PS 8-11-15.indd
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PS 8-11-15.indd
PORTLANDSUN AUGUST 11, 2015 FIND THE BARGAIN BROWSER INSIDE! P PORTLANDSUN P PORTLANDSUN Ronnie McDowell colors Disney’s world Artist to perform at Wilson County Fair SEE PAGE 6 Road closure starts this week Arrest made in oil dump Arraignments set for Beasley and Hall FULL STORY ON PAGE 3 FULL STORY ON PAGE 5 FULL STORY ON PAGE 8 2 www.theportlandsun.com August 11, 2015 Small-town striper gets big-time break once that he wanted Riley at the Syracuse Nationals. “Whenever he invited me, my mouth just dropped. I didn’t know what to think,” Riley said. “Then when I showed up, I didn’t sleep a lick the night before. I wasn’t even nervous; it felt like Christmas morning! I even had Christmas carols coming to my mind: “jingle brush, jingle brush.” Riley had to raise $300 in order to go to Syracuse, which he raised on his own by pinstriping panels and selling them. Of the 72 artists that attended Arty’s Party, Riley said that 67 of them were pinstripers and he was the youngest artist present. Riley painted about 13 pieces at the event, which he said sold for anywhere between $60 and $320. All of the proRiley Graham recently attended the Syracuse Nationceeds earned at Arty’s Party are donated als where he painted 13 different items that were sold to the Ronald McDonald House. to raise money for charity. Photos submitted. “We earned $68,000 for the Ronald McDonald House,” said Riley. By JACQUELYN ANDERSON Riley enjoyed observing the older Portland Sun pinstripers at the event. He liked watching People say that golden opportunities are their techniques and learning new things hard to come by, but for thirteen-year-old that could further his own work. Riley Graham, it was as easy as painting a “There were projects that would take me classroom door. When Riley was asked by his two hours to do, and these guys were doing father’s friend to pinstripe his door, he had them in twenty minutes,” he said. no idea that it would lead to instant success Mechele Dillard, for her part, is very online. proud of her son and said she was relieved Pinstriping seems to come naturally to when Riley took a liking to art instead of Riley. He started in the third grade with cray- working with cars like his father, Jason Graons and a pad of paper. ham. “I’d sit in my room and pinstripe on paper. I’d go to car shows and sell them for a buck a piece,” said Riley of his beginning. “I’ve been striping with paint and a brush for about a year and a half.” Riley explained that he bought jumbo crayons and whittled them down to the shape of pinstriping brushes in order to get a feel for the technique. “That’s where I got all the design concepts, but I got the line control and brush control from using a brush,” he said. The welding teacher at Franklin High School in Kentucky, a good friend of Riley’s father, asked Riley to pinstripe his classroom door. Riley Graham shows off some of his work. “He brought his shop door to us over Christmas break, and I striped it all up,” Ri“I was actually sort of happy because he ley said. “It got crazy on Facebook when Dad is very artistic, and the car part of it is what posted it.” he calls ‘the dirty part of it,’ and he’s getting The online recognition led to an invita- to do the artistic part of it,” she said. “His tion for Riley to paint at Arty’s Party, a char- dad has a shop, and he’d rather do the pinity event in Syracuse, NY run by Art Schil- striping than getting dirty and working on ling. Schilling saw the picture of Riley and the engines.” the painted door on Facebook and decided at Mechele said that she thinks it is cool Wilkinson & Wiseman Funeral Home 715 South Broadway, Portland (615)325-4191 wilkinsonwiseman@aol.com OBITUARIES: (615)325-7900 www.wilkinsonwiseman.com because it saves her a lot of laundry. She is proud of her son’s humility with his work. “Anytime anyone says anything to him about it, he says, ‘I’m just doing what I like to do,’ and it’s just tearing people all to pieces,” she said. “When Syracuse News did the story on him, he’s just like, ‘I don’t like being famous.’” Young as he is, Riley has already made a name for himself in the art world and he promises to be one of the great, humble artists of our time. Portland West and Portland Gateview named Reward Schools From STAFF REPORTS Portland Sun Seven Sumner County Schools have been named as Reward Schools by the Tennessee Department of Education. Bethpage Elementary, Indian Lake Elementary and Merrol Hyde Magnet were given Reward School status for being in the state’s top 5% of schools for performance, as measured by overall student achievement levels. In order to be eligible for Reward School status a school cannot have an achievement gap between its “all” population and one of its subgroups (black/Native American/Hispanic, economically disadvantaged, English language learners, and special education) that is larger than the state median or if the achievement gaps of the same subgroups have increased from the previous years. Guild Elementary, Lakeside Park Elementary, Portland Gateview Elementary and Portland West Middle Schools all earned Reward School status for being in the state’s top 5% for year-over-year progress, as measured by school-wide value-added data. “This recognition is just one more indicator of the tremendous work that Sumner County educators undertake every day,” said Jennifer Brown, Assistant Director of Schools for Instruction. “I am so very proud of our teachers, administrators, students, and parents.” Seven schools recognized in the top 5% of the state for each respective category is a first for Sumner County. In 2014, five schools were named to the list; in 2013 two schools were recognized, and in 2012 (the first year for the recognition), Sumner County had three schools on the list. Indian Lake Elementary joins Bethpage Elementary and Merrol Hyde Magnet as repeat Reward Schools, with Bethpage making its third appearance and Merrol Hyde Magnet making its fourth appearance on the list. Portland West Middle is the first middle school in Sumner County to make the list. “One of the things that makes Sumner County Schools so great is its diversity, and our teachers and principals work extremely hard to make sure that all students are exceling and growing,” stated Brown. “However, when you have schools that are growing all of their students at a sharp incline, sometimes those gaps widen, even though the schools are reaching and growing all of their students. This is what kept the system from having even more schools named to the list.” Westmoreland Elementary, named as a Focus School in 2014 because it had a gap between the performance of its special education population and its overall population, was taken off the Focus list in just one year due to the growth made by its special education subgroup population. No new schools in Sumner County were named a Focus School in 2015. “It’s gratifying for our students, teachers, parents, schools, and our district to be acknowledged for the work they do each and every day,” said Del Phillips, Director of Schools. “To have seven schools in the top 5% of the state in each respective category is something of which we all can be proud.” The district as a whole was named as an Achieving District. It met ten out of 11 of its achievement targets, missing graduation rate by .6%. It missed its gap closure targets for students with disabilities in 3-8 math, 3-8 reading, Algebra I/Algebra II, and English II/English III, with the majority of gap closure targets missed in high school subject areas. August 11, 2015 3 www.theportlandsun.com Death of young woman ruled accidental Evidence of foul play not found, police said By SHERRY MITCHELL Road closure starting Aug. 10 From STAFF REPORTS Portland Sun Beginning today, the city of Portland will close TGT Road at approximately 300 feet south of Vanatta Road for the repair of two culverts. The existing culverts are failing and causing the road to cave in at this location. Full closure of this section is expected to be in force through Monday, August 24, 2015. After August 24, single lane closure may be required to complete construction, but the contractor shall have traffic control in place to allow for through-traffic. The city of Portland requests that all citizens be mindful of the construction and drive safely as construction progresses. All construction is scheduled to be completed on or before Sunday, November 8, 2015. Should you have questions regarding this project please contact Portland Public Works at 615-323-1437. Portland Sun The death of a 28-yearold woman, found bruised and brain dead in a Hendersonville home May 19, has been ruled an accident, police said in a press conference Monday afternoon. Sumner EMS was called to the residence of Lain McCammon, 129 Cherry Hill Drive, where they found his girlfriend, Ashley Mason unresponsive. She was transported to Skyline Medical Center, where she was pronounced brain dead and taken off life support the next day. Det. Sgt. Jim Vaughn said results of Mason’s autopsy came back late last week, where cause of death was determined to be accidental by the medical examiner’s office. “It’s been an extensive investigation and as of last week, it was determined the death was a result of an accident,” Vaughn said. “We researched every possible angle as to what caused (the subdural hematoma). We don’t know what caused it, but we do know she had fallen several times. Given that and the lack of evidence, it was deemed an accident.” Also at the press conference was Det. Jim Bachman, who said McCammon’s initial claim that Mason had fallen May 18 while at the lake, was corroborated by multiple witnesses, with oth- er witnesses also saying they saw her falling later that evening at the Hendersonville condominium complex. “Numerous witnesses saw her in different states at the lake and the condo,” Bachman said. Vaughn said toxicology reports indicate Mason had no drugs in her system, but did show a small level of alcohol, adding much of what she may have drank, could have dissipated from her bloodstream by the time the autopsy was conducted. Hendersonville police received phone calls the night of May 18 from at least three neighbors at the Cherry Hill Drive condominium, one saying a partially dressed woman holding a canoe paddle was walking around the parking lot and seemed to be disoriented. A good Samaritan is reported to have helped Mason back to the condo she was staying at. According to Vaughn, police were dispatched to the condo at 129 Cherry Hill Drive and were asked to leave. Vaughn said even if someone is believed to be publicly intoxicated, once they enter their residence, police cannot legally enter the home without consent. Mason is seen on the Facebook page “Justice for Ashley and Her Family” with multiple bruises. According to the medical examiner, those were several days old Hendersonville Police Det. Jim Bachman (l) and Det. Sgt. Jim Vaughn during a press conference Monday, explaining that the death of Ashley Mason was ruled accidental. Photo by Sherry Mitchell. when Mason was brought to the hospital. “We have reason to believe that she already had the bruises on her body prior to May 18,” Vaughn said. Bachman said McCammon has been interviewed multiple times and came in voluntarily about a month ago for a sit-down interview. “His story was consistent with witnesses’ statements where she had fallen multiple times between the canoe, shoreline and the condo,” Bachman said. The department is still completing the final police report, and then the case will be wrapped up. Despite the couple’s troubled history with domestic violence and what he knows Mason’s family had hoped for - a conviction - Vaughn said after two months of investigations, evidence of any foul play was just not found. “The facts just did not lead us in that direction,” Vaughn said. “I feel like Hen- Mother speaks out about accidental ruling of daughter’s death Roadside Safety Belt Checkpoint this week From STAFF REPORTS Portland Sun The Tennessee Highway Patrol will be conducting a roadside safety belt checkpoint during the week of Aug. 9, 2015 on Highway 31E in Sumner County. Recognizing the danger to unbelted vehicle occupants, troopers will target those who operate a vehicle while unbelted and take corrective actions for other violations observed. Law enforcement recognizes that safety belt checkpoints are highly visible and effective tools of enforcing the safety belt laws of Tennessee while ensuring the protection of vehicle occupants. By SHERRY MITCHELL Portland Sun The mother of 29-year-old Ashley Mason, found unresponsive in a Hendersonville condo May 19 and later pronounced brain dead, said she doesn’t agree with this week’s finding that her daughter’s death was accidental and caused by multiple falls Springfield mother speaks out about daugh- May 18, while possibly intoxicated. On Aug. 3, Hendersonville police ter’s death met with the family and released the final autopsy findings showing Mason’s death, which was caused by a subdural hematoma or bleeding on the brain, was not the result of foul play and was ruled by the medical examiner as an accident. Mother Laura Fiscus Mattson said she became so upset after hearing the news; she abruptly walked out of the interview. “I was devastated - there was no way that Ashley looked like she did and it was an accident,” she said. Mason was found at the Hendersonville condo of her boyfriend, Gordon Lain McCammon, who told police she had fallen while at the lake the day before. An am- See MOTHER SPEAKS OUT...p12 dersonville Police Department did what they were supposed to do. In situations like this, when a loved one dies, our heart goes out to the family and we hope they find peace and they understand the Hendersonville Police Department uncovered all the facts and brought those facts back to the medical examiner and the district attorney.” According to police tapes released today, EMS contacted HPD the afternoon of May 19, saying they had found Mason breathing normal, but not waking up. The EMS dispatcher said McCammon had told her Mason had been unconscious since the night before. public Notices NOTICE TO CREDITORS Sumner County Chancery Court, 100 Public Square, Room 401, Gallatin, TN 37066 Case Number 83CH1-2015-PR-330 Estate of Josh Randall Dauberman, Deceased Notice is Hereby Given that on August 5 of 2015, letters testamentary (or of administration as the case may be) in respect to the estate of Josh Randall Dauberman, who died 06/15/2015 were issued to the undersigned by the Sumner County Chancery Court of Sumner County, Tennessee. All persons, resident and non-resident, having claims, matured or unmatured, against the estate are required to file the same with the Clerk of the above-named Court, on or before the earlier of the dates prescribed in (1) or (2) otherwise their claims will be forever barred: (1) (A) Four (4) months from the date of the first publication (or posting, as the case may be) of this notice if the creditor received an actual copy of this notice to creditors at least sixty (60) days before date that is four (4) months from the date of the first publication (or posting); or (B) Sixty (60) days from the date the creditor received an actual copy of the notice to creditors, if the creditor received the copy of the notice less than sixty (60) days prior to the date that is four (4) months from the date of the first publication (or posting) as described in (1) (A); or (2) Twelve (12) months from the decedent’s date of death. All persons indebted to the above Estate must come forward and make proper settlement with the undersigned at once. Chelsea Renee Dauberman Executor, Administrator, Personal Representative Patricia A. McDade Attorney Darlene D. Daughtry Clerk & Master/Deputy Clerk Insertion Dates: August 11 & August 18, 2015 4 www.theportlandsun.com August 11, 2015 PORTLANDSUN O PINION AUGUST 4, 2015 PORTLAND SUN P P @THEPORTLANDSUN Pray for healing for Chattanooga By Governor Bill Haslam The hearts, minds and prayers of Tennesseans, and of the entire nation, have been turned toward Chattanooga this month. We are sickened and saddened by the senseless tragedy, and we grieve for the families of the five service members who were killed: Gunnery Sgt. Thomas J. Sullivan Sgt. Carson A. Holmquist Lance Cpl. Squire “Skip” K. Wells Staff Sgt. David A. Wyatt Petty Officer Second Class Randall Smith. We continue to pray for the speedy recovery of Chattanooga Police Officer Dennis Pedigo, who was injured in the attack. As Chattanooga and our state move forward, I want to share a couple things. First, I am incredibly impressed with and grateful for the actions of local, state and federal law enforcement officers, and I feel very good about the FBI’s commitment to devote resources and follow every possible lead in its investigation. Second, we have to make sure that we’re doing everything we can to ensure the security of our guardsmen. On July 19 I issued a directive for Adjutant General Max Haston to review security policies and procedures at National Guard armories, storefront recruiting facilities and other installations and to take appropriate steps to ensure the safety of guardsmen, citizens and property. I also instructed Department of Safety and Homeland Security Commissioner Bill Gibbons to assess the process for issuing handgun carry permits to trained members of the military and to look for ways to streamline it. On July 20 the Tennessee National Guard temporarily repositioned its soldiers in storefront recruiting locations to local National Guard armories, allowing the review of the storefront facilities and what additional security measures are necessary to improve security at these locations. The Department of Safety and Homeland Security has streamlined the handgun permit application process for members of the military and is working with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, which conducts criminal background checks on all handgun permit applicants, to help with the process. We’re continuing our review to determine the very best long-term security measures to protect our military men and women as they continue to serve and protect us. Finally, as I told those gathered for a prayer vigil in Chattanooga, my prayer is that we will follow the words of Jeremiah and seek the prosperity and peace of the city to which we are called. I know Tennesseans join me in continuing to pray for healing for all those involved and for the Chattanooga community. We know they will remain Chattanooga Strong. PORTLANDSUNDying PORTLANDSUN PORTLANDSUN P PORTLANDSUN P PORTLANDSUN STAFF Pauletta Epley, Advertising/Sales pepley@mainstreetmediatn.com Carrie Tomlin, Graphic Design ctomlin@mainstreetmediatn.com Josh Nelson, Reporter jnelson@mainstreetmediatn.com Lisa Peters, Classifieds lpeters@mainstreetmediatn.com MAIN STREET MEDIA OF TENNESSEE Dave Gould, President dgould@mainstreetmediatn.com in Tennessee without a Will “I intend to live forever, or die trying.” ~ Groucho Marx, American comedian and film and television star (1890-1977) Most American adults don’t have a basic will. Their reasons include: “I just haven’t gotten around to it.” “I don’t need a will because I don’t have much.” “I’m afraid that once I write a will, I will die.” “I just don’t want to think about death.” The reality is that every person will someday pass away. It is also a reality that when a deceased person – called a decedent – has no will, then Tennessee’s “intestate succession” laws take over. Q. Won’t my spouse just inherit everything when I die? Not automatically. Tennessee law may surprise your loved ones if you die without a will. If a decedent has no will and no children, then yes, that person’s surviving spouse inherits the decedent’s estate. But, if the decedent with no will has one child, then half goes to the child, and the other half goes to the decedent’s spouse. If there are two children, then the spouse only gets one-third of the estate. If there are more than two children, the spouse gets one-third, and the children split the remainder of the estate through the probate process. If no surviving spouse, the estate goes to the decedent’s child(ren). This may work for some families, but it could be a problem for others. Q. What if a person dies with no will, no spouse, and no children? In that case, the decedent’s estate goes to his or her parents. If the decedent’s parents have passed away, then the decedent’s estate goes to his or her siblings in equal shares. If any sibling has passed away, then that deceased sibling’s share goes to the child(ren) of the deceased sibling. NOTE: Making a will usually costs much less than the expense of probating a decedent’s estate without a will. James B. (Jim) Hawkins is a general practice and public interest law attorney based in Gallatin. This column represents legal information, and is not intended to take the place of legal advice. All cases are different and need individual attention. Consult with a private attorney of your choice to review the facts and law specific to your case. You can call (615) 452-9200 to suggest future column topics. Advertising Policy: To ensure the best response to your ad, please take time to be sure your ad is correct in the first issue it appears. If your ad is incorrect, please call us immediately to have it corrected. The publisher reserves the right to edit or reject any advertising copy submitted for publication and the publisher shall not be liable for advertisements omitted for any reason. The advertiser assumes sole liability for all content of advertisements. EDITORIAL POLICY: The Portland Sun is dedicated to publishing a cross-section of public opinion and providing a forum for diverse discourse. We reserve the right to edit for grammar and punctuation. Length is limited to 200 words. We appreciate your opinion, and ask that you include your name, address, and phone number for verification. Letters to the editor may be sent by e-mail to news@portlandsun.com or send to The Portland Sun, 450 West Main Street, Suite 101, Gallatin, TN 37066, or Fax (615) 452-4919. Connect with us online. Follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook! @theportlandsun The Portland Sun August 11, 2015 5 www.theportlandsun.com Just Add Water - Part 1: Dehydration By HAL HENDRICKS It is much easier to become dehydrated than you might think, especially during these warm summer months. Dehydration occurs when you lose more fluid than you take in by eating and drinking. The body needs a certain amount of water and other fluids to function normally. If you don’t replace lost fluids, you will become dehydrated. Those most at risk of becoming dehydrated include infants and children, older adults, people with chronic illnesses, and people who work or exercise outside in hot, humid weather. It is normal for people to lose some water from the body every day, but certain conditions can cause you to lose too much water. Illnesses such as vomiting, diarrhea, and high fever can cause a person to lose a large amount of water in a short period of time. Medications such as diuretics or “water pills” and laxatives may cause a person to become dehydrated due to an excessive amount of water loss. Dehydration can occur through excessive sweating from vigorous exercise if fluids and electrolytes are not replaced. In addition, hot, humid weather increases the amount a person sweats and the amount of fluid that is lost by the body. The symptoms of dehydration can range from mild to severe. A person with mild dehydration may not even notice any symptoms. As dehydration gets worse symptoms may include thirst, decreased urination or dark urine, dry skin, lack of tears when crying, and feeling tired or lightheaded. Severe dehydration is a medical emergency and can cause extreme thirst, little or no urination, sunken eyes, shriveled, dry skin, low blood pressure, rapid heartbeat, rapid breathing, fever, delirium and unconsciousness. Infants may a sunken fontanel-the soft spot on the top of head, dry mouth or cracked lips, and few or no wet diapers. Dehydration can lead to serious complications such as heat stroke, swelling of the brain, seizures, and shock due to low blood volume, kidney failure, coma and death. Fortunately dehydration can be treated with fluid replacement. People with mild dehydration can usually treat it by drinking more fluids, especially water. Sports drinks can be useful for older children and adults, while young children and infants need an oral rehydration solution such as Pedialyte, or breast milk in infants that are nursing. You will know Portland police make arrest in oil dump Cleanup listed at $20,000; city hopes to recoup cost By JOSH NELSON Portland Sun Portland police arrested a local man Friday on a charge of illegally dumping motor oil into a storm drain. On Thursday, July 30, police received notification from the Portland Public Works Department about a “large oil spill” in the area of Grant Court, which is in the Evergreens subdivision. “Officers arrived and found that someone had been dumping used motor oil directly into a storm drain which ran into an adjacent creek,” police said in a press release. “The investigation revealed that the spill led back to 202 Grant Ct., where detectives located several oil containers with used motor oil.” Police said they made several attempts to speak with the resident of the aforementioned address, but without success. “On August 6 (last Thursday), officers were in route to... the address once again to locate and speak with the resident when an officer spotted (the suspect’s) vehicle on College St.,” Police Chief Richard Smith wrote in the press release. “Officers stopped the vehicle and took the suspect into custody. (He) was interviewed by detectives and admitted to his involvement in the illegal dumping.” That suspect was identified as Yosvany Garcia, age 32. Garcia He was charged with vandalism over $10,000, driving on a suspended license, and not using a child restraint device. Garcia was held in the Sumner County Jail on $2,500 bond, but an officer for the jail said he had made bail early Friday. He was scheduled to appear in Sumner County General Sessions Court on Sep. 9. The clean-up costs were estimated to be around $20,000. Mayor Ken Wilber said last week the city hopes to recover the costs from the offender. “We’ll try to recoup our costs from it,” he said in an interview last week. Panthers season tickets on sale Portland High School football reserved seats will be sold at Portland High School, from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily and August 14 at the Jamboree for $48 per seat. The week of August 17, all unsold reserved seats will be open to the public for sale. Season tickets can also be purchased for the varsity home games for $30 per ticket, with a buy 4 get 1 free deal. Season passes for the freshmen/JV games can also be purchased for $30 per ticket with the same buy 4 get 1 free deal. Please contact Ginger Lesemann if you have questions. the treatment is working when your urine looks pale yellow or clear, and your baby is having a wet diaper every three to four hours. More serious dehydration will usually need to be treated in the hospital. Prevention is the key! To prevent becoming dehydrated, it’s important to drink plenty of fluids, especially if you are sick or have a fever. Eating foods that have a high water content, such as fruits and vegetables, can also be helpful in preventing dehydration. Be sure to give your baby or young child an oral rehydration solution as soon as he or she starts having vomiting or diarrhea. And drink extra fluids when exercising or when it’s hot and humid outside. Dehydration is easy to prevent, Just Add Water! Hal Hendricks is the county director of the Sumner County Health Department Preschool registration Fountain Head Christian Preschool tuesdays & thursdays, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. email: mslinda@fhcpkids.org or call 615-805-3933 online application at: www.fountainheadchurchofchrist.org • click on preschool HELP WANTED Growing optometry office in White House seeks energetic individual to join our team. We are looking for a detail oriented, well-organized individual to assist in patient care and optical sales. Previous optical experience and k nowledge of medical/vision insurances is preferred. Email resume to info@drdehaven. com or fax resume to (615) 672-6783. With ownership comes name change... February 2016, Portland Funeral Chapel will become Gilbert Funeral Home 610 N. Broadway, Portland, TN Obit line - (615)325-9725 | (615)325-5010 www.portlandfuneralchapel.com Scanned by CamScanner “Four Generations of Funeral Home Service” 6 www.theportlandsun.com August 11, 2015 Ronnie McDowell colors Disney’s world By KEN BECK Portland Sun He’s a songwriter and a hit singer, who, when he wants to, croons just like Elvis, but these days Sumner County native son Ronnie McDowell gets higher than Peter Pan when he considers his new partnership with Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse. The voice behind the 1977 smash hit, “The King Is Gone,” which has sold six million copies, recently signed a five-year contract with the Disney Corporation, and soon, his works will be in Disney art galleries around the globe. McDowell, 65, who was born and raised in Portland and lives in Hendersonville, performs at 6:45 p.m. Monday at Fiddlers Grove Opry during the Wilson County Fair, a gig he first played 38 years ago. “When ‘The King Is Gone’ came out, I played the Wilson County Fair. That has become like the place to perform. This will be my first time back since,” said the man behind such hits as “Older Women,” “You’re Gonna Ruin My Bad Reputation,” “Watchin’ Girls Go By” and “In a New York Minute.” “I’m gonna do like I always do, just entertain the folks, get ’em to laugh, get ’em to sing, get ’em to dance, just have a good time. I’ll do a lot of my records, and we’ll probably do an hour-and-a-half show,’” said the congenial entertainer about what fair-goers can expect. He’s come a mighty long way since his debut performance when sang an Elvis tune during a variety show for his Navy shipmates and had such a bad case of stage fright that he never took his eyes off the floor. That Elvis song, however, proved a good omen, as McDowell about a decade later provided the vocals for 36 songs in Dick Clark’s 1979 “Elvis” TV biopic and followed up in the 1988 TV movie “Elvis and Me” at the request of Priscilla Presley. But before the music career, McDowell made a big impression as an artist at the age of 6. His Portland Elementary School first-grade teacher Paula Reddick gushed over his painting of a big, red fire engine. “I found out I could draw. I’ve been drawing and painting ever since,” he said. “The one of Elvis looking in the mirror (‘Reflection of a King’) when he is a little boy seeing his reflection looking back at himself in the old house he was born in has been the most successful thing I have ever done. And the second is George Jones getting a DUI on his lawn mower (‘Last Chance’).” Today, because his daughter Athena pestered him to paint Walt Disney, he’s about to launch a series of colorful paintings of Walt and Mickey Mouse as they begin their rise to fame in Hollywood. McDowell’s youngest son Tyler suggested that he paint Disney in1923, just before the cartoonist boards the California Limited at Kansas City’s Union Station. McDowell obeyed, and Athena mailed a photograph of the image to Disney Fine Arts. “They called up within a week and gave me a five-year contract. So I’m on my 22nd painting now,” grins the singing artist. “I just did one of Dolly (Parton) and Elvis on a picnic in Sevierville, and Dolly is singing ‘I Will Always Love You’ to Elvis. That’s been a big seller, too. I gave her the original, and when I took the cover off, she jumped back and said, ‘Damn, I wish I looked that good!’ “When I gave George Jones a painting of him getting a DUI on his lawnmower, by the way, George called me and asked me to do that painting, and the moment he asked me I saw the whole thing. These paintings come to me like a song. When I took the cover off, he stared at that painting for 30 minutes. “So I have fun doing all these paintings, but my first love is songwriting. My second love is singing and entertaining and making records, and third is painting. He describes his style as photo realism. “Norman Rockwell is my hero. There’s a fellow in Sumner County, David Wright, and he’s one of my photo-heroes, too. But I love Norman Rockwell so much. He captured the essence of America, and everything he painted looks like you could step into that painting. “I love it more than anything when people look at my paintings and they go, ‘Well, that looks like a photograph.’ I strive for that, and when I paint somebody’s face, I don’t care whether it’s Dolly or Elvis or George, I want it to look so real like they could speak to you, and that’s my goal. That’s what I do.” McDowell takes great delight in his work, often painting real people in the background or to the side in his Disney artwork. His second Walt and Mickey painting, “The Arrival,” shows the pair in Hollywood, and McDowell has planted himself in the drawing (a la what Alfred Hitchcock did in his films). His first painting of the cartoonist and his mouse has 23 “hidden” images of Mickey’s mug scattered across the landscape. While his Disney art has yet to be released, McDowell sells prints of his other artwork at his shows and from his website. In the meantime, the singer says he “still loves performing. I love entertaining people. I’ve got a hectic schedule coming up, but during the week I paint, I write songs and I record, and on the weekends I go out and perform.” McDowell was born and raised in Portland, the seventh child of 11. His mother Georgia Williams was 13 when she wed Howard McDowell, an entrepreneur who hauled fruit from North Carolina and Florida and peddled it from a little clapboard store on the corner across from the Portland train depot. His father, a master carpenter and contractor, later built more than 3,000 homes in Portland and the Franklin, Kentucky, area. He also opened two Dixie Discount stores, one on 31 West and the other on Highway 109. A teenage McDowell taught himself to play the guitar, and after graduating from Portland High School in 1968, he joined the Navy where he wound up becoming a barber on his ship while stationed near Saigon during the Vietnam War. He also formed a band and played weekends in the officers’ and enlisted men’s clubs. After his naval career, McDowell became a sign painter and songwriter while playing clubs with a band do- ing five shows a night, six nights a week. When he saw his first song recorded by Gene Shenandoah, it was a dream come true, but it got even better when “Opry” star Roy Drusky cut his tune “Deep in the Heart of Dixie” in 1976. Soon he had songs recorded by such country stars as The Wilburn Brothers, Billy Walker, Jean Shepard and Porter Wagoner. His career game-changer came on Aug. 16, 1977, when 42-year-old Elvis Presley died at his Graceland home. McDowell was driving through Nashville when at 2:22 that afternoon he heard a deejay on the radio say, “It’s official. Elvis has passed away.” Before he got to Rivergate the tunesmith in McDowell had composed a tribute to Elvis, titled “The King Is Gone.” He wrote down the words and kept the tune in his head. At 4 the next morning he drove to Memphis. He recollects, “I was going to see Elvis one way or the other. I never laid eyes on him. I stood in line from 8:30 till 5… It went for miles, and I got within about 20 feet of the gate, and they shut it and I didn’t get in.’ He hopped back in his car and burned the asphalt back to Nashville where he ran into a friend, Lee Morgan, who suggested they do a tribute to Elvis. “I thought he meant wear a jumpsuit and jet black sideburns, and I told him, ‘I don’t want no part of that.’ He said, ‘Naw, man, listen to this song I’ve written.’ So after I listened to his, I said, ‘Listen to what I wrote,’ and we just put my talking part on the front and his singing part and combined them together, and the next night we went in the studio and recorded it.” Fortuitously, one of the musicians suggested that McDowell sing the song with an attitude similar to “Are You Lonesome Tonight,” and Morgan told him to sing it like Elvis. “Had it not been for his suggestion I don’t think it would have affected people. Because everybody thought it was Elvis singing about himself,” noted McDowell in retrospect. The next day, with eight acetate recordings of the song, he popped into several Music City radio stations, and the deejays gave the record a spin. The reaction from listeners was instantaneous, as each deejay told McDowell that he had a smash on his hands. “And that was it. That thing exploded,” said McDow- August 11, 2015 7 www.theportlandsun.com Singer-songwriter-artist performs at Wilson County Fair ell of his six-million-selling single. But his good fortune had only just begun. After befriending Miss Teenage America Jessica James, aka Kathy Twitty, daughter of Conway Twitty, on a concert tour, he told he how much he would love to meet her father. She invited him to stop by her dad’s office in Hendersonville. “I walked in, and Conway stood up and said, ‘How would you like to open up my show?’ I said, ‘Twist my arm,’ and for the next six or seven years I did, and Conway became like my second dad and definitely my mentor,” said McDowell. “He finally talked me into moving down to Hendersonville. He said, ‘Son, you need to be closer to your work.’ So I moved down here in ’88, and I ain’t never left. I love it here. I got kinfolks up in Portland I go up and visit constantly.” Another plum from his Elvis tribute tune came in the form of an invitation from Dick Clark to perform the hit on “American Bandstand.” A month later McDowell recorded his debut album and, as a favor to Mae Axton, recorded her song, “Heartbreak Hotel,” which was Elvis’ first big hit. Two year down the road, when Dick Clark began plans to produce an Elvis TV movie, he told one of his partners, Jim Ritz, “We need a voice for this Kirk Russell movie we’re doing.” Ritz responded, “The only voice you need is Ronnie McDowell. Listen to this version of ‘Heartbreak Hotel.’” Clark said, “Get him.” A couple of years later, Elvis’ ex-wife Priscilla Presley decided to produce a TV movie based on her best- Portland is famous for its strawberries and annual strawberry festival as well as native son, entertainer Ronnie McDowell. The country singer and artist has completed 15 historic paintings of his hometown. Artwork submitted selling memoir, “Elvis and Me.” They needed a singer to provide the voice. Once Priscilla heard McDowell’s voice, she told people, “We don’t want nobody but Ronnie.” “When I met Priscilla, she said, ‘Do you have any idea what you’ve done for Elvis Presley?’ I said, ‘Priscilla, do you have any idea what Elvis Presley’s done for Ronnie McDowell?’” “I’m the only man standing on this planet who got to be Elvis’s voice, and I never wore a jump suit,” smiled the happy singer-songwriter, who, with his brush and brains, continues to paint a wonderful world of color. Writer Ken Beck may be contacted at kbtag2@gmail.com. Hear Ronnie McDowell Ronnie McDowell looks over “The Journey Begins,” his painting of Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse as the budding cartoonist begins his journey from Kansas to Hollywood. The hit singer-songwriter, who performs Monday night at the Wilson County Fair, recently signed a five-year contract with the Disney Corporation. This painting, the first in a series, includes 23 “hidden” images of the world’s most famous mouse. Photo by Ken Beck Ronnie McDowell (“The King Is Gone,” “Older Women,” “You’re Gonna Ruin My Bad Reputation”) performs at 6:45 p.m. Monday, Aug. 17, at Fiddlers Grove Opry during the Wilson County Fair. The fair runs Aug. 14-22 and opens at 5 p.m. Monday-Friday, at 10 a.m. Saturday and at noon Sunday. Admission is $8 for ages 13 and older, $6 for ages 6-12 and is free for those 5 and younger. For more info, go online to wilsoncountyfair.net. For more about McDowell, go to ronniemcdowell.com 8 www.theportlandsun.com August 11, 2015 City gives preliminary approval to rezone land near new interstate exchange Council seeks more restrictions on future development By JOSH NELSON Portland Sun The Portland City Council gave preliminary approval last week to an ordinance rezoning about 50 acres of land near where the new I-65 exit would be located. Council members, however, asked that further zoning restrictions be placed on the land before final approval. The land at issue is located at 5971 Hwy31-W, which is in Robertson County. “That area is going to be critical,” Mayor Ken Wilber said in an interview last week. “It’s kind of a one-time shot around that interstate exchange.” Councilman Jody McDowell said at last week’s council meeting, “It’s going to be one of our gateways to the city.” One of the landowners, Jimmy Cummings, said he understands the importance of the land. “I think we all believe it will be a great gateway to this community, and that’s what we want,” he said. The ordinance before the council would change the zoning from the classification of residential low density to general commercial services. However, several members of the council would like to put a planned unit development (PUD) overlay on top of the pro- posed zoning. Wilber explained the difference in an interview last week. “That pretty much lays out what you want to go there and gives (the city) a lot more control over it,” he said. “For example, (the city) could say we want this part to be motels, restaurants, service stations, and the other side be retail. It gives you a little bit more control where you have it planned out before you start developing. To do any changes, it would have to come back to the council for two readings. “It’s almost like a contract in a way in that it says what exactly is going to be going there. You don’t name the specific brand of businesses, but just the type and the designs of the buildings,” he said. “It really helps you have a nicer development than if you just do a general rezoning.” “Everything in the development would be spelled out,” said Councilman Luther Bratton at the council meeting last week. “There’s no surprises.” Cummings said he had much of the same concerns as the council. “My residence is in the front of this property, so we don’t want certain things there,” he said. Bratton said the proposal is similar to a situation in White House about 20 years ago in which a “large truck stop was going in and the community was completely opposed to it.” “(The zoning) was approved, and they didn’t think White House would grow out in that area and there ended up being a school being built close to there,” he said. “I’m not opposed to the zoning or the project, but it’s something to keep in mind when you know there is going to be a lot of activity there. Portland might make a lot of revenue, but that Jody McDowell may not be what we want there.” Councilwoman Beverly Watson said of the proposed PUD, “That’s going to protect the property owners, as well. “You can get a lot more control, and the higher quality (development) you have coming in is just going to benefit the property owners, too.” The measure passed unanimously with the understanding the PUD could be added before final approval by the council. Wilber described it as a “good faith” vote by the council. Beasley, Hall both indicted on homicide charges Each to be arraigned Aug. 21 Hall Beasley By JOSH NELSON Portland Sun In separate cases, two women accused of killing Portland area teenagers after being struck by a vehicle were indicted by a Sumner County grand jury last week. “Their cases were presented and they were given true bills,” said District Attorney General Ray Whitley. “They will (both) be arraigned on the 21st.” Whitley was referring to Laura Beasley and Amanda Hall. Beasley is charged with one count of vehicular homicide with driver intoxication for the death of Nicholas Townsend, who was scheduled to graduate from Portland High School the next day, two counts vehicular assault for two other people in the vehicle who were injured, and a violation of the implied consent law in connection with the incident in May. The arresting officer testified in a preliminary hearing in Sumner County General Sessions Court last month Beasley was drunk at the time of the incident. THP Sergeant Adam Grinder said Beasley admitted to having consumed alcohol that night. “She told me she had consumed one beer,” he testified. “Later, she told me she had consumed two 24-ounce beers.” Grinder said Beasley failed field sobriety tests and that she refused to submit to a blood test, so he got a search warrant requiring her to have one done. “I took her to Sumner Regional Medical Center – to the emergency department,” Grinder said, adding that the blood was later tested at a TBI laboratory for blood alcohol concentration (BAC). “I believe it was a .119, if I’m not mistaken.” A person is considered legally drunk in Tennessee when the BAC is .08 or higher. Grinder was asked by Assistant District Attorney General Sidney Preston if Beasley had an explanation for the crash. “That night, she didn’t offer much explanation of what happened in the crash – she said she really didn’t remember,” he said. “She did tell me that she was lost... and looked down at the GPS.” Preston later asked Grinder about Beasley’s demeanor that night. “She showed little or no emotion,” Grinder said. “The only time she became upset – when I advised her she was going to jail, she was upset for a moment. It appeared to me she was more upset because she wasn’t allowed to have a cigarette. She began to cry and cried for a cigarette...before she went to jail.” “Did she make any inquiries into the injuries of the others?” Preston asked. “No, sir,” Grinder responded. Preston then asked about Beasley’s demeanor once taken to jail. “She was laughing with some other inmates...in the holding facility there at the jail,” Grinder said. “Can you explain the nature of the conversation with her during that time?” Preston asked. “The only conversation I had (with her) at the jail was I received word through our dispatch that...Mr. Townsend was not expected to survive the crash,” Grinder said. “I went into the holding facility and told her that. Her demeanor changed for about 30 seconds. (Then) she was laughing again.” Beasley was held in the Sumner County Jail on $200,000 bond and faces at least 8-12 years in prison. Hall, meanwhile, is accused of being responsible for an incident on June 16 on Dobbins Pike which took the life of Brianna Lowe, age 14, in which Hall allegedly struck Lowe with her vehicle. Unlike Beasley, Hall did not have a preliminary hearing in Sumner County General Sessions Court. Online records only say Hall was charged with a “bound over charge,” but she was initially charged with reckless homicide, leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death, and driving on a revoked license. Hall was being held in the Sumner County Jail on $125,000 bond and faces at least seven years in prison. Arraignments are often brief proceedings in which the judge formally reads the charges against the defendant and the defendant is asked to enter a plea – which is normally “not guilty.” After arraignment, the judge allows time for the two sides to exchange information and engage in talks for a plea agreement. If no agreement can be reached, a trial date is set. THEPORTLANDSUN.COM August 11, 2015 9 www.theportlandsun.com - Sarah Strong - Sumner County woman won’t let cancer knock her down Sarah Gillum shows off her new post-chemo hairstyle. By SHERRY MITCHELL Portland Sun It was a fight she hoped she had conquered, but six weeks ago, 37-year-old Sarah Hennessy Gillum of Hendersonville, was told her cancer had returned. First diagnosed with breast cancer in January of 2013, Sarah had a double mastectomy and later had reconstructive surgery. The cancer has now spread into her lymph nodes, sub pectoral muscles and liver. Now, seven weeks into a 12-week treat- ment program, she is more determined than ever to kick cancer right out of her life. “Heck yeah I’m determined to beat it,” Sarah said. Others in her situation might have a hard time handling things, but Sarah, who has always had a bubbly personality, said she won’t let her latest diagnosis get her down, or rob her of happiness. “I’m just not a bummy person, I guess,” she said. “I have a 4-year-old and I have fun with my family. We moved in with my mom and dad and I’m enjoying the heck out of it. Friday night, we had a marshmallow roast and the kids started dancing. My parents are early birds, so we still have our privacy.” A hair stylist three days a week at Z Cisco Salon and Spa in Goodlettsville, when her hair started falling out this time from the chemo treatments, the spunky red head let coworkers give her unique, partially shaved hairstyle. “I figured I would have some fun with it,” Sarah said. Her only complaint is that she is getting “tired and worn out” faster, she said. “Before, I was only taking (treatments) every three weeks, so I had two weeks to rest,” she said. “Now, it’s every week so it’s definitely a lot harder.” Sumner County joins state’s Retire Tennessee program Will be aligned with 15 established communities From STAFF REPORTS Gallatin News Tennessee Department of Tourist Development Commissioner Kevin Triplett announced the addition of four counties, including Sumner County, to Retire Tennessee, the state’s retiree recruitment marketing program, bringing the total number of active Retire Tennessee counties to 19. “It’s great to officially add four new counties to this important state program,” Triplett said. “Tennessee has much to offer people making retirement decisions based on quality of life and cost-of-living. Our state has the lowest cost-of-living in the Southeast and second lowest in the nation, no state income tax and low property tax. Add to that, the state’s breathtaking scenic beauty and unparalleled hospitality, and it’s only natural Tennessee would rank high among the population relocating after retirement.” The four counties join Cumberland, Franklin, Hamblen, Hamilton, Hardin, Jefferson, Loudon, Maury, Putnam, Rhea, Roane, Robertson, Sullivan, Warren and White counties as Retire Tennessee counties. Now in its ninth year, Retire Tennessee inspired more than 10,000 inquiries from potential retirees last year. Tennessee is one of only four states with retiree recruitment as a formal program and continues to gain momentum as a potential retirement destination for more than 78 million baby boomers. Sumner County Executive Anthony Holt stated, “We are excited and pleased to join the outstanding Retire Tennessee program. The intentional recruitment of retiree’s into our Sumner County cities will bolster the local economy but just as importantly retiree’s offer a richness and depth of life experiences which help make great communities.” For more information on the Retire Tennessee program, please visit www.retiretennessee.org. Ten mile bike ride on Aug. 22 From STAFF REPORTS Portland Sun The public is invited to join Mayor Ken Wilber and the Portland Ridgeriders for our first Portland Group Leisure Bicycle Ride, approximately 10 miles at a slow pace, on August 22, 2015 at 9 a.m. Meet at the gazebo parking lot be- hind My Time Café. Instructions will be given before the ride. Provide your own bicycle and helmet. Make plans to stay after the ride to discuss future plans at My Time Café. For further information please contact George Torre, ttorre1@msn.com or Mayor Wilber. In addition to her weekly treatments, Sarah is also on a high alkaline diet. “My husband is a big researcher and he read a lot about high alkaline and they have proven that people have healed themselves - that cancer can’t survive in an alkaline state,” she said. “It’s pretty much all vegetables, sunflower seeds and almonds, grapefruit and pomegranates.” At 34 and with no family history of breast cancer, Sarah was an unlikely candidate for her first diagnosis. Now she wants others to realize the importance of self-exams and regular mammograms. “Most of the people around me are taking it more seriously now, but I still hear some say they don’t even do self- exams,” she said. Sarah’s mother, Nancy Hennessy said she thinks the medical community has been too lax when it comes to stressing the importance of regular mammograms. “They don’t even recommend having a mammogram until you are 40 and some insurance companies won’t (cover it) but every two years,” Hennessy said. “Sarah just wants people to make sure - she wouldn’t have had one either (at 34), but after she had the baby she felt something. She was breast feeding and they initially thought her milk ducts were infected, until she had a mammogram.” Coworkers at Z Cisco have helped with several fundraising efforts, including a recent bake sale and t-shirts made up in her honor. “The money has helped her pay booth rental and living expenses,” Hennessy said. “She has insurance and right now they are accepting her co-pay, but the doctors told her the first round of chemo would be $5,000 and week and the second round would be $10,000 a week.” A Facebook page called “Sarah Strong” was started by her sister in 2013 and keeps friends and family up to date on Sarah’s progress, as well as any fundraising events. “Most of our family lives in Indiana - her younger sister started it so they would know what was going on with Sarah,” Hennessy said. It hasn’t been the best of times for the family, but it’s the way Sarah herself is handling things, that keeps things moving forward. “This time it has been worse - she’s had mouth sores, and her scalp was burning and her hair is coming out again, but she never complains,” Hennessy said. To see more of Sarah’s story, visit her Facebook page at “Sarah Strong.” 10 www.theportlandsun.com August 11, 2015 Free foreclosure mitigation program winding down County residents still can get free loan modification and foreclosure prevention assistance From STAFF REPORTS Portland Sun This past June, Tennessee received its allocation of what is anticipated to be the U.S. Congress’s last round of funding for the National Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling Program, which is expected wind down in Tennessee at the end of 2015. Affordable Housing Resources, Inc., a nonprofit serving 40 counties in Middle Tennessee, including Sumner County, is urging residents who are struggling to pay their mortgage to seek help while the program is available. “Through the housing crisis and the recession, the National Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling Program has been instrumental across the mid-state for thousands of homeowners who were at risk of losing their home,” said Eddie Latimer, CEO of Affordable Housing Resources. “Our organization alone has helped more than 2,120 families negotiate with their mortgage servicer to stay in their homes.” Through the National Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling Program, Affordable Housing Resources works with homeowners—at no cost to them—to defer overdue payments and restructure monthly mortgage payments to better align with their income. Temporary payment relief can last for as long as a year to give the homeowner time to get on their feet, all the way up to a permanently modified mortgage which lasts until the mortgage is paid in full. “The economy is improving but many are not yet feeling those effects and need assistance. If you or someone you know is struggling with their mortgage payments, I strongly encourage them to seek programs that could help, while they are still supported by Congress,” added Latimer. Information on the assistance provided by Affordable Housing Resources can be found at www.ahrhousing. org or by calling (615) 251-0025. Live, Love, Latch! event Aug. 15 From STAFF REPORTS Portland Sun Live, Love, Latch! is a National Breastfeeding Month (August 1-31) celebration presented by La Leche League USA and hosted by LLL Groups throughout the country. This is the second year for this annual event. Live Love Latch! is an event to celebrate breastfeeding and to highlight breastfeeding support. Everyone is invited to attend and sign the declaration of support. You do not need to be breastfeeding to be included. Family, friends, doctors, lactation consultants, midwives, businesses, legislators and anyone else who supports breastfeeding in our community are welcome. The key goal of Live, Love, Latch! is to raise awareness of how a supportive community can help nursing dyads breastfeed successfully. The secondary goal is to break the previous year’s record for breastfeeding supporters attending. Last year’s national record was 9,028. In the spirit of the Surgeon General’s call to action to support breastfeeding, this celebration provides an opportunity to educate everyone about how they can be supportive to breastfeeding families and how this natural way of parenting effects the community as a whole. The Sumner County Live, Love, Latch! will take place on August 15 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Municipal Park in Gallatin. This is a potluck brunch & family fun day. Beverages and paper products will be provided. Please bring a dish to share. There will be door prizes, gift bags, a silent auction and bubbles, chalk and coloring for the kids. There will also be baby wearing, cloth diapering and yoga demonstrations, a Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician and professional photography. Last year’s attendance was 109 in Sumner County and the goal is to break that record. Find out more at fb.com/LLLofPortland or by calling 615-323-7158 (Michelle) or 615-681-0922 (Jessica). Sumner County Good Neighbor Mission presents third annual gala From STAFF REPORTS Portland Sun The Sumner County Good Neighbor Mission (GNM) will present its third annual gala on Saturday, August 15 at 6 p.m. The event will be held at St. John Vianney Church located at 501 N. Water Avenue. Tickets are $50 person and include dinner and entertainment. Tickets can be obtained by calling GNM at 615-452-7337. “The annual gala is our major fundraising effort and we are so excited about this year’s theme, ‘There’s No Place Like Home.’ Our goal is to raise enough funds to purchase a home in Portland to establish GNM’s presence there,” said Stephanie Meadows, Executive Director. Good Neighbor Mission is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization and was established in 1983 to assist the working poor families of Sumner County that find themselves without housing. GNM promotes independence, selfsufficiency and long-term permanent solutions to reduce and ultimately end homelessness in this community. Good Neighbor operates two shelter locations in Gallatin, providing shelter for families with children until they are able to obtain decent, affordable housing of their own. GNM partners with local businesses and agencies to provide training in financial management and other wraparound services to help families identify and change behavioral patterns that lead to the housing crisis. “For over 30 years, the doors of Good Neighbor have been open to Sumner County residents. We continue to serve persons from all over Sumner County and look forward to establishing our presence in Portland,” said Rev. Umiko D. Jones Sr., board president. For tickets or for additional information call 615-452-7337. OBITUARIES Mrs. Lena Ann Runyon, age 76 of Cottontown, TN, passed away Monday, Aug. 3, 2015 at Summit Medical Center in Hermitage, TN. Mrs. Runyon was born Sept. 21, 1938 in Nashville, TN., and was a member of Clearview Church of Christ. She was a long time employee of Lawn Light factory in Portland. Mrs. Runyon is survived by her son, Eddie Runyon of Nashville, TN; daughter, Kim Randle of Old Hickory, TN; three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Mrs. Runyon was preceded in death by her husband, Elmer “Al” Runyon; brother, Bernie Jones; sister, Mae Ella Walker. Funeral services were held Aug. 6, at Portland Funeral Chapel with burial following in the Halltown Cemetery. Online condolences can now be made at www.portlandfuneralchapel.com Ethel Magdalene Parker, age 91 of Portland, wife of Ray Shelby Parker passed away Aug. 5, 2015 at Hendersonville Medical Center. She was born in Sumner County on Oct. 27, 1923 to the late J.W. and Beulah Hodges. She was a homemaker and longtime member of Fountain Head Church of Christ. In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by her infant son, Joe David; and infant great-grandson, Colt Allen McCoy. Ethel is survived by her husband, Ray Parker; eight children, Sharon (Donald) Jenkins, James (Kay) Parker, Shirley (James) Shockley, Brenda (Bill) Pruett, John (Sharon) Parker, Donna (Jimmy) Harris, Jerry (Lisa) Parker, Jeff (Jennifer) Parker; brother, Paul (Pat) Hodges; 22 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren. Funeral service was Aug. 8, at Fountain Head Church of Christ with James Parker and James Shockley officiating. Burial was in Corinth Cemetery. Pallbearers were Jimmy Parker, Rich Shockley, Jason Shockley, Shawn Parker, Trevor Harris, Kurt Triplet, and David Parker. Honorary bearers will be Charlie Groves, Billy Joe Ragland, James Shockley, Danny Thompson, Eddie Perdue, and remaining grandsons, granddaughters, great-grandsons, and greatgranddaughters. Pamella Joy Deerman, age 52 of Portland, passed away Tuesday, August 4, 2015. Funeral Service was Friday, August 7 at 2 p.m. from the chapel of Alexander Funeral Home. Interment followed in Bushs Chapel Cemetery with Billy Joe Ray Neill, Mark Dickerson, Jeffrey Campbell, T. J. Harper, Derris Brown and Brandon Hill serving as pallbearers. Visitation was Thursday, August 6 from 2-8 p.m. and Friday, August 7 from 12:00 noon until time of service. Pamella was born November 4, 1962 in Sumner County, TN, daughter of the late Ernest Raymond Campbell and Bobbie Sue Brown Campbell. In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by brothers, Gary Campbell and Ernie Campbell. She is survived by boyfriend, Mark Dickerson of Portland; son, Billy Joe Ray Neill of Hartsville; daughter, Kayla Joy Hill (Brandon Vaughn) of Portland; brother, Jeffrey Lee Campbell of Gallatin; grandson, Parker Alan Hill. Pamella worked as a case processor for D.H.S. and previously for Sumner County Community Corrections Department. Online condolences may be submitted at alexanderfh.info Alexander Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. August 11, 2015 11 www.theportlandsun.com Sumner County Property Transfers July 2-8, 2015 Bethpage Darrel Tongate to Laura Towe, 1430 Butler Mill Hollow Road, Bethpage, $267,000. Clyde and Bonnie Roberts to James Summers and Kristina Likens, 131 East Harris Road, Bethpage, $185,000. Cottontown Thomas and Catherine Crowe to Donnie and Cathleen Atchison, 3 Kyle Court, Cottontown, $342,000. Ben the Builder LLC to Steve and Dawn Scholl, 202 Cassandra Drive, Cottontown, $385,000. Daniel Hurst to Benjamin and Brandi Cherry, 3160 Hwy 25 W, Cottontown, $137,000. Craig and Blake Freeman to Gerald and Diane Jones, West Hester Road, Cottontown, $84,900. Curtis Werner to Nicholas Perdue, 2763 Highway 25, Cottontown, $300,000. Donny and Beverly Whittaker to Sariah Hopkins, 3585 Hwy 76, Cottontown, $415,000. Clifton and Alice Pond to David and Kristin Douglas, 380 Martin Lane, Cottontown, $227,500. Gallatin Bernice Hall to Louallen Builders Inc, 436 Fannis Circle, Gallatin, $85,000. Pinnacle Development Co Inc to James and Becky Campbell, 1083 Tarpan Drive, Gallatin, $284,973. Amy Corbin to Stephen Tucker, 250 Walbrook Dr. Gallatin, $179,900 Ballou Construction Co to Vernon and Angela Johnson, 1048 Five Coves Trace, Gallatin, $369,950. Ole South Properties Inc to Caleb and Mariah Hughes, 1080 East Sagewood Drive, Gallatin, $233,577. Ole South Properties Inc to Chelsea Bladon, 1053 East Sagewood Drive, Gallatin, $237,000. Halcomb Homes LLC to William and Jennifer Carroll, 1010 Five Coves Trace, Gallatin, $385,500. Jonathan and Olivia Kidd to Steven Meredith Yates, 263 Osprey Drive, Gallatin, $225,000. Christopher and Zeriphia Hartman to Katy Cox, 331 Blade Street, Gallatin, $109,500. Goodall Inc Builders to Jackie and Effie Stanhope, 2108 Albatross Way, Gallatin, $259,540. Randall and Barbara Jones to James and Debra Escue169 Longspur Drive, Gallatin. $220,020. Randall and Barbara Jones to Clifton and Alice Pond, 348 Osprey Drive, Gallatin, $200,600. Jeffrey and Sheri Hodge to Jonathan Barksdale, 450 Rocky Top Street, Gallatin. $214,000. Meritage Homes of Tennessee Inc to Daniel and Leeann Bristol, 1154 McCrory Circle Gallatin, $380,095. Bruce Burdine to Malcolm and J’rema Montgomery, 1414 Wentworth Dr, Gallatin, $295,000. Timothy and Frances Parker to Felix Aulozzi, 913 Harris Drive, Gallatin, $225,000. Henry and Alzenia Walls to Andrew and Kristina Lorenz, 349 Remington Avenue, Gallatin, $244,900. Gary and Christina Kemp to Eric and Diana Stephenson, 447 Quarry Rd, Gallatin, $224,050. Richard and Margaret Story to Rickie Walden, 458 Bay Point Drive, Gallatin, $275,000. U S Bank National Assn to Chelsea Reed, 402 Rodney Street, Gallatin, $102,500. Memory Ryan to Riley and Megan Clark, 135 Richland Court, Gallatin, $170,000. Brian Harris Homes LLC to Bud and Stacey Cooper, 1118 McCrory Circle, Gallatin, $410,000. Fred and Janet Kammerer to William and Pamela Inglesby, 1091 Savannah Ave, Gallatin, $184,000. Habitat For Humanity of Sumner County to Miles and Mary Nickelson, 185 South Maple Street, Gallatin, $125,000. Sylvia Vest to Harland and Rikki Harris, 1020 N. Sugartree Lane, Gallatin, $329,000. Brent Branson to Heather Maxwell, 425 Paisley Way, Gallatin, $189,900. Stanley and Sylvia Kizer to Little Knot LLC, 1275 Windsor Drive, Gallatin, $300,000. Alma Singlemann to William Witt, 1071 Katherine Street, Gallatin, $86,900. William and Karen Johnson to Philip Dattilo, 1236 Stanfield Court, Gallatin, $236,000. Creekside Homes LLC to Christopher and Marjorie Rippy, 2141 Gorden Xing, Gallatin, $419,900. Goodlettsville Richard Guthrie to Mandalynne Pearce, 115 Cartwright Parkway, Goodlettsville, $140,000. Joshua and Crystal Stew- art to Mark and Anna Cooper, 3005 Creekview Lane, Goodlettsville, $159,900. Samuel and Mildred Brown to Ryan and Christie Boomershine, 804 Loretta Drive, Goodlettsville, $170,000. Hendersonville Gregory and Courtney McGee to Lisa Gann, 106 Applewood Court, Hendersonville, $329,950. Southeastern Building Corp to Barbara Wagner, 1042 Tower Hill Lane, Hendersonville, $344,900. Southeastern Building Corp to Robert and Melba Abney, 162A Annapolis Bend Circle, Hendersonville, $216,535. Meritage Homes of Tennessee Inc to Michael and Shannon Price, 136 Ambassador Private Circle, Hendersonville, $198,960. Meritage Homes of Tennessee Inc to Stan and Debra Jackson, 132 Ambassador Private Circle, Hendersonville, $198,320. Centex Homes to Bret and Tiffany Wyatt, 10888 Abberley Circle, Hendersonville, $305,460. Avenue Bank to King Griffith Holdings LLC, 165 Ervin Street, Hendersonville, $65,000. Centex Homes to Manuel and Jennifer Roman, 1041 Merrick Road, Hendersonville, $371,930. James and Debra Williams to Janet McFall, 105 Sorrel Court, Hendersonville, $288,950. William and Kelly Degnan to Jerry and Anita Wilson, 113 Lake Vista Drive, Hendersonville, $310.000. James and Debra Escue to Jeffrey Zona and Michelle Gallaway, 213 Lakeside Park Drive, Hendersonville, $247,000. Federal National Mortgage Assn to Timothy Koly, 139 Dana Drive, Hendersonville, $175,000. Demeka Carlton to Karl Holmes, 140 Alred Circle, Hendersonville, $174,900. William and Michelle Jeffery to Jason and Hilary Church, 167 Ervin Street, Hendersonville, $445,900. Wayne Thompson to Angela Carroll, 104 Cedar Sprigs Tail. Hendersonville, $209,000. J. Wayne Hardy Trustee to Casey Raybourne, 1073 Avery Trace Circle, Hendersonville, $102,500. Helen Faye Shepherd Special Needs Trust to Stephen McCormick, 110 Cherokee Road, Hendersonville, $229,900. Meritage Homes of Tennessee Inc to Jason Baker, 133 Ambassador Private Circle, Hendersonville, $200,810. Southeastern Building Corp to Kenneth and Barbara Grissom, 162B Annapolis Bend Circle, Hendersonville, $222,201. Southeastern Building Corp to Anthony Holt, 145 Annapolis Bend Circle, Hendersonville, $208,715. John and Dorothy Redman to Glenn Sparks, 483 Walton Ferry Rd, Hendersonville, $189,900. Kelly Hamilton and Kelly Lind to Michael and Megan Jamison, 124 Southern Trace, Hendersonville, $157,000. David and Jennifer Brooks to Jens and Misty Sorensen, 135 Chesapeake Harbor Blvd, Hendersonville, $270,000. Lifestyle Home Builders Inc to Wilson Zaya, 95 Plumlee Drive #9, Hendersonville, $157,900. John Flynn to Jarrett Worden and Kimberly Dyer, 126 Fiedcrest Circle, Hendersonville, $299,500. James and Candice Wilkins to Latosha Phillips, 123 Coldwater Drive, Hendersonville, $189,000. Marc White to Dandrea Tomlin, 110 Chambliss Court, Hendersonville, $242,200. Ronald and Nancy Brannom to Kelly and Kelly Hamilton, 2012 Drakes Hill Court, Hendersonville, $269,900. Daniel and Joan Strong to Jason and Tammy Ellis, 111 Hattie Court, Hendersonville, $447,500. Lynne Sutton and Lynne Beattie to Steven and Tamara Jones,306 North Birchwood Drive, Hendersonville, $182,000. Jeff and Beth Mead to Loyd and Sydney Whisenant, 104 Wayne Court, Hendersonville, $198,000. Faustin and Diane Weber to Cristian and Rebecca Sandu, 107 Shadownhaven Way N., Hendersonville, $313,500. Brian and Tina Slaughter to Michael and Amanda Kimberly, 215 Crooked Creek Lane, Hendersonville, $334,900. Bruce and Anita Rainey to Shad and Stephanie Smith 1014 Parsons Private Way, Hendersonville, $85,900. Lawrence Brindise and Claudia Salazar to Joel and Katie St. Francis, 268 Lake Terrace Drive, Hendersonville, $640,000. Harlan Construction Co Inc to John and Laura Cuthill, 114 Alderwood Lane, Hendersonville,$376,950. Keith and Cheri Lamb to Clem Pater, 117 Crestview Drive, Hendersonville, $167,000. Kerry Stanfill to William and Kelly Degnan, 200 Cobbler Circle, Hendersonville, $253,000. Southeastern Building Corp to Micky and Tammi Dobson, 100 Pilot Knob Lane, Hendersonville, $329,900. Cheryl Walker to Dana Petway, 250 Sanders Ferry Road, #29, Hendersonville. $97,000. Katherine Thompson and Katherine Eddington to Melanie Davis, 404 Deer Point Circle, Hendersonville, $125,000. Lorrie Hudson to Ronald and Wallane Moltzan, 115 Ballentrae Dr, Hendersonville, $402,000. Clark and Rachelle Johnson to Aaron and Melissa Hawkins, 104 Kensington Ct, Hendersonville, $305,750. U S Bank National Assn TR to David Hohlfeld, 108 Bluewater Drive, Hendersonville, $115,000. Peter and Irene Erickson to Mane Maravic, 101 Ashford Court, Hendersonville, $255,000. William Daniels to Kurtis and Denise Wheat, 124 Georgetown Drive, Hendersonville, $158,900. Ronald Fortney to Jonathan Breanna Cavezza, 105 Sumner Meadows Lane, Hendersonville, $204,900. Thurman and Barbara Smith to Roderick and Tammy Hawkins, 102 Forest View Drive, Hendersonville, $134,000. Nathan and Raina Bogan to Larry and Kimberly Sisco, 102 Chatsworth Court, Hendersonville, $220,000. Marlene Collins to Thomas and Melissa Wells, 100 Gates Drive, Hendersonville, $226,500. Wayne Perrigon to Peggy Branham, 110 Hickory Way, Hendersonville, $120,000. Nathalie Bowser to Jeffrey and Jeffin Bush, 125 Fountain Brooke Dr, Hendersonville, $372,500. Nathan and Cara to Edwin and Julie Caban, 129 Cherry Hill Drive, Apt 3A, Hendersonville, $100,000. Portland Paula Key to Harold and Jessica Willmore, 317 Key- town Rd, Portland, $174,000. Thomas Settle and Sarah Moore to Brandon and Kayla Hill. 117 Bella Crest Way, Portland, $189,900. Stephen Coats to Aaron and Hollands and Holly Flatt, 346 Parker Rd, Portland, $89,900. Roger and Jessica Williams to Richard Malkin and Rita Shehadi, 549 White Road, Portland, $132,000. Anderson Arthur Fred Estate to Christopher and Sheena Neal, 414 Penny Morris Road, Portland, $140,000. Wayne and Jennifer Carlson to REHAB LLC, 1003 E Evelyn Court, Portland, $69,000. Douglas Collins to Gary Collins, 224 Riggs Avenue, Portland, $200,000. Kathleen Mulligan and Linda Belcher to Joshua and Brittany Gray, 103A Central Ave, Portland, $71,000. Grant and Deann McGregor and Franklin and Marcella Gunter to Bobby and Sarah Baldwin, 101 Charles Way, Portland, $125,000. Dustin and Jennifer Winland to Troy Green, 1936 Highway 259, Portland, $128,500. Joseph and Jessica Brew to Dewayne and Stephanie Eutsey, 209 Hunter Street, Portland, $124,250. Richard Reid to Billy and Melissa Moore, 547 White Road, Portland, $138,000. Westmoreland Jeffrey and Amber Regan to Sammie and Barbara Stafford, 3927 New Hwy 52 E, Westmoreland, $129,900. White House Clarence and Dorothy Helmich to Clinton and Andrea Goodrum, 407 Portland Road, White House $135,000. Michael and Lisa Singleton to Phillip and Tonya Brittain, 301 Patana Drive, White House, $221,900. Kristopher and Brittany Perry to James Mixon and Emily Slate, 1296 Winding Way, White House, $135,900. Herbert Lord and Ryan and Nicole Witherington, 307 Artesa Drive, White House, $235,000. Larry and Ashley Hoover to Jeff and Sherri Hodge, 413 Brinkley Lane, White House, $214,000. Dennis Holland to Mio and Brittany Christian, 218 Fischer Drive, White House, $147,000. 12 MOTHER SPEAKS OUT...continued from p3 bulance was not called until late the next afternoon, at which point, Mason was brain dead from her injuries. McCammon told first responders that Mason had been unresponsive since early the evening before. “This all happened over a 14 to 18-hour period and they can’t charge him with not letting her get medical help?” Mattson asked. She said she believes if her daughter had received medical care on Monday, she might still be alive. “The (surgeon) said if they would have gotten in there 12 hours sooner they would have been able to save her life - he told me that,” Mattson said. Family and friends have held multiple rallies both in Hendersonville and in Robertson County, where Mason grew up and Mattson currently lives. Another rally is planned for Aug. 15 at the state capital. Mattson said she wants state legislators to hear her daughter’s story. A Facebook page called Justice for Ashley and her Family has also garnered both local and national attention. Mattson said she plans to seek out an attorney to file a wrongful death suit against McCammon, and also said she plans to look into filing a lawsuit against the HPD, despite the lack of evidence to show foul play. She also said she won’t be able to rest until someone is held responsible for her daughter’s death. “If I get justice, that will be my peace,” Mattson said. www.theportlandsun.com August 11, 2015 Local veteran Jim Bachman on the mend Alice Bachman released from hospital Jim and Akice Bachman. Photo submitted. By SHERRY MITCHELL Portland Sun According to Bridget Brown, daughter of Jim and Alice Bachman, the couple left Chattanooga last week and Jim is recuperating in a Springfield rehab facility. He was badly injured in a motorcycle accident while coming home from an honor ride to Chattanooga to honor five fallen soldiers. A Vietnam veteran, he had spearheaded the state-wide ride. Several days later, Alice, who serves on the Sumner County School Board, was hospitalized for low potassium levels for two days at the same Chattanooga hospital. Currently, her levels are good. With her daughter’s help, she was able to go to Jim’s room last week and spend time with him before his surgery on Thursday. Brown said the surgery took around four hours and went well. Despite the fact that once the doctors got in, they found the breaks in his ribs worse that they had originally thought, they were able to successfully do the plating procedure on both the back and front ribs “I was told that he was very lucky that he survived his injury,” Brown said. In the meantime, Brown said everyone’s continued prayers and support are very much appreciated. “This will be a long road to recovery,” she said. A friend has set up a Go Fund Me account for the couple to help defray medical costs and living expenses while in Chattanooga. Anyone who would like to contribute can go to http://www.gofundme. com/2t4md5mja8. Portland grad receives scholarships to attend UT Martin the Joe T. Davis Award, the Parker State FFA From STAFF REPORTS Portland Sun 2015 Portland High School graduate Stephen Andrew McNeil has been awarded scholarships for the 2015-16 academic year to attend the University of Tennessee at Martin. McNeil, son of Brenda McNeil and the late Steve McNeil, will be a freshman. He received Scholarship and the Leaders-in-Residence Award. Additional information on scholarships and other types of financial assistance is available by contacting the UT Martin Office of Student Financial Assistance, 205 Administration Building, UT Martin, Martin, Tenn., 38238, or by calling (731) 881-7040.