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TOP STORIES FOR
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2004
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Guardsmen Return Home for
Christmas |
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By Linda Bolton and Joel Washburn
washburn@mckenziebanner.com |
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Acie Maynard receives a
welcome home hug from his girlfriend, Paula Graves.Members of Tennessee National Guard Company A,
McKenzie were greeted with hugs and kisses as they
returned home from Fort Sill, Oklahoma Monday to spend
Christmas with their families.
Two military turboprop C130 Air Guard planes carrying
approximately 140 soldiers, all but two assigned to
Company A in McKenzie, arrived at McKeller-Sipes
Regional Airport at 2:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. Anxious
family members, who had not expect to spend Christmas
with their loved ones this year, were on hand to greet
the soldiers.
One soldier on the first flight had a special surprise
for a waiting girlfriend. As he got down on one knee
to ask for her hand in marriage, all of his comrades
also got down on one knee is support of his mission.
First Sergeant Johnny Walker, senior non-commissioned
officer of Company A, said the men will be home for a
nine-day Christmas break. Company A will return to Ft.
Sill, on December 29.
Guardsmen will spend the entire Christmas break
enjoying the fellowship of family and friends, said
Walker.
Company A departed McKenzie on Thursday, November 18,
amid a grand send-off by local well wishers. Buses
carrying guardsmen traveled a departure route in
McKenzie and Milan before traveling to Memphis to
board planes for their Fort Sill destination.
At Fort Sill, guardsmen have been heavily involved in
pre-deployment training, which includes weapons
qualification, learning to interact with the Iraqi
people, which involved learning their culture and
customs, obtaining medical evaluations, receiving
inoculations, eye and dental care; and lanes training,
which includes convoy training, how to handle
detainees, road block and security checkpoint safety.
Plans at this time call for Company A to be deployed
sometime in January.
Walker said Company A will probably go to Kuwait
initially, where they will obtain heavy equipment and
prepare vehicles, which will be shipped by water.
Soldiers will also participate in additional training,
before heading north to Iraq, he said.
Walker said he is not sure at this point what their
mission will involve.
"We will be assigned once we get there, depending on
what the requirements are over there," he said.
Walker said members of the local guard unit were
deeply touched by the outpouring of support during
their departure in November, which he termed "a
humbling experience."
"I would like to personally thank everyone for the
show of support," he said. "It was quite heartwarming
and made a serious impression on all our guys. We
appreciate all who turned out. It meant a lot to us
and it made it a little more meaningful - what we are
doing - to know that people care.
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YMCA Fitness Center to Open in
January
Aquatic Team Accepting Membership |
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The old Robertson's
Decorating Center building, next door to Fred's Dollar
Store, will house the McKenzie YMCA Fitness Center by
late January.McKenzie YMCA's fitness center will open in January
in the old Robertson's Decoration Center building next
to Fred's Dollar Store, organizers announced Tuesday
following the vote of the Milan YMCA's board of
directors, sponsors of the McKenzie Y, regarding the
location. The building is expected to be leased from
owner Greg Blackburn.
"We're hopeful to have the fitness center operational
by late January," said program director Dale Mathis.
The "storefront" YMCA in McKenzie will provide a
fitness center with a child-watch program offering
free childcare for up to two hours while the parent is
in the building. The center will feature fitness
equipment including weights, cardiovascular machines
and aerobics.
The fitness center joins several YMCA programs already
in progress in McKenzie. The organization now
administers the YMCA Aquatic Team, known previously as
the Carroll County Aquatic Team, which was under the
direction of Bethel College English professor Jim
Scruton. The program, geared toward swimmers ages five
to 18, starts up again in early January with four
competitions slated for January and February. Head
Coach Micki Gerlach and coaches Sarah Luffman and
Ashley McDaniel - all students of Bethel College -
lead the team.
The new site director of the Y's after-school program,
initiated by Mathis in 2003, is Bethel student Nathan
Terry, a business major, who also performs bookkeeping
for the organization. Another Bethel student, Audrey
Cross, is also involved in the program.
The YMCA's summer youth program began as an offshoot
of the after-school program.
Fitness Center dues are $15 per month for teens; $23
for college students; $26 for adults; single parent
families, $28; couples, $33; two parent families, $36;
senior adults over 60, $23; and senior couples, $28.
One-time membership fees range from $25 to $75.
Financial assistance is available for all programs and
membership types. The Open Doors program is an
income-based rate scale designed to give everyone
access to a membership at the YMCA regardless of
income. The scale begins at $49,800 and falls to
potentially zero income, at which 90% of the costs of
participation are covered, with various levels of
assistance in between as determined by income and
number of dependents.
The YMCA's mission is "to put Christian principles
into practice through programs that build healthy
spirit, mind and body for all. Through a variety of
programs the organization seeks to help individuals
reach their potential by appreciating that physical
fitness, spiritual commitment and mental well-being
are sacred gifts and conditions to be achieved and
maintained and by developing: confidence and
self-respect; moral and ethical behavior based on
Christian principles; capabilities for leadership used
in responsible service to others; intercultural
understanding locally and globally; and by growing as
a responsible member of family and community;
respecting people of all ages, abilities, incomes,
races, religions, cultures and beliefs; and
reinforcing the concept that volunteering is the heart
of the YMCA.
For more information contact Paul Brough at
731-686-9000, Dale Mathis at 731-415-6370, or
fundraising chair Debbie Broadbent at 731-352-5561.
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Huntingdon Council Approves
$70,000 Loan |
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Proceeds from an insurance claim submitted against
wind damage on Heritage Hall are expected to repay in
part a loan to fund its re-roofing as well as that of
City Hall.
"Both roofs should be repaired to stop further damage
to the structures," said Mayor Dale Kelley.
The Huntingdon Town Council on Tuesday, December 14,
authorized an interest-bearing capital outlay note not
to exceed $70,000 for initial funding of the project.
The provisions of the note provide a repayment
schedule of $16,500 per year over a five-year period,
however, in addition to the expected insurance
benefit, Kelley said $40,000 could become available to
help repay the loan. That amount includes $25,000 from
the prior year's revenues over expenses and $15,000 in
the present budget for building repair and
maintenance. At the end of the budget year, he said,
unused funds from the account could be reallocated and
applied to the loan. Kelley said the insurance
adjustor had not yet provided calculations related to
Heritage Hall.
Wade Dortch Roofing Company of Paris was awarded the
contract to repair the roofs in a separate action of
the council. Their bid of $46,281 trumped Strickland
Roofing Company of Jackson's $52,793 bid. Kelley noted
the bid documents specified that the successful bidder
would re-roof Heritage Hall for an additional $14,000
should the town decide to accept the bid and include
the alternate bid for Heritage Hall, raising the total
winning bid to $60,281.
REZONING APPROVED IN FINAL READING
Following a public hearing at which no citizens were
present, the council approved on second and final
reading an ordinance amending an area on Highway 22
from R-1 (low density residential) to B-2 (general
business.) A medical clinic is planned for the
formerly church-owned property.
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Public Forum to Address Wheel Tax Referendum |
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The county of Carroll will host a public forum on
January 10 to address concerns and facts concerning
the upcoming January 27 referendum on the wheel tax.
The referendum will ask voters to approve a $10
increase in the annual wheel tax.
Carroll County Mayor Kenny McBride said an
informational meeting will be held at 6:00 p.m. prior
the 7:00 p.m. county commission meeting. McBride said
commissioners and road supervisors will answer
questions concerning the budget, proposed use of the
proposed wheel tax referendum.
"I want people to have the opportunity to come and
address the issues," said McBride.
The meeting will be held on the second floor of the
Carroll County Courthouse.
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These stories and more exclusively
in the print edition: |
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- Simmons Confesses in Petty Murder
- DHS Service Center Hosts Grand Opening
- McKenzie Holiday Lighting Awards Presented
- Old man Winter Shows Up for Trezevant Parade
- Sheila Swearingen Retires
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Phone (731) 352-3323 or Fax (731)
352-3322
washburn@mckenziebanner.com
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