Save room for Lynchburg
A second-Saturday tradition will be serving breakfast the way it always does – with the money going back to local kids.
He Never Let Go
Justin Verlander ended his 21-year career holding his daughter’s hand, a moment that spoke to every parent watching a child’s years pass by.
Accountability matters. So does restraint.
A fatal Sept. 11 crash left one man dead and an 18-year-old charged with vehicular homicide. I will not turn the tragedy into spectacle.
The Next Snap Still Belongs to You
After two lopsided losses, this young Raiders football team is still rebuilding, learning, and finding its footing.
Moore County’s Next Economy is Within Reach
With nearby higher-education workforce pipelines, Moore County has a practical path toward selective technical growth.
A Quarter-Cent Is Not a Blank Check
Another six figures would help, but the county still has to decide what it needs, what it wants, and what it can afford.
A Quarter-Cent Deserves a Fair Look
A proposed sales tax would add 25 cents per $100 spent in Moore County. Here’s why visitor spending matters to the discussion.
A Fair Path, Not a Free Pass
Write better rules for tomorrow. Moore County cannot rewrite the rules – or keep paying to postpone an answer.
Party Politics Comes to Town
Moore County’s 2026 election has been a political shitshow. Friday, everyone will still wake up in the same county.
A Sentence Is Not a Notice
A sentence appeared online. The harder question is whether that sentence met Tennessee’s legal-notice requirements.
Paper trail exposes a process problem
Gateway’s records request revealed gaps in Moore County’s response and new questions about conflicting zoning rules.
Whiskey, money, and control
Sazerac wants Brown-Forman. Why did the Brown family say no, and what could a future deal mean for Lynchburg?
The acre that could save Moore County
Six million Danes become Tennessee Squires? Moore County gets a budget windfall, and the Square gets busy.
Signed, Sealed – and Conflicting
Moore County provided one density schedule, later relied on another, and still has not completed Gateway’s appeal.
$1.35M is good news, but not the whole story
Moore County’s healthy balance sheet also raises questions about unspent appropriations and budget accuracy.
A necessary line for those who answer the call
Attacking a Tennessee first responder is now a felony, a change that is particularly important for small, rural counties.
Due Diligence Begins with a Conversation
Officials should question the Whiskey Creek assessment – and speak with the people whose work they question.
From Hollywood to the Hollows
Johnny and Roy raced toward danger on TV. Decades later, Moore County crews still carry that promise forward.
Receiver’s job is not what it may look like
Uncle Nearest filing shows why receiver’s duty runs to the companies under court control, not to lender or founders.
The Turbine Distraction
Moore County is weighing wind-energy rules, but a bigger issue may be smaller solar projects despite the five-year moratorium.
‘E pluribus unum’ still matters
As America turns 250, the promise remains unfinished – and the meaning of “out of many, one” should resonate.
Not to Become Big. To Become Ready.
Regional technical workforce could help grow the tax base and keep young people close to home.
Budget Passed. Now What?
Moore County has 10 months to ask better questions, demand clearer answers, and shape what comes next.
Voters urged to look past the yard signs
Concerned Citizens group encourages residents to get involved before decisions are made and to vote in the Aug. 6 election.
Freedom delayed, not forgotten
Juneteenth endures because Black families, churches, and communities refused to let the story fade.
Before the ballots, a chance to listen
With more than 25 local names on the ballot, each candidate has the floor, and voters get first-hand feedback.
Growth is here. Moore County needs a plan.
The time has come: We need more than lip service about growth, water, roads, schools, and development.
The Land We Love Will Not Protect Itself
The Land Trust for Tennessee matters in Moore County, where land, legacy, and future choices are deeply connected.
Planning should run on facts, not water worries
The water-loss problem is real, but MUD says availability is not an issue. P&Z should not let anxiety become a growth stop sign.
Mom was Carrying More than You Knew
With age, you realize motherhood was never just about raising children. It was about holding entire worlds together.
Public Interest is Not a Master Key
The primary ballot controversy should concern every Moore County voter, regardless of party, candidate, or media preference.
Ted, an Elevator, and the World He Built
A personal remembrance of Ted Turner, who changed cable news – and once made a new employee feel at home.
The Boogie Woogie Man and Saturday Mornings
Jimmy Valiant – born James Harold Fanning in Tullahoma – laced up his boots for his final match on April 25.
The Budget Isn’t Final Yet
Reducing the debt service line to soften a potential tax increase: Does it save money or shift costs into future budgets?
Show up before the smoke starts
Moore County’s elected neighbors would rather hear hard questions now than angry complaints after the budget is set.
If Brown-Forman is in play …
History says the bottle usually stays the same. The harder question for Lynchburg: What changes around it?
Made Do Long Enough
We’ve spent 14 months hearing about jail needs tied to intake, kitchen operations, and safety. The next move should be action.
A Spring Saturday Done Right
Spring in the Hollow celebrates 30 years on April 25 with plenty of reasons to spend the day downtown.
The Slop Stops Here
Beginning April 1, Moore County farmers face the realities of life after the Jack Daniel’s Cow Feeder Program.
Put Campaign Signs on a Shorter Leash
Moore County voters should not have to look at campaign signs for nearly five months. Let’s adopt a 60-day/72-hour rule.
Becoming Her Own Brand’s Worst Enemy
Uncle Nearest crisis is no longer just about receivership – it is also whether Fawn Weaver is eroding what credibility remains.
A courtroom is not a branding exercise
Fawn Weaver’s marketing strengths are real, but Thursday’s Uncle Nearest ruling showed why branding cannot replace legal authority.
Why Southern funerals still hit the heart
Faith, food, and small-town respect made funerals in the old South so heartfelt – and it’s why those traditions still matter.
Moore County Doesn’t Issue Membership Cards
“You ain’t from around here” often gets used to dismiss new voices. Commitment to a place – not birthplace – should matter most.
When Suspicion Becomes the Story
Gov. Bill Lee’s Lynchburg stop frustrated some residents. Fair enough. But we’d do well to remember: Outrage should not outrun facts.
$999 ‘rare access’ is stunning – and not in a good way
Distillery’s “Fifty-Six Society” pitch comes as Uncle Nearest is still under receivership; the “inner circle” invite lands as breathtakingly tone-deaf.
Let Moore County Run Its Own Elections
Moore County’s long-standing non-partisan election tradition faces a major shift it did not request. Here’s why the state should not dictate local policy.
Choosing Moore County means choosing change
Moore County faces a defining choice between managed growth and standing still as outside investment reshapes our community’s future.
Snark creeps Into receivership fight
A tense courtroom showdown is taking shape in the Uncle Nearest receivership battle, as clashing narratives signal a dispute that’s growing more pointed.
Context Matters More Than Speed
Careful reporting matters more than being first – especially when social media, legal realities, and a child’s well-being are at the center of a complex local story.
Politics, Process, and the Space Between
An anonymous tip, criminal summonses, and a DA’s decision collide. What the process looks like and why jumping to conclusions doesn’t help.
Uncle Nearest’s Numbers vs. Its Narrative
The Uncle Nearest lawsuit with Farm Credit Mid-America highlights a growing disconnect between the founder’s public bravado and real-world court filings.
Remembering what we’re thankful for
At Christmas, gratitude runs deep. From neighbors who step up, first responders, business owners, and familiar faces, it’s the people who make our community strong.
A Done Deal – and a Wake-Up Call
The digester is here to stay. The real question: Will Moore County citizens engage, influence policy, and hold elected officials accountable for future decisions?
Hindsight Isn’t 20/20 – It’s a Community Failure
Decisions on county-altering projects were made in public meetings attended by few people, raising hard questions about civic engagement, economic influence, and accountability.
Guinn pushes for proactive planning
During Tuesday night’s MUD meeting, board member Greg Guinn spoke up with a message that’s important for any growing community: It’s time to plan ahead.
When the Bill Comes Due
Moore County wants big-city services on a small-town tax base – and property owners are the ones paying for the contradiction.
The Paper We Loved, the Reality We Faced
Saying goodbye to print, not to Moore County. The Observer is evolving – going digital, launching a new quarterly magazine, and staying committed to local news that matters.
Life is a Highway
Stop comparing. Start living. Life’s too short to worry about what everyone else is doing. Work, love, laugh – repeat. It is what it is.
A Year of Gratitude
Thank you to everyone who leans into this good old-fashioned, hold-it-in-your-hands locally owned newspaper. Here’s to the next 52 weeks – and beyond!
Extension meeting exposes harsh reality
On Tuesday, the Moore County Extension office held a farm feed solutions meeting – a well-meaning effort, but one that felt more like triage than treatment.
Does it have to be all-to-nothing?
I’m asking Brown-Forman to reconsider. Don’t abandon the farmers who helped carry this county – and your distillery – through thick and thin.
