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Campaign Begins For Tennessee Reconnect
State officials have launched a radio advertising campaign in an effort to get the word out about its new Tennessee Reconnect program.
Tennessee Reconnect is a last-dollar scholarship program that was part of Gov. Bill Haslam’s Tennessee Promise legislation passed last year. The initiative allows adults to attend one of Tennessee’s 27 colleges of applied technology free of tuition and fees.
It also ties in with Haslam’s “Drive to 55″ campaign to improve the state’s graduation rates from the current 32 percent to 55 percent by 2025 in order to help improve overall job qualifications and attract employers to the state.
WPLN reports the ad campaign highlights well-paying jobs that a degree could make possible.
The deadline to apply for fall classes is May 15.
4/29/15 —– Alma Christine Williams Gilliam
Alma Christine Williams Gilliam, age 81 of Manchester, Tennessee, passed away on April 25, 2015 at the Bailey Manor in Manchester.
She was a dedicated homemaker and a member of the Manchester Church of God.
She was born in Rocky River, TN to her parents, the late Walter Alexander Williams and Lucy Elizabeth Meeks Williams. She was also preceded in death by her husband, Gerald Edward “Bud” Gilliam in 2006; brothers, Herbert, Jess, Estel, Charles, J.W. and Harold Williams; and sisters, Marie Boyd, Pauline Harris and Billie Lockhart.
She is survived by her daughter, Sandra Blessing and her husband Stephen of Manchester, TN; son, Randall Gilliam and his wife Cindy of Manchester, TN; three grandchildren, Benjamin Blessing, Abbie and Lauren Gilliam all of Manchester, TN; sisters-in-law, Faye Williams of Tracy City, TN, Alberta “Bertie” Maqourik of Pelham, TN and Margie Bains Gilliam; brother and sister-in-law, Earl and Ruth Bains Gilliam of Greenville, TN; several nieces and nephews; and a host of other relatives and friends.
VISITATION
Tuesday, April 28, 2015 from 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. at Central Funeral Home in Manchester, Tennessee
FUNERAL SERVICE
Wednesday, April 29, 2015 at 2 p.m. at Central Funeral Home
OFFICIANT
Pastor David Petty
BURIAL
Rose Hill Memorial Gardens
CENTRAL FUNERAL HOME in Charge of Arrangements.
Prep Track Results from Last Week
Despite a spring of weather challenges, both Coffee County CHS and Coffee County Middle School track teams were able to host meets on Thursday and Friday of last week respectively. On Thursday, the CHS thinclads hosted Shelbyville as both the boys and girls claimed team victories. Results for Coffee County by event are as follows:
Girls Results
Taylor Deberry(left) hands off the baton to Javan Vurge(right) in the 4x200M relay
Disc – Cameron Davis 1st / Svetlanna Ingram 2nd /Susan Martin 3rd /Keishel Norton 4th
Shot Put – Cameron Davis 1st / Svetlanna Ingram 2nd /Keishel Norton 3rd
Long jump – Taylor Deberry 2nd /Lily Harris 3rd
High Jump – Sarah Pearson 2nd /Makenzie Anderson 3rd /Bailey Nester 4th
100M Hurdles – Taylor Deberry 1st /Mackenzie Anderson 2nd /Sarah Pearson 3rd
100M Dash – Javan Vurge 2nd
4×100 Relay – 1st ( Lauren Smith, Keishel Norton, Jasmine Farrar, Renee Martin)
400M – Nadia Hansen 1st / Javan Vurge 2nd
300M Hurdles – Mackenzie Anderson 1st /Lily Harris 2nd
800M – Sarah Hollis 3rd
200M – Javan Vurge 1st
CHS senior Kani Johnson clearing the bar in the high jump
Boys Results
Disc – Reece Pratt 1st /Caleb Buck 2nd / Jalen Cummins 3rd
Long Jump -Johnny Dulin 1st /Joe Melton 3rd
High Jump – Kani Johnson 2nd
100M. Kani Johnson 1st / Tyler Jones 3rd
1600m – Andy Rosson 1st / Neil Sloan 3rd
4×100 Relay – 2nd (Damien Smythia, Ben Myers, Tyler Jones, Johnny Dulin)
400M – Cyler Vaughn 2nd
300M Hurdles -Kani Johnson 1st
800M – Ben Myers 1st
200M – Tyler Jones 2nd
3200M – Andy Rosson 1st / Caleb Buck 3rd
4x400M Relay – 1st (Cyler Vaughn, Johnny Dulin, Dalton Dehaven, Joe Melton)
The Raiders and Lady Raiders are scheduled to travel to Chattanooga on Friday participate in the Little Caesars Championships held at Red Bank.
Carlie Barnes of CCMS track prepares to release the shot.
The CCMS Raider track teams welcomed Warren County Middle to Carden-Jarrell Field on Friday for a Co-Ed Relay meet. After 2 previous cancellations, the Raider teams were participating in their first meet of the season. Not only did Coffee County win the meet, but placed first in every event. The detailed results are as follows:
(For field events, scores of the top boy and top girl from each team were combined to determine the winner)
High Jump: Weston Hargrove (5’3″) & Julia Duncan (4’3″)
Long Jump: Weston Hargrove (16’10”) & Julia Duncan (12’10”)
Discus: Cade Baker (76’10.5″) & Faith Floyd (79’4″)
Shot Put: Drake Medina (28’2″) & Carlie Barnes (27’2″)
(The open 1600M was treated and scored as normal)
Boys: 1st – Larson Meltzer, 2nd – Jalen Morris
Girls: 1st – Kaytee Christian, 2nd – Trava Brown, 3rd – Karie Wooten
Larson Meltzer of CCMS finishes the 1600M run with a new personal best time
(Relay teams were to be composed of a mix of boys and girls)
4x100M: Weston Hargrove, Gracie Pippenger, Laura Bogard, Marissa Douglas
4x200M: Zach Morgan, Jenna Garretson, Willow Hobbs, Lindsey Perry
4x400M: Weston Hargrove, Gracie Pippenger, Larson Meltzer, Julia Duncan
4x800M: Makenzie Webb, Morgan Henley, Jalen Morris, Clinton Ferrell
CCMS entered one additional team in the 4x100M & 4x200M relays. Both teams performed exceptionally well, with the 4x200M second team nearly edging out Warren’s team for second place.
72-Year-Old Manchester Man Arrested For Child Porn
72-year-old John Brown Ramsey, Jr. of Manchester was arrested last week on 33 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor.
Manchester Police Investigator Butch Stewart served warrants several weeks ago on Ramsey to take his computer to send it to the TBI for testing.
According to the indictments, Ramsey possessed the pornographic material. The TBI checked Ramsey’s computer and allegedly found images that “included minors engaged in sexual activity or simulated sexual activity” on the computer.
Manchester Police Chief Investigator Billy Butler says that they do not think any of the children shown on the computer images were local.
Ramsey of Kingwood Apartments on the McMinnville Highway was booked into the Coffee County Jail last week on the charges. He was released after posting a bond of $50,000.
Ramsey is scheduled to appear in Coffee County Circuit Court May 6.
Manchester Woman Facing Sex Charge
Kimberly Sherrell intake photo
A Manchester woman was arrested on statutory rape charges after an alleged incident that occurred on Wednesday April 22.
48-year-old Kimberly Faye Sherrell of Archery Lane, Manchester is accused of having oral sex with a 14-year-old autistic boy.
The teenager was apparently able to tell Manchester police what had happened to him.
Sherrell was booked into the Coffee County Jail on the charge. The woman at last report was being held under a $50,000 bond.
After Nearly Two Years Murder Trial Will Finally Begin
David Jenkins
David Jenkins is scheduled to appear at 9 a.m. on May 4 in Franklin County Circuit Court with Judge Thomas Graham presiding.
Jenkins, along with John Corey Lanier, Coty Keith Holmes and Todd E. Dalton, have remained in custody, charged in the March 24, 2013 murder of Matthews, whose badly beaten body was found face up in a Cowan, TN cornfield. The men at one time all lived in Coffee County.
All four men are being held in separate jails in surrounding counties.
Jenkins’ trial had been delayed in February due to his search for new legal representation. Attorney Paul Cross will be representing Jenkins in the trial.
Franklin County District Attorney Mike Taylor and Courtney Lynch are prosecuting the case.
Woodbury Police Chief Arrested
The Woodbury, TN police chief was indicted last week by a federal grand jury and now faces charges for stealing federal program funds and wire fraud.
Kevin Mooneyham was taken into custody by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Friday morning.
Authorities say from 2013 to March 2015 Mooneyham was responsible for administering and overseeing overtime grants.
The grants were awarded exclusively for the purpose of alcohol enforcement and were used to pay overtime for officers working DUI checkpoints.
During that timeframe, Mooneyham fraudulently prepared and submitted false timesheets for overtime hours that he did not work.
The submission of the false timesheets resulted in Mooneyham being paid more than $25,000 to which he was not entitled.
If convicted, Mooneyham faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for theft of federal program funds and up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, for wire fraud.
Gov Haslam Signs New Guns In Parks Law
Gov. Bill Haslam
The bill got tied up amid bickering between Republicans who control both the state House and Senate, and only passed once lawmakers agreed to remove the Capitol complex from the areas where permit holders could be armed.
Opponents say the final version of the legislation is still confusing due to a provision banning guns “within the immediate vicinity” of school activities, but not defining a specific distance.
More than 70,000 people attended the National Rifle Association’s annual convention in Nashville earlier this month.
E-Mail Warning From The BBB
In today’s society, almost anyone could be sued at any point in time, and that’s what makes a malicious malware scam so effective. The Better Business Bureau warns business and consumers to watch out for fake emails that summons you for a court appearance. If you’ve received an email stating that you are supposed to appear to court, delete it immediately.
Some scams pop up repeatedly, each time with a different twist. How do you know the summons is a fake? Courts don’t send summons via email. Legitimate court appearance notices are routinely delivered via the U.S. Postal Service, Sheriff’s Department or by a process server, never by e-mail or phone calls from someone identifying them self as a court official. If you’re being summoned by these suspicious means, “DON’T FALL FOR IT”!
An example of a scammer’s latest attack was directed to the BBB Middle TN’s public email address attempting to download a harmful virus onto their computer.
The message says BBB is summoned to appear in court, but absolutely no details. To find out more, the email urges the receiver to download the attached “copy of the court notice”. With one click the attachment will infect the user’s computer with malicious malware.
Lady Raiders Finish 4-1 In Tournament Action
Freshman Raven Rogers fires a pitch during one of four games she pitched in over the weekend. She was named the Gateway Tire and Service Center player of the day on Saturday… Photo by Barry West
The Coffee County Lady Raiders beat Warren County 8-0 in five innings on Friday. The two teams are competing in the Coffee County Classic.
Haley Hinshaw and Kaylee Skipper had 2 hits and 3 RBI’s each. Hinshaw added two runs scored. They earned the Co-Gateway Tire and Service Center players of the game. Brianna Jones, Taylor Barnes and Shelby Scrivnor all contributed 2 hits for the Lady Raiders.
Jones struck out 10 and allowed just one hit to give her 246 on the season.
Megan Gravely had 2 hits and 2 RBI’s on Friday in the Coffee County Classic as the Lady Raiders defeated Lincoln County 4-3.
Both head coaches had agreed before the game to play their junior varsity players in the varsity game. The game was tied at 3 as the time-limit ended and the game moved into the international tie-breaker. The Lady Falcons had a runner at 3rd and got a hard hit groundball at 3rd baseman Alisabeth York showed her quick hands as she fielded the ball and fired the ball home to get the runner. Pitcher Raven Rogers worked through the rest of the inning to set up the Coffee County offense. According to international tie-breaker rules the player to make the last out in the previous inning goes to 2nd base with no outs. With Athena Lusk at second, Raven Rogers would jump on the first pitch to lay down a bunt. Lincoln County’s 3rd baseman threw the ball to first but it would sail into right field and Lusk scored the winning run.
Gravely earned the Gateway Tire and Service Center player of the game.
Senior players; Brittany Williams, Shelby Giles, Brianna Jones and Taylor Barnes hanging out at the ball field before the prom on Saturday… Photo by Barry West
Next up for the Lady Raiders was Strong Tower Lightning from Michigan on Saturday morning. Coffee County would roll in the one hour time-limit game, 17-0.
In the single-elimination portion of the tournament the Lady Raiders opened up against Bledsoe County, playing mostly junior varsity because of Saturday’s prom.
Paige Baker hot bat and Raven Rogers’ pitching arm helped to lead Coffee County to a 10-0 win.
In the quarterfinals the Lady Raiders, again playing with mostly JV players lost to Ravenwood, 19-1.
Ravenwood would go on to beat Hendersonville and Riverdale to win the championship.
Coffee County at 24-4-1 on the season travels to Whitwell on Monday night to wrap up the regular season. The district tournament for the Lady Raiders begins on Saturday.