Free Meal Opportunity for 18 and under

Brownsville/Haywood County (TN) Parks & Recreation Department announces its sponsorship of the 2012 Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), which is administered in Tennessee by the Department of Human Services under an agreement with the Department of Agriculture (USDA). 


Meals will be provided to all children 18 and under, without charge. Acceptance and participation requirements for the program and all activities are the same for all regardless of race, color, national origin, gender, age or disability. 


Any and all persons interested in participating may call the Parks & Recreation Office at (731) 772-6693 or come by 100 Boyd Avenue for more information.  

This announcement is not for Summer Camp registration.

Community Effort Renovates HHS Tennis Courts

Work on the HHS tennis courts was finished in time for the team's first home tennis match March 15. Before the match, community supporters gathered  to recognize those who contributed to the project and to hold a ribbon cutting for the newly renovated courts. 

Project managers Greg Vanstory and Betsy Reid, along with Cub Cadet, the city, county and others in the community, have brought new life to the Haywood High School tennis courts. Through donations of time, materials, labor and funds, the courts have been refurbished, lights added and the landscape has been made more “viewer friendly.” 

This project is part of a “Community Partnership” with the school system. It began seven months ago with Dr. Marlon King’s permission. The goal - to support students and student athletes.

 “Education is the most important goal at our schools, but sports is a big part of the fabric of our city and county, along with our school system,” project leader Greg Vanstory said. “Just as our students need good classroom tools to reach their goals, we feel that they also need and deserve good facilities on which to play sports and compete. We wanted to improve the HHS tennis courts and the grounds surrounding them. We have a good baseball complex and a good football practice field at HHS. The tennis courts are in the middle of them. So we decided to clean them up, do court repairs and add lights, but we did not have a lot of money. So our team stepped up big time. We want our people and the out-of-town guests to see what good high school sports facilities we have here at HHS.”

According to Vanstory, through free labor and people donating their time and material, the schools/city/county saved $40,000 that it would have cost if it (the renovation) had been contracted.

“This project has been such fun,” Betsy Reid said. “From the Mayors to the Sheriff to Public Works, Parks and Rec, the Utility Department, the County Farm, the high school and a long list of volunteers, the response has been totally positive. This has been a perfect example of what can happen when different groups and individuals in the community pull together.”

Chamber revives networking event March 22

"Business After Hours" is back. Knowing that networking is an integral part of your business, the Brownsville-Haywood County (TN) Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the return of the monthly networking event.

"To be a more effective Chamber, we must search for ways to bring our members together and allow them to connect with each other," says Chamber President Bob Wallis. "Business After Hours has worked in the past and we believe it is still a vital tool for building business relationships and generating business opportunities at the same time."

Richards-Cummins Real Estate and Moore Insurance Agency, 15 North Lafayette, will host the first event Thursday, March 22, at 5 p.m. All Brownsville and Haywood County business people are invited to attend. Light refreshments will be served and door prizes will be given away.

Networking is a cost-effective method of generating new business, explains Wallis. "It allows you to meet and build relationships beyond your usual contacts." Bring your business cards and be prepared to exchange ideas and referrals.

If you are interested in hosting Business After Hours, contact the Chamber at 731-772-2193. The event will be held on the 4th Thursday of each month.

Haywood Park wins Excellence Award

Haywood Park Community Hospital earns an 
EXCELLENCE THROUGH INSIGHT Award for Overall Physician Satisfaction 

Haywood Park Community Hospital, Brownsville, Tenn.,  was recently recognized with an Excellence through Insight award for “Overall Physician Satisfaction” by HealthStream, Inc. (NASDAQ: HSTM).  A formal presentation of the award was made during HealthStream’s customer Summit 2012, March 8, 2012, in Nashville, Tennessee.

Haywood Park Community Hospital was awarded this honor for its commitment to excellence in medical staff satisfaction.  To qualify for an award, a hospital must have been a medical staff satisfaction client of HealthStream in 2011, and scored at least in the 75^thpercentile or higher.  Haywood Park Community Hospital was chosen for receiving the highest ratings in the medical staff satisfaction from among HealthStream’s clients, as well as exceeding industry standards.

HealthStream CEO Robert A. Frist, Jr., said “We applaud Haywood Park Community Hospital’s high-level commitment to excellence in healthcare – and we are pleased to recognize their achievement through our presentation of an Excellence through Insight award.” 

BPD to be out in force this St. Patrick's Day

Brownsville Police Department Sobriety CheckpointsSet for St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, 2012

The Brownsville Police Department will be increasing enforcement efforts to ensure the safety of the citizens of Brownsville and Haywood County.  Sobriety checkpointsand saturation patrols will be conducted, Saturday, March 17, 2012,at three locations within the Brownsvillecity limits:  Highway 76/Anderson Avenue,Bypass and Hatchie St., and Bypass at Highway 19. The checkpoints and saturation patrols will be conducted between 7:00pm – 2:00am.   Officers will concentrate their enforcement efforts on removing impaired drivers from the roadways.  Officers will also be enforcing non-compliance with the safety belt law, as well as, child restraint laws. This event is funded by a grant from the Governor’s Highway Safety Office.

‘Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving’ Are Watchwords for the Day

If you plan to get behind the wheel after too much celebrating this St. Patrick’s Day,* Brownsville Police Department officials have some simple and sage advice for you: “Don’t do it!”  Police will be out in force all day and all night in a highly visible enforcement campaign to crack down on revelers who are driving drunk.

“Don’t think that drinking green beer gives you the right to spill red blood on Brownsvillestreets—yours or anyone else’s,” said Lt. Diebold.  “We encourage everyone who plans to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day this year with alcohol to keep in mind our anti-drunk-driving campaign slogan,  ‘Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving,’” said Chief Chris Lea.

“If you’ve had too much to drink, make sure you can rely on a sober, designated driver to get you home safely.

According to statistics compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 37 percent of the motor vehicle traffic fatalities during St. Patrick’s Day 2009 involved at least one driver or motorcyclist with a blood alcohol content of .08 grams per deciliter or above, the legal level of intoxication established in every state in the union.

During St. Patrick’s Day 2009, there were 103 crash fatalities.  Of that number, 39 people were killed in traffic crashes involving at least one driver or motorcyclist with a BAC of .08 g/dLor higher.

“Alcohol not only dangerously impairs your driving skills, it also impairs your judgment.  If you see friends under the influence of alcohol, make sure you don’t let them get behind the wheel,” said Chief Chris Lea.

Lt. Diebold recommends the following easy stepsfor a safe St. Patrick’s Day.

• Plan a safe way home before the festivities begin.

• Before drinking, please designate a sober driver and leave your car keys at home.

• If you happen to see a drunk driver on the road, don’t hesitate to contact your local law enforcement.
• And remember, if you know people who are about to drive or ride while impaired, take their keys and help them make other arrangements to get to where they are going safely.

For more information, visit www.TrafficSafetyManagement.gov