INDEPENDENT APPEAL: 1902-2013 PROUDLY SERVING MCNAIRY COUNTY FOR MORE THAN 111 YEARS
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Independent Appeal
2013 Graduation Special In next week’s Independent Appeal, we salute McNairy County’s High School Graduates. Get complete coverage of the AHS and MCHS ceremonies, see photos of this year’s graduates, view lists of the county’s top students and more.
Making McNairy County headlines for more than 111 years
Volume 111, Number 01, Wednesday, May 22, 2013
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Sunday night drug bust
INSIDE THIS WEEK
Deputy seizes 34 grams of substance believed to be cocaine By Christen Coulon Managing Editor
McNairy County Sheriff’s Deputy Zach Bay discovered more than 34 grams of what is believed to be cocaine along with a small amount of marijuana following a traffic stop on Highway 45 south of Selmer last Sunday. At approximately 11:38 p.m. Bay received a tip that Blakely C. Stackens of Selmer, who was wanted on several active warrants, would be traveling on Highway 45. Based on the tip, Bay stopped the vehicle he believed to be carrying Stackens near Pappy
OFFICERS HONORED AT PUSSER FEST Top Officers, fallen heroes recognized at festival
PAGE 2A
STACKENS
See DRUG BUST, 4A
Who killed adult education?
Resident accuses Bethel Officer of Simple Assault By Christen Coulon
Discovering architect behind cuts proves elusive
Managing Editor
By Jeff Whitten
A Bethel Springs resident is accusing the town’s newest police officer of assault following a verbal altercation at the Bethel Monument Company on May 6. According to the incident report filed by Deputy Joshua Gilbert of the McNairy County Sheriff’s Department, Officer Benny Jennings is accused of approaching Manfred Steinhagen in a threatening manner. Steinhagen said that he could not recall what Jennings said, but he said that Jennings’ posture and tone made him feel threatened at the time. “I saw Manny at the Bethel Springs Monument (Company) I told him to stop talking about me, and I left,” Jennings said in his statement on the incident report. A witness at the scene, Bobby Jones, told officers that Jennings told Steinhagen, “To quit telling lies on him and then he left.” While no physical contact was reported to officers, Tennes-
Head News Writer
The short answer is that the changes to the adult education program were consistent with a general vision of Gov. Bill Haslam, but discovering the architect behind the detailed changes has proved elusive. “The new direction given us by the Governor is to become more efficient and effective, and we will do that without interrupting or decreasing the level of service to our students,” Marva Doremus, Administrator of the Adult Education Division of the
See ADULT EDUCATION, 5A
How much does a GED cost?
SPRING SPORTS WRAP-UP Highlights, standouts, stats from the spring season PAGE 1B
State
Expenditures
GEDs
Cost/GED
Miss. Tenn. Mo. Va. Ala. Ky. Ark. N.C.
$2 million $3.9 million $5.4 million $3.9 million $11 million $20.2 million $17.5 million $72.6 million
7,530 9,159 10,334 4,281 8,460 9,783 6,596 13,162
$266 $426 $522 $911 $1,300 $2,065 $2,653 $5,516
Photo Submitted by the McNairy County Sheriff’s Department
A McNairy County deputy seized more than 34 grams of a substance believed to be cocaine in a Sunday night drug bust on Highway 45 south of Selmer.
see law defines assault as intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly causing bodily injury to someone; intentionally or knowingly causing another to reasonably fear imminent injury; or intentionally or knowingly causing physical contact with someone that they would regard as offensive or provocative. Bethel’s Mayor Kay Cox said that no disciplinary actions have been taken against Jennings at this time. Jennings, who was hired by Bethel Springs a few weeks ago, is training under outgoing Bethel Police Chief T.E. “Pee-Wee” Sowell, who is currently on vacation. Cox said that to her knowledge, Jennings has not faced similar charges in the past, and she said that the town would have to file a background check to confirm this; however, she said that check would have to be submitted by Sowell when he returned. The McNairy County Circuit Court Clerk’s Office has confirmed that a court date for Jennings has been set for this Thursday.
Finger accident takes life of Bethel Springs man ORGANIC FARMING AT ROSE CREEK Ray Tyler demonstrates organic farming techniques PAGE 5A
Independent Appeal Our offices will be closed Friday, May 24 in celebration of the Memorial Day holiday. We will be open during our regularly scheduled hours on Monday, May 27 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. with deadline at noon.
Staff Photo by Jeff Whitten
A Bethel Springs man, William B. Clayton, 36, was killed in a one-car accident in Finger last Friday. According to a Tennessee Highway fatality report by Trooper Jason Kirk, Clayton was driving a white 1998 Toyota Tacoma pickup south on Highway 199. While he was negotiating a right hand curve, he veered off the right side of the road and struck a bridge abutment near Center Hill Road. The passenger compartment split from the chassis of the pickup, and Clayton was ejected from the vehicle. According to the report, Clayton was apparently not wearing his seat belt.
z Opinion 6A z Obituaries 7A z Events 7A z Lifestyles 8A z Community 9A z Courtroom 9A z Sports 1B z Campus 5B z Classifieds 6B Wed - 81/61 Scattered T-Storms
Thu - 79/55 Partly Cloudy
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2013 Nissan Pathfinder S Stock # 20738