News

This week, Dyersburg City Schools announced Kamela Rogers as the new principal of Dyersburg High School effective in July.

Two local residents, Jill Chambers and Jessica Hinson, have spearheaded an effort to help those fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. Using their sewing skills, the duo began creating masks for those at risk – the medical community, the elderly, and cancer patients and survivors, among others.

TRULY MARTIN tmartin@stategazette.com Even though local schools are closed, teachers are finding ways to brighten their students’ faces up from a safe distance. Teachers from Finley Elementary School threw a parade on Wednesday afternoon to say hello to their students. Staff from Newbern Elementary School did the same thing for their students, as did Holice Powell Elementary School. Educators stayed in their cars and student’s waved from the curbside...

Tennessee State Parks, in an effort to flatten the curve of COVID-19 while continuing to serve Tennesseans, is joining the CDC and the Tennessee Department of Health by encouraging residents not to travel, but to visit only their nearby parks. The park system is also announcing a series of operational changes effective March 26...

City of Dyersburg officials announced Friday afternoon the immediate closure of playgrounds, dogs parks, basketball courts, tennis courts, picnic shelters and skate parks.

Gas prices continue to decline as community members stay home to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

On March 13, 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Chief Justice of the Tennessee Supreme Court declared a state of emergency for the Judicial Branch of Tennessee government and activated a Continuity of Operations Plan for the courts of Tennessee. This state of emergency constitutes a “disaster” for purposes of Tenn. Sup. Ct. R. 49 and Tenn. Code Ann. § 28-1-116. In light of ongoing concerns, the Tennessee Supreme Court hereby continues the suspension of in-person court proceedings and the extension of deadlines as set forth in this order. We again emphasize that the local and state courts of the State of Tennessee are open and will remain open under all circumstances, subject to the provisions of this order.

At 2 p.m. Thursday, March 26, the Tennessee Department of Health (TDH) provided updated numbers for confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state. The update noted the third positive coronavirus case in Dyer County.

NASHVILLE – Unemployment rates are a lagging measure and for the month of February remained relatively unaffected by the COVID-19 public health emergency. Tennessee’s statewide unemployment rate for February 2020 experienced a slight increase according to newly released data from the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development.The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for February is 3.4%, which represents a 0.1 of a percentage point increase when comparing the new statistic to January’s revised rate of 3.3%. The current rate mirrors the number from one year ago.

The State of Tennessee today, Thursday, March 26, launched a public service announcement campaign that urges all Tennesseans to adopt preventive health measures to slow the spread of coronavirus.

Beginning Friday, March 27, the Tennessee Department of Health will offer a COVID-19 assessment drive-up site in Dyer County at the Dyer County Health Department, located at 1755 Parr Ave. in Dyersburg. The site will be open from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. on weekdays.

The Dyersburg/Dyer County Chamber of Commerce is offering to print school academic packets for local students. To have the packets printed, call the Chamber at 731-285-3433 or email chambernews@dyerchamber.com.

The Dyer County Clerk’s Office, which is normally in operation one Saturday a month, will no longer be open on Saturdays until further notice. Currently, the office is in operation from 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. on weekdays with drive-thru service only.

As water is already ponding throughout Dyer County, area flooding is predicted to worsen throughout the week.

Dyersburg Middle School STEM/Tech Coach Vanessa Anderson was recently selected as a finalist in Sparklight’s annual ‘Dream Bigger’ contest. Open to K-12 schools throughout the 21 states where Sparklight offers services, schools could enter and have the opportunity to win $3,000 to fund their technology project – whether for equipment, competition fees, field trips or otherwise – and how it could benefit students...

UNION CITY, Tenn. — Although Discovery Park of America is currently closed to the public and much of the staff is working from home, the museum and heritage park remains committed to the mission of inspiring children and adults to see beyond. While the coronavirus pandemic has closed down museums around the world, many of them, like Discovery Park, are using social media to provide a unique look at their collections...

On Monday March 24, Governor Lee extended the statewide school closure to April 24, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In an effort to support the restaurant industry, national and regional restaurants have banded together to ask the public to support the industry by creating the Great American Takeout campaign. The effort, which is underway today, encourages the public to order at least one delivery or take out meal to show support for restaurants.

On Tuesday, the Dyersburg City and Dyer County school systems announced they would remain closed through April 24, following Tennessee Governor Bill Lee’s recommendation.

At 2 p.m. Tuesday, March 24, the Tennessee Department of Health provided the updated numbers for confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state. The update noted the COVID-19 case count for Tennessee is at 667, including 2 deaths.

On Monday, March 23 Trevor Dale Howard, 25, of Dyersburg, appeared before Dyersburg City Court Judge Dean Dedmon on charges of attempted second-degree murder and tampering with evidence. As a result of the hearing, Judge Dedmon set Howard’s bond at $150,000.

Although Dyer County and Dyersburg City Schools remain closed due to the coronavirus threat, both systems began offering free meals to area children on Monday.

Locals may see bears in their neighborhood this week. Well, teddy bears. Over the weekend, Dyer County residents began setting up ‘bear hunts’ to keep their families entertained while encouraging social distancing amid the coronavirus chaos.

We have found ourselves in a new world than the one we were in just a few short weeks ago.  The novel Coronavirus is here and with it comes many changes. Groups of 10 or more are discouraged, and in many places, they are ordered not to gather.  Upon hearing the news, immediately my mind raced to church. ...