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Abuse, drugs lead latest indictments DA: Large number due to aggressive prosecution By ECHO DAY eday@covingtonleader.com
More than 100 people were indicted by the Tipton County Grand Jury earlier this month, sex crimes against minors and drug charges among the majority of charges. The cumulative counts of sex crimes this term totaled more than 100 and District Attorney General Mike Dunavant said the increase isn’t necessarily attributed to an increase in alleged criminal activity. “Unfortunately, there are
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Veterans to host job fair
new and numerous ways for offenders to target and sexually victimize children, from rape of a child, to statutory rape by an authority figure, to sexual exploitation of a minor by electronic means, to possession and production of child pornography,� he said. “These cases are a result of a heightened awareness and reporting by the public and other professionals; an active child advocacy center that provides protective services to
victimized children; new law enforcement techniques in the investigation of these difficult and sensitive cases; and aggressive and dedicated prosecution to hold the offenders accountable.� In a 44-count indictment, Timothy Alan White, of Murphy Lane in Burlison, was charged with 11 counts each of rape, statutory rape by an authority figure, aggravated statutory rape and furnishing
alcohol to a minor. The affidavit filed in court alleges on several occasions the 46-year-old had sexual contact with a 14-yearold after giving her cigarettes and alcohol while in his care. Further, the affidavit stated the 14-year-old was possibly pregnant with White being named a possible father. Divorced, White is already the father of two. He is currently free on a $75,000 bond and is SEE INDICTMENTS, PAGE A3
BRIGHTON FEST
By ECHO DAY eday@covingtonleader.com
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n Friday, the Tipton County Veterans Services Office will be hosting a job fair geared toward veterans in need of employment. Now in its fourth year, the event will feature more than six dozen vendors and organizations currently hiring former military personnel. Though the unemployment rate for veterans is statistically lower than that of their non-veteran counterparts – 8.7 percent compared to 9.4 percent, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics – the military-to-civilian transition can still leave a large number of veterans jobless. Other demographics – such as living in a rural area, being older than most people first entering the civilian workforce This is for any veteran, and having whether they’re looking a specialized, but not for a job or just want mainstream, assistance on something skill set – else. contribute to veterans’ RANDAL MARTIN unemployVolunteer,Veterans Services ment. “Sometimes they’re not able to find jobs when they come back for various reasons,� said Randal Martin, a volunteer with the organization and commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars’ ninth district. “Maybe it’s because they don’t have the contacts they need or because they may not even know there are jobs out there that match what they did in the service.� Martin said another mission of the event is to allow veterans to speak with service providers, like the Veterans Administration, if they need assistance. “This is for any veteran, whether they’re looking for a job or just want assistance on something else,� he said. The job fair will take place at the River of Life Assembly of God Church gymnasium on Friday, March 21 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission and lunch – there will be hot dogs and chili, Martin said – are both free.
The annual Brighton Fest and Car Show was held on Saturday, March 15 at Brighton High School. Above, the jazz band performs. Bottom right, the antique and show cars usually steal the show. Bottom right, Benjamin Pollard, 4, snaps a photo under the hood. Photos by Jeff Ireland
SCHOOLS
Principal says time, not issues, cancelled play By ECHO DAY eday@covingtonleader.com
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righton High School Principal Christi Huffman said it was lack of time, not stereotypes, that caused her to cancel a student performance of the musical "Hairspray" last week. On March 12, controversy erupted at the high school after the play was called off. Student actors took to the news media to express their disappointment. "I started crying," cast
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member Matthew Bailey told WMC-TV. "We're a month away from opening night." Bailey told reporters teachers told the cast the play could be considered demeaning. "They said it was damaging to us, but we were never asked if we felt discriminated against when we were cast," he said. Set in the early 1960s, at the onset of the Civil Rights Movement, the musical features an overweight white teenaged girl as its lead and
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focuses on body image as well as racial issues as two of its primary themes. It was reported that Huffman and the school board's discomfort with these topics led to its cancellation. Huffman, however, said the play's cancellation had nothing to do with its subject matter. "We've never had a musical before, so this is new to us and I'm not up on a lot of musicals or plays, so we discussed it. The choir teacher actually told me that parts of the play had to be modi-
fied to be school-age appropriate," she said. "He was supposed to get me a corrected script a week later for approval." That was late February, she said, and after missing school for a week due to the ice storm and having another week off for spring break, she didn't believe there was enough time to make the play "a success," so she cancelled it. The cancellation also came as a result of the firstyear teacher not following SEE PLAY, PAGE A3
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