Late County Commissioner Cheairs honored by Highway 57 renaming

 “When I became a county commissioner, I was told I should keep my eyes on Commissioner Cheairs and follow his lead,” said Hardeman County Mayor Jimmy Sain. “That was good advice.” Sain was addressing the crowd gathered in Grand Junction to honor the late Commissioner by renaming a portion of Highway 57 as “L. J. Cheairs Memorial Highway”.
Held Dec. 10, the dedication began with Sain reading a resolution by the Mayor and Hardeman County Board of Commissioners. The resolution contained a history of Cheairs accomplishments as a public servant.
He was first elected in 1970 becoming one of the first two black County Commissioners. He served in that capacity for 40 years. During his tenure, he served on the Hardeman County Ambulance Board, the Solid Waste Committee, and the Beer Board. He was honored by the Tennessee State Legislature for his years of faithful service.
A member of the Hardaway Baptist Church, Cheairs served as president of the Usher Board and as president of the choir. He was a founding member of the Grand Junction Sunday School Union and functioned as its president for twenty-five years. He was the first person to have a regular Sunday morning broadcast on WBOL-WVST when the station opened.  
Cheairs passed away in February 2013.

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