THE LEADER THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013 ▪ VO L . 1 2 9 , N O. 8 ▪ T H E VO I C E O F TIPTON COUNTY S I N C E 1 8 8 6 ▪
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Gilt Edge to end medical calls Call volume ‘too much’ for volunteers By ECHO DAY eday@covingtonleader.com
Come February 1, there will be a change in procedure for medical calls to the Gilt Edge area. Fire chief Jason O'Dell said due to the strain put on the volunteer department, it's not feasible to continue responding to emergency medical calls. "It's a little too much to ask an all-volunteer organization," he said. "The change that seemed to make the most sense was to modify our EMS program." The Gilt Edge Volunteer Fire
Department will no longer be dispatched to medical calls unless there is no ambulance available. "Our role is not the same as it used to be," he said. "Under the old ambulance system, we would typically arrive on scene several minutes before the ambulance and administer emergency care while waiting for the ambulance to arrive." When Tipton County contracted with Rural Metro several years ago, he said, ambu-
lance response times improved and fire department volunteers rarely arrive before EMS personnel. He said the number of emergency medical calls is wearing the volunteers out and may cause the community's fire protection to suffer. The department has had as many as 25 volunteers in its past, but currently there are only 13 on its roster. "Of those 13, three of those people no longer live in our
district and one has a full-time job that keeps him out of town a considerable amount of time," O'Dell said in a letter to the city council. Of the remaining volunteers, six make the majority of calls and "attend other activities," he said. "For the past few years we hae been dispatched for over 300 calls per year. This means we are experiencing more calls than ever, with fewer people carrying the load." SEE CALLS, PAGE A3
BBQ festival in the works in Atoka
‘A big celebration’
By ECHO DAY eday@covingtonleader.com A new tradition may be in the works in South Tipton County as organizers work to plan Atoka's first barbeque festival. Planned for the first weekend in April, the event will be a two-day festival featuring family-friendly fun and arts and crafts vendors in addition to contest devoted to a staple of the Mid-South. "We have two acts lined up for Friday night and one lined up for Saturday night," said Atoka Parks and Recreation Director Brian Peel. "We'll have barbeque teams start cooking on Friday night." The idea originated from a Facebook post. Alderman Danny Feldmayer, Brett Gianinni and Mike Joyner actually have a Memphis in May cooking team. SEE BBQ, PAGE A3
Court clerk and master retires Judy Trotter Billings was honored with a retirement reception on Jan. 22 at the Covington Country Club. Ms. Billings retired after 30 years of service in the office of the Clerk and Master of Chancery Court of Tipton County. Ms. Billings began her duties as a deputy clerk in 1982. She was appointed as Clerk & Master in 1994 by Chancellors Dewey C. Whitenton and John Hill Chisolm. She was reappointed in 2000 and 2006 by the present chancellors William C. Cole and Martha B. Brasfield. "Ms. Billings is known as an over-achieving public servant," said Susan Forbess. "The citizens and attorneys whom she served always complimented Ms. Billings and her staff on their professionSEE RETIRES, PAGE A3
Top, Nacquia Johnson poses with daughter Farraday, 10, in front of the White House on Inauguration Day. Above right, Johnson, left, met with Covington native Rose Kent Stemmons and daughter Chelsi while in Washington, D.C. Above left, Alexis Johnson, 14, poses at the BET Inaugural Gala. Photos courtesy Johnson family
Local family attends Obama inauguration, gala By ECHO DAY eday@covingtonleader.com
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our years ago, the Johnson family for the inauguration of the country's first African-American president, and four years later they returned to welcome him back to office. "This experience was pretty much the same," said Nacquia Johnson. "It was
a big celebration, a lot of adrenaline flowing." Nacquia – along with daughters Alexis, 14, and Farraday, 10, son Jordan, 12, and stepdaughter Wendy – were among the estimated 1 million people who watched the inauguration in person, a figure released by the White House earlier this week. "It was festive and happy and the
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kids asked a lot of questions about the process," she said. "It was really a lot better than the Fourth of July and everyone was just so warm and pleasant." The historic event took place on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a day set aside to honor one of the country's most notable civil rights activists. Johnson said that gave her a sense of pride. SEE OBAMA, PAGE A3
RETURN TO MIDDLE EARTH
A monumental win for Munford boys and a sweep over Brighton for Covington, B1.
Reader's Guide Opinion A4 Obituaries A6 Community A7 Correspondents A10 Education A11
Sports Puzzles Faith Classifieds Legals
B1 B3 B4 B6 B7
The Hobbit opens at The Ruffin this weekend, A7.
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