Manchester Enterprise 3-5-15 Edition
Funeral Services to be Held for Legendary Basketball Coach “Spider” Thurman
James Wyatt Spider Thurman
“He was the greatest leader, winner and competitor I have ever known.” – Coach Bobby Keith
Legendary basketball coach James Wyatt “Spider” Thurman passed away February 28 just as the Clay County Tigers were preparing for another run at a regional title. Spider was the coach of the very first Clay County team to win a regional championship in basketball. (See a related story on page B-1).
Smith charged with arson in St. Ann’s fire
Dustin Smith
A Manchester man has been arrested for arson and is the main suspect in two suspicious fires Sunday night according to Manchester Police Department (MPD) Assistant Chief Patrick Robinson. Dustin Dewayne Smith, age 20 of Manchester was arrested for arson (third degree), criminal mischief (first degree) and alcohol intoxication in a public place (first and second offense).
Oneida man charged with leaving woman to die in blizzard
Officials from the Clay County Sheriff’s Office and Clay County EMS prepare to extract the body of Traci Beth Alvey Tuesday evening. (Photo by Danny L. Finley, Clay County Coroner)
An Oneida man has been charged with wanton endangerment in the death of a Clay County woman who was missing nine days following a record breaking snow fall and low temperature readings.
Henson arrested after being on run since Christmas
Daniel Henson
Daniel Henson, age 22 of Manchester was arrested after he had been on the run since Christmas Day, when he escaped custody while being arrested for a misdemeanor warrant for terroristic threatening and a probation violation. Manchester Police Officer Logan Wolfe who had obtained a warrant made the arrest.
Smallwood reports “major dent” in drug use at jail
Clay County Jailer Linda Smallwood addressed the February Fiscal County meeting and announced a new program has put a major dent in drug use at the jail. A metal detector has been installed and all inmates are checked anytime they leave and enter the jail.
Water – Water: Too Little
Laurel County Sheriff John Root donated a pickup truck load of bottled water to residents of Clay County to be distributed to those citizens without water. Pictured with the truck load of the water being delivered to Clay County Sheriff Kevin Johnson’s Office for distribution to Clay County residents is left to right: Laurel Sheriff’s Capt Chuck Johnson, Clay Sheriff’s Office Randy Craft, Laurel County Sheriff John Root, Clay Sheriff’s Office Gary Jordan and Darrell Goins and Manchester Fire Department member Josh Dinkins.
“This is the largest crisis our county has faced” was how Assistant Clay County Emergency Management Director Brian Jackson described the current water outage suffered by county residents.
Water – Water: Too Much
Crews from Lockards Creek Fire, Manchester Fire, and Clay County Sheriff’s Department rescued three people from the top of their truck Sunday morning after it was swept off a bridge on Chop Bottom Road. (Photo from the Lochard’s Creek Fire and Rescue Facebook Page.)
“Water, water, everywhere, Nor any drop to drink.” When Samuel Taylor Coleridge, wrote these words in “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” he was not thinking about Clay County but those words certainly apply.
Taco Bell Now Open
Manchester Taco Bell is now open for business.
Council votes to refinance Y-Hollow debt
Snowed In!
Cleanup began in downtown Manchester Tuesday morning after a foot of snow blanketed the county Monday. City employee, Hugh Gregory works hard to uncover as much as he can before the next snowstorm.
While Clay County residents are digging out from under the largest snowfall of this century they are also keeping their eyes on a weather forecast that is predicting temperatures below freezing until the weekend with a possible -15 to -20 on Thursday morning with additional snowfall possible. Long-range forecasts call for a high in the forties Saturday with freezing rain changing to all rain by the afternoon.