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Fayetteville Man Indicted On Child Abuse, Weapons Charges
Timothy Smith… Photo provided by the TBI
At the request of 17th District Attorney General Robert Carter, TBI Special Agents began investigating Timothy Neal Smith on November 3, 2014. During the course of the investigation, Agents developed information that Smith was involved in the physical abuse of his 7-year-old stepdaughter, causing bruising to the child. Agents also learned that Smith is a convicted felon and had been carrying and using firearms while operating a fugitive recovery business.
Last week the Lincoln County Grand Jury returned an indictment charging Timothy Smith, 29, with two counts of Child Abuse and six counts of Convicted Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Smith was arrested and booked at the Lincoln County Jail where, at the time of this news release, he is being held on a $200,000 bond.
Poll: Caring for Caregivers a Priority for Americans
A majority of Americans support policies that help support caregivers such as Chris Courington of Hendersonville, according to a new AARP poll. Photo credit: C. Courington
A poll released this week by AARP shows 77 percent of those surveyed from both major political parties favor policies that help support those caregivers.
There are 1.6 million Tennesseans who care for a family member or friend, and Rebecca Kelly, AARP Tennessee state director, says many of them do it at great personal cost.
“We all want to keep our loved ones at home as long as they possibly can, but the burden of that can often be from emotional stress, to balancing work and family to financial stress,” she points out.
This week U.S. Rep. Diane Black of Tennessee joined other members of Congress in the creation of the bipartisan Assisting Caregivers Today (ACT) Caucus.
The caucus will help bring greater attention to family caregiving and helping people live independently, educate Congress on these issues, and engage legislators on a bipartisan basis to help lead to solutions.
Chris Courington of Hendersonville is caring for his aging father as he also works to care for his own family. He says it’s not easy.
“If you think about how busy most families are with two parents working, when you add to that caregiving for someone who is 76 years old, it definitely adds to the stresses of your daily life,” Courington says.
AARP estimates nationwide the value of the unpaid care people provide is $450 billion annually.
Kelly says caregivers actually save the public money in the long run.
“If the family caregiver can have some support to continue to do this, it actually saves taxpayer money, and less government money is necessary to support the family caregiver,” she maintains.
Kelly says the average family caregiver is a 49-year-old female taking care of a 78-year-old woman and provides 20 hours a week of assistance to their loved one.
Motlow Men Fall In Semis
The Motlow Bucks basketball team picked up their 23rd win of the year late Thursday night with a 94-77 win over Cleveland St. 77 in the TCCAA/Region VII tournament. Reggie Williams scored 22 to lead the way.
In Friday’s semi-final Columbia St. beat Motlow for the second time in a week as they used a strong bench to win 105-94 to drop the Bucks to 23-6 on the year. Jaylen Barford led Motlow with 32 and DeQuan Miller added 29. Columbia State’s bench outscored the Bucks 56-4. Motlow ranked 19th in the nation is still hoping for a wild-card invitation to NJCAA Tournament in Kansas.
3/10/15 —- Joyce Johnson Hice
Joyce Marie Johnson Hice, 80, affectionately known as Mama Joyce, passed away peacefully on March 7, 2015 surrounded by her loving family.
She was born May 8, 1934 in Tullahoma to the late Daniel S. and Lula Clayton Thomas Johnson.
Joyce was a devoted Christian lady, loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and church mother. She had a deep abiding faith in God and her Savior and Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ. She attended Tullahoma City Schools, was Secretary-Treasurer of the Bethany Good Neighbors Club for many years, and was a charter member of the Marble Plains Baptist Church in Winchester where she served the Lord as its pianist and organist.
She is survived by her loving husband, Pastor Jack Hice; 3 sons, Joel (Betty) of Morristown, TN, Steven (Kathy) of Tullahoma, Jeff (Debbie) of Murfreesboro; 2 daughters Jackie Johnson of Tullahoma and Jill (Danny) Cobb of Winchester; one brother Daniel S. Johnson, Jr. (Linda) of Modesto, CA; one sister Peggy Teague of Tullahoma; and eight grandchildren Jason, Audrey, Julie, Aaron, Alan, Josh, Jordan and Brooke. She also is survived by several great grandchildren and step grandchildren.
Visitation for Mrs. Hice will be held on Monday, March 9th, 2015 at Kilgore Funeral Home from 5:00-8:00 pm, with funeral services being held on Tuesday, March 10th, 2015 at 2:00 pm in the Kilgore Funeral Home Chapel.
Burial will follow at Marble Plains Cemetery in Franklin County with Bro. David Wall and Bro. Ray Gardner officiating.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Marble Plains Cemetery Fund, Bethany Cemetery Fund, Gideons International or any charity of choice.
Kilgore Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
3/9/15 —– RALPH ADAM SIMS
RALPH ADAM SIMS, age 50, of Decherd, Tenn., departed this life, Friday, March 6, 2015 at Southern Tennessee Regional Health Systems of Winchester.
He was a loving father, grandfather and brother.
Ralph enjoyed fishing and landscaping.
Ralph is proceeded in death by his parents, Warnie and Almie Sims.
He is survived by his daughters; Renee Sims(Charlie) of Decherd and Amanda Sims(Richard) also of Decherd, special companion; Stephanie Gee of Decherd, stepson; Daniel Prince of Decherd and stepdaughter; Courtney Gee of Decherd, brothers; Bobby Sims and his wife, MaryAnn of Winchester, Ricky Sims and his wife Sherry of Belvidere, sisters; Marie Stephens of Belvidere, Betty Clark of Winchester, Wilma Nicoles of Winchester and Tammy Sims of Belvidere, granddaughter; Caylin Sims of Decherd, expecting a grandson; Charles Adam Bohanan and former wife, Darlene Sims of Decherd.
Visitation will be Sunday, March 8, 2015 at Grant Funeral Services from 4:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M.
Funeral services will be Monday, March 9, 2015 from the chapel of Grant Funeral Services at 3:00 P.M. with Daniel Prince, eulogist.
Interment will follow at Green Cemetery in Belvidere with family and friends serving as pallbearers.
Grant Funeral Services in charge of arrangements.
03/06/15
Birthdays:
Jody Griffin – 50 – Pizza Winner!
David T. Lemons – 73, Mike Niederhauser
Weekly Birthday Winner Birthday Cake from Food Lion: Lacey Taylor
Weekly Anniversary Winners Flowers by Michael: Fran & Jen Clayborne
03/05/15
Birthdays:
Madison Lowry – 17 – Pizza Winner!
Frank Clayborne, Heather Sulkowski, Kim Turner – 20,
Ryan Carter – 23, Ella Smith – 71, William Neely – 50.
3/7/15 —– Judith Holliday Hamilton
Mrs. Judith Holliday Hamilton age 79 of Monteagle passed away Wednesday, March 4, 2015, at Life Care Center in Tullahoma.
She was retired from the Tennessee Department of Safety .
She was preceded in death by her parents, LaDue and Evelyn McCurdy Holliday; husband, Clyde Paul Hamilton; a daughter, Jennifer Clay Hutchison.
Survivors include her children, Susan Clay Johnson, Monteagle, Beth Geary, Monteagle, Frank Charles “Skip” Clay, Monteagle, Roxanne Gipson, Winchester; 13 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren.
A Celebration of Life Service will be 6:00 P.M. Saturday in the funeral home chapel.
The family will receive friends Saturday from 3:00 P.M. until time of service. 
Arrangements are by Cumberland Funeral Home, 207 Mabee Avenue, Monteagle, Tennessee.
Westwood and Coffee Middle Softball Teams in Rocket Playday on Saturday
Westwood Middle School’s Haley Miller readies herself on defense at 1st base during scrimmage action from February 28th
Barring a weather cancellation, the Westwood Lady Rocket softball team will host seven other school on Saturday for the Lady Rocket Playday. Games will be played at Lady Rocket Field at Westwood and at the fastpitch field at Fred Deadman Park. Coffee County Middle School will join the field that features Stewarts Creek and Eagleville from Rutherford County. Liberty, Community and Cascade from Bedford County along with Fayetteville City. The games begin at 9 AM at Westwood and 1 PM at Fred Deadman. Admission is $5 and concessions are available at both fields. The complete schedule is as follows:
Westwood Middle School
9-10 Westwood vs. Eagleville
10:10-11:10 Liberty vs. Fayetteville City
11:20-12:20 Community vs. Cascade
12:30-1:30 Coffee Co. vs. Stewarts Creek
1:40-2:40 Coffee Co. vs. Cascade
2:50-3:50 Stewarts Creek vs. Cascade
4-5 Stewarts Creek vs. Westwood
Coffee County Middle School’s Erin Ferrell batting during scrimmage action from February 28th
Fred Deadman Park (Girl’s fastpitch field)
1-2 Fayetteville City vs. Eagleville
2:10-3:10 Liberty vs. Eagleville
3:20-4:20 Community vs. Fayetteville City
4:30-5:30 Community vs. Coffee Co.
5:40-6:40 Westwood vs. Liberty
Hunter Education Field Day Event
Wildlife Officer, Tim Hancock, with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency will be conducting a Hunter Education Field Day event on Saturday March 21st at P & T Shooting Range located at 226 Archery Lane in Manchester. This event will meet from 12-3 p.m. and all participants must provide proof of successfully passing an on-line course. Participants must also pre-register for this field day event at tnwildlife.org. At this website, just click on “Hunter Education” and navigate to class listings, look for Coffee County listing. Again, this event coincides with all on- line Hunter Education Courses that are approved by the International Hunter Education Association.
Tennessee State law requires anyone born on or after January 1st, 1969 must successfully complete a Hunter Education Course before hunting. Participants must be at least 9 years of age to become certified in Tennessee Hunter Education.
The day’s event will include a review prior to re-taking the test and participants will shoot a 20 gauge shotgun on the firing range. This will be the only Hunter Education Field Day event offered in Coffee County this year by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. This event is free to all.