more parking for upcoming spring and summer events at the soccer park, he noted.
The soccer park was built in 1980 and named for retired Y executive director Terry Bellamy.
It features three playing fields, a walking track, playground, pavilion and concession stand.
In 2007, the Y completed a 22,000-square-foot expansion project, purchased additional parking and completed renovations to the original facility.
FUNDRAISING
Fundraising for the latest capital campaign began in the second quarter of 2023 with a focus on foundations, grants and corporate gifts, then shifting toward individuals, especially Y members and program participants, Hollowell said,
In April 2024, Hollowell said the YMCA had reached two-thirds of its goal with pledges totaling $445,000.
Whitfield requested the specific amount of her donation not be announced. It was made in memory of her late husband, Herbert Whitfield Sr.
“Mr. Whitfield loved the YMCA,” Hollowell said. “As a founding director in the late 1960s, his passion for the organization continued for
many years as president of the YMCA board, a board member and an avid Y member.”
The major gift resulted in the YMCA surpassing the $650,000 campaign goal, and as a result, the Wellness Center will be named in memory of Mr. Whitfield, Hollowell said.
“The most recent pledge from Mrs. Whitfield is exciting for everyone associated with the
Greene County YMCA, and equally valuable to the campaign’s success are 64 other donors who believe in the mission of the Y and the value that the Greene County YMCA has in our local community,” Hollowell said. For more information about the YMCA, call 423-639-6107 or visit www.greenecounty-ymca. org or www.facebook.com/ greenecountyymca .
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The new Sandy Pruitt All Purpose Room is named for the retired operations director, who worked full-time at the local Y for 44 years. She retired in July 2024.
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YMCA of Greene County Executive Director Mike Hollowell accepts a donation from Ruth Whitfield.
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Upgrades near the Terry Bellamy Soccer Park are part of the YMCA of Greene County’s capital improvement plans.
Volunteer Fire Departments Mark 50th Anniversaries
BY AMY ROSE STAFF WRITER
Several volunteer fire departments in Greene County celebrated their 50th anniversaries in 2024.
St. James Volunteer Fire Department marked the special milestone in November.
On hand to recognize the anniversary were charter members and fire chiefs past and present. A crowd of more than 50 people gathered at the fire station at 3035 St. James Road to share memories and reconnect.
Former fire chief and Greene County Sheriff Wesley Holt recalled as a young boy watching members of the fire department going out on calls after a call came in to the the nearby general store and being summoned from farm fields by a siren that sounded like an “air raid siren.”
Holt joined the fire department when he turned 18 and still goes on calls.
Longtime St. James members shared memories of the equipment available at the time of the fire department’s founding, including a 1967 Dodge brush truck which guaranteed a bumpy ride and an Army surplus former milk truck converted into a 1,000-gallon tanker.
“We have come a long way since our lifetime members started here,” Holt said. “We’re thankful for the community that supports us.”
Greene County Mayor Kevin Morrison noted that service to the community by the St. James Volunteer Fire Department has spanned three generations.
“We have 14 volunteer fire departments in Greene County, and I’m very proud of all of them,” Morrison said.
A ceremony was held to recognize the founding members of the fire
department.
UNITED VFD
United Volunteer Fire Department in Baileyton also celebrated its 50th anniversary in November with an open house attended by a crowd of all ages.
Visitors were treated to a free spaghetti supper, activities for kids, and the opportunity to view fire apparatus and meet department members.
“We like to give back,” said assistant chief Traci Wihlen, who said the community is very supportive of the fire department.
Wihlen’s husband, Jay Wihlen, is chief of the department.
United VFD started in 1974 and was chartered in 1975. The first fire truck was built out of parts from other trucks, Jay said.
In his six years as chief, the department has replaced almost all of its fleet of trucks, Jay noted.
United VFD has a fleet of five fire trucks and a station, located next to town hall and across from Baileyton Elementary School, with six bays and a meeting/training room.
The department averages 200 to 240 calls a year, and very few of them are mutual aid.
They cover 165 square miles with approximately 18 members.
The department is always looking for new members and needs around 30 total, Jay said.
It costs a little more than $30,000 a year to operate the department.
An annual allocation from the county is supplemented through fundraisers like monthly car shows in the summer and eight “boot drives” a year in which members collect donations placed in firefighting boots.
The department participates in community service initiatives throughout the year, including
parades, community events, and fire prevention lessons in schools.
The event in November was the department’s first open house.
The department has two assistant chiefs: Wihlen and Steven Keller. Wihlen is the department’s first female assistant chief.
CANEY BRANCH
Caney Branch Volunteer Fire Department members have responded to thousands of service calls since the fire department was chartered in 1974.
The volunteer fire department
Dental Guide
SUN FILE PHOTO
This photo shows the original members of the Caney Branch Volunteer Fire Department.
This photo of the St. James Volunteer Fire Department was taken around the time it was formed in 1974.
Local Arts Programs, Artists Celebrate Milestones
BY LISA WARREN LIFESTYLES EDITOR
Local music and arts programs and artists celebrated numerous milestones during the past year.
Despite some setbacks in late September and October due to the impacts felt by Hurricane Helene, many of the local concert and art venues celebrated a successful year. Plus, there was a special reunion by Greeneville’s own The Band Perry, which had been on hiatus for a couple of years.
THE BAND PERRY
As a way to help their hometown following the catastrophic flooding caused by Helene, The Band Perry reunited for a special benefit show at the Niswonger Performing Arts Center in Greeneville.
The sold-out event, held Jan. 25, raised an impressive $50,000 for AIDNET of Greene County, the locally based nonprofit organization that has been helping local citizens who were impacted by the flooding.
Neil Perry did not join his siblings, Kimberly and Reid, for the reunion concert due to his ongoing solo music project. However, the band welcomed its newest member, Johnny Costello (Kimberly’s husband) into the TBP fold for the show.
Since the benefit concert, the trio have decided to continue performing together. Among their postbenefit shows was a Grand Ol’ Opry appearance on Feb. 14.
THE DUGGER
BAND
Greeneville natives
Jordan and Seth Dugger, of The Dugger Band, also hosted a Hurricane Helene fundraiser, which netted over $17,500 for relief efforts in the region.
The concert was held Nov. 9 in Kingsport. Dugger Band welcomed to the lineup musical guests, fellow singer/ songwriters, Adam Clouse and Brett Sheroky.
The Duggers were also busy during the past year hosting their new monthly Nashville Songwriters Showcase at the International Storytelling Center in Jonesborough. The series, which kicked off Sept. 14, features
acoustic performances by the Dugger brothers, along with their special guests. The series has been growing in popularity with the last couple of shows being sellouts.
Earlier this month, the Duggers enjoyed their first No. 1 single with their self-penned song “True Colors.” The tune went to the top of the iTunes country chart after the brothers were asked by a Nashville TV station not to perform the song during a planned televised appearance because station management said they felt the song was too “politically biased.”
The brothers chose not to make the appearance rather than play another song, as the station management requested.
The song was produced by John Rich, of the country duo Big & Rich, who encouraged his followers on X to purchase digital downloads of the song after the incident.
GREENEVILLE THEATRE GUILD
Another major milestone for a local theatrical group this past year was the 10th anniversary for the Greeneville Theatre Guild.
“The Greeneville Theatre Guild has had an exciting year since the last Benchmarks edition,” says its executive director Paige Mengel. “The season was our 10th season since our creation and first production back in 2015, and it was a good one!”
The community theatrical group’s summer production of the musical “The Sound of Music,” directed by Matt Hensley, broke attendance records by selling out three of the six performances, Mengel noted.
“We welcomed newcomers to the stage as well as some of our theater veterans to provide a delightful production of a well-loved classic to appreciative audiences,” she said.
In August, the GTG celebrated its 10th season by producing “a reunion show of sorts,” Mengel said. The event, called “A Decade Downtown,” featured “a gathering of actors and performers from the entire decade to perform bits and songs from previous shows,”
Mengel said. “We were even fortunate enough to have two performers return to town to represent roles they played in our productions before they moved away from Greeneville.”
In October, zombies took over the Capital Theatre as the GTB closed out its season with the group’s firstever Halloween show.
The “Night of the Living Dead” show
was directed by Beth Schnura and Sara Claiborne.
“Based on the classic movie, our production had ‘living’ zombies wandering through the theater and into the audience as the drama played out on stage. This show also brought out some newcomers to our stage who relished the opportunity to portray a zombie,” Mengel said.
The GTG is steadily
continuing its work toward establishing a new theater venue on Depot Street in downtown Greeneville.
“Work on the Theatre Depot building is still progressing at times, but very slowly as everything is being done by volunteers, working around the show schedules,” Mengel said. “The windows on the second floor have now been replaced, which
completes the window portion of the project. More demolition has been done on the interior, and those materials removed.”
The GTG is still in the midst of raising funds for the Theatre Depot project. The IRS recognizes the Greeneville Theatre Guild as a 501(c) (3) organization.
Kimberly Perry is shown performing on stage at the Niswonger
for The Band Perry’s Homecoming concert held Jan. 25, 2025, to benefit AIDNET of Greene County.
Trey Hensley, left, and Rob Ickes are seen performing Dec. 14, 2024, at the Appalachian Auditorium at St. James.
PHOTO SPECIAL TO THE SUN
The Dugger Band presents a check to AIDNET officials. From left are Jeff Idell and Ed Link of AIDNET, Jordan and Seth Dugger, and Tom Smith and Rebecca Tipton of AIDNET.
Teams Continue To Make Marks At State Level
BY SAM BUNDY SPORTS EDITOR
As is normally the case each year, Greeneville and Greene County were well represented in high school athletic state tournaments and state meets the past 12 months.
None did it better than the Greeneville Greene Devils track and field team, which won its third state championship since 2014 on May 21 at Middle Tennessee State University’s Dean Hayes Stadium in Murfreesboro.
The Greene Devils scored 70 points to finish first in the Class 2A meet ahead of Signal Mountain with 52 points.
Greeneville won its first state title in 2014 and its second in 2022.
“It feels great. This one is special,” Greeneville coach Larry Blalock said. “We came into the year seeded 16th at state. As late as three weeks ago, we were hoping just to be top five, and to come in and dominate in state like we did tonight, it makes it real special. And the best thing about this is that we only lose one kid to graduation. They’ll all be back.”
Zaydyn Anderson highlighted Greeneville’s medal haul, earning two golds. He took first in long jump with a 22-3.25 and first in the 200-meter dash with a time of 21.88.
“It feels good,” Anderson said of being a state champion. “I came in and had a good last jump (in long jump). And I just got it.” Anderson also earned two silver medals. One in triple jump with a 43-9.5 and the other in the 100
meters with an 11.07.
• The South Greene girls finished 10th in the Class A state meet with 23 points, while the boys were 17th with 14 points.
South Greene’s top finishers included Heath Norton second in shot put with a 44-8.5; Nolan Weems third in pole vault, clearing 11-0; and Natalie Foshie fifth in discus with a 100-11.
• Chuckey-Doak’s girls finished 15th with 17 points and the boys were 25th with 10 points in the Class A meet.
Chuckey-Doak’s Niome Merrill won silver in pole vault, clearing 9-6, while Carmella Smock took bronze in the 3200 with a 12:16.99 and was sixth in the 1600 with a 5:50.06.
• Abbey Cox was West Greene’s lone athlete to compete in the Class A meet. She finished second in discus at 108 and third in shot put at 34-9.5. She scored 14 points, putting West Greene in 18th place.
BASKETBALL
The North Greene Huskies and Lady Huskies, and the Greeneville Lady Devils all reached state tournaments in 2024.
• Heartbreak. That’s what every North Greene Huskies player, coach and fan felt when Jason Britton’s 3-pointer at the buzzer was waived off by officials in a 53-50 loss to Santa Fe in the Class A quarterfinals on March 13 at the Murphy Center in Murfreesboro.
With one second left, Santa Fe’s Auden Slaughter dropped in two free throws to make it 53-50.
North Greene’s Tyler Britton then
heaved the ball down the court on the ensuing throw-in. The ball tipped off multiple hands before Jason Britton found it. As he extended his arms for a shot well beyond the arc, the horn sounded with the ball still in his hands, negating the swish that would have sent the game to overtime.
“It always hurts and it always stings when you’re right there and you feel like you should have won that game,” said North Greene coach Sam Tarlton, whose Huskies ended their season at 21-6. “But that don’t take away from what those kids done. I’m just proud of these kids. It didn’t end how we wanted it to end.”
Jason Britton, a senior, finished with 29 points, including four 3-pointers, in his last game at North Greene. With 2,958 career points, he is Northeast Tennessee’s all-time leading scorer, passing Langston’s Kennet Hamilton’s record set in 1964 and Tennessee High’s Derrick Hard, who tied the record in 1979.
“He’s the best to ever play here. I don’t know how you argue that,” Tarlton said about how fans should remember Jason Britton. “I hope they remember him as someone who did it the right way.
“I’ve said this a thousand times, he’s a coach’s dream. I don’t think it’s sunk in how special it is to watch a player like that. He’s scored the most points ever. You name it, he’s done it.”
Jason Britton, who was named The Sun’s co-player of the year along with Greeneville’s Class 3A Mr. Basketball finalist Trey Thompson, is now playing for
Tusculum University.
• The North Greene Lady Huskies fought and clawed until the final horn, but ultimately exited the Class A state tourney with a 55-49 loss to the Greenfield Lady Yellowjackets in the quarterfinals on March 6 at the Murphy Center.
“This group, they are fighters. What a bunch of fighters,” said North Greene coach James Buchanan, whose Lady Huskies ended their season at 26-11.
“(Greenfield is) a good offensive team, they’re fast. They got several kids that can get downhill. I thought they posed a lot of problems, offensively, and I thought if we guard them and keep them in front of us and keep this thing low scoring, then that’s the type of game we’ll need.
“We came out and played lights out on the offensive end. I thought we made more 3-pointers in this game than in any of our postseason games, outside of maybe the Washburn game. Just them not quitting and fighting, doing whatever it took. And that was a talented team that beat us. I wish them the best moving forward, but I wouldn’t trade none of my kids for any of theirs.”
Senior Haley Bailey, a Miss Basketball finalist, led North Greene with 18 points.
Bailey, who was named The Sun’s co-player or the year along with Greeneville’s Anna Shaw, is now playing at Southwest Virginia Community College.
• The Greeneville Lady Devils’ season ended with a 64-49 loss
Recreational Guide
The Greeneville boys track and field team poses with its plaque after winning the Class 2A state championship on May 21 at Middle Tennessee State University’s Dean Hayes Stadium in Murfreesboro.
to Upperman in the quarterfinals of the Class 3A state tournament on March 7, but not before they proved doubters wrong.
Greeneville lost five seniors, including four starters, off its 2023 state tournament team. Expectations for a deep run this postseason weren’t high. But after adopting a “We will” motto early on, the Lady Devils again held their final postgame press conference of the season at the Murphy Center.
“Golly-bum, this little bunch fought,” said Greeneville coach Annette Watts, whose Lady Devils ended their season at 21-15. “We started the year 5-10, we graduated five last year. Who would have even thought that our little group could get back here?
“But I’ll tell you, Anna Shaw and Kyla Jobe said we will be back. They have pushed and pulled as hard as I’ve pushed and pulled and I can’t say enough about my whole team.” Shaw, Greeneville’s senior point guard, needed 12 points to crack 1,000 for her career and she finished her final high school game with 17. Shaw was named The Sun’s co-player of the year along with Bailey from North Greene.
BASEBALL Greeneville was unable to repeat as Class 3A baseball state champions after Station Camp knocked off the Greene Devils twice in the state semifinals on May 23 at Smyrna High School.
Greeneville needed just one win to advance to the state championship game but the Bison limited the Devils’ bats in a 5-1 win in game one and outlasted the Devils 7-4 in the “if necessary” game.
The Devils ended their season at 26-14.
“It’s kind of hard to put in words,” Greeneville coach Andy Collins said. “I’m super proud of these guys. I think to win this, and I’m not putting down any other sport, but I think this sport is the hardest to win a state championship. There’s so many factors that go into it and we were one of four teams left.
I’m super proud of our guys and our seniors.” Collins said the senior core of Colton Richards, Corbin Cannon, Eli House, Jayden Deeble and Martin Hayes were instrumental in not just the state tournament or playoffs, but every game this year, both on the field and in the dugout.
BOYS SOCCER
A fast start wasn’t enough to propel Greeneville over South-Doyle in the Class 2A soccer state championship match on May 24 at the Richard Siegel Soccer Complex in Murfreesboro.
Greeneville led 1-0
at halftime on a goal by Brody Inscore, but the Cherokees opened the second half with extra juice on offense and scored two unanswered goals for a 2-1 win.
“I’m disappointed in the outcome of the match, but definitely not disappointed in what these guys have done this year,” said Greeneville coach Jerry Graham, whose Devils ended their season at 14-10-1. “Holy cow, graduating 11 seniors, seven starters from last year’s team, having to replace a lot of guys, losing our center back three weeks ago –they’ve faced a ton of adversity and what they’ve overcome to even be on this field is tremendous.
“It’s disappointing when you go up (10) and you get that taste and have that possibility and then have it snatched away so fast. That just makes it a lot worse.
So I’m hurting for the boys, but super proud of their efforts.”
Losing so many players last year could have set the stage for a down year. Instead, the Devils turned it into a title run. It took hard work and determination, Graham said, to make it back to Siegel and have a chance at redeeming themselves after a tough loss in the championship match in 2023.
“Just like any of these teams, they come in and they work hard every day in practice,” Graham said. “They built a brotherhood within themselves, they pushed each other each day in practice to get better and better so we can get back to this.
“I don’t know who thought we were going to be back here, playing in the state tournament, much less playing in the state championship. But we told them to hold their heads high and look at what they’ve accomplished. Eventually they’ll look back on this and do that but right now, it stings really bad.”
GIRLS SOCCER
The Greeneville Lady Devils had their dream of a state championship crushed in a 5-0 loss to Franklin County in the first round of the Class 2A soccer state tournament on Oct. 23 at Chattanooga Christian.
“As a coach, it’s always tough to see it end like this for the girls,” said Greeneville coach Jerry Graham, whose Lady Devils ended their season at 11-8. “One of the things you love as a coach is to get to see the kids meet their goals and achieve their objectives. Sometimes they do it in dramatic fashion, other times it doesn’t happen like tonight.
“To see them not reach a goal is tough.” Graham believes each team creates its own identity each season. And after
losing six senior starters and two assistant coaches from the 2023 season, these Lady Devils turned out to be a bunch of determined overachievers with the program’s 10th straight trip to state.
“A lot of people counted us out of district and region this year,” Graham said. “These girls said, ‘We want to get back to state.’ The things they put in place, the work they’ve put in this year, the things they’ve overcome ... I mean, I just can’t be more proud of them. The effort they put in just to get us back here has been phenomenal.”
GIRLS TENNIS
South Greene’s Macey Waddell and Ryleigh Gregg fell to the defending champions from Union City in the first round of the Class A doubles state tournament on Thursday on May 23 at the Adams Tennis Complex.
The Lady Rebels fought hard, but lost 2-0 to Molly Kizer and Shelby Bondurant.
“We made some good runs to get down here and the competition is always tough,” South Greene coach Shawn Jones said. “I’m very, very proud of these girls. Every year we come down here, I’m proud. They battled right there today.”
BOYS GOLF
South Greene’s Kolben Gregg turned in a two-day total 154 to tie for 11th place in a field of 62 boys in the Class A state tournament on Oct. 8 at Sevierville Golf Club.
Gregg was tied for fifth after carding 74 in the first round, but he faded with an 80 in the second round.
GIRLS GOLF
• The Chuckey-Doak Lady Knights carded a two-day total 376 to finish fifth in the Class A state tournament on Oct. 8 at Sevierville Golf Club.
The Lady Knights shot 191 on the first day of the tournament and 185 on day two.
Cascade took first place with a 150-152— 302.
Chuckey-Doak’s Layla Fox finished 12th individually in a field of 45 with an 85-86—171. Harley Thompson was 29th with a 106104—210, and Kyleigh Crawford tied for 32nd with a 117-99—216.
“We’re fifth in the state. We haven’t been here in 50 years and now we’re fifth. I’m ecstatic,” said Chuckey-Doak coach D’Lee Pollock. “Our goal was to make it here and we did really well once we were here. Two of our girls had never been here, so that’s a lot of barriers to overcome.”
• The Greeneville Lady Devils carded a two-day total of 320 to finish fifth in the Class 2A state tournament on Oct. 11 at Sevierville Golf Club.
Murfreesboro Central finished first with a 301.
The Lady Devils carded a 161 on day one of the tournament
and a 159 on day two.
“We are a really young team and we’re competing against the best teams in our division, in the state and they held their own for two days,” Greeneville coach Nathan Hale said. “They all faced some adversity, some tough holes, but none of them let it faze them. They put up scores close to where they’ve been all year.”
Greeneville freshmen Kylee Renner and Kamryn Renner finished 24th and 25th, respectively. Kylee carded a 79-81—160 and Kamryn carded an 83-78–161.
Sophomore Brylee Catron was 30th with an 82-82—164.
VOLLEYBALL
The South Greene Lady Rebels were eliminated by Summertown 25-18, 25-11, 25-18 in the Class A volleyball state tournament on Oct. 24 at Blackman High School in Murfreesboro.
After starting the season 8-8, South Greene won the District 1-A championship, Region 1-A title and won its first match in the state tourney before being eliminated with losses to Loretto and Summertown.
The Lady Rebels had a more challenging season than most teams. Not only were they limited to just two home games at South Greene due to a small fire in their gym, but they were also heavily affected by flooding in Greene County.
“Their work ethic is unparalleled,” said Gregg, whose Lady Rebels ended the season at 15-10. “In order to maintain focus through everything that’s happened and still get down here
and challenge teams ... I couldn’t be more proud and we did the best we could. It just wasn’t in the plans this year.”
WRESTLING
• Four Greeneville wrestlers traveled to the Williamson County AG Expo Park in Franklin to compete in the Class A wrestling state tournament Feb. 21-22.
Brylan Rhodes ended his freshman year as a state champion in the 106-pound weight class, while Derrick Day finished third at 138 and Gabriel Oakley was fourth at 113. Kaleb Smith (157) was unable to place.
“It’s always good to see the kids be successful,” Greeneville coach Atlas
Fagundes said. “From Kaleb Smith, who worked really hard and got to qualify, all the way to Brylan Rhodes who won a state title. We just preach to those kids that if you work hard and do things the right way, things are gonna work out more often than not.”
• West Greene’s Megan Hinkle wrestled in a tough 145-pound weight class and was unable to place.
Hinkle opened the tournament with a 6-5 decision over St. Andrew’s Stella Wilson, but was pinned by Blackman’s Ali Bryant in 2:56 in the next round.
Hinkle was then eliminated in an 11-7 loss to Aurora Hamblin of East Robertson.
SUN FILE PHOTO
Greeneville’s Zaydyn Anderson competes in long jump during the Class 2A state track and field meet on May 21 at Middle Tennessee State University’s Dean Hayes Stadium in Murfreesboro.
Easton Keeton, all three with the Greene County-Greeneville EMS, provided a glimpse into a just a few of the many heroic responses by emergency responders during the storm in interviews nearly three months later.
The three men were only a few of the people busy supplying residents with emergency needs like oxygen and medicine, and treating others pulled from vehicles trapped by the rapidly rising Nolichucky River.
Miller recalled that “a couple of people were pulled from cars, including one in a driveway near Jones Bridge. The woman, who had MS, was hypothermic” when her vehicle stalled, and then flooded in the waters, he stated.
Miller also recalled, “We took a raft to the River Village Lane subdivision in Afton that was encircled. We got a
boat to get people out before dark. They were trapped with water all around them. No one was hurt.
“It became eerily quiet” Friday night, stated Miller. “Friday had been fairly clear with the weather. If the dam went, we didn’t know what it would do, or how high or quickly” the water would flow.
On Friday night, there were many responding agencies forced to stay at the South Greene Volunteer Fire Department because bridges connecting the north and south sides of the river were closed.
The two paramedics slept in their ambulance: Keeton in the front seat, and Loudy on a stretcher in the vehicle.
Fortunately, though citizens related many close calls before they were rescued from their flooded homes, only one person in Greene County — Boone McCrary — reportedly died as a direct result of the storm and
flooding.
“I saw a lot of heroes over the initial weeks of this monumental disaster and still today,” stated Greeneville Police Department Chief Steve Spano.
“The response by the Greeneville Police Department to Hurricane Helene is commendable and serves as a shining example of community service in times of crisis,” he said.
Spano continued, “By delivering essential supplies like water and other needed items, the officers not only provided immediate relief but also showed their commitment to supporting citizens in distress.
“Such actions can significantly uplift spirits during challenging times, reinforcing the bond between the police and the community they serve.
“During this event, I didn’t hear one complaint from anyone when tasked to do things they normally don’t do. The ‘troops’ went to work for our
The bridge, which spanned the Nolichucky River about 11 miles southeast of Greeneville on Poplar Springs Road near the Caney Branch community, was submerged and destroyed in the September flooding.
In early February, the state and FEMA approved $6.2 million to replace the bridge on a fasttrack project, as it did with Birds Bridge, said Morrison. FEMA’s share for the project is about $4.6 million. The non-federal share is about $1.5 million, according to a FEMA news release.
DEBRIS REMOVAL
Michelle Matson, TEMA district coordinator, said at an open house held in Greeneville in March to inform the public of efforts to remove debris along the Nolichucky River, that the
State of Tennessee decided to help take the burden off local counties by retaining the debris removal contractor, Phillips & Jordan, Inc.
Matson said that, as of early March, 1.4 million cubic yards of debris had been removed from along the Nolichucky River so far.
As of March 7, debris removal from the Nolichucky River in Greene County alone was 301,000 cubic yards and 421,400 tons, stated Heather Sipe, director of the Greeneville-Greene County Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security.
Overall, said the county mayor, one of the upshots of the storm is “we learned the bridge network (in Greene County) is vital for transportation, communication and safety, (which) we take for granted.”
Bui ld ing and Constr uction uction Guide
PHOTO SPECIAL TO THE SUN
Poplar Springs Bridge, also known as Easterly Bridge, which was located on Poplar Springs Road near the Caney Branch community in Greene County, was destroyed in flooding of the Nolichucky River in late September. The State of Tennessee and FEMA have approved $6.2 million to replace the bridge.
All financial contributions to the organization are tax-deductible.
Donations may be sent to the Greeneville Theatre Guild, P.O. Box 2002, Greeneville, TN 37744 or made online at the group’s website.
Hurricane Helene’s catastrophic flooding unfortunately took center stage in the fall, Mengel added.
“Several of our theater friends were affected by the flood waters, so efforts were redirected in order to offer much-needed assistance to try to help where we could,” she explained. “We also haven’t tried to recruit any contractors for work on the building, knowing that so many are busy helping people get back into their homes.”
APPALACHIAN
AUDITORIUM
The Appalachian Auditorium at St. James has continued to celebrate a
succession of highly popular monthly shows during its 2024-25 season.
The venue first opened in 2019 and has since evolved into one of the must-attend event sites in Greene County, offering top-notch entertainment at an affordable price. Tickets for the shows are $15 in advance and $20 at the door.
This season of shows kicked off Sept. 7, 2024, with a Creedence Clearwater Revival tribute band called Bad Moon Rising, followed by an Eagles tribute by Victims of Love on Oct. 19 and a Johnny Cash tribute by Gary West on Nov. 22.
In December, award-winning bluegrass artists Trey Hensley and Rob Ickes performed a sold-out show at the venue. Hensley and Ickes received Grammy Awards this year, which shows the level of talent that the venue is attracting, officials note.
The January show featured a
Statler Brothers tribute band called American Pride, followed by the venue’s first gospel only show on Feb. 15 with the traditional sounds of the Lonesome Pine Bluegrass Band and contemporary Christian artist Madison Metcalf.
The Everly Brothers Experience, featuring California-based siblings Dyland and Zachary Zmed, was featured on the Appalachian Auditorium stage on March 15.
The venue will round out the 202425 season with the ETSU Bluegrass Band on April 12 and Lightnin’ Charlie on May 17.
“All but one of our six shows, so far, has sold out and the January American Pride (Statler Brothers Tribute) almost sold out,” the Appalachian Auditorium’s marking director, Phyllis Shelton, said.
In other milestones that past year, the Appalachian Auditorium began its “Nonprofits Helping Nonprofits”
program. Among the nonprofits honored were:
• the Isaiah House at the October show (Victims of Love, Eagles Tribute);
• AIDNET of Greene County at the November show (For the Love of Cash;
• the firefighters of the St. James Volunteer Fire Department at the December show (Trey Hensley and Rob Ickes), and
• Celebrate Recovery at the February Gospel Night show. The Gospel Night show, which was sold out, was attended by almost 80 individuals from Celebrate Recovery and other recovery groups, Shelton noted.
Appalachian Auditorium is located at 3220 St. James Road and more information can be found on their Facebook page or at appalachianauditorium.com .
Health& Wellnes sGuide
Boys & Girls Club Plans To Open New Facility In August
BY AMY ROSE STAFF WRITER
The Boys & Girls Club of Greeneville & Greene County made significant strides in 2024 toward completion of its new facility and recently announced staffing changes.
The organization has been at the forefront of local youth development for more than 25 years, growing to serve more than 1,500 youths throughout the community, according to information from the club.
While the current facility has supported the existing membership base, the organization is unable to meet the needs of a growing membership, and they have not been able to accept all that wish to attend the Boys & Girls Club.
To meet these needs, they decided to expand their reach and build a new facility to provide additional programs and services.
That new 27,000-square-foot facility at 413 E. Vann Road is rolling toward competition this summer with an anticipated opening for the 2025-26 school year in August.
C&C Millwright has served as the general contractor and SummersTaylor took care of the excavation and will do the outside work to complete the facility.
The new facility will be located between two schools: Hal Henard Elementary and Greeneville Middle School and in front of Hardin Park.
This new facility will allow the organization to double its current capacity to serve children in a new state-of-the-art facility with modern amenities.
The current facility at 740 W. Church St. was opened in 1970 and has been great for the organization, but it’s only 10,000 square feet.
The new site will more than double the current space and also have access to more green space behind the new club site as well as the Hardin Park pool, fields and playground outside the club’s back door.
The Boys & Girls Club provides youth programs that focus on academic success, character and leadership development, the arts, health and wellness, sports and recreation and workforce readiness.
Many of the current programs will expand to offer new opportunities at the new site. The club will also coordinate with additional nonprofit program partners to provide services in the new facility.
“This new Boys & Girls Club facility is going to be a safe space where young people can come after school and during summer break,” stated Daniel Johnson, cochairman of the Boys & Girls Club Capital Campaign, and longtime board member for the organization.
marked its half-century milestone in December with a 50th anniversary celebration at the station.
Charter and past members and former fire chiefs mingled with younger volunteers and the public, sharing stories.
Caney Branch is among the busiest volunteer fire departments in Greene County, running between 135 to 150 calls a year.
Ryan Holt, Caney Branch fire chief for 28 years, appreciated the large turnout for the event.
He recalled charter members telling him about the founding of the fire department in 1974.
“When they first started, they had a two-story building with a wood stove and they sat around it and that’s where they had their meetings,” Holt said.
If there was a fire in the Caney Branch district, when a member found out he would telephone other members, who would drive to the fire station and respond. Firefighters were eventually issued pagers in 1981, Holt said.
“They will be able to hang out with their friends, get homework help, or meet with a mentor. This is the kind of support that can make all the difference in a young person’s future.”
The Boys & Girls Club provides after-school and summer programs for young people that emphasize academic growth, the development of good character, and the formation of healthy lifestyles.
The new facility will allow them to expand on these opportunities as well as programs in workforce readiness, technology skills and programs in the performing arts.
The Boys & Girls Club of Greeneville & Greene County addresses the needs of the young people of our community by providing a positive response to the growing challenges local kids face daily with award-winning programs and activities and professionally trained staff to make the club a safe positive place for the children they serve.
A new Boys & Girls Club facility will enable the organization to serve kids more effectively. The additional space will help expand programs and services offered to youth members to help them stay on track to becoming a productive adult citizen.
“We could not do what we do at the Boys & Girls Club without the generous support we have received from the community for this project, said Scott Bullington, executive director for the local organization.
“We have a lot on our plate, but we hope to add new staff and continue to grow the organization in the new facility and answer the call for serving more youth than ever.”
When asked about future opportunities for the organization, Bullington added, “As we continue to grow our organizations and high-level programs and activities for the children of Greeneville & Greene County, we look to grow and develop our reach by partnering with other regional organizations.”
The original founders of the local club, a group of concerned citizens, helped to start the organization in 1998. The club re-launched in March of 1999 after a brief closing with a daily attendance of less than 10 and has grown to annually serve over 1,500 youths throughout the community.
The club recently announced the promotion of three staff members: Peyton Malone to director of operations, Jennifer Wilder to assistant director, and Lane Richey to marketing and community outreach.
These changes are designed to strengthen the organization’s mission of delivering impactful community programs for local youth,
“Fifty years ago we had all these farmers who would just pick up and go to the fire,” Holt said. “It’s tough to get people to volunteer these days, and the community support does make a difference.”
Caney Branch is the only volunteer fire department in Greene County that responds to medical calls, at the direction of Greene County Emergency Medical Services.
As needs of the community grow, the fire department has added to other capabilities with new apparatus and other equipment.
‘Money was tight back (in 1974). Everything was just handed down from fire department to fire department,” Holt said.
At the 50th anniversary event, charter members were given commemorative coins in recognition “of their camaraderie and dedication,” Holt said. The coins depict images of a 1977 fire truck used by the department and one of the current, more modern trucks.
The Caney Branch Volunteer Fire Department
according to a press release from the club.
A Greeneville native, Malone began with the Boys & Girls Club as a part-time program staff member while pursuing a bachelor’s degree in sports and recreation management from East Tennessee State University.
Malone’s assistance with the organization’s special events, followed by promotions to program coordinator in 2021 and community outreach coordinator in 2023, prepared him for this promotion, the press release explained.
In his new role, Malone will focus on fundraising for special events, managing facilities, and providing support across various operational areas, all while fostering partnerships to enhance programming for local youth.
Wilder and Richey joined the Boys & Girls Club organization last summer.
Wilder, a native of Greene County, previously worked at the Greene County Partnership, where she coordinated various youth and adult leadership programs.
Initially hired to focus on workforce readiness and community outreach, Wilder has since been promoted to the newly created role of assistant director.
In her new position at the Boys & Girls Club, Wilder will not only
has long been a center of citizen activity. In 1979, firefighters added a community center to their first station, which was in use for 40 years.
Caney Branch firefighters moved into a new 10,000-square-foot fire station at 11423 Newport Highway in January 2015 that also includes a community center.
The department is continually making improvements to serve the public better, said Holt, who is also chief of the Greene County Association of Volunteer Fire Departments.
He expressed thanks for the community’s continued support since 1974.
Caney Branch holds fundraising events each year like its “Firemen’s Feast,” one of the department’s major fundraisers.
“We would like to thank our community for their continuing support throughout the year and the donations that have been provided,” Holt said.
The anniversary celebration also included the presentation of a check for $21,500 from Modern
oversee programming and events but also continue leading the Workforce Readiness program, expand STEM initiatives, implement school outreach efforts, and ensure board, staff and organizational certification compliance requirements.
Richey, also a Greeneville native, previously worked at Greene LEAF, The Foundation for Greene County Schools, where she managed grants and contributed to a variety of marketing campaigns.
Originally hired as a marketing and grant development specialist, Richey has been promoted to marketing and community outreach.
In her new position at the Boys & Girls Club, Richey will focus on community outreach, enhance digital marketing initiatives, and support both educational and social programming. Her efforts will be aimed at promoting the organization’s goals through the planning of special events and community engagement strategies.
For more information about the Boys & Girls Club, contact Bullington at 423-787-9322 or email gbgc@comcast.net . All information, updates, and important announcements can also be found on the Boys & Girls Club of Greeneville & Greene County’s Facebook page or website at www. ggcbgc.org .
Woodmen representative Jake Ottinger to the department. The amount matches the total raised during a recent fire department fundraising event, Holt said.
Holt was surprised at the event by the presentation of a plaque of appreciation from Morrison, the county mayor, recognizing his long service to the fire department and the community.
“I have been chief since 1996 and there have been some good days and some bad days, but I could not do it without the members’ support,” he said. “It was a big thing that we got started with the fire service (in 1974) and our current members, we just hope to carry on the service.”
DEBUSK
Also marking the 50-year milestone was DeBusk VFD.
The Debusk Volunteer Fire Department serves more than 2,600 residents in a coverage area of about 6.5 square miles, and answers about 135 calls annually.
An important element of the coverage provided by the fire department is
the Debusk Fire & Rescue Rehab Unit, which responds to assist first responders throughout Greene County at fires, wrecks and other emergency situations.
The fire department took delivery in 2024 of a pumper/ tanker truck. The 1995 KME Renegade model has a 1,000-gallon water capacity and a 1,500 gallon-perminute pump.
Gary Morrison is chief of the department.
“We would like to thank the community for all the support and donations we have collected through our recent fundraisers. We thank each and every community member for the continued support and donations to Debusk Volunteer Fire Department,” Morrison said. He said that continued support of the fire department is appreciated. New members are also needed.
In related news from 2024, the Cedar Creek VFD ceased operations in September, primarily due to lack of funding and staff.
The Cedar Creek area is now served by
SUN PHOTO BY AMY ROSE
This photo taken March 12 shows construction of the new Boys & Girls Club facility on Vann Road.
St. James and South Greene VFDs.
From FIRE | page 16E
SUN FILE PHOTO
The existing Boys & Girls Club is located on West Church Street.
