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It's the end of 2009. Though it may have gone by quickly for many of us, the year holds many stories, whether good or bad, which make us what we are today. Not everyone in Obion County was directly affected by each and every story but, in keeping with tradition, The Messenger’s news staff has compiled a list of the ones we thought the most worthy to be called our Top 10 stories of the year.
No. 1 Ice storm Some residents likened it to a war zone. Others said it looked like a tornado had struck. Obion Countians won’t soon forget the devastation of an ice storm that struck just one month into 2009, making for treacherous conditions and leaving thousands of residents without power. The Jan. 26-27 ice storm is The Messenger’s pick for the top news story of the year. A first round of icy weather resulted in downed limbs that caused widespread power outages in many areas, with temperatures hovering near the freezing mark as icy rain fell. Then, a second round of wintry precipitation slammed the area, leaving in its wake countless downed trees and power lines and leaving thousands without electricity. By 6 a.m. Jan. 28, about 12,600 of Gibson Electric Membership Corp.’s 35,000 customer-owners were without power — among them about 8,400 in Obion County, all 2,600 customers in Lake County and 1,600 in Dyer County. Damage was reported to be extensive, but employees began working virtually around-the-clock to restore service and were joined by dozens of crews from across the state. Obion County Mayor Benny McGuire signed the papers declaring a state of emergency and officials from the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency visited the county as efforts began to secure federal aid. Many communities just across the state line in western Kentucky issued declarations of emergency and implemented curfews. At least one death was linked to the storm’s aftermath, according to authorities, who reported a Union City man found in his home apparently died due to using a propane heater to heat his bedroom while the power was out, resulting in the presence of carbon monoxide. Another death of a man near Woodland Mills was listed as natural causes but with possibly some contributing factors from the weather and lack of electricity to run medical equipment. The American Red Cross responded to the area and emergency shelters were set up at several local churches and community centers. Many churches also came to local residents’ aid by offering hot meals or volunteering to clear downed limbs in the days following the storm. Local residents flocked to hardware stores for supplies — particularly hard-to-find generators, lights, batteries and chainsaws — and to motels for shelter in the storm’s aftermath. Many residents from hard-hit Fulton County, Ky., traveled to Union City for necessities such as food and fuel, which created some long lines at the gas pumps, and local restaurants and laundromats stayed busy for several days. Efforts to restore power in some isolated areas continued for several days and the cleanup of debris continued for many weeks — and even months — after the storm. And the ice storm of 2009 will likely be talked about for many years to come.
No. 2 John Tanner On the national political scene, a new administration in Washington signaled a new way of doing business, specifically the health care business. But alas, President Obama’s idea of a health care reform “package” did not resonate well with the general public. John Q. Public vented his rage at town hall-type meetings and other events nationwide. The passage of a controversial $787 billion stimulus package was also on the minds of many. Congressman John Tanner of Union City, who has represented Tennessee’s 8th Congressional District in Congress since 1988, was among those who felt the heat of public protest. In August, as Jackson conservative radio talk show host Mike Slater visited Tanner’s backyard with a challenge to the congressman to come out and meet concerned citizens, Tanner protested that he had never been officially invited to the gathering and instead traveled to Stewart County to tour the Stewart County Community Medical Center for a previously scheduled event. A crowd of about 500 citizens from the Eighth Congressional District met anyway at Union City Kiwanis Park, only a couple of blocks from Tanner’s Union City office, and shared their concerns over Tanner’s failure to set up face-to-face town hall meetings during the congressional break to hear directly from his constituents with concerns about his votes on a variety of issues facing the Congress. A week later, on Aug. 22, Tanner attended a second gathering at the park on a Saturday morning — this one organized by Jennifer Parrish of Martin, who hand-delivered an invitation to his Union City office. Tanner responded to questions from about 100 area residents who were alerted at the last moment about the meeting. Participants missed no opportunity to let the congressman know they were unhappy with the direction Washington was moving toward and were distressed over his votes on offshore drilling and support for the president’s spending packages. Also in August, he spoke to thousands of constituents over a three-day period through a live town hall-type teleconference. Some constituents used the call-in to ask about issues other than health care reform — jobs, energy exploration, veterans’ benefits and more. Ultimately, Tanner voted against the health care reform bill; however, he had voted for the controversial stimulus bill earlier in the year. Then, in a surprise move Dec. 2, Tanner announced he was retiring from office. He will remain in office through December 2010. His successor will take office in January 2011. Speaking of which, two candidates with instant name recognition have entered the fray. State Sen. Roy Herron, a Democrat from Dresden and a declared candidate for governor, changed his mind and decided to run for Congress. Former state Rep. Phillip Pinion said he is “thinking about it” and will make a formal announcement one way or the other in January 2010. On the Republican side, Brighton resident Donn Janes and Crockett County farmer and gospel singer Stephen Fincher have announced their candidacy for the seat and former Union City resident and Jackson physician Dr. Ron Kirkland has also expressed an interest.
No. 3 Goodyear Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.’s Union City associates have been busy trying to save jobs and the plant this year. Goodyear-Union City an-nounced in February that it would eliminate about 60 job positions, with both salaried and hourly associates affected. Then-manager of communications Jimmy Cagle (who later left the facility for a job elsewhere with the company) said at the time the Union City plant employed about 2,600 people. But, that number would decline by more than 500 later in the year when, in May, Goodyear offered a buyout proposal, which also included the possible closure of the plant. During the first part of the three- phase plan, up to 600 associates ages 53-55 with at least 28 years of service could accept the buyout. “This agreement was to give the Union City plant a chance to survive,” then-USW Local 878 communications director Willis Hicks said. About 550 associates accepted the agreement. Should it be needed, an additional 400 associate buyouts can be offered in phase 2. Phase 3 calls for the closure of the plant. In late May, the local plant elected to suspend its car show for 2009. Plant manager Todd Turner said, although the local car show had been operated for 22 years, their focus “must be on making the Union City plant as productive as possible.” In July, the local plant shifted to an eight-hour work schedule. The company in February provided its associates with the required 60-day notice of its intent to reduce the Union City work schedule from a seven-day continuous operating schedule to a five-day schedule. It was stated that this is in response to market challenges and the weak economy. In August, a four-year agreement between the union and Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. was met, avoiding a strike. The Union City plant was the only one in North America not protected under the company’s new four-year master contract, which was ratified locally and nationwide. At the time of passage, it was noted the local plant employed about 1,700 workers. Local union members started a campaign in August to help save the plant by asking people to write President Obama asking him to support Section 421 in regard to passenger and light truck tires, which he did. The hopes are that reducing the number of imports from China will make it necessary for North American tire companies to produce more tires. This would hopefully bring more work to the local plant. Union members also asked the Obion County Commission to encourage the purchase of Goodyear tires for all county-owned vehicles, which it did.
No. 4 Economy Economic woes hit Union City hard in 2009. After years of spending money from the reserve funds, no more could be spent and belts had to be tightened. Then-city clerk and finance director Kathy Dillon, who was named interim city manager after the retirement of long-time city manager Don Thornton, said in June that fund balances had been reduced to levels which concerned state officials. A look at the books revealed that the city was picking up the tab for garbage pick-up for churches in the city limits and that the general fund was subsidizing the service for city residents. Garbage rates were increased, as were water and sewer rates. The city’s residents also saw a 29-cent increase in the property tax rate. Throughout the budget process, all departments were asked to make cuts. Many of the departments are working at bare minimum for employees and have just enough money in their budgets to squeak through the 2009-10 fiscal year. The city council even decided to stop paying for its portion for dependent healthcare coverage, effective Jan. 1, 2010. Despite seeking all possible avenues, the number of city employees had to be decreased. While some employees left through retirement or for other jobs and some positions which were empty were eliminated, two firefighters’ jobs were still on the chopping block and the fire department had to close its Station No. 3.
No. 5 Fire protection Outdated equipment, worn- out turnout gear and fire hoses from the 1970s. These are just a few of the reasons local volunteer fire departments are trying to get Obion County to fund county-wide fire service. This is not a new topic, as firefighters have been trying to get the county commission to respond to requests for some 20 years. In 2009, things finally came to a head. Troy’s mayor and board of aldermen set a June 30 date for the county commission to respond with funding or at least a plan for funding. After that, if there was no progress on the matter, they said they would no longer allow the city taxpayer-funded fire department to respond outside the city limits. Other municipalities followed Troy’s lead, which caused county commissioners to have to start addressing the issue. Public meetings were held and committees were formed. Residents and elected officials from cities and the county had their say. The county commission decided not to fund the fire departments from county funds, but agreed to administer a subscription-based program, something the municipal fire departments did not want. A county-funded plan would mean everyone is covered, no matter what. A subscription-based plan means only those property owners who have paid their fees will receive fire service, unless there is a life at stake. With at least some progress, the volunteer fire departments continue to respond to calls. Troy and Rives set specific boundaries for their towns to cover after being called to respond to homes which are in the Union City coverage area and whose homeowners did not have fire subscriptions through Union City. The year 2010 starts as a waiting game on the county-wide fire protection plan. At the end of 2009, a tentative proposal was drawn up, but officials from both the Municipal Technical Advisory Service and County Technical Assistance Service were asked to look at it before municipal governments voted on it.
No. 6 Discovery Park On July 8, the Kirkland Foun-dation announced the termination of its contract with Douglas Cardinal Architects for the design of the 50-acre, multi-million dollar Discovery Park of America. Robert Kirkland, the visionary and principal benefactor of DPA, along with his wife, Jenny, assured the community plans for the project would continue and a new architect, with entirely new plans, would be brought on board as soon as possible. The announcement came almost a year to the day after ground was broken in early July 2008 for the project just south of the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. plant and west of Union City Second Baptist Church, between Everett Boulevard and the future Interstate 69. Some of the ground work for Canadian Douglas Cardinal’s plans had already been completed when the foundation announced that problems with the prominent but controversial architect had made the termination necessary. Kirkland said he expected the work of new architects to be as attractive and compelling as the groundbreaking work Cardinal had proposed. In September, Kirkland and members of the foundation board, along with representatives of the botanical garden and Yesteryear Village planning committees, met with Greg Hnedak, principal of Hnedak Bobo Group from Memphis. It was announced that the DPA project would proceed with two architectural components — one for the grounds and village and one for the flagship Discovery Center building, which will function as a museum. Hnedak was accompanied by representatives of his own firm — including former Obion County resident and Obion County Central High School graduate Barry Marshall, who will be project manager/principal planner for all aspects of the project except Discovery Center — and a team of several other standout planners, designers and architects from across the nation. At the same time, it was noted that the foundation was proceeding to narrow the list of Discovery Center architects and hoped to announce that selection soon. However, as 2009 draws to a close, no additional announcements have been forthcoming, except to say that the list has been narrowed to fewer than a half dozen architectural contenders and the Kirklands intend to continue with their plans. The Hnedak team, meanwhile, returned to Union City later in September and showcased several possible concepts for the DPA grounds. The botanical gardens and Yesteryear Village representatives, Kirkland and foundation representatives narrowed their selection and then spent time prioritizing the various components of the plan they had selected. The Hnedak team is expected to present detailed drawings for the first work to be done on the grounds soon, a spokesman has said, and actual work will get under way soon thereafter.
No. 7 Capital improvements “You’ll not see a new spillway at Reelfoot Lake. Not in our lifetimes.” How many times have you heard that said? And yet, the state Department of Transportation and its construction contractors are quietly plodding along, changing the face of things at Reelfoot Lake, clearing a large tract of land in preparation for construction to start. TDOT contractors will build not one but two new structures — a bridge and a spillway — to replace the old bridge/spillway structure built in the 1930s. Target date for completion of the project is Sept. 30, 2012. Estimated cost of construction: $24 million. Coffey Construction Co. of Hickman, Ky., is the current contractor. Another site of capital improvements is Everett-Stewart Regional Airport where, at long last, an agreement was reached this year by private land owners and local government to acquire 65 acres of land on the south end of the airport runway. Acquisition of the acreage means the airport commission can proceed with extending the runway from 5,000 to 6,500 feet, thereby enabling it to receive corporate aircraft. Airport manager Jo Ann Speer explains the funding. “We have received a letter from (state Department of Transportation) Commissioner Gerald Nicely stating that our request for funding for the runway extension has been approved,” she said. A grant totaling $3,261,502 has been approved. Local government will contribute $287,572 in matching funds. “We expect construction to start about April 1,” Mrs. Speer said.
No. 8 Serial rapist It all started in the summer with a series of home invasion rapes in Martin. It ended Dec. 10 when alleged serial rapist Bruce Tuck of Gleason entered a guilty plea in Weakley County Circuit Court. Tuck, 36, entered pleas to charges that include six counts of aggravated rape, aggravated burglary and five counts of aggravated kidnapping. He was sentenced to a total of 60 years in prison — with 100 percent of the time to be served and with no possibility of parole. Tuck was arrested Sept. 2 at his parents’ home in Gleason after DNA evidence linked him to an Aug. 30 sexual assault on Raven Street in Martin, where he was accused of holding three people at gunpoint and raping a University of Tennessee at Martin student. Other home invasion sexual assaults had also been reported in Martin and in Shelby County throughout the summer months, placing women throughout the area on high alert. Those cases prompted a massive search by Martin, Weakley County and Shelby County law enforcement agencies, as well as the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, for a suspect described as having a pot belly and wearing a mask. During the execution of a search warrant at a rental storage unit that reportedly had ties to Tuck, investigators allegedly found a mask similar to the one used during the attacks. Twelve felony charges were initially levied against Tuck for the Aug. 30 incident on Raven Street in Martin. During a special session by the Weakley County grand jury Nov. 2, he was indicted on 10 additional felony counts that stemmed from two other home invasion sexual assaults in Martin during the summer. Since entering the guilty plea, Tuck has been transferred to a state prison in Nashville to begin serving his sentence. Shelby County authorities still have a hold on him as they investigate the cases there.
No. 9 Students on the move Students had moving on their minds in 2009. In February, Union City Rotary Club announced that anonymous donors working through the club would make it possible for eight junior students from Union City High School and two school-affiliated chaperones to travel to Europe (England, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzerland and France) on an all-expense-paid 12-day trip. Encouraged by the success of the first trip, Rotary Club quickly announced plans for a second trip and put the trip planning committee to work again. This time, funds were provided for 10 students and two chaperones, with the two additional students to be selected from applicants from Obion County Central High School in Troy and South Fulton High School. They will depart Union City June 15 for an all-expense paid two-week trip to London; Paris; Lucerne, Switzerland; Venice, Italy; and Rome. Rotary Club hopes to make the trip for students who are just completing their junior year an ongoing experience for students fortunate enough to live and learn in Obion County. In addition to the free Rotary trip, UCHS band students and a large contingent of parents and band friends also traveled to Hawaii during spring break 2009 to perform a concert at the Arizona Memorial and enjoy several days of sightseeing and entertainment. The trip was the popular quadrennial adventure undertaken by the UCHS band program. Students earned the money for their cross-continent visit themselves through a variety of fund raisers staged since the last trip undertaken by the group. Union City Rotary Club was back in the spotlight in May with the annual announcement of students selected to benefit from the Rotary Club Scholarship program, which allows students to expand their horizons through generous college scholarships and thus “travel” through education. For 2009, Rotary Club provided $310,500 in assistance to students who were graduating from UCHS, OCCHS or SFHS or who had previously graduated from one of those schools and were pursuing degrees at accredited colleges, universities and technical schools. Since 1982, the local club has awarded more than $3.5 million dollars to more than 2,290 students. Also highlighted in “moving” schools stories was the news that back-to-back groundbreakings for career technology centers at both OCCHS and SFHS were staged Oct. 21. Once the facilities are complete, students from those campuses can take advantage of technology classes at convenient local sites instead of having to travel to Union City, where the technology center has been located for several years.
No. 10 Military exercise The Messenger’s final Top 10 pick was right on target. On Sept. 30, soldiers from the U.S. Army’s highly-respected Fort Campbell-based 101st Airborne Division took Troy by storm when they converged on the town for a rare off-base training mission that captured the community’s attention and commanded its respect. The impressive assault exercise — dubbed Operation Diomedes, a nod to a leader of the Greeks in the Trojan War — brought to town about 150 soldiers, a convoy of military support vehicles and 18 helicopters that included Blackhawks, Kiowa Warriors and Apache gunships. Throughout the day, helicopters zipped over Troy and soldiers on the ground completed their tasks and then happily mingled with residents. Local residents had front-row seats to the exercise, courtesy of designated viewing areas at landing sites at Troy’s industrial park, Troy First Baptist Church, Troy’s Trojan Park and Hoyt Sampson’s farm in Troy, where simulated combat operations were conducted. They were followed by a simulated medevac landing at Hillcrest Elementary School’s football field. When all was said and done, the soldiers had successfully completed their objective: to capture a “high value target” named “Haji” — portrayed by Ricky Dugger of Troy, whose family has enjoyed a special relationship with the soldiers for the past several years. Honorable Mentions Though not making the Top 10 list for 2009, several stories did make the list for consideration. Local comings and goings: An era in local jurisprudence ended and another began July 1 when attorney Jimmy Smith of Hornbeak took a formal oath of office and became Obion County General Sessions judge. Smith, 55, succeeded Raymond Morris of Union City, who had been General Sessions judge since 1979. In a memorable moment at the Obion County Courthouse, Morris administered the oath of office to Smith. Also on the local scene, city manager Don Thornton was the go-to man at Union City City Hall for 34 years. On June 30, he called it quits and tossed in the proverbial towel, leaving a big pair of shoes to fill. City clerk and financial director Kathy Dillon is doing just that, having moved up to fill the position of city manager while a search is under way for a permanent successor. Farmers were hit hard in May when more than four inches of rain fell on the first day of the month, followed by rain nearly every day through the middle of the month. Almost 10 inches of rain fell in May alone. Tim Smith, director of the Obion County office for the University of Tennessee Extension Service, said at the time about two-thirds of the 2009 corn crop in Obion County could be lost, having a $5 million impact on the local economy. Obion County-owned property was a sore spot for Union City residents who had to live next to the property that wasn’t being properly cared for. Union City councilman Dianne Eskew brought the matter up continually during council meetings in 2009 and finally issued a statement to the public during a meeting that the city’s hands were tied. After the statement and a story which was published by The Messenger about one of the houses, county commissioner Dwayne Hensley appeared before the council stating he was 100 percent behind the council and was trying to get the matter solved. At last word, Hope of Martin was working with the county to purchase the property for the amount of property taxes owed to Union City. The city council has agreed to, in turn, make a contribution in that amount to Hope of Martin. Union City also was in a bit of controversy when council members decided to place red light cameras in the city and when they decided to ban handguns in the park system. Many residents consider the red lights cameras to be an invasion and a way for “big-brother government” to look over their shoulders. Others say the lights will save lives. Union City Police Chief Joe Garner has said complaints about big trucks running certain red lights in the city have ceased since the cameras were installed. The council’s decision to opt-out of state-passed legislation allowing residents with handgun permits to carry concealed weapons in publicly-owned parks systems also generated several letters to The Messenger. Another news item for 2009 which generated letters to the editor was controversy over the animal shelter in Union City. Several residents made claims to the Union City council that Ann’s Place was being poorly run and the animals weren’t being properly cared for. Ken-Tenn Humane Society officials fired back on the group, denying the claims. They met with council members and invited them to visit the shelter at any time. When E.W. James and Sons, which celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2009, bought the grocery store in Troy, it was good news. When the store burned on Halloween, it left a distraught community wondering how many of its residents were going to be able to get their necessities. The Town of Troy responded almost immediately when offers of transportation were extended to those in need. E.W. James and Sons officials worked quickly to obtain an alternate location and soon opened a store in the old NAPA building. There are plans to rebuild the store in the coming year. Published in The Messenger 12.30.09 |
