You are currently browsing the daily archive for February 2nd, 2007.
New Toll-Free Litter Hotline Now Available
Well, I know one phone number (1-877-8-LITTER or 1-877-854-8837) I’ll be programming into my cellphone speed dial. You call this number to report someone with a Tennessee license plate littering. You give them this info:
- license plate number (Tennessee plates only)
- type and make of the vehicle
- day and time the incident occurred
- location where the incident occurred
- the type of item tossed or blown from the vehicle
And “TDOT will mail a letter to the registered owner of the vehicle along with a StopLitter™ car trash bag or portable ashtray and other anti-litter information. The letter is a gentle reprimand reminding the recipient that littering is against the law and punishable by a fine of up to $1500.”
You can also use the online report form to report someone littering from their car. I’ll definitely be placing some calls!
Here’s a link to the story, in case you’re not familiar with it. Essentially, Mary Winkler was married to a Church of Christ preacher and for reasons really only known to her, she shot him in the back with a shotgun as he was sleeping and killed him. She then took her children and fled to Orange Beach, Alabama. This was in March of 2006.
When I first heard the story, I was crushed. I didn’t know Mary or Matthew Winkler, but Matthew’s father, Dan Winkler, was our preacher for the first couple of years my family and I attended Crieve Hall Church of Christ. Dan Winkler is a very good man and a very good Christian, and someone I admire a great deal. He doesn’t just preach from the pulpit on how to be a better Christian and how to do God’s will…..he lives it every day and shows it by example. So it crushed me to know he was having to deal with this situation.
Anyway, I was driving in to work this morning listening to Kevin Miller on WTN, and apparently there were people who saw Mary Winkler (who is out on bail and living and working in McMinnville, TN) chain smoking and allegedly drinking alcoholic beverages New Year’s Eve. People are understandably outraged that she is out celebrating and seeming to have no remorse while awaiting trial for murdering her husband.
Personally, I have a blog called The Beer Snob, so obviously I won’t say anything about her drinking. But I do have a problem with her going out on the town and living her life as if she didn’t rob her children of their Daddy. I also have a problem with the people in McMinnville who seem ready to nominate her for sainthood!
It seems reporters and regular folks have been verbally attacked by people there in McMinnville for daring to be upset that Mary murdered her husband and for covering her life while she awaits trial. Where is their outrage at her violent act? For crying out loud, she pulled the phone out of the wall after shooting him so he couldn’t call for help!
Why do you McMinnville folks seem so willing to embrace her for what she’s done? It’s not even a matter of guilt or innocence…..she admitted murdering him!
I just don’t understand what has happened over the years to cause the decline of morals and shame in this society.
