Telemed in Our Schools
By Jacob Keiler
The 2015-2016 school year will start off with a new medical program approved by the Marshall County Board of Education.
Telecommunications and information technologies used for healthcare in a revolutionary new medicine called telemed or telemedicine.
Mike Keny, co-coordinator of Coordinated School Health, said as he presented the idea to the board said, "This is cutting edge. This is our future. This is the new way to improve access to health care."
The goal of the new program is to ensure they have access to quality health care, help students and staff gets seen by a medical provider without receiving penalties for loss of work, aid students and staff gets diagnosed so they will return to school sooner, reduce teacher sick leave and the use of substitute teachers.
The nurse practitioner, who is to be an eDM employee, is to spend one full day in each school and rotate so he can be present at each of the schools at least one day out of each two-week period. The new program, which is operated by eDM, is not to interfere with the existing school clinics, but it is to help guide them to diagnose a student.
If the nurse practitioner is in Lewisburg and a child in Chapel Hill needs to be seen, the nurse practitioner will work with the school nurse to diagnose the child. Parents who want to participate in the visit with the nurse practitioner will have the choice of going to the school or logging into a telemedicine video chat and watch the visit.
If an illness is set and medication is needed, the nurse practitioner will inform the student's parents and submit medicine to their pharmacy.
"We have met with all of our school system's nurses, and they are on board and excited about implementing this program in their school," said Keny.
The Marshall County Schools and a medical director are to decide at a later date whether students are able to be given injections. The nurse practitioner is only to observe students and staff at the school. They are to act upon things like strep tests, but not contraception, pregnancy or sexually transmitted disease tests.
"One negative thing I am seeing to come from this is parents sending their child to school even if they know the child has strep throat, so when he gets to school he will see better care," added Kristen Gold, third district school board member. Keny added to Gold's comment by saying that the nurses are already seeing that scenario in the schools.
If there is an sufficient answer to the program, they will continue the remains of the school year and will eventually restore automatically for five one-year periods. eMD is the company offering the program at no cost to the school.
Source: http://www.marshalltribune.com/story/2185321.html
ACT Scores on the Rise, Plans for More Improvement!
By James
It's the main test of a high school student's career, the ACT, and in our County the normal score has risen 2.7%. "Improving ACT scores is one of our district's priorities next year because we want to make the most of the opportunities our students have," said Jackie Abernathy, executive of Marshall County schools. During the 2012-13 school year, the standard score was an 18.5 out of 36; that jumped to 19.0 for the 2013-14 school year. Next year, according to Abernathy, the test will be one of the scores used to make a decision on how well the school district is meeting state requirements. It will be based on how many students in the last senior class scored 21 or higher on the test. The district's move toward improving test scores will include promoting community and parent alertness, embedding ACT concepts and skills in core classes and providing each junior-class student with an enhancement plan using online and book support. Abernathy plans to use the Pareto ACT Data study Improvement Plan to see how schools are doing next year, awaiting school board approval. She said this plan has been used with much success in Williamson and Wilson counties. The ACT -- previously called the American College Test -- serves as a college readiness and placement test with four multiple-choice sections - English, mathematics, reading and science. The test has 215 questions with time limits for each section. High school students must make certain scores to gain entry to a postsecondary institution. For a student to get accepted to a public school like Middle Tennessee State University, they must have a composite score of 22. The composite score is the average of the scores on all four sections of the test. Private schools require higher compound scores -- 26 at Belmont University -- often considerably higher than the average score in Marshall County. In addition to bragging rights and college admissions, a higher compound score can help a student get scholarships and other monetary aid. To get the Hope Lottery Scholarship, a student must score a 21 on the ACT test. This scholarship gives $1,500 per semester to community college students and $1,750 per semester to freshman and sophomore students who attend four-year universities. That money doesn't have to be paid back. Students at four-year universities as juniors and seniors are eligible for $2,250 per semester. Three years ago, the state mandated that students in the 2013 graduating classes had to meet all of the ACT readiness benchmarks in order to mark off with honors. Before, honorees were determined by their grade point average. For University of Tennessee at Chattanooga student Meribeth Brannon, the math and science part of the ACT were the most difficult. She took the test four times to reach her best composite score, a 26. The benchmark readiness score for the English segment is an 18, mathematics and reading a 22 and science a 23. Brannon met all the criteria to graduate with honors in 2013, which earned her the Hope Lottery Scholarship and the Provost Scholarship from UTC -- a reward of $3,000 per year towards her tuition. Brannon credits her accomplishment to the ACT Prep class she took in high school conducted by math teacher Mike Whitehead at Marshall County High School. He offered the students tips and strategy for the math segment.
Unemployment
By Jacob Keiler
According to figures released by Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development for Marshall County's opening unemployment rate for February was 6.1 percent, a step up from both the revised January rate of 6.9 percent and from the February 2014 rate of 6.6 percent.
"I think we're headed in the right direction," said County Mayor Joe Boyd Liggett, "I hope that's an indicator of it. It's nice to be headed in the right direction."
Marshall County's total labor force of 14,420; 13,550 were employed while 880 were unemployed.
Bordering county rates for February include Maury County, 5.6 percent; Williamson, 4.3 percent; Rutherford, 4.9 percent; Bedford, 6.8 percent; Lincoln, 5.6 percent; and Giles, 5.8 percent.
Liggett said that Marshall County, which at one point in the past had the uppermost unemployment rate in the state, has continued to show progress and is positioned well to continue to improve even if it suffers isolated setbacks.
The rate decreased in all 95 Tennessee counties during February, according to the state.
The statewide rate, however, is seasonally adjusted to take into account weather, holidays, school calendars and other factors that cause a predictable rise or fall in employment .The statewide rate was 6.6 percent, a tenth of a percentage point lower than the January revised rate, which was 6.7 percent County rates are not adjusted in this way, and so it's sometimes misleading to compare an individual county rate to the state rate.
Three neighboring counties reported two-digit unemployment: Clay County, at 11.1 percent, Scott
County, at 10.7 percent, and Cocke County, at 10.3 percent.
Source: http://www.marshalltribune.com/story/2183854.html
Child Abuse in Marshall County
By James Huff and Jacob Keiler
Lewisburg Family thrown in jail after reports of child abuse after a citizen’s visit to local police department; this visit brought forth four small children, and they all escaped horrific living conditions.
On March 24th 16 year old Michelle VanOrden walked into a police station with pictures that led local authorities to believe there was child abuse happening in their homes. Michelle’s name has been redacted in police records.
The pictures were given and shown to Officer Mike Davis as he picked up the complaint. The pictures show a young child chained to a bed and another with the child chained and locked to the bed frame. According to police reports, VanOrden advised that while visiting with her friend, Evelyn Stevens, she asked Sanders where her two sons, four and five-years-old, were.
Stevens replied, "chained to their beds,” reported by VanOrden.
VanOrden told Davis she didn't believe what Stevens' told her, so she got a look for herself. In fact, according to reports, she discovered Stevens’s sons in the bedroom they shared, chained to their beds just as Stevens had told her.
In disbelief, pictures were taken of the two boys to show to police.
After reviewing the pictures, Davis and Cpl. Tracy Teal visited the home of Stevens and her boyfriend, Andrew Roberson, at 527 Jackson Ave. Lot #3, to conduct a welfare check on the children.
After arriving, according to Davis, he and Teal met the 25-year-old Roberson, who is Stevens' live-in fiance, at the front door where the two boys' ran to the door to see who was there.
Davis wrote in his report that the boy's ankles were covered in dirt and that there were few minor abrasions on one of the boys left ankle. Upon searching the rooms believed to be that of the children, he observed two twin beds, both of which still had chains to the frames with small locks on them.
According to reports, one of the boys picked up the chains and stated, "My daddy puts these around my ankles really tight, and it hurts." (www.marshalltribune.com)
Stevens was not are her home when the police arrived she was picked up at her job at a grocery store. Roberson and Stevens were both taken down to the station to be interviewed separately. A detective later went back to the house to investigate and found evidence of the children being abused
Detective Henley charged both Roberson and Stevens each with one count of child abuse and neglect and both were taken to the Marshal County jail on March 25 with a bond on $7,500 each.
"I knew something was a little off because every time I would go over to the Steven's residence, the babies would always ask me for my food or drink," she said. She went on to say that Roberson and Stevens' home was very dirty and that she did not think it was a stable place for children to live. (www.marshalltribune.com)
"I was once in this situation, and I got myself away from it. I knew it wasn't right, and I knew I couldn't do much. I knew the police could and would do more than I." (www.marshalltribune.com)
Roberson and Stevens are to appear in court on April 21.
Source: http://www.marshalltribune.com/story/2180826.html
New Gym for Forrest
By James Huff and Jacob Keiler
In the cool night of Monday, March 16th a school board meeting concluded with renovation plans for the Forrest School gymnasium.
"The old gym is in shambles. You can stand in the middle of it and see outside all of the way around where the roof and walls meet," Director of Schools Jackie Abernathy said.
After several unsuccessful meetings the school board agreed upon a total $2.650 million project.
Board member Harvey Jones Jr. was quoted saying he was not satisfied with what architect jim Bailey drew out.
“ This is not what we agreed on. We were originally supposed to renovate two rooms and add a gym," said Jones.
"This sketch has taken almost half of the space out of the classroom that we had in mind for the first plan,” also stated by Jones.
As complained by Abernathy the sketch was to show a 700- square-foot classroom that was supposed to take care of the needs of students and teachers alike.
An unimpressed Jones wasn’t the only person disappointed in the sketch.
Reported by Board member John Daniel Allen he doesn’t like how to use the restrooms you must enter the school building instead of remain in the gymnasium.
Bailey stated that if the design was changed so that bathrooms were in gymnasium then people tracking dirt and grime would ruin the wooden floor eliminating the issue.
The ever grateful Forrest School Principal Davy McClaren was very pleased that the school board had decided to fix the greatly outdated gymnasium that had many health and safety violations in floors, walls, and the ceiling.
"The gym is a facility that has outlived its term. We will get great use out of our new facility and it will definitely be taken care of," said McClaran.
The current gymnasium is used for many extracurricular activities and once the gym is rebuilt it will become the new home to wrestling tournaments.
Construction is dated to begin as 2015 seniors graduate and the old gym has been demolished.
Completion date for the project is unknown as they wait for Bailey’s drawings to reach completion as well as a price for construction has been met.
Budget meeting
Immediately after the Monday night meeting another meeting another meeting for the school board budget was held.
"We're in okay shape this year and definitely don't have to borrow any money," said Budget Director Janet Wiles.
A report by Deputy Director of school Jacob Sorrells says that roofs on the Marshall County High School and Lewisburg Middle Schools are in bad conditions. He also said that he is working on getting these leaky roofs fixed as soon as possible.
A proposal for a new supplement schedule that’s based on percentages rather than a normal base rate was also produced by Sorrells.
In April the plans will be presented to a full board meeting for approval.
The meeting was ended with a proposal from Abernathy to employ a chorus assistant at the Marshall County High School.
Source: http://www.marshalltribune.com/story/2177210.html
By Jacob Keiler
The 2015-2016 school year will start off with a new medical program approved by the Marshall County Board of Education.
Telecommunications and information technologies used for healthcare in a revolutionary new medicine called telemed or telemedicine.
Mike Keny, co-coordinator of Coordinated School Health, said as he presented the idea to the board said, "This is cutting edge. This is our future. This is the new way to improve access to health care."
The goal of the new program is to ensure they have access to quality health care, help students and staff gets seen by a medical provider without receiving penalties for loss of work, aid students and staff gets diagnosed so they will return to school sooner, reduce teacher sick leave and the use of substitute teachers.
The nurse practitioner, who is to be an eDM employee, is to spend one full day in each school and rotate so he can be present at each of the schools at least one day out of each two-week period. The new program, which is operated by eDM, is not to interfere with the existing school clinics, but it is to help guide them to diagnose a student.
If the nurse practitioner is in Lewisburg and a child in Chapel Hill needs to be seen, the nurse practitioner will work with the school nurse to diagnose the child. Parents who want to participate in the visit with the nurse practitioner will have the choice of going to the school or logging into a telemedicine video chat and watch the visit.
If an illness is set and medication is needed, the nurse practitioner will inform the student's parents and submit medicine to their pharmacy.
"We have met with all of our school system's nurses, and they are on board and excited about implementing this program in their school," said Keny.
The Marshall County Schools and a medical director are to decide at a later date whether students are able to be given injections. The nurse practitioner is only to observe students and staff at the school. They are to act upon things like strep tests, but not contraception, pregnancy or sexually transmitted disease tests.
"One negative thing I am seeing to come from this is parents sending their child to school even if they know the child has strep throat, so when he gets to school he will see better care," added Kristen Gold, third district school board member. Keny added to Gold's comment by saying that the nurses are already seeing that scenario in the schools.
If there is an sufficient answer to the program, they will continue the remains of the school year and will eventually restore automatically for five one-year periods. eMD is the company offering the program at no cost to the school.
Source: http://www.marshalltribune.com/story/2185321.html
ACT Scores on the Rise, Plans for More Improvement!
By James
It's the main test of a high school student's career, the ACT, and in our County the normal score has risen 2.7%. "Improving ACT scores is one of our district's priorities next year because we want to make the most of the opportunities our students have," said Jackie Abernathy, executive of Marshall County schools. During the 2012-13 school year, the standard score was an 18.5 out of 36; that jumped to 19.0 for the 2013-14 school year. Next year, according to Abernathy, the test will be one of the scores used to make a decision on how well the school district is meeting state requirements. It will be based on how many students in the last senior class scored 21 or higher on the test. The district's move toward improving test scores will include promoting community and parent alertness, embedding ACT concepts and skills in core classes and providing each junior-class student with an enhancement plan using online and book support. Abernathy plans to use the Pareto ACT Data study Improvement Plan to see how schools are doing next year, awaiting school board approval. She said this plan has been used with much success in Williamson and Wilson counties. The ACT -- previously called the American College Test -- serves as a college readiness and placement test with four multiple-choice sections - English, mathematics, reading and science. The test has 215 questions with time limits for each section. High school students must make certain scores to gain entry to a postsecondary institution. For a student to get accepted to a public school like Middle Tennessee State University, they must have a composite score of 22. The composite score is the average of the scores on all four sections of the test. Private schools require higher compound scores -- 26 at Belmont University -- often considerably higher than the average score in Marshall County. In addition to bragging rights and college admissions, a higher compound score can help a student get scholarships and other monetary aid. To get the Hope Lottery Scholarship, a student must score a 21 on the ACT test. This scholarship gives $1,500 per semester to community college students and $1,750 per semester to freshman and sophomore students who attend four-year universities. That money doesn't have to be paid back. Students at four-year universities as juniors and seniors are eligible for $2,250 per semester. Three years ago, the state mandated that students in the 2013 graduating classes had to meet all of the ACT readiness benchmarks in order to mark off with honors. Before, honorees were determined by their grade point average. For University of Tennessee at Chattanooga student Meribeth Brannon, the math and science part of the ACT were the most difficult. She took the test four times to reach her best composite score, a 26. The benchmark readiness score for the English segment is an 18, mathematics and reading a 22 and science a 23. Brannon met all the criteria to graduate with honors in 2013, which earned her the Hope Lottery Scholarship and the Provost Scholarship from UTC -- a reward of $3,000 per year towards her tuition. Brannon credits her accomplishment to the ACT Prep class she took in high school conducted by math teacher Mike Whitehead at Marshall County High School. He offered the students tips and strategy for the math segment.
Unemployment
By Jacob Keiler
According to figures released by Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development for Marshall County's opening unemployment rate for February was 6.1 percent, a step up from both the revised January rate of 6.9 percent and from the February 2014 rate of 6.6 percent.
"I think we're headed in the right direction," said County Mayor Joe Boyd Liggett, "I hope that's an indicator of it. It's nice to be headed in the right direction."
Marshall County's total labor force of 14,420; 13,550 were employed while 880 were unemployed.
Bordering county rates for February include Maury County, 5.6 percent; Williamson, 4.3 percent; Rutherford, 4.9 percent; Bedford, 6.8 percent; Lincoln, 5.6 percent; and Giles, 5.8 percent.
Liggett said that Marshall County, which at one point in the past had the uppermost unemployment rate in the state, has continued to show progress and is positioned well to continue to improve even if it suffers isolated setbacks.
The rate decreased in all 95 Tennessee counties during February, according to the state.
The statewide rate, however, is seasonally adjusted to take into account weather, holidays, school calendars and other factors that cause a predictable rise or fall in employment .The statewide rate was 6.6 percent, a tenth of a percentage point lower than the January revised rate, which was 6.7 percent County rates are not adjusted in this way, and so it's sometimes misleading to compare an individual county rate to the state rate.
Three neighboring counties reported two-digit unemployment: Clay County, at 11.1 percent, Scott
County, at 10.7 percent, and Cocke County, at 10.3 percent.
Source: http://www.marshalltribune.com/story/2183854.html
Child Abuse in Marshall County
By James Huff and Jacob Keiler
Lewisburg Family thrown in jail after reports of child abuse after a citizen’s visit to local police department; this visit brought forth four small children, and they all escaped horrific living conditions.
On March 24th 16 year old Michelle VanOrden walked into a police station with pictures that led local authorities to believe there was child abuse happening in their homes. Michelle’s name has been redacted in police records.
The pictures were given and shown to Officer Mike Davis as he picked up the complaint. The pictures show a young child chained to a bed and another with the child chained and locked to the bed frame. According to police reports, VanOrden advised that while visiting with her friend, Evelyn Stevens, she asked Sanders where her two sons, four and five-years-old, were.
Stevens replied, "chained to their beds,” reported by VanOrden.
VanOrden told Davis she didn't believe what Stevens' told her, so she got a look for herself. In fact, according to reports, she discovered Stevens’s sons in the bedroom they shared, chained to their beds just as Stevens had told her.
In disbelief, pictures were taken of the two boys to show to police.
After reviewing the pictures, Davis and Cpl. Tracy Teal visited the home of Stevens and her boyfriend, Andrew Roberson, at 527 Jackson Ave. Lot #3, to conduct a welfare check on the children.
After arriving, according to Davis, he and Teal met the 25-year-old Roberson, who is Stevens' live-in fiance, at the front door where the two boys' ran to the door to see who was there.
Davis wrote in his report that the boy's ankles were covered in dirt and that there were few minor abrasions on one of the boys left ankle. Upon searching the rooms believed to be that of the children, he observed two twin beds, both of which still had chains to the frames with small locks on them.
According to reports, one of the boys picked up the chains and stated, "My daddy puts these around my ankles really tight, and it hurts." (www.marshalltribune.com)
Stevens was not are her home when the police arrived she was picked up at her job at a grocery store. Roberson and Stevens were both taken down to the station to be interviewed separately. A detective later went back to the house to investigate and found evidence of the children being abused
Detective Henley charged both Roberson and Stevens each with one count of child abuse and neglect and both were taken to the Marshal County jail on March 25 with a bond on $7,500 each.
"I knew something was a little off because every time I would go over to the Steven's residence, the babies would always ask me for my food or drink," she said. She went on to say that Roberson and Stevens' home was very dirty and that she did not think it was a stable place for children to live. (www.marshalltribune.com)
"I was once in this situation, and I got myself away from it. I knew it wasn't right, and I knew I couldn't do much. I knew the police could and would do more than I." (www.marshalltribune.com)
Roberson and Stevens are to appear in court on April 21.
Source: http://www.marshalltribune.com/story/2180826.html
New Gym for Forrest
By James Huff and Jacob Keiler
In the cool night of Monday, March 16th a school board meeting concluded with renovation plans for the Forrest School gymnasium.
"The old gym is in shambles. You can stand in the middle of it and see outside all of the way around where the roof and walls meet," Director of Schools Jackie Abernathy said.
After several unsuccessful meetings the school board agreed upon a total $2.650 million project.
Board member Harvey Jones Jr. was quoted saying he was not satisfied with what architect jim Bailey drew out.
“ This is not what we agreed on. We were originally supposed to renovate two rooms and add a gym," said Jones.
"This sketch has taken almost half of the space out of the classroom that we had in mind for the first plan,” also stated by Jones.
As complained by Abernathy the sketch was to show a 700- square-foot classroom that was supposed to take care of the needs of students and teachers alike.
An unimpressed Jones wasn’t the only person disappointed in the sketch.
Reported by Board member John Daniel Allen he doesn’t like how to use the restrooms you must enter the school building instead of remain in the gymnasium.
Bailey stated that if the design was changed so that bathrooms were in gymnasium then people tracking dirt and grime would ruin the wooden floor eliminating the issue.
The ever grateful Forrest School Principal Davy McClaren was very pleased that the school board had decided to fix the greatly outdated gymnasium that had many health and safety violations in floors, walls, and the ceiling.
"The gym is a facility that has outlived its term. We will get great use out of our new facility and it will definitely be taken care of," said McClaran.
The current gymnasium is used for many extracurricular activities and once the gym is rebuilt it will become the new home to wrestling tournaments.
Construction is dated to begin as 2015 seniors graduate and the old gym has been demolished.
Completion date for the project is unknown as they wait for Bailey’s drawings to reach completion as well as a price for construction has been met.
Budget meeting
Immediately after the Monday night meeting another meeting another meeting for the school board budget was held.
"We're in okay shape this year and definitely don't have to borrow any money," said Budget Director Janet Wiles.
A report by Deputy Director of school Jacob Sorrells says that roofs on the Marshall County High School and Lewisburg Middle Schools are in bad conditions. He also said that he is working on getting these leaky roofs fixed as soon as possible.
A proposal for a new supplement schedule that’s based on percentages rather than a normal base rate was also produced by Sorrells.
In April the plans will be presented to a full board meeting for approval.
The meeting was ended with a proposal from Abernathy to employ a chorus assistant at the Marshall County High School.
Source: http://www.marshalltribune.com/story/2177210.html
Drive-in
Theatre Reopens on Highway 50
By James Huff and Jacob Keiler
A special guest arrived at highway 50’s Theatre, Disney’s very own Cinderella! As of July 2013, the drive-in is owned by Danielle and Steve Wakhem, who purchased it from Gary and June Douglas, who have owned it for eighteen years. After they renovated the concession stand and bathrooms, along with a digital upgrade to the projector, the Wakhems decided to apply a few touches. Premier painting had glossed up the screen and gravel was added throughout the parking lot. The movies Cinderella and McFarland, USA, will be premiering Friday through Sunday this weekend.
A royal ball was held Saturday night with dancing, a real Cinderella, and the crowning of a king and queen. This drive-in is one of only 13 still open in Tennessee, and even though the internet’s movie access is here, Danielle believes it won’t affect her business. “The atmosphere is what keeps people coming…” said Danielle. The Wakhems also plan to have trees planted to provide a sound barrier from the road.
Source: Marshall County Tribune
Special Boy Gets a Very Special Gift
By James Huff and Jacob Keiler
While all the crime and mischief happens in the world, a few employees of a popular shipping company have come to Marshall County to show some love for a little boy who is almost 1,200 miles away. UPS uses its own special social media site to inform employees of upcoming events and happenings, this site is where Dana Sicard read the story about Drake Barlow and UPS driver Curtis Johnson’s friendship with him. Sicard decided to send Drake a gift from his store in South Hadley, Massachusetts.
“A mended heart is a special heart,” was on Drake’s shirt right under his little UPS uniform, when his favorite driver surprised him on Monday. Nervously, he waited at the door, as his mended heart raced, his friend Curtis pulled up in his UPS truck, honking, as he was followed by two other UPS drivers. Drake was born with a condition where his aorta is too small, this is called DILV, or Double Inlet Left Ventricle, and he also has Mitral Artresia. He went through three open-heart surgeries, but is still standing. After he met his friend Curtis and greeted him, the two other drivers approached with large boxes. The box was filled with wonderful gifts, including a vest with his name embroidered on the front, but it was what was outside of the box that he will appreciate when he gets older. On the box was a message that read,” We hope for the best for 'our' special little family member, please keep me posted as time goes along. May God bless you and your son," Sicard wrote in a letter to Drake’s parents.
Source: Marshall County Tribune.
Someone from Marshall County in The Super Bowl?
By James Huff and Jacob Keiler
Dont’a Hightower, a player from the Patriots, played in his seventh playoff game last Sunday, February 1st, in Phoenix, Arizona. Hightower’s gain of skill started when he was of a young age, which brought him to a football career in our very own Marshall County High School. He went on to become a National Champion not once, but twice, and then he was the NFL first-round choice by the New England Patriots in 2012.
His quest for greatness and perfection was exactly what the Patriots wanted. As of July 19, 2012, Dont’a agreed to four year contact a contract with the Patriots. His most notable play has been his recover of the fumble forced by rookie Chandler Jones. As for his most notable play during the Super bowl, it was stopping Marshawn “Beast Mode” Lynch at the one yard line.
Dont’a Hightower’s performance this Super Bowl was over all his best without a doubt, he has proven himself to the Patriots and Alabama, and he can conquer anything that he wants to. I’m proud to know that a man from my home town has made it so far.
Source: The Marshall County tribune article “Ready for the Dream.”
By James Huff and Jacob Keiler
A special guest arrived at highway 50’s Theatre, Disney’s very own Cinderella! As of July 2013, the drive-in is owned by Danielle and Steve Wakhem, who purchased it from Gary and June Douglas, who have owned it for eighteen years. After they renovated the concession stand and bathrooms, along with a digital upgrade to the projector, the Wakhems decided to apply a few touches. Premier painting had glossed up the screen and gravel was added throughout the parking lot. The movies Cinderella and McFarland, USA, will be premiering Friday through Sunday this weekend.
A royal ball was held Saturday night with dancing, a real Cinderella, and the crowning of a king and queen. This drive-in is one of only 13 still open in Tennessee, and even though the internet’s movie access is here, Danielle believes it won’t affect her business. “The atmosphere is what keeps people coming…” said Danielle. The Wakhems also plan to have trees planted to provide a sound barrier from the road.
Source: Marshall County Tribune
Special Boy Gets a Very Special Gift
By James Huff and Jacob Keiler
While all the crime and mischief happens in the world, a few employees of a popular shipping company have come to Marshall County to show some love for a little boy who is almost 1,200 miles away. UPS uses its own special social media site to inform employees of upcoming events and happenings, this site is where Dana Sicard read the story about Drake Barlow and UPS driver Curtis Johnson’s friendship with him. Sicard decided to send Drake a gift from his store in South Hadley, Massachusetts.
“A mended heart is a special heart,” was on Drake’s shirt right under his little UPS uniform, when his favorite driver surprised him on Monday. Nervously, he waited at the door, as his mended heart raced, his friend Curtis pulled up in his UPS truck, honking, as he was followed by two other UPS drivers. Drake was born with a condition where his aorta is too small, this is called DILV, or Double Inlet Left Ventricle, and he also has Mitral Artresia. He went through three open-heart surgeries, but is still standing. After he met his friend Curtis and greeted him, the two other drivers approached with large boxes. The box was filled with wonderful gifts, including a vest with his name embroidered on the front, but it was what was outside of the box that he will appreciate when he gets older. On the box was a message that read,” We hope for the best for 'our' special little family member, please keep me posted as time goes along. May God bless you and your son," Sicard wrote in a letter to Drake’s parents.
Source: Marshall County Tribune.
Someone from Marshall County in The Super Bowl?
By James Huff and Jacob Keiler
Dont’a Hightower, a player from the Patriots, played in his seventh playoff game last Sunday, February 1st, in Phoenix, Arizona. Hightower’s gain of skill started when he was of a young age, which brought him to a football career in our very own Marshall County High School. He went on to become a National Champion not once, but twice, and then he was the NFL first-round choice by the New England Patriots in 2012.
His quest for greatness and perfection was exactly what the Patriots wanted. As of July 19, 2012, Dont’a agreed to four year contact a contract with the Patriots. His most notable play has been his recover of the fumble forced by rookie Chandler Jones. As for his most notable play during the Super bowl, it was stopping Marshawn “Beast Mode” Lynch at the one yard line.
Dont’a Hightower’s performance this Super Bowl was over all his best without a doubt, he has proven himself to the Patriots and Alabama, and he can conquer anything that he wants to. I’m proud to know that a man from my home town has made it so far.
Source: The Marshall County tribune article “Ready for the Dream.”