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Archives
06-12-2002 News
Close election results in no change
Close election results in no change The Livingston Municipal Election resulted in no changes, though the voting was close in all categories. A total of 1,391 city voters went to the polls. Hosea Winningham retained the mayor's seat with a 95-vote margin over challenger Curtis Hayes. Winningham received 730 votes to 635 for Hayes. Winningham led in Wards II and III and in early voting, but Hayes received more votes in Ward I, leading the precinct 188 to Winningham's 154. The mayor's race was the closest since 1992, when Hosea Winningham defeated Gerald Maynard 459 to 396. The liquor referendum was defeated with 683 votes against allowing package liquor sales in the city. A total of 534 voters favored allowing liquor sales. Johnny Halfacre, Thurman Langford, and Robert D. Jolley retained their aldermen seats in more close voting. Halfacre received 687 votes, Langford received 606, and Jolley received 581. Challenger James Randy Smith received 553 in his unsuccessful bid for alderman. Former alderman Gerald Garrett received 502 votes. Sean Allred received 285 votes. The 1,391 total voters going to the polls for the Livingston Municipal Election was the highest turnout for the election in more than 20 years. The highest turnout in that span was 1,173 in the 1994 municipal election.
Livingston man injured in tractor-trailer collision
Dewain E. Peek/OCN staff A Livingston man was seriously injured when his truck was struck by a tractor-trailer Tuesday, June 4. According to reports, Charles L. Cravens, 67, was driving a red 1988 Ford Ranger from 1st Street across the bypass to Upper Hilham Road around 11:23 a.m. and crossed the path of a 1996 Kenworth driven by Roger W. Parris, 36, of Cookeville. The Ranger was hit in the unoccupied passenger side. The trailer of the Parris Logging & Lumber rig was empty at the time. Cravens was transported by Overton County Ambulance Service, then flown by helicopter to Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga. Parris was apparently uninjured. Livingston Police Department was assisted by Tennessee Highway Patrol and Department of Transportation Commercial Vehicle Enforcement in investigating the collision. The investigation is still underway.
Holmans arrested on arson charges Livingston Police and agents from the Tennessee Division of Bomb and Arson Investigation arrested Douglas Holman and Dana Jo Copeland Holman on Wednesday, June 5 in connection with the February 28 destruction by fire of a business building on Main Street in Livingston. Overton County Grand Jury indicted the Holmans on Monday, June 3 on charges of arson and burning the personal property of another. The Holmans were arrested at their home without incident, according to reports. The Holmans were released on $100,000 bond. They are scheduled to be arraigned on the charges on Monday, June 17 in Overton County Criminal Court.
Board of Education meeting held June 4 By RACHEL SMITH, OCN staff Overton County Board of Education held its regular monthly meeting Tuesday, June 4, with Board member Larry Looper absent. Executive action items approved by the Board included the following: Approved the lawn services bid for Hilham Elementary School from Double Precision at $90 per mowing. Barnes Environmental (low bidder) declined acceptance of the bid award. Approved the sale of portable classrooms as follows: Allons, classroom #1, to John Cole for $750; Allons, classroom #2, to David Thrasher for $779; LMS, classroom #1, to Rocky Dial for $350; LMS, classroom #2, to David Thrasher for $265; and Early Childhood portable to David Thrasher for $1,226. Director of Schools Bill Needham informed the Board, "Once the portables are vacated and notice is given to the bid winners, they will have 10 days to remove the portables from Allons, but the others weren't given that stiff a limit." Also approved was the low bid for a 1995 Chevrolet maintenance truck in the amount of $9,800 from Henard Motors. In new business, Board members approved the following programs: Title I, Part A, Improving Basic Programs Operated by L.E.A.; Title II, Part A, Teacher and Principal Training and Recruitment; Title II, Part D, Enhancing Education Through Technology; Title IV, Part A, Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities; Title V, Part A, Innovative Programs; and Title VI, Part B, Subpart 2, Rural and Low Income School Program. Numerous year-end budget amendments were approved by Board members. These items included Amendment #4, General Purpose School Budget 2001-2002; Local Amendment #18 State Amendment #4 IDEA Part B 2002-01; Local Amendment #19 State Amendment #2 Safe and Drug Free 2002-01; Local Amendment #20 School Court Community Grant 2002-01; Local Amendment #21 State Amendment #2 Vocational Education, Carl Perkins; Local Amendment #22 Title VI Original Budget 2002-01; and Local Amendment #23 Original Budget Title II 2002-01. Director Needham said, "I know that it seems like this is unusual with all these amendments, but this is the time of year when you make your amendments to finalize the budget and close out the books. We're just shifting from one line to another, it's not new money." In other action, Board members voted to approve the posting of the Ten Commandments in Overton County schools pending current court proceedings elsewhere in Tennessee. Although they expressed a unanimous feeling this would be beneficial for Overton County students, Board members wanted to await the outcome of pending litigation to insure no legal issues would arise when the document is posted. Referring to discussions from previous meetings and work sessions, Board members approved the creation of a half-time band instructor position for the county. This position is intended to assist the current band instructor with recruitment and training of elementary students throughout the county. Board member David Langford said, "With the 3,000 kids we've got in our school system, there's no reason in the world we can't have 75 people or more out there marching on the field. We just have to start teaching them in elementary school. You can't wait until they're a freshman to start teaching them." Board members approved the resignations of Agnes Hamilton, Debbie Peterman, Barry Moody, and Tammy Smith from the Overton County school system. In other action, Board members approved abolishing the position of an administrative assistant at Livingston Academy and creating the position of a transition and curriculum administrator, a new position with an 11-month contract. Needham said, "The high school teachers have begun feeling some of the same pressures of state-mandated tests as elementary school teachers." He went on to say, "With the advent of the Gateway test at the high school level, the accountability has increased quite a bit. "We're trying to be sure that we're following the curriculum standards that are provided by the state." He further stated, "We feel like this position will make quite a difference in what we see coming out of the design of the curriculum.Ó The meeting adjourned.
Water Dept. investigating water leaks and thefts Livingston Water Department is continuing efforts to locate water main leaks in the area and theft of water from the city. The department has recently discovered many situations where persons have "bypassed" the meter or obtained city water by tampering with meters without authorization from the city. These individuals are in effect stealing from the city, according to a city spokesperson. Tennessee Code Annotated Section 39-14-104, theft of services, prohibits such conduct and provides for fines and punishment that increases based on the value of the services stolen up to a $25,000 fine and 8 to 30 years in prison. Officials from the Water Department will be investigating such conduct, locating all "meter bypasses" and tracing the line to the wrongdoer's home or business. Anyone who knows of such conduct should report the crime to the Water Department immediately. Those illegally using city water and not receiving a bill should report the matter so city officials can correct it. According to officials, those who self report will not be prosecuted. Loss of water from leaks or theft is a serious problem for the City of Livingston, according to the Water Department. A major effort is in progress to repair, correct, or minimze the loss of Livingston's taxpayers.
Overton County News
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