Carthage Courier News

Elmwood man dies of injuries from wreck

By Eddie West
Staff Writer
Funeral services were held Sunday afternoon for an Elmwood man who died from injuries sustained in an single vehicle automobile accident which occurred about two weeks ago. David “Woody” Woods Jr., 34, passed away Friday at Alive Hospice at St. Thomas Hospital in Nashville. Woods was critically injured in a single vehicle automobile accident which occurred around 2:50 p.m., June 15. Woods was traveling east on Highway 70 at what locals call Chestnut Mound Hill when he apparently lost control of his vehicle and crashed. Woods, a resident of the Conditt Hollow, was thrown from the vehicle. The victim was airlifted by LifeFlight to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, where he remained for several days before being transferred to St. Thomas. Trooper Shannon Brinkley, who investigated the accident, said Woods was coming out of a curve at a high rate of speed and was unable to negotiate a curve and ran off the roadway into a ditch and into an embankment. The victim was not wearing a seat belt and in Trooper Brinkley’s opinion, a seat belt would have made a difference in his injuries. Trooper Todd Logan and three officers with the sheriff’s department, Sgt. Ronnie Maynard, deputies Chris Huddleston and Scott Hale, assisted in the accident, Woods was a 1992 graduate of Gordonsville High School and was employed by Orchid International. Funeral services were held at the Gordonsville Chapel of Bass Funeral Homes. Woods is the third person to be killed in an automobile accident in the county this year and the second fatality to occur this month. On June 5, Watervale resident Ricky “Railroad” Daugherty, 41, was killed in a single vehicle accident on Pope’s Hill on Highway 70. In February, a Defeated man was killed in a two-vehicle accident at the intersection of Highway 80 and 25. Not included in the highway patrol’s statistics is a Defeated woman who died from injuries sustained in a four-wheeler accident which occurred on Beasley Hollow Road in the Defeated community in May. That accident was not investigated by the highway patrol.

(Click HERE for complete obit.)

New owner for old building

By Eddie West
Staff Writer

The former Wal-Mart building located on Highway 25 has a new owner. Packard Blanchard, an executive with RCG Ventures, confirmed Monday the company was the new owner of the building. Blanchard said the real estate deal was closed on Friday. Blanchard also confirmed Tractor Supply Company, a Brentwood based business which caters to the agriculture community, had leased the building. The company will occupy the entire facility, Blanchard said. There had been local speculation the building could be divided for more than one business to use. “We’re glad they’re (Tractor Supply Company) coming. They will be an asset to our community,” commented Mayor David Bowman. “The additional sales tax will help keep down property taxes.” Blanchard declined to disclose the purchase price of the property which includes slightly less that five acres. “They (Tractor Supply Company) should be operating in a few short months,” said Blanchard. RCG Ventues is a real estate investment group based in Atlanta, Georgia. The company primarily focuses acquisitions on anchoring shopping centers in secondary and tertiary markets. The company owns shopping centers/commercial properties in Tennessee, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia. In Tennessee the company owns commercial properties in Jefferson City, Morristown, Oak Ridge and White Pine. The company also owns out parcels of land at various locations. The company is exploring office and hotel opportunities.

Charges made by TBI in stabbing

By Eddie West
Staff Writer

A TBI investigation into a stabbing which occurred in the Hickman area during a domestic incident has resulted in attempted criminal homicide charges. The incident occurred on Friday, June 13, at a residence on Hickman Creek Road North. Dan Whitman, 63, Hickman Creek Road, was charged by TBI Special Agent Mike Cox in the stabbing of Sandra Crawford. Crawford was critically injured, receiving multiple stab wounds to the back. The victim had to be airlifted from Gordonsville by LifeFlight to Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga. According to TBI Special Agent Cox’s arrest report, “Whitman did knowingly and with intent stab the victim at least three times or more to the back of the victim causing ‘critical injuries’ with the victim being LifeFlighted to Erlanger Hospital for treatment which occurred after an altercation between the defendant and the victim at which point the defendant went to the kitchen and proceeded to obtain a knife six to eight inches in length” which the officer alleges was used in the incident. According to TBI Special Agent Cox, the victim was unarmed and Whitman was under the influence of alcohol when the stabbing took place. The domestic incident occurred around 9:30 p.m. Whitman was initially taken into custody and held without bond. During a bond hearing on June 17, bond was set at $50,000, provided Whitman stay away from the victim and her daughter and undergo an evaluation, according to court records. Whitman has retained Lebanon Attorney Frank Lannom to represent him and is scheduled to be in General Sessions Court on August 7 for a preliminary hearing, according to court records.

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Previous headlines from The Carthage Courier

06-26-08 Middle school teacher dismissed by board for Internet violations By Eddie West•Staff Writer
The county’s school board has voted to dismiss a veteran school teacher for inappropriate use of a school computer. Following an investigation, school officials allege Smith County Middle School teacher David D. Allen used his school assigned computer to transmit and receive material termed by school officials as “sexual” and “offensive/obscene” in nature during school hours. At the June school board meeting held Tuesday of last week, Director of Schools Roger Lewis recommended to school board members Allen, who has been placed on suspension since the first of May, be dismissed. The director of schools presented board members with a report which included information from a company licensed in examining computer contents. Officially, the reason cited for Allen’s dismissal was “inappropriate use of board computer equipment along with repeated and egregious violations of the board Internet use policy and the Internet use agreement executed by Mr. Allen on August 1, 2007”. Also, school officials charged Allen “installed and utilized prohibited software on a school computer assigned for his use at Smith County Middle School”. The company which examined Allen’s computer discovered three types of devices designed to delete information and search histories were used on the computer, according to the report presented to board members. One correspondence remained on the computer when it was seized to be inspected. The report presented to school board members indicated the computer assigned to Allen had been used to contact a dating service, via e-mail. The board voted unanimously to dismiss Allen who has been with the school system since January of 1987. After the vote was taken, the director of schools told school board members Allen would be sent a letter of the board’s action. Allen has 30 days to respond, asking for a hearing before the board on his dismissal. Allen spent most of his teaching career at Forks River Elementary School but had been reassigned to the middle school. Allen supervised students placed on in-school suspension.

06-26-08 Former Wal-Mart Building Eyed By Eddie West•Staff Writer

Company officials aren’t commenting about plans for the former Wal-Mart building, but it is evident by what is not being said negotiations which could result in a new commercial venture are taking place. Los Angeles, California realtor Laurence Saper, with NAI Capital Commercial Real Estate Service, located in Torrence, California, is marketing the building. Saper said on Tuesday of last week, the building was “under contract” but he couldn’t comment further. The California realtor said he possibly could say more in two weeks. An Atlanta, Georgia company, R&G Ventures, has been asking local officials questions about the building. An executive with R&G Ventures, Harper Blanchard, said Friday he could not comment on whether his company planned to purchase the building. Blanchard said call him back in “about a week” and he “might have something”. Speculation is investors may be looking to locate a Tractor Supply Company in the building. Thursday, a spokesperson for Tractor Supply, which is based in the Nashville suburb of Brentwood said, “Carthage is under consideration for a store. There’s no signed lease. We’re very interested in Carthage.” The spokesperson said Tractor Supply leases space rather than owning its building. Thursday, the front of the former Wal-Mart building, located on Dixon Springs Highway, was freshly painted. A check of county records show the ownership of the building has not changed hands. Owners were asking $1.5 million for the 39,000 square feet building which sits on 4.8 acres of land. Earlier this year, Saper said those terms were negotiable and the property could either be sold or leased. A couple of weeks ago, fixtures from the building were sold at public auction. County records show the owner of the property is listed as Rijomal Inc., based in Santa Monica, California.

06-26-08 Board member supports former principal By Eddie West•Staff Writer

One school board member has thrown his support behind ousted New Middleton Principal Becky Hackett. During last Tuesday’s June school board meeting, Richard Fulton told fellow school board members and Director of Schools Roger Lewis he did not agree with the decision not to renew Hackett’s contract. “I cannot agree with her being reassigned,” said Fulton, noting he had spoken with Hackett at length about the issue. “I think it is the wrong decision and if I sat here and did not say anything then I would be in the wrong myself,” commented Fulton, who recently retired from teaching. Fulton’s comments drew an emphatic response from fellow school board member Pat Massey who commented, “I don’t think that we should have an opinion. It’s not the board’s policy. It’s the state law. The director of schools has said if Mrs. Hackett would sign a waiver he would state the reason for her dismissal. The board is not going to take a vote on the matter.” The issue was the final item on the agenda and the meeting was quickly recessed after the exchange between Massey and Fulton. Massey serves as school board chairman. Any vote by the school board would have served only to support or denounce the director of schools’ action not to renew the popular principal’s contract. According to school officials, renewing principal contracts is left solely up to the director of schools and the school board has no say in the matter. Several Hackett supporters attended Tuesday’s meeting. Many of the supporters wore T-shirts with a logo supporting the former New Middleton principal. Some supporters carried signs. One sign read “We may be silenced but our numbers speak loudly”. Fulton was appointed by the county commission to replace Ricky Shoulders who had moved from the district. The school board meeting came a day after a chancery court lawsuit was filed by Hackett’s attorneys, seeking her reinstatement as principal at the school.

06-19-08 Former principal at New Middleton asks for job back By Eddie West•Staff Writer
Former New Middleton principal Becky Hackett has taken legal action seeking to be re-instated to head the school. In May, Director of Schools Roger Lewis informed the longtime teacher and principal he would not be renewing her contract as principal at the school. The director of schools told concerned parents during a meeting at the school system’s central office and during the May school board meeting he could not say why Hackett’s contract was not being renewed because of confidentiality reasons. During the May school board meeting, the director of schools said he would give the reason behind his decision if Hackett would sign a wavier allowing him to do so. Monday, a chancery court lawsuit was filed by Hackett, through her attorneys, asking that she be re-instated as principal of the school. The lawsuit, filed in Chancery Court Judge C.K. Smith’s court, claims Hackett’s removal is in violation of her rights under certain state laws. The lawsuit indicates reasons her contract was not renewed is based on her association with the Smith County Education Association which, in December of last year, filed a lawsuit against the county’s school board when teacher contract negotiations reached an impasse. The lawsuit maintains the longtime teacher “prior to the commencement of the current collective bargaining negotiations between the teachers association and the defendant, board of education, plaintiff (Hackett) enjoyed a good relationship with the defendant (Director Lewis) who had given the plaintiff (Hackett) favorable performance evaluations and had offered her promotions to larger and better paying assignments”. “Since collective bargaining negotiations between the Smith County Education Association and the defendant (board of education) have been underway, the plaintiff’s (Hackett) relationship with the defendant (Director Lewis) and his subordinates in the central office has deteriorated”. The lawsuit says Director Lewis asked Hackett to resign so she could be reassigned to a classroom teaching position. Hackett “declined the invitation of the defendant (Lewis) to resign from her position”. The lawsuit claims Director Lewis “did not give Hackett an explanation of his reasons for removing her position as principal”, nor “confirmed her reassignment” for the 2008-2009 school year. The lawsuit claims Hackett’s transfer was “arbitrary and capricious” and “made for improper reasons”. Hackett has been employed with the local school system since the 1985-86 school year. The longtime teacher/principal began her teaching career at the school, teaching first and second grades and serving as principal for approximately 15 years, according to the lawsuit. The longtime educator later became a full time principal at the school. In addition to being re-instated, the lawsuit asks for “any and all monetary losses she may have incurred since being informed her contract would not be renewed”. The Franklin law firm of Colbert & Wilbert is representing Hackett in the case. The law firm is the same one used by the education association in its lawsuit.

06-19-08 Analysis firm to take second look at bridge By Eddie West•Staff Writer

An engineering firm which will perform a detailed analysis of the Cordell Hull Bridge is expected to be in place by this week. The state has selected an engineering firm but is not releasing a name until a contract is signed which was expected to have taken place by the first of this week. The engineering firm will review data gathered by state and federal inspectors last year during a series of inspections and conduct a more in-depth assessment of the bridge. State transportation officials say the private engineering firm was needed because of its capabilities of conducting a more detailed study of the structure such as the strength of the steel which state and federal bridge inspectors do not have resources to do. A final assessment will include needed repair work, an estimated cost of the repair work and a plan for repair work. During the past few weeks, County Mayor Michael Nesbitt and Carthage officials have been contacting state transportation officials via letters and telephone calls in an effort to keep the project moving forward. Officials were asking that an analysis be in place as soon as possible. Early estimates are that it will cost around $5.5 million to repair the bridge. State officials stress the cost could be more or it could be less. Engineers with the analysis firm will conduct additional on-site inspections of the bridge in the weeks ahead. Once the study has been completed, the state will look for funds to conduct the repair work which will include a combination of federal, state and local funds. The bridge could reopen for light traffic for a brief period if the analysis firm determines it would be safe to do so. “I personally don’t think the bridge should be opened as long as there is a danger to citizens,” said County Mayor Michael Nesbitt. “A state engineer pointed out (if it was safe to open for light traffic) it would only be open four to five months before it would be shut down for construction.” Earlier this year, state officials estimated the bridge would be closed for about two years. While that may seem like a lengthy period, local officials are optimistic because the state has indicated it is willing to repair the aging structure which was scheduled for demolition in the early 1990s after the Veterans Memorial Bridge opened. Tennessee Transportation Commissioner Gerald Nicely met with local and state government officials in February to discuss the bridge’s status. During the meeting, the commissioner indicated to local officials the state would hire a consulting firm to further evaluate the bridge and indicated it would likely take around six months to hire an analysis firm and for that company to complete an inspection report. During the February meeting, state officials indicated they were in support of repairing the bridge because of its economical and its historical value. Also during the meeting, the state indicated it was the owner of the bridge, an issue which had been in question because two local governments made contributions to help fund repair work to the bridge in the early 1990s when it was scheduled to be demolished. The bridge has been closed for several months after three state inspections took place during November and December of last year. As a result of the inspections, local officials recently received a report from the state’s transportation department listing deficiencies which led to the closing of the bridge. The report outlined 10 deficiencies with the structure. Deficiencies include both problems with steel work and concrete portions of the bridge.

06-19-08 Fire destroys barn, hay; loss costly By Eddie West•Staff Writer

A barn filled with hay was destroyed in Carthage early Sunday morning, just one of several incidents which kept emergency personnel on the go this past weekend. Other incidents include a house fire in South Carthage, Sunday night and a domestic stabbing in the Hickman area, Friday night. A barn at the former Carthage Fairgrounds was fully engulfed when firemen arrived at the scene around 2:13 a.m., Sunday. “It was on the ground within about two minutes after we arrived,” said Fire Chief Joe Hiett. “Because it was so foggy, you couldn’t see it (the fire) until you got on the scene.” Hiett said owner Billy Gregory told him there were 440 square bales of hay valued at five to seven dollars each stored in the barn and destroyed in the blaze. The fire chief said when all is totalled, the value of the property will be around $40,000. There was no electricity at the barn and it’s unclear how the fire started, Hiett said. City Fire Investigator Allen Silcox is probing the fire. Firemen were at the scene for about four hours and managed to save a shed next to the barn. In another fire, South Carthage firemen were dispatched to a residential fire at 8:02 p.m., Sunday. The fire was discovered at the home of Jeremy Gibbs located at 118 Bright Avenue. Firemen were able to thwart the flames before they spread to other areas of the house. “It was flaming really good when we arrived. We kept most of the flames contained to one room. There was also some damage to a closet and bathroom and smoke and water damage,” said Fire Chief Ed Lankford, adding his firemen did a good job getting the fire out before it consumed the house and its contents. No one was home when the blaze started. The fire was noticed by neighbor David Brown who is a member of the fire department. Residents of the house had left about 30 minutes before the fire was discovered, Fire Chief Lankford said. Two firemen had to be treated at the scene for heat-related problems, the fire chief said. Fire Investigator Silcox is also checking into the cause of this fire. Firemen remained at the scene between two to three hours. In other incidents, the sheriff’s department is investigating a stabbing incident. The incident occurred on Hickman Creek Road North, around 9:30 p.m., Friday. Two subjects were airlifted by LifeFlight to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville. Additional details were unavailable at presstime. Chief Deputy William Trusty was on vacation this week. The Gordonsville Fire Department was dispatched to the intersection of Main Street East to set up a landing zone for LifeFlight.

HOW TO CONTACT YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS

SMITH COUNTY
ELECTED OFFICIALS

HOW TO CONTACT YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS

SMITH COUNTY ELECTED OFFICIALS

SMITH COUNTY
ELECTED OFFICIALS