SURGOINSVILLE — Hawkins County businessman Rick Stewart was fined $2,250 Thursday by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation for burning oil, tires and other prohibited items on his property near downtown Surgoinsville. It was Stewart’s third TDEC fine since 2012 for illegal burning in Hawkins County. On Aug. 2, Surgoinsville Police Department Chief James Hammonds responded to a complaint of open burning on property owned by Stewart at 1310 Main St. Stewart owns the entire square block which includes a structure commonly referred to as the “old country stores” as well as a garage and some rental mobile homes. Hammonds observed black smoke billowing from an open fire that included tires, plastic, used motor oil and other debris. Hammonds described the smoke as “smothering” to the nearby residential neighborhoods. The Surgoinsville Fire Department responded and extinguished the fire, and Hammonds contacted TDEC, which responded to the scene on Aug.