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News Headlines
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
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Effects of "Katrina" Downs Trees in Carroll County |
By Linda Bolton
linda@mckenziebanner.com |
A large oak tree fell across
Eastwood Drive taking down an electric power line and
closing the roadway.
Downed trees and tree limbs were widespread throughout
the county as the effects of Hurricane "Katrina" reached
West Tennessee Tuesday evening. Several roads were blocked
as trees fell across the path of traffic. According to
unofficial reports, 2.96 inches of rain had fallen in parts
of Carroll County by Tuesday morning.
The threat of flooding from the storm, which was downgraded
to a tropical depression after it made landfall on the gulf
coast, closed schools in Henry and Benton counties, Carroll
Academy in Carroll County, and many in Middle Tennessee.
Power outages were prevalent throughout the county late
Monday evening and early Tuesday morning, according to Lynn
Compton, manager of Carroll County Electric Department.
Approximately 500 persons remained without power Tuesday
morning, primarily in rural areas, he said.
"All the main feeders are on, it is just isolated lines
because of fallen trees. All schools, hospitals and nursing
homes have power," he added.
One of several downed trees on Bethel Campus Tuesday
morning.
"One electric department supervisor reported Monday evening
wind gusts of 50-60 miles per hour was moving his truck on
the roadway," Compton said.
All service was expected to be restored by Tuesday
afternoon, according to Compton.
Several local insurance agency representatives said they had
received no claims for major damage as of Tuesday morning.
With a Category 5 hurricane bearing down on his below
sea-level city, New Orleans Mayor C. Ray Nagin made what
pleas he could to his fellow citizens to flee and then left
it in the hands of a higher power.
Nagin ordered a mandatory evacuation for the city's 485,000
residents and opened the Superdome as a shelter of last
resort, bluntly warning those who stayed that they would be
at the mercy of Katrina's high winds, 28-foot storm surge
and 15 inches of rain.
Search teams continued to rescue persons Tuesday morning
from that area, many of whom chopped through the roofs of
their homes as rising waters forced them to climb to those
heights.
Casinos in Gulfport, Mississippi were reportedly moved off
their mooring and into the roadway.
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Atwood Mayor, Aldermen Uncontested in September 1 Election |
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ATWOOD - Voters will go to the Atwood City Hall precinct on
September 1 to elect a mayor and two aldermen. All three
candidates are unopposed incumbents.
Mayor James Halford Sr. and Aldermen Jim Lewis and L.N.
McNabb are all seeking four year terms. Halford has served
as the town's mayor since 1989.
The mayor and board of aldermen are serving staggered terms.
The positions of aldermen Jimmy Halford Jr. and Ricky Long
are not expiring.
The polls will open at 10 a.m. and close at 6 p.m. The polls
are usually open 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., however the shorter hours
were implemented because the candidates are unopposed,
according to Doris Rich of the Carroll County Election
Commission.
Atwood voters will be the first to use the new electronic
voting machines, known as E-Slate. The punch card and
lever-style voting machines must be eliminated nationwide by
the next federal election in 2006.
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Trezevant Receives Grant for Fire Department |
By Joel Washburn
washburn@mckenziebanner.com |
TREZEVANT - The town of Trezevant will soon receive $50,184
to purchase new protective gear for the city's firefighters.
U.S. senators Bill Frist (R-Nashville) and Lamar Alexander
(R-Maryville) announced the U.S. Department of Homeland
Security Grant for the city.
"This is a shot in the arm," said Trezevant Mayor David
Bryant. "It will provide the necessary protection for
firefighters."
Bryant said the grant, along with a five-percent match from
the town, would provide head-to-toe turnout gear, including
self-contained breathing apparatus, for 15 firefighters. The
town will seek purchase bids for the equipment.
Mayor Bryant credited Greg McClain, with the assistance of
Fire Chief Curtis, for writing the grant proposal.
Bryant said the city's new garage would be completed soon. The
building was destroyed in a December 2004 ice storm. The new
facility will include a bay for a fire truck, which will be
relocated from City Hall. |
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Building Code Approved on First Reading |
McKenzie Boy Scout Troop 78 gathers following a meeting of the
McKenzie City Council August 24. Pictured are Leader Bill
LaPointe, Scout Master David Mitchell, scouts Bud Rogers,
Chase Jordan, Ben Rogers, and James Arnold, Leader Lisa
Hollingsworth, and scouts Thomas Mitchell, Tyler LaPointe,
Jason Hollingsworth, and John Randall.
MCKENZIE - The five-volume International Building Code was
approved on first reading Thursday, August 25, by members of
the McKenzie City Council meeting in regular session.
Vice-mayor Gene Hale said, following the meeting, that several
contractors had advised him it was "basically a name change"
and that their practices were unaffected by the new code.
Mayor Walter Winchester said the code was being read and that
it was possible Codes Enforcement Officer Ray Berryman had
read the entire code, as he had been in possession of the
books for approximately four months. Berryman first promoted
the code to the council on March 18, 2004.
The proposed ordinance indicates its passage would incorporate
the International Building Code, International Residential
Code, International Fire Code, International Property
Maintenance Code, and International Fire Protection
Association Life Safety Code effective after the date of final
approval by the council.
The ordinance further states that if any part of the code is
declared unconstitutional or invalid for any reason, or is
pre-empted by state or federal law, the remaining portion of
the ordinance would be unaffected.
It also stipulates that all current ordinances that are
inconsistent with the new code would be repealed to the extent
of that inconsistency.
In other business, Winchester presented to the family of Dusty
Carroll a resolution commemorating and honoring his memory.
See related article this edition for more information.
Fire Department liaison Darra Adkins reported the department
had responded to 179 fires.
"That's where we were in December last year," she said, noting
the dry season was approaching and that fire fighters had
already responded to some grass fires.
She said approximately $23,000 had been collected in rural
fire contracts. The department had budgeted for $18,000 in
collections.
Winchester welcomed the members of Boy Scout Troop 78, who
attended the meeting as a requirement in earning the community
merit badge, a step toward the rank of Eagle Scout. Scout
Master David Mitchell and leaders Bill LaPointe and Lisa
Hollingsworth accompanied scouts Bud Rogers, Chase Jordan, Ben
Rogers, James Arnold, Thomas Mitchell, Tyler LaPointe, Jason
Hollingsworth, and John Randall. |
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