WMUF/WLZK News

From News Director Tim Alsobrooks, Assistant and Weekend News Director Shannon McFarlin

And The Streak Continues...

The Racers dominated the game from the opening moments. (Melissia Maupin photo).

Martin, Tenn.-The Murray State Racers continued their winning streak Saturday night, with a commanding victory over the University of Tennessee at Martin. The Racers are now 23-0 on the season and for several weeks now have been the only undefeated Division 1 team in the country.

Racers' fans packed into the stadium at Martin, including many from Henry County who had an extra treat, since the Grove cheerleaders and the Henry County High School dance team performed at the game.

The Racers next play Tennessee State at 7 p.m. Thursday night at home.

Carville, Matalin To Appear At MSU

Murray, Ky.-Political pundits James Carville and Mary Matalin will be the guest lecturers for this year's Presidential Lecture Series at Murray State University and the topic is--what else?--"All’s Fair in Love, War and Politics".
The event will be at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 13 at Lovett Auditorium.

The Presidential Lecture Series brings in internationally/nationally known speakers. Carville and Matalin married following the 1992 presidential election in which Matalin served as director of President George Bush’s re-election campaign and Carville was chief strategist for the President Bill Clinton’s run at the White House.

Past Presidential Lecture Series speakers are Ben Stein, Desmond Tutu, Richard Norton Smith, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Benazir Bhutto, Lech Walesa and F.W. deKlerk.

Paris PD Busy WIth DUIs, ID Theft

Paris, Tenn.-Paris Police arrested Carlene Davis, age 45, of 513 N. Brewer St., for driving while intoxicated following a hit and run accident at the intersection of Dobbins and Irvine Streets.

Davis left the scene of the accident and was stopped by police when she returned. Patrolman Eric Long said she failed the sobriety test and told him she had taken NyQuill and muscle relaxers.

Alena Hooper, age 44, of 5115 Old Paris-Murray Rd., was arrested by Paris Police for fraud after she allegedly gave a fake name and Social Security number at the hospital.

She told police she did it because she had too many bills and couldn't afford another hospital bill. Bond was set at $2,500.

Harold Teague, age 30, 115 S. Porter St., was arrested on Hwy. 69N after police received a report of a driver swerving on the highway as he was coming into Paris.

Police stopped him at the West Wood Wines store on West Wood and he failed a sobriety test. Bond was set at $500.

James Reynolds, age 29, Brownsville, Ky., was arrested as a fugitive from justice by Paris Police after he was involved in an apparent drug buy at Harrison Lane at 5 a.m. Friday.

Bond was set at $10,000.

Children's Theater Spring Auditions Set

KPAC Children's Theater Spring Showcase Auditions will be on Tuesday, February 14th and 16th. Auditions start at 5:30 for ages 5-8. Fee is $25. They will be performing 'The Three Little Pigs'. Auditions start at 6:30 for 9 year olds thru high school seniors. Fee is $35. They will perform the full-length musical, 'Doo Wop Wed Widing Hood'. Rehearsals will be Tuesday and Thursday evenings, and a couple of Saturday mornings. The performances will be Friday, May 4th at 7 p.m. and Saturday, May 5th at 3 p.m. There will be no practices during Spring Break. Additional information, contact Genie Montford at 731-363-4668, mrsgenie@charter.net or on Facebook. 

Wearing Red For Heart Health

Paris, Tenn.-Some ladies from First Bank were wearing their red--with Eiffel Towers on them--in honor of American Heart Association's Wear Red Day on Friday. From left are: Christy Williams, Holly Jackson, Patty Powley and Kathy Ray. (First Bank photo).

Crowds Show For Bridge Viewing Opportunity

Aurora, Ky.-Despite soggy weather, dozens took advantage of the one-time opportunity provided by officials on Saturday to view the collapse of the Eggner’s Ferry Bridge at Aurora, Ky. The bridge was struck last week by the Delta Mariner ocean vessel and the collapse of two spans of the bridge has captured national headlines which in turn produced a large number of people who have been trying to get onto the bridge to take photos or just look. According to WPSD-TV, some 1,095 people were there.

The area had been closed to spectators since the accident and several people have been cited for ignoring police barriers. On Saturday, the area was opened up and the media and the public was allowed to view the collapse up close and personal, with the understanding it would be a one-time deal.

Meanwhile, the Coast Guard on Friday approved a salvage plan to remove both the Delta Mariner and a section of the bridge that remains on the ship’s bow following the collapse.

HCMC To Offer Workshops

Paris, Tenn.-The Henry County Medical Center will be helping the public head in the right direction through a free diabetes workshop called “Journey for Control” The workshop is free and is designed to be a fun and interactive experience, working with the hospital’s Diabetes Educator Kim Smith.

The workshop is offered over three Tuesdays from 1:30-4:30 p.m. at the hospital and February dates are February 14, 21 and 28 and the March dates are March 13, 20 and 27.

Smith said the program uses a group discussion format and covers a full range of diabetes topics from healthy eating and blood glucose testing. The event is free, but participants must pre-register by calling 1-877-532-4545.

Patriots Split On Friday

Paris, Tenn.-The Patriots' boys and girls basketball teams split in their Friday games, with the boys coming out ahead of Rossview and the girls losing.

The boys beat Rossview 66-37, while the girls score was 52-34.

Top scorer for the boys was again Bo Donaldson, with 14 points, while Alexis Alderidge was top scorer for the girls with 13 points.

"Be A Health Champion" Theme Of Expo

Henry County Mayor Brent Greer gets his vital signs checked by members of the Henry County ambulance service while Angie Dotson of Henry County Medical Center looks on. (Shannon McFarlin photos).

Paris, Tenn.-A steady crowd was on hand Friday for the annual  Healthcare Expo at the Paris Convention Center. The event is sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce and the Henry County Medical Center. Some 40 agencies set up booths that provided a variety of health care information--as well as good freebies--for visitors. Free screenings were available from hospital personnel.

Chamber Official Susie Umstead said the event will be held on Saturday again next year and will be held at the Civic Center.

Melanie Gipson of Aseracare Hospice in McKenzie, left, talks with Ashley Tyndall and Steve Hulbert of West Tennessee Chiropractic at their booth.

VITA To Open February 7

Paris, Tenn.-The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) site will open this year on Tuesday, February 7, and will be in operation for all of the Tuesdays during February and March. The VITA volunteers provide a real service for Henry Countians by preparing tax returns for free. The site will again be open at Atkins-Porter Recreation Center on Highland St. in Paris.

Appointments are now being accepted for the hours of 9 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. each Tuesday. You can make your appointment by calling Carole Walsh at 731-642-4178 and Walsh said, “We’re already getting booked up, so people need to start calling. We’ve got 40 appointments a day for the six volunteers that are working this year”.

The service is open to all senior citizens, 55 years and older and for anyone whose income is less than $50,000 a year. The site filed over 500 tax returns in 2010 for people.

Walsh asked that people not call on Tuesdays, as the volunteers will be busy all day on those days.

Arrests Made For Drug, Alcohol Use

Paris, Tenn.-Paris Police arrested three people who were smoking marijuana in a car parked on Aden Street. Dispatch received a call about loud music coming from a vehicle and as the officers approached it, they could smell marijuana. Officers saw one passenger, Guillermo Ornate, age 20, of 8430 Hwy. 77, Mansfield, smoking in the backseat.

The driver, Brandon Ballenger, age 18, 3215 Hwy. 641 N, Paris, had marijuana on his lap, according to the report, and officers also found 12 grams of marijuana in the dash board, as well as the front and back seat and as they were arresting the group, they also found a bag of marijuana on the ground. Also arrested was Jordan Henry, age 20, 206 Wynn St..

All three were charged with simple possession. Bond for Ornate was set at $2,500, for Henry at $1,000 and for Ballenger at $650.

Paris Police arrested a Paris woman for public intoxication for the fifth time during an incident which occurred in the parking lot at Henry County Orthopedics at 1015 Kelley Dr. Dispatch received a call about a dispute in the parking lot between a woman and a group of young men. The men said the woman beat on their truck and yelled at them.

Police found the woman, Carollynn Morse, age 48, 1223 Grove St., and said she was under the influence of alcohol and belligerent. She told officers she was trying to detox herself and police found a half-empty bottle of Canadian Mist whiskey in her purse.

Police found her to be a danger to herself and others and took her to jail.

Shopping Smart Class Is Next Week

Paris, Tenn.-The Paris-Henry County Healthcare Foundation is offering another Shopping Smart class at the Kroger Store in Paris from 5-7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 7.

Clinical Dietitian Kim Dempsey will be offering a shopping tour of Kroger, discussing how to read food labels, meal planning and how to shop when you have a chronic disease like diabetes or heart disease. Participants in the free class will receive a book and green shopping bag.

Those interested can pre-register by calling 644-3463. Class space is limited to 15 persons.

City Commission Acts On Ordinances Thursday night

Paris, Tenn.- The Paris City Commission acted to amend some city ordinances at Thursday night’s meeting. Some will be brought back in resolution form next month.

The commission looked at revisions to the liquor by the drink ordinance and City Attorney Fred McLean reviewed suggested changes. He told commissioners that the state allows an annual privilege tax to be charged to liquor by the drink establishments. Based on their seating capacity restaurants that serve liquor by the drink pay the city of Paris a fee each year.

McLean suggested to the commission to add a new section titled private clubs, which doesn’t have  any seating or food sales requirements. The charge annually for private clubs in the city would be $300. Also added to the ordinance was a section titled limited service restaurants based on gross sales of food.

This is a new provision that the state has recently started to allow those establishments that don’t meet the 50% gross food sales requirement to sell liquor by the drink. This addition to the ordinance charges the annual fee to these places based on a scale regarding their food sales. Establishments that have gross sales of at least 15%-20% food would be charged $4000, those that have gross food sales 20%-30% would pay an annual fee of $3000, and establishments that have gross sales between 30-50% would be charged $2000. A public hearing will be held on this next month.

The commission also heard from City Manager Carl Holder regarding the idea of placing a residency requirement in their personnel regulations, basically that would mean new hires of city employees would have to either live in Henry County or move to Henry County during their probationary period. If the commission decides to pass this resolution when its brought back before them, current employees would be grandfathered in and any employee who moves out of the county will be considered as resigning their position and will be terminated.

Pedistrian Bridge too expensive, looking at plans B and C

At Thursday night’s city commission meeting, city manager Carl Holder briefly discussed the Bethel/HCMC project. Holder told commissioners that the construction teams have managed to make up some ground on the project the latter half of January due to  nicer and drier weather. Holder also told commissioners the pedestrian bridge came in at over $150,000 dollars more than expected so it's back to the drawing board, so to speak.

Holder said the architect is trying to get lower numbers on the bridge from the bidder. A 2nd alternative is to go after a pre-design built bridge to save money. They hope to know more on this in the near future.

In other action Thursday the commission approved the 2nd reading of the resolutions for plan of services to Garland Avenue and 2nd reading of the annexation of Garland Avenue into the city.

Commission to look at Recycling programs for city of Paris

Holder briefly spoke to commissioners about recommendations from the Joint Solid Waste Committee to consider a recycling plan for the city of Paris to held reduce waste. A very detailed explanation and proposal was laid out in the packets for commissioners by Solid Waste Director Ron Watkins.

Ideas include a Pay as You Throw plan with household purchased bags. The price of the bags would include some or all of the cost of collection and disposal. These bags are usually sold at convenience and grocery stores in addition to also being sold by the Public Works department. Besides bags, the idea of a sticker program where households purchase special tags or stickers to put on their bags of recyclables.

The commission didn’t make any decision yet as to which direction to go with a possible recycling program for the city. Holder suggested that this concept be put on the agenda for a special called meeting of the commissioners to look at a three year plan and budget workshop for the city. Mayor Sam
Tharpe suggested commissioners to look at their calendars and let Holder know when a day could fit their schedules. It’s likely they would meet one Saturday to hash out some of these issues.

Police Reports: Vandalism Reported And More

Paris, Tenn.- A report at the Henry County Sheriff’s Office this morning stated that a women’s car was vandalized on Dortch Lane. A rock was used to bust out the passenger side window. She told officers she believed she knew who could have done it and last week her tires had the air let out and someone keyed her hood. Police are still investigating the incident.

The Metro Crime Unit arrested Johnathan T. Shortt, age 19, of 1021 Locust Drive for simple possession of schedule 6 drug and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Ptl. Nick Oatsvall of the Paris Police department arrested Cody G. Beechum, age 21 of Henry for identity theft, drug paraphernalia, and violation of probation. Beechum was placed on then thousand dollar bond.

City Commission to handle routine business tonight

Paris, Tenn.- It’s mostly routine business tonight as the Paris City Commission convenes in regular session for the month of February. The board will hear updates on the HCMC/Bethel project, plan of services for Garland Avenue, and some other housekeeping issues. The meeting is open to the public and starts at 6pm tonight.

Lifeline Bloodmobile at FUMC until 6pm this afternoon

Paris, Tenn.- The Lifeline Bloodmobile will be at the First United Methodist Church of Paris from until 6pm this afternoon. All eligible donors are encouraged to give blood if they can because there is a special need for all blood types for West Tennessee Hospitals. Be sure and bring a photo ID with you when you come to give blood.

LBL Offers Opportunity To View Collapsed Bridge On Saturday

A portion of the collapsed bridge highway rests on the Delta Mariner.

Aurora, Ky.– The Land Between the Lakes (LBL) Recreation Area will provide the public and media with a one-time opportunity to view the partial collapse of the Eggner’s Ferry Bridge across Kentucky Lake/Tennessee River.

.US68/KY80 west from Woodlands Trace National Scenic Byway (Woodlands Trace, formerly The Trace) to the bridge will be temporarily opened to traffic. Visitors will be directed to park at the Fenton Camping Area and Boat Ramp, and will be allowed to walk in designated areas only to view the bridge.

Be advised that there will be a ¼ mile walk from the parking area to the bridge viewing area. This is the only time traffic will be allowed west on US68/KY80 past Woodlands Trace. For public safety, this entire area, including the Fenton Boat Ramp and Camping Area, is completely closed to all vehicle, boat, and pedestrian traffic until further notice. In the future, visitors ignoring road closures or U.S. Coast Guard restrictions on Kentucky Lake will be cited. LBL reminds the public all other LBL facilities normally open at this time are operating as normal, except Turkey Bay Off-Highway Vehicle Area and Trails due to saturated soil conditions.

Two spans of the bridge collapsed last week when the ocean vessel Delta Marina struck it.

10 Pats  Sign Letters of Intent on National Signing Day

Andrew Jelks puts on his Vanderbilt hat at signing.

Paris, Tenn.- Ten Henry County Patriot Football Players signed National Letters of Intent on Wednesday during National signing day.

Andrew Jelks signed to play football at Vanderbilt this coming fall. Bethel University welcomed Matt Craig and Andy Ford. Najee Ray, Caleb Counce, and Shaquille Allen will be on the gridiron for UT-Martin this fall. Jimmy Camper, Rock Long, Randall Dunlap, and Reggie Tharpe all signed to play at Campbellsville University.

Congratulations goes to all our seniors as they take the next step in the future.

Deadline to register to vote in March 6th primary is Monday

Paris, Tenn.- Any Tennessee citizen that wants to vote in the upcoming March 6th primary needs to remember that the last day to register to vote is this coming Monday February 6th. All voter registration must be postmarked by February 6th. Citizens in Henry County can register by mail, or simply go the Election Commission Office, located in the courthouse annex. Henry Countians will be voting in the presidential primary on March 6th and locally for property assessor and road supervisor.

Monday is also the first day that citizens can pick up their petition papers at the election commission office to begin the process of getting signatures to run for public office in the August 2nd election. Local offices up for grabs in August will be three spots on the county commission road board chairman, all five districts on the road board, constable in all five county districts, Henry County Board of Education districts 1, 3, and 5, and four spots on the Paris Special School District board of education.

HCMC Utilizes DaVinci Technology In Surgeries

Dr. Joe Mobley III, center, and the crew of the DaVinci Robot. (HCMC photo).

Paris, Tenn.-As Henry County Medical Center increases technology and services offered, the hospital is now  introducing the Da Vinci Robot into its Surgical Services.

Dr. Joe Mobley, III, has been performing prostatectomies and other procedures with the technology since his residency began in 2006. This robot has been utilized since the early 2000’s with great success because it’s a minimally invasive surgical alternative that has seen great results in quicker recovery time with less pain.

When Mobley attended the University of Tennessee Medical Center at Knoxville for his residency, the robotic procedure had just emerged as the up-and-coming technology. Between 2006 and 2010, the robot was a routine part of his urologic training.

Last year, 80 percent or about 80,000 of all prostatectomies were done robotically. Additionally, around 800,000 hysterectomies were performed with the robot last year.

“The Da Vinci is very popular for minimally invasive hysterectomies,” Dr. Mobley said. “And there is potential for kidney surgery, even removal of kidneys, but right now, we are concentrating on prostatectomies.”

Other potential surgeries include:
• Sacrocolpopexy – surgery to repair pelvic organ prolapsed in women, also called a vaginal bulge.
• Pyeloplasty – reconstructive surgery to repair blockages in drainage of the kidney.

HCMC purchased the Da Vinci late in 2011, before the acquisition of the Kentucky Lake Surgery Center.

Fort Henry 150th Anniversary This Weekend

Golden Pond , KY – Visit Land Between The Lakes (LBL) National Recreation Area to get outdoors and learn more about the American Civil War. LBL will again be offering the popular Fort Henry Anniversary Walk on Saturday, February 4, from 12:30-4pm. Come learn about the construction, the battle, and the legacy of Fort Henry during the event’s 150th Anniversary.

Meet at The Homeplace, a living history farm in the TN portion of LBL, on Saturday, February 4. Dress for the weather and wear waterproof footgear. Moderate walking is required. The walk will take place, weather permitting; February weather can be very unpredictable. ·

Farm site will be closed for this program; only the interpretive center will be open· Doors open at 12pm; theater program, 12:30pm; walk, 2:30-4pm· $4/adults and $2/children · Registration and full deposit required. Call 270-924-2020 to reserve your space. In February of 1862, “Between the Rivers” was bracing for war. Confederate forces occupied Fort Henry with Federal forces moving up the Tennessee River. Relive the events before and during the siege of Fort Henry on this free guided walk around the remnants of Fort Henry’s outer fortifications.

LBL Refuge Tour Good Time For Eagle-Watching

Dover, Tenn.-Land Between The Lakes (LBL) National Recreation Area is presenting Cross Creeks National Wildlife Refuge Tour on Saturday, February 11, from 9am-12pm. Cross Creeks National Wildlife Refuge, which is managed by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service in Stewart County, TN, provides one of the area’s best wildlife viewing hotspots.

The tour is $10 for adults and $7 for children. Registration is limited. Reservations and full deposits are required. Call 270-924-2020 to reserve your space. Meet at South Welcome Station.

Dress for the weather and bring binoculars. “Come join us as we explore this bottomland habitat in search of harriers, sandhill cranes, eagles, and thousands of migrating ducks,” said Sharon Waltrip, LBL’s Program Manager for Environmental Education and Interpretation. “Morning will be our best shot at viewing the eagles," she said.

Fundraiser For Stacie Townsend Set

Paris, Tenn.-A benefit fundraiser for Stacie Townsend has been set for 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday, February 17,  at the Paris Henry County Jaycee Building, 880 Industrial Road, Paris.

Steak or Chicken Sandwich, chips, and driink $8.00.
To pre-order, contact Andrea Lamb @ 731-641-9415.
Pre-order cut off date is Feb. 15th @ 2:00 p.m.
Delivery will be available for 5 orders or more.

Stacie has recently been diagnosed with liver cancer and is currently undergoing chemotherapy treatments in Nashville. She has an appointment scheduled with a cancer center in Texas in the near future.

Stacie is the wife of John David Townsend & has four children, Jordan Vaughn, Adam, Cole and Josie Townsend. They attend Sulphur Well Church of Christ.

Paris Civitan Club Turning 50

Paris, Tenn.- The Paris Civitan Club will be celebrating their 50th year anniversary this coming Monday February 6th. The Civitan Club does many good things in Paris and Henry County with children’s medical research. Some of the things the Civitan club is involved in include Hoofbeats of Hope, Tomorrow’s Hope, Patriot Kitchen, Special Olympics, and several others. Anyone that wants to join the Civitan Club or find out more information about the services they provide are invited to come to their monthly meetings at Tom’s on the first and third Tuesdays of the month at 6pm.

River Conference titles on the line tonight at Gamlin Gym

It’s the championship games of the 2012 River Conference tournament tonight at Gamlin Gym as Houston County battles Stewart County for the girls title and Harrelson takes on Stewart County in boys action. The girls game tips at 6pm, our broadcast of the coverage starts on WLZK 94.1FM at 5:30pm.

Metro Crime Unit nets drug arrest

Paris, Tenn.- A press release from the Henry County Sheriff’s Office stated that the Metro Crime Unit, Sheriff’s Office, and Paris Police Department executed a search warrant at 386 Jackson Drive, lot #17 Tuesday evening. Officers did locate marijuana bagged for resale and some scales. Charged in the incident was Thomas Shelton of the same address. Shelton was charged with possession of marijuana with intent to sell or deliver and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia. Canine Herrum assisted in the search.

Brown Bag Medication Booth At Friday's Healthcare Expo

Paris, Tenn.- The Paris Henry County Chamber of Commerce will hold their annual Healthcare Expo this Friday from 8am to 1pm at the Paris Convention Center. Several health vendors will be on hand with information about their products and services and there will be giveaways and more.

One booth that could be of interest is the Brown Bag Medication Checkup Booth. Citizens that take multiple medications or have loved ones that do can put all those medications in a bag and bring to the Expo on Friday. Pharmacists from the Henry County Medical Center will provide private personal consultations on those medications, evaluation of your prescription medications, over the counter medications, and herbal supplements, tips for safe and effective medication use and storage, and answers to any of your questions. For more information call the HCMC Find Line at 644-3463.

TN Dept. of Tourism Releases 2012 Vacation Guide

Nashville, Tenn. — The Tennessee Department of Tourist Development has released the 2012 Official Tennessee Vacation Guide. The glossy magazine-style guide is free to Tennessee residents and visitors and is Tennessee’s most complete and accessible printed resource. The guide contains more than 3,000 listings of attractions located throughout the state as well as a fold-out state map.

This year, the 200-plus page Vacation Guide takes a fresh, innovative approach, featuring captivating photo spreads, personal feature stories and descriptions of the state’s attractions, events, lodging, historic sites, entertainment venues, national and state parks, outdoor adventures and more.

The Vacation Guide features a beautiful 18-page photo essay design followed by an eight-page story section of travel vignettes written by Tennessee travel writers sharing their personal experiences – a relaxing day fishing on the river, a solemn tour of the battlefield at Shiloh, a lively night on Nashville’s Lower Broadway and a scenic drive through the countryside.

“This year’s Official Tennessee Vacation Guide offers readers an emotional connection to our state with wonderful photos depicting some of Tennessee’s most picturesque beauty and popular tourism attractions,” said Tourism Commissioner Susan Whitaker. “The guide continues to provide the most useful, comprehensive travel information to our visitors.”

Coverage of the Discover Tennessee Trails & Byways program continues in the guide, located in the regional sections that showcase East, Middle and West Tennessee with overviews, spotlights and regional maps. For the events listing, this year’s guide offers an expanded seven-page section highlighting special events, fairs and festivals taking place in major cities, small towns and rural communities throughout the state.

More than 500,000 guides are available free at the state’s 14 Welcome Centers and to tourists requesting the publication via tnvacation.com and 1.800.GO2.TENN. It is also available as an e-guide at tnvacation.com. The guide is Tennessee’s primary vacation planning and marketing publication for domestic and international tradeshows. 

For the latest tourism happenings in Tennessee, visit us at tnvacation.com, facebook.com/tnvacation, mytnstory.com or twitter.com/tnvacation/.

HCMC Offers Life-Saving Test Every Saturday in February

Paris, Tenn.- The Henry County Medical Center is offering two tests that could save your life every Saturday in February. They will offer a Vascular Screening and CT Cardiac Calcium Scoring Test each Saturday in February from 9am to noon and every week day during regular business hours from 8am to 3pm.

These tests will help show issues with vascular disease, which can produce strokes, the third leading cause of death in the United States. Stroke is also the leading cause of disability in the country and more than 70 billion dollars is spent annually on the care of stroke patients according to the American Vascular Association.

In addition to vascular screenings, the cardiac scoring screening is a test of the coronary arteries to help determine a patients risk of coronary artery disease. This procedure only takes about 30 minutes and no needles or injections are involved.

These tests have been proven to save lives and neither requires a physician’s approval. Everyone interested in having the test must schedule them thru central scheduling at 644-8486, option 1. The test can be performed separately with the CT Cardiac Scoring costing $99 and the Vascular Screening costing $125 or as a package for two hundred dollars.

Hundreds of feet of copper wire reported stolen, several drug arrests made

Paris, Tenn.- Cpl. Lance Perry of the Henry County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of theft on Hobby Road. The victims noticed the van door on their junk van opened and looked to find a 200 foot roll of copper wire missing. They looked around the residence more and noticed that two, 300 foot rolls of copper wire was missing along with another roll of 140 feet. Two older model vacuums were also stolen from inside the shed. There are no suspects in the incident.

Ptl. Steven McClure of the Paris Police Department made several drug related arrested in the past couple of days. Those arrested were Brandon Lee Ballenger, age 19, of 3715 Highway 641 North, for two counts of simple possession of schedule six drug; Guillermo Onate, age 21, of Mansfield, for simple possession of schedule six drug; Jordan D. Henry, age 21, of 206 Wynn Street for simple possession of schedule six; and Matthew Nathanial Shelton, age 27, of Camden, for simple possession of schedule three.

Paris Police continue to look for the suspect that fled from the armed robbery that occurred at State Finance Monday morning just after 8am. If you saw anything suspicious call the Paris Police Department at 642-2424.

County Unemployment numbers released

Nashville- Tennessee’s unemployment rates have decreased in most counties, while Henry County’s has stayed the same, according to the newly-released county non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rates for December 2011. The report shows that the unemployment rate has decreased in 56 counties, increased in 27 counties, and remained the same in 12 counties.Tennessee’s unemployment rate for December fell to 8.7 percent, down from the November revised rate of 9.1. The national unemployment rate for December 2011 was 8.5 percent, a decrease of 0.2 percentage point from the November rate.

In Henry County, the unemployment rate remained 10.7 percent, as it was in November of 2011. That is a marked difference from the 11.6 percent rate shown in December of 2010.In Carroll County, the December unemployment rate was 11.7 percent, down from 11.8 percent in November, while in Benton County, the unemployment rate actually increased, from 9.8 percent in November to 10.5 percent in December.

Williamson and Lincoln counties registered the state's lowest county unemployment rate at 5.4 percent. Scott County had the state’s highest unemployment rate at 18.8 percent, up from 17.5 percent in the previous month.Knox County had the state’s lowest major metropolitan rate of 5.9 percent, down from 6.3 percent in November.

River Conference championship games set for Thursday night

Paris, Tenn.- Winners during Monday’s action at the River Conference tournament saw Houston County defeat Camden in girls action 32-27, and Stewart County girls defeated Lakewood 31-26. In boy’s action it was Stewart County over Houston County 36 -19 and Harrelson over Lakewood 40-20. Championship games are set for Thursday night as Houston County will take on Stewart County for the girls championship and Harrelson will play Stewart County for the boys title.

The child abuse charges stem from officers entering the home and finding two small children present at the residence and Mockabee was not. The children were unattended in the home and some of the marijuana was in a close location to the children.

        Joseph Coleman                                              Joel Williamson

Field Trip Grants Available

Golden Pond, KY – Are you an educator interested in planning a field trip to experience the Land Between The Lakes (LBL) “outdoor classroom”? If so, now is the time to apply for LBL’s Educational Field Trip Grant for the 2012-2013 school year. The deadline for the field trip grant application is April 30, 2012. LBL’s Educational Field Trip Grant is available to public school districts within 100 miles of LBL.

The grant assists schools in covering costs for transportation, facility admission fees, program costs, and dorm rental during the 2012-2013 school year. The grant amount awarded to schools is based on the school’s matching funds, number of students, and LBL programs the school plans to participate in. LBL programs are designed to support the Kentucky and Tennessee State K-12 curriculum guidelines for science, social studies, and arts and humanities.

“The programs offer students a hands-on experience to connect with nature, the stars, and history,” said Richard Lomax, LBL Environmental Education Specialist. “An LBL field trip is an excellent opportunity for students to gain an understanding of and appreciation for science and history, as well as the outdoors."

The grant program is sponsored by USDA Forest Service, “Friends of LBL,” Swift & Staley, Calloway County Homemakers, and the Johnston-Hanson Foundation. For more information about LBL’s Educational Field Trip Grant, visit www.friendsoflbl.org and click on Education Resources or call 270-924-2038. Results will be posted by June 30, 2012

Patriots' Calendar On Sale

Paris, Tenn.-A commemorative Henry County Patriots' Football 2012 calendar is now on sale. Proceeds from the calendar will enable the team members to receive their championship rings.

The calendar is full of photos from the championship season and it costs $20. To purchase, contact any football player or cheerleader.

Raceway Convenience Store Shut Down

McKenzie, Tenn.-The Raceway Convenience Store--a familiar place to Henry Countians looking for cheaper gas--has been closed after several charges were filed against its owners.   A surprise raid was conducted on the gas station last week by the McKenzie Police and Carroll Co. Sheriff's Department following a four-month investigation.

According to the McKenzie Banner, items that were confiscated during the raid were 96 packages of synthetic marijuana, $14,700 in cash, drug scales, smoking bongs, pipes and a gambling machine.   Co-owner Agayibi Bishai was arrested during the raid and the other owner, Mouslar Wasses, was arrested later.   The McKenzie Beer Board fined the business for illegally selling beer to an underage person, who was an undercover agent for the police. The owners were fined $2,500 in Carroll Co. General Sessions Court.   The owners appeared at the board meeting and said they had ceased operations, which is located on Highland Ave. (Hwy. 79).

Tickets On Sale For Ogle Benefit Concert

Paris, Tenn.-Tickets are on sale now at Knowles' Strings and Merison's Furniture for the upcoming benefit concert for local musician Tommy Ogle of Paris. Proceeds will help Ogle with medical expenses.

Over 30 performers will be on hand, including the band "Bawn in the Mash", Dan Knowles and Friends, the original "Almost Brothers" and more. Ogle was a member of the Almost Brothers and plays blues, Christian and mountain music.

The concert will be held at 7 p.m. Jan. 28 at First Christian Church in Paris. Tickets are $10.

County Commission approves new resolutions, several housekeeping issues

Paris, Tenn.- The Henry County Commission met in regular session on Tuesday evening and dealt with everything on the agenda, most of it housekeeping issues. The commission passed a resolution requesting the state general assembly to repeal Public Chapter 531 Section 45 and require the state to be financially responsible for outpatient and inpatient mental health evaluations and treatment for persons charged with misdemeanor offenses.

General Sessions and Juvenile court Judge Vicki Snyder was on hand and explained that until legislation was passed in June of 2009 the state paid for mental evaluations on persons charged with misdemeanors and felonies, if legal counsel had ordered them.

After that date, the state passed on the cost of the mental evaluations for those charged with misdemeanors, while continuing to pay for those charged with felonies.

Judge Snyder said in Henry County we have been lucky so far, but some counties are getting a lofty expense. This resolution simply asks the general assembly to repeal the law and the state take back over paying for those mental evaluations. She told commissioners efforts are underway for all 95 counties in the state to pass a similar resolution.

The commission also passed a resolution to waive undue or uncollectible personal property taxes from the county’s tax roll. Trustee David Stone explained that his office went thru a long list of taxes that are not due to the county, either by the person not taking their names off the tax roll, or being double assessed. Many of these cases are for businesses that closed. The chancellor suggested that Stone come before the commission and ask them to waive these from the rolls.

Many housekeeping issues were approved by the Henry County Commission on Tuesday night. One of those dealt with affirming compliance with the Federal Title 6 regulations. The resolution basically lays out compliance with civil rights act of 1964 dealing with discrimination with federal financial assistance. Its an issue that must be renewed at the beginning of a new calendar year for the county to receive federal funds for different things.

Several committee appointments were made at Tuesday night’s Henry County Commission meeting including Sarah Moss, Grant Norwood, and Commissioners Don Jones and Paul Neal to the Agriculture Committee; Dell Carter to the airport committee; Commissioners Don Jones, Kreg Kyle, Paul Mathenia, Dell Carter, and Earl Anderson to the Beer Board; Commissioner Kenneth Humphries and citizen at large Melanie Dodd to the budget committee; Commissioners David Webb, Monte Stark, and citizen April Perry to the Community Service Center Building Committee. Many more appointments to committees were made, something done in January every year.

The commission also approved the road listings for the 2012 calendar year as approved by the Henry County highway Department. This is basically just another housekeeping measure they take care of at the start of each year.

Window tint violation leads to arrest

Paris, Tenn.- Ptl. Jeramye Whitaker of the Paris Police department stopped a truck for a window tint violation Sunday evening and ended up making a drug and alcohol related arrest. When speaking with the driver of the truck, he noticed Micheal Mayfield, age 19, of highway 77 in Paris, to have bloodshot eyes. Also there was a 14 year old juvenile in the vehicle as well. Found in the vehicle and on the juvenile’s person was an open container of beer and drug paraphernalia including some marijuana shake.

When asked where she got the cigarattes and marijuana, the juvenile responded that “Squishy” got them for her. Ptl. Whitaker asked who “Squishy” was and she replied it was Mayfield. Mayfield was charged with underage consumption and possession of alcohol, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, window tint violation, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Deputy Clyde Sulcer of the Henry County Sheriff’s office responded to 290 Browning Road in reference to a domestic situation. He arrived to find several items broken about the floor and the woman, Chawntel Smith, on the floor crying. Smith and her husband David Smith had gotten into an argument. Chawntel was identified as the primary aggressor and was charged with domestic assault.

She told deputy Sulcer of a gun of David’s that was in the back bedroom. David admitted to being a convicted felon. He was charged with carrying and possession a weapon as a convicted felon in the incident as well.

Large Crowd On Hand For MLK Events

Leading the march from Quinn Chapel to the courthouse were, from left, ministers Steve Gallimore (in blue and white), Andre Richardson and James Travis. (Shannon McFarlin photos).

Paris, Tenn.-A large crowd was on hand for Monday morning's Martin Luther King Jr. Day memorial events which began with a prayer breakfast at Quinn Chapel, afterwhich participants marched to the county courthouse for more prayer and speeches.

Because of the larger than usual crowd, the courthouse events were moved to the upstairs courtroom to accomodate the audience that enjoyed a rousing speech by Rev. Charlene Boone of Quinn Chapel and two essays read by students Blake Morton and Drew James.

An emotional Rev. Boone spoke about the strides that have been made in integration both nationally and in the local community, but also talked about the strides that still must be made. "We talk about race relations, but we need to also talk about human relations," she said. "We come together to say to you that we still have a long way to go." Rev. Boone's lively speech brought the crowd to its feet.

Morton and James were second place finishers in grades 3-5 of the essay contest and their speeches were also met with standing ovations.

Elder James Travis, who also is a county commissioner, spoke about the state's new voter ID law and read its provisions. He told the crowd they need to begin preparing now for the changes. "You need to start now to make sure you are eligible to vote. Regardless of the hassle, go through it to make sure you can vote. If someone is making it difficult for you, go through the difficulty because every vote does count."

The day's events included a basketball shoot at the Central Services building in the afternoon and another memorial service at Allen Chapel in the evening.

Rev. Charlene Boone delivered an emotional speech.

Sheriff Monte Belew and Deputy Eddie Crosser speak with Kenneth Humphreys.

Dems To Hear Ty Cobb

Paris, Tenn.-The Henry County Democratic Women will meet at 6 p.m. Thursday at Ann and Dave's Restaurant. Speaker will be former State Rep. Ty Cobb from the 64th District.

Thefts in county, drug arrest made in city

Paris, Tenn.- A report at the Henry County Sheriff’s Office this morning stated that a restaurant on Dogwood Street in Henry had a brick thrown through both front doors sometime this weekend. It appears someone entered the restaurant and stole the money bag and cash registers. At least $300 was taken in the theft. Police have no suspects so far.

Another theft was reported to the sheriff’s office from Lakeview Drive. Over $5,000 dollars worth of items were stolen and police have no suspects in the incident. Items taken include two large aluminum ladders, several tools, a trailer hitch, and a cell phone convoy among other things.

Paris PD Seizes Large Amount Of Drug Paraphernalia

Paris, Tenn.-A large amount of paraphernalia used to manufacture meth was seized from an apartment at Terrace Woods Lodge Saturday night and Paris Police Department arrested Clint Raymer, age 40 of 470 Atcheson Rd., Springville, for unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia and promotion of the manufacture of meth.

The incident began when Patrolman Jeramye Whitaker went to Terrace Woods to ask a resident about the scrap metal in his truck. When the resident opened the door of the apartment, Whitaker saw Raymer sitting on a chair. Whitaker knew that Raymer was wanted on an active warrant and he asked to come in the apartment to talk to Raymer. Upon arresting him on the warrant, he searched Raymer and found a glass pipe in his pocket that tested positive for meth.

Upon further search of the apartment, along with fellow officers Jamie James and Amber Roaten, several items used to manufacture meth were found in a pink suitcase and a blue duffle bag. The items were: a glass jar of ether, a bottle of lighter fluid, a bottle of butaine, two containers of drain cleaner, a container of salt, two glass jars, one plastic bottle, a cold pack, a plastic bottle with pseudophedrine, coffee filters, glass marbles, a lighter torch, multiple glass and plastic meth pipes.

According to the police report, Raymer admitted the materials belonged to him. He said the bags belonged to him, but they were old and he forgot to throw them away.

In another incident, Paris Patrolman Jamie James arrested Jeremy Cox, age 18 of 215 Whittle Rd. for simple possession after a traffic stop on Washington St. James observed Cox driving without a seat belt and stopped him. During the stop, he noticed Cox chewing something and when he asked him what he was chewing, Cox began chewing it even more. James told him to spit it out, which he did and it was marijuana.