Dresden Enterprise - Covering Weakley County Like the Dew from Heaven for 118 Years

Students in Mrs. Sammie Anderson’s second grade class at Dresden Elementary School took a historical journey through time last Tuesday, as they explored some of the aspects of the living conditions encountered by the Pilgrims upon their arrival in the New World.

The special presentation was hosted by former Dresden Elementary School teacher, Lou Ann Powers, who dressed the part of a Pilgrim woman living at the time of the first Thanksgiving. In memory of the historical event, Thanksgiving is now celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November as an annual day of thanks for the blessings received during the past year.

Mrs. Powers read stories about the Pilgrims and Native Americans from illustrated children’s books she brought along for the occasion. She also described the simple lifestyle of families during those early days in our nation’s history. To illustrate her point, she displayed a rag doll reminiscent of the kinds of toys children played with in those times.

In keeping with the early American tradition of the Thanksgiving holiday, the students, as well as Mrs. Powers, brought different food items to share during the “Thanksgiving feast” enjoyed by the youngsters, including potato chips, cheese puffs, cookies, assorted deserts and carbonated beverages.

Bearing the distinction of being one of the oldest and most widespread of holidays in the United States, Thanksgiving is a historical, national and religious holiday, which was originally a harvest festival, commemorating a harvest celebration held by the Pilgrims of Plymouth colony in 1621.

The Pilgrims were a group of people who wanted to worship God in their own way, but were not allowed to do so by King James I of England. So, they came across the Atlantic Ocean to America, where they would build a town and worship as they pleased.

When they left from Plymouth, England on September 16, 1620, on a ship called the Mayflower, there were 101 men women and children, as well as a crew of about 30 men, who crowded on the 100-foot-long ship for the long journey to the new world.

The Pilgrims planned to build a settlement near Jamestown, but when their ship got off course, they found themselves much farther north, and on December 21, 1620, they landed on Plymouth Rock in what would later become the state of Massachusetts.

After coming ashore, the first thing the Pilgrims did was fall to their knees to thank God for bringing them safely across the ocean.

The Pilgrims lived on the ship until they could build houses from the timber in nearby forests. Although their newly constructed houses kept them warm and dry, they suffered through a very harsh winter with little food, which cost them about half of their number, due to sickness.

Two English-speaking Indians, Samoset and Squanto, helped the settlers make a peace treaty with the neighboring Indians. They also taught them how to hunt and fish and to plant corn, squash and pumpkins.

(Check out the rest of this story in this week's print edition of the Dresden Enterprise!)

Wife of local physician found dead; TBI investigating case

By David Fisher

Staff Reporter

Area law enforcement officials report that on Friday afternoon, Tina Marie Winkler, age 54, wife of local physician Dr. Volker Winkler, M.D., was found dead in her car after being missing for several days. The vehicle was discovered near the couple’s home in the rural Pea Ridge area of McKenzie in Carroll County.

According to John Mehr, special agent with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation at the Jackson office, Mrs. Winkler’s son found her body inside of her vehicle, which was located about 400 yards behind her house in a wooded area on the Winkler’s property. It’s uncertain how the woman died or how long she had been in the car.

Special Agent Mehr said the TBI has sent Winkler’s body to Nashville for an autopsy. He added that the automobile in which she was found is going to be carefully inspected by the TBI crime lab in Nashville.

Members of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, working in conjunction with other local law enforcement agencies, are awaiting the results of the autopsy to determine the cause of death. Officials are hoping to have the preliminary results by the middle of next week.

Details of the incident have not been released by law enforcement authorities that investigated the scene.

Dr. Winkler, who works as a General Practice Physician and Family Practice Physician at the McKenzie Medical Center, located at 205 Hospital Drive in McKenzie, has ties to Weakley County. He is currently serving as one of three supervising physicians for the Gleason Clinic, located at 105 North Cedar Street, which is a satellite clinic operated by Physician’s Assistant J.C. Carey. The other two supervising physicians are Dr. Bryan Merrick, who is the primary supervising physician, and Dr. Terry Colotta. It was Dr. Winkler and P.A. Carey who established the Gleason Clinic in 1988, and built a new building for the family practice approximately 14 years ago. Carey stated that he purchased the clinic in July of 2005.

(Read the rest of this story in the November 28th print edition of the Dresden Enterprise.)

Martin P.D. arrest three following armed robbery and theft incidents

A crime spree allegedly initiated by three individuals and involving three separate incidents came to an abrupt halt over the weekend, after an investigation by members of the Martin Police Department led to the arrest of the trio, who were charged with armed robberies on Lester Lane and Ellis Street, as well as vehicle break-in and theft at the Chapel Ridge Apartments.

Within three hours of the first 911 call, these three suspects were in police custody. They are: 18-year old Ricky Booker and his 20-year old brother Cordney Booker, both of Martin, as well as an unnamed 17-year old juvenile from Dyersburg. All three defendants are charged with robbery, theft and vehicle burglary.

According to reports filed by Martin Police officers, at approximately 6:55 p.m., on Saturday, November 24, Lt. Jason W. Arant responded to Chapel Ridge Apartments concerning a report of an aggravated robbery. When Lt. Arant spoke with the victim, he stated that while exiting his vehicle in the Chapel Ridge parking lot, he was approached by three black males. The victim said that two of the men were wearing dark clothing and a black hat, while the third individual was wearing a light colored windbreaker and a black hat. These suspects were described as appearing to be between the ages of 18 to 21, and ranging from 6’ to approximately 5’ 10” in height. The victim stated that one of the suspects told him that he had a gun. The robbers told him to give them his wallet and money or they would shoot him. So, the victim handed over his wallet containing four credit cards. Additionally the victim gave the robbers .24 cents in change, which was all the cash money he had on him at the time. The robbers then returned the victim’s wallet to him and left running north towards the Martin Housing Authority.

At approximately 7 p.m. that same evening, patrolmen John Cross and Timothy S. Dolack received a call concerning a robbery on Lester Lane. Upon their arrival at the scene, the officers spoke with the victim, who stated that she was approached by three black males while walking on Lester Lane. The victim further stated that one of the men grabbed her purse and dragged her to the ground, and that during the struggle for her purse, it was jerked from her arm. The victim said that one of the men took her purse he looked through it, but after finding nothing of value, threw it on the ground. She stated that one of the men took her cell phone from her, but prior to running from the area, he threw it the ground also. The victim stated that all three men then fled on foot running south across the street behind the apartments on Lester Lane.

(Read the rest of this story in this week's print edition of the Dresden Enterprise.)

Local police nab stalking suspect

A Carroll County man is being held in the Weakley County Detention Center on $75,000 bond on stalking and other charges, after being arrested by local law enforcement officers.

Arrested was Roy L. Carter of 6545 Hwy. 70, Cedar Grove on charges of: criminal trespass, phone harassment, aggravated stalking, possession of a weapon with the intent to go armed, failure to yield, open vehicle title, DUI (1^st offense), violation of the open container law, and violation of the implied consent law.

According to an affidavit signed by patrolmen Todd Barber and Danny Taylor of the Dresden Police Department, at approximately 6:15 p.m. on Saturday, November 17, Patrolman Barber was dispatched to 9030 Hwy. 22 in Dresden, in reference to an unwanted person at the residence. The complainant, Kristin Campbell, told the officer that Carter had followed her home from a local convenience store, and had been calling her phone several times.

Campbell told the officer that, despite the fact that Carter had been told numerous times to stay away from the residence, he would drive by her house, turn around in the road in front of her residence, and pull in the driveway. Carter also reportedly threatened to kill Campbell. The report states that Carter called Campbell while Ptl. Barber was taking a report on the incident. The victim said that she was afraid of what Carter might do, now that he knows where she lives.

The affidavit states that Carter was observed driving by Campbell’s residence, and was stopped shortly afterward by Deputy J.C. Curtis of the Weakley County Sheriff’s Department. Dep. Curtis states in his report that he observed Carter pulling out of Kountry Korner, and turn east on Hwy. 22 heading toward Hwy. 54. The officer notes that Carter refused to yield to his blue lights, until Sgt. Ricky Cobb’s cruiser blocked the suspect’s vehicle.

Dep. Curtis states that as he approached the vehicle, Carter opened the door and a 12-gauge shotgun was seen in the front seat near the defendant.

(Read the rest of this story in the November 28th print edition of the Dresden Enterprise.)