CARDINALS BID FAREWELL TO SENIORS, 1B
FREE TUITION BEFORE TN PROMISE, 5A
BIRCHETT
24 HOUR ROAD SERVICE
DIESEL REPAIR 626 Mulberry Ave • Selmer, TN 38375 ANNUAL VEHICLE INSPECTION
$75.00
731-646-2589 AFTER HOURS: 731-610-3412 Volume 111, Number 41, Wednesday, February 26, 2014
95
100
5
75
1
50
25
95
75
100
5
1
50
25
95
75
100
5
50
1
25
95
100
5
75
1
50
Turn pages, Save money 25
Independent Appeal Making McNairy County headlines for more than 111 years
SHOP:
www.independentappeal.com 50¢
DRIVE TO 55
Will Tennessee Promise lead to a brighter future?
Ambitious plan sets goal to increase state’s college grads by 74 percent By Christen Coulon Managing Editor
Last month, Gov. Bill Haslam announced the Tennessee Promise during his fourth annual State of the State address before the General Assembly. The plan involves the state providing all Tennessee high school graduates with funding to attend a community college or Tennessee College of Applied Technology free of tuition and fees beginning in 2015. Under the governor’s plan, the state would issue nearly 500,000 additional degrees in the next 10 years, bringing the number of adult Tennesseans with a postsecondary degree to 55 percent or greater by 2025. Currently, only about 29.5 percent of Tennesseans and only 19.1 percent of county residents hold a two-year degree or higher. (The average for all U.S. residents is 34.6 percent.) If the plan is successful, it has the potential to drastically alter the economic landscape of Tennessee. It could also alter the jobforce in McNairy County in an unimaginable way; increasing the number of adult county residents with a post secondary degree nearly three fold from 2,690 to 7,435.
INSIDE THIS WEEK
While the specifics of final plan are somewhat unclear because the legislature could change wording and funding levels before approving the bill, the promise would appear to cover students attending the University of Tennessee Martin/Selmer campus, as long as they were initially enrolled to receive a twoyear degree. Under the specifics of the governor’s plan, the state would divert excess funds from the Lottery Scholarship program into a last-dollar scholarship to bridge the funding gap for students after all other financial aid is applied. To help ensure these students success, the governor’s plan also provides for a mentor for each student in the program. Using statistics cited by the state, students who have been offered a last-dollar scholarship and individual guidance, similar to the mentor program the governor has envisioned, have a more than 20 percent greater chance of attending college. Tennessee Promise will require approximately 5,000 volunteer mentors from across the state. To be eligible, all recipients must first apply for a Free Application for Federal Student Aid, work with an assigned mentor, attend college orientation, maintain satisfactory grades, and
See DRIVE TO 55, 3A
2013 Figures Tennessee in 2025?
RIDING FOR THE CHILDREN Sheriff’s Dept. hosts ride for Carl Perkin’s Center PAGE 10A
IA Graphic by Drew Wheeler
Meet Bethel’s new Police Dept.
Alleged burglar captured By Jeff Whitten Head News Writer
CATS FALL IN REGION McNairy Central knocked out of regional tourney PAGE 1B
CAT IN THE HAT COMES TO SELMER AiM production opens to public this weekend PAGE 4A
Staff Photo by Jeff Whitten
Bethel Springs Mayor Kay Cox poses with her town’s newest police officers, Sgt. Bob Pipkins and Patrolman Chris Williams at the Bethel City Hall last Wednesday. The Bethel board voted in a rescheduled regular meeting on Feb. 18 to reinstate their Police Department with part-time officers. Pipkins also works as a sergeant with the Selmer Police Department, and Williams works as a deputy at the McNairy County Sheriff’s Department. In the only other piece of new business at the meeting, the Bethel Springs Board voted to move remaining Bridge Account money along with a growing beer tax fund to the town’s street account. After moving the funds, the town now has an additional $11,223.90 for street repair and maintenance. The Bethel Board will next meet for a special called meeting on March 3 and again one week later for their regular meeting on March 10.
Selmer police arrested a man wanted in connection with an aggravated burglary in Hardin County and on warrants in Madision County Feb. 13. According to a report by Officer Matt Rickman, dispatch advised him to be on the look out for a green Ford Fusion occupied by two African American males. Police Chief Neal Burks located the vehicle on Highway 45 North near Industrial Park Drive and conducted a traffic stop. Rickman arrived on the scene and identified the driver as Levante Reid, of 550 Old Hickory Blvd, Jackson, Tenn. Reid did not have a driver’s license, so Rickman ran him by name and date of birth. Dispatch indicated that Reid’s license was suspended by the state on Oct. 26, 2013 for failure to pay child support. There were also failure to satisfy and failure to appear warrants on Levante in Madison County. Rickman placed Levante under arrest for driving on a suspended license and on the warrants. Upon inventory of the vehicle, items that Hardin County authorities had listed as stolen were found in the vehicle, and the vehicle was seized.
z Opinion 6A z Obituaries 7A z Events 7A z Courtroom 9B z Community 8A z Lifestyles 8A z Sports 1B z Campus 5B z Classifieds 7B Wed - 35/23 Sunny
Jones Nissan is proud to be the Home of the 20 Year / 250,000 Mile Power Train Warranty! Call Today for Details!
Thu - 49/26 Sunny
Fri - 49/35 Showers
Sat - 48/30 Mostly Sunny
JONES NISSAN
Sun - 49/37 Rain
Follow us on Facebook © 2014 Independent Appeal
New 2014 Nissan Pathfinder S
3rd Row Seat, Keyless Entry
1260 Wayne Road • Savannah, TN 38372
(731) 925-0367
www.jonesmotorcompany.com
MSRP $29,910 JMC Disc - $2,935 Rebate - $1,500 NMAC Rebate -$500
24,975
$
All prices include all manufacturer rebates.TN Salex tax not included in price, $389 CSF included.
Stock # 21383