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TOP STORIES FOR
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 21, 2004
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Highway 79 Widening Included in Transportation Plan |
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By Joel Washburn
washburn@mckenziebanner.com |
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Governor Phil Bredesen announced the 2004-2005
Transportation Improvement Program for the state of
Tennessee includes a section of U.S.79 (State Route
76). The widening of US 79 from Lawrence Street at
Carroll Bank and Trust, where the road currently
narrows from four to two lanes, to the intersection of
Sydnor Road are included in the plan, which is being
presented to the General Assembly for funding. The
3.2-mile section of Highway 79 will become a five-lane
curb and gutter style roadway with a continuous middle
left-turn lane along the stretch.
A similar project is underway in Gibson County from
Milan to the Carroll County line at Atwood. The Gibson
County project calls for the replacement of a railroad
overpass near Milan High School and the elevation of
the roadway in the low-lying area between Atwood and
Milan. Once both sections are complete, approximately
six miles of the 20-mile stretch will be widened.
Although the State has revealed maps of a continuous
bypass around Atwood and Trezevant, the State has no
current plans for such a development.
Earlier this year, the Tennessee Department of
Transportation began acquiring right-of-way property
needed for the 3.2-mile section of highway near
McKenzie. Property acquistion should be complete and
permits in place by the end of the year. This project
is tentatively scheduled to be included in the March
11, 2005 letting, which is when the contract for
construction would be awarded.
TDOT will have an estimated budget of $1.6 billion for
the next fiscal year - more than $750 million of which
is expected to come from the reauthorization of the
federal transportation bill.
Other interesting projects included in the proposed
budget includes: Some construction on 840 South, which
bypasses Nashville from Dickson on I-40 to
Murfreesboro on I-24. The 840 South project currently
extends from I-40 to State Route 100 on the west, and
from I-24 to I65 south of Nashville on the east side.
The proposed projects include stage construction from
southeast of SR-100 to west of Bending Chestnut Road,
and the other project includes stage construction and
partial paving from east of Thompson Station Road to
SR-106 (US-431).
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McKenzie, Henry County Working With Industrial Prospect |
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McKenzie Industrial Board and the Henry County
Industrial Association are working together to lure an
industrial prospect to the former American Lantern
building.
Billy Barksdale, executive director for the McKenzie
Industrial Board, said the prospect is a supplier to
the automotive industry. The company would hire up to
150 employees, 110 of which would come from the local
labor pool. "Henry County is working very hard," said
Barksdale.
The unnamed company is looking at Tennessee and
Kentucky and will make its final decision in mid-May.
Barksdale said the corporation has several operating
companies throughout the United States.
The 106,000 square-foot American Lantern building has
been vacant since the lighting manufacturer closed the
business. Located on State Route 22 North, McKenzie,
it is one of five manufacturing companies located in
the Henry County portion of McKenzie. The others
include Republic Builders Products, Three Star,
Profile Metals, and CSI.
Ray Whitlow, Henry County's industrial recruiter, and
Brent Greer, Henry County mayor, have been very active
with this prospect, said Barksdale.
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Agenda Set for Thursday Council Meeting |
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In a brief, informal meeting last Thursday, members of
the McKenzie City Council set the agenda for Thursday
7:30 p.m. regular session.
Items on the agenda include:
* The ratification of the repeal of the Indigent Care
Act, the same having been recently repealed at the state
level at the request of city officials. The action will
add over $1 million to city coffers;
* A review of restated bids for the building of a
utility building at the City Park on Como Street;
* Review of estimates regarding the repair of the
sinkhole behind Midway Materials Company;
* Approval of a resolution regarding the proposed,
$100,000, 50/50 parks and recreation grant;
Members previously assigned to a committee to review and
recommend action regarding the Tennessee Consolidated
Retirement System actuary study (Wade Allen, Willie
Huffman, Darra Adkins, and City Clerk Charlie Beal) will
meet immediately following the meeting.
A called meeting was scheduled for April 29 at 7:00 p.m.
in order to conduct a public hearing regarding the
pending application of the $100,000, 5/50 parks and
recreation grant which is expected to aid replacement of
the current playgrounds with state-of-the-art equipment
as well as add improvements to ball fields. Notices were
to be posted about town concerning the meeting date and
time. The grant application must be turned in by May 7.
Councilmember Wade Allen expressed the concerns of
citizens over encroaching piles of gravel being stored
on city property on Mulberry Street, as well as an old
tar tank stored at the site.
Ongoing discussion took place regarding whether Hopper
Street, a gravel road on the periphery of Richardson
Subdivision, was ever taken in as city property. City
officials have been unable to locate documentation
stating the road was accepted. It is currently in
substandard condition. Mayor Walter Winchester stated
Street Department officials stated it was never an
accepted street.
The mayor advised reapportionment studies should be
complete by the next council meeting. Councilmember
James Knolton mentioned the necessity to qualify 45 days
before November elections.
Codes Enforcement Ray Berryman reminded the council to
review the international building code he previously
recommended for adoption. The code combines the Southern
Building Code, currently in use in McKenzie, with two
other codes. Berryman stated the code, which he
characterized as "basically the same code" but with more
detail, has been sanctioned by the state.
He also reminded members of pending revisions in the
ordinance regarding junked and inoperative vehicles.
Vehicles are expected to be removed from the current
ordinance (Chapter 3, Section 13), which also covers
weeds and grasses, and debris, and a new ordinance
placed into effect which will add teeth to current rules
regarding vehicles, shortening time frames for requested
action and adding additional requirements. |
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Baptist Hospital to Host Open House for MRI Suite |
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By Linda Bolton
linda@mckenziebanner.com |
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Visitors will get their first look at the new Magnetic
Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine at Baptist Memorial
Hospital - Huntingdon this Sunday. The hospital will
host an open house between the hours of 2 and 4 p.m.
Bobby McMillian, director of radiology, said the
hospital has expended more than $2.5 million to add the
MRI, the associated suite of rooms, and a new waiting
room for radiology and the emergency room. It is a "true
open MRI", said McMillian. It is capable of scanning a
patient up to 500 pounds in weight, depending on the
patient's overall circumference. Since its February 1
start-up date, the utilization has been better than
expected due to referrals from orthopedic and general
surgeons in the area. MRI is non-invasive and is
especially useful for scanning the brain, joints, and
bones, said McMillian.
Technicians include Lori Cooley, Kim Spain, and
McMillian.
McKenzie Medical Center in McKenzie also has a "Hitachi
Open" MRI, which is one of the earlier models of the
open MRIs, said Tracy Lawton, director of radiology at
the Center.
Visitors during the Sunday open house at Baptist can
enter through the hospital's front or emergency room
doors. |
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These stories and more exclusively
in the print edition: |
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- Interim Facility Leased to Accommodate Arts Center
- Single Vehicle Accident Injures Youth
- Bethel Soccer, Football Venues Could Be Ready By
Fall
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Phone (731) 352-3323 or Fax (731)
352-3322
washburn@mckenziebanner.com
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