|
Weather |
|
|
|
Local
News |
|
|
|
___________
|
|
___________
AD RATES
___________
|
|
|
|
National
News |
|
|
|
TOP STORIES FOR
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2002
 |
Snider Entertains Home Crowd |
|
| |
Gand Ole Opry star Mike
Snider of Gleason performs with his children Katie
Lynn and Blake. |
"Don't forget who brung you," can easily apply to Mike
Snider, musician extraordinaire from Gleason. Even though
Snider was a regular on the television show Hee Haw and
often serves as the master of ceremonies for the Grand Ole
Opry, Snider has never forgotten his rural roots or the
people who supported him along his way.
Monday evening, Snider performed a free concert in Gleason
for a few hundred spectators at the Mike Snider Park, so
named for his generous donations to the city. Along with
Snider were a quartet of bluegrass string players, all of
whom are featured on his latest album "Mike Snider String
Band" featuring 13 instrumental selections. The band
includes Snider on mandolin, banjo, and harmonica, Matt
Combs and Shad Cobb on fiddle, Charlie Cushman on acoustic
guitar, and Terry Smith on stand-up bass. The Monday
concert was part of the Gleason Gazelles annual Tater Town
Special, which has been held every Labor Day since 1974.
Snider made his debut appearance on the Grand Ole Opry on
a frigid night in January 1984 with some 2,000 residents
of the Greater Gleason area cheering in support. The fans
boarded chartered buses from Gleason to Nashville to watch
the hometown picker. Snider got the nod to appear on the
Opry after winning the National Banjo Championship. A
little help from Gleason native Gordon Stoker, a long-time
member of the Jordanaires, was an added bonus to assure
Snider's debut spot. Roy Acuff introduced Snider on that
fateful evening and six years later, Snider was again
introduced as a member of the Opry. That introduction was
by Minnie Pearl.
While performing his amazing picking, the Tater Town
native found that his country humor was an added talent
that soon provided as much entertainment as his music. In
fact, he has been honored by his fans for the past twelve
years as one of the Top Five Comedians at the TNN Music
City News Awards.
Monday's hometown performance was complemented by the
familiar faces of a hometown crowd, who were often on the
receiving end of a quip of a joke by Snider. Also in the
crowd was his family, his wife, Sabrina, two children,
Katie Lynn and Blake, and mother, Rubye.
The 42-year-old Snider often jokes that he moved to
Nashville and almost starved to death before packing his
family belongings in a horse trailer for the move back to
Gleason. The Snider family now resides just outside of
Gleason on a farm with Snider commuting to Nashville and
around the country to perform.
Mike has recorded 10 albums of humor, banjo picking, and
harmonica playing. He has also recorded two television
videos. |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Block City Pizza in Hollow Rock Robbed |
|
| |
Block City Pizza owner Shelly Lane was robbed at
knifepoint on Saturday, August 17. According to Hollow
Rock Police Chief Art Cason, an unidentified white male
entered the business at 8:49 p.m. and asked to use the
phone. Moments later, the man reportedly returned to the
business, brandished a knife and told Mrs. Lane, who was
alone, to open the cash register and hand him the cash. He
reportedly then cut the phone line and left the business
with approximately $570 in cash.Mrs. Lane later ran from the business, flagged down a
passing motorist and used a cell phone to notify the
authorities. Chief Cason said that Mrs. Lane did not see
any vehicle and it is assumed the man fled on foot. The
case remains under investigation.
This is the second time the business has been robbed with
over $1,000 taken in the first robbery. Those responsible
for the first robbery were caught. |
|
| |
|
|
| |
Woman Arrested After Making Bomb Threat |
|
| |
| |
By Linda Bolton
linda@mckenziebanner.com |
| |
A Huntingdon woman will be arraigned in Carroll County
General Sessions Court Wednesday morning after making a
bogus bomb threat.
Gay Lynn Farrell, 46, of 265 Leeford Lane, Huntingdon is
charged with filing a false report, according to Carroll
County Chief Deputy Terry Dickey. She is currently free
on $1,000 bond.
Ms. Farrell reportedly placed a note in her mailbox
stating a pipe bomb was under her van. In the note she
asked the mail carrier to notify the police. Huntingdon
postal employee Larry Green retrieved the note during
his regular Monday morning mail route and notified the
Carroll County Sheriff's Department by cellular phone at
10:19 a.m.
Three units from Carroll County Sheriff's Department, as
well as officials from Carroll County Emergency
Management Team, which included Director Janice Newman
and Mike Bailey and several units from Huntingdon Fire
Department immediately responded to the scene.
After the van was searched and no bomb found, Ms.
Farrell was charged as noted by Sgt. Jeff Hopper.
No motive was disclosed in the incident and the
sheriff's department would release no further
information at press time Tuesday.
Ms. Farrell's home is located approximately four miles
from Huntingdon, off Old Stage Road. |
|
| |
|
|
| |
Carroll County's Unemployment Climbs To 13.7 Percent In
July |
|
| |
| |
By Linda Bolton
linda@mckenziebanner.com |
| |
Carroll County was one of four counties in the state
with an unemployment rate over 13 percent for the July
reporting period, according to latest statistics
released by the Tennessee Department of Employment
Security. At 13.7 percent, Carroll had the second
highest jobless rate in the state, topped only by Clay
County with a rate of 15.4 percent.
From a labor force of 12,270, a total of 10,590 Carroll
Countians were employed, leaving 1,680 jobless.
Henry County's unemployment rate for July was 6.1
percent, down from 7.1 percent reported for June. From
an available work force of 14,640, a total of 13,740
were employed, leaving 900 without jobs.
Weakley County also experienced a slight increase in its
jobless rate, 5.8 percent for July, up from 5.5 percent
for June. From an available labor force of 17,430, a
total of 16,420 were employed, leaving 1,010 unemployed.
Tennessee unemployment rate for the month of July is 4.9
percent, up from 4.8 percent in June, according to
Commissioner of Labor & Workforce Development Mark
Reineke. The state rate remains below the July national
rate of 5.9 percent.
"The unemployment rate rose marginally this month due to
declines in manufacturing and seasonal job losses in
federal government and state/local educational
services." Reineke said. "The unemployment rate slowly
decreased from March to June, but the slight increase in
July shows us Tennessee's economy is similar to the rest
of the nation with slow growth."
June to July figures show employment increased in
construction jobs by 600. Hotels/lodging and other local
government each increased 500 jobs. Government jobs
declined by 12,300, and local education jobs declined by
10,700 due to the summer break.
From July 2001 to July 2002, services grew by 16,300,
with the biggest increases in health and business
services. Major decreases took place in manufacturing,
down by 7,800, with the greatest losses in durable
goods. Transportation jobs decreased by 5,100, and
construction declined by 2,200. |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Phone (731) 352-3323 or
Fax (731) 352-3322
washburn@mckenziebanner.com
|
|
Advertisements |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
