Jacquelyn Wren is all smiles as she begins her first day of third grade at McKenzie Elementary School. Jacquelyn is in Mrs. Marcia Webb’s class.

Carroll County school officials released early enrollment figures Friday and Monday with McKenzie, Hollow-Rock Bruceton, Huntingdon and West Carroll showing slight increases when compared to beginning enrollment one year ago. South Carroll experienced a slight decrease in enrollment.

Countywide, school enrollment is up 20 students this year. A total of 4,852 students are enrolled in grades K-12 in Carroll County’s five school districts, as compared to 4,832 for the same time period last year.

McKenzie, West Carroll, Hollow Rock and Huntingdon are beginning their third year pre-kindergarten programs. South Carroll has had a pre-kindergarten program since March 2001. The pre-kindergarten classes were awarded in Carroll County as part of Governor Phil Bredesen’s initiative to add the voluntary programs statewide. The pre-kindergarten programs add 160 students in the early enrollment figures in Carroll. McKenzie, Hollow Rock-Bruceton and South Carroll each have 20 pre-kindergarten students enrolled, while Huntingdon has 60 (40 of which are being taught through a co-operative program at Northwest Tennessee Headstart), and West Carroll has two classes again this year for a total of 40 students.

Tyler Cook arrives for his first day of fifth grade at Hollow Rock-Bruceton School.

McKENZIE

McKenzie’s enrollment for grades K-12 totals 1403, up six students from last year’s beginning enrollment of 1397. Beginning enrollment over a three-year period has climbed 72, according to early figures. A breakdown of this year’s enrollment is as follows: elementary, grades K-4 – 593 (compared to 606 last year); middle school, grades 5-8 – 421 (compared to 416 last year), and high school, grades 9-12 – 389 (compared to 375 last year).

Superintendent James Ward noted that enrollment figures fluctuate the first weeks of school as new students arrive or school personnel are informed that students have moved from the district.

HOLLOW ROCK – BRUCETON

Hollow Rock-Bruceton (Central) schools reported a beginning attendance of 709, up four students from last year’s beginning enrollment of 705. A breakdown of this year’s enrollment is: K-5 – 304 (compared to 310 last year); 6-8 – 189 (compared to 174 last year) and 9-12 – 216 (compared to 221 last year).

HUNTINGDON

Huntingdon’s early enrollment totals 1296, up one student from last year’s beginning enrollment of 1295. Huntingdon has 401 students in the Primary K-3, compared to 371 last year; 490 students in middle school, grades 4-8, compared to 496 last year; and 405 students in grades 9-12 (428 last year).

Huntingdon Primary has a larger kindergarten class this year, with three additional teachers added to make a total of six. Because of increases in first and second grades, teachers have been increased to a total of six in each of those grades.

SOUTH CARROLL

South Carroll (Clarksburg) reported a beginning enrollment of 392, down 11 students from last year’s beginning enrollment of 403. A total of 162 students are enrolled in grades K-5, compared to 163 last year, while 230 students were enrolled in grades 6-12, compared to 240 students last year.

Julius-Hunter Bickford is accompanied by his mother Angie Bickford as they arrive at Teresa Norton's first grade class at West Carroll Primary School.

WEST CARROLL

West Carroll reported a beginning enrollment of 1052 Monday, an increase of 20 students when compared to an enrollment of 1032 for the same time last year. A breakdown of this year’s enrollment is: K-2 - 209 (204 last year); 3-6 - 319(298 last year); and 7-12 - 524(530 last year).
 

McKenzie Attorney Larry Logan has been awarded The Kenneth A. Turner award for collaborative efforts with communities by the Tennessee Department of Children Services. The presentation was made at Music City Sheraton in Nashville.

In 2000, Logan was presented the McCain-Abernathy Award as Child Advocate of the Year by the state of Tennessee.

Logan has served as Carroll County General Sessions Judge and Carroll County Juvenile Judge since 1981 and maintains a private law practice at 512 Stonewall Street in McKenzie.

He is married to Andréa “Ondi” Logan. He has three children, Joey Logan of Holland, Justin Logan of Murfreesboro, Lauren Beth Logan of Fisher, Indiana, and a step-son, Ben Sapp of McKenzie.

He is the son of Edna Logan of McKenzie and the late Ralph Logan.

One of eight anhydrous ammonia tanks found at the scene of a methamphetamine lab in Cedar Grove. (Photo courtesy of Carroll County Coroner Steve Cantrell.)

Two Cedar Grove men and a Lavinia man face drug charges in connection to the alleged discovery of a methamphetamine lab in Cedar Grove.

Billy Ray Hayes of Wiles Lane, Cedar Grove, John Robert Hamblen of Griggs Road, Cedar Grove and Joseph Trent McGregor of Terry Road, Lavinia are each charged with initiate process to manufacture methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. Hayes is additionally charged with tampering with evidence, possession of schedule VI and resisting stop, halt or frisk. Hamblen is additionally charged with resisting stop, halt or frisk. McGregor is additionally charged with possession of Schedule VI (marijuana).

In late July, Investigator Tim Meggs received information that Billy Ray Hayes, aka Buck, was manufacturing methamphetamine at his mother’s residence at 175 Wiles Lane in Cedar Grove.

An area of the ground burned after an assailant threw ingredients used in manufacturing methamphetamine. (Photo courtesy of Carroll County Coroner Steve Cantrell.)

Meggs, along with Investigator David Bunn and other deputies arrived at the residence and allegedly observed Billy Hayes standing at a shed behind the residence, along with another male subject. The officers could smell anhydrous ammonia as they exited the vehicle, the report stated. Upon noticing the officers, the two reportedly began to flee the scene on foot. A foot chase began and as Investigator Meggs got close to Hayes, he threw a plastic bowl allegedly containing crushed Sudafed tablets, anhydrous ammonia, and lithium. The mixture reportedly splashed on Investigator Meggs’ arms and on Hayes’ face. Moments later, the mixture spontaneously ignited the ground where it landed.

Hayes, who reportedly sustained chemical burns to his eyes, was contained by Investigator Bunn. Meggs continued pursuing the other male subject, but was unable to apprehend him as he fled into a wooded area. Hayes reportedly identified the other subject as John Hamblen and a vehicle at the scene was identified as belonging to Hamblen.

An ambulance and fire truck was summoned to the scene, however the fire was contained before their arrival, the report noted.

Hayes was transported by ambulance to Jackson-Madison County General Hospital.

Officers secured the residence and located Joseph T. McGregor inside the residence. A search of the property, reportedly revealed the following items outside the residence near a shed: eight anhydrous tanks, a brass valve, rubber hose, cotton, empty dry ice bags, drain cleaner, 50 lbs. ammonia nitrate, salt, rubber gloves, plastic containers, stir stick, camp fuel, liquid fire, open lithium batteries, and a plastic bowl with white residue that tested positive for methamphetamine. Allegedly located inside the house were: marijuana, rolling paper, scales, 13 lithium batteries, a pill bottle with marijuana seeds, a bag with pills, three glass pipes, meth foils, rubbing alcohol, a container holding six pills, marijuana pipe and syringe.

Attorney Matt Maddox, flanked by sheriff’s deputies, asks county commissioners to provide a “living wage” for the deputies and jailers.

HUNTINGDON (August 13) Carroll County Sheriff Bendell Bartholomew plans to file a lawsuit against county Mayor Kenny McBride for significant pay increases for his department's personnel, nine additional deputies, and 14 new patrol cars.

Attorney Matt Maddox, speaking for the sheriff, said the sheriff will ask the court to approve his proposed budget, which was rejected by the Carroll County Commission on Monday. Maddox said he will file the case as soon as possible and ask the court for an emergency hearing.

Approximately 27 uniformed associates of the Sheriff's Department lined the walls of the Conference Room in the County Office Complex as commissioners voted 17 ayes, two passes, and one nay, to approve a $16.5 million overall county budget, which included a three-percent raise for all county employees and ostensibly rejected the sheriff's requests for significant pay increases. Commissioner T. Richard Goodwin was the lone vote against the budget while Marsha Barger and Wayne Kirk abstained from voting, based on a possible conflict of interest. Kirk is a part-time court bailiff and Barger is the sister of investigator David Bunn.

Bartholomew requested an increase of $1.3 million for his department including pay increase requests ranging from 28.2 percent for the chief deputy to 6.1 percent for jailers. The sheriff’s salary is set by state law. Prior to the three-percent increase, road deputies’ maximum pay was $28,045, sergeants’ $28,739, chief deputy’s $34,204, and investigators’ $29,601. During budget hearings earlier this year, Bartholomew said his department's manpower was the smallest in the state based on the county’s population. He said the requested pay raises would bring his department up to the level of other similar departments. In June, Carroll County Sheriff’s Department had 11 road deputies, four sergeants, one chief deputy, three investigators, four dispatchers, and 10 jailers.

During the Citizen's Forum on Monday at the commission meeting, Maddox said sheriff department personnel have received only cost of living adjustments (COLAs), not performance raises, during Bartholomew's tenure. He said the COLAs have not kept up with inflation. He noted the minimum wage recently increased 19 percent (sic) from a rate of $5.25 to $5.85, and will increase again next year. Yet the deputies will receive only a three-percent increase. He said the deputies, jailers, and sheriff cannot perform their deputies because of low morale caused by the low pay. He noted the deputies can move to other counties for higher wages. The department has a high solved-crime rate because of these current personnel. Maddox said neither the Budget Committee nor the mayor presented any argument as to why these people do not deserve a living wage.
 
Mayor Kenny McBride said the sheriff's request would have required a tax increase of 43 cents per $100 assessed value on real property. That’s approximately a tax rate increase of 46.7 percent. McBride said the 2006-2007 sheriff’s budget was $1.826 million, or approximately 32 percent of the General Fund, without the Carroll Academy’s budget figured in. In this year of property reappraisal, state law prohibits the rate from exceeding the previous certified rate of $1.06.

The mayor said the county already pays 75 percent of both workers' and dependents' major medical insurance for participating county employees. Very few counties offer such a generous insurance package, according to McBride.

The county's monthly portion of the health insurance coverage, provided by Blue Cross-Blue Shield, is $383 for individual, $766 for two persons, and $1,079 for a family on Network P, or $356, $712, and $1,003 respectively for Network S.

Following the meeting, Maddox said the commission took only 10 minutes to conduct the county's business including the sheriff's budget. He noted no commissioner asked any questions concerning the budget or had "any discussion whatsoever about the budget, what impact it may have on these deputies and jailers' lives." The attorney said "it's funny" it takes 20 to 21 commissioners to conduct the county's business, yet they will only fund 16 deputy positions to serve the more than 30,000 citizens. He said the county commission's priorities are obviously skewed.

Approximately 13,000 of the 29,096 (2006 estimated census) county citizens reside within municipalities, which have police departments.

The sheriff's budget was first discussed in May when Bartholomew first presented his requests to the Budget Committee. At the first and subsequent Budget Committee meeting, Bartholomew was accompanied by Maddox or a representative of his firm.

Once the lawsuit is filed, by state law, the county of Carroll must pay attorneys' fees for both the complainant and defendant.

(see separate story on County Commission meeting).

A Five Star Pallet Company truck overturned on Highway 79 Saturday, claiming the life of a Memphis man, who immigrated from Honduras. (Photo courtesy of Carroll County Coroner Steve Cantrell).

A Saturday accident approximately three miles south of McKenzie on Highway 79 at the intersection of Brashear Road claimed the life of a 26-year-old Memphis man.

Tennsy Ricardo Hernandez Lopez, who was originally from Honduras, Central America, was killed in a one vehicle accident at 6:30 p.m.

According to Trooper Mark Jackson's report, Hernandez was driving a 1996 Ford F-150 pickup belonging to Five Star Pallet Company of Milan. Hernandez was southbound on US Highway 79 between mileposts 10 and 11 when he apparently lost control of the vehicle and ran off the left side of the roadway. He reportedly overcorrected, crossed both lanes of travel, and skidded off the right side of the roadway. The vehicle traveled down an embankment and overturned several times, coming to a stop on its top.

McKenzie Fire and Rescue team arrived on the scene and worked approximately one hour to extricate the trapped driver. Also assisting at the scene, besides the Tennessee Highway Patrol, were McKenzie Regional Ambulance Service, Carroll County Rescue Squad, and Carroll County Sheriff’s Department.

Carroll County Coroner Steve Cantrell pronounced the victim dead at the scene at 6:33 p.m. The victim suffered a cervical facture and spinal cord injury, Cantrell said.

The accident closed one lane of traffic for a time. D&D Service Center wrecker towed the pickup.

At the time of the accident, the victim had no identification. However, contact was made with his employer in Memphis, who had recently opened the Milan facility.

Lopez reportedly does not have a driver’s license and it had not been determined at press time if he is a legal immigrant, said Cantrell. Wilfredo Alvarez, owner of the truck and the Five Star Pallet Company, along with Iris Martinez, a cousin of the decedent, positively identified the deceased Sunday evening at 5:42 p.m.

The decedent’s father resides in Honduras and has been notified of the death, according to a cousin in contact with the coroner. Lopez’ biological mother resides in California and has been notified of the death, according to Ms. Martinez.

Lopez moved to Memphis approximately one-and-one-half years ago from Honduras.