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Accused killer broke?

Last summer, accused murderer Shawn Smoot insisted he was poor.

Assistant District Attorney General Bill Reedy is now skeptical of that claim and wants a review of Smoot’s indigent status.

“The defendant is currently residing in the community of Corryton, Tenn., which the state recently determined is less than five miles from the residence of John and Brittany Myers, the sister and brother-in-law of the deceased victim in this matter, Brooke Nicole Morris,” Reedy wrote.

Schools may need 19¢ tax rate...

Roane County Board of Education member Mike “Brillo” Miller last month guaranteed the proposed budget for the 2013-14 school year wouldn’t require a 26-cent increase in the property tax rate to fund.
“Will there probably be something? Yes, it will,” Miller said during a joint meeting with the Roane County Commission.
Right now, that something is 19 cents.
That’s the increase in the property tax rate school system business manager Eric Harbin is recommending the board request from the Roane County Commission.

Robinette case goes to grand jury

The drunk driving case of Steven Robinette, a former candidate for Roane County property assessor, was bound over to the grand jury Monday.
Kingston police charged Robinette with DUI and violation of the implied consent law last November. Officer Jerry Singleton said Robinette performed poorly on sobriety tests and refused to take a Breathalyzer test.
With the case now bound over, Robinette could face a possible indictment by the Roane County grand jury. The grand jury is scheduled to meet on June 17.   

Aytes wants to give back $3,000

Gary Aytes’ contract with the Roane County Board of Education calls for him to get a $3,000 raise this year.
Aytes, the county’s director of schools, wants to forgo the pay increase.
It’s an issue of fairness, he said. 
The 2013-14 proposed budget the school board discussed during a work session on Tuesday does not include across-the-board raises for school system employees.
“It’s really not fair for me to get a raise, and nobody else,” Aytes said.

Judge ends Houston hearing

Hearing after hearing, U.S. Magistrate C. Clifford Shirley Jr. has struggled with a defiant Leon Houston.
Monday morning was no different.
“I have it in every transcript,” Shirley told Houston. “You will not listen to me.”
Houston was indicted in January on one count of possessing firearms while being an unlawful user of a controlled substance.
Last week the government filed a superseding indictment, which replaces the one filed in January.

Ladd answers sought

After months of holding their tongues on slowdowns that have attended the Ladd Landing Greenway project, Kingston City Council members let loose with a barrage of concerns at a work session on May 7.

Unfortunately, engineer Kent Olson of Vaughn and Melton was the only one present to field the complaints.

Olson was at the meeting as a fill-in for Danl Hall, the man who is actually the chief engineer on the project. Thus, he was unable to answer council’s sometimes-pointed questions as to why the project is experiencing difficulties.

Ex-firefighter accused in threat...

Keith Lynn Hephner Jr., a former volunteer firefighter who was indicted for arson, is accused of threatening to set fire to his sister’s car.
He faces two counts of domestic assault in the alleged incident, which occurred on May 12 at 1048 Dogtown Road.
According to a Roane County Sheriff’s Office incident report, Sarah Connin told police that family had gathered to celebrate Mother’s Day when Hephner got upset and started using foul language.

Hats off to Mom — and Gram
Santek opening facility in Roane

The old CAST Transportation site on Farmer Road will soon be home to a maintenance facility for Santek Waste Services.
“We did sign a lease on that building,” Cheryl L. Dunson, executive vice president of marketing for Santek, said last week.
Santek is headquartered in Cleveland.
According to its website, the company manages 16 solid waste landfills, three transfer stations and four waste collection companies in a nine-state region that includes Tennessee.
The old CAST Transportation site includes a 20,000 square-foot warehouse.

Layoffs coming at Toho

Approximately 65 employees will likely be out of work by this fall when Toho Tenax America moves part of its operations to Japan and Germany.
“Despite the hard work and best efforts of TTA’s dedicated and hardworking employees, production at the Rockwood location will be significantly reduced by the end of the third quarter 2013,” said Rob Klawonn, president at Toho Tenax America Inc.
That would be by the end of September.
Klawonn also read a company statement:

Copyright © 2013

The Roane County News is your source for local news, sports, events, and information in Roane County and Kingston, Tennessee, and the surrounding area.