LAURIE EVERETT•MT. JULIET NEWS/An investigator on the scene of Wednesday's pre-dawn shooting where police say a man pointed a gun at them and they shot him in Mt. Juliet. Breaking news update on pre-dawn shooting in Mt. Juliet  Update on Mt. Juliet shooting March 10, 2010 -  The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation continues their investigation into today's pre-dawn shooting in Mt. Juliet. LAURIE EVERETT/ Managing Editor

Breaking news: Police shoot suspect in Mt. Juliet  Mt. Juliet Police responded to a domestic incident and shot a man who would not get out of his car when asked in his driveway in Mt. Juliet around 2 a.m. Wednesday. LAURIE EVERETT/ Managing Editor

March 10, 2010 - In-house editorial/Recent county commission vote a red flag It wasn't surprising to learn that the Urban Type Facilities Board voted unanimously not to pursue putting a dump on the former Mt. Juliet Elementary School property Friday night.

3-year-old child dies from self-inflicted gunshot A loaded handgun mistaken for a popular video game controller took the life of a 3-year-old Wilson County girl Sunday evening. LAURIE EVERETT/ Managing Editor

A visit back to Mt. Juliet GEORGE PAGE • MT. JULIET NEWS Mt. Juliet High School's first-ever foreign exchange student (center) Hanne Jakobsen-Holmer from Vordingborg, Denmark, attended and graduated from Mt. Juliet High in 1976. Her host family back then was, seated in back, from left to right, Deanie and Jimmy Eastland. Hanne's husband Henrik is seated on the right. They come back to Mt. Juliet whenever they can to visit the Eastlands. They attended the Mt. Juliet High basketball game on Friday night. They returned back home to Denmark yesterday. The Eastland’s daughter, Tina, was responsible for the exchange student program as a student at Mt. Juliet. She heard of an organization called AFS (America Field Service) in school and went home to tell her parents she wanted to host a student.

GEORGE PAGE • MT. JULIET NEWS/Hundreds showed up at Charlie Daniels Park's Crowes Nest skate park to check out spectacular moves like this one during the park's first annual skate board competition. Slick skate sizzles at competition Not only was the sun beaming Saturday, but there was also heat on the pavement at Charlie Daniels Park, which exploded with goofyfoots, fakies, Mctwists and ollies. LAURIE EVERETT/ Managing Editor

Tennis pro shows initial interest in Mundy Memorial Park There might be another nibble and potential interest from someone interested in buying Mundy Memorial Park. LAURIE EVERETT/ Managing Editor

Board says convenience center in MJ not feasible The Urban Type Facilities Board voted unanimously not to pursue putting a convenience center in Mt. Juliet on the old Mt. Juliet Elementary School property. SANDY CAMPBELL/Staff writer

Census results determine federal funding for community; Shortest form in the history of the census arriving soon Local government officials said it's highly important for Wilson Countians to take part in the 2010 upcoming census. LAURIE EVERETT/ Managing Editor

GEORGE PAGE • MT. JULIET NEWS/Lady Bears Head Coach Chris Fryer tells his team that after all their hard work and dedication, they are going to the State Tournament. The opening game at Murphy Center against Riverdale is at 2:30 p.m. in Murfreesboro. Lady Bears State Tournament bound! Mt. Juliet High School girls’ basketball has a long winning tradition that goes back for decades. So, going back to Murphy Center in Murfreesboro is really nothing new, as they will be making their 12th state tournament appearance at 2:30 on Thursday against Riverdale (27-2). GEORGE PAGE / Sports Editor

Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey talks conservatism at MJ noon rotary March 10, 2010 - Republican Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey, accompanied by 17th District Sen. Mae Beavers, visited the Mt. Juliet Noon Monday Rotary Club to tout conservatism in his bid for the governor's seat. LAURIE EVERETT/ Managing Editor

MJ squires ratify resolution to get one more JECDB rep Mt. Juliet City Commissioners ratified a resolution that will give them  fairer representation on the Joint Economic Community Development Board at their meeting Monday night. LAURIE EVERETT/ Managing Editor

Cpl. Charles McWhirter MJPD Corp. McWhirter nominated for America's Most Wanted 'All Star'; Tragic incident spurred him to his greatest work Charles McWhirter had just graduated from the police academy when he found himself at the scene of the tragic deaths of fellow officer Mt. Juliet Police Sgt. Jerry Mundy and Wilson County Deputy John Musice  on July 9,  2003. LAURIE EVERETT/ Managing Editor

LAURIE EVERETT/MT. JULIET NEWS 'Don't trust a skinny cook...';Brandon Cook lives up to his name with Full Strut Cafe The annoying word "diet" dare not cross the lips of anyone who crosses the threshold of Full Strut Cafe in the heart of Gladeville.   LAURIE EVERETT/Managing Editor

2-10-10 House Editorial/Is fitness space a city's responsibility? * Mayor's space at City Hall could have ups/downs Is fitness space a city’s responsibility? Is the City of Mt. Juliet in the business of fitness facilities? Mayor’s ‘space’ at City Hall could have ups/downs As we recall, the Mayor of Mt. Juliet some time ago gave indication she’d like to have an office at City Hall. 5 opinions posted

County commission vote: 'It stinks'; County commissioners try to explain their actions Mt. Juliet city squires used terms such as "it stinks" and "appalling" when the fall out from last week's county commission vote to research the feasibility of a "convenience center" on the former Mt. Juliet Elementary School site hit the fan last week.   LAURIE EVERETT/Managing Editor - 3 opinions posted

LAURIE EVERETT • MT. JULIET NEWS/Ralph Cook's practice is at Lantern Lane Farm where he's a licensed marriage and family counselor. He uses the tranquil setting as part of his therapy, as well as including his horses in many of his sessions. Lantern Lane Farm; Where healing happens The journey to Lantern Lane Farm in the rural reaches of Mt. Juliet is soothing in itself.   LAURIE EVERETT/Managing Editor

MJHS students mourn death of sophomore Mt. Juliet High School Principal Mel Brown said "it's a very sad time at  our school" with Monday's death of sophomore Shannon Lea Wall. She was just 16 years old.   LAURIE EVERETT/Managing Editor

Silent Epidemic Part 2/ Second chances: Dropouts can turn around dead ends Part 2 in a series Coming next week: What is the Wilson County School system doing to keep students in school? An investigation of the measures the system has implemented to keep students from falling between the cracks. GED worth more than music awards to Wilson Mega country music star and ninth grade dropout Gretchen Wilson catapulted to superstar status with her “Redneck Woman” hit. She lives in Lebanon and attained fame and fortune with her popular albums. Financially, she was rock solid and knew she could provide well for her little girl Grace. However, even with the awards and adulation, Gretchen was missing something. LAURIE EVERETT / Managing Editor - 1 opinion posted

Silent Epidemic Part 2/ Second chances: Dropouts can turn around dead ends Story 2 Adult High School can provide redemption Brittney Simmons is a very pretty young woman. On this day she was warmly dressed in a sweatshirt, but there was no denying she was very much pregnant.  She attended Lebanon High School, and when she was a senior, she switched to a home school program. LAURIE EVERETT / Managing Editor

Wilson County Adult High School student Juan Rosas will graduate this spring and hopes to go on to college and become an air traffic controller. Silent Epidemic Series Sidebar: Second Chance Profile Juan Rosas Independence cost Rosas chance at high school graduation Juan Rosas is a bright young man who dropped out of high school years ago. Now 28 years old, he’s married with a nearly 6 month old daughter. He’s trying to raise a family as a dropout and he’s fed up. LAURIE EVERETT / Managing Editor

An aside Editor's Blog.... A toppled Christmas tree in the middle of a living room. 1 opinion posted

December 10 Editor's Blog/Merry Merry any way you please Splayed out Santas sort of make me smile.  1 opinion posted

Editor's Blog / It just ain't right There is something insanely wrong with this picture; careening down hills, barely hugging curves while gripping the side of the door and stomping on a non-existent brake. My right thigh is super toned these days.   1 opinion posted

Part 1 Silent Epidemic; High School Dropouts/The high cost of high school dropouts In early high school, Lyndsay Cline was in the gifted program. One day in the middle of her senior year at Lebanon High School she woke up, but didn’t go to class. She never went to high school again.   LAURIE EVERETT / Managing Editor

LAURIE EVERETT • MT. JUILET NEWS / Everett Hurd works at Sally's Beauty Supply in Lebanon, a job he got after he obtained his GED. He's also enrolled in cosmetology school. Silent Epidemic Series Sidebar: Second Chance Profile/Everette Hurd Rough past leads to smoother future Nearly every day Everette Hurd can be found working at Sally's Beauty Supply in Lebanon. LAURIE EVERETT / Managing Editor

Editor's blog / Sometimes it just takes an image I was eager to hear about the stock market, if any news from Mt. Juliet beat me on the newscast and the latest on the Metro school’s director search. So when I glanced at my flickering mini-television stuck on a shelf in my bedroom – while searching for my daughter’s sweatshirt at the bottom of my closet and trying to figure out how a Velcro curler works without getting stuck – I was taken aback. L. Everett - 3 opinions posted

Sept. 3, 2009 Editor's Blog / A dusty path is fine I rarely am infatuated. 1 opinion posted

August 4 Blog update to Vestiges of a vanishing nature blog For those of you who managed to slog through the below blog I penned some time around October, you eventually read about the bedraggled turkey hen that appeared out of nowhere on my place. L. Everett - 1 opinion posted

Part 1 of 4 Fire Alarm: Clearing the smoke on MJ fire protection/Evolution of fire service in MJ Next week: How do comprarable cities provide fire service to citizens and another Firefighter Focus Mt. Juliet's swelling population caused by unprecedented retail and residential growth has fanned the flames of debate regarding whom should provide the city's fire protection. In the past 36 years, since the city was incorporated in 1972, Mt. Juliet leaders have juggled to accommodate a swelling population brought about by this growth. LAURIE EVERETT / Managing Editor - 2 opinions posted

Part 2 of 4 Fire Alarm: Clearing the smoke on MJ fire protection/ Ever wonder how comparable cities provide fire protection? How Mt. Juliet receives fire service is a volatile issue in Wilson County. In addition to controversy over whom should provide fire protection to Mt. Juliet citizens, the question of how it should be funded is a bone of contention as well. LAURIE EVERETT / Managing Editor - 2 opinions posted

GEORGE PAGE • Mt. Juliet News / WEMA Director John Jewell works with the new Mt. Juliet volunteer firefighters at one of multiple meetings orchestrated by Mt. Juliet resident and firefighter Shawn Donovan. Part 3 of 4/Fire Alarm: Clearing smoke on MJ fire protection/At the scene: The real deal on fire protection,Volunteer Fire Force born out of necessity Lt. David Cross has been a firefighter and emergency medical technician for 32 years. He’s been fighting fires in Wilson County for 20 of those years. He’s seen it all. When he started at Station 3 in Mt. Juliet two decades ago, there were four WEMA personnel working at the station. “We were short handed then and we are short handed today, still with four people, with the only difference is that we have three other stations west of Highway 109 that would respond to us if needed,” Cross said. LAURIE EVERETT / Managing Editor - 1 opinion posted

DALLUS WHITFIELD • A WEMA firefighter continues to fight the flames at a house fire on Belinda Parkway in Mt. Julet. Last in the series/Fire Alarm: Clearing the smoke on fire protection/What now? An analysis of - and officials weigh in - on fire protection December 31, 2008 - Two days ago there was a kitchen fire in an upscale home on Noel Drive in Mt. Juliet off Saundersville Ferry Road near the city limits. The homeowner later reported she left the residence, was concerned she may have left the oven on and went back. She arrived back home to face flames in her kitchen. (The probable cause of the fire was later determined to be from a candle left lit and not the oven.) She called 911 and tried to put the fire out with a garden hose while she waited for help to arrive. LAURIE EVERETT / Managing Editor - 1 opinion posted

December 17 In-house editorial / Now is time to reevaluate need for city property tax for fire protection This week we present the second installment of our investigative series titled Fire Alarm: Clearing the smoke on MJ fire protection. Five peer cities, similar in size and population to Mt. Juliet were contacted and their city officials interviewed about how they provide fire service to their citizens. Four of the five provide their own fire service and the fifth contracts with a private company to provide this service. 3 opinions posted

LAURIE EVERETT • Mt. Juliet News / WEMA firefighter Jamie Luffman takes a breather after fighting a massive two residence fire for about five hours in Mt. Juliet off Saundersville Ferry Road. FIREFIGHTER FOCUS: In their own words My name is Jamie Luffman and I am a 44 year old husband, father, son, brother, friend, and Sunday school teacher. I am also a firefighter and an emergency medical technician. I have lived in Mt. Juliet all of my life and truly enjoy raising my family here and providing life safety services for my friends and neighbors.

SUMBMITTED • WEMA paramedic/firefighter Brent Dyer and son Nate. Firefighter Focus: In their own words My name is Brent Dyer, I am a Paramedic/Firefighter in Wilson County. I began serving Wilson County in June of 2000. Over the past eight years, I have lived in Wilson County for five of them. My wife is a nurse. Fourteen months ago, we were blessed with our son.

Northeast knocks out Mt. Juliet CLARKSVILLE — Northeast held Mt. Juliet scorer Teraes Clemmons in check Saturday night as the Eagles soared to a 55-39 win over Mt. Juliet in the Region 5-AAA opener.   Staff reports

SPORTS

Lift-a-thon once again great success GEORGE PAGE • MT. JULIET NEWS Mt. Juliet High football team held their annual Lift-a-Thon fundraiser last Friday night as each player participated in the event held in the foyer at the high school. Pictured is football player Cameron Byrne as he dead lifts 290 lbs. in the showcase held before hundreds of parents, fans and admirers. “Coach Perry and the Mt. Juliet football program and I  would like to give a sincere thanks to the supporters for a very successful 2010 lift-a-thon," said Coach Roger Perry. The fundraiser is the football team's largest single event as they raise money for football related equipment.

Mt. Juliet pounds Glencliff behind Bell's double-double It was almost an early-night State Tournament celebration for Mt. Juliet before Glencliff did its best to play party pooper. Andy Reed

Assistant coach Swift inducted into Hall of Fame ERIE, Pa. – Cumberland assistant wrestling coach Mike Swift was inducted into the Millcreek School Foundation Hall of Fame last month. Staff reports

Investigations

Part 1: School bullying not a ‘rite of passage’ to be endured “Sue” spent more time in the bathroom at school than in class. Almost overnight the friends she had since kindergarten had turned on her. They excluded her, talked behind her back, made up rumors and called her names. By LAURIE EVERETT - 3 opinions posted

Part 2: ‘Never confuse meekness with weakness' Bill Bond said the murderous episode took only 12 seconds. Three young lives snuffed, five others injured in a brief blip of time at Heath High School in Paducah, Ky., where Bond was principal. By LAURIE EVERETT

Part 3: Bullying in school can lead to life behind bars Lebanon resident James Keeley wore a bright orange jumpsuit when he shuffled into the office of Wilson County Sheriff Terry Ashe. He stuck out his hand for a shake then settled uncomfortably in a chair. A warden stood discreetly in the corner of the room. By LAURIE EVERETT

Part 4: Cyber bullying emerges as deadly new rage All of the West Wilson Middle School students (who wished to remain anonymous) interviewed by the Mt. Juliet News said the newest rage of bullying is cyber bullying. By LAURIE EVERETT

Obituaries

March 10, 2010 Obituaries Prince Croley, Curtis Alexander Fuller, William "Buddy" Hurt, Donna Jones, Mary D. McDonald, Jenny Carol Hogan McLevain, Ruby Moss, T. Virginia Bennett Murphy, Christina Elizabeth Willis, Mildred York