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Fatal Fire just outside Manchester
Fire scene photo by Barry West
Early Monday morning around 3:50 A.M. Coffee County emergency dispatch advised deputy units of a structure fire at 75 Stump St. When Deputies Jennifer Curbow, Cody Lendley and Harmon Campbell arrived the mobile home was fully engulfed in flames.
Deputy Curbow spoke with a female neighbor across the street that called in the fire who stated Matthew Holder lived there. Personnel with the sheriff’s department spoke with Holder, who stated that he did not live there, but did own the property.
As the investigation continued it was discovered that person had perished in the early morning fire. The Coffee County Sheriff’s Department has not released the name at this time, as they are going through an identification process.
All county volunteer fire departments along with Manchester Fire and Rescue and Coffee County EMS responded to scene.
The fire is still under investigation by the Coffee County Sheriff’s Department.
Thomas Eugene Coats, Jr.
?
Thomas Eugene “Tom” Coats, Jr. – age 70, a victim of lung
cancer, passed from his earthly life on Sunday, March 20, 2016, in
Nashville, TN, at Alive Hospice. He was born October 22, 1945, in Columbus, GA, to
Thomas Eugene Coats, Sr. and wife Flora Louise Moore who have both preceded him in
death. Tom, a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University, was an Air Force Veteran and an electronics
technician by trade who enjoyed fishing and writing poetry. Tom was a member of the
Pelham United Methodist Church. He is survived by his daughter Mary Megan Benton & her husband Chris Benton of Pelham, TN;
Grandsons, Riley & Ryan Benton also of Pelham; Brother, Ronnie Gene Coats, Orlando,
FL; Sister, Mary Ann Hastings and her husband James Hastings of Antioch, TN;
Nieces, Theresa Wright of Antioch, TN, & Shallen Cropper of Louisville, KY;
Nephews, Michael Gurley of Huntsville, AL; Alex Coats of Atlanta, GA. &
Randy Coats of Philadelphia, PA. His memorial monument will be placed near his
grandmother Nora Lee (Hooper) Maze in Warren Cemetery in Pelham, TN. No
services are planned.
COFFEE COUNTY FUNERAL CHAPEL IN CHARGE OF ARRANGEMENTS.
Chop Shop Busted in Grundy County
Photo provided by the Grundy County Sheriff’s Department Facebook page.
Sheriff Clint Shrum explained this location had been on the radar for several months however opportunity had never presented itself to conduct a search.
Sheriff’s deputies along with the U.S. Marshals office went to the residence to serve a warrant. When they arrived they arrested 27-year old Jonathan Creek on an outstanding warrant. Creek gave consent to search an area of interest.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol Special Investigations Bureau was called to assist with the search and identification of vehicle identification numbers. Two vehicles were determined to be stolen as well as a number of vehicle parts.
Creek is charged with violation of probation, theft of property and violation of chop shop law. (Grundy County Herald)
Over 1 million Workers Could Lose their Jobs to Automation
A report released by the state of Tennessee suggests that up to 1.4 million people are at risk of losing their jobs to automation.
Citing a study by the Center for Economic Research in Tennessee, the Knoxville News Sentinel reports that automation could replace nearly 50 percent of the state’s workforce.
The findings were published on the Tennessee Workforce Disruption Index last week. According to the report, automation would change the way the workplace is configured and would make new demands on educational facilities.
Randy Boyd, the commissioner of the state’s Department of Economic and Community Development, says that a massive loss of jobs could be avoided by shifting educational resources and by training workers for the new career opportunities.
He says the people who are most at risk of losing jobs are those who don’t have post-secondary skills.
Bluegrass Crossroads Radio Show is Signing Off
Tom Brantley, Kraig Smith, Dennis Flatt, Jeff Haley, Becky Buller-Haley, Rob Clutter and Max Northcutt
It’s the end of an era. The Bluegrass Crossroads Show is coming to end on Thunder Radio in Manchester. The live Blue Grass Radio Show started in June of 1998-(known then as the Saturday Morning Bluegrass Show) and was hosted by Max Northcutt and Tom Brantley. Then Jeff Haley stepped in to co-host with Max. Later the show evolved into the Bluegrass Crossroads show with Dennis Flatt and Kraig Smith sharing hosting duties with Becky Buller-Haley. All of the former and current hosts of the show got together recently to reminisce and say goodbye, here is what they had to say about their years on the air:
Catch the very last Bluegrass Crossroads show on Thursday, March 31 at 10AM and a special re-broadcast at 7:00AM this Saturday.
3/23/16 — Clayton Harmon
Funeral services for Mr. Clayton Harmon, age 84, of Manchester, will be
conducted at 2:00 PM on Wednesday, March 23, 2016 at Beechgrove
Cumberland Presbyterian Church with Bro. John Vile officiating. Burial
will follow in Beechgrove Cemetery with military honors. Visitation with
the family will be from 5:00 PM until 9:00 PM on Tuesday evening at
Manchester Funeral Home. Mr. Harmon passed away Saturday evening at St.
Thomas West Hospital in Nashville, TN.
Clayton was born in Coffee County, TN, the son of the late Belford and
Margie Wilson Harmon. He served his country in the United States Army
and was a retired laborer at AEDC. He was a long-time member and
caretaker of the Beechgrove Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Clayton
loved the outdoors and was an avid fisherman.
In addition to his parents, Clayton was also preceded in death by 3
brothers and 2 sisters, and two sons, James Donnie Harmon and Rickey Dale
Harmon. He is survived by his loving wife of 64 years, Eunice Brandon
Harmon; brother, Madison Harmon; sister, Bobbie Harmon; one son, Jimmy
Clay (Marilyn) Harmon, all of Manchester; four grandchildren, Beth
Garrett of Memphis, Willie (Crystal) Harmon of Corpus Christi, TX, and
Brad and Bonnie Preston, both of Manchester; eight great-grandchildren,
Malorie, Taylor, Samuel, Ella, Hannah, Dickie Ray, Payten, and Jayden;
numerous nieces and nephews, including one special nephew, Johnny Stevie
Brandon.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations to Beechgrove
Cumberland Presbyterian Church Cemetery Fund.
MANCHESTER FUNERAL HOME IS HONORED TO SERVE THE HARMON FAMILY
0/24/16-Mabel C. Bryce
Funeral services for Mabel C. Bryce,
age 83 of Manchester, will be conducted Thursday, March 24, 2016 AT 11:00
AM at
First Baptist Church of Manchester with Dr. Brenton Cox officiating. Burial
will follow at Rose Hill Memorial Gardens. Visitation will be held on
Wednesday,
March 23, 2016 from 6:00 PM until 9:00 PM at Coffee County Funeral Chapel.
Mrs. Bryce was a longtime member of
First Baptist Church of Manchester, since 1956. She was an avid seamstress,
loved to read, and was a faithful member of her church.
Mrs. Bryce passed away on Sunday,
March 20, 2016 at her home. She is preceded in death by her parents,
Horace R.
and Belma M. Caddell; her loving husband, William E. Bryce; sons, William A.
Bryce, James R. Bryce; brother, Alfred Caddell. Survived by her son,
Robert R.
Bryce (Susan); daughter, Kathi L. Rowe (Jack); 12 granchildren; 22
great-grandchildren; 1 great-great grandchild; numerous nieces and nephews.
Online condolences may be made at www.coffeecountyfuneralchapel.com
COFFEE COUNTY FUNERAL CHAPEL IN
CHARGE OF ARRANGEMENTS.
03/23/16-Linda Coles
Linda Coles, age 74 of Manchester, passed away Tuesday, March 15, 2016.
No services are scheduled at this time. Coffee County Funeral Chapel is
honored to serve the family of Ms. Coles. Coffee County Funeral Chapel in
charge of arrangements.
03/23/16-Ida May Hall
Ida May Hall, age 73 of Manchester, TN passed away Saturday, March 19,
2016 at Life Care Center of Tullahoma. No services scheduled at this
time. Coffee County Funeral Chapel is honored to serve the family of Ms.
Hall. Coffee County Funeral Chapel in charge of arrangements.
CCMS Baseball Gets Big Win on Saturday
Brandon Jernigan
The bats finally woke up for the Raider baseball team of Coffee County Middle School on Saturday as Coffee County blasted Whitworth-Buchanan 10 to 0. The Raiders broke open a close game in the 4th with a 4 run outburst as they banged out 10 hits on the day. Brandon Jernigan and Noah Bradshaw each had 2 hits for the Raiders. Bradshaw led the team in RBI with 3 while Jernigan added a walk to go with his double and single. Griffin Meeker got the start on the bump as he threw 3 shutout innings. Garrett Davis and Jernigan combined to hold Whitworth-Buchanan hitless in the final 3 innings. The win is the 2nd straight for the Raiders who return to conference play on Tuesday against North. That game is set to get underway at 5:00 PM in Winchester.