March 08 Stories

Despite the chilly temperatures and overcast skies on Saturday the community gathered to officially begin the 55th Annual World's Biggest Fish Fry.

One of the big draws for the opening is the announcement of who the Souvenir booklet is dedicated to. Honored this year is32 year veteran of the Paris Police Department, retired Officer Jerry Pearson. Unable to attend he was represented by his wife Willie Ruth.

Named as this years Grand Marshall of the 2008 World's Biggest Fish Fry Grand Parade was Rudy Kalis, sports newscaster for Nashville's WSMV.

This years Hostess Princess Cortney Haley and her court were present to welcome every one to Headquarters located in a house provided by Dinkins Home Center on Wood St.

"Let everyone know that it takes the support of the community and we thank all our sponsors," stated General Manager of the Jaycees World Biggest Fish Fry Kreg Kyle. He also reminded everyone that the World's Biggest Fish Fry was a family event.

At Henry County Medical Center's Board of Trustees meeting Thursday board members were informed by Medical Center Administrator Thomas Gee that West Tennessee hospitals were experiencing a decline in both inpatient and out patient census due to disenrollment of TennCare. There has also been a 27% increase in the number of uninsured.

The Hospitalist program at HCMC is scheduled to begin on April 10 if participating physicians credentials are approved.

A date has been set for the Certificate of Ned appeal hearing about the proposed cath lab. Doctors from the medical center a well as doctors from St. Thomas will be testifying on behalf of the need for the cath lab.

The Fuel Pro on Tyson Ave. was the site of a robbery that included the stabbing of 2 people in the store.

At around 10:30pm Wednesday Henry County Sheriff's Deputy Bryan Hall saw a woman standing in front of Fuel Pro with blood running from a neck wound. According to police reports Hall provided first aid and called an ambulance for Daxaben and Rajeshkuma Patel who received multiple stab wounds , air lifted to Vanderbilt and reported to be in stable condition. The husband and wife attempted to stop the robbery by wrestling the robber, identified from security tapes as Travis Forthman of Clifty St., who entered the store with his shirt pulled over his head and a knife in his hand, shoving a cash register onto the floor. At around 1:30 am Thursday morning Forthman was arrested at his Clifty Street home and charged with especially aggravated robbery.

The headquarters of the 55^th Annual World’s Biggest Fish Fry will open at 10am on Saturday, March 29^th, on East Wood Street in Paris, next to Paint Plus Flooring. The opening of the headquarters is the kick-off of Fish Fry and the festival season in West Tennessee.

The Paris-Henry County Jaycees will announce the dedication of the Fish Fry book, announce the Grand Marshall of the parade and have souvenirs and information available. The Hostess Princess, Courtney Haley, and her court will be on hand.

“The World’s Biggest Fish Fry is our hometown festival and it means so much to have everyone there with us as we begin,” according to Fish Fry General Manager Kreg Kyle. “Our headquarters will be housed in a building provided by Champion Homes. It is an act of generosity and support which exemplifies the dedication that this community has always shown to Fish Fry.”

Mike Shankle, Director of Henry County Medical Center EMS, was recently presented with the President’s Leadership Award from the Tennessee Ambulance Service Association during its annual conference and awards event in Gatlinburg, TN, in February.

The TASA L. Gale Allen President’s Leadership Award is presented for outstanding leadership and support of the TASA President. This award is named in honor of Mr. L. Gale Allen, posthumously, for his many years of service and support of TASA and EMS (Emergency Medical Service). Mr. Allen began his EMS Career in 1972 as one of the first hired by Sevier County Ambulance Service. He became director of the service in 1983 and held that position until his death on April 18, 2002. Mr. Allen was a former TASA President and worked as Chairman of the Mid-Winter Conference Committee as well as other committees. Friends of Gale continue to remember him as a true professional who became an example to follow in the emergency medical service community across the state of Tennessee.

As TASA Secretary, Shankle gives so much of his time and talent to TASA. He has served several years as TASA Secretary and works tirelessly in legislative issues concerning the delivery of quality pre-hospital patient care. He takes a leading roll in every conference and special project TASA encounters. Shankle has also served as a board member and past president of the organization, which he has been a part of since 1992.

“His support of the TASA President, Officers, Board of Directors and Membership is unequalled,” according to John S. Fitzsimmons, TASA Awards Chairman.

Shankle started as an EMT in 1986. He attended Jackson State Community College, receiving certification as a paramedic. In 1990, Shankle became the Director of the Henry County Medical Center EMS, managing 40 staff and overseeing the over 6,000 runs the service provides in Henry County each year. He and his staff have been honored for their outstanding service including 2005 President’s Leadership Award recipient, 2005 EMS Administrator, and 2003 Service of the Year Award.

“It was truly a humbling experience to receive the award for a second time,” said Shankle. “I am very shocked and honored. I am fortunate to work with such a great team and our hard work shows with this award.”

The Sporting Chance mentoring program, sponsored by juvenile services, is hosting the boxing program Friday Night Fights. The fights are held at Atkins Porter beginning at 6pm. Admission is $2 at the the door. For more information call 642-3340 or 642-5271

The Paris Board of Public Utility's Board of Directors approved a 7.06% retail rate increase at Thursday's meeting. The increase will cover the TVA's Wholesale rate increase of approx. 7.1%. Scheduled to go into effect at the beginning of April, the increase will mean an additional 8 to 9 dollars on residential electricity ills. The rate increase will also be used to cover the cost of the automated meter reading infrastructure, which was also approved Thursday. It is expected to be costly at first but would soon pay for its self with the reduction on meter readers. BPU will now ask for the approval of the city commission to finance the automated meter reading system with a $3 and 1/2 million bond issue.

The Henry County Medical Center Care van will be at Wesley Pine Ridge Apartments, behind McDonalds, on Tuesday, March 25 from 9 to 11am inside the Community Building offering health screenings.

175 volunteers continued the search Saturday for Rachel Conger . Nothing was found. The Sheriff's Office continues to ask the community for help. If you have any information Call 642-1672.

Skykit, the Canadian based company that assembles the light weight sport air craft, will be receiving a 15 year lease on a building to be built for them at the Henry County Airport. The terms of the lease, as approved in a resolution by the Henry County Commission, will require the company to receive a year rent free and then pay the county enough to pay for the building over the remaining 14 years of the lease.

Besides Skykit there are several other prospects interested in moving into the area. Alliance CEO Carl Holder stated that Project Greenserve wants to expand the spec building to 170 sq. ft. and invest some $30million in equipment with the intention of hiring 175 people.

As anyone who is looking for work can tell you, there seems to be a widening gap between the current workforce and potential employers. On one side of the chasm we have workers who are looking for employment, yet lack the skills and training necessary for certain jobs. On the other side we have employers who are facing the rising cost of training, and who limit themselves to workers who have experience. So the question becomes, “How do we cross this divide?” A possible answer has now presented itself

To bridge the gap between the workforce and employers, the Local Workforce Investment Area (LWIA) in Henry County has adopted a program that will allow job seekers to gain an edge against experience. The new Career Readiness Certificate (CRC) program will allow an individual to display to potential employers that he/she has the basic skills that they are looking for, despite the possible lack of experience.

Even having a high school diploma (or GED) or higher education does not seem to be enough these days for some employers who are looking for skills that are specific to their trade. Having a CRC further verifies to those employers that the individual possesses the necessary skills and trainability to be hired for certain positions.

With three levels of a CRC (Bronze, Silver, and Gold) employers can chose how trainable they want their potential employees to be, and they can even choose different levels for different jobs that they have available. Individuals also gain an advantage with the levels because they have the ability to move up to a higher level with study, thus improving their chances of being hired for a job.

Overall, the CRC program benefits both the employer and the job seekers by giving them a mutual conduit to reach each other. The CRC program will help to connect hard working, trainable individuals with employers who are seeking employees with the skills needed for their job.

Any job seeker or employer who is interested in more information on the Career Readiness Certificate program can contact the TN Career Center in Paris at 731-644-7355, or visit the center in person at 1023 Mineral Wells Ave (next to Goody’s) in Paris.

Mary Kate Ridgeway, long-time UT Extension Staff member, was named County Director of the Henry County office by the local seven member Agriculture Committee. She succeeds Director Ken Goddard who recently transferred to Knoxville. She began March 1, 2008 with her administrative duties of the local office. Ridgeway is currently the Adult Family and Consumer Science Agent and has Resource Development duties as well. She will add the Director duties to her responsibilities.

Ken Goddard, former Director said, "Mary Kate has been a loyal and professional UT Extension employee and, as County Extension Director, will certainly maintain a highly trained and active staff to serve the clientele in Henry County. Extension staff throughout the Western Region routinely mentor with Mary Kate concerning policy and programs. There is no one in the county that is better known for her ability to teach and promote educational programs."

The search for missing Rachael Conger will continue Saturday, according to Henry County Sheriff Monty Belew. "We are asking for your help," stated the sheriff. "

Those interested in helping the sheriff's department and the Henry County Rescue Squad will gather at 12 noon Saturday at Yoder Brothers Meat Processing. Searchers should wear bright colored clothing and boots. No ATV's will be needed. "The neighbors in Henry County have always been there to help and I know this will be no different. We are not sure of the outcome but we are not ready to give in until we feel we have exhausted all means of finding Rachel," stated Belew.

Strong winds Tuesday night brought down tree branches on Hwy 140, Paris Whitlock Road and Forrest Lane. BPU reported only a few weather related problems as of 2:30 Wednesday morning and General Manager John Etheridge stated that stand-by crews were ready to work the sporadic outages in the county with power quickly restored.

A Henry County Relay for Life fund raiser hosted by PML will be held at the Enoch Building from 10am to 2pm Thursday, 20. BBQ, slaw, beans, chips, cookie and a drink for $6. Dine in or carry out.

PML will also host another Relay for Life fund raiser on April 5 at 8pm in the Paris Convention Center featuring the 'Jimmy Church Band'. Tickets are $17 or $20 at the door. BYOB, set ups available

County Commissioners gave the go ahead to the Springville Utility District to form a legal entity to bring water to the Springville area. A feasibility study conducted by the engineering firm of Gresham Smith showed that there were sufficient potential customers in the area to support a utility district.

There is something exciting happening in Tennessee for parents who have a child with a disability! STEP, Inc. (Support and Training for Exceptional Parents) is helping parents learn about their child’s education needs and their rights provided under IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act). STEP is a federally funded program that provides information, training and support to parents of children with disabilities. STEP is holding Parent Training Workshops all over the state, and parents who have attended them have been excited with all the information they learned and the assistance that they received.

All materials used in local workshop are also free to parents of children with disabilities. Each family can receive our Parent Manual that includes important Federal and State laws regarding special education, as well as lots of helpful tools.

If you are interested please call Veronica Lickert at 731-644-1948.ople.

STEP also provides help over the telephone when you have specific questions. Parents who ask to be put on the mailing list will receive the quarterly newsletter STEP Ahead. All these services are free to parents who have a child with a disability, through the age of 22.

If you have a question you hope we can help you with or if you want more information about our program, please call the Training Coordinator in your area Jenness Roth at 901-726-4334 or the Parent Information Line at 1 (800)

The Henry County Sheriff's Office, THP, Henry County Rescue Squad, the 24th Judicial Drug Task Force and their helicopters, along with cadaver dogs have been searching for 30 year old Rachael Conger of Briarpatch Lake Rd. since Thursday, March 14 who was last seen in a gray 2000 Ford truck with her husband. Her husband, 50 year old Paul Conger was found dead Sunday, March 16th of an apparent self inflicted gunshot wound. According to the press release the couple was having marital problems and were trying to reconcile. The search, which at one point spread into Stewart Co was called off there. It was added to the search area due to cell phone records that showed calls coming from the area.

Rachael's ID, medications cell phone were located with her abandoned vehicle in a wooded area off of Briarpatch Lake Rd. The search continues and the sheriff's office urges anyone with information to call 731-642-1672

Sawdust and strong winds are being blamed for a fire at Replogle Enterprises sawmill in Henry Monday morning. The blaze grew out of control and Henry Fire Department requested Mutual Aid from Oakland and Paris Fire. Departments.

5th District County Commissioner Randy Veazy presented the commission with his resignation, effective immediately, at Monday evenings meeting. Veazy stated that for family reasons he and his wife were moving to the Memphis area.

A power point presentation for BPU board members last week stated that the Automated Metering Infrastructure (AMI) would read 20,000 meters and provide better response time during power outages as well as help with billing. The system would also help with theft detection and consumption reports.

A total cost for the system was stated at $3,250,000 for the 20,000 meters and 12 substations.

An annual savings of $482,000 could be expected which would include less wear and tear on vehicles and meter readers.

BEGINNING MONDAY MARCH 17/08 LAMPKINS ROAD WILL BE CLOSED APPROXIMATELY TWO WEEKS TO PREPARE ROAD FOR HOTMIX-----ALT. RT.-69 TO 140 GO INTO COTTAGE GROVE ON 140---ALT. RT. GO JONES BEND ROAD TO 140 INTO COTTAG3E GROVE

The Paris Municipal Regional Planning Commission had a short agenda for Thursday evening and approved a minor subdivision on Dogwood Drive for Arturo Hernandez and Bobbie Parker. The 1 and a quarter acre lot with an existing house. A property line will be removed combining the tract.

Also on the agenda was a clarification of subdivision regulations for fire hydrants. The commission approved the current regulation which must go to the city commission to be approved on 1st and 2nd reading.

Added to the agenda was a discussion of the sign ordinance. The board was given several examples of sign ordinances from such places as Murray and Germantown which they will study.

The Paris Special School District is still projecting a completion date of May for the Pre-K construction project with 40% of the brick work completed.

The school board also approved a motion to offer all PSSD employees the opportunity to receive the flu shot for $5 next year with the school system covering the remaining cost.

At Thursday's meeting of the Henry County Board of Education the board, on the recommendation of Director of Schools Rick Kriesky, decided to use Lashley Rich as the project Manager for the Weston Hall project who will work closely with the architect firm Kaatz, Binley, Jones and Morris. Board members will also be closely involved with the project.

The board approved 2 major personnel changes for next year at the meeting Thursday. Mrs. Beverly Fridy, who is currently assistant principal at Harrelson School will be the principal at Harrelson next year. Mr. Earl Kendall who is currently principal of Lakewood Middle School, will be the principal at Grove.

Henry County School System will hold Parent/Teacher Conferences Thursday, March 13.

Harrrelson, Henry, and Lakewood Elementary Schools and Lakewood Middle School - 1pm to 7pm.

Past on 1st reading by the Henry Mayor and Board of Aldermen at Tuesday's meeting was a resolution lowering water rates by 7%. While lowering water rates the board approved on 1st reading sewer rates at $29 per based and 2.50per 1,000gallons used. The 2nd reading on both resolutions will be held next Tuesday, March 18, at 6pm.

An increase in Parker Brothers residential garbage disposal rates, up to $12 per month, will be passed on to the citizens of the city of Henry. The board also accepted a bid from Campbell Well Drilling , out of McKenzie, the only bid received, to repair the well in the old Henry business district of the municipality. The city also issued an invitation to all concerned citizens on wells to attend April's meeting.

Director of Paris Parks and Recreation Tim Check informed board members this week that he will be developing an assessment survey that will be distributed to schools and other locations in the community to see what type of activities the public would like to see offered.

The youth basketball season was once again a big success, increasing in size from 52 teams to 58 teams.

Dan Patterson announced that after 27 years with the city park system he will be retiring as of April 9th but will return in June as a part time employee.

After a year of being tabled, the Paris City Commission passed a resolution Tuesday evening concerning signs on new buildings, in particular, the new Super D store on Mineral Wells Avenue, which put up a sign that said "America's Friendly Pharmacy", even when the store construction manager was informed by city hall staff that the sign was in violation of the sign ordinance.

Per the advice of city attorney Fred Mclean, City Mayor David Travis informed the store manager that they would be denied a certificate of occupancy until the sign was removed and without the certificate BPU would not turn on the electricity to the building.

The Paris Henry County Public Utility District board of director were told by General Manager Don Green at Tuesday's meeting that the Hwy. 69 Project should be completed in a month. Approx. 5400 ft. of 4 inch linear trenching and boring pipe have bee laid this month despite the weather, at a cost of $19,948.

In other business the board approved using Alexander, Thompson Arnold, PLC to once again provide the yearly audit.

A full agenda awaited the Puryear Mayor and Board of Aldermen Tuesday evening.

During the Beer Board a beer permit for K&J, known locally as Spiders, was renewed.

During the regular meeting the board approved enforcing 2 new ordinances. One of the ordinances was property maintenance which requires property owners to keep such things as weeds and dead trees cleaned up on lots within the city limits. The 2nd ordnance addresses structure clearance of those buildings deemed unsafe for occupation. The board hopes that a simple warning will bring compliance but will give citizens the chance to meet the conditions of the ordinances before taking further action.

The city board also approved renewing their 2 year membership in the Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System.

The Henry County Highway Commission approved a mowing contract with H&H Farms out of Gleason during Monday's meeting. H&H Farms will mow county roads for $65 a mile, the same rate as last year. The contract will run through May of 2009.

After some discussion the road board decided to put off a decision to purchase a new paving machine. Road Supervisor Ray Norwood told board members that to stay within the price that they could afford it would be a similar machine to the one they already have which is still working and can be used for short stretches of roads.

The Henry County Budget committee approved a resolution that would provide funds from the county's inappropriate fund balance to purchase another computer for the county's trustees office to prevent the whole system from becoming infected with a virus. According to Trustee David Stone the money would be used to remove the virus and purchase anti-virus software.

Also approved by the budget committee was a request from the sheriff's department to move funds to cover gasoline costs through the end of the fiscal year June, 08

The Henry County Sheriff's office continues its search for suspects in an attempted arson over the weekend at a residence on Rabbit Creek Rd. The resident, who had been out of town over the weekend, reported the crime after returning home. According to the sheriff's office the attempt to burn down the mobile home occurred between 5pm Friday and 11am Sunday. There were several places outside the residence where fires had been set in an attempt to burn down the trailer. An attempt to set the couch and carpet on fire were also found.

Treasured objects and artifacts held by the Heritage Center will be preserved for future generations with help from the IMLS Connecting to Collections Bookshelf, a core set of conservation books, DVDs, and online resources donated by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the primary source of federal funding of the nation’s museums and libraries. IMLS and its cooperator, the American Association for State and Local History (AASLH), will award a total of 2,000 free sets of the IMLS Bookshelf by the end of 2008.

“The Heritage Center has been working so hard to preserve the history of Paris and Henry County. These valuable resource materials will only strengthen our ability to fulfill that mission.”

“We are pleased to announce the first group of IMLS Bookshelf recipients. These small libraries and museums are taking up the charge to care for America’s heritage,” said Anne-Imelda Radice, Director of IMLS. “A recent national study tells a sobering story about the state of America’s library and museum collections. Without immediate action we stand to lose important collections that are at the heart of the American story.”

The Heritage Center is among the first to receive this essential set of resources based on an application describing the needs and plans for care of its collections. The IMLS Bookshelf focuses on collections typically found in art or history museums and in libraries' special collections, with an added selection of texts for zoos, aquaria, public gardens, and nature centers. It addresses such topics as the philosophy and ethics of collecting, collections management and planning, emergency preparedness, and culturally specific conservation issues.

The IMLS Bookshelf is a crucial component of Connecting to Collections: A Call to Action, a conservation initiative that the Institute launched in 2006. IMLS began the initiative in response to a 2005 study by Heritage Preservation documenting the dire state of the nation’s collections. The multi-faceted, multi-year initiative shines a nationwide spotlight on the needs of America’s collections, especially those held by smaller institutions, which often lack the human and financial resources necessary to adequately care for their collections. Click here for more information on the conservation initiative.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 122,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. The Institute's mission is to create strong libraries and museums that connect people to information and ideas. The Institute works at the national level and in coordination with state and local organizations to sustain heritage, culture, and knowledge; enhance learning and innovation; and support professional development. To learn more about the Institute, please visit www.imls.gov.

Tennessee State Fire Marshal Leslie A. Newman would like to remind Tennesseans to “Change Your Clocks, Change Your Batteries” this Sunday for daylight savings time.

Most home fires occur at night when people are sleeping. The smoke and toxic gases generated by a fire can cause you to sleep more deeply, making the chances of survival worse. A working smoke alarm will double your survival chances by giving you the critical time needed to escape before it’s too late.

Nationally, more than 90 percent of all homes have smoke alarms, but it is estimated that one-third of them don’t work due to old or missing batteries. It is critical to replace batteries regularly-even if they appear to be working fine. Twice a year is recommended. This reduces the “chirping”, indicating low batteries. All too often, the battery is removed and not replaced, putting the occupants at risk. There’s no way to predict when a fire will occur, and one night without a working smoke alarm is dangerous. Replacing batteries during daylight savings time is an easy way to remember that task.

· Smoke alarms should be installed in every sleeping room, outside every sleeping area and on each level of the home. Make sure everyone can hear the alarm and knows what it sounds like.

· Smoke alarms need to be cleaned and maintained according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

· Have a fire escape plan with two ways out of every room and teach it to your children.

· When the smoke alarm sounds, get out of the home immediately and go to your pre-planned meeting place.

“Smoke alarms, even those that are hard-wired, should have their batteries replaced regularly, and be tested monthly to ensure you have the protection you need when you need it,” says Tennessee State Fire Marshal Leslie Newman. “Use this time to make sure your home and family are safe.”

Many local fire departments have supplies of donated smoke alarms, and departments will help install them in the homes of the elderly and disabled. For more information, visit www.state.tn.us/commerce.

During a public hearing followed by a meeting of the 1101 Coordinating Committee Thursday afternoon McKenzie City Mayor Walter Winchester told the committee that the McKenzie Planning commission wanted to enlarge the present Urban Growth boundaries by about 2 and 1/2 square miles to include the area known as Skunk Hollow. Winchester stated that McKenzie was expanding in that direction without any regulations on new subdivisions or other developments. The Coordinating committee approved the city's request which now must be approved by the other Henry County Municipalities and the Henry County Commission.

The first priority for grant funding is to establish collection sites in underserved areas. Other grants will fund improvement or replacement of equipment in existing public and private facilities. Equipment purchased through Oil Collection Grants can include containers, used oil burners, containment structures, shelter covers and other items.

Pictured are Sandra Ray, HCHC Administrator, and Tom Gee, HCMC CEO, with Mary Winburn, Director of Environmental Services at HCHC. Winburn retired from HCHC on Friday, February 29 after working for the organization for 12 years.