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Selmer Parks Dept. full schedule planned, park renovations have been completed By Jeff Whitten Head News Writer
Park and Recreation Director Sybil Dancer shared a full schedule of events planned for the rest of the year for her department in her report to the July 14 meeting of the Selmer Mayor and Board of Aldermen. Dancer told the meeting that she had received a $3,000 grant from United Way. She plans to use $2,000 for swimming lessons for the kids and a “Dive in” movie to be shown on August 7 at the City Pool from 6 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. “We’re going to tie it into back to school. We’re going to have a Friday night from six until about 8:30 we show a movie at the pool. They can swim. They can watch the movie,” Dancer said. Free popcorn and water will be provided. Dancer said that Bruce Spalding of Community Development Group is in the process for getting blueprints for park-
ing lots, bathrooms and the splash pad for the Dixie Park. All of these things will be put in one bid packet, which should be ready for a bid in mid-August. Dancer said that the splash pad could be ready sometime
between October and December, depending on the weather. The resurfacing of the walking trail is finished, Dancer announced. “We’ve had tons of thank yous and compliments on how well the walking trail looks and
how much people enjoy it,” Dancer said. The tennis courts have been redone and fences there, at the basketball courts and the pool have been repaired.
See PARKS, 3A
Staff Photo by Jeff Whitten
Parks and Recreation Director Sybil Dancer told the meeting of the Selmer Mayor and Board of Aldermen July 14 that the walking trail and tennis courts at the City Park have been resurfaced, and the fences around the tennis courts, basketball courts and the pool have been repaired.
Knight convicted: 2nd Degree Murder By Jeff Whitten News Writer
Christoper Knight, of Savannah, Tenn. has been convicted of the second-degree murder of his mother Peggy Alexander, according to a spokesperson from the Hardin County Circuit Court. His sentencing hearing is set for Aug. 20. Wife Tonya Knight, originally from Adamsville, whose case is still pending, testified for the prosecution in Christopher’s case. Tonya had her bail reduced to $25,000 and was released last year Tonya’s bail had originally been set at $500,000 after the couple was arrested. Christopher was moved from the Hardin County Jail to a special needs facility in Nashville, Tenn. around that time. His bail was set at $1 million. On March 10, 2012 Christopher Knight called the police around 9 a.m. and reported that he found his mother dead in the home they shared, according to the Savannah Police Department. Knight told Sgt. Mark Mitchell of the Savannah Police Department that the last time he saw his mother alive was around 11:30 the previous night. Knight also said
See KNIGHT CONVICTION, 3A
Deputies use dogs to find Finger Post Office suspects By Christen Coulon Managing Editor
McNairy County Sheriff’s Officers quickly made two arrests following break-in at the Finger Post Office on the evening of July 14. The suspects now face both state charges as well as pending Federal charges related to the case. According to an unofficial report from Deputy Robert Hitchborn of the The McNairy County Sheriff’s Office their department was called to the Finger Post Office on Finger Leapwood Road after a report of a burglary and vandalism at that location which caused more than $1,000 in estimated damage. Sheriff’s Deputies working along side an investigator with the U.S. Postal Inspector’s Office determined that the suspects was able to gain access through a hole in the wall that they made near the post office boxes. During the course of the investigation on July 15, The McNairy County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Hardeman County Sheriff’s Office used dogs to track Rickey Scudder, 59, of Finger to his home (which the report listed as belonging to Rickey and his son Michael Scudder) on Oak Street just across from the Finger Post Office. Rickey Scudder consented to a search of his home at that time and deputies turned up evidence including several pieces of mail believed to be from the robbery. He was arrested at the scene. Later that day, Michael Schudder was arrested on Montezuma Road in Chester County. Hitchborn said that the Finger Post Office was also broken into in 2013 in a similar fashion. That case is still under investigation. Both men are being held in the McNairy County Jail on state charges of Burglary, Theft of Property and Vandalism. Hitchborn told the Independent Appeal that Federal authorities have also placed a hold on the suspects pending possible Federal charges in the case. Any potential prosecution of any Federal criminal case would be the responsibility of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. According to 18 U.S. Code 1708, theft or receipt of stolen mail is punishable by up to five years in prison.
Staff Photo by Christen Coulon
RICKEY SCUDDER
MICHAEL SCUDDER
(Above) A police line set-up following the break-in at the Finger Post Office. McNairy County Sheriff’s Deputy Robert Hitchborn said that officers kept people out of the area to preserve the scent to help police K-9 units track the suspects on July 15. Authorities made two arrests after dogs successfully led them to a home alledgedly containing evidence from the burglary. (Left) Suspects in the break-in, Rickey Scudder and Michael Scudder following their arrests last week.
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