Montgomery County, TN – With support from Montgomery County Mayor Wes Golden, the Library Board of Trustees has appointed Christina Riedel as the new director of the Clarksville-Montgomery County Public Library.

Riedel brings a wealth of experience with a 22-year career in library systems. Most recently, she served as interim director since the retirement of former Library Director Martha Hendricks in June 2022 and as Assistant Director since 2016, when she was recruited for the position.

“From the day I met Christina, I knew our library was in good hands under her leadership. Her enthusiasm about our library, future branch in north Clarksville, and the community is contagious. I believe she will work to make our library system the best it can be,” said Mayor Golden.

“Christina has proven her commitment to the board, the library team, and the community. We appreciate her extraordinary service as the interim director and look forward to great things ahead for our library system. We went through the process of posting and interviewing for the position and came to the unanimous conclusion that Christina was the best fit,” stated Board of Trustees Chairman Dottie Mann. 

Before working for Montgomery County, Riedel served as the Branch Supervisor for the Downtown Public Library Branch in Cedar Rapids, IA, after several promotions from 2007 to 2016. From 2000 to 2007, she served as a library associate at Ottumwa, IA Public Library. She also has experience in radio and advertising. Riedel earned a Bachelor of Arts from Buena Vista University in Ottumwa, IA, in 2004. 

In 2009 Riedel was awarded Librarian of the Year from Library Journal with Team Cedar Rapids for her work after a devastating flood damaged their library and the community. The CRPL management team was recognized for their work and determination to provide uninterrupted service to their community. 

“I appreciate the opportunity and am honored to serve Clarksville, Montgomery County residents and the talented, hard-working team of professionals at our public library. Montgomery County became home to me and my daughter in 2016, and I cannot imagine serving any other community! My team and I have a lot of work ahead, but we are up for the challenge,” stated Riedel.

The Clarksville-Montgomery County Public Library Board of Trustees oversees the operations of the public library, and has the responsibility to select and hire the Library Director. Funding for the library and staff is primarily paid for through Montgomery County Government.

For information about the Clarksville-Montgomery County Public Library, visit mcgtn.net or call 931-648-8826.

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This Friday, May 5, Downtown @ Sundown is returning for the sixth year with Matt Stell and special guest Dalton Dover beginning at 7:00 pm! Matt Stell is an American country music singer, guitarist, and songwriter. His song ‘Prayed for You’ and ‘Everywhere But On’ landed him in the top 10 of Billboard’s Country Airplay charts in 2019 and 2020. Special guest and opener, Dalton Dover appeared on season 16 of ‘The Voice’ and most recently had his Grand Ole Opry Debut in December of 2022. Dover’s top songs include ‘Baby I Am’ ‘You Got a Small Town’ and ‘Giving Up On That.’ 

Local food trucks will also be set up before and during the shows. Burgasm, Heather’s Homemade Ice Cream, Kadi’s Tacos and More, and Johnny & June’s Italian Ice are all expected to be on site. Beer and other beverages will be for sale, with all proceeds benefiting, United Way of the Greater Clarksville Region, Clarksville Ajax Turner 50+ Center.

Main Street will be blocked off between Second Street and Third Street at 4:30 p.m. to make room for the food trucks. Downtown @ Sundown Concerts are free and open to the public and take place on the first and third Fridays of each month through October. Chairs and blankets are welcome; however, pets, coolers, smoking/vaping, or outside alcohol will not be allowed on site.

Downtown @ Sundown is the title sponsored by TriStar Beverage and F&M Bank and sponsored in part by Waste Connections of Clarksville. 

To stay up to date with events happening at the Downtown Commons, visit our Facebook page at Downtown Commons and our Instagram page.

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On Thursday, April 27, the VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System, in partnership with Montgomery County Veterans Service Organization (MCVSO) and the Montgomery County Veterans Coalition, hosted a VA PACT Act Fair at William O. Beach Civic Hall to enlighten military Veterans on services and benefits related to toxic exposures. The word spread like wildfire, and the facility was full of Veterans who reside in Montgomery County and surrounding areas.

The PACT Act is a new law passed in August 2022 to expand VA health care and benefits for military Veterans exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange, and other toxic substances. 

Veterans who attended the Fair could learn about VA services and programs, enroll in VA health care, file claims, complete toxic exposure screenings, and hear directly from leadership who serve VA. The goal was to reach as many local Veterans as possible to spread awareness about the benefits available to them.

"The Clarksville area, from a Veteran's perspective, is growing exponentially. Talking with Fort Campbell Garrison Commander Colonel Jordan confirms that 33% of veterans who separate from service at Fort Campbell stay in Montgomery County and surrounding areas," stated Daniel Dücker, Tennessee Valley Healthcare System Executive Director.

According to VA.gov, the PACT Act may be the largest health care and benefits expansion in VA history, adding 20 new presumptive conditions related to burn pits and toxic exposures. 

Dücker added, "Tennessee Valley was approved for three new buildings equating to a 240,000 square foot outpatient clinic in Clarksville which is a big deal. Services for mental health, dental, primary care, specialty physicians, and surgeons are part of the expansion. In addition, with the PACT Act, our functions allow us to focus on women's health. Women Veterans are a fast-growing population in Clarksville. These changes will help eliminate the drive to Nashville."

"Our duty is to help veterans process claims associated with the PACT Act. The top five conditions granted through the act are hypertension, rhinitis, inflammation of the nasal cavity, asthma, and an assortment of cancers. We want to help you get paid," said Charles L. Moore Jr., the Veterans Benefits Administration Executive Director.

"We have 10 service officers in our office, which is the largest in the state of Tennessee. I attribute that to Montgomery County leadership over the last 79 years. They see the value our Veterans bring to the community," said Andrew Kester, MCVSO Director.

MCVSO looks forward to future events with the VA office to help educate and bring awareness to Veterans in Montgomery and surrounding counties. Kester stated he hopes to fill the F&M Bank Arena next year and asked the Veterans in attendance to help spread the word about the PACT Act.

For additional information and resources on the PACT Act, visit www.va.gov/pact  

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Montgomery County, TN – This week, Montgomery County Government added a program called USERWAY to its website to improve communication opportunities with residents who may benefit from improved accessibility due to physical, cognitive, or language challenges.

“We went with this program because our School System, this community’s largest organization and employer, uses the same service. It was important to us to be consistent for people visiting government sites for information. If there is a tool that can be easily used to remove a barrier for our residents, I’m all for it,” said Montgomery County Mayor Wes Golden.

The new tool is a blue and white circle on the lower left-hand corner of the County website found at  mcgtn.org. Clicking on the tool provides users with a variety of options such as but not limited to, switching to other languages and adapting the screens for those who may be color blind, have motor impairments or have Dyslexia. 

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Montgomery County, TN – On Monday, April 24, a 550-gallon aquarium, paid for by the Wade Bourne Nature Center (WBNC) Foundation, was delivered to the Nature Center and administrative building for the Montgomery County Parks and Recreation Department. The aquarium was brought by Exotic Aquatic and installed by Craneworks. 

“It was pretty remarkable to watch them maneuver this enormous fish tank into the corner of the center. The WBNC Board, me and my staff are excited about finishing the tank and making it ready for the public to enjoy. We will need help from the community to keep moving forward,” stated Parks and Recreation Director Sally Burchett.

The public can assist in stocking the tank and future learning activities by buying tickets for the Stock the Tank Event on Thursday, May 11. Details can be found at https://bit.ly/3HlGFoB.

“Although the tank is in place, the aquarium is not expected to be fully ready until this summer. Balancing the pH levels of the water to prepare for the fish and introducing the species a few at a time is part of the process,” added Burchett.

The tank will be home to five species of native fish in the Cumberland River, including Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, Catfish, Bluegill, and Crappy. 

The WBNC Foundation, named in honor of Montgomery County outdoor sportswriter and conservationist Wade Bourne, works with Montgomery County Parks and Recreation to provide services at the WNBC that encourage learning and engagement opportunities for visitors of all ages to learn more about natural history and conservation. 

For more information about WBNC, call 931-648-5732.

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