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Public defender's office in search of investigator
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Lacy Garrison
Updated: Jul 21, 2017, 12:55 AM
Published: Jul 21, 2017, 1:55 AM

The local public defender’s office is looking for an investigator after the state has agreed to fund a new position for Warren and Van Buren counties.
“There were 18 positions available across the state this year and we were able to get one for an investigator,” said 31st Judicial District Public Defender John Partin, noting he was able to show the state through a statistical report there is a need for a detective here. “Right now we have to investigate the cases ourselves.”
Partin said the search for an investigator has already begun and the pay and benefits offered will be competitive with other investigative and law enforcement positions. The pay, he noted, will be decided on a sliding scale used by the state that takes into account things like years of experience in the field.
“We want someone with a background in investigation,” said Partin, noting the applicant does not necessarily have to be a current law enforcement officer as long as he or she has the needed experience. “We would like this person to have a working knowledge of court procedure and be able to work with our office and the public in a professional manner.”
Partin said he believes the addition of an investigator will help his office better serve the public.
“I’m excited to be able to add to the level of service we provide,” Partin said, noting his office represents persons who are unable to afford an attorney to defend them in criminal cases.
Anyone wishing to apply for the investigator’s office should contact the public defender at 473-6356 or by emailing john.partin@tn.gov.
Local farm partnership brings fresh beef to Warren County Schools
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Published: Apr 2, 2025, 11:31 PM

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