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4/7/15 —- DAVID K. JOHNSON
DAVID K. JOHNSON
(July 12, 1950 – April 3, 2015)
GRAVESIDE SERVICE
Tuesday, April 7, 2015 at 1 p.m. at the Concord Cemetery.
Central Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Deadly Crash In Coffee County
An accident on Blanton Chapel Road in Coffee County early Saturday morning took the life of a Manchester woman.
In a report by Tennessee Highway Patrolman Harrison Fisher, a 2000 Ford Expedition driven by 23 year-old Whitney C Austin of Eagleville ran off the left side of the roadway and struck a tree. Passenger Nettie R Austin age 45 of Manchester was pronounced deceased on the scene.
After a test was given, Trooper Fisher’s report showed alcohol was in use by the driver, Austin.
Criminal charges are pending.
Two Hurt In Normandy Crash
A one vehicle crash late Friday night on Normandy Road at Ralph Broadwick Rd injured two people.
According to the Tennessee Highway Patrol, 25 year-old Felicia McGee of Wartrace, TN was driving a 2008 Chevy Equinox and lost control of the vehicle and exited the roadway and struck a tree. McGee was injured and taken via ambulance to Harton Regional Medical Center in Tullahoma. Passenger 27 year-old Sara Norman was also injured and was airlifted to Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville.
According to the THP report, a toxicology test was given and showed that the driver, McGee had been drinking.
Charges are pending after the investigation is complete.
9 Year-old Recovers As Caregivers Face More Charges
A 9-year-old special needs child from Shelbyville continues to recover from injuries allegedly inflicted by a caregiver.
Maurice and Rochelle Clayton were first charged in the case. Maurice with failure to report child abuse and filing a false report. Rochelle was facing one charge of aggravated child abuse. The District Attorney has now added two more aggravated child abuse charges to Rochelle and three aggravated child abuse charges to Maurice.
Three other children in the Tanner Circle home, ages 14, 8 years, and 8 months, were not abused, according to investigators.
Rochelle age 38, was being held on $116,000 bond and Maurice on $90,000 bond Friday at Bedford County Jail.
Autism Awareness Month: Highlighting Dangers of Wandering
April is Autism Awareness Month and efforts also are under way to build support for Avonte’s Law, a bill in the Senate that would help reduce the risk of injury and death related to wandering. Photo credit: tangle_eye/morguefile.com
Nearly half of the children on the autism spectrum are believed to engage in wandering, a behavior that can end in tragedy.
The U.S. Senate is considering a bill known as Avonte’s Law, which would provide funding for police departments to purchase equipment that can help locate people with autism who go missing.
Wendy Fournier, president of the National Autism Association, says those with autism typically wander to something of interest, or they flee an overwhelming environment.
“Noises, lights and people and hearing five different conversations at the same time,” she points out. “That kind of stuff can be magnified for people on the spectrum.
“A lot of times the only thing they can do is run away. That’s the only way they can get any relief from that sensory overload.”
Fournier says due to challenges with communication and safety awareness, children or adults with autism can end up in dangerous situations when they wander.
Avonte’s Law is named after a 14-year-old with autism whose body was discovered in a river three months after he ran away from his New York City school.
Fournier says the legislation also calls for training for law enforcement agencies to better recognize and respond to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
“It’s really easy for a person with a communication disorder to come across as being uncooperative to the police, so the police really need some training to start recognizing autism and other cognitive disorders,” she explains.
Fournier says parents are encouraged to implement measures that can prevent wandering, including security alerts on doors and ID bracelets or tracking devices for their child. She says swimming lessons are also crucial.
“About 90 percent of the kids who die following a wandering incident die from drowning,” she stresses. “Our kids are very, very attracted to water. So we recommend that everybody teach their child, make sure they know how to swim.”
April is Autism Awareness Month. On Saturday, the NCG Cinemas in Gallatin will host a special screening for audience members who have autism.
The movie will not be preceded by any previews, the sound will be running at 50 percent levels, the lights won’t be completely dimmed and running and talking during the film will be allowed.
4/8/15 —- Mauro Morales Diaz
Mr. Mauro Morales Diaz 66,of Tullahoma, TN , native of Mexico passed Saturday, April 4. 2015 at Centennial Medical Center.
He is survived by his children, Adela Morales Martines, Santiago Morales Martinez, Maurilio Morales Martinez, Alexander Morales Martines all of Tullahoma, TN; and Josue Morales Velasquez of Shelbyville.
Visitation Tuesday, April 7, 2015 from 6-8-pm at J.A. Welton & Son Funeral Home.
Graveside Services, Wednesday, April 8, 2015 at 10:00 am at Willow Mount Cemetery in Shelbyville, TN.
J.A. Welton & Son Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Westwood Soccer Finishes in 2nd Place at Red Raider Invitational
Leo Botello scores a goal off a header against Harris in Saturday’s tournament match
Facing the challenge of playing 3 games in 5 hours, the Westwood Rockets fought off exhaustion to finish in 2nd place in the inaugural Red Raider Invitational. The Rockets finished the day with a record of 2 and 1 on the day and finish with 22 points. Harris Middle was the lone team to beat Westwood as they won the tournament with 26 points.
Westwood opened the day with a pair of back to back games. The Rockets got a strong effort in a 4 to 0 win over Madison Academy of Huntsville at 10:15 AM in their first game. The Rockets got a pair of goals from Leo Botello and single goals from Juan Penaloza and Andres Cavalie.
This set up a match up with Harris at noon. The Eagles of Harris got 4 first half goals as they dominated the time of possession against a tiring Rockets defense. The deficit should have been larger except for the sparkling play of Westwood keeper Cailan McLean who had 3 remarkable saves in the first half to finish with 6 for the match. Leo Botello got both Westwood goals on a pair of great individual efforts. In the first half, Botello hit a beautiful sliding toe punch just inside the 18 yard box at the 13th minute. In the 2nd half, he headed home a corner kick from Penaloza. Westwood’s defense shutout the Eagles in the second half, but Westwood ended up falling 4 to 2.
Westwood keeper Cailan McLean
The Rockets got a short break until 3:00 when they took on Algood. The Putnam County Redskins played a physical contest but Westwood was able to use their speed and excellent passing to take a 3 to 0 lead into the half. Juan Penaloza got the scoring started for Westwood as he found the back of the net in the 5th minute. Leo Basurto, who did not start the match due to cramps, came off the bench to score goals in the 25th and 28th minutes to give Westwood a 3 to 0 lead at the half. Rocket keeper Cailan McLean did not allow an Algood goal in the 2nd half as he got his second shutout of the day leading the Rockets to a 3 to 0 win. Westwood will play host to Webb on Tuesday night at Dyer-Bouldin Field. That match will kick off at 5:00 PM.
Duke Pitches CCMS Baseball to Saturday Win
CCMS pitcher Scottie Duke in action on Saturday against Boyd Christian
Gage Edwards slides safely into 3rd base during Coffee County Middle School’s game on Saturday against Boyd Christian
Coffee County Middle School’s Scottie Duke came up one out short in his bid to pitch a no-hitter on Saturday against Boyd Christian School at CCMS. Duke, who finished with a 2 hitter, pitched the Raiders to a 12 to 1 win as he finished the day with 4 strikeouts in the 5 inning game. The Raiders scored in all 4 of their at-bats as they used a 6 run explosion in the 3rd inning to but the game out of reach. Coffee County sent 12 hitters to the plate in the frame that lasted nearly 45 minutes. Trace Bryant led off the game with a triple on the first pitch he saw and added a 2 RBI single in the 2nd inning to pace Coffee County offensively. Bryant also scored 3 runs for the Raiders. Colton Kerber had a triple and a single with 3 RBI on the day, Andrew Mahaffey had a double and a single with an RBI and Bryson Hullett was 2 for 2 with a walk and 3 runs scored as well. With the win, Coffee County completed a 3 and 0 week to run their record to 6-1-1 on the season. The Raiders are back in action on Thursday as they play host to South Franklin in a 5:00 PM conference game.
CHS JV Teams Walks Off Wilson Central……Twice
CHS sophomore Noah Anderson
Walk-off wins in baseball are a thing of beauty if you are the winning team. The Coffee County CHS JV baseball team got not 1, but 2 walk-off wins over visiting Wilson Central to sweep Saturday’s doubleheader at Powers Field. In game 1 of the doubleheader, Noah Anderson laced a double to complete a 6 run Raider comeback and power Coffee County to a 10 to 9 win. Not to be outdone, the Raiders got an RBI single in game #2 from Cade Giles that scored Bradley King and lift the Raiders to a 6 to 5 win. The JV team will take on Columbia on Wednesday at 4:00 PM at Powers Field. The varsity Raiders travel to Columbia on Tuesday for a 4:00 PM game before hosting the Lions on Wednesday at 6:00 PM. Wednesday’s game can be heard on Thunder Radio with Lucky Knott on the call.
CCMS Softball Drops 3 at Murfreesboro Tournament
CCMS softball coach Lana Creek
Softball is a tournament sport and Coffee County Middle School softball coach Lana Creek knows that competing in tough in-season tournaments will help her team in the CTC Conference tournament coming up later this month. With that in mind, the Lady Raiders took their 4 and 1 record to Murfreesboro on Saturday to compete in the Spring Thaw tournament hosted by Oakland and Siegel. The Lady Raiders dropped three contests on the day as they were playing their first games since March 19th. The Raiders opened the day with a 9 to 8 loss to Rockvale in the closest game of the day. The Lady Raiders finished the afternoon with a 9 to 2 loss to Lincoln County and a 6 to 0 loss to Lewisburg. The Lady Raiders, whose conference record stands at 4 and 1, will try to get back on the winning track on Monday as they play host to South Franklin. That game will get underway at 5:00 PM at the Coffee County Middle School.