The Wilson County Board of County Commissioners met for their regular session Wednesday, May 1. Commissioner Casey Lair called the meeting to order, after which Commissioner Andrew Miller gave the invocation and Commissioner Jerry Scott led the flag salute. A motion was made by Commissioner Scott to approve the agenda and minutes of the April 24 meeting as presented. Commissioner Miller seconded the motion and it carried, beginning the meeting.

The Montgomery County Board of Commissioners met for their regular meeting on Monday, May 6. They met to discuss CRMC’s grant, Edmunds GovTech’s implementation, bids for Road and Bridge, flooding damages and repairs for the DOC walk-in freezer.

(TNS) The Palestinian militant group Hamas said it had agreed to a cease-fire proposal for the Gaza Strip, but Israel’s war cabinet unanimously rejected it as “far from Israel’s necessary demands,” dashing hopes for an immediate pause in the fighting. Israel vowed to continue “its operation in Rafah to exert military pressure on Hamas” but also said it will send a delegation to meet with mediators “to exhaust the possibility of reaching an agreement.” In a statement later Monday, the Israel Defense Forces announced fresh airstrikes against Hamas targets in the Rafah area.

FINANCIAL FREEDOM: A GIFT TO YOUR FAMILY Here's a sobering statistic: 72% of retirees say one of their biggest fears is becoming a burden on their families, according to a study by Edward Jones and the consulting firm Age Wave. If you are near retirement, how can you prepare yourself to become financially free, so you won't have to depend on grown children or other family members? HERE ARE A FEW SUGGESTIONS TO CONSIDER: • Keep adding to retirement savings.