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Food, Entertainment, Fireworks Await McKenzie,
McLemoresville, Paris Landing July 4th Festival
Participants |
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 Independence
Day committees invite everyone out Wednesday, July 4 for
celebrations in McKenzie, McLemoresville, and Hollow
Rock in Carroll County and Paris Landing State Park in
Henry County.
McKenzie, McLemoresville and Hollow Rock will provide
food and entertainment and each event will feature a
spectacular fireworks show.
Food is a big part of any July 4th celebration. McKenzie
Freedom Festival-goers will want to browse around the
food booths and craft booths at the recreation park
beginning at 5:30 p.m. Concessions available will
include barbecued chicken and barbecued brisket by
Stephen Priddy; pulled pork sandwiches and jumbo turkey
legs by Eddie’s Barbecue; Smoothies and Gatorade by
Bethel Relay for Life; hot dogs and lemonade by McKenzie
Lions Club/Boy Scouts; hamburgers, fried bologna,
bratwurst and drinks by McKenzie Touchdown Club;
watermelon by Beta Sigma Phi; and sno-cones and homemade
ice cream by Calvary Tabernacle. Jill Holland, 352-9963,
is in charge of booths.
“We invite everyone to enjoy the holiday with us,” said
McKenzie Mayor Walter Winchester. “The event will be
capped off by fireworks and The David Johnson Chorus.”
The day begins in McKenzie with a breakfast, 6:00 -
10:00 a.m. at McKenzie V.F.W., located on Cherrywood
Road. The menu consists of country ham, sausage, fried
bologna, eggs, biscuits and gravy, orange juice and
coffee, all for $ 5.00. Advance tickets are available
for purchase. Tickets are also available at the door.
For more information, call 352-9976 for Tom or Lucille.
As an added bonus, the VFW is pre-selling BBQ chicken
lunches, which will be served 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Chicken halves are $ 3.50, or add the trimmings for a
total of $6.00.
At 7:00 a.m., activities begin at the McKenzie
Recreation Park with the 5K run and one mile walk/fun
run. Pre-registration is $15.00, registration day of the
run is $20.00. T-shirts will be given to all entrants.
Trophies will be awarded first and second male and
female in each category. Categories will be up to 12
yrs, 13-19 year, 20-29 years, 30-39 years, 40-49 years,
and 50 and above. The race begins at 8:00 a.m., with
walkers competing at 8:30 a.m. To register or more
information, call Hunter at 352-3330. Registration forms
may be picked up at the McKenzie City Hall.
The ATV rodeo will get underway at 10:00 a.m. This event
will be held off Liberty Drive, near the recreational
park. There will be three categories, with many trophies
and prizes awarded. Contact Johnny Sexton at 415-3200.
For those ready to cool down, the Slip N Slide opens at
2:00 p.m. at the recreational park. Buy a bracelet for $
5.00 and go as many times as you wish!
Spectators will want to line up for the Festival of
Freedom Parade, beginning at 5:00 p.m. Units will travel
down Stonewall Street to the recreational park as the
parade makes it way to the ultimate place to be on the
4th, the McKenzie Recreational Park! The Festival of
Freedom committee wants floats, cars, bikes, wagons,
music makers, etc. to enter. Call Mike Holt at 352-5475
to enter.
Opening ceremonies will begin at the McKenzie
Recreational Park at 5:45 p.m., featuring singing of the
National Anthem by Kimberly Faye and presentations for
the “Most Patriotic Window” and “Yard of the Month.”
Morning Glory Garden Club is judging those events.
Plan to purchasing a ticket to sample some of the
“flavored” home-made ice cream and vote for the winner
of the “People’s Choice Award.” Vanilla will be judged
by the Prairie Farms/Turner ice cream employees. First
place will be awarded $50.00, second place will receive
$25.00, and third place will receive $15.00. Winners
will also receive gift baskets from Prairie Farms/Turner
and a one-month free membership to the McKenzie Family
YMCA. All contestants will receive prizes donated by
Prairie Farms/Turner. In addition, the grand prize
winner in each category will receive a free year’s
supply of ice cream. Cost to enter your ice cream is
$10.00 (per ice cream entered). Contact Hunter Jones at
352-3330 for more information.
Youngsters are sure to enjoy “The “climbing wall,”
sponsored by the McKenzie National Guard.
American history comes to life with a costume contest at
6:00 p.m.! Judging is based on costume and character
portrayal. Trophies will be presented for first, second
and third place. Contact Jennifer Waldrup at 352-9281 or
pick up a registration form at the McKenzie City Hall.
At 6:30 p.m., be prepared to be dazzled by comedy
magician Brian Staron on stage in the park!
At 7:15 p.m., the patriotic program begins with a
reading by Hershel Wilkes of the Declaration of
Independence and ends with a dazzling display from the
McKenzie National Guard Color Guard.
At 7:30 p.m., sit back and enjoy the beautiful voices of
the David Johnson Chorus.
The culmination of a glorious day ends with the
spectacular fireworks show at 9 p.m.
McKenzie Festival of Freedom committee hopes to make
this event bigger each year, but to do so, they need
everyone’s support. Come out and enjoy the day.
MCLEMORESVILLE
McLemoresville will celebrate Independence Day with
several activities, beginning with a Fun Zone in the
downtown park including inflatables for the children,
and concessions of hamburgers, hot dogs, ice cream, etc.
for the family, according to Mayor Phil Williams.
Lineup for the parade will begin at 5:00 p.m. at
McLemoresville Baptist Church and the parade will travel
from the church through downtown.
A cake walk will follow the parade in the town square,
followed by a street dance to the music of the country
band “Right Combination”. A fireworks display will begin
around dark.
"We have the best hamburgers in the state of Tennessee,"
Williams said. "We only sell them twice a year, at July
4th and during the Cotton Festival." The hamburger stand
should open around 4:00 p.m.
"We look forward to seeing everybody and hope everyone
comes out for an enjoyable evening of wholesome family
fun," Williams said.
PARIS LANDING STATE PARK
Once again, the Paris Landing display will be sponsored
by the Paris-Henry County Jaycees, which is endeavoring
to make it “bigger and better” than ever. Jaycees have
hired Central States Fireworks to coordinate the
display, which will be paid for by the Jaycees (from
funds raised at the World’s Biggest Fish Fry) and
Tennessee River Resort Act funds, which will be matched
by the Friends of the Paris Landing State Park.
Parks Ranger Tim Caldwell said there will be changes in
the way the fireworks will be organized from previous
years. “The fireworks will be set off from a different
spot this year,” he said. “They’ll set them off in the
flat area between the swimming beach and the fishing
pier. They’ve never done it from there before.”
The public also should be aware that parks rangers will
be clearing the wooded area by the beach of people 30-45
minutes before the fireworks display, he said. “Once
they start setting up the fireworks, we’ll be shutting
down the picnic area so that we have a safety zone.”
Caldwell said it’s his understanding that the display
will last longer than previous years and “will be
predominantly higher than usual.”
HOLLOW ROCK
The town of Hollow Rock will be celebrating the Fourth
of July by hosting an evening of food, fellowship and
entertainment from 4-9 p.m. on the football practice
field located behind Joe T. Herndon stadium on the
campus of Central High School.
City office employee Pam Gallimore informed that
welcoming statements by Hollow Rock Mayor Tim Runion is
slated for 5 p.m. Kristen Cox’ will sing the National
Anthem followed by Delana Norval performance of “God
Bless America.”
Other entertainment scheduled to appear are Darren
Grooms, Delana Norval, the Webb Brothers and additional
special guests.
The town’s volunteer fire department has purchased over
$1,000 in fireworks to illuminate the sky, beginning at
approximately 9 p.m.
Town Recorder Vivian Grooms said that admission to the
event and attendance to watch the fireworks display at
the event site is free to the public. She also noted
that attendees could purchase a $10 ticket from
firefighters or at City Hall for an all-you-can eat meal
consisting of barbeque pork, barbeque chicken, salad,
drinks and dessert.
She added, “If a person purchases a ticket, they can eat
at 4 p.m. and return later in the evening and eat again.
It truly is all-you-can eat.”
The town of Hollow Rock invites everyone to come and
enjoy the evening’s festivities. |
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Murfreesboro Man Charged with Raping McKenzie Teenager |
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By Linda Bolton
linda@mckenziebanner.com |
A Murfreesboro man accused of having an eight-month
sexual relationship with a 16-year-old boy from McKenzie
was arrested last week, according to Major Chuck Thomas,
head of investigators at Rutherford County Sheriff’s
Department.
Robert Michael Houk, 22, of Fortress Boulevard was
charged with six counts of statutory rape, court records
show.
During an interview at the Rutherford County Sheriff's
Office, Houk confessed to having sex with a McKenzie
minor at his apartment in Murfreesboro, investigators
said.
The relationship started in August 2006 and ended in
April after the victim's mother filed a complaint with
the sheriff's office, according to Thomas. Houk
reportedly met the minor on the Internet, said Thomas,
who declined to provide further details in the case.
Under Tennessee law, minors — older than 12, but younger
than 18 — are considered victims of rape when the sex
partner is at least four years older. Statutory rape is
a Class E felony, which is punishable by up to a $3,000
fine and one to two years in prison for offenders
without prior convictions.
Houk was arrested June 21 and taken to the Rutherford
County Adult Detention Center. He posted a $21,000 bond
and was released the same day.
A preliminary hearing on the charges is set for August 1
in Rutherford County General Sessions Court.
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New Tennessee Law Restricts the Sale of Fireworks to
Children for Safety Reasons |
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Nashville - According to a new state law effective July
1, Tennessee’s teenagers wishing to purchase consumer
fireworks must be at least age 16. Previously, Tennessee
law allowed children as young as 10 to purchase
fireworks. The new fireworks law is intended to reduce
the number of injuries to children caused by improper
use.
Experts at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at
Vanderbilt recommend that children never be involved in
the use of home fireworks. However, if parents choose to
purchase fireworks for celebrations, supervision is the
key to injury prevention.
“We think this is a great change in the law for the
safety of children and teenagers,” said Beth Broering,
R.N., trauma program manager at Children’s Hospital.
According to a study provided by the National Fire
Protection Association, children, 5-9, face the highest
risk of firework-related injuries. In 2004, 55 percent
of people injured by fireworks were under 20. Forty
percent of all firework injuries are incurred by those
under 15.
Common injuries from fireworks are injuries to the eye,
warns David Morrison, M.D., assistant professor of
Ophthalmology and Pediatrics with the Tennessee Lion's
Eye Center at Children's Hospital.
"About 40 percent of injuries from fireworks involve the
eye or face, and of those, bottle rockets are
responsible for more than half,” Morrison said.
Morrison says the concussive force of a bottle rocket
explosion in or around the eye can cause lacerations to
the eyelid, damage to the cornea and bleeding within the
eye, as well as complete rupture of the eye's globe.
The potential for burn injuries is also a significant
concern. While older children are the usual victims of
bottle rocket injuries, Children's Hospital physicians
have even treated toddlers injured as bystanders. Bottle
rockets frequently misfire or are poorly aimed. Children
are also at high risk of burn injuries from sparklers
and other types of fireworks.
“We strongly encourage adult supervision with all
children and fireworks, including sparklers,” Broering
said.
“Families should also be careful of the possibility of
starting a brushfire when igniting fireworks due to
near-drought conditions in the area,” Broering said.
“Minor sparks could initiate a fire and could lead to
major injuries and property damage.”
The Tennessee State Fire Marshal’s Office recommends
that families attend professional fireworks displays as
an alternative to purchasing their own. |
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Carroll County Planners Establish Appropriate Uses for
Lake Area |
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By Joel Washburn
washburn@mckenziebanner.com |
HUNTINGDON (June 26) – Acceptable and prohibitive uses
of the land around the Carroll County Lake continue to
be developed by the Carroll County Regional Planning
Commission. Planners want the lake area to be a
family-friendly, appropriately developed area to well
serve residents and visitors to the recreational lake.
Construction on the lake is expected to take one year
with another year to fill it with water. Planners are
working to maintain the value of the publicly-owned
lake.
In the June meeting, commissioners worked to prohibit
the placement of adult-oriented businesses, single-wide
mobile homes, and mobile home parks. Planners also
agreed to allow golf courses, tennis courts, riding
stables, athletic fields, and playgrounds in appropriate
areas. Churches are permissible as well as multi-family
housing units, such as condominiums and townhouses will
be allowed in areas around the lake if served by a city
sewer. Otherwise, only single family dwellings will be
allowed to allow for septic tank functionality.
Planners want the area to develop with housing with an
established minimum of heated square footage. However,
State Planner Donnie Buntin said that would have to be
addressed through deed restrictions or subdivision
covenants by the property owner. The Carroll County
Watershed Authority will only own 50 feet of the
property above the high water mark – mainly for erosion
control.
Commissioner Billy Barksdale said he is concerned about
undesirable development and the additions of porches
which are later unsightly enclosures. He gave the
example of many homes and mobile homes around Kentucky
Lake.
Commissioner Brad Hurley asked that each property owner
in the planning region to be notified of the impending
zoning and subdivision laws. He said the region extends
well beyond the immediate lake area. |
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Click the Photo Reprints button below to buy reprints of almost any photo in The McKenzie Banner print edition.
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