Open Mic Catches Republican Leader's Conversation

(March 7, 2013) Jackson, TN - Speaking about a State House bill and proposed changes to Tennessee’s workers’ compensation law HB 194 / SB 200 Representative Jimmy Eldridge is heard saying "I’m going to take care of that bill”, "That freight train is going off ...",

The comments made by State Representative Jimmy Eldridge, 73 District, Madison County were caught on camera and have gone viral across the State.

In the video Eldridge can be seen and heard speaking with two Madison County constituents.  Eldridge is telling the two about a letter written by Madison County resident Patsy Johnson.

Representative Eldridge can be heard saying of Johnson "all she is trying to do is rouse employees, ... scare them to death"

 According to the newspaper the Nashville Scene, who first reported the story, "Mary Mancini of the pro-labor Tennessee Citizen Action watched the video and gave this reaction:

“This is a complicated issue that is going to affect tens of thousands of Tennesseans when they are at their most vulnerable. It shouldn’t be ‘freight-trained’ through any committee. It should be given the careful and thoughtful review that an issue if this magnitude deserves.”

Read the entire Nashville Scene article here

According to the State website HB 194 passed out of Subcommittee on Wednesday morning.  It is set to be heard in the full Consumer and Human Resources Committee, chaired by Eldridge, 10 a.m. Tuesday March 12.

Click Here to View the Tennessee Citizen's Action website

Reward Announcement in 2008 Euhommie Bond Murder

(March 7, 2013) Jackson TN - Today the Jackson Police Department facilitated a press conference on behalf of the family of Mr. Euhommie Ollie Bond to announce that “certain interested parties in and around the West Tennessee community” placed $15,000.00 on deposit with the Law Office of Sherry M. Percival, P.C. to be held in trust for the purpose of offering a reward of up to $15,000.00 for substantial information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the death of Euhommie Ollie Bond.

These funds will be held and released at the recommendation of the Jackson Police Department and the District Attorney's Office. The funds will be held until December 7, 2013 and the information must be given to the Jackson Police Department before that date. The funds will then be held pending the disposition of the case and only released if the information gained leads to a conviction.

Shortly before 4 a.m. on December 7, 2008, Mr. Euhommie Ollie Bond, 41, was shot at his business, Spanky's Bar & Grill, at 1867 Hollywood Drive.

Witnesses told Police that Mr. Bond had broken up a fight and had escorted some of the parties to the door and out of the business when he was shot.

Police arrested a man shortly after who was identified by witnesses as one of the principals to the shooting. The case against that man was dismissed at a preliminary hearing when defense witnesses contradicted the man's physical presence and proximity to Mr. Bond at the time of the shooting.

At the time of his death, Euhommie Bond was a deputy with the Haywood County Sheriff's Department.

He had gotten off duty in Haywood County at 2:00 a.m. the morning that he was killed. He was unarmed at the time of the shooting.

Mr. Bond also worked as a police officer for the Murfreesboro Police Department and at the Memphis Police Department. He was the Chief of Police in Bradford for a period of time as well.

He was also a Captain in the Army National Guard 130th Military Police Company stationed in Memphis.

The Jackson Police Department has a “person of interest” in Mr. Bond’s murder; however, we do not have sufficient evidence to obtain an indictment yet.

We know there were numerous people at Spanky’s that morning and believe that many of them were witnesses to the shooting. We hope that bringing this case back to the public’s attention will encourage these witnesses to come forward.

In addition to this private reward announced here today, Crime Stoppers will pay up to $1,000 for information that significantly furthers this investigation.

Contact: The Violent Crimes Unit at the Jackson Police Department 731-425-8400,

E-mail: Lt. Tyreece Miller This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ,

Crime Stoppers at 731-424-8477

Jackson Man Convicted of Sex Crimes Against Children

Allen Bond

A Jackson man was convicted for crimes committed against children, ages 8 and 13.

Allen Bond, 38, was on trial Tuesday in Madison County Circuit Court, Division I, on charges of rape of a child and attempted sexual battery. The jury found him not guilty of rape of a child; however, he was found guilty of the lesser crime of aggravated sexual battery. The victim was an 8-year-old girl. He was found guilty as charged for attempted sexual battery on a 13-year-old girl.

He will be sentenced on April 15 in Circuit Court. He faces 12 to 20 years, with no parole, for aggravated sexual battery. He also faces a maximum sentence of 11 months and 29 days for attempted sexual battery.

Around 4:10 a.m. on May 18, 2012, Jackson police responded to a home.

Police were told about the allegation, and Bond was taken into custody.

The Tennessee Department of Children's Services assisted in the investigation.

Bond is currently serving a 10-year prison sentence for possession of cocaine with intent to sell and/or deliver and theft over $1,000. Both crimes occurred in Madison County.

He also has a previous conviction for attempted drug trafficking in Ohio.

Corker: Postal Service and Waste Detailed in Final Audit of Iraq Reconstruction

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bob Corker, R-Tenn., made the following statement today in reaction to reports that the House has added legislative language to the “CR” (continuing resolution spending bill to fund government) that would force the Postal Service to continue six-day delivery. The Postal Service estimates it would save roughly $2 billion a year by moving to five-day delivery for some postal products.

“This is the worst of Washington – here Congress is unable to pass reforms that would enable the Postal Service to operate and not be a burden to taxpayers, and yet Congress also continues to interfere and not allow the Postal Service to make the decisions it believes are necessary to operate viably in the future. If this action is carried through, Congress will be hamstringing the Postal Service, hastening its demise and probably adding additional financial burdens to U.S. taxpayers,” said Corker.

Waste Detailed in Final Audit of Iraq Reconstruction Funds Demonstrates Need for Top-to-Bottom Review of State Department and U.S. Foreign Aid Programs

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bob Corker, R-Tenn., ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today said the final report on U.S. reconstruction funds in Iraq demonstratesthe need for a top-to-bottom review of the State Department and U.S. foreign assistance programs to ensure taxpayer dollars are used to advance U.S. interests.  The final report from the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction Stuart Bowen captures lessons learned and details the extent of waste, fraud and abuse within the $60 billion of U.S. funds spent on Iraq reconstruction over 10 years.

“The extent of waste and abuse in the $60 billion of Iraq reconstruction funds coupled with the instability still evident in Iraq is appalling and highlights real failures of planning and execution that must be corrected to make U.S. foreign assistance a more effective tool for advancing the national interests of our country.  At the same time, this final Iraq reconstruction report also highlights some approaches that worked and could be applied to future reconstruction efforts, especially the billions of dollars in remaining reconstruction funds for Afghanistan,” Corker said.  “Going forward, I am committed to working with the State Department, USAID, and the administration, to provide the kind of accountability and oversight the American people deserve.  We owe this not only to the American taxpayers, but also to the men and women – civilian and uniformed – that we send into dangerous and challenging environments to secure the area and implement U.S. programs.”