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Water storage tank fee approved by city council By DONNA RYDER
Associate Editor
Union City residents who wish to listen to the proceedings or voice any concerns at the Union City Council should be at the meetings early.
Published in The Messenger 2.4.10 Read More ... Donna Ryder Messenger Associate Editor |
House faces tough vote on $1.9T more debt From AP, staff reports
WASHINGTON — Fa-cing a politically excruciating vote, House Democratic leaders are counting on new budget deficit curbs to help smooth the way for a bill allowing the government to go $1.9 trillion deeper into debt over the next year — or about $6,000 more for every U.S. resident.
Published in The Messenger 2.4.10 Read More ... AP, staff reports |
First-time jobless claims rise By CHRIS RUGABER
AP Economics Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of newly laid-off workers filing initial claims for jobless benefits rose unexpectedly last week, evidence that layoffs are continuing and jobs remain scarce.
Published in The Messenger 2.4.10 Read More ... AP |
House agrees to $1.9T more debt By ANDREW TAYLOR
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) — The House on Thursday voted to allow the government to go $1.9 trillion deeper in debt — an increase of about $6,000 more for every U.S. resident that provided a vivid election-year reminder of the nation’s perilous financial condition. Read More ...
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 Matthew Edmaiston |
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| Union City seventh-grader calmly has a winning spell By CHRIS MENEES
Staff Reporter
Union City Middle School seventh-grader Matthew Edmaiston didn’t get hysterical.
He just calmly stepped to the microphone and spelled his final word, “hysterical,” to claim the championship in the annual Obion County Spelling Bee Thursday afternoon at the Union City Municipal Building. Read More ...
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County fair wins two state awards The Obion County Fair was recently recognized on the state level.
The local fair won first runner-up in Division AA behind Lincoln County Fair in Fayetteville for its 2009 edition. It also placed third for its Web site. Read More ...
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 Matthew Clark |
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| UC man thankful for a new heart Matthew Clark, 51, had a broken heart.
In 2008, he began experiencing breathing problems while attending a college football game with friends. After a week of tests, doctors told Clark a virus had attacked his heart and he was suffering from congestive heart failure. Read More ...
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Signing the dotted line: Local stars make college choices
By MIKE HUTCHENS
Sports Editor
The Ohio Valley Confer-ence apparently has a dir-ect pipeline into Obion County’s prep football ranks.
Four players from the county’s three high schools were set to sign scholarship papers today to continue their respective gridiron careers with OVC schools on the FCS level.
Published in The Messenger 2.3.10 Read More ... Mike Hutchens Messenger Sports Writer |
I-69 legislation hits wall of opposition from lawmakers
Here’s a novel approach to opposing a public project: Pass a law that makes it a felony for state employees to work on it.
That’s what state Rep. Matthew Hill of East Tennessee did recently when he filed a bill in the state House of Representatives that would make it a felony for state Department of Transportation employees to work on the proposed Interstate 69.
Published in The Messenger2.3.10 Read More ...
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‘Interim’ designation removed as Barnes named library director By GLENDA CAUDLE
Special Features Editor
Michele Barnes has proven herself equal to the job of managing one of Obion County’s major sources of community pride.
Recently the board of directors of the Obion County Public Library changed her status from interim to active director, effective Jan. 1, in recognition of her ability and commitment.
Published in The Messenger 2.3.10 Read More ... Glenda H. Caudle Special Features Editor |
Goodyear’s union members accept contract By SABRINA BATES
Special to The Messenger
After rejecting the first tentative agreement two weeks ago, USW Local 878 and Goodyear-Union City officials went back to the bargaining table and composed a new contract that was accepted by union members last week.
Published in The Messenger 2.3.10 Read More ... Sabrina Bates, Special to the Messenger |
Grand jury indicts 3 on murder charges By CHRIS MENEES
Staff Reporter
Three local men have been indicted by a grand jury on charges stemming from the October 2009 beating death of a South Fulton man.
Published in The Messenger 2.3.10 Read More ... Chris Menees Messenger Staff Reporter |
Gates demurs on question of New York terrorism trial WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Robert Gates declined to say today whether he thinks it’s appropriate to try self-proclaimed Sept. 11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed in a New York civilian court, not far from the site of the attack.
Prodded by Sen. John McCain to say if he agreed with Attorney General Eric Holder’s choice on prosecution strategy, Gates replied that he thought Holder was better suited than he to make that decision.
Published in The Messenger 2.2.10 Read More ... AP |

 Stig Rossen |
| ‘Les Misérables’ performer to appear at civic auditorium Best known for his per-formances in “Les Misér-ables,” Stig Rossen will perform here Saturday as part of the Community Concert Association of Union City/Obion County concert series.
The show will begin at 7:30 p.m. at Union City Civic Auditorium. Mem-berships are still available for Rossen’s performance and for the April 22 return performance of Jim Whitter. Individual tickets may also be purchased for $20 each on a first-come basis, beginning at 7 p.m.
Published in The Messenger 2.2.10 Read More ...
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Recent accidents put spotlight on Troy fire department rules By DONNA RYDER
Associate Editor
Troy’s fire department may soon have new rules to follow.
Mayor Jimmie Hart said incidents outside the city limits this week and last year have made him come to the conclusion that the fire department needs rules and regulations about who can drive the trucks. “It needs to be a trained, responsible person,” he said.
Published in The Messenger 2.2.10 Read More ... Donna Ryder Messenger Associate Editor |
Shooting death: Arraignment scheduled for Thursday By CHRIS MENEES
Staff Reporter
An Obion County teen-ager is scheduled to make an initial appearance in juvenile court Thursday in connection with the fatal shooting of his father last Thursday night.
Published in The Messenger 2.2.10 Read More ... Chris Menees Messenger Staff Reporter |
Bredesen says to use reserves to take edge off Tennessee cuts By LUCAS JOHNSON II
Associated Press Writer
NASHVILLE (AP) — Gov. Phil Bredesen said Monday night he plans to use the state’s reserves to spare some state jobs and key services but he stressed that painful cuts will be unavoidable and hundreds of state employees may be laid off.
Published in The Messenger 2.2.10 Read More ... AP |
Teenager dies after sledding underneath car KNOXVILLE (AP) — A Knoxville teenager has been killed while sledding.
Knoxville police said in a news release 15-year-old Aaron May slid under a car Sunday afternoon and was dragged for a short distance.
Published in The Messenger 2.1.10 Read More ... AP |
Snow blankets area, but ice stays away By JOHN BRANNON
Staff Reporter
Northwest Tennessee dodged the proverbial bullet over the weekend when a giant winter storm passed through on a northeasterly direction, blanketing the area with an average of six inches of snow.
Snow, but no ice. No freezing rain. And that’s a good thing, says Obion County Emergency Management director Danny Jowers of Kenton.
Published in The Messenger 2.1.10 Read More ... John Brannon Messenger Staff Reporter |
Police: Enjoy Super Bowl, but be careful
Fans don’t let fans drive drunk.
That’s the message Union City police will be sending when they team up with the National Football League, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and other state and local highway safety and law enforcement officials to remind everyone to designate a sober driver if they plan to drink alcohol on Super Bowl Sunday.
Published in The Messenger 2.1.10 Read More ...
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Investigation into shooting continues By CHRIS MENEES
Staff Reporter
The investigation is con-tinuing and charges are being pursued in juvenile court following a shooting in which an Obion County man was fatally shot by his teenage son.
published in The Messenger 2.1.10 Read More ... By CHRIS MENEES |
Menu labeling veto rejected By ERIK SCHELZIG
Associated Press Writer
NASHVILLE (AP) — The Senate on Thursday voted to override Democratic Gov. Phil Bredesen’s veto of a bill to limit who can establish requirements for calorie counts to be posted on restaurant menus. Read More ...
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Local students collect Health Kits for Haiti By CHRIS MENEES
Staff Reporter
Students at Lake Road Elementary School are taking a hands-on approach in learning Character Counts.
This week, they have been collecting items for Health Kits for Haiti — which will be shipped out next week to help victims of the recent earthquake in the Caribbean country.
Published in The Messenger 1.28.,10 Read More ... Chris Menees Messenger Staff Reporter |
Ferry closed by high water, possibly until next week The Dorena-Hickman Ferry is closed again due to high water on the Mississippi River.
The ferry halted operations about 11 a.m. Wednesday when floodwaters interfered with docking and loading of vehicles at the Kentucky landing at Hickman (Ky.) Harbor.
Published in The Messenger 1.28.10 Read More ...
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Sheriff: Meth use, arrests on the rise in Obion County, northwest Tennessee By JOHN BRANNON
Staff Reporter
Bad news from Obion County Sheriff Jerry Vastbinder: Manufacture and trafficking in methamphetamine or “meth” is back.
“Meth problems in 2009 in the county were up,” he told The Messenger. “There were six active labs that we reported and put out of business.”
Published in The Messenger 1.28.10 Read More ... John Brannon Messenger Staff Reporter |
Obion County native experiences Haiti relief efforts first-hand By DONNA RYDER
Associate Editor
On Wednesday, Dr. Kelly Mann boarded a plane for New York. It was a trip she didn’t want to make.
Dr. Mann, 30, formerly of Obion County, is a pediatrician at Mount Sinai in New York. She had just spent one week in Haiti tending to the youngest victims of the Jan. 12 earthquake and she felt her job had not been completed, according to her mother, Patty (Higgs) Mann.
Published in The Messenger 1.28.10 Read More ...
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Weather related news 1.28.10 The Union City Afterschool 4-H Club meeting set for 4 p.m. today has been canceled.
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The Obion County School Board meeting scheduled for Monday night has been postponed one week and rescheduled for Feb. 8 at 7 p.m. at Obion County Central High School. Read More ...
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Ex-marine appears in court By JOHN BRANNON
Staff Reporter
So much trouble in so short a time for a young man.
Since mid-November, James R. Stewart of Union City, formerly of Hickman, Ky., has seen authorities file a mountain of felony and misdemeanor charges against him — at least seven Class D felonies and one Class A misdemeanor — in addition to four charges of violation of the Tennessee check law and five charges of misrepresentation of military decorations.
Published in The Messenger 1.27.10 Read More ... John Brannon Messenger Staff Reporter |
Discovery Park back on track as architects, others chart course By GLENDA H. CAUDLE
Special Features Editor
They are telling their story.
And their audience is all they could hope for and more.
Members of the long-standing theme committees for Discovery Park of America have been bringing some new friends up to date on the place they call home — that place they hope to celebrate and share with guests from across the nation and even around the world. The folks eager to assist them in that adventurous project include architects, exhibit designers and exhibit builders, along with an economic resources expert who claims an impressive history of assisting small regional museums make the most of their assets.
Published in The Messenger 1.27.10 Read More ... Glenda H. Caudle Special Features Editor |
Wintry forecast sparks memories of last year’s storm
By CHRIS MENEES
Staff Reporter
It’s almost like déja vu.
Freezing rain, sleet and snow were in the forecast one year ago — when Obion County was slammed Jan. 26-27, 2009, by an ice storm that left downed trees and widespread power outages.
Wintry weather is in the forecast again today — but it doesn’t appear to be anything of the same magnitude as last year’s event.
Published in The Messenger 1.27.10 Read More ... Chris Menees Messenger Staff Reporter |
CDS benefits from telethon donations; deadline Sunday This is the final week for anyone in the community who wishes to make a donation or honor a pledge to the 53rd annual Lions Club/Local 6 Telethon of Stars — which benefits Martin-based Community Developmental Services on the local level.
The telethon was staged in November 2009 at the Luther F. Carson Four Rivers Center in downtown Paducah, Ky.
Contributions to the telethon will be accepted through Sunday.
Published in The Messenger 1.26.10 Read More ...
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Hard drives theft costs insurer $7M CHATTANOOGA (AP) — BlueCross Blue-Shield of Tennessee says the theft of computer hard drives containing personal information on hundreds of thousands of members has already cost the insurer more than $7 million.
The Chattanooga Times Free Press reports that the theft has become one of the city’s most expensive property crimes of the year.
Published in The Messenger 1.26.10 Read More ... AP |
‘Skinhead’ transferred from OC jail to Jackson
By JOHN BRANNON
Staff Reporter
One of two young men accused in a Neo-Nazi “skinhead” plot to launch a killing spree that included a plot to assassinate President Obama prior to his election was transferred Friday from the Obion County Law Enforcement Complex to federal custody in Jackson.
Published in The Messenger 1.26.10 Read More ...
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IRS deductions may be claimed People who give to charities providing earthquake relief in Haiti can claim these donations on the tax return they are completing this season, according to the Internal Revenue Service.
Published in The Messenger 1.26.10 Read More ...
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OCCHS students coming to aid of Haiti By CHRIS MENEES
Staff Reporter
Obion Countians are showing their true volunteer spirit in seeking ways to help those in need in the Caribbean country of Haiti, which was devastated by a Jan. 12 earthquake.
Several local businesses are serving as collection points for supplies, while students who are members of Obion County Central High School’s Health Occupation Students of America (HOSA) club are conducting a unique project to help the quake victims.
Published in The Messenger 1.26.10 Read More ... chris Menees Messenger Staff Reporter |
CBO projects federal deficit at $1.35 trillion
By ANDREW TAYLOR
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) — The latest congressional budget estimates out today predict a $1.35 trillion deficit for this year as the economy continues to slowly recover from the recession.
Published in The Messenger 1.26.10 Read More ... AP |
Obama to announce aid for middle class By JULIE PACE
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) — Previewing key elements of his State of the Union address, President Obama is announcing today a series of initiatives aimed at calming some of the economic fears of struggling middle class families. Read More ...
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Thousands of vets could get benefits upgrade By KIMBERLY
HEFLING
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) — The military has agreed to expedite a review the records of thousands of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans discharged with post-traumatic stress disorder to determine whether they were improperly denied benefits. Read More ...
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Inmate dies at local jail By JOHN BRANNON
Staff Reporter
An inmate death at the Obion County Law Enforcement Complex was reported today by Obion County Sheriff Jerry Vastbinder. Read More ...
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Two die in house fire Two people died in a fire over the weekend in Martin.
According to Martin Fire Chief Russell Schwahn, the adult who died in a mobile home fire Friday was 41-year-old Clyde Edgeston of Martin. Darius Edwards, 23 months, also died. There was no information on the relationship between the victims. Read More ...
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Roof work approved for SF building By CHRIS MENEES
Staff Reporter
Much-needed roof repairs will soon be made at the South Fulton Municipal Complex, where city commissioners accepted a low bid for the work during their session Thursday evening. Read More ...
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Lawmakers pass higher ed proposal By LUCAS JOHNSON II and ERIK SCHELZIG
Associated Press Writers
NASHVILLE (AP) — Lawmakers on Thursday overwhelmingly passed Gov. Phil Bredesen’s plan for overhauling the state’s higher education system in an effort to improve Tennessee’s poor college graduation rates. Read More ...
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Tennessee lawmakers near vote on higher education funding
By LUCAS JOHNSON II
Associated Press Writer
NASHVILLE (AP) — Gov. Phil Bredesen’s special session on education could wrap up this week.
A proposal to change the higher education funding formula was to go before the full Senate today and may also be taken up by the full House.
Published in The Messenger 1.21.10 Read More ... AP |
Economic report on county shared By JOHN BRANNON
Messenger Staff Reporter
The unemployment rate in Obion County is the lowest — 9.7 percent — of seven counties in northwest Tennessee.
This fact was included in an economic report by Jim Rippy, a member of the Obion County Joint Economic Development Council, to the Obion County Commission Tues-day.
Published in The Messenger 1.21.10 Read More ... John Brannon Messenger Staff Reporter |
Tornado watch in effect until 5 p.m. today ... With temperatures reaching near 62 degrees this afternoon, the National Weather Service of Memphis has issued a tornado watch for Northwest Tennessee. Counties included in the tornado watch are:
Chester, Crockett, Fayette, Haywood, Henderson, Humphreys, Madison, Perry, Weakley, Benton, Decatur, Gibson, Hardeman, Henry, Lake, Lauderdale, McNairy, Stewart, Tipton, Carroll, Dickson, Dyer, Hardin, Hickman, Houston, Lewis, Lawrence, Montgomery, Obion and Wayne.
Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms are popping up mainly over the northern sections of the Mid South. The activity is reportedly light and moving rapidly to the east-northeast.
Occasional lightning can be expected with any storms that develop. Read More ...
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Phillip Pinion not running for Congress By JOHN BRANNON
Staff Reporter
Will there be a congressman Phillip Pinion in your future? No.
The retired state legislator and Union City native son put all speculation to rest Tuesday with a formal statement to that effect.
Published in The Messenger 1.20.10 Read More ... John Brannon Messenger Staff Reporter |
Pair of UC men face church burglary charges Two local men — including an ex-Marine who already faced charges of misrepresentation of decorations — have been charged in connection with a burglary at Sunswept Baptist Church in Union City.
Published in The Messenger 1.20.10 Read More ...
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Contract approved for school additions By CHRIS MENEES
Staff Reporter
The Obion County School Board has cleared the way for construction to begin on career technology facility additions at Obion County Central and South Fulton high schools.
Published in The Messenger 1.20.10 Read More ... Chris Menees Messenger Staff Reporter |
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