A look at the top stories of 2003
Published Jan. 2, 2004

January
Jacob Ryan Schubert, the son of Renee and Tony Schubert, was 2003's New Year's baby.

Cumberland County Commission's emergency services committee voted to recommend to the full commission phasing out of the van-style ambulances in favor of the box-type ambulances which officials deemed safer, especially during inclement weather.

Marian Tobias of Fairfield Glade celebrated her 102nd birthday with family and friends.
Extension of water service to the Dripping Springs community was reported to be ahead of schedule.

Gary Roige, 61, of Hwy. 127 S., was arrested and charged in the shooting death of Melody Lynn Tate, 40, in the Homesteads. Roige was arrested after a three and one-half hour standoff and is awaiting trial on the charge.

A county-wide emergency warning system was the topic of a community meeting in the Lake Tansi area, sparked by the November 2002 fatal tornado that hit Cumberland County.

The Old THP building on Main St. on the courthouse lawn was nominated for placement on the National Register of Historic Places.

Two years later, the brutal murder of Linda Guge of Knoxville, whose nude body was discovered on a remote, snow-covered road in eastern Cumberland County, was reported still a priority of investigators. No arrests have been made.

A Roane County man, James Luther Vance, 55, shot himself to death moments after his pickup truck was involved in a traffic accident at the intersection of Hwy. 70 E and Westel Rd.

Crossville Police launched an investigation into the beating death of Jackie Ray Jones, 45, of Crossville, who was found barely alive in a vacant lot just off Main St. No arrests have been made.

Cumberland County Fire Department Capt. Kenneth Carey Jr. was named Tennessee Fire Educator of 2002 by the Tennessee State Fire Marshal's Office at a banquet in Nashville.

Crossville city auditor Janice Jackson reported to the council that city finances were "in as good a shape as I have ever seen them."

A one-two sucker punch of snow and bitter cold blanketed the Plateau, closing businesses and schools and resulting in dozens of traffic accidents.
Phil Bredesen took the oath of office to become Tennessee's 48th governor.

Cumberland County school board members launched an effort to have terms of the nine members staggered to prevent another turnover in one election of the majority of members who sit on the board.

Residents protested Fay Portable Buildings' efforts to open a transfer station on its property on Hwy. 127 N, just north of I-40.

Mary Emery of Flowers Foods received the 2002 LS Flowers Spirit Award for her positive presence at work and in the community.

An explosion rocked the Lantana Rd. home of Mac Boyd.

Three persons died in traffic accidents on Cumberland County roadways, including two men who died in an accident on Neverfail Rd. not far from their homes. The third fatality was a Clarkrange man who died in an accident on Hwy. 127 N. near North Cumberland Elementary.

Six children were found to be present when sheriff's deputies and city police raided an apartment in Crossville after receiving reports of concern over the children's welfare. Adults present faced a host of drug related charges.

February
Cumberland Countians joined the nation expressing sadness over the breakup of the space shuttle Columbia as it returned to earth. Seven astronauts lost their lives as the shuttle broke up over Texas and Louisiana.

Trooper Jamie Stephens escaped injury when his patrol car was struck on I-40 near the 307 milemarker. Stephens was out of his patrol car investigating an accident when a vehicle struck his cruiser.

Two Cumberland County women whose babies after birth tested positive for meth were sentenced to 12-year prison sentences. Jessica Richards, 20, and Jennifer Horine, 29, both entered pleas in Criminal Court.

Cumberland County Mayor Brock Hill, using a legal ruling from counsel for the Tennessee Association of Utility Districts, replaced all sitting commissioners on the Crab Orchard Utility District and appointed George Edgar Harrison, James (Jimmy) Pat Smith and Claude Leonard (Red) Turner to the board.

A Tennessee Appeals Court rejected former Putnam County Tax Assessor Byron Looper's appeal of his conviction in the murder of his political opponent, state Sen. Tommy Burks.

Two Cumberland County volunteer firefighters and one of their friends were struck by a tractor-trailer rig on I-40. The truck did not stop. Patrick Brady was seriously injured in the accident. Phillip Shepherd was also hurt and treated for injuries. The third person was not seriously injured. The three had responded to a wreck report when the passing truck started to jack-knife at the accident scene and struck the three men.

Crab Orchard Utility District Manager Jewell Harris resigned her position in the wake of a shakeup of the district's board.

Mike Stone was appointed to the South Cumberland Utility District's board.

Members of Downtown Crossville Inc., the group that launched efforts to restore interest in the business district of the city and with leading restoration efforts of the Palace Theatre, quietly disbanded after 10 years.

John Jolley of Pine View Elementary outlasted Aven Chadwell and Jeremy Jacobs to win the 2003 Cumberland County Spelling Bee.

A full investigative audit was ordered for the books of the Crab Orchard Utility District. Holiday bonuses of $189,441 for five employees was scored by those calling for the audit.

The Cumberland County Fair earned first place for best fair T-shirt logo, first place for best scrapbook and second place for premium book.

Stephanie Brock of Crossville was named 2003 CCHS Sweetheart.

Lindsey Oliver of Crossville was named Miss Crossville at the annual pageant. She was a student at Tennessee Tech.

Flocks of sandhill cranes made their annual visit to the Crossville area, resting on and around the Baisley dairy farm off Hwy. 70 N.

Veteran Tennessee Highway Patrol officer Capt. John Eldridge was placed in charge of THP's 6th District Post in Cookeville, replacing Capt. Randy Hoover, also of Crossville.

March
A state appeals court upheld the revocation of probation of Crossville resident John Paul Hassler. Hassler was on probation for selling cocaine when new charges resulted in his probation being revoked. He appealed that decision made in Cumberland County Criminal Court.

Hundreds attended a public hearing concerning the widening of Peavine Rd.

A federal jury rejected claims of sex discrimination and sexual harassment filed by former sheriff's deputy, Sheila Howard, against Sheriff Butch Burgess and Cumberland County. The federal jury deliberated one hour after listening to three days of testimony.

The expansion of CoLinx on Genesis Rd. is expected to provide an additional 50 jobs for the community.

The office manager for a local doctor's office was indicted on embezzlement charges relating to the theft of funds from the doctor. Darren Michael Laymon, 38, later pleaded guilty in the case.

The Tennessee Department of Transportation put on hold two road improvement projects for Cumberland County. The two projects called for the widening of Hwy. 127 S from Cleveland St. to the Hwy. 68 intersection and the second called for improvements to Hwy. 127 N from I-40 into Fentress County.

The ground war in Iraq began after days bombings. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld announced the escalation and added that Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's days were numbered.

Chronicle Publisher Pauline Sherrer was honored for National Women's History Month by the Fair Park Senior Center.

No one was injured when a vehicle struck the rear of a Cumberland County school bus on Lantana Rd.

A Roane County man was killed in a traffic accident on I-40 near Crossville.

Cumberland County Commissioner Gordon "Bill" Carson died of natural causes.

Jack Looney and Ernest Neal were honored as Friends of Farming for 2003 at the annual Farm Festival Luncheon.

April
Tennessee Commissioner of Agriculture Ken Givens visited with local farmers at the annual Mountain Farm International appreciation day to discuss how state cutbacks would affect agriculture.

Funeral services were held for C.M. Tabor, former city manager for the city of Crossville.
It was announced that Cumberland County interim Director of Schools Don Hassler was a semi-finalist for that position in the Rutherford County school system.

Advanced Recovery, a company that reclaims and recycles computers and computer parts, announced plans to purchase the Crossville spec building. It was anticipated the move would create more than 25 new jobs for the community.

Crossville businessman, Jack VanValkenberg, 44, lost his life in a two-vehicle accident on Miller Bypass.

Everette Bolin was named new manager of the Crab Orchard Utility District.

Iraqis celebrated as U.S. troops took control of their country's capitol, Baghdad.

Cumberland County's Victim-Offender Reconciliation and Community Mediation Center opened their new office on Hwy. 70 E in the old highway patrol office.

Cumberland Countians joined Carl and Jane Van Laaten in mourning the loss of their grandson, 1st Lt. Jeffery Kaylor, who was killed in an ambush grenade attack. To date, he is the only U.S. soldier with Crossville connections to have died in the Iraqi war.

Mold was found in the locker room of the Cumberland County High School Stadium Complex.

A Crossville businessman was arrested and charged with the attempted murder of his wife and another man outside a local pool hall. Charles Randall Lynch,46, is still awaiting trial on charges stemming from the rifle attack on Birdie Lynch and George Hall outside Sisco's Leisure Time Billiards.

Services were held for long time Crossville businessman and civic leader, John Smith, owner of John Smith Pharmacy on West Ave., who died at the age of 80.

Josh Scott and Roy Stone were named finalists for National Merit Scholarships. Both were seniors at Cumberland County High School.

Tennessee Homeland Security Director Maj. Gen. (retired) Jerry Humble addressed law enforcement officers in Crossville about issues dealing with security.

Midge Perkins-Uribe was shot and killed on a city street in Salt Lake City by a former mental patient in what police said was a random, unprovoked attack.

Overcrowding conditions at Cumberland County High School are affecting the educational environment, a spokesman for Community Tectonics told the county school board.

May
Seven inches of rain fell on the Cumberland Plateau in three days, causing flooding in some areas.

Mike Carson was appointed by the Cumberland County Commission to fill the unexpired term of his later father, Bill Carson.

Five candidates were chosen from a list of those expressing interest in the director of schools position for Cumberland County.

A storm on Mother's Day damaged dozens of homes in the Fairyland Acres an Lantana Rd. areas of the county.

The man police said stabbed and robbed his elderly father and then led police on a 23-mile, three-county high speed chase was apprehended near Spencer. Kenneth Ostic Jr., weeks ago, pleaded guilty to the stabbing attack on his father that took place in the father's home on Lantana Rd.

Crossville Council passed first reading on a 10-cent property tax increase.

Seth Chadwell was named valedictorian for the class of 2003 and Roy Stone was named salutatorian.

Cumberland County High School's girls softball team defeated Manchester and Coffee County to earn the school's first-ever trip to the state softball championship playoffs.

Cumberland County received a $40,000 Homeland Security grant to be used for training and resources.

Kathy Hale of Crossville was named Farm Service Agency employee of the year.

June
District Attorney General Bill Gibson in conjunction with the University of Tennessee-Memphis Injury Analysis Intervention Group announced a $968,000 grant to help fund a pilot DUI statistics program.

Crossville Mayor J.H. Graham III announced that a national theater chain planned to open a theater complex that would hold 10 screens. Phoenix Theatres said it planned to open in the spring on Interstate Dr.

Interim Director of Schools Don Hassler was appointed to that position with the school system in Lebanon.

Dr. Patricia Ragsdale was appointed director of schools for Cumberland County. She came to the local system from Oak Ridge.

Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber's smash Broadway hit, CATS, opened at the Cumberland County Playhouse and played before record crowds.

Annie Crabtree was recognized for 30 years of teaching the love of music and the piano to dozens upon dozens of students with a surprise reception.

Two Knox County men were hurt when they fell about 100 feet at Ozone Falls while rappelling, landing in a pool of water at the base of the falls.

A propane truck overturned after colliding with a vehicle at the intersection of Hwy. 70 W and Browntown Rd., closing the road for eight hours while the truck's volatile load was transferred to another truck.

Travis Wightman, 30, pleaded guilty to shooting to death Danny Earl "Boone" Bilbrey, 30, in September 2002 in the Browntown community.

Youth on a mission trip with Confrontation Point Ministries traveled from their homes in Michigan to build a wheelchair ramp for Clay Conaway who lives at Cumberland Commons off Stanley St.

July
A tougher drunk driving law went into effect, dropping the alcohol percentage recognized by the state from .10 percent to .08 percent.

State officials praised local efforts to promote tourism at a tourism summit held in Crossville and sponsored by the Crossville-Cumberland County Chamber of Commerce. Tourism Development Commissioner Susan Whitaker was on hand to personally deliver the praise.

The Crossville Chronicle received top awards in the annual Tennessee Press Association contest. First place was earned in the make-up and appearance category; third place for special section; and sixth place for community lifestyles. Ed Greif won second place in the Tennessee Sports Writer's Association contest for special section.

Engineer's and consultants told city officials that it could cost the city $4.8 million to raise the dam to increase the Meadow Park Lake's reservoir and to increase storage capacity.

A ceremony was held unveiling the marker naming a section of Hwy. 127 S between the interstate and the Homesteads as Veterans Memorial Highway.

As the use and manufacture of methamphetamine increased in the community, as have arrests, the Crossville City Council began looking into ways to regulate pharmaceutical components used in the making of meth. The result was passage of an ordinance that limits the number of certain cold medicines that have the drug meth makers seek.

The United States Chess Federation announced it will be moving its national headquarters from New York to Crossville once all the details are finalized and their property in New York is sold. The announcement brings a new prestige to the community.

A crate from a passing truck fell onto a car on Hwy. 127 N in Fentress County, killing Dale Stricklin of Sawmill Rd.

Two Cumberland County men ­ Porter Conway Vance and Tony Davenport ­ were charged with second-degree murder in the beating death of John Everett Roberts, 37, who lived on Old Sparta Dr. Both men are awaiting their trial.

The official title of Cumberland County's business manager was changed by the state legislature and is no longer recognized as the county executive. The new law renamed that post county mayor throughout the state.

The sheriff's department reported that in conjunction with the Governor's Task Force on the Eradication of Marijuana, over 88,000 marijuana plants were destroyed in Cumberland County during the growing season.

Don Hinch was appointed District Governor of Rotary Club International.

West Nile Virus was discovered in a dead crow found in Cumberland County.

August
Tennessee Commissioner of Education Lana Seviers visited Cumberland County teachers during an in-service training session.

A block grant of more than $2 million will help extend water service to 61 Cumberland County homes in rural communities.

Meetings between the county school board and the county commission's budget committee began in late July and continued into August with the BOE seeking a tax increase to boost its budget.

Two New York residents were arrested and charged with selling counterfeit sunglasses, ball caps and T-shirts during the 127 Corridor Sale.

The Tennessee Parole Board denied freedom for two men convicted in one of Cumberland County's most notorious murders. James Slagle and Michael Phillips cannot have another parole hearing for 30 years. The two prison escapees were convicted of murdering John Bradley in 1969.

Troopers and state investigators were called to Hwy. 70 N after a 15-year-old Funnel Creek Rd. youth was run over while lying in the middle of the road. Scott Lee Robbins Jr. was dead at the scene. The diver of the pickup truck involved was not hurt.

A pre-dawn head-on collision in White County claimed the life of a rural Sparta man. A Cumberland County man escaped serious injury. Killed in the crash was Jerry M. Edmondson, 32, of Crossville Hwy., Sparta.

Melissa Lynn O'Neal, 17, was named Cumberland County Fairest of the Fair.

A 10-year-old Stone Elementary student was given the Hero Award by CARE after calling 911 and helping emergency operators get medical help to her stricken mother. Melanie Eaton was honored at the press conference at the Justice Center.

Elizabeth Ann Wood was crowned Miss Teen Tennessee in the annual pageant held in Jackson.

The Cumberland County Commission gave its approval to the concept of building an expo center for the county. The multi-purpose facility could be used for conventions, shows, concerts and athletic events.

The county commission's emergency services committee agreed to recommend the purchase of three new fire trucks and 100 new water hydrants during fiscal year 2003-'04.

The commission's budget committee decided to take some nonprofit groups and reclassify them, taking their category out of the budget and putting them on a contract basis with the county.

Volunteer Electric Cooperative's board of directors unanimously refused to sign the new contract with TVA because of proposed rate hikes in the agreement.

Five Stone Elementary students returning from a field trip to the Mayfield Dairy near Athens were hurt when their bus was struck head-on by a vehicle that hydroplaned during a heavy rainstorm. None of the injuries were life threatening.

September
Chad Branham, 19, died after his pickup was involved in a single-vehicle accident on Lantana Rd.

Sheriff Butch Burgess unveiled his plan to turn a portion of the old Baptist Church building into the House of Hope. The facility will provide offices for prosecutors and investigators into the meth traffic while also creating a safe place for children of meth makers and users who are placed in jail. The county commission's buildings and grounds committee endorsed the idea.

The Pleasant Hill community announced its plans to celebrate its 100th anniversary of incorporation. A series of events leading up to a day-long celebration in October were announced.

Three county schools were identified as target schools under guidelines set up in the No Child Left Behind Act. Those schools were Crab Orchard and Crossville elementary schools and Cumberland County High School.

A Crossville man was killed in a standoff with Cookeville Police. Marvin Shane England, 30, died after being shot by a police marksman during a domestic dispute.

Homestead native Randy Vaden was on hand when his memorial for Sept. 11 victims was unveiled. He was chosen by Knoxville and Knox County to design and make the memorial, which has since received rave reviews.

Allen Foster, who represents the 4th District on the school board, was elected BOE chairman.
The county commission and school board found themselves at an impasse over the school system's budget. The board finally settled on asking for a nickel tax increase but the county commission had already decided against any tax increase for the fiscal year.

Sections of Fairfield Glade were evacuated after a truck hauling chemicals overturned on St. George Dr., causing large chemicals to leak. Residents were rousted from their homes for most of the day.

Joanne Harrison Stone and Kenneth J. Moles were selected for inclusion into the Cumberland County High School Hall of Fame during homecoming week.

County commissioners rejected the school board's formal request for a nickel tax increase in property taxes to fund schools. Voting no were Pete Stubbs, Charles Seiber, Ralph Jenkins, Michael Carson, Lynn Tollett, Dennis Hinch, David Gibson, Thom Hassler, David Randolph and Sharon York.

Hughes Bros., the Mad Platter and CMC Home Care/Medical Equipment Services suffered damage in a major downtown fire.

A Cumberland County 18-year-old pleaded guilty to felony murder in the death of Kenneth Sharp, 42, who died in a house fire. The fire was one of a series that Chad Trisdale admitted to setting. He was sentenced to 35 years in prison.

October
A string of mailbox vandalism sparked members of the Crossville City Council to post a reward for information leading to the arrest of person or persons responsible for the damage. Two persons were arrested later.

Melinda Hedgecoth, continuing the tradition of weather prognostication started by her late mother, Helen Lane, predicted a hard winter.

Crossville was awarded a $500,000 housing rehab grant by the Economic and Community Development agency, Gov. Bredesen announced.

Ray Carpenter, a Lake Tansi resident, was recognized by the Lake Tansi Exchange Club with the Book of Golden Deeds for his community spirit.

Tennessee Commissioner of Transportation Gerald Nicely visited Crossville to announce that both Hwy. 127 projects would proceed following proper review and adjustments. He made the announcement at Cumberland Mountain State Park.

Lake Tansi resident Bob Johnson sent a letter to the editor along with a check representing his share of a nickel property tax increase, sparking what has come to be known as the Nickel Tax Rebellion. His $13.30 check has grown with contributions of dozens and dozens other property owners to over $7,000. Checks are still coming in.

Phyllis Shupe, lost her life in a single-vehicle accident on Hwy. 70 N near her Mayland community home.

State, county and city police fanned out across Cumberland County armed with arrest warrants for 39 suspects charged with felony drug trafficking. The roundup was part of a months-long undercover investigation.

November
Crab Orchard Utility District officials said the top bond rating the district recently received could save the water supplier $800,000 in financing charges and related fees.

A standing room only crowd filled the Cumberland County Playhouse to pay tribute to Playhouse matriarch Mary Crabtree. For nearly three hours Crossville's first lady of the theater kept those in attendance mesmerized as she remembered the Playhouse journey.

For the second time in less than a month, TDOT Commissioner Gerald Nicely visited Crossville. This time he announced that the state would push ahead with improvement plans to Lantana Rd. Gov. Phil Bredesen was also on hand for the announcement.

One person was killed and two seriously hurt in an early Saturday morning crash at the intersection of Hwy. 70 W and Pomona Rd. The dead man was identified as Eric Elmore, 27, of Cumberland County.

Tennessee Commissioner Regina Lodge visited social action agencies in Cumberland County as part of her state-wide listening tour.

The Cumberland Family Shelter found out it was going to lose its Main St. home and appealed to the Cumberland County Commission for use of the old Baker's School. Members of the community protested that move, however, and as of this date commissioners were trying to help the shelter relocate.

The school board objected to efforts to return to electing the director of schools as opposed to the director being appointed by the school board.

The city of Crossville has approved the purchase of two drug detecting dogs for the police department, citing the increase in drug trafficking in the area.

Two Cumberland County teens lost their lives when the car they were passengers in slammed head-on into a pickup truck while the car's driver was trying to elude police. Killed in the crash were Cassandra Compton, 18, and Samantha Miller, 16. A meth lab was found in the wreckage of the car and the driver, David Regen, 20, has since been charged with two counts of vehicular homicide and with drug related charges.

The county commission unanimously passed a resolution honoring the late political and civic leader, Raymond Shadden, by naming a stretch of Hwy. 127 the Raymond Shadden Memorial Highway.

Preliminary study figures place the cost of a second high school in Cumberland County at $26.5 million.

December
Utility Districts in the county will soon be paying 17 cents per 1,000 gallons more for water purchased from the city of Crossville after council members voted to increase the price.

Two members of the Public Defender's Office left court abruptly after complaining of illness. Cause of their discomfort was thought to be fumes from defendants who might be exposed to the cooking process of methamphetamine. Air quality tests, however, showed high levels of carbon dioxide in the poorly ventilated courtroom and efforts are now under way to correct the problem.

Icy road conditions resulted in a number of accidents on I-40.

County Mayor Brock Hill announced his candidacy for the Fourth District congressional seat held by freshman Rep. Lincoln Davis. Hill will be running in the Republican primary.

Three Crossville firefighters were injured when the fire engine they were riding in overturned while en route to a vehicle fire. The accident occurred on Stanley St. just west of Cumberland County High School. Injuries to Jeff Woody, Donald Tabor and Bryan Matthews were not life-threatening.

Applications for Tennessee Education Lottery Scholarships can be filed beginning Jan. 2. For more information call 1-800-342-1663.