The Year in Review: A Look Back at 2025, Part 4

This week we are looking at Part 4 of our “Look Back at 2025” series. As country music artist Luke Bryan said, “I believe that days go slow and years go fast / And every breath's a gift, the first one to the last” (from his song “Most People Are Good").

Read on to remember some of the events of 2025, or to find something you may have missed.

September

An Air Force veteran from Collinwood, Tennessee was elected last September as National Vice Commander of the nation’s largest veterans’ organization during the American Legion convention in Tampa, Florida. Stephen “Steve” T. Weismann served as an avionics technician for the U.S. Air Force from 1982 to 1996. Steve is a member of American Legion Post 254 in Collinwood. He has also been active with “Veterans in the Classroom” at Collinwood Middle School for 12 years, and is a member of the Board of Directors for Alvin C. York Center for Peace and Valor.

On Thursday, September 4, 2025, the late David L. Edwards’ family, friends, and many of his brothers in the Tennessee Highway Patrol gathered on Highway 64 East at the intersection with Highway 99 for a very special occasion. On March 17, 2025, the Wayne County Commission passed a resolution stating that a section of U.S. Highway 64 from the intersection with State Route 99 to the Wayne-Lawrence county line be named the THP Sergeant David L. Edwards Memorial Highway. David Edwards’ many years of dedication to serving his county, state, and country will always be remembered by his loved ones. The naming of a section of highway that he traveled countless times is the least that can be done to make sure all who travel that roadway in the future remember just who THP Sergeant David Edwards was.

“Pullin’ in the Wood,” the annual tractor pull in Collinwood, was held on September 5th and 6th of 2025, and was once again a tremendous success. Every year, many look forward to the roar of trucks and tractors echoing through Collinwood.

The Horseshoe Riverbend Festival, a popular event for many years in the river city of Clifton, made a big comeback on Saturday, September 6, 2025. Three bands provided the musical entertainment, and there were plenty of vendors set up with different kinds of food. A great time was had by all attendees.

Ever since Waynesboro’s current wastewater treatment plant went online in 2014, it seems to have had its fair share of mechanical issues, along with a frequent and lingering odor that residents and visitors complain about on a regular basis. Elitte Service, Inc. came to Waynesboro in September and made needed repaira at the plant. “All operational equipment within the plant itself has been replaced,” stated one Waynesboro city official. “Basically, the plant is getting a new start.” City officials went on to say that this “cleaning out” of the sewage basin will most certainly help with the odor problems, and the sludge will continue to be drained periodically as it builds back up in the basin.

The Wayne County School Board elected the new Chairman and Vice Chairman of the board on September 11, 2025. Amanda VanFleet was elected to be Chairman, and Camryn Eaton was elected as the new Vice Chairman.

Martha Kelly was selected as the new Executive Director of the Wayne County Chamber of Commerce in September of 2025. Many already know Martha from her prior endeavors - she was a teacher in the Wayne County School System for thirty-three and a half years, and many remember her from her years as Manager of the Waynesboro City Pool. She was also Director of the Downtown Waynesboro/Main Street Committee for several years. Martha has a great vision for the future of the Chamber, and she is a perfect fit for the Executive Director position.

The Wayne County Solid Waste Committee met on September 22, 2025, and addressed the dire financial deficit in the Solid Waste Department. The committee discussed the proposition of a tipping fee of five cents per pound to be charged to commercial haulers who dump trash at the transfer station in Waynesboro. The committee didn’t make a decision at that time, but the issue has been discussed at great length since then, with the County Commission ultimately making a decision to approve the tipping fee.

October

A devastating fire in the early morning hours of Saturday, October 4, 2025, completely destroyed the Iron City Auction House and all its contents. Wayne County EMA Director Brian Smith confirmed that a call came in at approximately 2:45 a.m. on Saturday, October 4, 2025, of a fire on Iron City Road. When firefighters and first responders arrived, the Iron City Auction House was fully engulfed in flames. Firefighters did all they could to “knock down” the fire, but it spread quickly and was unable to be contained before completely destroying the structure and its contents. “This was a double whammy, being we lost a lot of our personal property because we were remodeling our house and had furniture and other personal property in there,” said Wade Rosson, owner of the auction house. Firefighters from Southgate VFD-Station 11, Cypress Inn VFD-Station 10, and Holly Creek VFD-Station 4 responded to the call. Fortunately, no injuries were reported. [Note: Mr. Rosson has since opened a new auction house, ICA Auction House, in Rogersville, AL. (Photo by Dennis & Denise Bradley)

The Wayne County High School golf team made history in the 2025 season, capturing the Region Championship and earning a spot in the TSSAA State Golf Tournament for the first time in 21 years. The Wildcats made the most of the opportunity, finishing 4th overall - the best result in school history. “Getting to finish my senior year at state was unforgettable,” said Senior Warren Camfield. “I’m so proud we got to make history together.” The Wildcats closed the year with a remarkable record: 31-2-1 in the regular season and 18-3 in postseason play, for an overall mark of 49-5-1. This season will be remembered as the one that redefined WCHS golf. With a region title, a state appearance, and the best finish in school history, the Wildcats proved that determination and teamwork can take them to new heights.

The Collinwood Depot is undoubtedly the most historically treasured building in the city of Collinwood, Tennessee. Located on East Depot Street, the building now houses the Collinwood Depot Branch Library. At the October 2025 meeting of the Collinwood City Commission, a resolution to permanently keep the Depot Library in the old depot building was voted on and approved. “As long as the rules regarding the historical preservation of the building are adhered to, we will allow the library to remain in the depot building indefinitely,” said Collinwood City Manager Gary Victory. The depot building itself is owned by the City of Collinwood.

The Wayne County Museum took a leap of faith on October 3rd and 4th to showcase the first ever “Wayne County Vintage Quilt Show.” The committee members were ecstatic to proudly display a total of 106 quilts. It was truly a great event to see the museum filled with beautiful quilts and visitors throughout the two days.

The sun was barely up when tragedy struck Bucksnort, Tennessee. In the early morning hours of Friday, October 10, a powerful explosion ripped through Accurate Energetic Systems, an explosives manufacturer located off I-40 in rural Hickman County. One building was obliterated in an instant, and sixteen people lost their lives. When news of the disaster reached The Salvation Army, its officers and disaster teams immediately began coordinating with state and local emergency officials to determine how best to serve. Within hours, plans were underway to mobilize support for both first responders and families impacted by the tragedy. Among those providing that care was Major N.J. Pope (Ret.), a longtime Salvation Army officer who lives in Waynesboro. When he learned of the explosion, he felt led to help in whatever way he could. Pope, accompanied by John Galbreath and Paul Ary, went to the explosion site and helped in any way they could, including praying with those who wanted and listening to those who just needed to talk.

The Wayne County Budget Committee met on October 14, 2025. There was once again a discussion of the financial problems in the Solid Waste Department, with several citizens speaking during the public forum time on the agenda. The citizens who spoke were in favor of a tipping fee for commercial haulers. The county has been trying to come up with a solution to the financial problems in the Solid Waste Department for many months, if not years. In an effort to finally make some progress and move forward, the Budget Committee voted to recommend to the full commission that a tipping fee of five cents per pound be charged to commercial haulers. This was set to be voted on by the full County Commission at their next meeting. On October 29, 2025, the full County Commission voted to approve the tipping fee. With RaeKar, Inc. being the primarily affected commercial hauler, CEO Jason Crews said he would be forced to go up on city rates in Waynesboro, Clifton, and Collinwood. City customers in each of the cities will see how the higher rates affect them when they receive their January 2026 utility bills.

Each of the three cities of Waynesboro, Collinwood, and Clifton had great activities and handed out lots of candy for Halloween. Collinwood held their Halloween event on Thursday, October 30, to avoid any conflict with the Collinwood High School vs. Wayne County High School football game, which was played in Collinwood on Halloween, October 31. The home team, the Collinwood Trojans, took the win on Halloween night, defeating the WCHS Wildcats by a score of 24 – 7.

November

Tuesday, November 4, 2025, was a special day in the Southgate community of Wayne County. Community members, county officials, Southgate Volunteer Fire Department members, and members of Air Evac Life Team gathered just off Highway 13 South (Chisholm Road) to celebrate the grand opening of the new helipad. Last year, Frank Quigley, spokesperson for the Southgate Volunteer Fire Department, addressed the Wayne County Commission on behalf of the Southgate community. He asked that to better serve the citizens of the south part of the county, the old Fairview School building be demolished to make way for a new helipad to be used for Air Evac and LifeFlight helicopters. Mr. Quigley also requested that the county donate approximately four acres of land where the old Fairview School stood to the Southgate VFD, explaining that the VFD could not get a grant to build on the property unless the property was placed in their name. The County Commission approved the land transfer, and the rest is history. The old schoolhouse, while holding historical value, had become a safety hazard and was torn down. The new helipad was constructed at the site and is now in use when needed.

The Wayne County Chamber of Commerce held their annual awards ceremony on Thursday, November 6, 2025, at The Bridges in Waynesboro. The awards are presented to Wayne Countians who volunteer in different ways to serve others. The theme for the event was “A New Chapter Begins,” and new Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Martha Kelly presented the awards. The Volunteer of the Year award went to the Wayne County Museum Board of Directors and was presented to Jerry Duren of the Museum Board of Directors.

Stan Hanback’s tribute to veterans began many months ago, and Stan has spent countless hours on the project. “People always ask me why I wanted to do this, especially since I’m not a veteran myself,” Stan said. “All my life, I have felt a lot of gratitude for veterans. This project began as an idea many years ago, and I finally took the plans I had in my head and started to work. This tribute is what my ideas have grown into.” Stan was talking about the amazing tribute to veterans set up at his Collinwood home. The display contains a wall of at least 1,500 veteran’s names that Stan himself wrote on the wall. The handmade replica of a WWII era airplane was added this year; Stan spent countless hours building and painting the airplane replica. Stan has an amazing life story himself. After experiencing heart failure at a relatively young age, and after two years of relying on an artificial heart to live, Stan received a heart transplant five years ago. “The transplant truly gave Stan a new lease on life,” said Darlene. “He went from barely being able to breathe to having more energy than any of us!” We can’t wait to see what all Stan has in store for next year’s Veterans Day display.

Schools and individuals from Tennessee were recognized in November of 2025 by the Tennessee Secondary Schools Athletic Association (TSSAA) as part of the annual A.F. Bridges Awards. Collinwood High School was recognized as a Division Winner of the A.F. Bridges Award. This award honors schools with no unsportsmanlike conduct incidents and celebrates their dedication to teaching, modeling, and expecting good sportsmanship across all athletic programs. Wayne County High School Principal/Athletic Director Ryan Franks was recognized as Athletic Director of the Year for the Middle Grand Division.

A motor vehicle accident on Saturday, November 22nd, involving a pickup truck and a tractor, seriously injured the truck’s passenger but fortunately spared the drivers from serious injury. The report from Tennessee Highway Patrol Trooper Tyler Bayless stated that in the late evening hours of Saturday, November 22nd, a 2008 Chevrolet truck driven by Travis Eaton, age 56, of Waynesboro, was driving southbound on Highway 128 just outside the Clifton city limits. His wife, Vicky Eaton, age 61, was riding in the passenger seat of the truck. Siron Culp, age 61, of Clifton, was operating a tractor on the same roadway, Highway 128, and was traveling southbound as well. Mr. Eaton reportedly did not see the tractor as he approached it in his lane of traffic and ran into it, causing serious damage to both the truck and the tractor. While Mr. Eaton and Mr. Culp were both spared from serious injuries, Mrs. Eaton did sustain serious injuries and was transported to Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee. Mrs. Eaton sustained broken bones in both legs and one hip, requiring her to undergo several surgeries.

Setup for the annual Festival of Trees began on November 24 at the courthouse on the square. Local churches, organizations, businesses, and civic groups set up the beautiful trees every year. The display remains at the courthouse for people to enjoy until the new year.

December

The month of December began with a Special Election on December 2nd. Republican Matt Van Epps came out on top in the nationally watched special election, securing a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. Although Van Epps won by a large margin in Wayne County, his victory against his Democratic opponent, Aftyn Behn, was a bit smaller than expected district-wide. Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District was previously represented by Mark Green, a Republican who was first elected to Congress in 2018. Green resigned in July, triggering the special election. The 7th district encompasses the northern and western third of Davidson County, portions of Williamson and Montgomery Counties, and about a dozen rural counties, including Wayne. Wayne County voted heavily in favor of Van Epps, who wound up with 84.60% of the county’s vote. Election results indicated that only 27.85% of Wayne County’s 10,235 registered voters turned out to cast their votes in this special election. The low voter turnout is generally blamed on the fact that a majority of Wayne County voters simply don’t take the time to vote unless it’s during a major County Election cycle, such as the one coming up this year.

The Waynesboro Rotary Christmas Parade ushered in the Christmas season on Saturday, December 6th. With the theme for this year’s parade being “The Magic of Christmas,” the beautifully lit-up Christmas floats were bigger and better than ever. The parade coincided with Christmas on the Square, an event with vendors and businesses on the square. Everyone who enjoyed the parade and Christmas on the Square certainly felt the Christmas spirit.

The Collinwood Christmas Parade, sponsored by the Collinwood Beautification Board, lit up the night on Saturday, December 13th. The parade made its way through the heart of town led by members of the Collinwood American Legion, and featured Mr. and Mrs. Old Timers’ Day, Danny and Gina Sandusky. The parade also had the traditional Christmas floats; horses, mules, and buggies; classic cars; and of course, the Jolly Old Man himself, Santa Claus.

Clifton’s nostalgic holiday event, the annual Stroll Through Christmas Past, lit up and transformed the river city on Saturday, December 13th. The historic downtown buildings of Clifton are lit up every year and decorated in the spirit of the season. Turning onto Main Street, you are greeted with a sight of historical beauty and Christmas spirit that makes you feel as if you have been transported into a Hallmark movie. Along with the beautiful lights and history, the Stroll also offered refreshments, a petting zoo, Christmas caroling, and of course, Santa Claus himself.

A Collinwood lady was tragically killed in a single-vehicle accident on Railroad Bed Road on Thursday, December 11th. According to the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Gloria Roberts Houser, age 64, was traveling westbound on Railroad Bed Road near Collinwood in a Chevrolet Cruze. Ms. Houser reportedly failed to negotiate a curve, crossed the center line, and ran off the left side of the roadway. The vehicle struck a road sign and then a ditch before going airborne. It then struck an embankment and a standing tree. It was confirmed that the vehicle did catch fire after coming to rest, but emergency responders were able to extricate Ms. Houser from the vehicle before it was fully engulfed in flames. Sadly, due to critical injuries she suffered during the accident, Ms. Houser was pronounced deceased at the scene.

When Ryleigh Stegall passed away in 2007 from leukemia, her family established The Butterfly Foundation, Ryleigh Remembered, in her memory as a way to help other families with severely ill children needing financial aid for doctor visits and during hospital stays. To commemorate Ryleigh's birthday that year, the first Ryleigh Walk was held in Waynesboro. The Walk later spread across Wayne County and is now held annually in all the schools. December 2025 marked the 19th Annual Ryleigh Walk in Wayne County schools. Each school expressed their appreciation for the books donated, and the Butterfly Foundation board members proudly accepted the schools’ monetary donations to further the work of the Foundation.

Members of Waynesboro American Legion Post 130, along with Santa Claus (George Mansfield) and one of his elves (Kim Davis), made the Christmas holiday a little brighter in December 2025 for veterans residing at Waynesboro Post Acute and Rehab and Loving Care Assisted Living. The group delivered Christmas gifts to veterans at both facilities. The veterans enjoyed receiving the gifts, and all the residents and staff were delighted to see Santa and one of his elves.

Site preparations began in December for the new water tank to be constructed on Andrew Jackson Drive in Waynesboro, a project that has been planned by the City of Waynesboro for the last three years. After overcoming a few roadblocks with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), the city finally received the go-ahead to begin the water tank project.

Wayne County lost one of its most beloved historic homes on Sunday, December 21, 2025, when the Kindrick/Cypert/Morrson/Morrow house in Waynesboro caught fire and was destroyed with no hope of being saved. When the Waynesboro Fire Department arrived at the scene, billowing clouds of smoke were already erupting from the home, and huge flames ultimately consumed the entire structure of the beautiful landmark. According to the report, the fire was unintentional and was due to failure of equipment. The home has been remodeled several times over the years, with a remodeling and restoration project underway at the time of the catastrophic fire. The Kindrick/Cypert/Morrison/Morrow House was built by William P. Kindrick in 1854. It was bought by Robert Perry Cypert in 1867 or 1868 following the death of Kindrick in 1864. After Cypert’s death in 1887, the house was bought by Judge John L. Morrison. Around 1910, the house was bought by David Neal Morrow, whose family still owns the house and property. The original house was a dog-trot style log cabin that looked nothing like the home in 2025. The two-story house destroyed by fire in December was built around the log cabin. The outer walls still had logs from the original cabin, and old wooden shingles from the original roof were still in the attic. Colonel William Kindrick is buried in what would now be considered the back yard of the home, referred to at that time as the “garden.” It wasn’t uncommon for people to be buried on their own property at that time. The rich history and untold memories from the Morrow House have been recorded in detail, but when the home itself burned down, it took a lot of the history and memories of the home with it. The nostalgia of the Morrow House and other historic places in our county have certainly been taken for granted; memories will undoubtedly begin to fade away as future generations are not told of our rich Wayne County history.

The annual Community Christmas Dinner, sponsored by Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Waynesboro, celebrated its 26th year on December 25, 2025. Meals were served in the Waynesboro Middle School Cafeteria. This was the second year the dinner has been called the “Ray Pulley Community Christmas Dinner,” in honor of the consistent “chef” through the years. Ray has dedicated many years of service to this tradition that has served the community on an annual basis.

The year 2025 was another twelve months of both good and bad in Wayne County. Some experienced great loss, while others welcomed new little ones into the world. We watched things we have seen for years – high school sports, beautiful weather, weather that turned nasty with tornado warnings and ice storm warnings, church services at the many churches in our county, stopping for an ice cream at one of your favorite convenience stores, seeing new homes and buildings constructed while other historic ones are torn down or burn down, the list goes on and on. The year 2026 is certainly going to bring about more changes in our county, especially with the election of new state, county, and city officials coming up in August. We will definitely see more changes this year, both good and bad. Some people don’t seem to want progress, but they really just hate change – something most of us are guilty of from time to time.

Whatever changes take place in our small communities this year, we will celebrate the good ones and mourn the bad. Different opinions and beliefs sometimes cause rifts among us, but that quickly gets put on the back burner when something bad happens, as it inevitably does. Our county has a long history of helping each other when tragedy strikes, and it’s not to get praise and attention – it’s because we truly care, and want to do whatever we can to lessen the pain of our friends, family, and neighbors.

We hope you have enjoyed this “Look Back at 2025,” and we wish all our readers a wonderful year in 2026!