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3/12/15 —– Martha Bush McKenzie
Martha Bush McKenzie, age 78 of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, passed away on March 10, 2015 at the NHC Health Care Center in Murfreesboro.
She was a retired secretary with MCA Sign Company and a member of the Church of Christ at Cedar Lane in Tullahoma, TN.
Mrs. McKenzie was born in Wartrace, TN to her parents, the late Lonnie Houston Bush and Bernice Messick Bush. She was also preceded in death by her husband, James H. McKenzie; son, Stephen Wesley Fults; sister, Jane Carlton and brother, Roy Lee Bush.
She is survived by her daughters, Jan Worley (Mike) of Murfreesboro, TN and Robin Bailey (Andrew) of Harvest, AL; sister, Carole Bush of Murfreesboro, TN; two grandchildren, Lyndsay Hannah of Murfreesboro, TN and Sarah Bailey of Birmingham, AL; two great-grandchildren, Lucas Riley Hannah and Charlie Quinn Hannah; and a host of other relatives and friends.
VISITATION
Thursday, March 12, 2015 from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. at Central Funeral Home in Manchester, TN
FUNERAL SERVICE
Thursday, March 12, 2015 at 1 : 00 p.m. at the Central Funeral Home
OFFICIANT
Brother Pat Allison
BURIAL
Rose Hill Memorial Gardens
CENTRAL FUNERAL HOME in Charge of Arrangements.
3/11/15 —– Donny Edward Ferrell
Donny Edward Ferrell, age 53 of Tullahoma passed away, Tuesday, March 10.
Graveside Services will be held Thursday, March 12, 2015 at 1 PM at Maplewood Cemetery with Bro. Wayne Smith officiating.
Mr. Ferrell, a native of Dover, Delaware was the son of the late Jessie Edward Ferrell and Doris Gilliam Ferrell of Tullahoma.
He was a Mason and enjoyed fishing.
In addition to his father, he was preceded by one brother, Chad Ferrell.
He is survived by his wife, Debbie Moore Ferrell of Tullahoma; one son, Donny Ferrell Jr. of Tullahoma; one daughter, Jessica Ferrell of Tullahoma; one sister, Carla Ferrell of Hillsboro and five grandchildren, Kensley, Jessie, Lucas, and Kadie Ferrell and Bella Brashears.
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be made to the memorial fund at Daves-Culbertson Funeral Home.
DAVES-CULBERSTON FUNERAL HOME IS IN CHARGE OF ARRANGEMENTS
Update, Suspects Named In Police Drug Operation That Turned Into a High Speed Pursuit and Shooting
A joint drug operation between Manchester Police Department and Coffee County Sheriff’s Department investigators was taking place Wednesday afternoon at Walgreens when things got turned crazy.
Manchester Police Department Assistant Chief Adam Floied told WMSR News the drug operation involved two suspects from out of town. When police began to surround the suspect’s Chevrolet SUV the driver then allegedly put the car in reverse, jumping curbs and entering Highway 55 toward Tullahoma.
According to Floied, officers with Manchester Police Department, Coffee County Sheriff’s Department and Tennessee Highway Patrol pursued the vehicle.
Around the 911 Communication Center on Hwy 55 the suspects crossed the median into oncoming traffic. At that time Manchester officers were told to disengage. Floied added, “Right as we called to disengage the suspect collided with a state trooper’s vehicle from the rear.”
According to Floied, after hitting the trooper’s vehicle, the suspect began to back up toward an investigator and the state patrolman and a sheriff’s investigator opened fire.
The suspect then backed through the median and, with a flat tire, came to rest in the westbound lanes near Rose Hill Memorial Gardens.
Floied said, “The driver had an abrasion on his leg but we aren’t sure where that came from at this time.”
The two suspects, Cordarious Tramell and Carlon Bowman, were taken into custody without incident. The addresses are unknown at this time..
Floied said charges are pending from the three agencies involved. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is now the leading authority because of officers being involved in a shooting.
Highway 55 was shut down while state investigators reconstructed the scene.
Man Attacked With a Knife and Then Hit By a Car
A man’s throat was cut before he was run over with a car Monday in Warren County following an argument with another man.
31-year-old Abel Torres, was taken into custody following the brutal attack and is facing numerous charges.
Warren County Sheriff Jackie Matheny says Torres and two other men were inside a car Monday when an argument broke out. After pulling into the parking lot of a business, Torres allegedly took out a knife and cut the victim’s throat.
The victim, who has not been identified, got out of the car and Torres reportedly drove into him, throwing him several feet into the air.
The victim was flown via LifeFlight to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville with critical injuries.
Grundy County Schools Maintenance Supervisor Indicted
The TBI began investigating Ricky Meeks in May 2014. During a meeting of the Grundy County Board of Education, a witness saw Meeks change a company’s bid for work at one of the schools so the company could win the bidding process.
He was suspended without pay.
On Monday, the Grundy County Grand Jury returned indictments for Meeks, charging the 51-year-old Altamont man with one count of Forgery, two counts of Official Misconduct, and one count of Tampering with Government Documents.
Tuesday, Meeks turned himself in to authorities at the Grundy County Jail, where he was booked and then released on a $15,000 bond.
On the Road Again: Importance of Highway Bill for Tennessee

The federal government is reviewing ways to maintain revenue for infrastructure improvements on freeways like I-40, which runs across the length of Tennessee from the Mississippi River to the Smoky Mountains. Photo courtesy: Tennessee Department of Transportation.
Gas tanks in Tennessee may remain full for longer periods of time thanks to the availability of fuel-efficient vehicles, but the glass is half-empty when it comes to declining gas tax revenue. Federal transportation dollars are down, and the federal Highway Trust Fund is set to run out at the end of May. Susan Mattison, a research analyst for the State Comptroller’s Office of Research and Education Accountability, recently conducted a study of Tennessee’s fuel tax revenue. “Our taxes have become stagnant,” she says. “Unless something is done, they will not fund our transportation needs over time.” State leaders recently opted to delay debate on raising the state’s relatively low gas tax, despite the findings of the State Comptroller’s study. The U.S. Transportation Secretary was recently quoted as saying that Congress was close to reaching an agreement on long-term infrastructure funding at the federal level. The federal government typically spends $50 billion annually on infrastructure, but revenue from the federal gas tax brings in $34 billion of that amount. David Goldberg with the Washington, D.C.-based organization Transportation for America says the shortfall is making it hard to compensate for delayed projects in the wake of the Great Recession. “There’s a big backlog of maintenance and a pent-up demand for new transportation projects to deal with population growth in places like Nashville, which has been growing a great deal,” says Goldberg. Mattison says while Tennesseans may be reluctant to pay more at the pump in taxes, the funding is necessary to maintain a daily need for the population. “It’s important we have sufficient highway revenues,” she says. “Those fund the maintenance of existing highways, as well as construction of new roads that meet the demands of the population growth and the economic development of the state.” One alternative discussed as a way to collect taxes on the use of roads is a per-mile tax that could be calculated using current technology available in cars. President Obama is also promoting his GROW America Act, which would provide financial funding to states to establish long-term transportation plans, instead of relying on fluctuating funding.
Tullahoma Participating In New State Program
The governor’s office has launched a program that focuses on improving health at the local level.
State officials announced on Wednesday that nine cities and counties across the state will pilot the Healthier Tennessee Communities program.
The initiative promotes physical activity, healthy eating and staying away from tobacco with an emphasis on community-led change.
In Tennessee, one in four adults smokes and that moved officials to make a change.
Tullahoma and Franklin are just two of the cities already involved.
Leaders say they hope this will improve the overall health of the state and it comes at no cost to the local community.
Tullahoma Mayor Lane Curlee said, “When you think about it, nothing is more important to us than the health and well-being of the people who live here. By participating in the Healthier Tennessee Communities program, we are improving the lives of so many people in Tullahoma by encouraging physical activity, better nutrition, and fewer people using tobacco. ”
Spring Prep Sports Schedule Update

Andy Escue, CHS assistant soccer coach, talks to his team after a recent practice on the soggy Raider Soccer Field.
The wet weather continues to play havoc on the high school spring sports schedule. Thursday’s full game schedule appears in jeopardy and cancellations and schedule changes have already been announced for the week-end. The Central High School soccer team has added a game for Thursday night as they will travel to take on LaVergne at 6:00 PM. The Raiders, who originally had 3 games schedule this weekend in Cleveland, have had their tournament schedule changed. The Raiders will now play 2 games on the artificial turf at Chattanooga Christian on Friday and Saturday. The Raiders open against Chattanooga Christian at 4 PM Eastern Time on Friday afternoon then they follow that up with a 10 AM Eastern matchup against Cleveland on Saturday morning.
The Lady Raider softball team is scheduled to welcome district foe Lawrence County to Lady Raider Field on Thursday night at 7 PM. Thunder Radio is scheduled to bring you the broadcast(weather permitting). The Lady Raiders have withdrawn from this weekend’s Hendersonville Tournament. With the early withdrawal the Lady Raiders, who were scheduled to play at least 4 games, will have the option to enter another tournament later in the season.
The CHS JV baseball team was scheduled to host games at Powers Field on Thursday through Saturday at Powers Field, but that schedule has been changed as well. The Thursday and Friday games have been cancelled, but the JV Raiders will play host to Blackman on Saturday in a doubleheader if the weather cooperates. That JV doubleheader begins at 11 AM and immediately precedes a varsity doubleheader with Ridgeland High School from Georgia. That doubleheader is scheduled to begin at 4:00 PM and Thunder Radio is scheduled to bring you the broadcast(weather permitting).
The CHS Track team is set to begin their season on Saturday at the Riverdale in the Early Bird Invitational. The boys and girls track teams are set to match up with 20 other teams from all parts of middle Tennessee in the event. The meet is scheduled to get underway at 11 AM with the field events.
Thursday’s Schedule (Weather Permitting)
3:00 PM – CHS Tennis at Warren Co
5:00 PM – WMS Softball at Riverside Christian
5:00 PM – WMS Baseball at Forrest
5:00 PM – CCMS Soccer at South Franklin
5:00 PM – CCMS Softball at North Franklin
6:00 PM – CHS Soccer at LaVergne
7:00 PM – CHS Softball HOSTS Lawrence Co – Thunder Radio Broadcast
3/13/15 —- WILLIAM EDWARD DAVIS
WILLIAM EDWARD DAVIS, age 86, of Winchester, Tenn., departed this life Tuesday, March 10, 2015 at his residence.
William was born on February 6, 1929 in Huntland, Tenn., to the late William and Alice Counts Davis.
He was a member of the Crossroads Baptist Church. William was a loving husband, father, brother, uncle and friend. He enjoyed to be out in his yard and loved to garden. William was the owner of Davis Vault and Grave Services for over 40 years.
He is survived by his loving wife of 34 years, Patricia Davis of Winchester, children; Penny Denise(Floyd) Mathis of Winchester, Tenn., William Terry(Kim) Davis of Belvidere, Tenn., Bart Shan Davis of Nashville, Tenn., Sharon Lynn(Copie) Clark of Tullahoma, Tenn., Paul Edward(Gail) Sweeton of Cowan, Tenn., and Tammy Renee May of Manchester, Tenn., brother, Franklin Dee Davis of Winchester, Tenn., sisters; Doris Prince of Skyline, AL and Peggy Green of Huntland, Tenn., several Nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be on Thursday, March 12, 2015 from 4:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M. at Grant Funeral Services.
Funeral services will be held on Friday, March 13, 2015 at 11:00 A.M. from the chapel of Grant Funeral Services with Brother Charles Houston, officiating.
Interment will be at Watson-North Memorial Park.
Grant Funeral Services in charge of arrangements.