News

RACHEL TOWNSEND rtownsend@stategazette.com Tennessee Homeless Solutions, located at 332 South Mill Ave., in the old Red Cross building, serves the community as a day shelter, as well as a location where individuals can seek assistance for job placement, permanent housing, and the essential life skills programs and training needed to break the cycle of poverty and homelessness...

This year marks a special milestone for Newbern Police Chief Richard “Red” Barnes, who is now celebrating 40 years of service as a law enforcement officer, four of which he has served as Newbern’s chief of police.

On Friday, January 17, Rev. James Luvene, pastor of Ross United Methodist Church, was the guest speaker of the 35th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Luncheon and Community Celebration. The event, held inside the E.H. Lannom Jr. Gymnasium at Dyersburg State Community College at noon, was co-hosted by the Dyersburg/ Dyer County Chamber of Commerce and DSCC.

Due to the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday on Monday, the Dyersburg Board of Mayor and Aldermen will convene on Tuesday, January 21 at 7 p.m. inside the Municipal Building courtroom, located at 425 West Court St. The agenda is as follows: 1. Call to Order...

The Dyersburg High School Class of 1970 50th Year Reunion committee is actively seeking contact information for class members. The reunion is planned for June 5 and June 6, 2020. Anyone who has helpful information can log onto Facebook and visit the Dyersburg High School Class of 70 page, or email patmwillis@gmail.com. All classmates are invited to join the reunion committee and attend the reunion. The next meeting will be held on January 24 at noon, inside of the conference room at McIver’s Grant Public Library. Pictured above (standing, L-R): Pat Moore Willis, Nancy Bond West, Connie Taylor Sentell, Mickey Tubbs Jones, Becky Noble Sloat and Cindy Whitson Jones. (Front row, seated L-R): Donna Starnes Smith, Stanley Watson, Doris Hollis Essary, and Patricia Edwards Larson.

On Friday morning, January 17, preliminary hearings were scheduled for Jeremiah Ring, 42, and Heather Beck, 32, of Dyersburg, formerly of Fresno, California, in Dyersburg City Court for charges of felony aggravated child abuse and neglect. The couple, being held on $400,000 bonds each, entered pleas, and their charges were amended from the felony to child endangerment, a Class A misdemeanor. Both accepted the amended charge and each received a 45-day jail sentence (with credit for any time served) and was issued court costs.

Willie Locust, 63, of Dyersburg appeared in Dyersburg City Court Friday morning, January 17, for a preliminary hearing on 11 various weapon and drug charges. Upon conclusion of the hearing, Dyersburg City Court Judge Dean Dedmon found probable cause and bound the case over to the Dyer County Grand Jury.

Members of the Dyer County Education committee convened Thursday, January 16, at the Dyer County Central Office to discuss a possible expansion of 5th Consolidated Elementary School.

DCHS Student Spotlight for the week of January 20 is 12th grade student Remi Halliburton. ‘He always comes to class ready to learn. He is respectful to everyone (administrators, substitute teachers, other students). I can always count on Remi to do his work and is willing to help others when help is needed. He is a perfect example of every aspect of the PRIDE rubric.’ - Mr. Jeremy Burris...

This week’s Dyersburg High School student spotlight representative is Wilkes Kirby. Wilkes is a senior and the son of Steve and Eva Marie Kirby. He was recommended for student spotlight by DHS Choir instructor Dustin Walters. ‘Wilkes is a tremendous young man and a great representative of our school,’ said Walters. ...

Bill Revell, 90, of Dyersburg, died Monday, January 13, 2020 at Harborview Dyersburg. Born January 5, 1930, he is the son of the late John and Violet Harness Revell. He was an active member of Gideons International, holding offices at the state and local level. ...

A Newbern man has been arrested on charges of rape, incest and the especially aggravated exploitation of a 13-year-old minor child between the dates of December 5-7, 2019.

The Dyer County Health Council convened on Tuesday, January 14, to discuss updates on Tobacco 21 and the Tennessee Teen Institute, held annually in Martin, Tenn.

Signups for Master Gardener classes are now underway. Classes will be held Jan. 28-April 21 at the Dyer County Complex Auditorium on Tuesday nights from 5:30-8:15 p.m. Topics covered in the course include: basic botany, soil, and soil water irrigation, landscape design, urban forestry, turf grasses, pesticides, insects around home and garden, vegetable gardening, plant diseases, herbaceous plants, woody ornamentals and more. ...

Dyer County Commissioner Rusty Grills is now an official member of the Tennessee Legislature. On Tuesday, January 14, during the 111th General Assembly, Grills was issued the oath of office by Tennessee Supreme Court Chief Justice Jeffrey Bivens. Following his swearing-in as the new 77th District State Representative, Grills was issued time at the podium by House Speaker Cameron Sexton.

The Dyer County Legislative Body convened Monday evening at 6:30 p.m., following the Budget and Finance committee meetings. All members of the Dyer County Legislative Body were present for the meeting with the exception of commissioners Tonya Fuller McKellar and Rusty Grills. *Finance committee Chair Jimmy Hester addressed the CLB with a three resolutions, which would allow the Dyer County Fire Department to receive a USDA grant for $200,000 to go toward the total cost of replacing nine of the county’s fire engines.

NASHVILLE – State Rep. Andy Holt (R-Dresden) and State Rep. Rusty Grills (R-Newbern) and State Sen. John Stevens (R-Huntingdon) have announced Everett-Stewart Regional Airport will receive a grant for $736,477 from the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT)...

On January 6, the Dyer County Sheriff’s Department arrested Bradley Shipley, 39, of Dyersburg after seizing approximately 142 grams of methamphetamines.

Commodity foods will be distributed in Dyersburg on Wednesday, Jan. 15 and Thursday, Jan. 16, from 8 a.m. until noon at the old Dyer County Central School Gym, located at 1400 Hornbrook St. Those receiving commodities should bring their commodity cards with them...

BRANDON HUTCHESON bhutcheson@stategazette.com The 12th Annual Davis P. Rice Memorial Youth Waterfowl Hunt marks its return to Dyersburg and northwest Tennessee on the weekend of Friday, January 31 – Saturday, February 1. For the first time in the hunt’s existence, it is now available for the public...

On Monday, January 20, the Dyer County NAACP will host the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Celebration. Beginning at 10:30 a.m., community members are invited to join one of two marches, one starting at the Bruce Recreation Center and one starting at the Future City Recreation Center, which will conclude at the Dyer County Courthouse. At 11 a.m., the annual program will start inside the courthouse. The event is open to the public. For additional information, contact Michael Parr at 731-589-7277.

On Sunday morning at approximately 12:30 members of the Dyersburg Police Department responded to a shooting complaint at 1970 Peach (Peach Tree Apartment Complex). Officers arrived on the scene and discovered two people had been shot in the parking lot of the complex.

Friday afternoon, January 10, the Dyer County Local Government committee convened to discuss a resolution refusing refugee resettlement in Dyer County. The meeting welcomed a large crowd of interested residents and was headed by Local Government committee Chair Brandon Dodds.

The Dyersburg Fire Department announced they have received a $3,880 fire-prevention grant from FM Global, one of the world’s largest commercial property insurers. The grant funds were used to acquire a Hazard Kitchen portable kitchen fire simulator, which the department recently received...

Established in 1941, Reelfoot Lake’s Wildlife Refuge covers roughly 11,000–acres of property surrounding the lake and is home to numerous species of ducks and birds, as well as deer and other local wildlife.