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TOP STORIES FOR
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22, 2001
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Two Killed in County Accidents |
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Two persons lost their lives in motor vehicle
accidents during the past week. Donna Lynn Ecker
Smith, age 40 of Milan was killed in a Tuesday,
August 14 accident in McKenzie and Jonathan C.
Williams, age 27 of Bruceton was killed on Thursday,
August 16 along S.R. 70 near Rosser.
According to a report filed by McKenzie Police
Department Patrolman Virgil Bush, Jr. Mrs. Donna
Smith was a front seat passenger in a 1998 Pontiac
Grand Am driven by her son, John Lanciloti of Milan.
The vehicle was traveling north on U.S. 79 when it
was struck in the passenger side by a 1998 Mack
Tri-axle dump truck driven by Leo Nunnery of Gleason
and owned by Radford's LLC of Paris. The accident
occurred at 10:35 a.m. at the intersection of U.S.
79 and S.R. 124 when, according to Mr. Nunnery, he
was attempting to drive through a yellow signal
light.
McKenzie Emergency Medical Services, McKenzie Fire
Department and McKenzie Fire/Rescue extricated Ms.
Smith. She was transported to Methodist
Healthcare/McKenzie Hospital with a serious head
injury. Mr. Lancioloti was slightly injured and Mr.
Nunnery was uninjured.
Nunnery was cited for failure to yield right of way.
Jonathan C. Williams, 27, of Bruceton, was killed in
a two-vehicle accident on US 70/SR 001, two-tenths
of a mile west of SR 219 which occurred at 11:01
p.m. on Thursday, August 16. According to a report
filed by Trooper Paul Moore, Mr. Williams was
traveling east on US 70 when his vehicle entered and
occupied the west lane of traffic and collided
head-on with a 1982 Winnebago, driven by William J.
Edens, 61, of Dickson. Both the Winnebago and Mr.
Williams' 1993 Oldsmobile Achieve reportedly came to
rest in the eastbound lane. Mr. Edens and his
passenger, Judeth A. Edens, 57, were both
transported to Baptist Hospital by ambulance for
injuries incurred. The report indicated that both
vehicles incurred severe damage and were towed from
the scene by Larkins Wrecker Service and D & D
Service Center.
Williams was a construction worker with Dement
Construction Company.
A Thursday, August 15 accident which reportedly
occurred at 4:31 p.m. on U. S. 79/SR 76, one-tenth
of a mile south of Antenna Lane was reportedly
caused by a third vehicle which left the scene.
According to a report filed by Trooper Moore, three
vehicles were involved in the accident as Roy D.
Fisher, 53, of Milan was attempting to turn into a
private drive. Both Fisher and Bobby T. Williams,
54, of Trezevant were reportedly traveling north on
US 79 and both slowed as Mr. Fisher began to turn
east. The third, unidentified driver, reportedly was
unable to stop and rear-ended Mr. Williams, who in
turn, struck Mr. Fisher. The third driver then left
the scene at a high rate of speed. Neither Mr.
Williams 1980 pickup nor Mr. Fisher's 1998 pickup
had to be towed from the scene, but Mr. Fisher later
sought medical attention at Milan General.
A one-vehicle accident reportedly occurred at 6:20
p.m. on Sunday, August 12. According to a report
filed by Trooper Marty Pollock, Willie B. King, 42,
of Bruceton and his passengers, Willie Treadway, 22,
and Olivia Treadway, 74, also of Bruceton were
traveling west on US 70, two-tenths of a mile east
of Grooms Road when Mr. King's 1996 Dodge Intrepid
ran off the left side of the road and struck a tree.
Both Mr. King and Mrs. Treadway were transported to
Baptist Hospital by ambulance.
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Bethel College turns 160 as New School Year Begins |
The dream of a group of West Tennessee Cumberland
Presbyterians continues to live as Bethel College
opens its doors for the 160th year of its existance.
The college, founded in 1842, survived closing
during the Civil War, moving from McLemoresville to
McKenzie and countless other challenges that have
helped shape Bethel into the college it is today.
The first day of class at Bethel College is one of
the most exciting days of the school year."For a
college there are two genuinely exciting days,
commencement and the first day of classes,"
according to Academic Dean Maribeth McGuire."For the
teachers, administrators, and staff," Dean McGuires
notes, "the first day of classes is the more
exciting of the two because as the school year
begins we are gaining a new group of students whose
enthusiasm is palpable."
As the doors open for the 160th year, Bethel
stands ready to serve West Tennessee and the
Mid-South with educational programs that meet the
needs of students and the community.
The traditional undergraduate program, the
backbone of the Liberal Arts tradition at Bethel,
has attracted a new class of quality students from
throughout the area and beyond. The incoming
students combine with the returning students to give
Bethel one of the largest traditional undergraduate
student populations the college has seen in a decade
or more. The dorms are overflowing with students as
everyone settles in for another exciting year of
education, friendship, and so much more.
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This fall, approximately 350 students are living in
Bethel's three dormitories and in the houses that
the college owns on Bethel Court. Counting the
off-campus undergraduate students and the students
in the Graduate School of Education, over 500
traditional students are attending Bethel this fall.
Bethel is much more than a traditional Liberal Arts
school. The Success Program, an adult degree
completion program designed to meet the needs of
people beyond the age of traditional college
students, is living up to its name. The program,
launched in 1997, currently serves nearly 400
students throughout West Tennessee with over 150
graduates possessing bachelor's degrees thanks to
the Success Program.
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Carroll County To Lose Associate Extension Agent
Because of Lack of Funding |
By Linda Bolton
The position of one Carroll County Associate
Extension Agent, who works directly with the
county's 4-H programs, as well as other agricultural
programs, will be eliminated early next year
primarily because of lack of state funding.
As of January 1, 2002, the position of Kenny
Herndon, Carroll County Associate Extension Agent
for 4-H/Agriculture, will be eliminated along with
74 other positions (54 county Extension agents and
22 Extension specialists) across the state.
The University of Tennessee Extension Service has
been operating in the red for the last three years,
said Carroll County Extension Agent Steve Burgess.
"They have been able to contain costs by cutting
travel, supplies and holding positions open as
people quit," he said.
According to University of Tennessee Dean Charles L.
Norman, the University of Tennessee Agricultural
Extension Service (UTAES) is in the process of
implementing a new staffing plan.
In a letter to Agent Burgess, Mr. Norman cited
reasons for the elimination of positions as the
direct result of 50 multi-county meetings across the
state to gain input from stakeholders and lack of
adequate funding to maintain the programs.
Between 1997 and 2001, UTAES gave merit increases,
equity adjustments and increases in the starting
salaries for county Extension agents, specialists,
area specialists, and faculty totaling $4.4 million,
noted Norman. At the same time, the state budget
increased by only $2 million and the federal budget
decreased by $25,000. Since more than 85 percent of
the service's funds are in personnel and no new
funds appear to be forthcoming, the only option is
to reduce personnel numbers.
Mr. Herndon has worked in Carroll County for
approximately six years, along with Jane Wade,
Extension Agent for 4-H/Economics, whose position
will remain intact.
Mr. Herndon assists in agricultural projects, dairy
judging, beef cattle judging, Chick Chain program,
fishing tournament, wildlife food projects, etc.
These activities will be eliminated in Carroll
County in January, said Mr. Burgess.
Mrs. Wade also works with 4-H clubs throughout the
county and home economics activities, such as dairy
foods judging, interior design, etc.
"We are going to try to keep 4-H in the schools as
long as possible," said Mr. Burgess. "At this time,
we don't know how the budget cuts will affect the
extension service. We will be having meetings in
November to determine where we are headed."
Mr. Norman stated further reductions could occur in
the future because of the state's move toward
funding higher education from tuition and fees
rather than through state appropriations. Currently,
when merit increases are given to academic faculty
at the University of Tennessee, funds for these
increases come from increases in tuition and fees.
The Agricultural Extension Service and the
Agricultural Experiment Station do not receive any
funds from increases in tuition and fees; therefore,
funds for merit increases and increases in starting
salaries must come from existing budgets. This means
that existing position must be deleted in order to
meet the salary obligations.
"We expect several outcomes as a result of the
staffing plan," wrote Mr. Norman. "First, no one
will lose their job if they are willing to move to
other vacant positions. Because of vacancies, which
have accrued over the last two years, and vacancies,
which have resulted due to retirement, we will fill
approximately 30-40 positions.
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Phone (731) 352-3323 or
Fax (731) 352-3322
washburn@mckenziebanner.com
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