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Volume 124 • No. 19
Search for missing boater scaled back By Echo Day eday@covingtonleader.com
“We will continue to make every effort to determine what happen to Mr. Grayer and use every resource we have available to DUVALL LANDING – The locate him.” search for a missing boater has r left his Roseann for you49, turned into a recovery effort, the y Grayer, a d to p u t n ig Cove at a approximately 7:30 Tipton County Sheriff’sSOffice ership bhome m e m r e ! t r g a a.m. on Saturday, March 6. Family announced Wednesday. in h v c a rt s REE and stasaid members Grayer’s plans After exhaustingFitss resources om .c h c in y 31, 2010 ar P nu ds Ja were go fishing on the river with five days w ofwsearching, w.JustA the Club ento e ip ec R ch Just A Pin of e us at an area commonly called the agency scaled down its efforts e *Fre Randolph Towhead or Chute. to find Steven Grayer, an Atoka He has not been seen or heard father missing after a fishing trip from since. on the Mississippi River. During the multi-agency res“The riverbanks were searched cue effort, teams have utilized by teams on foot, aerial observaSONAR technology, dragging tions and by utilizing cadaver lines and aerial units equipped canines,” said Tipton County with Flir thermal imaging camSheriff J.T. “Pancho” Chumley.
eras to find Grayer. He was first reported missing on Saturday afternoon, when a boater spotted his capsized boat just south of Duvall Landing. On Sunday afternoon, the 16-foot fiberglass bass boat was recovered by the U.S. Coast Guard. Authorities say there were no signs of serious damage to the sunken boat, which was spotted by pilots from the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office air unit while conducting grid searches of the river. “The boat was resting in a chute on the west side of the Mississippi River approximately two or three see boater, Page A3
Sheriff J.T. “Pancho” Chumley and another rescuer watch as the Coast Guard tows the boat belonging to Steven Grayer back to the shore. Grayer has been missing since Saturday. Photo courtesy Tipton County Sheriff’s Office
County mourns loss of public servant By Echo Day eday@covingtonleader.com
A quiet bedroom community, Atoka was ranked among the best affordable suburbs this week. John Henderson travels from Memphis to fish in Atoka's Meade Lake Monday. Photo by Echo Day
Atoka among best affordable suburbs
By Echo Day eday@covingtonleader.com
ATOKA – Another Tipton County city is among the best affordable suburbs, says BusinessWeek magazine. This week, Atoka was rated the 43rd most affordable suburb in the United States. It was the only city selected in Tennessee. "While many of the places on this year's list are near amenities such as country clubs and golf courses, the focus is not luxury, but rather communities where families can live well for less and enjoy good schools, low crime, and reasonable commutes," Venessa Wong wrote in the BusinessWeek story. "Many people know Memphis for its high crime rate but Tipton County, where Atoka is located, was ranked the third-safest rural community in the U.S. last year by Progressive Farmer, an agricultural and country living magazine," she said. "The town of Atoka, 11.7 miles square, has grown rapidly in recent years and remains a quiet bedroom community for families." The designation, said Town Administrator Mark E. Johnson, is a result of hard work by the community and its leaders. "We're happy to be recognized. This validates all of the hard work the mayor, board, department heads and county leaders have put into making this a great community," he said. Johnson also credits the recognition to proactive residents. Though growth has slowed in recent years, since 2000 the town has seen a 250 percent increase in population.
The numbers of retail and commercial businesses has also increased. Last year, the town's only hotel opened and recently Pizza Hut Delivery and retail establishments such as Outlaw Furniture and Amazing Threads 2 Sew have also recently opened. Selected suburbs were located within 25 miles of each state's most populated city, had between 5,000 and 60,000 residents, median family incomes of $51,000 to $120,000 and lower-than average crime rates. Resources such as U.S. Census Bureau data, Bureau of Labor Statistics reports and FBI crime statistics were used to gather information. BusinessWeek editors stated a variety of factors was weighted in the decision, including livability (short commutes, low pollution, green space), education (well-educated residents, high test scores), crime (low personal and property crime), economy (high job growth, low unemployment rate, high family income), and affordability (median household income, cost of expenditures). Last year, Munford was named the fourth best suburb in the country, giving both South Tipton cities the designation. "We think it is phenomenal that two towns in South Tipton County have received this coveted recognition," said Rosemary Bridges, president of the South Tipton County Chamber of Commerce. "We've always known that South Tipton County is great place to live and raise a family, now we have national and state-wide recognition that serves as a testament to that belief. Congratulations, Atoka." To read more about other cities recognized by BusinessWeek, visit http://images.businessweek.com/ ss/10/03/0302_affordable_suburbs/index.htm.
This week Tipton Countians are mourning the loss of Rodney Eubank, a man some consider one of the best public servants in the county's history. After a brief battle with cancer, Eubank died at his Brighton residence Saturday. "Everything he did was Eubank in service to his community," said Dr. Tim Fite, Tipton County Director of Schools. "I don't know anybody who had a more positive impact on the school system than Rodney Eubank." Eubank, 72, spent his life serving his community in various ways, from his service to the country in the Army Air Force Reserve to teaching Sunday School at Salem Associated Reformed Presbyterian Church and his work as editor of The Covington Leader for more than three decades. He was also a retired personnel director for the City of Covington. Eubank's legacy, however, is with the school see EUBANK, Page A3
Pittman arrested after subsequent violation
By Echo Day eday@covingtonleader.com
MUNFORD – A man arrested last month for violating the terms of the sex offender registry has again been arrested, and this time in Tipton County. Last week, authorities with the Tipton County Sheriff's Office announced the March 2 arrest of 65-year-old Lanell Sidney Pittman, who was residing at a home on Mattie Anne Lane in Munford with a woman and her 12-yearold child. Pittman is prohibited by law from residing at any home occupied by minors. Pittman Authorities said Lisa Serrone, the mother of the child, was aware Pittman is a registered offender. During the investigation detectives confirmed that Pittman was on probation in General Sessions Court in Tipton County for a previous sex offender violation. In March 2009, he was arrested for violation see offender, Page A3
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April 13-14 AARP Driver’s Course TN Technology Center April 24 March of Dimes Walk-a-thon April 24 Exchange Club Carl Perkins Dinner