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Making McNairy County headlines for more than 113 years
Volume 114, Number 06, Wednesday, June 24, 2015
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County man charged with aggravated assault
Bobby Wade Neill accused of striking neighbor in head with baseball bat By Christen Coulon Managing Editor
One man was arrested last Friday morning after he allegedly hit a neighbor in the head with a metal baseball bat during a dispute on the 3000 Block of Ramer Selmer Road. According to a report by Deputy Mike Shipman of the McNairy County Sheriff’s Department, he responded to the call and found EMS treating the victim of the alleged assault, John Domenick Tomapat, for a head injury. The report states that Tomapat told Shipman that, “Bobby Neill hit me in the head with an aluminum baseball bat.” Shipman said that Tomapat was very upset and blood was still dripping from his head and he stated that he did want to press charges against Neill. Shipman talked to neighbors in the area and asked them if they knew the suspect, Neill. They said, “yes” and pointed across the road and said, “that’s him over there in a green shirt.” Shipman accompanied by Deputy Zach Bay went across the street and talked with Bobby Wade Neill. Shipman said that Neill discussed that he had gone over to Mr. Tomapat’s home and Neill said that the two got into an argument. Neill told Shipman that he pulled a baseball bat on Tomapat who allegedly threw up his arms and said go ahead and hit me. Neill then told the officer that he hit him one good time in the head. After speaking with Neill, Shipman and Bay placed him under arrest and transported him to the McNairy County Jail. Neill was charged with aggravated assault and held on an additional charge for a bench warrant. His initial court date on these charges is scheduled for Aug. 8.
Staff Photo by Christen Coulon
McNairy County Sheriff’s Deputies Mike Shipman and Zach Bay direct county resident Bobby Wade Neill to the back of a police cruiser after his arrest on charges of aggravated assault. Neill allegedly struck his neighbor in the head with a baseball bat.
Schools look to cut 15 classified employees Cuts save nearly $300K in salaries needed to balance budget By Jeff Whitten Head News Writer
The McNairy County Board of Education passed next fiscal year's budget at a special called meeting last Monday. The budget cuts 15 classified positions. These are positions that are not certified with the state as teachers and administrators are. Currently 13 educational aides, a custodian and a part-time maintenance position are on the chopping block. Several positions have been cut by attrition—by not replacing an employee who leaves for any reason. Around $300,000 in salaries were cut in this manner, Prince said. “Sometimes cuts are made in the form of cutting positions by not filling them,” Prince said. Prince wrote in a written statement to the media that, “I am absolutely physically sick over having to cut a single position, let alone 15. Likewise, I would like to say that certified teacher cuts through attrition can only take us so far. I am hopeful that the leadership in McNairy County will see that the key to economic development is to invest heavily in education. There are now fifteen families in this county who have been added to the unemployment rolls. I am a firm believer in the fact that we cannot cut our way to prosperity.” The spending blueprint includes a 4 per-
cent salary raise for professional certified personnel provided by the state in its Basic Education Program funding. Director of Schools John Prince stressed that this money is not local money and cannot be used for other purposes. Prince said that he will not be taking this raise. The board set a budgetary goal for five percent savings in the electricity and gas bill for the school district. The maintenance budget includes $148,000 for salaries and $200,000 for actual maintenance of buildings. A maintenance supervisor and an additional maintenance employee will be hired. The transportation budget is $363,000, most of it for three new buses, that will be purchased at a cost of around $108,000 each. The budget is balanced with $30.165 million in both revenues and expenditures. This budget eliminates the Health Services Supervisor position and Carol Ann Woods, who currently holds this position, has been shifted to the Coordinated School Health Director position. One school nurse is currently responsible for both Adamsville Elementary School and Adamsville Junior/Senior High School. Under this budget, a school nurse position for each school will be funded. The school budget goes to the County Commission which meets on June 29 at 7 p.m. at the McNairy County Annex (old Pickwick Electric Cooperative) building.
Finger Diner basis for iconic Hard Rock Cafe design
Submitted Photo
The Finger Diner as it appeared in 1973. The diner was the basis for millionaire and Jackson, Tenn. native Isaac Tigrett’s iconic Hard Rock Cafe design. By Jeff Whitten Head News Writer
The Hard Rock Cafe was modeled on the Finger Diner, its founder Isaac Tigrett told Newsweek. Tigrett, who is grew up in the South, in Jackson, Tenn., on a plantation outside Memphis, Tenn. and Louisiana, graduated from the American School, a private high school in Switzerland and studied at Centre College in Kentucky, according to his web site. After spending time in Europe and working in his father, John Burton Tigrett’s factories in England, Tigrett and a partner opened the first Hard Rock Cafe in
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Relay for Life, Summer Extravaganza fill the Selmer City Park last weekend.
Selmer Special Needs Baseball. Special athletes show true meaning of on-field determination.
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