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Tullahoma Female Facing TennCare Fraud Again
Vicki Hargrove
Man Accused of Killing His Child to go on Trial in August
A trial date for Robert ‘Blaine’ Roper, 27, has been set for Aug. 8 according to court officials.
Roper and his wife Carol Michelle ‘Keri’ Roper, 21, were arrested in November 2014 and charged with killing their newborn child following an investigation by the TBI in conjunction with the Metro Moore County Sheriff’s Department.
The pair will be tried separately; no trial date has been set for Keri Roper at this time.
According to Sheriff’s Department officials, both Keri Roper and Blaine Roper are being held in a Nashville correctional facility, each under a $1 million bond.
Jury selection for the case is expected to be Aug. 3-5 in Lynchburg, with Blaine Roper’s trial set to begin the following Monday, Aug. 8.
On Oct. 31, 2014, the Moore County Grand Jury indicted the Ropers, each with one count of conspiracy to commit first degree murder, one count of premeditated first degree murder and two counts of felony murder.
Investigators discovered the newborn’s remains in a fire pit and ditch located on and near the property where the Ropers resided.
Unemployment Down in most Counties
County unemployment rates for April 2016 show the rates decreased in 90 counties, increased in two, and remained the same in three counties.
Tennessee’s preliminary unemployment rate for April was 4.3 percent, down two-tenths of a percentage point from the previous month’s revised rate. The U.S. preliminary rate for April was 5.0 percent, unchanged from the previous month.
Coffee County unemployment rate fell from 4.0 in percent March to 3.8 percent April. Warren County’s unemployment rate was 3.7 percent, down from the March rate of 4.0 percent. Franklin County stayed the same in April, 3.8 percent. Bedford County dropped slightly from 4.1 to 4 percent. Moore County had one of the state’s lowest rates, falling from 3.4 to 2.8 percent. Grundy County went from 5.5 to 5.0 percent. Cannon County went from 4.0 to 3.7 percent.
Williamson County had the state’s lowest unemployment at 2.7 percent, while Houston County had the highest at 6.8 percent.
Memorial Day Event held in Manchester
Congressman Diane Black introduces her husband at Manchester’s Memorial Day event on Monday morning.
The Coffee County Veterans groups (American Legion Post, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post and Disabled American Veterans Chapter) held the annual Memorial Day event on the square in Manchester on Monday morning.
The guest speaker was Dr. David Black, a Vietnam Veteran and businessman. He is the husband of 6th District Congressman Diane Black, who also spoke.
Rob Moreland, the master of ceremonies for the event says the event is an opportunity for citizens to remember the 646,568 Americans who have made the ultimate sacrifice, fighting for and dying defending our freedoms.
Download Thunder Radio’s broadcast of Monday’s ceremony
5/30/16
Birthdays:
David Shelton, 21 — Pizza Winner!
Matthew Yurcik, 22
5/29/16
Birthdays:
Junior Akers, 45
5/28/16
Birthdays:
Gracyee Mines, 3 — Pizza Winner!
Tracy Bailey
Christopher Dale Wimbly, 14
Anniversaries:
Billy & Jodi Levengood, 10
David & Shetiga Northcutt, 5
CHS Softball Holds End of Year Banquet
Lady Raider softball junior varsity award winners(left to right) Erin Ferrell, Katie Rutledge and Danielle Baker.
The Coffee County CHS Lady Raider softball team held their end of the year banquet on Thursday night celebrating their first season under Steve Wilder. Coach Wilder, along with assistant coaches Jackie Wilder, Ashley Jernigan and Danielle Shelton, presided over the festivities at the CHS cafeteria. Awards for junior varsity, varsity and all-district teams were announced and presented.
Receiving JV awards were: Erin Ferrell – Highest Batting Average; Katie Rutledge – Raider in the Circle Award and Danielle Baker – Highest Defensive Average
Lady Raider softball varsity award winners(left to right) Lauren Tomberlin, Kaylee Skipper, Rhianna Roberson, Tori Bell, Haley Hinshaw, Ashlynn Morton and Tatum Baldwin
The varsity award winners were: Raven Rogers – Stolen Base Award; Slugger Award – Tori Bell; Renaissance Award – Lauren Tomberlin; Coaches Award – Ashlynn Morton; Super Sub Award – Tatum Baldwin; Lady Raider Award – Rhianna Roberson; Haley Hinshaw – Highest Batting Average; Kaylee Skipper – Raider in the Circle Award and Tori Bell – Highest Defensive Average
Lady Raider softball All District 8AAA Award winners (left to right) Kaylee Skipper, Rhianna Roberson, Tori Bell, Haley Hinshaw and Abby Woods
All-District 8AAA awards – Abby Woods, Haley Hinshaw, Rhianna Roberson and Tori Bell – All-District 8AAA team. Kaylee Skipper – District 8AAA Pitcher of the Year.
The Lady Raiders finished the season with a record of 22 and 18 on the year and the regular season District 8AAA title.
Proffitt Inks Scholarship with Freed-Hardeman
Coffee County High School senior Hayden Proffitt signed a golf scholarship to play at Freed-Hardeman University on Thursday. Pictured are, front row from left, Ty Proffitt, Hayden Proffitt, Sheila Proffitt and Elizabeth Proffitt; in back from left are WillowBrook PGA pro Barry Bishop, former CHS assistant coach Lucky Knott, CHS head coach Mike Ray and Freed-Hardeman coach Chris Hodges. (Photo and story by Josh Peterson- Manchester Times)
When Hayden Proffitt first witnessed a Coffee County Central High School golfer signing a college scholarship, he knew he wanted that for himself.
Thursday, that dream became a reality. Proffitt signed a golf scholarship with Freed-Hardeman University Thursday (May 26) surrounded by a room full of his friends, family, coaches and teammates at the CHS library.
“I started playing golf in the eighth grade and when I got to high school and actually saw people signing scholarships, I said right then that I wanted that to be me,” said Proffitt. “For years, four years in a row now, there have been golfers signing college scholarships out of Coffee County and to know I’m continuing that tradition … I’m just blessed.”
Hayden Proffitt tee’s off on the eighth hole of the Lakewood Country Club in Tullahoma Monday during the regional golf tournament.
Hayden Proffitt tee’s off on the eighth hole of the Lakewood Country Club in Tullahoma Monday during the regional golf tournament. (Manchester Times File Photo)
Proffitt’s scholarship offer came only a couple of weeks ago, after he was almost completely enrolled at the University of Tennessee at Martin.
“I was almost fully enrolled at UT-Martin, actually,” explained Proffitt. “Then two weeks ago [Freed-Hardeman] coach [Chris Hodges] called and talked to me about playing and I thought about it and, it was a really good offer, and I said absolutely I’m gonna’ take it. I couldn’t be more excited.
“It has been my dream to play college golf, so I couldn’t turn it down.”
Freed-Hardeman is a private university located in Henderson, Tenn. The Lions are part of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Division 1 (NAIA).
The Lions won the Labor Day Intercollegiate tournament in Illinois this past golf season and took second place out of 10 teams in the Loyola New Orleans Spring Invitational.
“This past year they had five freshmen competing and had a really competitive roster,” said Proffitt. “That tells me this is a competitive team that I have got my foot in the door with and I can’t be more excited.”
[Story and photo compliments of Josh Peterson of the Manchester Times and used with permission.]
CHS Lady Raider Basketball to Host Basketball Camp
The Coffee County Lady Raider basketball team will be hosting a basketball clinic beginning on Tuesday at the Joe Frank Patch Gym. The camp will run from noon to 3 PM Tuesday thru Thursday and 9 AM to noon on Friday. The camp is open for girls in grades 1 thru 8 and will be taught by the Lady Raider coaching staff and players. Cost for the camp is $50 and campers will receive a free camp t-shirt and a free basketball. Campers need to be at the gym no later than 11:30 Tuesday morning to get registered.