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Jordanians question Chatt. shooter's family
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AMMAN, Jordan (AP) — Jordanian officials are questioning relatives of the shooter in last week's killing of five U.S. servicemen in Tennessee at a military recruiting office and a Navy-Marine operations center, a Jordanian official said Tuesday.

Meanwhile, authorities in Qatar say Kuwait-born Muhammad Youssef Abdulazeez, who killed four Marines and one sailor in the Chattanooga attack, transited through the Gulf nation on his way back from a 2014 visit to Jordan but never set foot outside the airport.

Jordanian authorities have been questioning relatives of Abdulazeez as part of an investigation into the time he spent in the kingdom last year, a government official said Tuesday. The official, who would not elaborate on the probe, spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss details of the case with journalists.

A person close to Abdulazeez's family has told the AP that he spent several months in Jordan last year under a mutual agreement with his parents to help him get away from drugs, alcohol and a group of friends whom his relatives considered a bad influence. The person spoke on condition of anonymity out of concern it would have business repercussions.

Jordan is one of the most Westernized countries in the Middle East, with alcohol sold openly. However, the kingdom has also seen the spread of Islamic militant ideas in recent years, especially following the Arab Spring uprisings of 2011.

The Jordanian government official declined comment when asked whether the investigation of Abdulazeez also include possible ties to any militants.

Media reports have suggested Abdulazeez also visited the small, energy-rich nation of Qatar on the 2014 trip. But Qatar's government insisted his time in the country was limited to its gleaming international airport.

"At no time did Mr. Abdulazeez enter the State of Qatar. Statements suggesting Mr. Abdulazeez entered the State of Qatar are false," Qatar's government media office said in a statement responding to questions from The Associated Press.

It said Abdulazeez changed planes at Doha's Hamad International Airport on his way from Amman, Jordan in November en route to the U.S.

Qatar has emerged as a major long-haul transit hub in the Middle East thanks to the rapid growth of government-backed Qatar Airways. Its new airport opened last year, a key piece of infrastructure ahead of its planned hosing of the 2022 World Cup.

The Qatari government condemned the shootings as "contrary to all humanitarian values, ethics, principles and religions," and expressed its condolences over the killings.

Qatar is an important U.S. ally in the Gulf that hosts a major U.S. air base, though it has come under scrutiny for its links to Islamist groups, including Hamas and the Taliban. It insists it does not support terrorism.

Abdulazeez, who was of Palestinian origin, was born in Kuwait and grew up in the United States, but has relatives in Jordan and the West Bank.

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Schreck reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Local farm partnership brings fresh beef to Warren County Schools
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Warren County Schools has beefed up lunch menus this school year through a new community partnership. Thanks to a collaboration between the district’s School Nutrition Department and Barton Creek Farms, students at Warren County High School, Warren County Middle School, West Elementary, Eastside Elementary, and Dibrell Elementary are enjoying locally sourced, farm-fresh beef in their lunches as part of a pilot program.

The initiative, spearheaded by Terri Mullican, Director of School Nutrition, has already shown great promise in its first few months. The partnership with Barton Creek Farms, located in Rock Island, Tennessee, ensures that the beef served is not only local to Warren County but of the highest quality. Barton Creek Farms specializes in farm-to-fork beef, with grass-fed and grain-finished cattle. Each calf is born and raised in Rock Island and goes through USDA-inspected processing, ensuring it meets the strictest safety and quality standards.

“When the opportunity arose to provide fresh, local beef, we knew it was a no-brainer,” Mullican said. “The fact that it’s a product from right here in our community makes it even more special. We can’t wait to implement it district-wide.”

Barton Creek Farms delivers fresh ground beef to the district monthly, and the nutrition

department incorporates it into homemade recipes such as lasagna, meatloaf, chili, and tacos.

As of now, the beef is being served at five schools, but the ultimate goal is to expand the program to all ten lunch-serving schools in the district.

The pilot program originated from a conversation between Mary Roller of Barton Creek Farms and Mullican. Roller, recognizing the farm’s potential to support local schools, reached out to gauge the district’s interest in serving local beef to students. Around the same time, a Warren County school board member contacted Mullican to share information about a similar partnership in neighboring Dekalb County, which helped push the initiative forward.

The timing worked in the district’s favor, as the nutrition department was able to fund the purchase of the beef using existing resources, eliminating the need for additional funding. Now that the pilot program is enjoying a successful run, the department has budgeted to extend the partnership district-wide for the 2025-26 school year.

Dr. Grant Swallows, Director of Schools, praised the program’s economic approach to student nutrition.

“This pilot is a perfect example of how we can use local resources to continue providing nutritious, healthy meals for our students,” he said. “We are grateful for partnerships like this one that benefit both our students and our local community. We always strive to support our local businesses when we can because our community is so good to us.”

In addition to working with Warren County Schools, Barton Creek Farms also partners with local restaurants to offer farm-fresh beef on their menus. The farm’s offerings include ground beef, steaks, roasts, and custom cuts by the quarter, half, or whole cow, meeting diverse consumer needs.

As the program continues to grow, the district hopes to expand its focus on farm-to-school meals, benefiting students’ health and connecting them to the agricultural roots of the community