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News Headlines
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
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Westview students protest mold problem |
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By David
Fisher
Staff
Reporter |
A student protest rally was held at 7 a.m. Monday, September
24, at Westview High School located on Hwy. 45E, Martin to
bring attention to an alleged mold problem at the school.
This was followed by an airing of grievances and a question
and answer session held in the school’s theatre. During the
meeting, students and parents quizzed school officials, as
well as their representatives, about the situation.
An e-mail from Melinda Pritchett received by the Dresden
Enterprise includes a press release originally submitted
by Marchell Gardner on behalf of David Hinman, general
manager of WLJT-TV/DT, which states that “Parents and a
doctor have removed a student from Westview High school;
allergies and cold-like symptoms are rampant; and one
student was observed wheezing for breath at his locker.
“Westview High School has a serious mold problem and little
or no action has been taken. Parental inquiries have been
ignored and teachers have been ordered to avoid the issue or
deny the allegations. A lawsuit is being considered.
“Pictures taken by the students show the mold in the ceiling
tiles, airflow vents, and the cafeteria where students still
eat every day. Not so obvious, and of great concern, is the
extent of the mold beyond the visual evidence.
“Westview students have had enough!”
The news release notes that on Monday, beginning at 7:15
a.m., “members of the Senior Class led several dozen
students, parents and concerned citizens in the voicing
concerns and opinions through public protest. Along with
traditional signs, students distributed information about
mold and the school’s mold problem to parents and students
arriving for school.”
Part of an e-mail from a Westview parent, who removed her
son from school, was sent out prior to the meeting. It reads
as follows:
“Thank you for being an involved parent! I hope there are
many more out there!! We have stood alone for a long time
on this. You have my blessing on the students’ protest. I
have called my lawyer and informed him of this. You don't
know how much my husband and I would like to be there! At
this point, I must speak with my lawyer on participating.
“(My son) was supposed to participate in (Nurse Camp) that
entire week. Instead he was entering the hospital that day
for surgery to have a Porta Cath inserted into his chest for
treatment which he is still on daily. He has had a needle
and medport in his chest 24/7 since June 18. I pray parents
will get informed about mold and it's horrible effects.”
Part of an e-mail from a Westview teacher sent out prior to
the protest rally stated the following:
“Thank you for your concern. I hope many parents / students
arrive at school, especially after the news of the report I
just received. I have been so tired of fighting this battle
for eight years and am so thankful to now have help. God
does answer prayers-not always in our time frame, but His.
“I will not get anything
out of my storeroom, won't even open the door until
something is done correctly. I am anxiously awaiting Monday.
Lee Elliott (a student) and (several teachers) are so sick
that I am really concerned and who knows who else is
suffering in silence. Maybe at last our voices will be
heard.”
(Read the rest of this story, plus much more in this week's print edition of the Dresden Enterprise!) |
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Palmersville home destroyed in weekend blaze |
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By David
Fisher
Staff
Reporter |
A weekend blaze destroyed the dwelling and belongings of a
Palmersville family, leaving them homeless.
Members of the Palmersville Volunteer Fire Department
responded to a residential fire at the home of John Johnson,
located at 9687 Boydsville Road, Palmersville after the fire
call was received at approximately 6:35 p.m. Friday,
September 21.
According to Palmersville Fire Chief Joe David Laws, his
department responded with 10-15 firefighters utilizing five
pieces of firefighting equipment. This was augmented by four
firefighters and three additional pieces of equipment from
the Cuba, Kentucky Fire Department, which provided mutual
aid. However, once the fire was extinguished, his department
was called back to the scene two more times before the fire
was finally extinguished. Laws stated that the second time
they were called out, after the fire flared back up, mutual
aid was received from the Cuba, Kentucky and Dresden fire
departments, with Dresden Fire Department providing four
firefighters. The blaze was finally extinguished at 8 a.m.
Saturday, following the third fire call to the scene.
(Read the rest of this story in the
September 26th print edition of the Dresden Enterprise.) |
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One injured in three-vehicle crash involving school bus |
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By David
Fisher
Staff
Reporter |
A three-vehicle collision took place last Wednesday in
Dresden involving two cars and a Weakley County school bus,
which was transporting students.
According to an accident report filed by Investigator
William T. Yates of the Dresden Police Department, the
accident took place on Hwy. 22 at the intersection of Linden
Street at approximately 7:20 a.m.
The report states that Janet Williford, 18, who resides at
8571 Hwy. 22 in Dresden, was traveling eastbound on Hwy. 22
in Dresden in a 1996 Dodge Neon, when the vehicle she was
driving entered the left turn lane and failed to stop for
turning traffic.
Inv. Yates states that Williford’s vehicle struck a 1979
Ford Fairmont station wagon, driven by Brian Lee Brackett,
31, of 456 Evergreen Street in Dresden, in the rear. The
force of the impact caused Brackett’s vehicle to be pushed
into the rear of a Weakley County School Bus transporting 17
students, which was driven by David Charles Hugueley, 52, of
101 Magnolia Drive in Gleason.
The report states that Brackett’s vehicle and the school bus
were both stopped in the left turn lane awaiting an ebb in
traffic flow, so a left turn could be made when the accident
took place.
Although Williford was using her seatbelt and was
additionally protected by her airbag, which deployed as a
result of the crash, she was injured in the collision and
was transported from the scene by Emergency Medical
Technicians with the Weakley County Ambulance Service.
Fortunately, none of the other drivers or students involved
in the crash was injured.
(Read the rest of this story in this week's print edition of the Dresden Enterprise.) |
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Dresden Public Works and Water departments clarify
infiltration and water pressure problems |
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By David
Fisher
Staff
Reporter |
Department heads of the Dresden Public Works and Water
Departments are attempting to clarify the situation with the
city’s rainwater infiltration problem this week in response
to comments made at the September 10th meeting of the
Dresden Board of Mayor and Aldermen, which may have left the
wrong impression with those present at the meeting, or with
anyone who read the news article describing the meeting.
Also, the Tennessee Division of Water Supply has
investigated the problem with low water pressure on Red
Hill, and the city has received a copy of the state report
explaining the situation.
Water Infiltration Problem
According to Jeff Pierpoint of the Dresden Water Department,
“During discussion from ‘Input From the Citizens’ it was
stated that the sewer rehab work had already made a
difference by reducing the amount of infiltration which
reaches the wastewater treatment lagoon.
“It was implied that, in the past, this infiltration (rain)
water was pumped into the Obion River without being
treated,” Pierpoint said. “This is not true! All water that
is pumped from the lagoon to the river is treated, including
the water from infiltration. By reducing the amount of
gallons of water from infiltration, it reduces the number of
gallons of water that must be treated, before being pumped
into the river. This saves money used to purchase chemicals
to treat the water and also keeps the city of Dresden in
compliance with the discharge permits issued by the State of
Tennessee. The City of Dresden is currently allowed to
discharge 589,000 gallons of water a day into the river. The
amount of discharge stated at the board meeting was not
correct.”
Pierpoint is referring to a statement made during the board
meeting by Alderman Gwin Anderson that the city is only
authorized to process a maximum of 650,000 gallons per day,
and during a heavy rain, the city’s sewer system had
approximately 1.2 million gallons per day flowing through
the system. As stated by Pierpoint, the correct number is
589,000 gallons of water per day. Also, Pierpoint stresses
that even though the limit is exceeded during times of heavy
rainfall, this does not mean that the water is not treated.
(Read the rest of this story in the September 26th print edition of the Dresden Enterprise.) |
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