A 20-year-old Murfreesboro man entered a guilty plea Thursday, May 9 to vandalizing the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro and placing pork products on the front door in 2017, The Daily News Journal reported.
Charles Dwight Stout pleaded to federal charges of to conspiracy to damage religious property and causing damage to religious property. He and Thomas Gibbs, 18, were accused of spray-painting profanity on the mosque and hanging bacon from the front door in July 2017.
In exchange for his plea and admitting to his participation, Stout received one year of supervised probation and was ordered to pay restitution.
The charges against Gibbs have yet to be settled.
Top image: An example for the ICM's Facebook page of the vandalism Stout and Gibbs were accused of perpetrating.
Rutherford County Schools holds meeting addressing safety
In a meeting about school safety held Monday, May, 7, School Board Chairman Jeff Jordan said the district will apply for a federal grant to help boost school security, The Murfreesboro Post reported.
Jordan said 143 districts from across the nation are vying for a slice of $25 million in federal cash to be awarded for the 2018-19 school year. The money can be used to implement a training program with local law enforcement based on school safety.
RCS already has a robust school security program in its partnership with the Rutherford County Sheriff's Office.
The RCSO provides school resource officers. Rutherford County was a test district in 1993 for the SRO concept, which was championed by former sheriff Truman Jones. The program was expanded in 2013 after Sandy Hook to place an SRO in each elementary and middle school with two in each high school.
Read more about how the county keeps students safe here.
Murfreesboro applies for grant to extend Cherry Lane
The city of Murfreesboro has asked the state of Tennessee for a $1 million grant to extend Cherry Lane to Florence Road, The DNJ reports.
The mile-long extension that will cost around $4.9 million will provide connectivity from Memorial Boulevard in north Murfreesboro to a planned interchange on Interstate 840.
It's supposed to help traffic for the proposed distillery by providing access to Florence Road from the interstate system. It will definitely help with the traffic for Richard Siegel Soccer Park.
Murfreesboro's 'Movie Man' died
Bill Brooks, former owner and mainstay at Premiere 6 Theatre in Jackson Heights lost his battle with cancer May 4, WGNS Radio reported.
Brooks started working at the movie theater in 1967 as a relief projectionist. He eventually bought the independent theater and sold it last year after 17 years.
Thank you for bringing us 50 years of movie magic, Bill.
Other stuff
TN National Guardsman dies in training accident (TN Journal)
Environmental Court targets litterers in county (DNJ)
Appeal denied in 2014 murder of homeless man (WGNS)
Michelle Willard is a freelance journalist who fills her days with social media marketing, politics, true crime, and taking complaints. You can complain to her on Twitter @MichWillard or by email michelle(at)murfreesborovoice.com.
