‘Your Luck Will Run Out’: Tennessee Sheriff Sends Message to Criminals Coming to His County

Tipton County Sheriff Shannon Beasley warned individuals crossing county lines to commit crimes, saying such actions will not be tolerated.

“I will say this again, if you bring it to us we are going to bring it back at you! If you think we are going to let you run back to Memphis, or anywhere else, without any consequences…you’ve got us confused,” Beasley said in a Facebook post last week.

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Tennessee to Require Tipton County Schools to Take TCAP Tests

Despite having two schools recently destroyed by tornados, Tipton County students will still be required to participate in the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP). Crestview Elementary and Crestview Middle School were the two elementary schools destroyed during the tornados. 

Tipton County, a rural conservative county that borders the Mississippi River, had appealed directly to Governor Lee for relief from the burden of testing this year, due to the county still dealing with the after facts of two tornadoes that struck on March 31. According to a report from television station WREG, “The tornadoes damaged 540 structures, causing more than $37 million in damages.”

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Proposed Legislation Would Enter Tennessee into an Interstate Compact, Creating an Unelected Quasi-Governmental Entity with Broad Powers Including Eminent Domain

A bill scheduled to be heard by the House Commerce Committee on Tuesday would enter Tennessee into an interstate compact with Arkansas and Mississippi for the greater Memphis region, creating a quasi-governmental and public entity of unelected commissioners that will be vested with very broad powers, including eminent domain and condemnation of any and all rights or property.

If enacted, the legislation would create the RegionSmart Development District (District) and the RegionSmart Development (RegionSmart Development) Agency of the Greater Memphis Region.

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Tipton County Woman Charged with TennCare Drug Fraud

.A Tipton County woman is charged with TennCare fraud in connection with the sale of prescription drugs paid for by the state’s health care insurance program, according to a press release from the Tennessee Department of Finance and Administration. The Office of Inspector General (OIG), with the assistance of the Tipton County Sheriff’s Office, this week announced the arrest of Ursula Patrice Adams also known as Ursula Patrice Ponder, 51, of Covington, Tenn. She is accused of obtaining the dangerous opiate Fentanyl, and on two separate occasions, she allegedly sold a portion of the drugs during an undercover investigation. According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, fentanyl is 80 to 100 times more potent than morphine. Adams is charged with two counts of TennCare fraud, one count of delivery of a Schedule II controlled substance and one count of casual exchange of a Scheduled II controlled substance. The prescriptions were obtained through Medicare Part B which is paid for in part by TennCare, the press release said. “Tennessee has an opioid problem and we are working with local law enforcement to combat it,” Inspector General Kim Harmon said. “These drugs are deadline, as families across our state are aware. Using…

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Early Voting Begins Friday for GOP Primary Bid to Replace Former State Sen. Mark Norris, Who is Now a Federal Judge

Early voting begins today for the primary in the State Senate District 32 race to replace Mark Norris. Formerly the Senate Majority Leader, Norris (R-TN-32) was appointed by the U.S. Senate in October as a federal judge in the Western District of Tennessee, The Tennessee Star reported in October. His appointment had languished since July 2017. Four Republicans filed paperwork to replace Norris, The Star reported last month. The general election is scheduled for March 12. Tipton and part of Shelby County make up that district. Michael Nelson of the Daily Memphian said in a column that he likes the chances of one candidate in particular: Because Norris held the seat so long, a number of credible candidates for the Republican nomination have lined up now that it’s vacant. The favorite is former Shelby County Commissioner Heidi Shafer, but in what’s sure to be a low-turnout contest, any or all of her three rivals could make a run for the money: former state representative Steve McManus, Tipton County construction executive Paul Rose, and defeated Shelby County Trustee candidate (also a former commissioner) George Chism. Why do I rate Shafer the favorite? Precisely because it will be a low-turnout affair in which…

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Tennessee Auditors Call Out Tipton County Schools For Irregularities

Tipton County School System officials spent several thousand more taxpayer dollars than county officials allotted them, according to an audit from the Tennessee Comptroller’s Office, released Monday. School system officials, for instance, spent more than $27,000 on the General Purpose School Fund and on the school’s Federal Projects Fund, according to auditors. The General Purpose School Fund covered technology support services. The Federal Projects Fund, meanwhile, covered a career and technical education program and support services for health. “Salaries exceeded appropriations in four of 20 salary line-items of the School Federal Projects Fund by amounts ranging from $307 to $14,863,” auditors wrote. Auditors said the county commissioners’ budget resolution dictates salaries cannot exceed line-item appropriations commissioners approved. In a written response to auditors, Tipton County Director of Schools John Combs promised to address and then correct the findings. No one at the Tipton County School System returned The Tennessee Star’s requests for comment Monday. County Executive Jeff Huffman, however, told The Star everything is OK with the school system’s finances. “They had a pretty healthy fund balance at the end of the fiscal year so if they go over they are certainly not supposed to do that,” Huffman said. “If…

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