Lafayette and Hartsville firefighters responded to a fire call at the Sundial Farm, located on the Old Hartsville Road (New Harmony Road) at the Macon-Trousdale County line. One hundred and two rolls of freshly cut and rolled hay burned.

Owner Stanley Holder said he believed the fire may have started when someone threw down a cigarette, or the hay could have spontaneously combusted, a phenomena which often occurs when hay is put up too green, or is rolled too tightly. Acting like a pile of oily rags, the hay can produce enough internal heat to spontaneously burst into flames.

Firefighters arrived shortly after 6 p.m. Tuesday evening, June 12, and did not leave the scene until 5 a.m. the next morning. The site of the huge hay fire was next to a barn across the road from the landmark Sundial residence, located about eight miles southwest of Lafayette.

Macon and Trousdale law enforcement, Tri-County EMC and North Central Telephone crews all responded to the blaze, which threatened telephone and nearby power lines, in addition to burning the valuable rolls of hay.

It was the third incidence of large amounts of rolled hay burning in the past three weeks; on Monday, May 28, some 176 rolls of hay were destroyed at a farm on the Old Bottom Road south of Lafayette. That fire was of suspicious origin. The hay belonged to Connie "Peanut" Wilburn and Jimmy Hesson.

County Agent Steve Walker reported this week that area farmer Jared Gammons had lost about 100 rolls of hay to fire in recent weeks. That fire was also thought to be an incident of spontaneous combustion.

42 CHARGED IN DRUG ROUND-UP MONDAY

Forty-two people were arrested on drug charges Monday in Trousdale and surrounding counties during a "drug round-up" that began Monday afternoon and continued into the wee hours of Tuesday morning.

The 15th Judicial Drug Task Force, in conjunction with the Trousdale County Sheriff's Department and the 18th Judicial Drug Task Force, out of Sumner County, reportedly wrapped up a year long investigation, taking action on as many as 100 sealed indictments from different cases, Monday, according to law enforcement officials.

Crack cocaine, marijuana, and prescription drugs were reportedly among the illegal substances netted by the round-up operation.

Monday June 18 is the scheduled arraignment date, in Trousdale County, for the suspects. A full report of this story will appear in the June 21 edition of the Macon County Times.

MACON COUNTY MAN CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER

William Beasley IV, 23, of Days Road in Lafayette, was arrested by Smith County officials on a charge of attempted first degree murder.

Danny Ryan Beasley, 21, and Matthew Beasley, 19, both of Dixon Springs and brothers of William Beasley, were also arrested on attempted first degree murder charges based on Smith County warrants filed June 1, by Detective William Trusty, according to a June 14 Carthage Courier report filed by Eddie West.

The arrest warrants allege the three brothers beat Jared Mason, of the Kempville area, reportedly a witness to the April murder of Greg Webb. Matthew Tl Taylor of the Defeated community was also charged with facilitation of a felony, according to the Carthage Courier report.

The Beasley brothers allegedly inflicted "major head trauma and other bodily injuries" requiring the victim to be treated at Vanderbilt Medical Center, in Nashville. The defendants then allegedly left the victim unconscious and needing medical attention, according to Carthage Courier reports from the arrest warrants. A full report of this story will appear in the June 21 edition of the Macon County Times.

COUNTY-WIDE CLEAN-UP AGAIN THIS SATURDAY

The Transfer Station will be open this Saturday, June 16, from 8:00 a.m. until noon for residents of Districts 3, 4, 9, 12 and 15 only. The County Commissioners and their phone numbers for the Districts scheduled to dump trash this week are: Vernon Biggs, 666-8972(District 3), Jeff Hughes,666-7207 (District 4), Larry Tucker, 666-2094 (District 9), Tony Boles, 699-3883, (District 12), and Melburn Cothron, 633-4189 (District 15).

The county IS NOT picking up trash at residences during the month-long county-wide trash clean up. It is up to the individual to haul their own trash. What is different about the clean-up project is the county's transfer station will be open every Saturday this month, and there will be no charge for dumping a full load with the "Free Pass" being distributed by county commissioners or available at the county mayor's office.

The Macon County Transfer Station on the Heady Ridge Road in Red Boiling Springs will be open from 8:00 a.m. till noon on each remaining Saturdays in June. Again, you will need a 'pass' in order to dump your trash at no charge on the day assigned to your district, according to Macon County Mayor Shelvy Linville. 

There is a limit of one load of trash per customer.

The following items will not be accepted: brush, paint and paint products including thinner and stripper, batteries, fuel and fuel tanks, motor oil products, dead animals, or any hazardous material. Paper, plastics, metal and tires are accepted for recycling if separated from other trash.

Residents of Districts 5, 6, 11, 16 and 17 will be eligible to obtain a pass for next Saturday, June 23.