Joel Washburn

In the second week of Bethel University’s turf replacement project at Walter Butler Stadium, the football field was completely stripped of its decade-old turf. The football field’s turf removal process began Monday, June 15, and crews have now begun placing new turf on the field. In March 2026, Bethel University’s Vice President of Athletics, Derek Horne spoke to the McKenzie Rotary Club about the project, noting that the school’s primary concern is ensuring the safety of student-athletes. Officials told The Banner that the new turf must be placed by July 15 for the return of football players for preseason activities.

CARROLL COUNTY (June 16) — A Tuesday evening fire damaged a rural home on Hinkledale Road near McKenzie. McKenzie Fire Department was first on the scene, arriving to heavy black smoke coming from vents and eaves. The fire was contained within six minutes of the firefighters’ arrival. The fire originated from a bedroom, but no cause was determined. No one was home at the time of the incident.

Fireworks illuminated the night sky during the City of McKenzie's Freedom Festival Saturday night.

McKENZIE, Tenn. — Funeral services for Doris Imogene Brasfield are Monday, July 20, 2026, at 1 p.m. at Brummitt McKenzie Funeral Home. Interment is at Highland Memorial Cemetery, Jackson, Tenn. The family will receive friends on Monday 11:00 a.m. – until service time.

Mrs. Betty Jane Crocker, 90, of Huntingdon, Tennessee, died Friday, July 17, 2026, at Huntingdon Health and Rehabilitation Center.

If you were granted the opportunity to witness a state-sponsored execution, would you take it? It is a question that challenges the boundaries of professional duty and personal beliefs.

McKENZIE (July 19) — The atmosphere was one of palpable joy on Walnut Street as the Habitat for Humanity of Carroll County held a dedication ceremony for its newest home, officially welcoming JayAnn Johnson as its owner.

McKENZIE, Tenn. — Funeral services for Evelyn Harrison Gilliam are Sunday, July 26, 2026, at 2 p.m. at Brummitt McKenzie Funeral Home. Interment is at Pilgrim’s Rest Cemetery, McKenzie, Tenn. The family will receive friends on Saturday, July 25, 2026, at 5 - 8 p.m and Sunday, 11 a.m. until service time.

McKENZIE, Tenn. — Mr. Billy Clayton Williams, 72, of McKenzie, died Tuesday, July 21, 2026, at Cherrywood Post Acute in McKenzie.

PARIS, Tenn. — Thomas J. Hamilton, 93, of Paris, Tenn., died on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, at West Tennessee Healthcare- Volunteer Hospital in Martin, Tenn.