The Leader - July 22, 2010

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THE LEADER

SERVING TIPTON COUNTY SINCE 1886 | COVINGTONLEADER.COM | VOL. 124, NO. 38 | THURSDAY, JULY 22, 2010

Mason fires its police chief By ECHO DAY eday@covingtonleader.com MASON – Following an accusatory meeting of the board of mayor and aldermen on July 11, the Town of Mason has fired its police chief. Well, maybe. “At the last board meeting, an alderman made a motion to fire the police chief and that motion was seconded, then passed with a 3-2 vote,” said

mayor David Ward. Ward said the request, which was made by alderman Eddie Noeman, was made because “basically, Alderman Noeman said people told him things needed to be changed.” In addition to Noeman, aldermen Linnie Waddell and Mike Harris were in support of the termination of chief James Paris. Aldermen Frank Boyland and David Smith were against it.

Alderwoman Abby Cross, Ward said, was not present at the meeting. This spring, Noeman drew up a petition to fire the chief; 150 residents signed it. A longtime rivalry exists between the alderman and the chief of police and Noeman is outspoken and angry about a myriad of issues. One of those is the chief’s residential status. Paris lives in Bartlett, 21 miles away from Mason.

“Four years ago he promised to move,” Noeman said. Paris himself made those intentions clear. In April 2007, he told the board he would be “willing to relocate quickly if given the position.” In a May 2007 interview with The Leader, Paris said he and his wife planned to move to Tipton County “in the near future.” Ward said the city has not

required Paris to move to Mason because of the downturn in the economy. “We asked him to, but since home sales have dropped we’re not going to ask someone to take a loss on selling their home and moving to Mason,” said the mayor. “No one has a problem with that.” Noeman does, however. “He uses city cars to go back and forth between here and Bartlett,” Noeman said. “I keep SEE MASON, PAGE A1

Morris encourages early voting By TIFFANY HOLLAND tholland@covingtonleader.com Beginning last Friday, July 16, until July 31, registered voters have the opportunity to cast their ballots for the Aug. 5state primary and county general elections. Jeff Morris, administrator of elections for Tipton County, is encouraging voters to take advantage of early voting. “Local voters have come to enjoy the benefits and convenience of voting early,” administrator Morris said. “Voters can vote at their convenience and not worry about rushing to the polls on Election Day.” “In November of 2008, approximately 58 percent of the registered voters who voted in the election in Tennessee took advantage of early voting,” Secretary of State Tre Hargett said. “I expect a significant number of voters to vote early this election as well.” Tennessee Coordinator of Elections Mark Goins kicked off the first day of early voting by casting his own ballot. “Early voting is convenient and has become very popular in Tennessee,” said Goins. “I know I will be busy on Election Day, so voting early ensures my vote will be cast within my schedule. It just makes sense to vote at a time convenient SEE VOTING, PAGE A3

After a six-month fight in the War on Terrorism, soldiers with the National Guardʼs 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment returned to Tennessee this week. Soldiers with the Covington unit returned Tuesday night to a host of family, friends and neighbors. Clockwise, from top: Gavin, Amber, Ava Grace, Jonas and Ian Carter, of Atoka, await the arrival of Lt. Carter; at right, Andre Holliday, of Memphis, hugs son Brandon; bottom left: SSG Anthony Sansome of Arlington is reunited with wife Jennifer and 9-month-old daughter Alex; middle right: soldiers gather their gear after their arrival. Photos by Echo Day.

A hero’s welcome - the 278th returns By ECHO DAY eday@covingtonleader.com

Inmates spread mulch at Project Play Friday morning. Work dates for the next rebuild are July 30-Aug. 1. Photo by Echo Day

New Project Play work dates announced By ECHO DAY eday@covingtonleader.com

COVINGTON – All facets of the community are coming together to make the Project Play rebuilding effort a success – including Tipton County inmates. Last week, as part of the sheriff’s inmate labor program, trustees from the correctional facility worked in blazing temperatures to spread mulch around the base of the playground equipment. “I called Mayor Gordon and volunteered inmate labor to help expedite the project,” said Sheriff J.T. “Pancho” Chumley on Friday. “This is no cost to taxpayers.” Organizers say they are happy with the inmates’ work. “We’re pleased with how much they’ve gotten done,” said Lee Johnston. “They’ve really been working hard.” Johnston said total community involvement is important in the rebuilding effort. SEE DATES, PAGE A3

COVINGTON – It was a hero’s welcome for more than 100 members of the National Guard’s 278th Armored Calvary Regiment who returned to friends and family in Tipton County Tuesday night. After a six-month fight in the Middle East, the unit was one of 10 to return to Tennessee this week. With her 7-month-old daughter and three sons in tow, Atoka resident Amber Carter was eager to see her husband Tuesday. “It’s been very hectic, to say the least, since he’s been gone,” she said. “I had a newborn and all three

boys are involved in sports.” Daughter Ava Grace was born this winter while the unit was at Camp Shelby, Miss. preparing to be deployed. The unit left Tipton County in January and was expected to be deployed for a year. The Knoxville-based regiment of approximately 3,400 is coming home six months earlier than expected, and all of its units are scheduled to be back in Tennessee by the end of August. Though Amber said she was excited, she admitted to not getting her hopes up at the earlierthan-expected return. “I wasn’t going to hold my breath because things could change,” she

said. “I wasn’t going to get very excited until they were on a plane from Iraq and headed to Kuwait.” The group arrived in Smyrna Tuesday afternoon, but not soon enough for Claudia Washington, the wife of 1SG Benjamin Bridges of Memphis. “I’ve been kinda lonesome, especially at night,” she said. “And the dogs miss him, too.” The couple is the proud parents of two children and proud grandparents of two grandsons, who made the trip to Covington to welcome their grandfather home. “We’re all overjoyed,” she said. “And we’re blessed because they all came home, just like they left.”

Atoka man witnesses deadly pit bull attack By ECHO DAY eday@covingtonleader.com MEMPHIS – It started as just another day at work for Joseph Gaines, a local truck driver for a hazardous materials disposal company. He was at a Memphis business near Poplar

Avenue when tragedy struck. “I was pulling liquid out of a tank and could hear one of the guys who worked there yelling,” Gaines, 27, of Atoka, said. “My truck was loud and he was even louder.” Once he was finished, Gaines turned the truck

off and the man was still yelling, but now holding a metal pole in his hand. That’s when he saw the dogs. “They’d been running around in a field the whole morning,” he said. The dogs - two pit bulls - were attacking 71-year-

old William Parker. “I saw the girl with her dad,” he said. “Me and the other guy walked over there to help fight the dogs off.” Paramedics were already on the scene and trying to tend to Parker when Gaines and the SEE ATTACK, 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

Trinity Baptist Church Turn A7forfordetails details Turn to to Page Page A7

7/24/ 6:30 p.m. Colgate Country Showdown

7/21/10 5:46:01 PM


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