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Bible As Official Book of Tennessee Passes In The House
The state House has passed a bill to make the Bible the official state book of Tennessee, despite opposition from Republican leaders and an attorney general’s opinion that the measure would violate the state and federal constitutions. The chamber voted 55-38 on Wednesday to approve the measure sponsored by Republican Rep. Jerry Sexton, a former pastor from Bean Station.
Sexton argued that his proposal reflects the Bible’s historical, cultural and economic impact in Tennessee.
But several opponents raised concerns about putting the Bible on par with other state symbols like the official salamander, tree and beverage.
The measure would need to be approved by the Senate before heading to the desk of Republican Gov. Bill Haslam, who opposes it.
Farm Groups Debate on Fast Track Trade Authority
Not all farm groups are in agreement on whether President Barack Obama should be given fast track negotiating authority on foreign trade agreements. The proposal may be introduced as early as this week and would allow the administration to negotiate trade deals in secret and then send them to Congress for an up or down vote without the ability to make any amendments. Karen Hansen-Kuhn, director of international strategies with the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, says the outcomes of previous deals such as NAFTA and CAFTA have proven that this is the wrong way to go. “While we’ve had tariffs go down, we’ve had greater protections for foreign investments,” she maintains. “So companies have been able to shift production to wherever it’s cheapest and farmers have lost bargaining power. So we have a real loss of family farms. We have farmers unable to get fair prices for their goods.” Supporters of Trade Promotion Authority, including the Tennessee Farm Bureau, say it will give the administration the power needed to best negotiate deals with other countries, opening new export markets for U.S. farmers and companies. Rhedona Rose, executive vice president of the Tennessee Farm Bureau, says with exports being important to the state’s agriculture industry, her organization supports giving the president and his staff authority to act fast. “We think it’s important for our negotiators to have the leverage of knowing that they’re acting within what Congress would want them to do,” she stresses. But Hansen-Kuhn says a better approach would be to make the process of negotiations on trade deals more transparent, allowing for congressional and public scrutiny. “There’s no reason they can’t be publishing exactly what it is they’re doing along the way,” she states. “They could give Congress a role in setting the negotiating objectives. “Let Congress certify that they’ve met those objectives before they complete the negotiations. Really just opening up the process, starting with transparency, would be a great start.” The debate over the fast track authority comes as the U.S. is in talks on two huge trade agreements – the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, both of which have raised concerns among many food and farm groups.
4/18/15 — Margie Ann Jones
Margie Ann Jones, of Tullahoma, passed this life on Wednesday, April 15th, 2015 at Harton Regional Medical Center at the age of 55.
Ms. Jones was born in Manchester, Tennessee to the late John and Gladys Stewart Jones.
During her life she worked as a Secretary in the Financial Department at Motlow State Community College and Arnold Engineering Development Center, as well as a Dental Assistant for Dr. Steve Lynn. She was a member of Westside United Pentecostal Church in Tullahoma.
In addition to her parents, Ms. Jones is preceded in death by one son, Jesse Jones; and one daughter, Meagan McGuinn.
She is survived by one daughter Robin McGuinn of Tullahoma; three sons, Dylan Jones, Jeremiah Jones, and Mark McGuinn all of Tullahoma; one sister, Clayta Brenda Frothingham of Richmond, Michigan; four grandchildren, Jace, Noah, MeagAnn and Julius; one niece, Sandy Thornton and her husband Johnny of Murfreesboro; great-niece and nephews, Allen, Devin and Janie Thornton; and brother-in-law, Mark McGuinn.
Visitation will be held on Friday, April 17th, 2015 at Kilgore Funeral Home from 5:00-8:00 pm.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, April 18th, 2015 at 11:00 am in the Kilgore Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Kenneth Campbell and Rev. Samuel Campbell officiating.
Burial will follow at Bethany Cemetery in Normandy, Tennessee.
Kilgore Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
4/8/15 — Walter Carmel Cherry
Walter Carmel Cherry, of New Port Richey, Florida, passed this life on Wednesday, April 8th, 2015 at the age of 96.
Walter was the last surviving child of the late Walter C. Cherry and Edna Austin Cherry.
When Walter was 18 years old in December of 1936 and couldn’t find work because of the depression, he joined the United States Army in January of 1937. After basic training he was sent to Fort Shelter on the island of Oahu in Hawaii. His unit guarded Hickman Air Force Base and Pearl Harbor. He was at Schofield Barracks at Fort Shafter when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. In mid-1943, the Army transferred the unit to Northern Africa to fight the German Army under the command of General Rommel. They fought alongside the British 8th Army under the command of General Harold Alexander. Walter also fought in a major battle at Anzio, which he spoke little of. His unit landed at Anzio to establish a beachhead and to cut off the German Army 100 miles south to prevent them from retreating north past Rome. They were under assault at the beachhead for three solid months under withering cannon and machine gun fire. They broke through after these three months and captured the town and road-crossing, preventing the German Army from escaping. Walter was in the 45th Infantry Division of the Fifth Army under the command of General Mark Clark. He received an Honorable Discharge in 1945 and a thanks from a grateful Nation for his service in World War II.
When Walter returned from service in 1945, he went to work as a cab driver in Memphis, Tennessee where he worked for a few years. He was then employed by the Victor Adding Machine Company in Chicago in their Manufacturing Division. He was a Lead Foreman in the plant and retired after 30 years of service. He later drove a cab in Chicago for a few years before retiring with his wife Loretta in 1983 down to New Port Richey, Florida.
In addition to his parents, Walter is preceded in death by two wives, Alice “Polly” Hunt Cherry, and Loretta Simpson Cherry; two brothers, Austin Cherry and William J. Cherry; and three sisters, Annie Bell Lowery, Martha Vickers, and June Johnson.
He is survived by two step-children, Charles Edgar, and Sharon Ware; several step-grandchildren; and 10 nieces and nephews.
Kilgore Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
04/14/15
Birthdays:
Mason Alexander – 4 – Pizza Winner!
Mallory Briggs – 26
Jeremy Perry – 27
Tuesday Prep Roundup
Westwood left fielder Lexi Holder
The Westwood Rockets baseball team dropped a conference doubleheader at Liberty on Tuesday night by scores of 16 to 1 and 9 to 1. The young Rockets team continues to improve offensively but have yet to put a complete game together. The Rockets return home on Thursday night to take on Forrest. First pitch for that game is 5:00 PM at Looney Riddle Field at Fred Deadman Park.
The Lady Rockets softball team could not sneak many batted balls past the Huntland Hornet defense as they fell 11 to 0 on Tuesday night at Lady Rockets Field. Sarah West had a walk and a double to lead the offensive attack while Kayleigh Alford, Alex Hershman and Carlee Sullivan all added singles. Sullivan and Lexi Holder drew walks for the Lady Rockets. The Lady Rockets travel to Shelbyville on Wednesday night for a 5:00 PM game with Liberty.
CCMS 2nd baseman Shannah Frame
A five run 5th inning gave the Lady Raider softball team of Coffee County Middle School a come from behind, 5 to 3 road win over Tullahoma on Tuesday night. The Lady Raiders sent 10 batters to the plate in their last at-bat to eliminate a 1 to 0 Wildcat lead and held on in the bottom of the 5th to earn the season sweep over the Lady Cats. The Lady Raiders banged out 6 hits in the frame as Shannah Frame cracked a double, Jayden Scheller and Sierra Mahar had RBI singles and Erin Ferrell had a big 2 RBI single. Grace Pippenger and Ashley Evans also had hits in the inning. Frame finished the night 2 for 2 at the plate as she added a single in the 4th inning. Erin Ferrell pitched out of a jam in the bottom of the 5th as she coaxed a grounder back to the circle with runner at 2nd and 3rd to seal the conference win. The win moves the Lady Raiders record to 9 and 1 in conference play as they welcome North Franklin to their home field for a 5 PM game on Wednesday.
A goal just before the half by Drake Medina was all the Raider soccer team of Coffee County Middle School needed on Tuesday night to escape Sewanee with a 2 to 0 win in a non-conference game with St Andrew’s. Anakin Dilleha added the insurance goal in the 42nd minute as the Raiders ran their record to 6 and 3 on the season. Coffee Middle will travel to Lincoln County on Friday to close out the regular season with a 5:30 match against Lincoln County.
The Coffee County Middle School Raider baseball team banged out 2 hits on the night as they dropped a 10 to 0 decision to Tullahoma on Tuesday night at Waggoner Park. Hayden Skipper and Clayton Lowell got the only hits of the night for the Red and Black as Tullahoma managed a season sweep in this rivalry. The Raiders will attempt to get back on the winning track on Wednesday as they travel to take on South Franklin in a 5 PM game.
Rally Comes Up Short For Raider Baseball
CHS senior Peyton Booth
A 7th inning rally was not enough on Tuesday night as the Coffee County Central High School dropped a 7 to 4 district contest to Lawrence County at Powers Field. The Raiders got on the board in the first inning as Stanton Keele drove in Gavin Husted with an RBI single to knot the game at 1. Trace Friedlein got the start and pitched strong into the 4th inning before Lawrence County exploded for 5 runs. Dylan Sandoval came on in relief and pitched 3 1/3 strong innings to keep a flicker of Coffee County hope alive. Friedlein tallied a run in the bottom of the 4th but the Raiders could not string together hits until the 7th. In the 7thinning, J.P. Duncan started the inning with a walk. After a Peyton Booth single, Wyatt Day ripped an RBI single to plate Duncan and make the deficit 7 to 3. A Noah Anderson single loaded the bases to bring up Gavin Husted whose ground ball to 2nd base plated Booth. Lawrence County snuffed out the rally with a double play to end the game. The Raiders travel to Lawrenceburg for the 2nd game of the series on Wednesday. First pitch is at 6:00 PM.
Lady Raiders Remain Unbeaten In District Play
Brittany Williams, Brianna Jones, Taylor Barnes and Shelby Giles celebrate Senior Night with friends and family… Photo by Barry West
Haley Hinshaw and Brianna Jones had three hits each and an RBI a piece as Coffee County defeated Columbia 4-0 in softball in Manchester on Tuesday night. Hinshaw was named the Gateway Tire and Service Center player of the game.
Jones tossed a 2-hit shutout as she struck out 13 Lady Lions on Senior Night.
Taylor Barnes and Rhianna Roberson added RBI hits in the game that improved the Lady Raiders to 17-3-1 overall and 10-0 in District 8-AAA play.
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Coffee County will travel to Baylor School in Chattanooga on Thursday for a 5pm first-pitch.
Coffee County Grand Jury Meets
The Coffee County Grand jury met Tuesday to consider 48 cases that were bound over to it from the General Sessions courts.
There were also 37 sealed or original cases that were considered by the secret panel. Those cases are those that were presented straight to the grand jury by law enforcement. Those cases usually include drugs or other cases that have not been through the court system.
Those named in sealed indictments will be arrested and booked into the Coffee County Jail on the charges.
All of those indicted will appear in Coffee County Circuit Court for arraignment and a court date to be set.
Your Social Security Number May Have Been Used On Someone Else’s Taxes
April 15 is “Tax Day” and some area residents have had the rude awakening that their Social Security numbers were stolen. The residents found out when they filed their income tax forms this year with the Internal Revenue Service. They were told that their Social Security numbers had been used by other filers.
When the people check with the IRS they confirm the fraudulent actions.
Some of those who have experienced the problem had earlier been told that their information had been hacked when thieves hacked their insurance carrier.