Author's posts
4/3/15 —— Gerald David Skidmore, Sr.
Gerald David Skidmore, Sr. Born July 29, 1937 in Chattanooga, TN, born again approx. 1980, released to Heaven on March 30, 2015.
Gerald is survived by his lovely wife Ellen Marie Skidmore, son Gerald David Skidmore, Jr (wife: Cynthia), granddaughter Rachael McFarlane (husband: Matt), brothers: James (wife: Mona), Ray, Patrick, and Gary Skidmore (wife: Debbie), sister: Joan Ownby, step-daughter Susan Smith (husband: Greg), step-daughter Rhonda Sutliff (son: Tim), and many nieces and nephews.
Gerald enjoyed motorcycle riding, shooting, traveling, collecting, and time with family and friends.
He retired from AEDC in 1999.
A going home memorial service will be held at Central Funeral Home, Manchester, TN on Friday April 3, 2015 at 11:00 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Manchester Cumberland Presbyterian Church.
Central Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Raiders Fall To Tullahoma
CHS sophomore Noah Anderson
In high school baseball on Wednesday night Tullahoma hosted Coffee County. Coming off a win over the Wildcats the night before the Raiders were hoping for a series sweep. Things did not go as planned as Tullahoma score 1 run in the 1st inning and added 4 in the 2nd plus 1 more in the 5th for a 6-0 win over Coffee County. The Raiders could only manage 4 hits on the night.
Noah Anderson was named the Gateway Tire and Service Center player of the game.
Download Thunder Radio’s broadcast
Coffee County is back in action on Friday as the travel to Warren County for a 6:30pm first-pitch.
Wednesday Middle School Baseball Wrapup
Westwood baseball player Nick Smith
There were mixed results in middle school baseball action on Wednesday night as both Coffee County Middle and Westwood Middle hosted home games. Westwood continues to be plagued with inexperience and injuries as they dropped a 24 to 0 decision to Cornersville. Marcus Pendleton, Byron Sullivan, Dalton Maccanone and Nick Smith all rapped out singles for the Rockets. Westwood travels to Shelbyville on Monday to take on Liberty. First pitch is set for 5:00 PM.
CCMS pitcher Cody Esslinger
The Red Raiders of Coffee County Middle used a 5 run 4th inning on their way to a 10 to 1 win over Siegel Middle of Murfreesboro. The “4 Horsemen” pitcher lineup of Cody Esslinger, Scottie Duke, Harley Hinshaw and Hayden Skipper combined for the 7 inning win as they had 9 strikeouts for the Raiders. Trace Bryant was 3 for 3 with 2 doubles and 3 runs scored to lead the Raider offensive attack while Hinshaw was 2 for 3 with 2 RBI. The Raiders will be back home on Friday afternoon as they play host to White County in a Good Friday contest. First pitch is scheduled for 12 noon.
Buck Named All-American
Jaylen Barford in action during the 2014-15 season… Photo from Jeff Reed Photography
Barford, a 6-3 guard who played his high school basketball at Jackson South Side, joins an elite group of only 11 Motlow Bucks to be named All-American since the school began playing basketball in 1969. The most recent honoree prior to Barford was Dequon Miller last season. Miller actually had more impressive statistics this past year than he had last season, but was somehow passed over by the NJCAA.
Barford’s numbers were certainly worthy of a spot on the honorable mention team. He averaged 20.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 2.4 steals per game. Barford connected on 52.5% of his field goal attempts and 70% of his free throw opportunities.
The high-flying freshman provided Copperweld Arena crowds with some of the most dramatic moments during Motlow’s 23-6 season, including a last-second steal and two made free throws to beat Southwest Tennessee 76-75 on Feb. 14.
Previous Motlow College players and the year they were named All-Americans are: Jack Battle, 1973; Bob Martin, 1975; Billy Holt, 1978; Mike Dailey, 1982; Tim Fant, 1990; John Gales, 1995; Tim Williams, 2009; Freddie Goldstein, 2010 and 2011; and Miller in 2014.
Barford, who is being heavily recruited by dozens of Division I universities leads a talented group of freshmen, who, if they all return to Motlow for their sophomore seasons should give the Bucks one of the state’s best rosters. The group includes Terry Holt, Jordan Darden and Reid Pierce. Each started multiple games last year.
3/31/15 —– Clara Frances Cutter
Mrs. Clara Frances Cutter, age 85, of Manchester, passed away on Tuesday, March 31, 2015 at United Regional Medical Center in Manchester, TN.
Graveside services will be held at Palm Memorial Park in Las Vegas, NV at a later date.
Mrs. Cutter was born in Coffee County, TN, the daughter of the late Andrew Becton and Annie Frances Walker Richards.
She graduated from the Tennessee School for the Deaf in Knoxville, TN in 1948. She worked in assembly at Lockheed Martin-Burbank.
In addition to her parents, Clara was also preceded in death by her husband, James Andrew Cutter and two sisters, Sarah Elizabeth “Betty” Hudgens and Nina Jewell Rogers.
She is survived by two sisters, Linda (David) Umbarger and Bobbie (Dewey) Petty, both of Manchester.
Manchester Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Teacher In Trouble For Texting a Student
James David Sanders a teacher Cascade High School in Bedford County has been charged with solicitation of a minor in alleged texts to a student.
Sanders, 58, of Idle Drive in Shelbyville is a math teacher. According to officials with the Bedford County Sheriff’s Department, Sanders was arrested Sunday after he allegedly texted inappropriate messages to a 17-year-old girl in one of his classes. They say the messages were sexual in nature. One of the girl’s parents reported the texting to police.
Sanders has been a teacher at Cascade since 2002.
Shelbyville Police Investigating Child Abuse Case
A 9-year-old special needs child is in a Nashville hospital due to injuries allegedly inflicted by a caregiver.
Rochelle Lee Clayton, 38, of Tanner Circle in Shelbyville is charged with aggravated child abuse. The child is being treated at Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital.
Clayton allegedly struck the child, a relative, in the face numerous times and forced her to stand in a corner with her hands tied behind her back with zip ties, according to Shelbyville Police.
The child was living in the home of Clayton and her husband, Maurice Jason Clayton, 39.
Maurice Clayton was charged with failure to report child abuse. Both were charged with filing a false report due to refusing to tell police where the child was.
Rochelle Clayton posted $30,000 bond and Maurice Clayton $16,000 bond. (Shelbyville Times-Gazette)
Deceased People Receiving Unemployment Benefits
Dead people, prisoners and state employees are on the rolls of those receiving unemployment benefits in Tennessee, in spite of repeated warnings that the state is improperly paying out tens of millions in jobless claims.
Those were among the findings of a state comptroller’s office audit released Tuesday that said the unemployment benefit system made overpayments of $98 million in the past six years. It estimated a backlog of payments could balloon that figure to $171 million.
Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development officials took issue with that estimate and other findings in the audit.
Officials said in an email that they have overpaid $165 million in the past six years but have been able to collect $71.5 million of it and continue to pursue the money.
Experts Say To Stay Away From Baby Chicks and Ducklings.
Baby Chick
Those Easter baskets are often filled with candy and colorful eggs. However, there is one type of gift you should avoid during the holiday—baby chicks and ducklings.
Live poultry commonly carry Salmonella germs. When humans handle the birds, the bacteria can spread. Exposure to Salmonella commonly causes extreme abdominal upset. In severe cases, the illness can be fatal. According to the Centers for Disease Control, approximately 400 people die each year from problems with Salmonella.
Children, the elderly, and people with other health conditions are most prone to a severe reaction.
“Live poultry may have Salmonella germs in their droppings and on their bodies even when they appear healthy and clean,” Tennessee Department of Health’s Tim Jones, MD said. “Those germs can also get on cages, coops, feed and water dishes and other items where the birds live and roam and can be found on the hands, shoes and clothing of people who handle the birds or work or play around them. We recommend families leave handling of the birds to people trained in their appropriate care.”
This is the time of year when chicks and ducklings arrive at local feed and farm stores. The Tennessee Department of Agriculture and the Tennessee Department of Health aim to educate customers on the risks of handling poultry, as well as the long-term commitment required for proper animal care.
Do not let children younger than five, elderly persons, or people with weak immune systems handle chicks, ducklings or other live poultry. If you do come into contact with a bird, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water immediately after.
Friedlein Leads Red Raider Baseball to Win Over Tullahoma
CHS senior Trace Friedlein (file photo)
Every Coffee County Red Raider wants to beat Tullahoma, especially in their senior year. On Tuesday night, Trace Friedlein did exactly that as he pitched a complete game 6 hitter to lead the CHS baseball team to a 3 to 2 win over the Wildcats at Powers Field. Friedlein, who did not walk a batter in the game, struck out 10 Wildcats including 4 of the last 5 he faced. The Red Raider defense did not commit an error on the night as Coffee County played their most complete game of the season to notch their first district win of the year. The only blemish on Friedlein’s performance was a hit batter in the top of the first inning that came around to score to give Tullahoma a 1 to 0 lead. The Raiders, who had base runners in 5 of their 6 innings, loaded the bases with nobody out in the 3rd inning before R.J. Moore struck out the next 3 to end the threat and send the Raiders into the 4th inning scoreless. Coffee County loaded the bases in the 4th inning but this time they pushed across 3 runs to take a lead they would never relinquish. Zach Holmes, Stanton Keele and Friedlein all rapped out singles in the frame as Deandre Wakefield, Peyton Booth and J.P. Duncan had walks. Friedlein battled out of trouble in the 6th and sat down the Wildcats in order in the 7th to capture the win and the Gateway Tire and Service Center Player of the game honors. Keele was 3 for 3 on the night with a double and an RBI, Friedlein was 2 for 3 while Booth and Holmes were each 1 for 2 for Coffee County.
Download Thunder Radio’s broadcast
The Raiders travel to Tullahoma on Wednesday for the second game of the series and Thunder Radio will have that broadcast with Lucky Knott on the call. First pitch is set for 6 PM at Grider Stadium and the pregame show will start at 5:50.