Administration Office
3251 Poplar Ave.,
Ste 200
Memphis, TN 38111-3613

Macon Cove Campus
5983 Macon Cove
Memphis, TN 38134-7693

Union Avenue Campus
737 Union Avenue
Memphis, TN 38103-3322

Fayette Center

Gill Center

Millington Center

Southeast Center

Whitehaven Center

901/333-STCC * www.southwest.tn.edu

DATE: January 22, 2002
CONTACT: Calvin Burns, 901/333-5338 or Marilyn Duncan, 901/333-4247

Southwest to Present Town Hall Meeting: Heightened Security in the Memphis Area

The recent wave of terrorism in the United States has taken more than 4,000 lives, and had a devastating impact on our economy. In addition, individuals representing every segment of the community have expressed their concerns about the need to heighten security in Memphis and the Mid-South region.

These serious concerns are based on the following alarming events: the terrorists attacks of September 11, 2001, private citizens and federal employees have lost their lives after inhaling anthrax, public officials are being targeted for anthrax attacks, and there have been numerous copy cat attempts aimed at repeating September's tragedy.

In response to this community-wide concern, Southwest Tennessee Community College will present a town hall meeting, "Heightened Security in the Memphis Area", from 7-9 p.m., Thursday, January 31. This community outreach initiative is set for the Macon Cove Campus, 5983 Macon Cove in Farris Auditorium. It is free and open to the public.

Rudy Koski, an investigative reporter with WMC-TV-Action News 5, will serve as moderator for the forum. The participating agencies for the event are the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Marshall's Office, Office of the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, U.S. Postal Service, Memphis International Airport Security Office, Shelby County Emergency Management Agency, Memphis Police Department, Shelby County Sheriff's Department, and the Memphis City Schools.

Panelists for the town hall meeting include Tommy Thompson, chief deputy, Memphis U.S. Marshall's Office; Phil Thomas, special agent FBI, in charge of the Memphis Office; Bob Martin, vice president of operations and head of airport security, Memphis International Airport; Don Wright, chief deputy, Shelby County Sheriff's Department; and Dan Swindler, security specialist, U.S. Postal Service.

With 13,000 students, Southwest is the fourth largest institute of higher learning in the state. Southwest Tennessee Community College is a comprehensive, multicultural, public, open-access college whose mission is to anticipate and respond to the educational needs of students, employers, and communities of Shelby and Fayette counties and the surrounding Mid-South region.

For additional information about the town hall meeting, Heightened Security in the Memphis Area, call the College at 901/333-4238.

Southwest Tennessee Community College is a Tennessee Board of Regents institution.