Natural Disasters

Pipeline extension proposed into county (04/29/08)
An Arkansas natural gas company is measuring interest from users to build a pipeline into Tennessee that would link to existing pipelines in Dyer County. Ozark Gas Transmission, headquartered in Fort Smith, Ark., on April 25 began an "open season" to gauge customer needs for the pipeline expansion...

Car crashes into school bus; driver rescued from Unionville ditch (04/28/08)

Minister's body recovered from Carroll Co. lake (04/26/08)

Benefit slated for local family who lost home in tornado (04/21/08)
It took only a matter of moments for a tornado to destroy the home of Josh and Brianna Hendren in the Elizabeth community in Crockett County. But in the aftermath of the devastation, their family and friends have rallied around them, with plans in place for a benefit dinner on Saturday, April 26...

State seeks to cancel diversion for former Tiptonville firefighters (04/03/08)
Two men who were sentenced in a series of Tiptonville fires could face additional sanctions. Both of the men -- James Blackburn and his grandson, Brandon Blackburn -- were placed on two years of pretrial diversion in September. The district attorney general's office has filed petitions asking that the diversion be terminated...

Trucker injured near county line when tree limbs break windshield (04/01/08)
A truck driver was injured when a tree limb dangling over the road hit his tractor-trailer Tuesday morning. Wayne McKnight, a driver for S & S Trucking in Ripley, was hauling a loaded 53-foot trailer eastbound near the Gibson County line at about 3 a.m. when the accident occurred...

More roads closed as water rises in rural areas; more citations (03/31/08)
The 1.5-inch rainfall since Friday swelled already bloated streams to overtop their banks Saturday and Sunday, prompting a flash flood warning for Dyer County. Highway 105 south of Trimble, Tatumville Road south of Tatumville and Hogwallow Road northeast of Dyersburg were closed on Sunday, adding to the closed roads leading to the floodwaters in the western third of the county...

Overtime cools under Holden's first budget (03/30/08)
As planning for a new Dyersburg city government budget nears, a look back at the overtime expenses of 12 of the city's departments during Mayor John Holden's first year shows most are meeting their expenses for the first time in years. Holden said it's due to a focus on open dialogue...

Contractor wants city as partner to finance subdivision (03/27/08)
If the city of Dyersburg would like to offer a new subdivision of "affordable housing" to residents of the area, it will have to foot part of the bill, said local developer and contractor Billy Escue. Escue met with members of the city's Finance Committee on Tuesday with a proposal for Westbrook Subdivision, a project that will offer 53 lots for new houses in what Escue called the middle-income bracket...

Animals moving inland ahead of flood (03/27/08)

SkyWarn class at Rescue Squad headquarters on Thursday (03/26/08)
A National Weather Service SkyWarn course is slated for Thursday at the Dyer County Rescue Squad headquarters in Newbern. "We're as happy as we can be to have this come here," said squad chief Ricky Gatlin. "It's rare to be able to get an event like this."...

Rising floodwaters claim man's life (03/24/08)

Work against rising water ongoing (03/23/08)
The projected high-water point of the Mississippi River at Caruthersville on Saturday was dropped by a half-foot, to an even 40 feet, but was forecast to arrive on Friday instead of Tuesday. Thirty-two feet is flood stage. "As long as it stays on the other side of the Dyer County Little Levee," said farmer and local levee district member Jimmy Moody. "We should be OK. There's no reason to panic."...

Flood stage forecast to hit high Tuesday (03/21/08)
Dyer County's western half is forecast to suffer from one of the highest flood levels in history in the next few days. On Friday morning, the Mississippi River at Caruthersville measured 35.9 feet. Flood stage is 32 feet, with a forecast crest early Tuesday of 41 feet or higher...