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Ethics court investigates Judge Byrd

Circuit Court Judge Clara Byrd is currently the subject of a state investigation into decisions she made from her bench. Byrd recently hired an attorney to represent her in the probe, according to documents regarding the investigation obtained by The Lebanon Democrat. The inquiry is being run by t...

Tax increase likely to be on county agenda in coming months

The construction of a new Lebanon High School will likely require county tax payers to dig a little deeper at tax time. At a meeting of the Wilson County Financial Management Committee last week, commissioners discussed the possibility of increasing property taxes by as much as 15 cents to pay th...

Byrdâ€™s attorney responds to press coverage

Lebanon attorney Jack Lowery Sr., who is representing Circuit Court Judge Clara Byrd in an ethics investigation, spoke out last night about the press coverage, saying people have told him the press â€œis crucifying her.â€ Lowery currently represents Byrd in an ethics investigation underwa...

New home found for Brooks House

Family of the late Brooks Franklin said they know he would be â€œso pleasedâ€ the perfect home has been found for the Wilson County homeless shelter â€“ Brooks House â€“ named in his honor and inspired by his empathy for those in need. An awarded winning long time Lebanon Democr...

Our Opinion - Investigations into judges should be open

The recent complaints filed against Circuit Court Judge Clara Byrd sheds light on a tremendous flaw in our stateâ€™s judicial system â€“ the ability to know exactly how well our judges are performing their jobs.

Current ethics investigation not Byrdâ€™s first

A â€œfull investigationâ€ into Circuit Court Judge Clara Byrdâ€™s behavior on the bench by the Tennessee Court of the Judiciary that concluded in March likely ended in the private sanctioning of the judge, a spokesperson for the state court system confirmed this week. The March prob...

City road fixed after geological shift

This summer, Lebanon has experienced some geological changes that have gained the attention of those in the city. In June, drivers on East Main Street noticed a depression in the pavement, which the Tennessee Department of Transportation finished fixing last week. â€œTheyâ€™re usually pr...

Watertown Jazz Festival a hit with community

The 12th Annual Watertown Jazz Festival has once again proven a success with attendees and organizers. â€œI love Connye Florance, and I love the Navy Band,â€ said event organizer Robin Vance-Kent of Watertown. â€œI love them all.â€ â€œI played in a band for seven years, so I...

Man dies after being shot during altercation

What began as an altercation took a turn for the worse on Thursday night when one of the men involved produced a gun and began firing shots. John W. Gribbins, 36, of Lebanon, was shot and fatally wounded at approximately 8:15 p.m. on Thursday. He was transported to a hospital where he died Friday ...

Ku Klux Klan leaves calling card

Few people are surprised to find various forms of advertisement at every turn. Last weekend, however, many Lebanon residents found an unusual calling card on their properties. â€œYouâ€™ve been visited by the Ku Klux Klan,â€ the back of the business-sized card read. The front of the...