THE LEADER Wednesday, November 25, 2009
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Serving All of Tipton County Established 1886
www.covingtonleader.com
Volume 123 • No. 88
Residents in disbelief over theft charges By ECHO DAY eday@covingtonleader.com MASON – On Nov. 6, a city clerk was arrested for stealing from the city and residents in the area remain in disbelief over the charges. Following an investigation by the state Comptroller’s Division of Municipal Audit, 43-year-old Arnita Mitchell of Mason was indicted by the Tipton County Grand Jury on charges she stole nearly $100,000 from the city during a two-and-a-half year period.
“I wouldn’t say it’s impossible, but it’s hard for me to believe,” Pastor Tommie Terry of Mason’s Church of Another Chance said. “It’s unbelievable.” Of a dozen people asked last week, none believed the state’s allegations against Mitchell, including two city council members. Only Terry would go on record in Mitchell’s defense, however. “I’ve known her all her life and I know her whole entire family,” said Terry. “They’re God-fearing individu-
als and they’re church-goers. I don’t think she took that much if she took any at all.” Terry said he knew Mitchell lost her job with the city and rumors had been swirling around town about the state’s allegations. But Mitchell won’t talk about it, Terry said. “I’d heard she’d lost her job and everything,” he said. “She won’t talk about it, just asked me to continue pray for her.” The state alleges between Jan. 1, 2007 and June 30, 2009, Mitchell took more
than $96,000 worth of taxpayer money for her personal use. Auditors also found that she had received more than $1,000 worth of water and gas services from the town for herself and another person without paying. Additionally, auditors believe Mitchell falsified written and electronic town records to cover her tracks. Following the investigation, Mitchell was indicted on the following charges: theft over $60,000; forgery over $60,000; computer fraud over $60,000; theft of SEE CHARGES, PAGE A3
Proficient, advanced and targeted: How Tipton County schools fared By ECHO DAY eday@covingtonleader.com
T
hough revered last year for its outstanding scores, this year Brighton Middle School was the only Tipton County school placed on the target list. Though the school met adequate yearly progress targets in all other areas, only half of students with disabilities met federal benchmarks in math. Forty-eight percent of students with disabilities tested at proficient and advanced levels, coming 20 percent short of the state target for students in this demographic. Overall, however, BMS students exceeded the state target in math with 93 percent of all students scoring in the proficient and advanced levels. The state target overall is 91 percent. In reading/language, the school exceeded federal benchmarks with 96 percent of all students scoring in the proficient and advanced levels. In terms of achievement, the school scored As in math, science and eighth grade Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) writing and Bs in reading and social studies. Brighton Middle School has 1,019 students, 41.4 percent of whom are economically disadvantaged. The attendance rate is 95.3 and promotion rate is 97.6. Following is a break-down of how other Tipton County schools scored. Atoka Elementary With 816 students, Atoka Elementary’s population is nearly evenly split between males and females – 50.1 percent are boys and 49.9 percent are girls. Thirty-five percent of students are economically disadvantaged. In terms of adequate yearly progress (AYP), 97 percent of students tested at proficient and advanced in math and reading/language plus writing (statewide target was 91 percent for each subject). The attendance rate was 95.6, 2.6 percent higher than the state’s 93 per-
cent target. The promotion rate was 98.8 percent, higher than the state’s 97 percent target. There were no reports on academic achievement and value-added progress for Atoka Elementary. Austin Peay Elementary Overall, Austin Peay Elementary met federal benchmarks though math TCAP scores didn’t meet state targets. Eighty-nine percent of all students tested at the proficient and advanced levels, coming in two percent below the 91 percent state target. Reading/language plus writing scores came in at 91 percent, the same as the state’s target percentage. These scores earned the school a C in math and Bs in reading/language, social studies and science. Fifth grade TCAP writing scores came in at 4.2 percent, .1 percent above the state target. Austin Peay had 575 students enrolled in 2009 and a 95.5 percent attendance rate; 54.3 percent of students are economically disadvantaged. Brighton Elementary With above-target math and reading/ language scores, Brighton Elementary met and exceeded federal benchmarks for adequate yearly progress. Math TCAP scores showed 93 percent of students at Brighton Elementary are proficient and advanced and reading/language scores show 92 percent proficient and advanced rate. The school earned a C in math and Bs in reading/language, social studies and science. Fifth grade TCAP writing scores met the state target, resulting in the school earning an A. Brighton Elementary has 890 students; 46.6 are female and 53.5 are male. Fifty-one percent of students enrolled are economically disadvantaged. The average attendance rate is 95.7 percent and the promotion rate is 97.8 percent. SEE GRADES, PAGE A3
Memphis man dies in one-car accident By ECHO DAY eday@covingtonleader.com GIFT – A Memphis man was killed Saturday afternoon after his vehicle hit the Hatchie River bridge in east Tipton County. The Tennessee Highway Patrol reports the 1994 Nissan Sentra was traveling northbound on Hwy. 54 when it struck the eastside of the bridge at approximately 2:48 p.m. According to reports, the driver, 45-year-old Jeffrey M. Davis, lost control for unknown reasons. He died at the scene. The report states Davis was wearing his seatbelt.
ABRACADABRA … POOF! – The Historic Ruffin Theater was the scene of magic and illusion on Sunday afternoon with the trio of Jeff, Lynn and Shari Nelson performing amazing and mind-defying tricks such as body rearrangement. Above, Jeff and his wife Lynn magically rearrange their daughter Shari to the amazement of theater patrons. Photo by Sherri Onorati
Arrest made in Covington assault case By ECHO DAY eday@covingtonleader.com COVINGTON – Covington police have announced an arrest connected to the October assault and robbery of an elderly man. Police say 93-year-old Lonnie Craig Jr. was attacked inside his Simonton Street home on Oct. 9 by a woman who later stole his wallet. Craig said the woman hit him in the head with a cast iron skillet from behind, knocking him down next to his kitchen table. When she arrived, he’d just finished preparing dinner and was sitting down to eat. Instead, he was now on the kitchen floor, bleeding. “I didn’t know anything until split seconds later – I think I went out,” he said in an interview last month. Craig wasn’t sure how many times he was hit with the skillet. “She must have thought I was fighting back or something.” And though he’s 93 years old and was bleeding profusely from several
lacerations to his head, Craig stood up, walked to the living room and called 911. He spent the night in the hospital, but has been home recovering since the incident. Just days after the attack, detectives were searching for two women they believed to be involved in the attack on Craig. The women – Dominique Reid and Kurita Smith – were later located and questioned. They are no longer persons of interest in the case. Another suspect emerged during the investigation, though. Surveillance video captured footage of a woman using Craig’s cards at a local ATM and she became the person police believed was responsible. “We put her name out on the street and she ended up turning herself in,” said Det. Larry McGarity. “She alleged she bought the card from someone else, thoughlk.” Sandra Michelle Douglas, 36, of 811 Barlow Street in Covington, was arrested and charged with illegal possession and use of a credit card. She has not SEE ARREST, PAGE A3
Area events events Area This week’s This week’sFeatured featuredChurch: church: Covington • Barretville • Millington • Collierville South Tipton • South Covington Morgage Offices: South Tipton • Millington • Arlington • Collierville
FRONT.indd 1
Mt. Tipton Church Turn to to Page Turn PageA7 A7forfordetails details
12/5 7 p.m. 12/6 2:30 p.m. 5th Annual Heartwarming Christmas, Ruffin Theatre – Covington
11/23/09 6:45:35 PM