TIM CASTELLAW AUTOMOTIVE ,(&"'-*"'*%%
lll#ignjhXVgh#Xdb
THE LEADER THURSDAY, OCTOBER, 2014 ▪ V O L . 1 2 9 , N O . 5 0 ▪ T H E V O I C E O F TIPTON COUNTY S I N C E 1 8 8 6 ▪
$1
Dyersburg State Community College officially opened the new Learning Resource Center – Student Center– Tipton County Public Library Building Tuesday. The $12 million building, the most recently completed phase of building at the Jimmy Naifeh Campus in Covington, will serve students and patrons from all over Tipton County. Above, Rosemary Bridges, Debbie Gordon, Amy Turnage and Terry Colin talk and another visitor observes a pottery exhibit. Photos by Echo Day
Open for Business ▪ DSCC officially opens new multi-use facility By FRANCE GASQUET fgasquet@covingtonleader.com The grand opening of the new Dyersburg State Community College Learning Resource Center, Student Center and Tipton County Public Library, was held Tuesday, Sept. 30, in the Baptist Memorial Health Care Academic Building auditorium. The ceremony began with performances by the Brighton High School Marching Band, the
Tennessee Army National Guard Color Guard and the DSCC Jazz Choir Syncopation. Welcoming addresses were issued by Lara Beth Cherry, president of the Student Government Association, and Shannon Leach, vice-president of the Friends of the Library organization. Speakers included Dr. Karen Bowyer, president of DSCC; County Executive Jeff Huffman; John Morgan, Chancellor of the Tennessee Board of Regents; Speaker Emeritus Jimmy Naifeh; State Representative Debra Moody; Dr. Mark Bowers, chair of donor recognition for the DSCC
foundation board and Paul Rose, vice chair of the DSCC foundation board of directors. The ceremony celebrated the joint venture of local government, state government and the Tennessee Board of Regents. Speaker Emeritus Jimmy Naifeh and County Executive Jeff Huffman both talked about the collaboration it took to make the new Learning Resource Center, Student Center and Tipton County Public Library possible, noting that Tipton County raised $3 million, the state donated $9 million and the city donated additional land to DSCC. From proposal to the grand opening took six years.
Naifeh, the college satellite location's namesake, said the college is the highlight of his career. "This is, easily, the accomplishment I'm most proud of after all of those years," he said. Naifeh, a Covington native who is a second generation LebaneseAmerican, said education was important to his father and that helping to bring a college to Tipton County meant "a great deal" to him. "The event surpassed our expectations. We had so many people from the community and the state of Tennessee who came together to celebrate this historic occasion at DSCC,” said SEE DSCC, PAGE A2
WINE REFERENDUM
Stores lobby for votes on wine bill By JEFF IRELAND jireland@covingtonleader.com
Voters in Covington, Munford and Atoka will have a chance to allow the sale of wine in grocery stores on the Nov. 4 general election ballot. Last spring, the Tennessee General Assembly passed legislation allowing referendums in cities that collected signatures from registered voters equal to at least 10 percent of the votes cast in that jurisdiction in the most recent gubernatorial election. Representatives from Munford grocery stores Naifeh's and Fred's went door-to-door in that town over the past few weeks and collected at least 151
validated signatures, which was the required amount. Kroger stores in Atoka and Covington set up displays in the stores soliciting signatures. Covington needed 215 signatures and Atoka needed 251. Both numbers were reached, according to Neil Bell, administrator of elections in Tipton County. While grocery store owners are pushing for the referendum to pass, at least one liquor store owner is against it. Brett Pickard opened Spirits of Atoka in 2006, right after that town passed legislation allowing liquor stores and liquor-by-the-drink. “I'm definitely opposed to it,” said Pickard. “I'm scared of the consequenc-
es because that's all we sell, beverage alcohol. They (grocery stores) sell everything under the sun and there's opportunities for kids to slip in and get it.” The Tennessee General Assembly was able to pass the legislation last spring, in part, because concessions were made by supporters of the measure to allow liquor stores to sell other items like beer, cigarettes and food. Nevertheless, most liquor stores are not equipped to sell large amounts of other items. Pickard said he is selling things like chips, candy, soft drinks, shot glasses and cork screws, but doesn't believe that's going to make up for potential
If passed, grocery stores may begin selling wine as early as 2015.
SEE WINE, PAGE A3
MHS, BHS FACE OFF Cougars, Cardinals meet in county rivalry. A21
Reader's Guide Opinion A4 Obituaries A6 Classifieds A11 Legals A12 Puzzles A10
Education Sports Community Correspondence Faith
A17 A21 A7 A16 A8
CELEBRATING SIXTY YEARS Family gathers to celebrate the Overalls' 60th anniversary. A7
COVINGTON Miracle-Ear Hearing Aid Center at Family First Medical Center (next to Thornton’s Home Furnishings) 899 Highway 51, Covington, TN 38019 901.290.3067 or 888.422.9747