Leadership Haywood County graduates Class of 2012

Congratulations, Haywood County Leadership Class of 2012!

Turn up the volume and watch this great video about their adventures!

Tennessee's largest Solar Farm located in Haywood County

Tennessee has cut the ribbon on the state’s largest solar power array. DOE Deputy Secretary Poneman, Deputy Governor Ramsey and University of Tennessee President Dr. DiPietro joined a crowd of almost 200 to celebrate the opening of the West Tennessee Solar Farm in Stanton, Tenn. The Farm officially began generating power Thursday, April 12, 2012.

Haywood County Mayor Franklin Smith speaks at the official opening of the West Tennessee Solar Farm located in  Stanton, Tenn.

The Haywood County facility is capable of generating 5 megawatts of electricity, enough to power 500 homes and offset 250 tons of coal each month. That makes it the largest solar-energy array connected to the Tennessee Valley Authority’s grid.

“The West Tennessee Solar Farm opens a new chapter in the history of American solar power, tying together economic development, public education, and future research capabilities that will cement Tennessee’s leading role in this fast-growing, high-tech sector,” said Dr. Joe DiPietro, president of the University of Tennessee.

The Farm features 21,000 photovoltaic solar panels spread across more than 25 acres. The generated electricity is being distributed through purchase agreements with Chickasaw Electric Cooperative and Tennessee Valley Authority.  Signal Energy designed and built the Solar Farm.

“The University of Tennessee owns and operates the Solar Farm, and looks forward to using it as a great teaching tool,” said Dr. David Millhorn, executive vice president of the University of Tennessee. “ It’s exciting that the Farm will serve as a proving ground for the generation of new solar energy technologies. A utility-scale test site is a game changer in the solar energy field.”

“We are excited the West Tennessee Solar Farm has become a reality after years of hard work and planning,” Molly Cripps, director, ECD Energy Division said. “The Solar Farm will serve as a visible reminder of the possibilities the advanced manufacturing and energy technologies sector hold for Tennessee.”

More than 100,000 job hours were worked during design, build, installation and connection of the West Tennessee Solar Farm. In excess of 20 vendors supplied American-made parts and skilled labor.

“Signal Energy’s work as the design/build firm on the West Tennessee Solar Farm underscores our commitment to help institutions like the University of Tennessee and the State of Tennessee bring large-scale, innovative renewable energy projects to market and employ a skilled workforce to build our nation’s clean energy future,” said Ben Fischer, president of Signal Energy a leading design/build firm for the North American renewable energy industry.

Court Square closed to traffic next 2 weekends

PLEASE PARDON OUR PROGRESS!

Streets Closed! Businesses Will Be Open!

In order to make some necessary repairs to the pedestrian walkway project around Court Square, the City and TDOT will close all access to the Square over a period of two weekends in April:

Friday, April 13^th 6:00 p.m. until 

Monday, April 16^th 7:00 a.m.

Friday, April 20^th 6:00 p.m. until 

Monday, April 23^rd 7:00 a.m.

The streets around Court Square will be fully open and operational during the weekdays, and we hope to keep the inconvenience to a minimum for all downtown merchants and property owners.   

Weekend traffic will be detoured from Main Street to College Street via Jackson and Wilson Avenues.  We apologize for any inconvenience this causes, but these repairs are necessary for the long term stability and beautification of our Court Square.

Please call City Hall @ 731.772.1212 with any questions.  

Remember, although the street will be closed, Brownsville court square businesses will be open during regular business hours.

Haywood County students invited to enter art contest

All Haywood County school students are invited to participate in the 2012 Cinco de Mayo Heritage Celebration Art Contest. Deadline to enter is Friday, April 27. Winners will be announced at the Cinco de Mayo Heritage Celebration Saturday, May 5, on the Brownsville Court Square. The event and contest is sponsored by the Brownsville Business Association.

"This is the second year for the event and art contest," says Vickie Cooper, event coordinator. According to Cooper, over 60 students participated in the contest last year and organizers are confident that this year they will see a similar response.

"Celebrating Community" is the theme students are asked to use for their artwork. The art can depict what makes our community unique, someone or something that represents the community or simply something the artist loves most about our community.

Cooper says the theme leaves room for interpretation and creativity of the students. Students are also encouraged to name their artwork and judges will base the winning selections on composition, design and overall creativity.

"Cinco de Mayo is a celebration of Brownsville and Haywood County's diverse heritage, bringing the kid's into the event and letting them tell our story through their artwork is a great way to share and showcase our different cultures."

For complete instructions and entry form, visit www.shopbrownsvilletn.com, or pick-up an entry form at All That's Victoria, 9 South Lafayette, Brownsville. For more information, contact Cooper at 731-772-4477.

Sonnets to Orpheus opens April 13

"Sonnets to Orpheus" is the name of the latest exhibit to be presented April 13 - June 2, at the West Tennessee Delta Heritage Center in Brownsville, Tenn. The collection of mixed media art is the work of Jackson, Tenn., native Lendon Noe and explores a series of poems written by German poet Rainer Maria Rilke depicting the Greek mythical musician, Orpheus.

"Rilke’s sonnets are filled with beautiful metaphors that to me are breathtakingly visual," says Noe. "While I don’t seek to illustrate his work, I have been immeasurably inspired by it."

Noe is the former Professor of Art at Lambuth University where she taught for 28 years. She has recently opened a studio and gallery at DCA/DCPR in Jackson and is a partner and instructor with Silver Creek Workshops.

"My work hovers between realism and pure abstraction and I am attracted to many different media and techniques."

Noe began as an oil painter but explains that she now does a lot of drawing, incorporating acrylics and inks, collage and image transfers. Inspired by nature, many of the works in the Orpheus collection depicts trees and nature.

" I look for poetic references and metaphors involving all kinds of plant life and birds."

The public is invited to a special exhibit opening and reception Friday evening, April 13, 6-8 p.m., to meet the artist and learn about her inspiration and interpretation of the sonnets.

The West Tennessee Delta Heritage Center is a tourist information center and three regional museums located at Interstate 40 and Exit 56 in Brownsville, Tenn. Hours are Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., and Sunday, 1-5 p.m. All exhibits and museums are free to the public. Groups and tours buses are welcome. For more information, call 731-779-9000 or visit online at www.westtnheritage.com.