Latest news with #NewEarth
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Hawkins Co. resident hosts meeting about NewEarth ‘micronation'
HAWKINS COUNTY, Tenn. (WJHL) —A resident of Hawkins County hosted a community meeting Saturday about 60 acres of land purchased in Stanley Valley for a 'micronation.' According to the coalition that acquired the land, NewEarth, the NewEarth Micronation Tennessee values 'sovereignty' and 'holistic living.' It will be governed by 'freedom, self-sufficiency, and respect for nature.' Matthew Williams, a resident of Hawkins County, believes these values are misleading. After conducting extensive research on the coalition, he organized the meeting and shared his findings with the attendees. Rogersville set to choose new mayor for first time in 48 years 'I update a lot on Facebook with the facts on the Earth Nation, but there are a lot of individuals who don't have Internet or choose not to have social media,' he said. 'So we want to give them a chance to have their voice heard and get to talk to some of the government officials and to, of course, see some of the new information that has developed since the commissioners meeting.' Hawkins County Mayor Mark DeWitte and Commissioner Syble Trent were at the meeting, which was an open invitation to all who wanted to learn more about NewEarth. Trent said that she wants everyone to be informed, not just the residents of Hawkins County. 'We want people from other counties to come in and hear about this. Also, because we don't know how it's going to affect us, and it could eventually affect the whole state,' Trent said. 'And knowledge is good. Knowledge is very important. We don't want to stick our heads in the sand and say, 'Oh well, it's okay.'' The NewEarth Micronation Tennessee site director was present at the meeting to answer questions from the community. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
NewEarth trustee answers questions about planned Hawkins County micronation
HAWKINS COUNTY, Tenn. (WJHL) – Residents of Hawkins County continue to voice their concerns via online petitions and social media posts about the NewEarth Micronation Tennessee from NewEarth Nation Coalition. Concerns over planned 'micronation' in Hawkins County NewEarth's Tennessee trustee, Marcia Willardson, said she is here to listen to residents. 'NewEarth is mainly volunteers that see the vision of what the earth can be, how we can work together, and how we're coming together to reunify ourselves from all the separation that has occurred in our societies,' Willardson said. 'My job is to listen. What does this community want? What does the community need? What can we bring to enhance the community? Not, 'We're bringing a plan that you have to live with.'' One of the main concerns of residents is the expansion plans of the micronation. According to the deed obtained by News Channel 11, 60 acres of land were purchased by NewEarth off of Stanley Valley Road. Willardson said the micronation will only expand if the community wants it. 'What I'm here for is to really listen to the community. This is an agricultural community. I grew up in an agricultural community. My grandparents were Iowa farmers.' Willardson said. 'I know in agricultural communities, they don't want to drop something like San Francisco in the middle, in the heart of your community.' Residents have also voiced concerns over NewEarth creating a sovereign micronation. Willardson says NewEarth defines 'sovereign' as a personal relationship with the divine. 'Sovereignty is an understanding your own relationship with the divine and being fully available to express that. The relationship with the divine is a personal relationship.' 'It's through our religions. Everybody has their perspective, and we have a variety of ways to realize that, to see that, to feel that. I can't define your relationship with the divine.' Country Thunder will not return to Bristol Motor Speedway in 2025 Willardson said the micronation is not designed to be cut off from the rest of the world. 'We intend to pay every tax that we owe and be as much of a contribution to the community and to the state and to the nation as we possibly can be. We're not talking about, you know, sitting down and being isolated from humanity. You know, we're talking about unifying and bringing whatever gifts we can possibly bring to all levels.' Instead, they are focused on uniting different perspectives. 'New Earth is the idea that we can all have the prosperity, we can all be economically independent. We can all have the ultimate health that we've envisioned that we really deserve. To bring the full fullness of our health, of our religion, of our political, of our relationship with our neighbors.' Despite plans on the NewEarth website for what will be included in the micronation, including a residential area and a Regenisis Health Center, Willardson said the land is a blank slate and NewEarth will use the property however the community sees fit. 'We're still now just gathering information. We don't even have the first ink on the page of the plan. And for the most part, we purchased the land we're looking now to see how do we fit into the community and over time, how can we continue to bring benefits as the community really wants them?' Willardson said that NewEarth picked Hawkins County due to the kindness of the people there. 'The people are down home and friendly in the communities,' said Willardson. 'Large cities, people are so disconnected that it isn't the same quality of relationships that we can build. And there are so many dividing factions. And really our heart is to unify not only ourselves with the community, but to bring what the community needs in order to flourish.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
