TIM CASTELLAW AUTOMOTIVE
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I would like to invite all my friends and family to Dyersburg for special pricing during the month of April. Thanks, Sambo!
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THURDSAY, APRIL 10, 2014 â–Ş VO L . 1 2 9 , N O. 3 5 â–Ş T H E VO I C E O F TIPTON COUNTY S I N C E 1 8 8 6 â–Ş
COVINGTON
Citizens ask for speed bumps
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ELECTION 2014
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Petitions accepted for August election
Five dozen teams compete to win Atoka’s second annual barbecue festival By ECHO DAY eday@covingtonleader.com
By ECHO DAY eday@covingtonleader.com
By ECHO DAY eday@covingtonleader.com
Last week, Sialene Wilcox asked the City of Covington for speed bumps in front of her Rose Street home. It's important, she said in a petition with 86 signatures, because speeding cars are a danger to the many children playing in the neighborhood. "I've seen so many children dash out in the street from the ages of two and up ‌ not paying attention," she said. "The biggest problem is the speeding cars not able to stop in time." Further, said Wilcox, there is a sign on the street that tells drivers to expect a speed bump even though there isn't one there. "I rode out there and there are a lot of children playing," police chief Buddy Lewis said. "We'll get out there and run radar to try to slow people down." The speed bump was removed when repairs to the sewer system began, city officials, but they're working on putting them back. SEE BUMP PAGE A3
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
The Tipton County Election Commission has released the names of people whose signed petitions have been accepted for the August election – and there's opposition for a few key offices. "It's nice to see people getting involved," Neil Bell, administrator of elections, said Tuesday. State representative Debra Moody (R-Covington) will be running for re-election to keep her seat in the state's 81st district and Rory Bricco, who ran unsuccessfully against her in 2012, will be running again. District Attorney It's nice to see General Mike people getting Dunavant, involved. who was elected to NEIL BELL his eightAdministrator of Elections year term in 2006, has opposition in D.J. Norton of McNairy County. County Executive Jeff Huffman, who began his career as county mayor nearly 30 years ago, has an opponent in Bobby Clemons Jr., a 26-year-old a line technician at Unilever. Clemons announced last year he intended to run for Covington mayor, but is now running for county executive. General sessions judge Bill Peeler has opposition for the first time in
Local film Organizers: Pie challenge, car opens in show add to second annual event Memphis Error made Tim Steppe holds a slab of ribs Thursday night as his team, Swigs 'N Swines, prepares barbecue for its sponsor, Apex Homes. Photos by Echo Day
SEE VOTE PAGE A3
By ECHO DAY eday@covingtonleader.com
By JEFF IRELAND jireland@covingtonleader.com For as long as he can remember, J. Cleaves has wanted to be a filmmaker. When Cleaves, 36, was a child growing up in Covington, he'd watch classics by renowned directors like Steven Spielberg, Peter Jackson and Tyler Perry. But he didn't watch them like most kids did. Cleaves was more interested in things like cinematography and editing than explosions and car chases. “I was amazed how they did the transitions, the cuts, the production,� says Cleaves. “I always said when I got a chance to do something like that I would do it.� His chance came about five years ago when he joined forces with some other local film enthusiasts to write, produce and direct “Fast Money,� a film about three friends who SEE FILM PAGE A3
If the last two years are any indication of the way Atoka's new annual event will go, barbecue, music and a great time will be involved. And so will mud. The three-day event began Thursday with a dinner for sponsors – like title sponsors Joyner Heat and Air and Southwest Tennessee Electric Membership Cooperative – and a breezy, 80-degree evening. By Friday morning, however, it was much colder and the ground was covered in mud. "You deal with it," said Bill Scott, member of team F'N A BBQ. "There's always going to be mud at a barbecue festival." Nobody seemed to mind, really. In fact, some teams, like the Rib-Ka-Teers, set the tents on their sites up well in advance of the rain to ensure dry ground in
By ECHO DAY eday@covingtonleader.com
Three Atoka softball players enjoy one of the rides at the festival Saturday morning.
their workspace. Barbecuing is serious business, of course, and teams were busy all day Friday covering ribs, pork shoulders and even whole hogs with various sauces, spices and rubs. If you didn't make it, Friday is the day in which entries were prepared,
teams played corn hole and 12 hours of music was played. Ancillary entries – sides, seafood and dessert, for instance – were judged Friday evening and main entries were judged Saturday. Additionally, on Saturday, there were two dozen vendors and
After filing a petition to run for office last Thursday, Teresa Cantrell said she must now go back and personally apologize to everyone who signed it. Though Cantrell hoped to represent District 6 on the school board, she actually filed a petition to run for county commissioner. As it turns out, the wrong petition was printed by an election commission employee and, though it states the office at the top of each page of the petition, Cantrell didn't catch it. "I'm not saying it's all their fault," she said. "I'm perfectly capable of reading." Neil Bell, Tipton County's administrator of elections, said he SEE ERROR, PAGE A2
SEE BBQ, PAGE A2
HEY, BATTER! Local high school baseball and softball teams compete in tournaments. A22
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in petition printing, filing
Reader's Guide Opinion A4 Obituaries A6 Classifieds A10 Legals A11 Puzzles A15
GO, LUCY, GO!
Events Sports Community Correspondence Faith
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Community shows up for Covington's cancerfighting sweetheart, A7
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