The Jackson Sun from Jackson, Tennessee • 3

Across West Tennessee 4A Deaths 6A "Nation 6A World 8A Editor: Kathleen Merrill Phone: 425-9629 Toll free: 1-800-372-3922 Fax: 425-9639 Internet contactusjacksonsun.com Monday, May 15, 2000 -II in II ll Slsssp tearing slated to US, 412 road worff ONTHEt AGENDA IF YOU GO The Tennessee Department of Transportation will hold a public design hearing at 7 p.m. Thursday at Westover Elementary School in Huron to discuss plans for widening a section of U.S. 412 between the Madison-Henderson County line and Crucifer Road. Proposed xa four-lane I project To Lxington7 Henderson 1 .2.5 County. i 2 'miles IN )S proposing four, 12-foot traffic lanes, a 48-foot median and 12-foot outside shoulders within a 250-foot right-of-way.

The roadway would be constructed off the existing route. Todd actually lives off Blue Goose Road and will be affected because the project will involve shifting the road. "The surveyor told me not to worry too much that I'd have a year before they contacted me about making any deals," Todd said, "so that will help me, too." She hasn't made any decisions about what she will do that to get the road fixed." Todd is among Blue Goose residents and others who will attend a hearing the Tennessee Department of Transportation will hold at 5 p.m. Thursday at Westover Elementary School in Huron. The design hearing is for the portion of U.S.

412 from near the Madison-Henderson County line to near Crucifer Road. The work to widen the 4.1-mile stretch of road has a projected cost of $17.5 million, according to TDOT. Construction probably won't start until 2003. "The purpose of the hearing is to give the public a document and could change the design, Fehr said. If changes are made, TDOT will hold another public hearing, Fehr said.

After the design is completed, the next step is right-of-way acquisition of the property needed for the project. The state is Broker refuses to allow state to review spending i Mil i KW'l By TONYA SMITH-KING The Jackson Sun Flossie Todd has lived off Blue Goose Road near U.S. 412 for about six years now. She's just gotten her yard and her flowers fixed the way she likes. So, Todd is not exactly happy about having to give up her home to make way for the widening of U.S.

412, but she's prepared to sacrifice. "It's heartbreaking, but as long as it will help the people and the community, I feel like it's necessary," Todd said. "The road is needed badly, and I'm willing to do Teapot lighting kicks off festival By TOM SCALES The Jackson Sun TRENTON A teapot logo adorns welcome signs into town. Another sign at City Hall urges visitors to stop in and see the collection of teapots. The city's world-class collection of antique ceramic teapots, donated to the city, is one of the ways Trenton identifies itself and something that is celebrated every year.

More than 150 people met Sunday night for the lighting of teapots at City Hall, kicking off Trenton's 20th annual Teapot Festival. The event is a chance to celebrate the collection, showcase the city and bring friends together. Mayor Tommie Goodwin said he finds it hard to believe how the festival has grown since its start in 1980. The parade, he said, "lasted all of 30 minutes, maybe three floats and one van." The festival is now a week-long celebration including concerts and contests, tours and the Teapot Trot 5 and 10K runs, highlighted by Saturday's parade through downtown. Dr.

Frederick Freed provided the inspiration for the festival. The Trenton native donated the nightlight teapots he collected during his travels overseas. The 525 teapots, which date from 1750 to 1860, are on permanent display in City Hall. Nightlight teapots were used at the beds of sick people. The oil-soaked wicks provide light, and the flames warm soup or tea.

A new event this year, the block party, starts today at 5:30 p.m. on Armory Street between High and College streets. The party will feature games and horse-pulled wagon rides through town, said Joy Wallsmith, marketing director at Citizens City The Associated Press MEMPHIS Shelby County's child care broker has refused to give state auditors copies of checks that detail how it spent thousands of dollars the state paid to help poor families find subsidized day care. As part of a federal grand jury probe, the state Comptroller's Office is auditing records at Cherokee Children and Family Services, which administers some aspects of taxpayer-funded day care in Memphis under a contract with the state. The audit, under way since February, hit a series of snags after state Sen.

John Ford of Memphis questioned the state's authority to inspect books at Cherokee, an official in the Comptroller's Office said. "He demanded to know why we were going to audit Cherokee's books and records," said Dennis Dycus, director of the comptroller's division of municipal audit. Dycus said Ford "didn't mind us looking at anything related to the operation of the day care centers. But how Cherokee spends their money was none of our business." Cherokee, a private, nonprofit company, receives more Benton Co. Benton County Board of Commissioners, 7 p.m.

today, Benton County Courthouse, 1 East Court Square, Camden. Carroll Co. Christmasville Fire Department meeting, 7 p.m. today, Christmasville Fire Station. Carroll County Democratic Women meeting, 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Carroll County Courthouse. Crockett Co. Gadsden mayor and board of alderman meeting, 6 p.m. today. Friendship board of mayor and alderman meeting, 6 p.m.

Tuesday, Friendship Elementary School cafeteria i Decatur Co. School board interviews for director of school, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Riverside HighSchool cafeteria. Gibson Co. Humboldt Mayor and feterd of Aldermen, 5:15 'pjfr; today, courtroom, city hai, Humboldt.

City of Medina Mayor and Board of Alderman meeting, 6 p.m. today, city hall. Board of Aldermen, 7 p.m. today, city hall Hardeman Co. Hardeman County Highway Supervisors, 5:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Highway Department. Hardeman County Board of Commissioners, 7 pitfi.Tuesday, courtroom. v. Henderson Co. Henderson County E-911 District Board, 5 p.m.

Thursday, E-91 1 office, East Wilson Street, Lexington. Madison Co. Historical Zoning Committee, 3:30 p.m. today, George A. Smith Meeting Room, city hall.

Three Way Aldermen, 7 p.m. today, Three Way First Station, 174 Three Way Lane. Jackson Housing Authority Board, 5 p.m. Tuesday, 175 Preston. McNairyCo.

Guys Mayor and Board of Aldermen, 7 p.m. today, Guys Civic Center. Weakley Co. Martin Alcoholic Beverage Control Board, 5:30 p.m. today; Martin city hall.

Sharon Mayor and Board of Aldermen, 7 p.m. today, city hall. iH Martin Historic Business District Association meeting, 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, T-Room Restaurant, 208 Lovelace Avenue. Business meeting at 6 p.m.

Call Pam Lester, president at 587-0884. Greenfield Mayor and Board of Aldermen, 7 p.m. Tuesday, city hall. Send meeting dates and agendas to Jacque Hillman, The Jackson Sun, 245 W. Lafayette Or tax the information to 425-9639.

MEMORIAL Fallen officers to be chance to see the route that TDOT is thinking about and to find out how they might be affected," said Deborah Fehr, a public affairs specialist with TDOT. Participants are welcome to ask questions or make comments. These comments will then be assembled in a it II Isft-1 s. A. country with her husband Milton, an engineer, but kept up with friends in Trenton.

In 1992, the couple moved back to town, where Marilyn Dick has been active in a variety of civic affairs. "What an honor to be a part of Trenton, and what an honor you've given me," she told the crowd. "I cannot thank you enough." person using it," Hamilton County Sheriff John Cupp said. "You will never totally develop a safe gun." By joining, Chattanooga pledges to give preference to companies meeting the Clinton administration's gun safety standards when the city gets identical bids on weapons purchases APOTS IV but has considered moving into a mobile home she owns or renting a place to stay. "I told my family I'm up for adoption," she said.

than $2 million a year in state and federal funds to screen applicants for subsidized day care and help them find a center. Following Ford's objections, state auditors narrowed the focus of a special audit requested by U.S. Attorney Veronica Coleman's office, Dycus said. Ford said he spoke with the Comptroller's Office but denied discussing the Cherokee audit "We didn't talk about no audit of Cherokee. Period Ford said.

Ford's connections to Cherokee came into question last October when he was accused in a lawsuit of scheming with the broker to steer state subsidies to favored day care centers. Ford denies the allegations. In recent months, a federal grand jury has questioned Ford's involvement in a decision to award Cherokee a state contract despite higher scores two competing bidders received from a state review panel. Ford has said he's done nothing improper. He says he often advocates for a wide range of constituents, including Cherokee, whose interests are affected by state actions.

adoptions OT1T- A. 1 Ll "We don't have any problem with them coming in to look at the state," Chittick said. "We think we are doing a good job." In fiscal 1999, the state placed 394 children with families who wanted to adopt them, Chittick said. Initially, the federal officials told the state they would review four urban counties and two rural ones, said Carolyn Hill of the Child Welfare League of America, a consultant group hired by the state to help revamp its foster care, adoption and child protective services. But after an initial look, Hill said federal officials found Tennessee to be too diverse a state from end to end to use sampling.

Instead, federal officials decided to consider a "much wider scope" and review every region of the state, she said. State officials said they believe Tennessee was selected randomly for review. Chittick said that while the state tracks the race of the chil-s dren placed, it does not record the race of the families. The race of the families is recorded only after the adoption is formalized by a court, she said. 1 it Porlc rmiaiiifinn rnla Members of the Trenton High School Stage Band perform Trenton residents in attendance at the annual teapot lighting to kick off the Trenton Teapot Festival.

of race in 4i a i-k The Associated Press NASHVILLE The U.S. government is reviewing Tennessee's child welfare system to determine if the state is using race as a factor in making adoption decisions. A federal law designed to speed up the adoption process prohibits states from considering a child's ethnic and racial background when considering placements with prospective parents. Last week, a class action lawsuit accused the state of mismanaging its foster care program by favoring white children over blacks. However, the review is not connected to that suit.

"We only do these types of reviews when we have concerns. We take the law very, very seriously, and we have to remove any barriers that will delay or deny the placement of children," said Michael Khar-fen, a spokesman for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in Washington. Jane Chittick, the state's adoption services director, said the review will show the state has followed federal law. JIM WEBERThe Jackson Sun 'Smoke on the Water' for ceremony Sunday evening TODAY'S EVENTS 6:30 a.m.

Prayer Breakfast, First Baptist Church fellowship hall, sponsored by the Trenton Ministerial Alliance. 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Family Block Party, Armory Street between College and High streets. manufacturers for its law enforcement agencies.

Currently, the only qualified company is Smith Wesson, Police Chief Jimmie Dotson said the city has been buying Smith Wesson guns for 20 years. Not only are the stainless steel guns durable, he said, but "we also felt like it was the right thing to do because of the safety." Chattanooga joins coalition pressuring gun County Bank, who organized the block party. "This was started as a family-night event," she said. Marilyn Wade Dick was named grand marshall of the Teapot Parade, which will roll down College Street beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday.

Dick was born in Texas and later moved to Trenton. She moved around the Chattanooga signed on last month because "it made a lot of sense to me," Kinsey said. "I look at it no differently than trying to make autos safer," Kinsey said. "Anytime you can make safer an instrument that can be lethal we ought to do it." Not everyone is supportive, however. "A control is no better than the FATALITY The Associated Press CHATTANOOGA Mayor Jon Kinsey has signed up Chattanooga to join a coalition that pressures manufacturers to make safer guns and adopt dealer responsibility standards.

It is the only city or county so far in Tennessee to join the Committee for Safer Guns Coalition. remembered today MORNING BRIEFING Boy, 11, killed in one-car wreck TRAFFIC U.S. 45 from Charming Way to the Jackson city limits widening to six lanes. FJ North Highland Ave. (downtown) From Union E.

College St to intersection McCowat St. Road widening, reduced to 2-lane at present North Parkway (U.S. 412)- Widening from Royal St. to U.S. 70, including bridge construction, two-way traffic from F.E Wright to U.S.

70. U.S. 45 South, over Meridian Creek bridge construction, highly congested area, public urged to reduce speed and exercise extreme caution. reported. The accident occurred about 11:50 a.m.

Anthony Taylor, 11, a passenger in the car, was pronounced dead on the scene. Rayner was reported injured but her condition was unavailable late Sunday. Both Rayner and Taylor were wearing seat-belts, troopers reported. The Jackson Sun College St. in Jackson.

The purpose of the memorial is to honor officers who have been killed in the line of duty. The service is open to the public. In case of rain, the event will be held indoors at the Madison County Juvenile Court Building across the street from the sheriffs department. The Jackson Sun An 11-year-old Brownsville boy died as a result of a one-car accident Sunday morning, the Tennessee Highway Patrol reported. A 1994 Mercury Topaz driven by Mae D.

Rayner, 72, of Brownsville, was traveling north in the 600 block of Tibbs Road west of Brownsville when the car left the road for unknown reasons and struck a tree, troopers The Madison County Sheriffs Department, the Jackson Police Department and the 8th District of the Tennessee Highway Patrol will jointly sponsor a local memorial service in observance of the National Police Officers Memorial Day. The service will be held at noon today at the office of the Madison County Sheriffs Department, 546 E..