UPPERMAN SWEEPS Livingston Academy. D1 Herald-CitizenSUNDAY,Herald-Citizen JANUARY 20, 2019 | COOKEVILLE, TENNESSEE 117TH YEAR | NO. 14 $1.50 Lunar eclipse tonight BY BEN WHEELER HERALD-CITIZEN North America will be one of the loca- tions to see tonight’s lunar eclipse, with the maximum eclipse set for 11:12 p.m. CTD. A lunar eclipse is the moon passing through the shadow of the Earth. Despite the occurrence of eclipses every so often, it’s the understanding of the sci- ence that makes it special, according to Dr. Stephen Robinson, physics chair at Tennes- see Tech. “Seeing nature in action and marveling at the fact that we understand. There’s fuss brought up with it being a blood moon, and it’s going to turn red,” Robinson said. “That has a certain mystique to it, and you can imagine ancient civilizations didn’t under- stand what was happening. It’s wonderful LINDSAY MCREYNOLDS | HERALD-CITIZEN to know that science can explain that.” Putnam County 911 dispatchers Kristi Ellis, Doug Stephens and Phillip Harris answer emergency This will be the last major lunar eclipse calls during a recent 12-hour shift. until 2021, due to the Sun, Earth and moon Th e calm voice in a crisis SEE MOON, PAGE A2 Putnam 911 dispatchers handle calls for 8 agencies MLK Day events BY LINDSAY MCREYNOLDS ‘IT WAS 6,000 (CALLS) A YEAR WHEN I the Putnam County area, the HERALD-CITIZEN annual volume of calls to 911 has STARTED, LAST YEAR IT WAS 17,000.’ signifi cantly increased. planned at TTU “911, what’s your emergency?” “It was 6,000 a year when I Even if you’ve never been in Jason Bohannon started,” Bohannon said. “Last TTU — In honor of the late Martin Luther a situation where you’ve had to 911 dispatcher year, it was 17,000.” King Jr., several events are scheduled on call that number, there’s a vast The constant calls can take a campus and around the Cookeville com- collection of stories the men and son Bohannon, who’s beginning toll on the dispatchers who work munity to celebrate, learn and live King’s women who answer those calls his 13th year as a 911 dispatcher. seven consecutive days of 12-hour legacy. could tell about the emergencies Inside the Putnam 911 Center shifts before they get a week off . The Tennessee Tech Commission on the they respond to every day. is a darkened room with fi ve “A lot of that wears on you,” 911 Status of Blacks, in collaboration with the Dispatchers in the Putnam 911 consoles. Each console has fi ve Dispatcher Kristi Ellis said. “A Tree House Living & Learning Village, the Center answer calls and dispatch screens that show everything lot of people think it’s all glory, Men’s Living & Learning Village, Tennessee for Putnam Emergency Medical from available ambulances to but it’s not. From this end, you Tech Athletics, and Alpha Phi Alpha Fra- Services, the county fi re depart- the computer-aided dispatch feel helpless. You hear the fear.” ternity, Inc., would like to invite students, ment; Algood, Cookeville, Baxter system that displays the history Dispatcher Doug Stephens said, staff and faculty to participate in the Martin and Monterey fi re departments, of 911 calls made at any address. “I’ve talked to people who’ve shot Luther King Jr. week of events, beginning the county rescue squad and the A minimum of three dispatchers themselves.” Sunday, Jan. 20, and ending Tuesday, Jan. 22. county’s emergency management sit ready to answer 911 calls 24 Dispatcher Susan Allen re- “Dr. King was a vital force not just in agency. hours per day. members the worst call she American history but in history across the And just like the departments “Those are our windows,” answered in her 28 years as a world. His life and his legacy impacted so they answer calls for, they also Bohannon said about the tele- dispatcher. many,” said Charria Campbell, director of assist neighboring counties in vision screens mounted on the “It was where the man acci- Tech’s multicultural aff airs offi ce. “I think severe weather and other major walls that show the outside of the dentally killed his son at the gun because of the legacy he left, we are able to disasters. building as well as various busy range,” Allen recalled. “He was know how to do things, collectively, and in a “Smith County may call if a intersections in town. tornado comes through,” said Ja- With more people moving to SEE 911, PAGE A2 SEE MLK, PAGE A2 Upperman High Jackson Co. grad recovering fi re under from shooting investigation BY PAIGE STANAGE HERALD-CITIZEN BY PAIGE STANAGE HERALD-CITIZEN A Putnam County native is recovering in Grady Memorial Hospital following a shooting The cause of a fi re that left one man in Atlanta. dead Friday morning is still under in- Alex “Coach Sauce” Sauceman, 24, was shot vestigation pending autopsy results. fi ve times early in the morning on Jan. 12 after James Shannon Johnson, 46, suc- turning a group of men away while working cumbed to injuries from the house fi re security at an establishment in the city, said his near the 2000 block of Shepardsville mom, Kay Sauceman. Highway, Jackson County Sheriff ’s De- Initially, he was in the intensive care unit partment Capt. Dennis Thrasher said. where he underwent many surgeries. “The victim (Johnson) was treated and “He had fi ve gunshot wounds with multiple transported by Jackson County EMS graze wounds. He was hit in the right ankle, to Cookeville Regional Medical Center right upper arm, twice in the left femur (leg), where he was pronounced deceased,” and once in the abdomen. Alex was in surgery LINDSAY MCREYNOLDS | H-C FILE states the Jackson County Emergency for almost 8 hours,” Kay said. Management Agency release. Now he is out of the ICU, and is starting physi- Derek Woolbright, public information cal therapy, where he is working to move in and A Night in Purris offi cer for the Jackson County EMA, said out of his wheelchair. Johnson’s body was sent off for an autop- “He will be in a wheelchair for several Sylvia and Robert Kennedy dance during last year’s sy in Nashville. months. But at fi rst, they thought he may lose Fur Ball benefiting the Cookeville-Putnam County “We don’t think foul play was in- Animal Shelter. This year’s event is Saturday, Jan. 26. SEE RECOVER, PAGE A2 A story about the event is on page A10. SEE FIRE, PAGE A2 herald-citizen.com INDEX 5 sections | 34 pages OBITUARIES Page A6 HOW TO REACH US Herald-Citizen DEAR ABBY B2 MORE! B1 Marie Gambrell, Sparta Call us: 931-526-9715 CLASSIFIED C1 OPINION A4 Mary Arnold, Alabama Come on in: 1300 Neal St, Cookeville TN 38501 COMICS D1 SPORTS D1 On the web: www.herald-citizen.com A2 HERALD-CITIZEN FROM PAGE 1 SUNDAY, JANUARY 20, 2019 herald-citizen.com 0LOTTERY0 Friday Trump salutes 4 Americans killed in Syria attack DOVER AIR FORCE northern Syrian town the news in the morn- Cash 3 BASE, Del. (AP) — A of Manbij. He had been ing. Evening 0-0-2, LS: 2 Midday 1-1-1, LS: 3 solemn procession. A assigned to the Defense “Will be leaving Morning 8-6-1, LS: 15 long salute. A chaplain’s Intelligence Agency as for Dover to be with prayer. an operations support the families of 4 very Cash 4 President Donald specialist. special people who lost Evening 4-1-9-2, LS: 16 Trump traveled to The three other trans- their lives in service to Midday 9-6-3-1, LS: 19 Delaware’s Dover Air fers were to be conduct- our Country!” he wrote. Morning 1-1-5-3, LS: 10 Force Base on Saturday ed privately, with the He later told reporters: to pay his respects to president observing. He “When I’m going to Mega Millions the returning remains also spent time with the meet relatives of some 02-43-48-62-64, Mega of four Americans who families of those killed. of our great, great Ball: 24, Megaplier: 3 Estimated jackpot: $68 were killed this week in Trump told report- heroes that have fallen, million a suicide bomb attack in ers as he left the White I think it might be the Syria. House on Saturday that toughest thing I have to Tennessee Cash The bombing, which AP meeting the relatives do as president.” 15-21-28-30-35, Bonus: 5 was the deadliest as- A U.S. Navy carry team moves a transfer of the country’s fallen The visit came during Estimated jackpot: sault on U.S. troops in case containing the remains of Scott A. Wirtz heroes “might be the a budget fi ght that has $980,000 Syria since American Saturday at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware. toughest thing” he has consumed Washington forces moved into the to do as president. for the past month, country in 2015, came as the remains of civilian into a waiting van. The trip was not shuttering parts of the 0READER SERVICES0 Trump prepares to pull Scott A. Wirtz of St. Wirtz and the three listed on the president’s federal government and Address: U.S. troops out of Syria. Louis, Missouri, as his other Americans were public schedule that leaving hundreds of 1300 Neal St. The president stood body was carried from killed in a suicide bomb- was released Friday thousands of workers Cookeville, TN 38501 solemnly and saluted a C-17 military aircraft ing Wednesday in the night, but he tweeted without pay.