By the way, the community is working on raising money for a tasteful statue in her honor on the Centerville Public Square.

Farms and arts studios will be open for visitors during the first annual Hickman County Arts and Ag Tour. Opening day is Friday, May 25th. Like them on Facebook or check out their blog for more information and to learn about the artists, farmers, studios and farms.

A nice drive west down I-40 or Highway 100 will get you there!

A resource for helpful business information worth checking out can be found on the Hickman County Business Website.

California earned the spot of The Worst State to do Business.

So, what is the Hickman County Imagination Library?  We mail a book each month to every child who enrolls from that child’s birth until he or she turns 5 years old.  We accomplish this by working with the Governor’s Books from Birth Foundation (who pays half the cost of the program).  GBBF manages the ongoing, statewide implementation of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in Tennessee; assisting all Tennessee preschool children in developing their vocabulary, school readiness, and love of learning and reading by ensuring that free, high quality, age-appropriate books are mailed once a month directly to their homes, from birth until age five.  Our part is paying half the cost of the program (about $13 per child for us annually) and maintaining the mailing list.  The Hickman County Commission established the Hickman County Imagination Library in 2004 with Hickman County Resolution 04-48 and passed responsibility for doing the work and funding the program to Hickman County Economic & Community Development Association.

So, why did I contribute to the Hickman County Imagination Library today?  When I was in the first grade, Miss Inis, my teacher, gave me a book for Christmas.  I will always remember that.  Not that I lacked for books or reading material, my parents saw to that.  But for some reason, that gift of a book and her helping develop my love of reading stuck with me.  I will always remember that.  Mrs. Inis B. Puckett, her funeral was held today.  She taught many kids over her 43-year teaching career, not just me.  Every day, I read – for fun and profit.  I know I use something everyday that Miss Inis taught in that first grade classroom.  I will always remember her caring enough to give that book to me, a truly special gift.

So, why did I contribute to the Hickman County Imagination Library today?  Someone has to.  All those members of the community who don’t give and worse, don’t care, including county commissioners, I will always remember that too.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Starting April 19, Verizon Wireless customers in more than 25 small towns in Middle Tennessee can take advantage of the company’s high speed 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) network. Residents in the following communities will now have access to the first 4G LTE wireless network in Tennessee: Adams, Bon Aqua, Centerville, Carthage, Chapmansboro, Cornersville, Cross Plains, Cumberland Furnace, Greenbrier, Lascassas, Lewisburg, Lynchburg, Lynnville, McEwen, McMinnville, Mooresville, Pleasant View, Portland, Pulaski, Readyville, Santa Fe, Smithville, Springfield, Stiversville, Westmoreland, White House, Winchester and Woodbury.

Customers with 4G LTE devices will experience speeds up to 10 times faster than Verizon’s 3G network, making it possible to stream video, share files and surf the web on smartphones and tablets faster than ever. The 4G LTE network, which currently covers more than 85 percent of Tennessee’s population, will also enhance in-building penetration, making the wireless signal accessible to customers in some places where it was previously unavailable.

“We understand the advantages access to a high speed wireless network can bring to small business owners, students and families,” said Jerry Fountain, president of Verizon Wireless’ Carolinas/Tennessee region. “We are the first carrier to offer 4G LTE service in Tennessee, and Verizon has shown its continued commitment to residents by investing more than $1.1 billion since 2003 to provide the most innovative and reliable service available.”

Verizon’s 4G LTE network covers more than 200 million people in over 200 markets nationwide, and the company offers more than 20 options of tablets, smartphones and hotspots to access it. In fully loaded network environments, Verizon Wireless 4G LTE customers can expect average data rates of 5 to 12 megabits per second (Mbps) on the downlink and 2 to 5 Mbps on the uplink.

Visit www.verizonwireless.com/lte for more information about Verizon Wireless’ 4G LTE network and a list of current markets.

These dogs have little to do with art or agriculture, but they are surely enjoying being out for the day in Hickman County.  They think you will too!!