Millington Police Department

Frank Tennant

Millington Police Chief Frank Tennant has resigned, and an Millington police officer has been fired as the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) looks into how $20,000 seized from a dead man’s house went missing from the Millington Police Department’s evidence room.

On August 20th, it was discovered that money was missing from the evidence room. The money was taken from the home of 59-year-old Jimmy Wayne Smith, who had died of a heart attack in his mobile home, when the police did a welfare check at his home on April 28th. Smith had about $20,000 stashed away in medicine bottles. That money was seized. But when Smith’s brother asked the police to retrieve his brother’s money, it was gone from the evidence room.

On August 31st, the city of Millington delivered a check to Smith’s family in the amount of the missing funds. But there is no word yet on what happened to the original $20,000 in the evidence room. The TBI is investigating. And now that Tennant has resigned, Millington Mayor Terry Jones and the Board of Aldermen will replace the chief at a special-called meeting on Thursday, September 3rd at 6 p.m. A statement today on Millington’s website says other police terminations may follow.

“I have the greatest respect for those who serve in law enforcement. It is a tough job,” said Ed Haley, Millington’s City Manager. “I am grateful for those who have served this community, but make no mistake, no one is immune. Where problems are found, the City of Millington will take swift and decisive action to correct.”

The news from the Memphis City Schools just keeps getting worse. We knew the department that runs the cafeterias — the Central Nutrition Center — had ordered too much food last year, but a recent audit shows that more than $3.6 million worth of frozen food had to be tossed out because there was no place to store it. No wonder our landfills are reaching capacity. That’s an awful lot of fish sticks.

The Bartlett Police Department sells the Millington Police Department a pair of old radar guns for just one dollar. Explaining the bargain price, a Bartlett spokesman tells reporters that they are old models, and “we are not going to repair or auction them.” Repair? Do they even work?

Vandals have been making their mark on buildings in Lakeland, but officials reassure jittery citizens that the graffiti is not caused by gangs. Instead, they believe the cryptic symbols are “tags” spraypainted by other groups — including what was described as a “small clan” of skateboarders who are only 10 to 14 years old and call themselves “The Kids Rule Click.” Hey kids, it’s actually spelled “clique.” Stay in school.

A Germantown surgeon already charged with three counts of sexual assault now faces an additional charge of indecent exposure, from a massage therapist who claims the doctor allegedly exposed himself during the session. It looks like it’s time for this orthopedic surgeon to be hands off.

The Shelby County Sheriff’s Department charges two vendors from Texas with selling counterfeit designer shoes, purses, wallets, and other items. No wonder our new purse says “Goochy.”