INSIDE TODAY’S NEWS: ‘CONNECTING TWO CITIES’ PIEDMONT/JACKSONVILLE RECREATION
SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1936
TUESDAY / JULY 23 2013
CVS / NEWS, 5
RECIPE / COMMUNITY, 4
JEROME BANNISTER NAMED NEW MANAGER
DEBBIE ENGLISH HAS TWO JOBS AND THREE FAMILIES
VOL. 79 • NO. 30
www.jaxnews.com
75 CENTS
COUNCIL
Two Jacksonville officers resign Chief doesn’t expect to be short-staffed for long with 41 applicants Police
Chief
Tommy
Thompson
said
after
the
resignations
the
police
department
is
three
of icers
short
of
27,
but
he
doesn’t
expect
to
have
any
trouble
illing
the
positions.
As
of
Monday
afternoon
41
applicants
had
applied
for
the
three
positions,
Thompson
said.
One
of
the
two
of icers
who
resigned
is
Mike
Denton,
a
long-‐time
of icer
who
BY LAURA GADDY Consolidated News Service The
Jacksonville
City
Council
accepted
the
resignation
of
two
police
of icers
Monday,
leaving
the
city’s
law
enforcement
department
temporarily
short
staffed.
is
retiring.
The
other
Brian
Gay,
a
patrol
of icer,
is
leaving
to
work
for
Jacksonville
State
University’s
Police
Department,
Thompson
said.
The
two
resignations
combined
with
that
of
Matthew
Johnston,
who
resigned
to
work
for
the
Jacksonville
Fire
Department,
reduces
the
force
by
three
of icers.
That
has
a
signi icant
impact,
Thompson
said,
because
a
loss
of
three
of icers
is
enough
to
eliminate
one
of icer from
each
of
the
departments’
shifts, which
is
typically
staffed
with
between ive
and
six
of icers.
While
he
has
a
long
list
of
applicants
to
pick
from
to
ill
the
open
positions, ■ See COUNCIL, page 7
FIRE
A NEW RIDE FOR BEN
Early morning blaze destroys officer’s home BY RACHEL BROWN Consolidated News Service A Jacksonville police officer found his badge undamaged among burnt clothes and furniture today, after his home was destroyed by fire Sunday morning. Chris Roberts, an assistant chief at the Jacksonville Fire Department, said firefighters today were still determining what caused the fire early Sunday morning at a home on Eighth Street and 11th Avenue. Roberts said he doesn’t believe the cause of the fire was suspicious. Jacksonville police Chief Tommy Thompson said the house belonged to Dale Edwards, a Jacksonville police officer. Thompson said the Edwardses were on vacation visiting family in another state when their house burned. The family returned to Jacksonville Sunday night, Thompson said, and they are staying with Edwards’ parents. “I’m sorry it happened, but I’m sure glad he’s alive,” Thompson said. The chief said the family was in need of baby ■ See BLAZE, page 7
Anita Kilgore
Ben Tomlinson takes off in his new Action Trackchair. The $15,000 chair was donated by the Semper Fi Fund.
Ben Tomlinson receives an Action Trackchair he tested out his new Action Trackchair in the yard of his Jacksonville home. The battery-operated chair is equipped with treads similar to a tank, allowing Tomlinson to go just about anywhere. A local wounded warrior said he was looking forward to The $15,000 chair was donated to Tomlinson by the hunting and fishing again after he received an all-terrain Semper Fi Fund, an organization that provides support wheelchair Sunday afternoon. Marine Sgt. Ben Tomlinson said he was impressed as ■ See TOMLINSON, page 9 BY RACHEL BROWN Consolidated News Service
Anita Kilgore
Jacksonville police officer Dale Edwards house burned early Sunday morning. The family was out of town at the time.
FACES IN THE COMMUNITY
Gail DaParma strives to beautify her hometown Comes from family with many skills MARGARET ANDERSON NEWS CORRESPONDENT
Growing up near Mount Pleasant, Iowa, in a little town of about 90 residents, almost in Missouri, was a learning experience for Gail DaParma. The area is a farming community with a large Mennonite and Amish influence. Her mother was a nurse, and her father was a carpenter and, in later years, a barber.
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It was probably from her father that she learned the most about tools. He taught his daughter how to use a hammer when she was quite young. Her mother and grandparents, who were all skilled, hands on country types, taught her to refinish furniture, build, sew and many other great skills. These skills helped her to win many 4-H blue ribbons, both at the local and state levels. Her family took pride in ■ See DaPARMA , page 12
Anita Kilgore
Gail DaParma in one of the homes she has renovated.
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