By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support local journalism.
Home lost in fire
Fire displaces family of five
WanFire2WEB
From atop a ladder, a volunteer firefighter uses an ax to split wood in the attic area so he can get water on flames coming through the roof.

Sabrina Wanamaker was having a Friday afternoon party for one of her children when she received the shocking news. Her home was on fire.
Her worst fears were realized when she rushed to her house on Swan Mill Road to find it completely engulfed in flames. The Viola-area home she shared with husband Chris and three children, ages 9, 8 and 6, is a total loss.
"This is tough to see because I know how much work they put into that house," said Brian Wanamaker, who is Chris' father. "They bought it for $500 and had it moved here about eight years ago. They probably put $50,000 into it to get it exactly how they wanted it. This is going to be tough."
A swingset in the backyard and a basketball by the side porch appeared to be among the few items on the property spared from the flames.
The fire was called into 911 by a neighbor and flames had already ravaged the structure by the time firefighters arrived on scene.
Sabina was having a party at Pioneer Playpit on South Chancery Street when she learned of the fire. Chris was at work. No one was at home at the time. The cause of the fire is unknown.

Local farm partnership brings fresh beef to Warren County Schools
local news.png

Warren County Schools has beefed up lunch menus this school year through a new community partnership. Thanks to a collaboration between the district’s School Nutrition Department and Barton Creek Farms, students at Warren County High School, Warren County Middle School, West Elementary, Eastside Elementary, and Dibrell Elementary are enjoying locally sourced, farm-fresh beef in their lunches as part of a pilot program.

The initiative, spearheaded by Terri Mullican, Director of School Nutrition, has already shown great promise in its first few months. The partnership with Barton Creek Farms, located in Rock Island, Tennessee, ensures that the beef served is not only local to Warren County but of the highest quality. Barton Creek Farms specializes in farm-to-fork beef, with grass-fed and grain-finished cattle. Each calf is born and raised in Rock Island and goes through USDA-inspected processing, ensuring it meets the strictest safety and quality standards.

“When the opportunity arose to provide fresh, local beef, we knew it was a no-brainer,” Mullican said. “The fact that it’s a product from right here in our community makes it even more special. We can’t wait to implement it district-wide.”

Barton Creek Farms delivers fresh ground beef to the district monthly, and the nutrition

department incorporates it into homemade recipes such as lasagna, meatloaf, chili, and tacos.

As of now, the beef is being served at five schools, but the ultimate goal is to expand the program to all ten lunch-serving schools in the district.

The pilot program originated from a conversation between Mary Roller of Barton Creek Farms and Mullican. Roller, recognizing the farm’s potential to support local schools, reached out to gauge the district’s interest in serving local beef to students. Around the same time, a Warren County school board member contacted Mullican to share information about a similar partnership in neighboring Dekalb County, which helped push the initiative forward.

The timing worked in the district’s favor, as the nutrition department was able to fund the purchase of the beef using existing resources, eliminating the need for additional funding. Now that the pilot program is enjoying a successful run, the department has budgeted to extend the partnership district-wide for the 2025-26 school year.

Dr. Grant Swallows, Director of Schools, praised the program’s economic approach to student nutrition.

“This pilot is a perfect example of how we can use local resources to continue providing nutritious, healthy meals for our students,” he said. “We are grateful for partnerships like this one that benefit both our students and our local community. We always strive to support our local businesses when we can because our community is so good to us.”

In addition to working with Warren County Schools, Barton Creek Farms also partners with local restaurants to offer farm-fresh beef on their menus. The farm’s offerings include ground beef, steaks, roasts, and custom cuts by the quarter, half, or whole cow, meeting diverse consumer needs.

As the program continues to grow, the district hopes to expand its focus on farm-to-school meals, benefiting students’ health and connecting them to the agricultural roots of the community