Naomi rocked by another murder, this one apparently the result of domestic violence.

Per investigators, Steven Denson shot his wife Christy during an argument last Thursday or Friday, then dragged her remains to bed and left her there for several days while he went about his business. He invited a neighbor over and showed HIM her body.

That neighbor called the law. Deputies got a warrant and found Christy Denson, age 37, dead but Steven had fled. He returned to the neighbor’s later on Sunday and was then arrested for murder. The Sheriff’s Office told media he confessed the shooting to them after going into custody.

One report says Ms. Denson asked for time off her job last Wednesday for unspecified reasons. A co-worker of Christy’s at United Synthetics tell LU she was not at work Friday, which is when the murder is thought to have occurred.

41-year-old Denson previously spent time in state prison for meth and has previous arrests for battery and cruelty to children – charges normally associated with domestic abuse. He says the shooting was an accident, a claim the Sheriff’s Office openly questions.

Thanksgiving for the Denson family, on both sides, will never be the same again.         

This week may be the last for Hutcheson, as last-minute legal efforts to postpone shutdown and layoffs have been denied by a bankruptcy judge.

Monday bankruptcy trustee Ronald Glass ordered the dying hospital to begin laying off its remaining few hundred employees ahead of the 12/4 shutdown date. Glass demanded the hospital stop taking new patients after this week and plan to lock the doors on its ER and cancer center by midday on December 4th.

Attorney Stuart James, the latest high-dollar lawyer Walker County is paying for, accurately argued that a closed Hutcheson with no employees has almost no value versus one that still operates. He asked a judge to postpone layoffs until December 21st to facilitate a new owner coming in after the December 3rd auction.

A lawyer for Catoosa took a different approach: Hutcheson and its properties cannot be sold to pay down debts because they belong to the people of Walker, Catoosa, and Dade. (Not much of an argument. The properties stopped belonging to us when our elected leaders agreed to use those properties as collateral for loans they knew could never be repaid.)

The judge in Rome listened to the last-minute arguments of every side, and ultimately ruled that Glass’ shutdown orders should stand since the hospital’s debt is growing by the day and Regions Bank, owner of a majority of that debt, is calling the shots.

“The judge said that it’s Regions’ money, and Regions gets to decide what it wants to do with its money.” -Attorney Stuart James

The decision to close Hutcheson could put its low-dollar buyout bids at risk. A $7 million bid from Prime Healthcare and a yet-unspecified bid from ApolloMD are both contingent on the hospital being open, having employees, and still having a state-issued Certificate of Need. Without employees or a certificate there’s not much AT Hutcheson to buy except outdated equipment and an ancient building in need of expensive upgrades.

Those offers are probably the best Hutcheson will get, and likely will get a lot less during next week’s auction, but the offers haven’t been accepted yet because Regions Bank (again, calling the shots) and Erlanger (which owns most of the debt Regions doesn’t) won’t accept either of them OR a $7.2 million offer on Parkside Nursing Home from Maybrook Healthcare.

If no bidders emerge, Regions is entitled to take Hutcheson’s surgical center on Battlefield Parkway, a site they may think is worth more than the potential $14 million offer for the entire hospital. Erlanger is still fighting for a claim on the main hospital property and nursing home, which were collateral for its 2011 Hutcheson loans, before the properties are auctioned.

Total Hutcheson debt is now approaching $90 million, growing by at least $2,000 a day with a $400k late fee every month it’s not paid – which is why it should have been closed a year ago. By next week, it finally will be – but at the cost of extra tens of millions.

When all this is said and done, any debts not satisfied by selling Hutcheson’s properties will still fall on the taxpayers of Walker County.         

Hutcheson CEO Farrell Hayes finally admits they HAVE gotten a purchase offer for the hospital from Prime Healthcare, but only for $7 million – a little less than another offer for Parkside Nursing Home.

That would mean all of Hutcheson plus the nursing home would sell for under $15 million total, towards $80+ million in debt.

Much of that remaining debt would fall on the counties, primarily Walker.

Regions Bank, which would get much of the sale proceeds to pay down ITS debt, is of course not happy with that, but that might be the best offer they get.

Walker County is pushing the judge to accept this deal.

What a mess.   

Thursday night the Walker County Democrat Party voted to put a question about sole commissioner government on its May primary ballot.

Language of the ballot question is nearly identical to the question Republicans decided a month ago to put on THEIR May ballot.

So now whoever/whatever you vote for, you can have a say in putting Sole Commissioner up for an official vote later on.   

EPA scientists and city leaders now say there’s no asbestos in the air due to the Barwick fire, and contradict their earlier statements in claiming there never was any.

Air quality monitoring teams were sent home, while a representative of the toxic substance team has visited schools and churches to reassure residents they’re not in danger.

(Charts included with the linked report show small traces of asbestos, barely measurable, and the chart only covers Tuesday and Wednesday. They had monitors set up Sunday, where’s THAT report? This is being handled strangely.)

Whatever damage was done is done. You breathed it in, you can’t undo that.

But now they’re all dancing around this and trying not to say things while saying them, contradicting themselves on what was or wasn’t in the air, and still claimed the water was OK with no clue what was in it. Just stop with the doublespeak already.

No results yet from tests done on Chattooga River, which the city deemed safe days ago despite not knowing what chemicals seeped into it.

City Manager Hamilton says he’s contacted the site owner and they’re working on a plan for what happens next for the old Barwick Mill property.   

Teen vandals attack former high school:

WQCH Radio, 11/18/15: “A COUPLE OF BORED TEENAGERS DECIDED TO BREAK INTO THE OLD LAFAYETTE HIGH SCHOOL SUNDAY, WHERE THEY SPRAYED THE CONTENTS OF FIRE EXTINGUISHERS INSIDE THE BUILDING.

“LAFAYETTE POLICE, ANSWERING A BURGLAR ALARM, SPOTTED THE BOYS AS THEY RAN OUT OF THE BUILDING TOWARD THE OLD FOOTBALL FIELD. POLICE ALERTED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT THAT SMOKE HAD BEEN SPOTTED INSIDE THE BUILDING, BUT THAT WAS THE DISCHARGE FROM FIRE EXTINGUISHERS STILL FILLING THE AIR – THERE WAS NO FIRE.

“THE JUVENILE WAS RELEASED TO PARENTS AFTER A JUVI COMPLAINT WAS FILED, WHILE 17 YEAR OLD TRAVIS SCOTT RICHARDSON OF ROCKY FACE, GEORGIA, WAS CHARGED WITH BURGLARY, FELONY INTERFERENCE WITH GOVERNMENT PROPERTY AND OBSTRUCTION. THE BOYS TOLD POLICE THEY GAINED ENTRY BY CLIMBING ONTO THE ROOF AND THROUGH A BROKEN WINDOW.”

The two teens later said they broke in and vandalized the school because they were bored.     

Since the Barwick Mill fire on Saturday, LaFayette’s air has been filled with smoke and residents have been picking debris like the chunk depicted above out of their yards.

Naturally that’s led many to wonder what exactly all that crap IS, and what its presence in the air (and the waters of the Chattooga River) might be doing to our health.

The city insisted there was no real danger, despite not initially knowing what was stored inside the mill or what the mill itself was built out of. But after consulting with the EPA, residents living near the fire site were reverse-911 “robo-called” and asked to stay indoors while Gilbert Elementary students were deprived of outdoor recess just in case.

The city and EPA immediately declared chemical runoff from the Barwick fire that turned Chattooga River into a shade of milky blue “relatively harmless.”

City Manager David Hamilton said the runoff is just just calcium carbonate and carpet dye. Maybe. Then admitted that’s speculation and “we don’t know for sure.”

WQCH Radio, 11/15/15: “..LAFAYETTE CITY MANAGER DAVID HAMILTON SAID THEY NOW KNOW THE WAREHOUSE WAS HOLDING CALCIUM CARBONATE, WHICH WOULD EXPLAIN THE MILKY WATER APPEARANCE. IT’S RELATIVELY HARMLESS.

“THE PURPLE, HE SUSPECTS, WAS DYE LEFT OVER FROM THE FORMER CARPET OPERATIONS THAT USED THE BUILDING SINCE THE 1950’S. ‘THAT COULD CONTAIN HEAVY METALS’, HAMILTON SAID. ‘WE PROBABLY WON’T KNOW FOR SURE UNTIL LAB TESTING IS COMPLETE, MAYBE BY TUESDAY’.”

(As with the air issues, Hamilton should have said “it looks dangerous, assume it is until we know different” than to essentially say it’s safe, maybe, but we don’t know so don’t worry about it. Saying the air and water were “safe” before anybody knew them to be such is borderline criminal. That said, city water does NOT come from the Chattooga River and never has.)

The EPA set up air quality monitors in several places around town and, due to “legitimate” resident concerns, called in a specialist to measure for asbestos. Within a day, that specialist verified asbestos WAS released by the fire but claim it’s not likely to cause health problems due to the small amount of time and small amounts we’re being exposed to, unless you were essentially standing inside the smoke as the plant burned.

Those who have existing respiratory problems are advised to visit their physician, and we’re all still advised to stay indoors.

The EPA and city hosted a meeting at the library Tuesday afternoon to address community concerns. That gathering was attended by about sixteen people, all understandably angry about the situation.

Officials didn’t present or say anything to the crowd as a whole, only addressed their individual concerns one on one. The few people who came were given a two-page handout, including the information depicted above, plus instructions not to eat dead fish from the Chattooga River.

Some in attendance felt like they weren’t being told everything. Exactly what else needs to be said isn’t clear, but considering the lack of transparency so far more information probably won’t be forthcoming.                 

Hutcheson’s lawyer/trustee Ronald Glass claims Prime Healthcare never made a formal bid on the closing facility. But that contradicts what Prime itself is telling the media.

Per one healthcare industry publication, Prime DID make an offer on Hutcheson over a week ago and is willing to buy the whole place – minus Parkside Nursing Home, which has another buyer.

Local sources at Hutcheson say Prime’s largest offer was about $20 million. The same leaks say ApolloMD Group out of Atlanta, which took over Hutcheson’s ER earlier this year, has also bid. (Apollo has some.. leadership issues that are concerning. Hopefully Prime will win out over them if those are the only two making offers.)

Bids still have to be approved by bankruptcy lawyers, judges, and creditors holding out for more money – which may be why Glass and hospital administrators are claiming Prime didn’t make an offer.

If the trustee and hospital officials admit they got a bid and rejected it because Regions Bank wants more money, while employees and patients twist in the wind waiting for the place to close, they’re going to be crucified. But if they hold out and claim nobody’s made a bid, they can continue wheeling and dealing with less public pressure right up to the deadline.

We’ll likely see them wait for a bigger offer from Prime, Apollo, or some other entity right until the last minute and then take whatever they can get right before the lights go out.

The Chickamauga Family Practice property will still be sold to the City of Chickamauga. That deal is set to be signed next Tuesday in Dalton.

One bit of good news: Some Hutcheson employees who weren’t paid last Friday did finally get their checks Tuesday, only four days late.     

Shaina Layne Hughes has been extradited to Tennessee from Gordon County, facing charges related to the murder of Peyton Hogan in Chattanooga last Friday.

The barely-18-year-old was picked up Friday in Resaca and held for an unrelated warrant in Chattooga County. Two others with her, including fellow murder suspect Quincy Lenail Goodine, were visited by police after an incident of domestic violence involving a runaway 15-year-old.

Hughes, originally from LaFayette, tells investigators she was present when Hogan was killed but didn’t have any role in the killing. Police say other witnesses claim she (and possibly the same 15-year-old) lured him to his death over Facebook with promises of sex.

The killing took place in Chattanooga around 4 AM Friday, and they were in jail down in Gordon County for something else before lunch on the same day. Because they’re stupid.

So let that be a lesson to you: If you’re going to (allegedly) kill somebody, don’t hang out with runaways and don’t get involved in a dispute that attracts law enforcement attention.

Hughes will be in a Hamilton County court next Tuesday.     

Saturday afternoon around 2, The old E.T. Barwick carpet mill between West Main and McLemore St. caught fire. The 50,000+ square foot structure, which was used for storage and houses Auto Custom Carpets, was heavily damaged.

Smoke from the blaze was visible in Chickamauga and Summerville. Fire crews from all over Walker and from several surrounding counties – including East Ridge Tennessee and Hays Prison in Trion – responded to the massive fire.

The southwestern portion of the building was destroyed. The northwestern part, separated by a firewall, sustained heavy damage but it’s unclear how much. A separate segment that houses Auto Custom Carpets was mostly spared.

As darkness fell Saturday, workers prepared to knock down brick walls in the most damaged section to prevent them from falling on fire fighters and the adjacent railroad later on. (The weekend tourist train from Chattanooga was delayed hours by the fire; Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum finally resorted to loading passengers on a school bus for their trip back to Chattanooga.)

The fire burned all night, in a controlled manner, and is still burning itself out today as this is written.

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The concern now isn’t fire but smoke and water- namely pollutants in both. City officials aren’t sure exactly WHAT was inside the building, outside of latex – meaning nobody’s sure exactly what breathing in the smoke is doing to your lungs.

It’s also unclear what chemicals ran into Chattooga Creek, which runs THROUGH the mill property. That stream has turned colors from runoff coming out of the mill; Chattooga County’s emergency service warns residents to stay out of the Chattooga River for a few days due to pollution concerns.

The EPA came in last night to evaluate the area, but until we know otherwise assume this smoke is dangerous and do what you can to stay indoors and avoid breathing it.         

One suspect in a Friday morning Chattanooga shooting is from LaFayette.

This article identifies suspected shooters, in custody, as “19-year-old Quincy Goodine and 18-year-old Shaina Hughes.”

Shaina Hughes goes by her middle name, Layne, which is probably what you know her by if you know her.

LU will share more details in this case on Facebook later today.   

Mysterious, unnamed California company taking at look at Hutcheson has finally been named: Prime Healthcare Services of Ontario, California.

For-profit Prime Healthcare controls 38 hospitals in 11 states and is described as the country’s largest “minority-owned” hospital system.

They’ve visited Hutcheson and discussed a buyout, but no formal written offer has been made to date.

Sans a legitimate buyout offer, Hutcheson is on track to be auctioned off December 3rd and shut down on December 4th.

Payroll at the Fort Oglethorpe hospital was this Friday but some employees were told their checks wouldn’t be available until Monday. Good luck to those waiting to be paid.     

LaFayette’s long-time recreation director Patti Scott was fired from the city Tuesday afternoon.

Per this piece, Scott did nothing wrong but was let go Tuesday afternoon with “a lot of consideration” from the City Manager, hoping to see “change at the recreation department.”

All of you who have complained about programs at the rec department, poor coaching, staff and uniform issues, etc.. This is a result of your concerns, and similar concerns of others.

Ms. Scott [center in the photo] had been in charge of the city’s parks and recreational programs for over twenty years and was an employee or volunteer for city recreation activities since she was a child. (Her late father was Sheriff Ralph Jones.)

The city council was not aware of Scott’s termination until after it occurred. Her replacement has not yet been named.     

Commissioner candidate Shannon Whitfield says he wants to “change” Walker by cutting $1 million from the county budget in a non-specific way, wants to end the position of county attorney, and thinks 911 and the landfill cost too much. (How would you save money at 911? Close it on the weekend?) He supports a vote on sole commissioner but won’t say how he feels personally about the system, and notes that he “respects” the current commissioner.

His main challenger for the job (besides Bebe herself), Lonnie Henderson, says he also desires “change” and wants the sole commissioner system to end. (For what it’s worth, Lonnie signed the Sole Commissioner Vote petition last September. Mr. Whitfield didn’t put his name on it. Not that he wouldn’t support the issue, but he didn’t sign the petition.)

Both men say they’ll be more careful with the county’s money than the current commissioner, and both will move commissioner meetings to times when more citizens can attend IF they’re elected.

Whitfield will have a public event this Saturday at the Civic Center.     

Tuesday morning LU publicly asked Tax Commissioner Carolyn Walker on Facebook if she was going to mail our (higher) property tax bills this year.

Normally tax bills go out in mid-October and are due in late December, but this year so far aren’t available in print OR online. (Regardless of when they’re mailed, state law gives taxpayers sixty days to pay.)

Today Walker finally responded, indirectly, saying bills will be over a month late “due to a multitude of complications.” She anticipates the bills will be sent in December with taxes due in late February.

Does the “multitude of complications” involve the new tax office, the new Development Authority tax, or some other legal problem that keeps bills from being finished and sent in a timely manner?