Ben Benton

Ben Benton

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Latest stories by Ben Benton

Marion County freshmen get boost

Friday, Nov. 21, 2008

Marion County Schools got an $86,000 grant to support freshman academies and improve graduation rates at its three high schools, officials said.

Bledsoe will sue architect

Monday, Nov. 17, 2008

PIKEVILLE, Tenn. — Bledsoe County Attorney Howard Upchurch says the county will file a lawsuit this week to recoup money paid to the architect for the new county Justice Center.

Georgia: Region jobless

The difference a year makes

Sunday, Nov. 16, 2008

A year ago, Charlie Linebarger had a good job at the La-Z-Boy plant in Dayton, Tenn., and he looked ahead to the holidays with cheer and optimism.

Tenneesee: School bus operator was cleared to drive

Saturday, Nov. 15, 2008

A school bus driver who crashed Wednesday near Whitwell, Tenn., had only one unconfirmed complaint against him, school officials said Friday.

Tennessee: At least six injured in Marion school bus crash

Thursday, Nov. 13, 2008

A child injured in a school bus crash Wednesday was recovering overnight at T.C. Thompson Children’s Hospital in Chattanooga, Marion County Schools Director Mark Griffith said

Marion school bus crash traps driver

Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2008

At least four children were injured and a Marion County school bus driver was trapped after his bus crashed on Mount Calvary Road near Whitwell, Tenn., according to local authorities and school officials.

Grant funds Jasper water improvements

Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2008

The water treatment plant in Jasper is filled with equipment that looks like props from a 1960s-era science fiction movie — archaic knobs, dials and gauges — but few pieces with digital readouts.

Tennessee: Vocational education goes high tech

Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2008

A state-of-the-art vocational department is tucked away in the bottom of South Pittsburg High School’s new gymnasium

Marion County launches transit system

Saturday, Nov. 8, 2008

Marion County’s new route-based rural transit system is easy, convenient and even “Donald Trump can ride if he’s got a dollar,” said Susan Simcox, driver of one of the new buses

Sequatchie Valley voters mixed on liquor

Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2008

Dunlap voters in Sequatchie County can make toasts after passing both liquor referendums on Tuesday’s ballot while Marion County voters in Kimball and Whitwell shot their referendums down.