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Chris Smith

Chris Smith is editor-in-chief of Clarksville Now. He has been a trusted professional journalist for over 30 years, with the last 25 years here in Clarksville, TN. You can reach him by email at csmith@clarksvillenow.com or call 931-648-7720.

Dalton Eatherly, aka “Chud the Builder,” after shots were fired outside Montgomery County Courthouse on May 13, 2026. (Anonymous, Contributed)
News
3 weeks ago
UPDATE: Man who instigated racist disputes charged with attempted murder outside County Courthouse | VIDEO

Two people were hurt in a shooting next to the Montgomery County Courthouse in Clarksville in a confrontation involving Dalton Eatherly, aka “Chud the Builder.”

Ascension Saint Thomas representatives address the CMC Industrial Development Board on May 13, 2026. (Chris Smith)
News
3 weeks ago
Ascension Clarksville Medical Campus to include public infrastructure, seeks tax incentives

The Ascension Clarksville Medical Campus will include a public road and water improvements. To pay for that, AST is seeking tax-increment financing.

Wilma Rudolph Event Center Election Day, Nov. 5 2024. (Wesley Irvin)
Elections
3 weeks ago
Who’s on ballot for Montgomery County mayor, sheriff, commission, School Board

The Montgomery County Aug. 6 general election will include mayor, sheriff, the County Commission and part of the School Board. Here are the candidates.

From the left, Dexter Mines, Mike Oliver and Johnny Ransdell. (Contributed)
Elections
3 weeks ago
Warnings, suspensions, commendations: What’s in sheriff candidates’ disciplinary records

Clarksville Now has requested and reviewed the public-record personnel files and disciplinary records of all three candidates for Montgomery County sheriff.

The new Congress Tennessee District 7 map proposed this week in the General Assembly. (Contributed)
Opinion
3 weeks ago
What do you think of political gerrymandering? | POLL

The redistricting of Tennessee carves out the northwest corner of Montgomery County and puts it in the same District 5 as Memphis. What do you think?

The planned Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital in Clarksville, May 15, 2025. (Contributed, Ascension St. Thomas)
Business
3 weeks ago
Ascension Saint Thomas to break ground on $148.5 million health campus next month

The Ascension Saint Thomas groundbreaking ceremony will take place at the future campus site on the north side of Highway 76 just past Interstate 24.

Clockwise from the top left, mayor's forum, motorcycle crash, Black rodeo and Tennessee redistricting.
News
3 weeks ago
News in Clarksville: Proposed 33% tax hike, motorcycle crash death, redistricting and other top stories this week

Top local news stories from Clarksville this week, including a proposed property tax increase, a motorcyclist dies from his injures and redistricting’s impact on Montgomery County.

Clarksville City Hall in 2021. (Clarksville Now archives)
News
3 weeks ago
How do Clarksville property tax rates compare to other Tennessee cities? | ANALYSIS

The current city/county combined property tax rate in Clarksville is $3.02. The proposed city increase would bring that to $3.33. How does that compare to other cities in Tennessee?

Several vehicles crashed on Tiny Town Road on May 8, 2026. (Enrique Hernandez, Dash 10 Media)
News
3 weeks ago
UPDATE: Interstate 24 backed up by crash, multi-vehicle wreck on Tiny Town Road

Several vehicles crashed on Tiny Town Road in north Clarksville Friday afternoon.

Clarksville City Council (Christian Brown)
The Clarksville Rundown
3 weeks ago
The Clarksville Rundown: What’s behind city’s 33% tax increase, pullback of $3.5 million for schools? | PODCAST

Mayor Joe Pitts dropped some bombshells in the last week. What’s going on, why the surprises, and why isn’t the city collaborating with other government agencies?