HOME OF THE
19.
COUNTRY
98 OIL CHANGE
Up to 6qts. Includes Tire Rotation
CHEVROLET & CADILLAC, INC.
* Excludes diesels & synthetics plus tax & environmental fees
THE LEADER Thursday, April 22, 2010
pinch.com www.justa
75¢
Serving All of Tipton County
Established 1886
Volume 124 • No. 25
www.covingtonleader.com
Longtime Covington doctor dies at 95 By ECHO DAY eday@covingtonleader.com Tipton County lost one of its finest philanthropists Sunday with the passing of longtime physician and medical examiner Dr. Lewis Daniel Elliston. “He was a pillar of the community,” said daughter Joan. “He established the first hospital in the county and then donated it to the Carl Perkins Center. He was a philanthropist to and a longtime sup-
porter of the organization.” Elliston came to Covington in 1937 after paying his way through medical school. While working in a hospital in Kirksville, Mo., he became aware of a job opportunity in Covington, replacing Dr. Vivian Price, a longtime physician who had become bedridden. The agreement between the doctors was that Elliston could take over Price’s practice if Elliston would agree to hire
Price’s wife, Mary Sue, as his nurse. Two years later, “Doc Elliston” met and fell in love with first-year teacher Louise Gower from Springfield. Family members say Elliston was impressed with Gower who, at 22, had already earned a masters degree and completed a year of teaching. The two were married in May 1941 and became the parents of three children – Dan, Katherine and Joan – in the six
years that followed. During that time, the school board did not permit female teachers to continue teaching after marriage, so Louise began her career working with her husband’s medical practice. In 1950, Elliston opened a 12-bed hospital at the end of Main Street in Covington, the first of its kind in Tipton County. The Ellistons ran the hospital for two decades. In 1970, the hospital was closed
and it became the Elliston clinic. With a thriving practice, Elliston delivered an estimated 4,000 babies in Tipton County. This figure, said Joan, includes 128 sets of twins and 18 children in one family. Dr. Elliston also served the state of Tennessee as a member of the Tennessee Board for Licensing of Health Care Facilities - a position he held for 26 years. SEE DOC, PAGE A5
Aaron, Logan and Toby Tate were arrested early Sunday morning after assaulting a police officer in Munford. Photos courtesy Tipton County Sheriffʼs Office
Brawl lands brothers in jail, officer in hospital By ECHO DAY eday@covingtonleader.com
Local TEA Party participants held a protest at Shelton Park last week in Covington. Photo by Tiffany Holland
TEA Party locals gather on Tax Day By TIFFANY HOLLAND tholland@covingtonleader.com As another tax day came to an end on April 15, thousands of TEA party organizations held protests including the Tipton County TEA party, which held an event last Wednesday to protest the healthcare bill, taxes and what they see as an all too liberal government under the Obama administration. A crowd of 50 to 75 people gathered at Shelton Park in Covington from 5 – 7 p.m. to wave signs on the highway and preach the gospel of the TEA party movement. The TEA party is a grassroots organization that became popular on Tax Day of 2009 that protests what the group refers to as excessive taxation and socialist tendencies of the US government. It is an acronym for “Taxed Enough Already” and references the Boston Tea Party where citizens gathered to protest taxation without representation in the British government. TEA party member Bill Wallace said, “The goal is to unite people of all political parties in our common goal of returning to the Constitution as our rule and guide for good government. It is not an attempt at a 3rd party movement or a racially oriented nor hate-motivated group.” The event’s Master of Ceremonies was Leah Coop and had several speakers and music provided by the band, The Wisemen. The first speaker was Dr.
Dale Bails, Professor of Economics at Christian Brothers University. He was followed by, veteran Randy McKee, Steve Childress, Nancy Lind, Vince DiCello and Dr. Raymond Gardocki, MD who provided his opinion on how the healthcare bill would affect his profession as a surgeon. Several people in the crowd openly spoke during an “open mike” session including Ron Kirkland, a congressional candidate in the republican primary for District 8. “The most important thing I can do in Congress is to try to repeal the healthcare bill, then focus on the economy,” said Kirkland. “We are here to speak out about the governments actions and be a voice for the people.” The program also had tables with sign-up sheets and clothes and food to purchase and used as fundraisers. There was a lot of applause and enthusiasm with the crowd with several even marching up and down the sidewalk next to Highway 51, waving signs of protest and encouraging passing cars to honk in approval. “We are very concerned about the federal government’s encroachment on our private lives,” said Wallace. “For decades, now, we have gradually yielded our control of our elected officials. We have practically ignored our responsibility to hold them accountable. Matters that once were considered local or state issues have become causes for SEE TEA PARTY, PAGE A3
MUNFORD - An early morning brawl landed three brothers in jail and two police officers in the hospital Sunday, local law enforcement agencies said. Just before 1 a.m. on April 18, Munford police officers were dispatched to RJ's Restaurant on Quinton Drive after reports that a large fight was in progress. "I looked up and saw one of the Tate brothers on the patio punching someone," said restaurant owner Russ Johnson. "I went out there and tried to break it up, to tell him we don't do stuff like this here, but he got another punch in before I got there." Johnson, who was punched in the process of trying to break up the fight, said one of his employees called the police and patrons involved in the fight left the restaurant before officers arrived. "I told them to call the police because I knew it'd get out of hand,"
Johnson said. " Warrants obtained by The Leader indicate officers arrived on the scene and were directed to Munford Tire and Towing on Watson Road where police say several subjects were standing in the parking lot. Patrolman Daniel Hamm, one of the initial officers on the scene, reportedly asked Toby Tate, 32, to exit the building and ask the others inside to come out as well, but reports indicate Tate told Hamm to do it. Hamm's report said several subjects came out of the building and to his right he began noticing "a commotion." Aaron Tate, 21, one of Toby Tate's brothers, allegedly began to shout and jump around in the yard of the business, then reportedly charged at Hamm. The officer said Aaron then allegedly hit him three or four times in the right side of the face with closed fists. Hamm said he fell to the ground SEE BRAWL, PAGE A3
Holland joins staff of Leader By LEADER STAFF Tiffany Carr Holland, a Covington native, Covington High School and University of Tennessee graduate, has joined the staff of The Leader. Holland, 24, joined the staff as a reporter who will cover features, news and sports. She said she looks forward to serving the community. “I am excited to write for the newspaper I grew up with,” she said. “I’ve been reading The Leader since I was a child and I am excited to contribute.”
Holland
Publisher Brian Blackley said he is glad to have Holland on board. “I am excited about her enthusiasm, her intelligence and her talent,”
Blackley said. “She’s a good fit at The Leader and she’s got a vested interest in this community and wants what’s best for it,” he said. News coordinator Gwen Matheny said she is also looking forward to work with Holland. “She’s a very easy going, well-balanced person who has a lot of good ideas about the newspaper,” Matheny said. “She makes you feel comfortable and she’s comfortable in SEE HOLLAND, PAGE A2
Due to a printing conflict the annual Children’s Classic will be published in the April 29 issue of The Leader. Area events
Covington • Barretville • Millington • Collierville South Tipton • South Covington Morgage Offices: South Tipton • Millington • Arlington • Collierville
NEWFRONT.indd 1
This week’s This week’sFeatured featuredChurch: church:
Area events
First Baptist Church, Covington
April 24, Clean up Munford
Turn to to Page Turn PageA7 A7forfordetails details
4/22/10 2:33:28 PM