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2/27/25 —– William Glen Hodge
William Glen Hodge age 53 of Shelbyville passed away on Friday, February 20, 2015.
A memorial service will be held Friday, February 27, 2015 at 12:00 at Daves-Culbertson Funeral Home in Tullahoma. 
Visitation with the family will be Friday from 10:00 AM until time of service.
A native of Shelbyville, he was the son of the late Charlie R. Hodge, Jr and Audra Cook Hodge.
Mr. Hodge was a truck driver and factory worker.
He is survived by one son, Christopher Glen Williams and wife Sabrina of Shelbyville; three brothers, James Hodge and wife Kennia of Tullahoma, Kelvin Hodge and Myron Hodge both of Virginia; four grandchildren, Destiny, Drake, Brayden and Beverly Williams.
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested memorial donations be made to Daves-Culbertson Funeral Home
Daves-Culbertson Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Missing Teenager From Monteagle
The Grundy County Sheriff’s office is looking for a missing teenager. 16 year old Autumn Spencer is a possible runaway.
She was last seen on February 20th leaving a residence on Hardbarger Road in Monteagle, TN.
Autumn Spencer is approximately 5’2″ weighing 105 lbs with long blonde hair and green eyes.
Please contact the Grundy County Dispatch Center with any information at 931-924-2079.
New Business Coming To Manchester
Some of you may have eaten at a Farmers Family Restaurant in other cities but soon you’ll be able to eat at a location in Manchester. The restaurant will open in the former Shoney’s located on Skinner Flat Road. It will be opening after renovations are complete.
Farmers Family Restaurant has two other locations – in Murfreesboro and Columbia.
Farmers Family Restaurant owners are hoping to have the eatery open within three months and applications will be available soon at the Manchester location.
“What If?”: How Poverty Intervention Programs Impact TN Children
A report released today by the Annie E. Casey Foundation underscores the importance of federal poverty assistance programs in keeping Tennessee children out of poverty. Photo credit: Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth
Every day, intervention programs assist Tennessee children and their families in surviving the effects of poverty. A report released today by the Annie E. Casey Foundation asks the question, “What if those programs did not exist?” The report, “Measuring Access to Opportunity in the United States,” found that federal programs cut the percentage of Tennessee children living in poverty in half – from 33 percent to 17 percent. Linda O’Neal, executive director of the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth, explained the value of the new data. “This report is really important in identifying the essential supports public programs provide to help children and families be able to not only survive but thrive and support children in ways that help be successful in school and in life,” she said. Today’s report used the Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM), which O’Neal said provides a more complete picture of how families fare, when compared to the current method of measuring the impact of programs. The current method used to measure poverty was developed in the 1960s and, according to the U.S. Census, sets a standard of $24,000 a year for a family of four, regardless of where that family lives or accounting for inflation. Laura Speer, associate director for policy reform and advocacy at the Casey Foundation, said better measurement tools, such as the SPM, are important to make improvements in public programs. “Using the Supplemental Poverty Measure, we can really see the successes and the limitations of the safety-net resources that we’ve put into place,” Speer said. “We can also see that these resources don’t go far enough. We still see that there are 13 million children below the poverty line.” The SPM takes into account living costs such as medicine, housing, food and utilities and how those costs affect disposable income. It also accounts for how government programs such as SNAP help offset those costs. O’Neal said the federal programs go a long way in determining the future of children and how they can contribute to their communities in the long-term. “What we know is that poverty has a tremendous negative impact on children, on their developing brains, and it creates what’s essentially referred to as toxic stress,” she said. “So the more we can support these children and help them be able to grow and develop in a healthy way, the better their outcomes will be in school and in life.” The Casey report recommended that state and federal governments expand access to early-childhood education, change tax-credit policies to keep more money in the hands of struggling families, and streamline food and housing subsidies.
The full report is online at AECF.org.
State Taking Survey On Old Stone Fort State Park
Tennessee State Parks is interested in finding out what park visitors think about Old Stone Fort State Archaeological Park’s current condition, in addition to their thoughts on amenities, recreation activities and the various services they seek when selecting any park to visit. The survey can be accessed by visiting https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Old_Stone_Fort_Park_Survey.
The survey takes approximately 10-15 minutes to complete. All responses are anonymous and will be used to potentially make changes at Old Stone Fort or at other state parks — helping them deliver a better product and elevating their level of customer service.
It is requested that only customers that fit the definition of a park visitor or user of its various facilities complete the survey.
Coaches Suspended For At Least One Year After Teams Tried To Lose
The head girls’ basketball coaches at Smyrna and Riverdale high schools have been suspended through next school year after their teams tried to lose a recent game in order to achieve better seeding in the region tournament.
Rutherford County Director of Schools Don Odom said the suspension is effective immediately and their potential for coaching after the 2015-2016 school year will be evaluated annually.
Riverdale’s Cory Barrett and Smyrna’s Shawn Middleton will also not be permitted to affiliate with either team during the 2015-2016 school year or any other athletic programs with Rutherford County Schools.
In addition, both men will not be eligible for the coach stipend pay during the 2015-2016 school year, which totals $8,393 each.
The suspensions come after their teams tried to throw the game against one another because the winner would’ve possibly been matched up against Blackman in the Region 4-AAA Tournament.
Both teams have been banned from postseason play.
GED & HiSET Tests Set For Motlow
Motlow College’s Moore County campus will administer the General Educational Development (GED®) and High School Equivalency (HiSET) tests several times throughout 2015. These tests will be conducted in the Crouch Center room 1046. Each applicant should decide which test they need for his or her Tennessee High School Equivalency (HSE) Diploma.
A high school diploma remains the primary ticket to several entry-level jobs. In some cases, it’s also the prerequisite for employment, occupational training and post-secondary education. THE HSE provides adults with the opportunity to grow, whether it is through further education, enhanced employment or stature with the community.
Applicants interested in completing the GED® must register online at www.GEDcomputer.com or by calling 1-877-392-6433. The fee for the test is $24 per test or $120 for the entire test. The GED® is in computer-based format only.
The HISET is available in both computer and paper-based formats. Applicants interested in completing the HiSET must register online at www.Hiset.ets.org or by calling 1-855-694-4739. The fee for the HiSET test is $15 per test or $75 for the entire test.
Both tests meet the criteria for the HSE. Applicants should contact the Service Delivery Area (SDA), formerly the Adult Education Center, in his or her community for test vouchers and information on preparation classes. Applicants must also complete the online registration form, bring a notarized copy of the Official Practice Test, present government-issued identification, bring a confirmation letter, and present an Eligibility for Enrollment Form if applicable to the test.
Please visit the GED® and HiSET websites for details regarding the schedule and appointment for the tests. For more information regarding the tests, visit the Motlow College Testing Center online at www.mscc.edu/testing.
The next HiSet test is set for March 4 and the next GED test is on March 18.
2/27/15 —- Wanda Lou Thomas Hannah
Wanda Lou Thomas Hannah, age 79, passed away Tuesday, February 24, 2015 at her home in the Noah Community of Coffee County.
She was a native of Coffee County and the daughter of the late Robert Leland and Rose Adeline Thomas. She was also preceded in death by her husband Kenneth Lyle Hannah and a brother Jack Nolan Thomas.
Mrs. Hannah is survived by her daughters, Tammy Hannah McCrary and her husband Wayne, Cindy Hannah and Jodi Hannah; grandchildren, Adam and Andy McCrary, Chris and Rob Bellenfant, Amanda Curran and three great-grandchildren, all of Murfreesboro and many nieces, nephews and other loving family.
Mrs. Hannah was a member of the Bell Springs United Methodist Church, a 1954 graduate of Manchester High School and attended MTSU. She retired from the Phillips Book Store at MTSU.
Visitation will be 4:00-8:00 pm Thursday at Woodfin Memorial Chapel and again Friday from 12:00 noon until the time of funeral services at 2:00 pm at Bell Springs United Methodist Church in the Noah Community. Pastors David Stockton and Lewis Johnson will officiate.
Burial will be in the Farrar Hill Cemetery.
Family and friends will serve as pallbearers.
Woodfin Memorial Chapel, Murfreesboro in charge of arrangement
2/26/15 —- John Thomas “J.T.” McBee
John Thomas “J.T.” McBee, age 88 of Decherd, Tennessee, passed away on February 23, 2015 at the Southern Tennessee Medical Center in Winchester.
Mr. McBee retired from Carrier, Inc. after 33 years of service and later served 10 years with the Tennessee State Highway Department. He also farmed and enjoyed flying and CB radios during their popularity.
He was born in Alto, TN to his parents, the late John William McBee and Margaret Susan Jane Long McBee. He was also preceded in death by his sisters, Reba McBee Derrick, Ruby McBee Craig, Gertrude McBee and Margaret Louise McBee; and brothers, Thurman McBee, Hubert McBee, Edward McBee and Earl McBee.
He is survived by his sister, Helen Marie McBee Rhoads of Decherd, TN; and many nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be on Wednesday, February 25, 2015 from 5 – 8 p.m. at Central Funeral Home in Manchester.
The Funeral Service will be conducted on Thursday, February 26, 2015 at 1 p.m. at Central Funeral Home with Brother Barry Rhoads officiating.
Burial will follow at the Prairie Plains Church of Christ Cemetery.
CENTRAL FUNERAL HOME in Charge of Arrangements.
2/28/15 —- Russel “Nell” Simmons
Mrs. Russell “Nell” Simmons age 82 of Tullahoma passed away Tuesday, February 24, 2015 at Southern Tennessee Medical Center, Winchester, Tennessee.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, February 28, 2015, 11:00 AM at Daves-Culbertson Chapel with burial at Rose Hill Memorial Gardens, with Bro. David Wall officiating.
Visitation will be 9:00 until time of service.
A native of Coffee County, she was the daughter of the late Robert Russell Watson and Orene Crosslin Watson.
She attended First Baptist Church in Tullahoma. Nell worked in retail selling shoes, Nell was a great homemaker, she loved to cook and was very good at decorating her home. She loved her flower garden, bowling, which included lots of travel with various bowling leagues. In earlier years she was a very good skater. She also loved to take trips to Florida which always included sunbathing. She and her sisters had lots of enjoyable shopping trips, which included antique stores. Nell’s nickname given her by her father was “Snookie” but her dad always called her “Snookes”. Nell Simmons was a very social person, she loved people and they loved her.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Robert Russell and Orene Watson and her husband Odis Simmons.
She is survived by one son, Paul Simmons and his wife Pat of Tullahoma; two sisters, Louise Smith and Mary Bosswell both of Tullahoma; one grandson Jonathan Simmons and his wife Nickie ; two great grandchildren Paisley and Russell Simmons.
Daves-Culbertson Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.