The team took about 10 minute’s and they were back on the court warming up for the 2nd half. At the end of the 3rd quarter the score was 29-69. The final score was 36-79 bringing Northeast into the Semi Finals. 

Tonight Northeast will be up  against Brentwood, who are ranked  #22 in the Division I Class AAA.  According to CoachT  the top 10 teams in the Division I Class AAA, Northeast is ranked #1.

Tonight’s games against Brentwood will be starting at approximately 8:30pm. Location to the game is at the Hickman County High School.  The lights to the sign for the High School were out last night, so be sure not to miss the turn.  The address is 1645 Bulldog Blvd. in Centerville, TN

The win last night brought Northeast record to 14-0.   Clarksville should be proud of this team as they are dominating the brackets of Men’s Basketball in High School sports.

Northeast won the Championship title in the State Farm Holiday Classic Tournament earlier this month.

Photo Gallery

The post Northeast High Basketball Dominating the Brackets appeared first on Clarksville, TN Online.

The Logo of the Stop the Quarry group

I was called from a neighbor a couple of days ago about a problem that might be arising that will affect all the homes off Exit 1 around the Trenton/Tylertown Roads.  She went to Kentucky yesterday to get a plat of where this Quarry will be built. It is shocking how close it is to our subdivisions on the North side of Interstate 24!

Below I have placed a copy of the plat, so you can see if it will affect your area.  We understand that this is being built right inside the KY line but they will be using Trenton and Tylertown Road to get to the Hemlock. Not to mention the blasts that will shake all of our homes!

The information below was taken from the new web site which is attempting to fight the quarry, I have been given permission to quote what has been brought to the surface.

What we know

The Rogers Group based in Nashville, TN has shown an interest in developing a rock quarry in the Todd County area.  They are the company interested in the tract of land in question (below). The Rogers Group is deciding between two locations and hopes to acquire the quarry location in order to supply the Hemlock plant with the quarried limestone. (Tylertown Road would be the most direct route of delivery.)

Apparently, core samples have been taken and some surveying has been done in preparation for the development of a quarry.  However, on a positive note, no mining permit has been applied for with the state of Kentucky.

Kentucky does not have zoning restrictions – meaning there is no barrier between development and the state.  No planning commission, no re-zoning red tape.  Companies applying for a mining permit in the state of Kentucky DO have to submit a public notice to the most heavily circulated newspaper within a 50-mile radius of the intended mining site.  This is, of course, the Kentucky New Era based in Hopkinsville, would be the appropriate publication.

We need to show The Rogers Group they aren’t just going up against a small group of Tennessee homeowners and a handful of Kentucky farmers; they are going against a united front of more than 7 large Clarksville neighborhoods consisting of more than a thousand Tennessee homeowners willing to support those bordering their intended quarry!

We need to contact them RELENTLESSLY voicing our opposition to their potential quarry before it legally becomes our newest neighbor!

We need the support of Clarksville neighbors not affected to stand in the gap for the homeowners who can’t be here due to be deployed.  Will you help us take a stand?

Channel 4 News came to Clarksville and did a piece on this developing story.

Facts

• The Rogers Group out of Nashville is planning to start quarrying limestone to supply the Hemlock plant.
• The land that is the subject is owned by Paul Cooper
• Core samples and surveying have been done on the property
• No new deeds have been filed in Todd County
• No mining permit has been applied for in the state of Kentucky
• The Rogers Group will have to notify the public via the New Kentucky Era for 30 days as part of the permit process
• No notification has appeared in the paper as of yet
• No zoning restrictions in Kentucky – NO planning commission
• The Rogers Group has been trying to access limestone in Todd County for a few years now without much success
• The Rogers Group moved a projected quarry site in Huntsville, AL due to public fallout
• Woodstock residents and Kentucky farmers are not happy
• Tylertown/Oakland Hills residents are just now finding out
• Tennessee officials have no power in Kentucky, it’s up to our residents to make a change
• The EXACT location of the quarry – Woodstock farms (right next to Woodstock subdivision)
• The land consists of 500 +/- acres and crosses HWY 108

Rumors and Speculations

• Property has been sold to The Rogers Group

For More Information

To view updated information about this developing story please visit STOP the Quarry!

If you know a resident that is deployed, stand in the gap for them! Please forward this to everyone you know to help us stop something that could hurt our economy and to educate others on what is going on right outside our back doors!

The post Residents plan to fight the development of a new quarry off of Exit 1 appeared first on Clarksville, TN Online.

Clarksville has been gearing up for this storm that is 1700 miles long since wednesday by putting down the salt or brine. The roads will be dangerous, so please stay off of them. There has even been concerns of power outages. As I was in Wal-Mart this afternoon, I ran into a lot of my friends who were getting ready for the storm that will keep us indoors. They even mentioned the fact that we might lose our electric. There is always a possibility. Those without a fireplace, do you know how you would stay warm if the electric is to go out?

Here are some ideas* to stay warm if you don’t have electric or a fireplace. First make sure that you have not blown a fuse and check your circuit breaker in your electrical home panel. If the power is out over a widespread area, it may take longer to restore power everywhere. Sometimes it can be out for days.

• Unless there is an emergency, do not call 9-1-1. That number should only be used if there is an emergency, or if someone is injured or in danger.
• If there are power lines down in your neighborhood, do call 9-1-1 and call your utility company. DO NOT GO NEAR DOWNED POWER LINES.
• Listen to a battery powered radio or TV at the top of the hour.
• Dress to stay warm. Wear layers, including a sweater, sweatshirt or even a jacket. You lose heat through your hands and the top of your head. Wear gloves and a knit hat, not just a baseball cap.
• Avoid opening your refrigerator and freezer as much as possible. Food inside should stay cold for hours if the door is left closed.
• If you’re cold, take a warm shower – to increase your body temperature. Your hot water tank, even if electric, will stay warm for a few hours.
• Unplug some of your major appliances. When the power comes back on, all those appliances can create a drain or power surge. This can harm sensitive equipment. Leave a light on so you’ll know when the power is back on.
• If you have a generator, do not connect it to your home’s power system unless it has been properly installed and disconnects you from the main power grid when its operating. If you do not disconnect from the power grid, you can be sending electricity back down the lines; not just to your home. That could be deadly for the power company workers.
• If you have a regular wood stove or fireplace, you can use it for heat. However DO NOT USE kerosene heaters, BBQs, or any outdoor type heater inside. Such devices create poisonous gases such as carbon monoxide.
• If you are in a neighborhood and know of someone that has a fireplace, call and see if you can come over there if the power goes out.
• Check on your elderly neighbors or those who may have medical conditions or use medical machinery that operates on electricity. Make sure they are dressed appropriately warm.
• If you have to go out, drive carefully. Remember that traffic signals may be out during a power outage.

As of 8:30 pm Oklahoma is without power for 63,000 residents and it could take up to 5 days to restore power! They have freezing rain and will have over 16 inches of snow after that.

Texas has wind damage reports at peak: 7,500 without power and road crews are on 24 hour mode. Floods here and more to come! Wind has been the biggest culprit.

Arkansas is stock piling poles 400 linemen are on standby to replace. That is a lot of poles!

This is coming our way! Over 21 million people will be impacted!

Please stay safe and warm.

The post Snow and Ice in Clarksville, TN appeared first on Clarksville, TN Online.

The second day… First of all, from this day out I will refer to Operation Rising Star as ORS. Breaking it down a little. Whew! What a day.  It was suppose to rain but it held off and the sun shined through.  We started our day going through some vocal group warm ups, learning different technics.  We were able to get two of our group songs down for the show. We are above the curve, we were told, and so he gave us a little more time this morning to sleep in.  It was a late night.

After our practices on the group numbers we went to eat and then left for Ft. Myers.  On the way there we passed the Pentagon and saw the Airforce memorial, the Washington memorial (from afar) and the Arlington Cemetary.  I also got a call from Mayor Piper’s office saying the Mr. Piper requested me by name to sing the National Anthem for the Volunteer ceremony that will be going on November 19th, my birthday.  I am in VA so I wouldn’t be able to make it. I told her to please keep my name for any future events. She said she would. Anyway, when we arrived at the home of the Army Band, we went into a room with the band that will be playing for our competition.  They are DR, short for Down Range.  Great group of talented individuals.  You have to be, to be in this band!

We went over our solo numbers if we make the top 6.  This song was broken down to 90 seconds.  All of our songs that we sing alone will have to be broken down except for the winner.  I was given my song and it is “How do I live”.  There is still some tweaking we need to do but all in all I think it will sound good.  I want to add some brass or horns into the music, so I will see if that can be done on Thursday.  I will only be singing this song if I get enough votes from Ft. Campbell, Clarksville , fans, friends and family around the world.  If not, then I will still be here but only do group numbers.  But we aren’t going to focus on the “if not”! I know you will all come through for me with your votes.  You believe in me or I wouldn’t be here!

By the time we all finished our numbers it was about 5 pm and the 6 contestants that still needed to tape their accapella version had not been done.  So we waited for them to finish their tapings.  Once that was done it was around 7 and we headed to the restaurant to eat.  We were all tired and acting crazy.  Some laughing uncontrolably and some just laying their head down trying to sleep.

Today we are going to be going over the two songs and working on the 3rd one.  So, I am going to go ahead and end now and start listening to some music, getting more familiar with it.

Please remember that you need to vote on the 15th at 8 pm eastern and you only have two hours to do so.  If you want to vote more than once you can but you have to go through the whole process of voting again. I don’t think there is an easier way.  Voting will be on this website and you can also view the show at www.oprisingstar.com or if you would like to see it on t.v. the Sportsman Lodge will be having a viewing there with a buffet.

“I believe I can fly. I believe I can touch the sky. I think about it every night and day!”  Thank you for your support and helping me reach the stars. I have always felt that what ever you do, when done with the right heart, it will come back to you. Plus just doing something to help another smile is very rewarding in itself.  Blessings…

The third day… I woke up to hearing the rain outside and it was cold! What a change in the temperature. We were able to sleep in a little longer because of the day before, which was nice. I did some warm ups in my room and of course was keeping you up to date with how day 2 went.

Yesterday we started off going straight to rehearsals and singing from 9-11:30.  We went over our group songs, even did a little contest on which group of 6 contestants sold the show for one of the songs we are doing, “Party in the U.S.A.”  It really is going to be entertaining for y’all to watch.  My group didn’t win that time due to the meshing and not really connecting with what we were doing with our movements but we won with the vocals. The second time we did it, my group won.

We then took our lunch break and ate where we will be eating every lunch and dinner, Vinny’s. I believe we will be made of cheese when we leave here.  It is an Italian restaurant. Very good food but it doesn’t help if we are trying to fit in our performance clothes!  It’s funny, one of the girls has a bottomless pit for eating.  She just doesn’t seem to get full. So when I was done with my food and I still had some left on the plate she wanted to know if I wanted it. I gave it to her and she ate and kept eating.  It’s been like this almost every night.  So, last night she said that her clothes felt like they were getting a little tight and I said, “You want some more of my food?” She gasped and asked if we were trying to make her fat by offering her our food. We all laughed.  I wasn’t thinking that. I just thought she was still hungry. Some people can eat like that and still remain thin.  Must be nice! Not so with me!!

Another contestant offered everyone a throat lozenger in rehearsals and Joey, our vocal coach, gasped and said that he doesn’t want to see us singing with that in our mouth because when we take a breath the lozenger could be sucked down and we could choke.  So the joke from then on out was when someone is doing good, “Do you want a throat lozenger?”

After lunch we came back to the hotel and had to get the 6 outfits that we will be performing in.  We went back to the theatre and picked a row to place each outfit on a seat, along with shoes, for the director to see.  He called each person out to go over the outfits.  When he called me, he looked at my clothes and wanted to know what I was singing and then would point to an outfit and say, “You’ll wear that….you’ll wear that.”  So, that was cool being directed on what I would wear for the show if I move on to sing the songs that I am singing.

We then rehearsed from 1-5:00 pm.  It was a long day of singing.  Afterward I needed help with the song I will be singing if I make it to the top 6 and Joey helped me with that for about 10 minutes.  Everyone was waiting in the van to go eat dinner while Joey got the arrangement together.  I recorded it on my iPhone and then we were off to eat and then get back to the hotel.

Every night I come in here and get ready for bed and watch HBO.  Last night I watched some of the CMA’s. Gotta love Taylor Swift and her innocense. She is so refreshing.  It would be good to have an older singer singing songs about “When your 40″.  Us women need songs we can identify to now, in the age we are in and the song being sung by someone that looks like they can experience it. I have had a lot of women coming up to me saying that they cannot relate to a song about them being sung by a 20 year old who probably has never experienced it. They don’t want to look back at 15 and wishing they were there again.  There is life after 15, after 25, after 35, after 50.  Who wants to write a song with me?

Anyway, we are on day 4 now. So be watching for my daily post tomorrow.  Busy day ahead and I gotta get going.  Have a great day.

Remember, voting to get me to the top 6 will begin on the 15th at 8pm eastern for 2 hours.  Go to www.oprisingstar.com and click on VOTE.  You will be able to vote more than once but there is a process that you will have to start over with.  Thank you for taken an active role in achieving my dream! Blessings

The fourth day… Yesterday was back to the normal schedule.  We ate the hotels breakfast and headed back to the theatre.  It was another cold, rainy day.  I am sure it didn’t help with what I have now.  A couple of contestants had a fever and some drainage. It went away after two days.  I don’t have the fever but I have the drainage.  I have been real careful with where I put my hands and using sanitizer.  Don’t know if this was something from being in a room with the heat on for the first time the other night.  That is when I woke up with a sore throat.

Anyway, my day was full of choreography.  It is going to be sooooo good.  We all have great harmony.  We worked on our first group performance on stage all morning until lunch.  After that wonderful italian restaurant we went to Ft. Myers again.  It is something to be inside the building that is home to the Army Band.  You see men and women walking out to go play at a service at Arlington.  While I was sitting in the foyer waiting for my turn to go in and rehearse my song with the band, I could see the cemetary.  I mean, I would only have to walk outside the building and maybe 500 feet and I am there.  That is how close it is.  Arlington takes your breath away. Seeing all the brave men and women who have served our country finishing their time on this earth here. It is just speechless.

I had a good practice to go over a part that Joey and I changed to allow me to sing higher.  This is for the day 2 song if I make the top 6. I will be singing, “How do I live”.  My first song will be what I sang to win the installation, “Just a Dream”. We had to send in that performance. Whatever was sent in for them to judge is what we are singing.  The Band sounds so good.  Now with this first song, this is the song that the judges have already seen and what made them choose the top 12.  So, it won’t be a judgement of why did I pick that song.

Yesterday after I practiced I got some really good feedback and advice from one of the back up singers with the Down Range band. So, hopefully I will make the top 6 and you can see what I do with it!

Remember, voting begins at 8 pm eastern, November 15th on www.oprisingstar.com and click on VOTE.  You will have 2 hours. You can vote more than once also.  I need your votes.  50% of them will either move me up or out. The other 50% is the judges. You can also go to the Sportsman Lodge to view it on t.v.  They will have the Pentagon Channel there.

Thank you for all you are doing to support your local resident representing Ft. Campbell!!

The fifth day… Yesterday we started off around 10:45 but our van didn’t come until 11:30.  So we had some time in the lobby area of the hotel to visit and talk about our performances with each other.  We can honestly say that whoever wins, we will not be saying, “How did he/she win this?”  Whoever wins we will understand and be thrilled for them.

We went to eat first and I went to the grocery store to get some medicine to get over this sinus drainage cold thing I got going on. I just don’t understand why I come all this way and I get a cold the day before I am to sing! Why? Why? Why?  I am still going to stand up and do my very best and your votes will pull me through, if the judges are pulling too. I can still sing but it might sound a little nasally. I will sound more like Willie Nelson..:) NOT!! Just watch to see what a cold does and then comment!

We got to the COLD theatre around 1 pm and started rehearsing with the whole show. Group 1 singing “Party in the USA” and then the first contestant singing, etc…  Then group 2 (my group) getting up and singing and doing our solo parts.  After 4 hours of doing that, we then went to eat at where?…… VINNY’S and then we went back to the theatre and practice the whole thing on stage.  Went over it a couple of times and one of the men who help cast for America’s Got Talent and our Contest was sitting in the judges seats and watching.  He gave us all good advice.

After that was done we all did some relaxing exercises with Joey, our Vocal Coach, and then came back to the hotel.  It was around 9:30 pm when I put my head on the pillow.  I woke up at 3 a.m. and then fell back to sleep, had some nightmares and now I am up at 7 a.m. filling my nose with Afrin and Salin sprays, trying to clear this out.

Anyway, y’all have a great day and be praying for my voice and performance.  I want to bring this song across to everyone sitting in listening ear shot. I hope you enjoy the performance and vote for me!

Voting begins tomorrow, Sunday, at 8:30 pm-11:30 pm Central for 2 hours. The broadcast can be seen at 7 pm central on the pentagon website: www.pentagonchannel.mil clicking on steaming live or if you see Operation Rising Star, click there. Voting is done on www.oprisingstar.com clicking on VOTE then picking me.

The post Day 2 through 5 at Operation Rising Star appeared first on Clarksville, TN Online.

When we arrived we were given a tour of the stage and was able to walk on it.  It is at an angle, so it will be something to get use to when it is time to do our choreography. The reason for the design is to let the audience get a wider view.   The set looks awesome and it is a beautiful theatre.

After our tour, we all sat in our chairs and started with our morning group vocal warm up.  It was then that we were told not to sing in the morning before we did our warm up.  To let our voices rest.  Also, not to talk in the evening after our vocals have been used. (So thankful for texting) It was a pleasant surprise to me how well we sounded as a group!  We sound awesome. It is going to be a great show!

Our practice lasted until noon and then we went to have lunch at Vinny’s restaurant. It was a great time of fellowship with each other.  I can see all of us getting close and wanting nothing but the best for the other.  Personally, Andrea Griffith and I have been hanging together. She has been in the military for 14 months and a proud mother of a gifted daughter who will be graduating high school at the age of 16!  She also has a son, I believe.  Still learning about each other.  I have memorized everyone’s names to faces.  That is something that always seem to be a challenge for me.  Not so in this competition.

After lunch, it was time for the interviews for the 6 contestants that were chosen to go first.  I was one of them. My time didn’t come till the end.  They didn’t want to keep moving the camera up and down, so they did two short people first and then when the next 2 were tall, they switched me to be last so they wouldn’t have to readjust.  I totally understand.  I was pretty nervous with the interview.  But all in all, when they edit it, it will look and sound good.

Once that was done, it was time for the accapella songs of the 6.  I went ahead and sang one of my favorite songs by Martina McBride.

During this time, the vocal coach wanted to hear what we sounded like without music and to get our range.  He would give us tips that we needed to use to become better.  With my audition he said that I was very smart with my vocals.  Everyone that has heard me knows I have this thing I do at the end of my notes.  I don’t know what you would call it. He said he loved that and when he would be wanting to hear it, it was like a teaser and I would give it to him when he would start thinking about it.  He also said that hearing my voice I have no pitch problems, that the songs I picked to sing are the right choice. That I was smart in my song selection.  The only thing he heard was when I hit the high note. He didn’t want me to look like I was straining. So I need to watch myself and practice dropping my jaw.  Not bad.  I was a nervous wreck wondering what he was going to say.  If it was going to be a lot of bad things wrong.

While we were waiting for everyone to get finished with their interview and song, it was a time to get off by yourself and listen to music or gather around each other and play the guitar and hear talent!  It was awesome.  Like I said earlier, everyone is talented in their own way and to be honest, we are all winners here.  What did the vocal coach say? We could very well be the Daughtrey’s of the world. (Not in those exact words) Remember him from American Idol? He didn’t win but he is living his dream in a big way now!

It was a very productive day and I can’t wait for this morning to start!  The other 6 will be doing their interviews and song, while we read, practice or whatever is in store for us.  This is one of the BEST things that has ever happened to me and like my Momma said in a text to me this morning quoting Richard Bach:

“No matter how qualified or deserving we are, we will never reach a better life until we can imagine it for ourselves and allow ourselves to have it.”

Remember, voting is done at www.oprisingstar.com and you click on VOTE starting November 15th at 8pm eastern for two hours.  You can vote more than once but remember, you have to go through the whole process to vote each time. Thank you for believing in me and my dream! I do!!

The post Thea Agnew’s first day at Operation Rising Star appeared first on Clarksville, TN Online.

This is my beautiful Granni and Momma taken last year.

It’s right around the corner! May 10th. That is 8 days from today! So, you have to get something in the mail by Wednesday to be sure that she will receive it by Saturday or better yet, mail it Monday or Tuesday!

Do you need ideas? Well, I have found a site dedicated to Mother’s Day.

With this being said, I know that it might seem that it isn’t that hard for the women to get something for their Mothers but what about the son? This might be a touchy subject for you men out there but you have to understand how important it is to the Mother, even if she doesn’t show it, to receive something from her child. A lot of times men will leave it up to their wife to get something for their Mom and sign the card but us Mom’s know. We raised you and saw the cards you made us in school. We know the verbiage you use to express your feelings, whether it be much or less. Sometimes a call is all it takes but I want you to picture something….

There is a woman who is older in years and lives in the same house she always has. She isn’t much for the Internet or technology and wonders what happened to the old fashion hand written letters. Her son is now married and has a family of his own. She looks at their picture on the table next to her chair, next to her bed, in the hallway, every where you turn, his familiar face is there for her to see. They live in different states and where once she had a home bursting with excitement, music, yelling, noise, she is now in a home that is quiet. Where once all the lights were on and she would get onto him because the electric bill was high, she is sitting in her recliner with only one light on.

She keeps photos nearby and has her memories but those are soon fading as time ticks by, faster and faster every year. She has kept your notes, hand made cards, anything that has your signature and pulls out that box every week to have a piece of you there with her. To her, she is proud of the man, the woman you have become. You have spread your wings and soared!

We are all so very busy in our life. Our Mother’s raised us to be independent and to make it on our own. Now that we are, we might find that our time is very rarely available to pick up the phone and call the one’s who nurtured our bodies, encouraged us to be all that we could be, healed our wounds, let us drive the car even though her gut was saying NO, rushed home from work so you wouldn’t be alone at the house, dropped you off at the movie theatre so you could be with friends, held you as you cried because your heart was broken, spanked your butt because you were disrespectful, told you she loved you everyday.

She might think that her job as a Mother is done because you have a family of your own now and you are doing what she did but better and she might wonder what can she do now? Our position as a child will live on until the day that we say, “See you soon.” comes. Honor her with flowers, even when it isn’t a special occasion. Don’t save them for the funeral that she won’t be able to enjoy their beauty and fragrance. Send her a hand written letter because that is what she will keep in her Bible and read every day, just to see how you are doing because she might not hear from you in a week.

Maybe you didn’t have a Mother that expressed her feelings very well and you could say that in today’s society she would have been put away for child abuse but look at you now. Are you a better person because of her? Did you learn how you weren’t going to be or how you were going to be? Our Mothers were a product of their environment. They did the best that they knew how. Have you sat down and tried to ask her about her Mother? You would find out a lot about her from the Mother she had.

So, maybe soon, the tables will be turned. We will be nurturing their bodies, encouraging them to live another day and not give up, heal their wounds because they are tired and they think their doctors are quacks, letting them drive our car even though our gut is saying NO, rush home because they have fallen and broke a fragile bone, dropping them off at a friends house to play cards, hold them as they cry because they know time is so short, thanking them for spanking your butt because you didn’t show them the respect they deserved and being able to tell them you love them everyday for the rest of their life.

It’s a day that I will honor my Momma. Do something special for yours. Something that she won’t expect from you! In your world of schedules, this Sunday put the time aside for your week to get this done for her!

Blessings to all Mothers!

The post Mother’s Day is coming soon appeared first on Clarksville, TN Online.

As anyone who watches the local real estate market would know, Clarksville is unique.  We have frequent turn overs due to military and other support personnel moving in and out.  As a result our market is never stagnant. Yes there have been some tough times, but the we are getting through them. Our city was recently ranked the 2nd in the nation as a Safe Haven in real estate.  So, if you find that you need to sell your home,  you find yourself upside down on a loan due to not owning it long enough, or the neighborhood has deteriorated and so appraisals are now coming in lower than the value of your home, ask a realtor to help. There tools available to them which may be of assistance to you in your individual situation.

So, how is the local market faring?  Let’s take a look.  We will be comparing in Nashville (Davidson County)  vs. Clarksville (Montgomery County)  for the months of January, February and March of 2008 and 2009.

Davidson County Closed transactions

So yes, the real estate market is not doing too great in Nashville compared to last year. But there is room for hope as  the numbers have gone up every month since January 2009.  Not by much but at least it is not going backwards.  So let’s look at Clarksville, Montgomery County.

Montgomery County Closed transactions

As you can see we are still on a steady climb, it is not much of a climb but we are not in the kind of market that the local news is talking about either.  March was a very good month.  We will continue to see our numbers improve. I have faith in our community, our clients, and the local reality professionals.

Tips on selling a home

The keys to selling are:

1. Price
2. Location
3. The Condition of home
4. …your terms.

Many buyers will ask how long a home has been on the market, and then modify the amount that they will offer you for your home based on that statistic.

In closing find out who the local news sources are, and what area their  news is geared toward.  It never hurts to contact a local REALTOR® to find out how our market is doing.

The post Nashville News vs Local News on Real Estate appeared first on Clarksville, TN Online.

The Northeast High School Boys Basketball Team  was recognized last night at the Board of Education meeting.

Congratulations to the Eagles for their accomplishments in basketball this year. The list includes:

• Season District Champs!
• Tournament District Champs!
• 1st Sub State win in school history!
• 1st State Appearance in school history!
• Finished top four in state!
• 27-7 record which was a school record!

We all have a feeling we will hear more from this team in the coming year!

Teachers of the Year for 2009

Clarksville-Montgomery Co. 2009 Teachers of the Year go to:

• Deborah Chancellar (Minglewood, 1st Grade)
• Kirsten Van Orden (Glenellen, 5th Grade)
• Paul Mittura (Clarksville High, Science)

Mittura has also been selected as the Regional Tennessee Teacher of the Year! He will next be considered for the Grand Division Competition.

Congratulations were sent out to each of these exceptional educators for their outstanding service to our children and community.  These Teachers received their degrees as non-traditional students.  Chancellor and Mittura were Military Veterans.  Orden is a Military Spouse.

2009-2010 Strategic Goals and Work for Montgomery County Schools

The CMCSS School Board will focus on four main goals for the coming school year.

1.  Improving Student Achievement

• New Standards
• Rigor/Relevance
• Meet/exceed adequate yearly progress (AYP)
• Implement High School redesign
• Improvement plan for special education program

2.  Improving Efficiency and Effectiveness

• Develop and implement energy plan for the school system
• Hiring and retaining quality teachers

3.  Building Leadership Capacity

• Provide quality professional development
• Provide professional development opportunities for future administrators

4.  Engage the Public

• Building community partnerships
• Web Casts
• Provide more opportunities for public feedback

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

Additional monies will be provided to CMCSS over the next two years to be used in the Title 1 and Special Education Programs. The distribution of these monies will be closely monitored with accountability requirements for each amount spent.

Special Education Funds will be used for:

• Gifted and Talented programs
• High needs special education students
• Improves services for Occupational/Physical Therapists
• Middle/High School special Education students in social studies/science
• Increased professional development and support for special education and regular education staff

Title 1

• Emphasis for these funds will be placed on instructional support for grades k-2.

Calendar Revision

The board voted to forgive the fourth snow day as the school system had stockpiled an ample amount of hours in reserve for just such a situation.  The school system already had three snow days built into the calendar for this school year.

The post Clarksville-Montgomery County School System News appeared first on Clarksville, TN Online.

This weekend a lot of us are off for a four-day weekend. We are celebrating the birthday’s of two Presidents past. Washington and Lincoln. Washington’s birthday is the federal holiday that will be observed, while Lincoln’s birthday was on February 12 and is a state holiday.

What is Presidents Day?

Click here to view the embedded video.

Washington’s federal holiday, which is originally called Washington’s birthday became Presidents Day in the mid 1980’s to celebrate another President, Lincoln, by advertisers, believe it or not. Lincoln’s birthday was never made into a federal holiday but a state holiday.

Where ever any a President is from, that state honors him on Presidents Day. For example, Massachusetts celebrates “Washington’s Birthday”, while the state law prescribes that the governor issue an annual Presidents Day proclamation to honor the Presidents who came from Massachusetts:

• John Adams
• John Quincy Adams
• Calvin Coolidge
• John F. Kennedy
• George H. W. Bush

Since 1862 there has been a tradition in the United State Senate that on George Washington’s birthday, his Farewell Address be read. This federal holiday celebrates and honors the accomplishments of the man we all refer to, for over two centuries, as the “The Father of his Country.”  He was also the general who gave out the first military badge of merit for the common soldier. Revived on Washington’s 200th birthday in 1932, the Purple Heart recognizes injuries received in battle. Like on Memorial Day and Veterans Day, this federal holiday offers the opportunity to also honor our Countries Veterans.

We hope you enjoy the video honoring all of our Presidents. In closing I would like to remember the following scripture found in Hebrew 13:25, “Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.” No matter who we vote for, the President in place was meant to be there for a reason. Our prayers and support for our leaders will only help this country. Some might disagree, some might not. Which ever way you view it, have a wonderful weekend.

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Here in our local market, Clarksville seems to be bouncing back, according to our January numbers. As you can see from the graph below, there seems to be a bit of a pattern for the month of January that started in 2005.

This pattern seems to be following the previous years. In 2006 and 2008 our numbers were in the $190’s. In 2005, 2007 and 2009 our numbers are in the $200’s. We do show the numbers for 2009 are lower range of $200’s whereas 2005 and 2007 are in the $280-290 range. Still it is a sign of movement!

In 2005 we sold from January 1 – December 31, 4072 properties. In 2006, 4127. In 2007, 4236.

So, when the Nation was showing a decline in 2007, we were in our biggest year! The year 2008 is where we saw the 34% decline in sales. We show that in December, 2008,  we were ahead of 2007! In December of 2007 we had 215 sales that month.

In December of 2008 we were up 8% at 233 closings!

So if we can base our future off the past, and for the record I don’t have a crystal ball, it would show that we should be in a good year for 2009. If you would like to see a graph based on your subdivision in Clarksville, please contact us or call (931) 206-2156.

The post Clarksville real estate market “bouncing back” appeared first on Clarksville, TN Online.

Richard Sims

Christine Piesyk contributed to the news portion of this report. Thea Agnew reflects on her friendship with the Rich and Judy Sims.

Richard Sims, 51, a teacher at social studies teacher at Northeast Middle School, was fatally injured Monday night in a motorcycle accident on Martin Luther King Kr. Parkway. His wife, Judy Sims, was critically injured. Both victims were wearing helmets at the time of the crash.

Mr. Sims has been a Clarksville-Montgomery County School System teacher for 10 years. His wife, Judy,  is a real estate agent at the Sango branch of Crye-Leike Real Estate.

Judy Sims

Sims was driving a BMW motorcycle with his wife, Judy, as a passenger behind him, traveling northeast toward I-24 when it hit a Nissan SUV attempting to cross the parkway from Fire Station Road, according to reports from the Fatal Accident Crash Team.

Driving the SUV was Michele Small, who said she did not see the motorcycle approach. Small was uninjured.

The woman driving the SUV, Michele Small, 50, said she didn’t see the motorcycle coming, Bechtold said.

Clarksville Online author Thea Agnew writes of her friendship with the Sims:

Mr. Richard “Rich” Sims lost his life in a fatal motorcycle accident last night here in Clarksville.  His wife, a local Realtor, Judy, was on the back and is fighting for her life at this moment.

I met these two when I came to Exit Realty Clarksville back in 2006.  Such a genuine, kind and loving couple.  Rich loved his wife, Judy.  Anyone that saw them together knew they were matched just right for each other.  Rich was a middle school teacher for the 8th grade and Judy would do career day for her company.

Mr. Sims, according to my children, was like that little ray of sunshine that came through that cloud.  He seemed to be the only ray, according to my oldest daughter.  He seemed to always find a way to cheer somebody up if they were really, really down.  He was beyond an extremely good man. Coach Rick Martin and Rich were A.K.A The Dynamic Duo and always knew how to make a class laugh, whether it meant play arguing in the middle of a class or acting like some of the female students at the school.

This man was a man that any woman would pray to be her knight in shining armor, but this knight had his damsel, Mrs. Judy Sims. He looked at her as if he had not seen her in 12 years and that was everyday. He spoke highly of her in school about how much he was in love. The perfect couple is what I saw. This man knew how to live. He always talked about the war, his motorcycle and his family. I have to say he lived his life the way he wanted, and he passed with memories of being a very, very happy man.

Mrs.  Sims would come to visit the school and see Mr. Sims.  According to my daughter, she would walk into the classroom, and if he was looking in a different direction and suddenly looked at her, his eyes would become huge with love.  You could tell by the way they both smiled, that they loved each other.

As a Realtor, I had the privilege to work with them both.  Their hearts were in their work. They both cared about helping others.  It set them apart.  I was thinking about Judy earlier; she has a soft speaking voice, yet she can stand her ground.  She represented her daughter in the buying of one of my listings. She is a great negotiator. Whenever I would see her and Rich, whether it be at a Realtor function or at the school, they both made me feel special.  The way they would come over and want to know how I was doing, and just be very interested in me.  So bubbly.  I remember after I lost my weight how I saw Rich at the school and said hello to him.  He just looked at me and smiled.  Later that day at a school function, he came up to me and was so apologetic for not talking to me more because he didn’t recognize me.  I didn’t mind, but that was the type of man he was.

I could go on and on, but I know that each of you who have  met the Sims have your own experiences, your own memories.  If you would like to share them, please comment below.

Our prayers are with the Sims family and friends.  Please pray for the students, faculty and staff of Northeast Middle School and the students that were touched by him that moved on to High School. Rich will be missed so much.

Judy Sims is fighting for her life, so please be in prayer for her. She has lost her husband, her friend and from the looks of it, her soul mate. I can’t imagine fighting for my life and then hearing my true love is no longer with me.  We are in the middle of grieving the loss of our 15-year-old chow chow, Angel, I can’t imagine losing my husband. I can’t imagine being his children. They lost their father.  Everyone who knew Rich, has lost something.  My prayers are with each of you.

The post NEMS teacher killed, wife critically injured in motorcycle crash appeared first on Clarksville, TN Online.