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Michael Curtis Sentenced on Voluntary Manslaughter Conviction

Michael L Curtis intake photo when he was arrested in 2012.

Michael L Curtis intake photo when he was arrested in 2012.

Michael Curtis of Tullahoma was convicted Oct. 6, 2015 of voluntary manslaughter. He was accused of the brutal killing of Kayla Qualls Nov. 26, 2012 at his residence on General Street in Tullahoma and then placing her body in her SUV and driving it to an area on Spring Creek Road in Franklin County. Two men discovered Qualls’ body, the mother of Curtis’ grandchildren in the rear seat of her vehicle.
An autopsy revealed that she had been beaten to death.
On Wednesday (Jan 6) Curtis received his sentence. Judge Craig Johnson sent him to a state penitentiary to serve 6 years.

Man Pleads Guilty to Murder of His Father

Ricky Lee Brazier

Ricky Lee Brazier

Ricky L. Brazier, 57 of Tullahoma was accused of murdering his father Edward Brazier on January 27, 2014. On Wednesday Brazier entered a plea of guilty of 2nd degree murder. He received a sentence of 18 years in a state penitentiary.
The 57 year-old Brazier was accused of choking his father at the residence they shared on Marbury Road.
According to investigators, a 9-1-1 call was received at the Coffee County Communication Center from the younger Brazier in which he allegedly said, “I’ve killed my father” and according to warrants, he told the dispatcher that he “choked him.”
Tullahoma Attorney Bobby Carter represented Brazier while Assistant District Attorney Jeff Ridner prosecuted the case.

Human Trafficking: Modern-Day Slavery Takes Place in TN

Human trafficking can include labor and sex trades and is defined as a form of modern-day slavery. January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month. (gtrfrkbob/morguefile.com)

Human trafficking can include labor and sex trades and is defined as a form of modern-day slavery. January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month. (gtrfrkbob/morguefile.com)

Human-rights organizations increasingly are concerned about what’s happening behind closed doors in homes and businesses across Tennessee. With January being Human Trafficking Prevention Month, people such as Jenna Novak who work with victims of the practice defined as modern-day slavery want people to know the warning signs. “You’ll see signs where individuals that are working either in restaurants or nail salons are not able to look you in the eye,” she said, “or they were living at the location and they’re not allowed to leave that location.” Novak said sex trafficking is easier to recognize and more often reported than labor trafficking. Additional warning signs include the person in question working excessively long or unusual hours, not being allowed breaks or having unusual restrictions, and appearing in poor physical and mental health. To request help or report suspected human trafficking, call the hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or text “HELP” to “BeFree” on your cell phone. Novak, a regional specialist for Polaris, the company that implements the National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline, said it’s important to take action if you suspect someone is caught in a dangerous situation. “Pick up the phone and call the hotline number if they believe that they know of a trafficking situation, a potential trafficking victim,” she said. “They can call us and they can report that to us directly.” Since 2007, the hotline has received more than 96,000 calls, and identified more than 40,000 victims.
More information is online at traffickingresourcecenter.org.

Comptroller Recovers Record Amount of Money

money bagThe Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury recovered a record-breaking amount of money from tips received from the office’s Fraud, Abuse, and Waste Hotline last fiscal year.
Confidential tips to the hotline led to the recovery of $1,112,500 in confirmed thefts, shortages and questionable costs for the last fiscal year.
Comptroller Justin P. Wilson says, “Tips to the hotline involved allegations against municipalities, counties, state agencies, federal agencies, and non-profit recipients of government funds.”
You can call the 800-232-5454 during business hours and speak to someone in the Comptroller’s office. You can also call after hours and leave a detailed message. You can also find a form on the Comptroller’s website where you can fill out a form on-line. All information can be anonymous, and will be kept confidential.
The hotline was started in 1983 and has received 21,000 tips since it started.
The state’s fiscal year runs from July 1 to June 30.

01/08/2016-Donna Louise Turner Holt

Funeral services for Mrs. Donna Louise Turner Holt, age 82, of
Manchester, will be conducted at 2:00 PM on Friday, January 8, 2016 at
Manchester Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Randy Brown officiating. Burial
will follow in Rose Hill Memorial Gardens. Visitation with the family
will be from 12:00 Noon until time of service on Friday at the funeral
home. Mrs. Holt passed away Wednesday morning at McArthur Manor in
Manchester, surrounded by her loving family.

Donna was born in Warren County, TN, the daughter of the late Claude
Perry and Margaret Jane Gannon Turner. She was a homemaker and a sales
associate for Henley’s Department Store in Manchester for many years.
She was a member of Manchester First United Methodist Church, United
Methodist Women, and Manchester Garden Club. Donna was a devoted wife
and mother, an accomplished seamstress, and enjoyed sewing, flower
gardening, and quilting.

Mrs. Holt is survived by her loving husband of 60 years, Coolidge Holt of
Manchester; four daughters, Linda (Randy) Layne of Ooltewah, TN, Denise
(Doug) Bielan of Dacula, GA, Susan (Mark) Yother of Manchester, and Lissa
(J.D.) Parks of Cookeville, TN; nine grandchildren, Josh Layne, Jason and
Jenny Moore, Ami Yother Shedd and Joey Yother, Lauren Parks Christopher,
Jac, Alex, and Sara Parks; nine great grandchildren, William and Kendall
Layne, Zachary and Sawyer Moore, Elizabeth, Sarah Grace and Cole Shedd,
Leif and Jack Henry Christopher; two sisters, Sharon Turner of
Clarksville, TN and Colene (Jimmy) Passons of McMinnville; niece, Beth
Sain; and nephew, J.T. Sain; and a host of friends.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made to
Manchester First United Methodist Church, 105 North Church Street,
Manchester, TN 37355.

MANCHESTER FUNERAL HOME IS HONORED TO SERVE THE HOLT FAMILY

Coffee County Swept at Lincoln County on Tuesday

CHS junior basketball player Holli Smithson

CHS junior basketball player Holli Smithson

A cold shooting spell in the 2nd quarter, coupled with an injury to Coffee County sophomore post player Alliyah Williams, combined to lift the Lincoln County Lady Falcons to a come from behind, 61 to 43 win on Tuesday night in high school basketball. Williams injured her knee 2 minutes into the game as she collided with a Lady Falcon player and missed the remainder of the contest. She will be evaluated on Wednesday to attempt to determine the severity of the injury. Following her injury, Coffee County put together a 10 – 0 run as they built a 7 point lead in the 1st quarter on Lincoln County. The Lady Falcons turned up tempo in the 2nd quarter outscoring the Lady Raiders 17 to 9 to give Lincoln County a halftime advantage they would not relinquish. Holli Smithson led Coffee County in scoring with 13 points as the junior also added 5 steals to be named the Gateway Tire and Service Center player of the game. Bailey Morgan and Lindsey Perry each finished with 6 points as the Lady Raiders dropped to 6 and 7 on the year and 0 and 3 in district play.

 

CHS basketball player Grant Sadler

CHS basketball player Grant Sadler

The Red Raiders also had trouble finding their shooting touch as they shot an abysmal 27% from the field in a 53 to 33 defeat at the hands of the Falcons. The Falcons raced out to an 11 to 0 lead 3 minutes into the game as they held Coffee County to 4 points in the 1st period. The Raiders committed just 12 turnovers in the game but were outrebounded 35 to 22 by Lincoln County. Junior Grant Sadler led Coffee County in scoring as he netted 12 points and was named the Gateway Tire and Service Center player of the game. Seniors Wyatt Day and Kohl Young each finished with 5 points. The loss drops Coffee County’s record to 7 and 7 on the year and 0 and 3 in district play.
Coffee County travels to Columbia on Friday night as they take on the Lions and Lady Lions in district action. The girls’ game will tip off at 6 PM, we will begin our broadcast with the Powers’ Storage Pregame Show at 5:50.

Alontae Taylor Honored as a MaxPreps Football All-American

Alontae Taylor eludes a Science Hill tackler in playoff action in October (Photo by Jay Bailey - Manchester Times)

Alontae Taylor eludes a Science Hill tackler in playoff action in October (Photo by Jay Bailey – Manchester Times)

Alontae Taylor claimed yet another honor on Monday as he was named to the 2015 MaxPreps Football Sophomore All American Team. Taylor, a Vanderbilt commitment, just completed his second season as the starting quarterback for Coffee County CHS. Taylor was one of only 2 Tennessee players named to the team as he joined Camron Johnson of Brentwood Academy on the 2nd team offense. Taylor, who is listed as an athlete on the squad, rushed 206 times for 1,547 yards and 19 touchdowns this past season for Coffee County. Taylor accounted for 2,346 total offensive yards and 22 touchdowns as the signal caller for the Red Raiders. Taylor was named to the MaxPreps Freshman All American Team last season and is the first Coffee County Central High School athlete to be named a football All American. For a complete look at the team, you can read the article at: http://www.maxpreps.com/news/vDYSr0vPL0SWceThy4aJYw/maxpreps-2015-football-sophomore-all-american-team-.htm

Jets Ground Predators on Tuesday Night at Bridgestone Arena

Pete Weber’s Postgame Report

Nashville Predators center Colin Wilson

Nashville Predators center Colin Wilson

Drew Stafford scored two power-play goals and Connor Hellebuyck made 43 saves to help the Winnipeg Jets to a 4-1 win against the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena on Tuesday.

Ben Chiarot and Alexander Burmistrov scored for Winnipeg (18-19-2).

Colin Wilson scored and Pekka Rinne made 14 saves for Nashville (19-14-7).

Stafford gave the Jets a 1-0 lead at 10:43 of the first period on a goal from the slot on the power play. Defenseman Tyler Myers entered the zone and delivered a backhand pass to Stafford, who was able to shoot the puck past Rinne for his 13th goal.

“It was a great play by [Myers] just driving it wide,” Stafford said. “Just go to the net with your stick on the ice, and I was able to sneak one by. I was just trying to get good wood on it. I wasn’t really putting it anywhere specific.”

Stafford scored again at 8:42 of the second period on the power play on a redirection in front of Rinne. Defenseman Tobias Enstrom took the original slap shot from the point that Stafford was able to redirect for his second goal of the game and his 14th of the season.

“It was a great shot by [Enstrom],” Stafford said. “I was just able to get my stick on it, kind of raking the leaves in front of the net there a little bit. I wasn’t exactly screening [Rinne] where I was supposed to be, but I was lucky to get a good stick on it. We’ll take it because we’ve pretty much had goose eggs for a long time on our second unit.”

Hellebuyck made 17 saves in the first period to keep Winnipeg in a position to take the lead. The Jets felt that withstanding that push in the first period by the Predators was the most important part of the game.

“That’s five in eight for us on the road and the last four,” Jets coach Paul Maurice said. “It’s a long flight from Anaheim and a two-hour time change so you’re worried about the first 10 minutes more than any other part of the hockey game, and they know it so they come with an awful lot of speed and an awful lot of jump.

“I almost think it was a benefit to [Hellebuyck] that they shot absolutely everything. There might have been some seam plays and some other plays that never developed, but it was just keep ripping it at the net. He was rested, he was the freshest guy in our lineup and he looked great.”

The Jets offense struggled to create a high volume of shots but were opportunistic with their chances. They scored two goals in their first six shots to jump out to the lead despite being heavily outshot by the Predators.

“We just kind of had a tough time handling the puck and a tough time really doing a whole lot,” Jets forward Blake Wheeler said. “That’s when your goaltender has got to be great when you have a slow start, and he hung in there and gave us a chance. That seemed to kind of suck the life out of them a little bit.”

Chiarot gave the Jets a 3-0 lead at 5:05 of the third period. Chiarot attempted a centering feed to forward Mark Scheifele that went off of Predators defenseman Mattias Ekholm’s stick and past Rinne for his first goal.

“I thought it was Ben Chiarot’s best game of the year,” Maurice said. “He was fantastic. His jump, [he had] energy in his game.”

Wilson scored to make it 3-1 at 13:33 of the third period. Predators defenseman Roman Josi joined the rush and made a pass that Wilson was able to one-time past Hellebuyck.

“He played terrific,” Predators coach Peter Laviolette said of Wilson. “He had lots of opportunities. It was nice to see him cash in. Again, it probably gets frustrating when you get those opportunities and they don’t go, so it was nice to see him get one.”

Nashville has scored two goals or fewer in 14 of its past 23 games. The Predators’ record in those games in 1-11-2.

“I don’t know, maybe we don’t get enough quality chances,” Josi said. “I don’t know. Everybody has to do a better job. We have to get to the net more. We have to get some dirty goals. We have to get some pucks through from the point. Everyone has to do a better job, and obviously there are a lot of things we have to do better.”

Burmistrov scored an empty-net goal with 29.4 seconds remaining to give the Jets a 4-1 lead.

The Predators are back on the ice on Friday night as they travel to Colorado.  Thunder Radio will bring you the broadcast of that game immediately following Coffee County CHS basketball.

Thomas Walter McLennan

mclennanThomas Walter McLennan, age 77 of Manchester, Tennessee passed away,
Friday, January 1, 2016 at St. Thomas Rutherford Hospital in Murfreesboro.
No services are scheduled.

A native of Charlestown, MA, he was the son of the late Joseph and Dorothy
Kelsey McLennan. He was a U S Army Veteran serving as a Green Beret in the
82nd Airborne, 5th Special Forces Unit. Mr. McLennan loved to cook and was
an Executive Chef and worked in various restaurants thru out Southern
Florida. He also owned his own restaurant in New Hampshire. He was an
avid hunter and fisherman.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two brothers,
Joseph and Frank McLennan and one sister, Dorothy McLennan.

Mr. McLennan is survived by his wife, Donna Cosentino McLennan of
Manchester; three sons, Frank M. McLennan and his wife, Theresa of Saugus,
MA, Joseph P. McLennan of Wakefield, MA and John Hough and his wife, Dora
of Manchester; one daughter, Kelly E. McLennan of Manchester; ex-wife,
Frances “Ines” Carnazzo of Wakefield, MA; one sister, Margaret Callahan
of
Malden, MA; six grandchildren, Bryan McLennan of Wakefield, MA, Allyson
Medford and her husband, Jeremy of Saugus, MA, Kelsey McLennan of
Wakefield, MA, Nicholas T. and Nichole Hough, both of Manchester and John
H. Connelly of Manchester and two great grandchildren, Kylie and Keira
Medford.

DAVES-CULBERSTON FUNERAL HOME IS IN CHARGE OF ARRANGEMENTS

1/07/16 — Sue Bell Jones

jonesMrs. Sue Bell Jones age 71 of McMinnville, TN, died Monday, January 04, 2016. She was born September 13, 1944 in Warren County, TN, was a private sitter in healthcare and was a member and Sunday School teacher at Friendship The Baptist Church. Mrs. Jones was preceded in death by parents Otis Haskell and Hazel Glenn Martin, Sr., first husband Glen E. Bell, and sister Judy Ann Martin.

Survivors include her husband Lane Jones, children Martin (Lisa) Bell, Deanna (Jeff) Smith, and Mendie (Brent) Craven, step children Greg (Amy) Jones and Angela (Bill) Coleman, sister Nadean (Kenneth) Brown, brothers Ollis (Mary Frances) Martin, Haskel Martin, Doug (Carol) Martin, and Otis (Sylvia) Martin, Jr., grandchildren David Craven, Brynn Craven, and Marlee Smith, step grandchildren Andrew Coleman, Jonathan Coleman, Bailey Jones, Madison Jones, Morgan Jones and Bryson Davis, and special friend Claudine Ray. Several nieces, nephews, family members and friends also survive.

Funeral service will be 1 PM Thursday, January 07, 2015, in the McMinnville Funeral Home Chapel. Tim Pack, Darrell Cantrell, and Brent Craven will officiate. Interment will follow at Webb Cemetery with prayer by Jason Brown. The Family will receive friends Wednesday from 4 PM until 8 PM and again Thursday from 10 AM until 1 PM at the parlors of McMinnville Funeral Home.

 

McMinnville Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.