Lawrence County

Gallatin City Commissioners approved a 60-day pause on new data center applications, while Lawrence County commissioners tabled a proposed yearlong moratorium due to insufficient zoning rules. The debate over data center development continues in the Midstate as one county considers a broader moratorium and another delays action.

The Lawrence County Commission in Tennessee voted 13-5 to table a one-year data center moratorium, facing public backlash over a planned data center in Lawrenceburg. Opponents argued the resolution would protect county land and prevent hyper-scale data centers, while supporters cited legal risks due to the absence of county-wide zoning. A study committee on data center impacts was also part of the proposed resolution.

Lawrence County leaders will vote on a one-year data center moratorium and the creation of a study committee to evaluate impacts on property values, utilities, and infrastructure. The resolution aims to address citizen concerns about data center development through research on zoning, resource usage, and placement.

Three people were injured in a rollover crash in Lawrence County, Tennessee, with one critically injured victim pinned upside down and requiring rescue. Emergency crews used hydraulic tools to free the trapped individual, who was then airlifted to a trauma center, while others received treatment. Lawrence County Fire and Rescue emphasized the importance of wearing seat belts and driving safely.

Plans for a data center in Lawrenceburg are advancing after passing the city planning commission unanimously, despite a petition with over 7,000 signatures opposing the project. The proposed 4.9 megawatt facility by Lawrenceburg Utilities System will use a closed-loop water system and is now awaiting city council approval, while St. Joseph in Lawrence County seeks to ban data centers entirely.

St. Joseph in Lawrence County is proposing an ordinance to ban data centers due to concerns over water, electricity, and infrastructure strain, while Lawrenceburg's Planning Commission will vote on permits for the Scalepoint TN data processing center. The efforts reflect conflicting approaches to data center development in the county.

A driveway in Lawrence County, Tennessee, was split in half by floodwaters, with the Ethridge Fire Department sharing images of the damage. A local resident noted the driveway's proximity to a busy road and its history of flooding in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The National Weather Service has issued a Flood Watch through Sunday due to ongoing heavy rain.

The Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department is searching for Frank Northern, a man with warrants for aggravated robbery and property theft. The search includes Giles County due to Northern’s ties there, and deputies have released his photo and physical description to the public.

Four juveniles are facing vandalism charges after allegedly causing $3,330 in damage to Kress Auto in Loretto, Tennessee. The suspects, three from Lawrence County and one from Huntingdon, were identified by police and the case has been referred to juvenile court.

Two simultaneous vehicle crashes occurred in Lawrence County, Tennessee, just after sunrise on Friday. One involved a utility pole in the Henryville Fire District with downed lines, while another required a rope rescue in the Iron City Fire District after a car crashed down a 15-foot embankment, leaving the driver with serious injuries. The injured individual was transported by air to a Level 1 Trauma Center.

A cellphone's crash notification feature alerted authorities to a violent SUV crash in Lawrence County, Tennessee, enabling firefighters and medical personnel to rescue a trapped driver. The driver was transported to a trauma center via medical helicopter, and the Tennessee Highway Patrol is investigating the incident.

Thousands of residents in Lawrence County, Tennessee, have signed a petition demanding an 18-month moratorium on data centers to allow for public review and infrastructure impact assessments. The petition follows a proposed 60,000-square-foot data center near Flatwoods Road and highlights concerns about resource demands and effects on the local Amish community. Lawrence County Executive David Morgan confirmed the county was not involved in prior negotiations with the data center developers.