MCKENZIE (November 7) - The McKenzie Special School District Board of Education unanimously approved to move forward with stadium renovations to Rebel Field during its regular meeting on Tuesday, November 7, and to retain the services of Mt. Juliet-based architectural firm Kaatz, Binkley, Jones & Morris Architects, Inc.

The board heard two separate stadium renovation proposals, one from Kaatz and the other from Brentwood firm Hart Freeland Roberts, Inc., during a special called meeting on Tuesday, October 17.

"Something really needs to be done," said Board Member Jill Holland. "It doesn't say a lot for us now; we need to bring it up to standard."

Board Member Monte Cunningham agreed, saying, "We are, to put it gently, below average right now, and it is time to make an improvement." Cunningham, who was absent for the October 17 proposal hearing, stated he had studied the proposals and was familiar with both firms.

Vice Chairman Brad Davis encouraged board members to think "long range, 30 or 40 years down the road, especially since we won't have to do a tax increase for this."

Board Member Karen McCaleb expressed concerns over cost, saying, "I definitely think we need to do something," and recommended a "budget cap" be put in place to keep spending under control.

"I'm in favor of renovations but I'm not in favor or renovations that are going to be a million dollars," McCaleb said. "I think there's still so many other needs that still need to be met in other system areas." She added that knowing "exactly what the needs are" for the stadium would be key in her decision-making.

Exact dollar amounts for the project are difficult to ascertain at this stage, several board members noted, due to differences between engineering estimates and actual project bids. "You won't get hard figures until the project's out to bid," said Chairman John Austin.

Cunningham said, "I think it's premature to put a dollar amount on it. I don't want to overspend for anything, but I want to spend the right amount and get the most value for our dollar."

Board Member Greg Barker said he was more concerned with time than money. "I'm less concerned about money and more about time. I'd rather set goals; the football season is the real timeline," he said.

Board Member Jon Davis called for the first motion, seconded by Holland, to at a minimum demolish all structures on the current visitor's side and erect some type of basic seating before the beginning of the 2007 football season. The motion carried with a unanimous vote.

Superintendent Jim Ward reported that he had spoken with "a couple people" about demolishing the visitor's side of the stadium, and that work could begin immediately after the season ends. "As soon as they play the last game, they'll come that day," he told the board. Ward added that demolition costs would be approximately $3,000.

Cunningham called for the second motion, seconded by Vice Chairman Davis, to request four different renovation designs, at varying levels of cost, from an architectural firm (or firms), with renovations to be completed by the beginning of the 2007 football season and with a decision from the board regarding the designs by the January board meeting. The second motion also carried unanimously and was later amended to include three, not four, design plans.

The board decided to entertain designs on the following three plans, which range from minimum to maximum renovations and assume that the visitor's side has been leveled (as per motion one above):

1. Erect bleachers with a seating capacity of 500 on the current visitor's side and erect 1,600 square foot building to be used for visitor's dressing room and public restrooms;
2. Includes all improvements mentioned in Plan A, plus expand home side bleachers by 500 seats, renovate press box, and erect 2,000 square foot building to be used for visitor's dressing room, public restrooms, and concession stand;
3. Erect all-new bleachers with a seating capacity of 1,500 on the current visitor's side and switch the team sides (current home side becomes visitor's side and vice versa), erect new press box in conjunction with new bleachers, and erect 40 by 80 square foot building to be used for home dressing room, public restrooms, and concession stand.

Following a motion by Board Member Davis and seconded by Cunningham, the board voted unanimously to retain the services of Kaatz, Binkley, Jones & Morris. Ward said he would contact the firm immediately and present them with the board's three design plans.

In other business, the board also approved two budget amendments involving transfers of state and local monies into the general fund. The first amendment involved an October bonus given to system employees from combined state and local funds, while the second concerned the state Safe Schools Act Grant. The $8,011 state grant includes a 13 percent local match (approximately $1,159) and allows for communications improvement at system schools.

 
Two 17-year-old juveniles, one from Cedar Grove and the other from Jackson, and Michael Ray Andrews, Jr., age 18, of Jackson were arrested and charged with burglaries of churches and business in Carroll County.

According to a press release from the Carroll County Sheriff's Department, the CCSD, Jackson Police Department, and Trezevant Police Department collective investigation led to the arrests.

Burgled were: Jr.'s Market in Cedar Grove, Clarke's Grocery in Cedar Grove, West Carroll High School, West Carroll Band Boosters' booth, Terry Community concession stand, Happy Times Day Care in McLemoresville; old Lavinia Baptist Church; Abundant Life Church in Cedar Grove; and Trezevant churches including First Baptist, First Methodist, First Cumberland Presbyterian, and Church of Christ.

The three youth are also charged in Jackson with numerous car and business burglaries.

Four churches, all located on Church Street in Trezevant, were vandalized the first weekend in November according to the Trezevant Police Department. Churches involved include Cumberland Presbyterian Church, First Baptist Church, United Methodist Church, and Trezevant Church of Christ.

According to reports by Chief David Smith, the churches were entered during the early morning hours of Saturday, November 4, with all churches receiving damage to rear or side doors. Total damage for all four doors was estimated at $1,050.

Church of Christ and First Baptist Church both had items stolen during the incident, with loss estimated at $160 and $212 respectively. Church of Christ reported golf clubs and a portable DVD player, which contained a Bible DVD, were taken from a church office, and First Baptist reported two General Electric cordless phones and $133 in cash was removed from the church.

On November 8, officers were called to Abundant Life Church in Cedar Grove to investigate a break in. Upon arrival, the officers determined that entry into the church had been made through a side door. Items listed as missing were one Phillips 3390 DVDR valued at $200, one Ibanez plum colored electric guitar valued at $350, one Peavey light wood tone colored bass guitar valued at $350, one black Fender Telecaster with white pick guard valued at $500, and 11 white towels valued at $5. Also reportedly missing were cleaning items such as Lysol spray, one gallon of Mean Green cleaner, two Windex spray bottles, two bottles of Clorox spray, and toilet bowl cleaner. The report noted that items were strewn about and cabinets had been gone through.

On November 4, the Carroll County Sheriff's Department was called to Happy Times Day Care located on Main Street in McLemoresville regarding a break in. Upon arrival, Sergeant Lee Bates was met at the scene by the Happy Times Daycare owner Mary Scates. The report noted that forced entry into the building was made through a rear window. Items listed as taken were seven Oskins brand donuts in 12 count packages valued at $7, five packages of Great Value tiger fudge striped caramel graham crackers valued at $3, two Ole South 20 count sausage and biscuit valued at $4, three Country Boy sausage patties valued at $10, and three Port Side 10 count fish sticks valued at $2.19. Also listed as taken were two O'Day's 2-pound packages of 8-ounce hash browns valued at $2, two packages of Redi-Serve chicken strips valued at $4, one play station valued at $80, four country fried steaks valued at $10, one Rubber Maid green tote without lid valued at $13, and $25 dollars in cash.

On October 15, officer Tommy Decanter was dispatched to Clarks Grocery located on Terry Road in Lavinia in regard to a break in. Upon arrival, the officer spoke with the store owner who advised that sometime during the night someone had broken into the store and had taken a number of items. Listed as taken were 24 cartons of cigarettes valued at $1,000 and 15 cookie, buns, peanut butter, chips, and candy items valued at $500. Entry into the store was reportedly made through the front door.

PARIS (November 7) - Virgil E. Samuels, Jr., 22, of 1330 Highway 77 in Paris, was indicted Monday, November 6 on multiple counts related to the November 2005 kidnap, rape, and attempted murder of April Sykes of Henry County.

Samuels was indicted by a Henry County grand jury on one count each of especially aggravated kidnapping and criminal attempt to commit first-degree murder and kidnapping, two counts of aggravated assault, and four counts of aggravated rape.

Samuels allegedly kidnapped, sexually assaulted, and attempted to kill Sykes by abandoning her inside her burning car, which was parked on Van Dyke Grove Road south of Paris at the time. According to law enforcement reports, Sykes escaped from the car and went to a nearby residence for assistance.

Sykes was released March 29 from Regional Medical Center (The Med) in Memphis following a 116-day hospitalization. According to the Henry County Sheriff's Office, Sykes received burns over 65 percent of her body, 45 percent of which were third degree, in addition to other injuries, including stab wounds.

She underwent multiple surgeries to repair burned skin on her face, arms, hands, abdomen, back, and legs. Her injuries were so severe they necessitated the removal of her right hand and some or all of each finger on her left hand.

Sykes, who was 18 years old at the time of the incident, is the daughter of McKenzie Police Officer Jackie Sykes, who serves as School Resource Officer for McKenzie schools and works with students in the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) program, and Donna Sykes of Henry County.

Following his surrender to Henry County authorities on December 27, 2005, Samuels was booked into the Henry County Correctional Facility and placed on a $500,000 bond.

The Henry County Sheriff's Office, Paris Police Department, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, United States Marshals Service, and Tennessee Bomb and Arson Squad were all involved in investigating the case.

Samuels is also accused of kidnapping and assaulting Brandon McMinn, 21, on the same date. According to reports, McMinn said he was forced into the trunk of a white Chevrolet Malibu at a Paris restaurant on Spruce Street.

McMinn told authorities he was able to kick open the trunk and flee from the vehicle near the intersection of Macedonia and Henry-Mansfield roads, south of Routon. The car that was found ablaze reportedly matched the description of the car used in McMinn's alleged kidnapping, reports stated.