V119N44 03/10/21

Page 1

2001 CHEVROLET SILVERADO

2012 CHEVROLET SONIC LT

CALL TODAY! 731-989-4632 STK#4215951A

SHOP OUR WEBSITE WWW.LOFTONCHEVY.COM

6,995

*$

EXT Cab

STK#1270917A

8,995

*$

INDEPENDENT APPEAL PRE-OWNED, PRE-TITLED VEHICLES INCLUDE $489 PROCESSING FEE PLUS TTL.

Volume 119, Issue 44

50¢

Wednesday, March 10, 2021

Influential educator Estel Mills passes away By Joel Counce Staff Writer

Estel Mills never applied for a job. “I was appointed to all of them,” he said to the Ramer Ruritans in June, 2019. He worked as a teacher for nine years in Ramer, then served as principal for four years in Middleton. Mills was principal in Hardin County for 11 years before serving as superintendent of education in McNairy County, beginning December, 1978. Mills served as superintendent with then-McNairy County Mayor Wilburn Gene Ashe. “We had a good working relationship,” Ashe said. “We disagreed at times, but we had a great working relationship. We stood in the hall and solved problems. We could discuss issues and agree on it, then take it before the commission and the school board and get it passed.” Ashe said Mills took his role in the education system seriously. “He was all business as far as doing what was best for the schools and the county,” Ashe said. “He had his preferences, like all of us, but he did what he thought was best for the students of McNairy County.” Mills was appointed to assistant commissioner of education for the state in 1987 by Gov. Ned McWherter. “We lived in McNairy County that whole time and I just drove up there,” he said in 2019. Estel was born to Julius and Evelyn Moore Mills in Michie. They had a 200 acre farm purchased in 1935. “My mother tricked him into buying it,” Mills said in 2019. “He told they couldn’t pay for the farm. She told him they could. “I feel blessed to have been raised by members of the Greatest Generation.” After graduating high school, Mills enrolled at Memphis State University (now the University of Memphis). His name caused some confusion at the school. He had reserved his dorm, but when he arrived, there was no room for him. “They called the bursar’s office and were told ‘Yes, we have a room for her.’” he said. “They had me in the girls dorm.”

See MILLS, 3

Photos submitted by the Lawton Fire Department and Selmer Police Officer Kayla McVey

A massive house fire on Doss Dr. Saturday afternoon saw the displacement of a Selmer family. The Leapwood Fire Department and the Selmer Fire Department both responded to the scene. The fire is currently under investigation by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, according to Selmer Fire Chief Anthony Carr.

McNairy County Schools announce summer school By Angele Latham Editor

Director of Schools Greg Martin has announced that the McNairy County School system will be hosting a four-week summer school session from June 7th to July 2nd, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The program was approved for funding and implementation last Thursday, and will have room for 389 students. Student participation will be determined by benchmark tests, which are currently being performed at all county schools. “We’ve been having benchmark (tests) at all of our campuses, with the intent of determining the amount of learning loss that our students have experienced, due to the craziness of this year,” said Martin. Benchmarks “should wrap up this week,” according to Assistant Director of

Schools Brian Jackson, who said the 19th will be the end of the last benchmark session. “Once we’ve been able to process those benchmarks, those schools will be in contact with parents to let them know that their child may qualify to be a part of that,” Martin explained. He added, “Our intention next fall is to be back as close to normal as we can—five days a week, in person learning. We hope things continue to progress the way they have.” Two weeks ago, the school system only reported three cases of COVID-19, which resulted in five quarantines. Last week, only one was reported, with zero quarantines. “We’ve seen a dramatic drop,” Martin said. Martin thinks parents have noticed this, with the school seeing “more people com-

Wreck involving Selmer officer under investigation By Angele Latham Editor

A Friday afternoon wreck at East Popular Avenue and Kirkpatrick Drive involving a Bethel Springs man and a Selmer police officer left the two with minor injuries, according to the Tennessee Highway Patrol. The collision occurred at 3:09 p.m., when Nicholas Wolfe, of Bethel Springs, and Selmer Police Officer Nicholas Inman, were traveling east on East Poplar Avenue. According to the report, when Wolfe stopped to turn, Inman’s patrol vehicle, a 2014 Chevrolet Tahoe, “collided with the rear of (Wolfe’s vehicle)”, a 2005 Isuzu NPR. Both were wearing seatbelts. Wolfe and Inman both sustained minor injuries. It is unclear if Inman was on his way to a call at the time.

Daylight Saving Time around the corner By Angele Latham Editor

Another bit of exciting news for the warm weather-lovers is quite literally on the horizon—daylight saving time! 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 14 marks

See SUMMER SCHOOL, 2

McNairy Co. COVID-19 Cases as of March 9

The collision is under investigation. This is the second time Inman has been under investigation for his involvement in a vehicle wreck in his patrol vehicle. Inman reached a plea agreement to and received judicial diversion for a violation of a seatbelt law and reckless driving in February 2019 following a November 2018 three-vehicle wreck that sent two people to the hospital. The downtown Selmer wreck injured then-nineteen year-old Cassie Hewitt and Inman. The third driver was uninjured. Inman was also ordered to pay a $250 fine and court costs for the reckless driving conviction, on top of a $30 fine on the seatbelt charge, and ordered to undergo six months of unsupervised probation. He was also assessed a two-day suspension by the Town of Selmer.

the beginning of 2021’s daylight saving time, with clocks “springing forward” one hour. This shift will move daylight hours a considerable amount: dawn, which is currently around 5:53 a.m. in McNairy, will move to 6:39 a.m.; sunrise will

See DAYLIGHT SAVING, 2

COVID-19 lessening grip on Co. schools By Angele Latham

Total Tested 19,716 Cases 2,693 Deaths 53 Recovered 2,628

Editor

McNairy County Schools Director Greg Martin confirms that teachers of McNairy County schools are pushing forward with COVID-19 vaccinations. “Our (vaccination phase for teachers) has been open for quite a while,” Martin said. “I don’t think any of our teachers have had an issue getting a vaccination if they want a vaccination.” Graph courtesy of the Tennessee Department of Health Phase 1b, which included Tennesse- Cases of COVID-19 among school-aged children has dramatically decreased since its peak in late

See SCHOOL SYSTEM, 4

December, leading school officials to make hopeful plans for a regular, in-person fall semester in late 2021.

Bible Verse

“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:1 ❚ Opinion 5 ❚ Obituaries 6 ❚ Events 6 ❚ Classifieds 8 ❚ Sports 10 ❚

Follow us on Facebook © 2021 Independent Appeal


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.