The Leader, 03-10-11

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THE LEADER

COVINGTONLEADER.COM ‫ ڰ‬THURSDAY, MAR. 10, 2011 ‫ ڰ‬VO L . 1 2 6 , N O. 1 8 ‫ ڰ‬T H E VO I C E O F TIPTON COUNTY S I N C E 1 8 8 6 ‫ڰ‬

Design discussion

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WALKER MURDERS

Officials, public discuss future I-69 By TYLER LINDSEY tlindsey@covingtonleader.com On Tuesday evening, a public meeting was held at the Chamber Center on Covington’s Court Square to discuss the Interstate 69 project. Representatives from Tennessee Department of Transportation as well as from Palmer Engineering provided information about the project while summarizing the project’s design as it relates to Tipton County citizens. Issues were particularly discussed with respect to citizens who will be directly affected by the construction of I-69 by regarding relocation assistance procedures and a right-of-way study. The overall goal for I-69 is to improve both international and interstate travel of freight and people. By doing this, the state government hopes to enhance outlying and connecting local transportation systems and facilitate economic growth and development. TDOT reported that some existing facilities will be upgraded and will be used as I-69, directly connecting urban areas along the corridor. The I-69 Corridor Project as a whole is separated into different sections. The area discussed on Tuesday night was Section 5 which will run from Leigh’s Chapel Road at Highway 51 to Highway 59 at the area of Dawson Road and Clowes Road. The TDOT project manager of Section 5, Steve Chipman, explained the project’s overall design. The proposed road will consist of two travel lanes in each direction divided by a median. Bride and Leigh’s Chapel Road will bridge over I-69 while dual bridges will be constructed over Ervin Lane. An interchange will be constructed SEE DESIGN, PAGE A3

HOOPS AND HOPE

Grizzlies, Kroger support Relay for Life event By ECHO DAY eday@covingtonleader.com With less than two months before the big event, Relay for Life of Tipton County is kicking its fundraising into high-gear. Walkers will go around the clock in the battle against cancer when the American Cancer Society Relay for Life of Tipton County gets underway with teams of residents gathering at CobbParr Park at 6 p.m. on Friday, May 6. Relay for Life events are held overnight as individuals and teams camp out at the park with the goal of keeping at least one team member on the track or pathway at all times throughout the evening. Teams do most of their fundraising prior to the event, but some teams also hold creative fundraisers at their campsites during Relay. The annual event brings together friends, families, businesses, hospitals, schools, faith-based groups, people from all walks of life aimed at furthering the American Cancer Society’s efforts to save lives by helping people stay well, by helping them get well, by finding cures and by fighting back. “Relay is a unique opportunity for our community to come together to celebrate people who have battled cancer, remember those we’ve lost and fight back against the disease,” said event chair Heather Ziegler, whose son Roman battled Hodgkins Lymphoma. “Many of the participants are cancer survivors, which serves as a reminder that Tipton County is not immune to this disease. By participating in SEE RELAY, PAGE A3

COMPETENT Jacob “Paco” Brown, the 16-year-old who confessed to killing James and Bertha Walker in January, was ruled mentally competent to stand trial Thursday, March 3. He will be tried as an adult in Tipton County Circuit Court. Photo by Christy Scott

‘I just didn’t stop’ New details revealed in Walker murders

By ECHO DAY eday@covingtonleader.com

D

isturbing new details regarding the murder of an elderly couple were released in court March 3 during a transfer hearing for confessed killer Jacob “Paco” Brown. Court proceedings to determine Brown’s eligibility to be tried as an adult revealed not only that the 16-year-old is mentally competent to stand trial but also the events surrounding the deaths of James and Bertha Walker. According to testimony from Tennessee Bureau of Investigations Special Agent Mark Reynolds, Brown initially claimed no involvement in the gruesome double murder. However, once he was informed the TBI could possibly collect forensic evidence from a hotel room in which Brown was staying, he changed his statement. “We discussed forensics,” Reynolds said. “He dropped his head and his whole body language. I told him, ‘It’s going to be okay,’ and he said, ‘It’s not going to be okay; I did this.’” Reading Brown’s statement, Reynolds testified Brown said he’d left Munford High School during lunch, walking past Centennial Park, Helen Crigger Cemetery on Beaver, to the skate park near Poplar Park and then to Wylie Drive, the home of both the Walker and Locke families. Brown told Reynolds he sat outside the home of his friend Scott Locke – located directly across the street from the Walkers – for awhile, then asked to use the bathroom at the Walker residence. James Walker allegedly asked Brown if he was locked out of the house, Reynolds said, and Brown became angry.

BOOKED Though he will be tried as an adult, Jacob “Paco” Brown, 16, will be housed in a facility in Shelby County specialized in caring for juveniles whose cases have been transferred to circuit court.

SEE BROWN, PAGE A3

Reader’s Guide

EDUCATION

Board announces top seniors By ECHO DAY eday@covingtonleader.com The Tipton County Board of Education this week announced the Class of 2011’s top 10 students from area high schools. Of these 30 students, none has a grade point average lower than 3.8 – and in Brighton, only .075 points separated first and tenth places. Nine students listed have perfect 4.0 GPAs. Scoring

from the ACT test is what ultimately determined ranking in many cases. Brighton High School 1. Matthew James Bentley – 4.0, ACT 34, son of Timm and Donna Bentley of Brighton 2. Brooke Genevieve Bierdz – 4.0, ACT 33, daughter of Shawn and Yvonne Bierdz of Millington 3. Charity Lee Dunn – 4.0, ACT 33, daughter of Cliff and Joanne Dunn of

Brighton 4. Aimee Korin Rovane – 4.0, ACT 31, daughter of Paul and Kim Rovane of Atoka 5. Ashley Caitlyn Pearson – 3.964, ACT 27, daughter of Larry and Laura Pearson of Atoka 6. Ginger Anteedum Guin – 3.962, ACT 29, daughter of James Guin of Munford 7. Jonathan Eli Hawkins – 3.960, ACT 30, son of Conrad and Sylvia

TODAY’S WEATHER Partly sunny. High, 50. Low, 33. INSIDE Opinion Faith Obituaries Events Education

A4 A6 A8 A8 B9

Lifestyles B1 Sports A9 Outdoors A10 Classifieds A12 Puzzles A11

TOWN HALL MEETING Rep. Barrett Rich will host a town hall meeting at Munford City Hall on Friday, March 11 at 9 a.m. HOW TO REACH US Call 901.476.7116 Email news@covingtonleader.com Visit us at 2001 Hwy. 51 South, Covington, TN 38019

SEE SENIORS, PAGE A2

Area events

AREA EVENTS

This featured church: Thisweek’s week’s Featured Church: Covington • Barretville • Millington • Collierville South Tipton • South Covington Mortgage Offices: South Tipton • Millington • South Covington • Collierville

FRONT.indd 1

Leighs Chapel U.M.C Turn to Page A7 for details Turn to Page A7 for details

3/17/11 – 3/20/11 “The Froggie Princess” by R. Eugene Jackson Ruffin Theatre Court Square Covington

3/9/11 5:10:49 PM


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