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Some 4-Year Colleges Finding Ways For Students To Use Tennessee Promise Money
Many people know the Tennessee Promise offers free tuition to the state’s community colleges. But the money can also be used at four-year schools that offer associate degrees.
WPLN-FM reports those schools are now trying hard to recruit Tennessee Promise students.
Ted Brown is the president of Martin Methodist College in Pulaski. He said they fight tooth and nail to recruit students and it is hard to compete with free. But graduating high school seniors who enroll in the college’s associate degree programs are eligible for Tennessee Promise money.
It won’t make Martin Methodist free, but it will pay a portion – about $4,000 of the school’s $21,000 tuition.
To be more competitive, Brown said the school plans to match the state’s money with its own financial aid funds.
Raider Academy To Hold Orientation For Incoming Freshmen
Coffee County Raider Academy will host an academic orientation for all incoming freshmen in 2015-16 school year next Tuesday, March 3rd from 6-8 PM.
Their academic orientation will serve as an opportunity for students and parents to receive vital registration information, tour of the building, and the Raider Academy vision.
They are looking forward to having eighth grade students from both Coffee County Middle and Westwood Middle School to join them for this informational meeting.
Tullahoma Gets Forfeit Win After TSSAA Throws Riverdale and Smyrna Out of Region Tournament
Riverdale and Smyrna girls’ basketball teams have been removed from the Region 4-AAA tournament. The ruling came from the TSSAA after both teams tried to throw the district tournament consolation game.
The removal from the region tournament, in effect, ends their season. That along with the TSSAA placing both teams on restrictive probation. That means they can’t participate in the postseason this year and are on probation next year. This is the only year they’ll be removed from the playoffs.
The consolation game, won by Smyrna, 55-29, was full of intentional miscues. The loser of the game would avoid a potential region semifinal matchup with defending state and national champion Blackman. Intentional over and back violations, missed free throws and even trying to shoot at the wrong goal.
Tullahoma girls were set to take on Riverdale on Monday night. The Lady Cats won the District 8-AAA championship for the first time since 1975 on Saturday. Tullahoma receives a forfeit win and will now play in the semi-finals on Wednesday. (Source WGNS)
2/28/15 —- John Mitchell Sawyer
Rev. John Mitchell Sawyer, of Tullahoma, passed this life on Friday, February 20th, 2015 at Life Care Center in Tullahoma at the age of 92.
Rev. Sawyer was born in the Lois Community in Moore County to the late Zery Norman Sawyer and Byrd Alice Mitchell Sawyer.
He served his country in the United States Navy During World War II and preached his first sermon at Pearl Harbor in 1945.
Rev. Sawyer continued his education at Tennessee Tech University, Middle Tennessee State University, and Emory University Seminary School. He became licensed to preach on July 1st, 1948 and received ordination as a deacon on July 1st, 1952. On July 1st, 1955 he was made an elder in full connection: he served many United Methodist congregations, including, The Pelham Charge, The Rickman Charge, Wartrace/Normandy Charge, Elkton, Shelbyville Whiteside Church, Wesley Heights Church in Tullahoma, Hillsboro/Prairie Plains Charge, Forrest Mills, Coffee County Cooperative, Forest Street Church in Clarksville, Cannon Church in Shelbyville, Bethel/Farris Chapel Charge, Clarkrange Church in Fentress County, Lynchburg Parrish, and Fredonia Church in Manchester. Rev. Sawyer also served one Presbyterian congregation at Hillsboro Cumberland Presbyterian.
He retired on June 15th, 2009. Rev. Sawyer was a member of the Order of Masons, the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Royal Arch Masons of Tennessee, Order of the Eastern Star-Winchester Chapter 196, Oddfellows Lodge, The Navigators, United Daughters of the Confederacy, American Legion-Manchester Post 78, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the Disabled American Veterans.
In addition to his parents, Rev. Sawyer is preceded by his wife of 59 years, Etta Lois Stewart Sawyer; one daughter, Carolyn Sawyer Damron; two brothers, James “Jim” Sawyer and Billy Earnest Sawyer; and one sister, Lucille Stewart.
He is survived by one daughter, Sandi Sawyer Nichols and her husband Bruce of Lynchburg; son-in-law, Donald Damron of Tullahoma; five grandchildren, Dewayne Damron and his wife Jennifer of Lynchburg, Cindy Damron Goodwin of Tullahoma, Dr. P. Brent Nichols and his wife Tanya of Spokane, Washington, Dr. Carrie Nichols Elkins and her husband Michael of Heflin, Alabama, and John Paul Damron and his wife Darla of Shelbyville; 11 great-grandchildren, Cory Damron and his wife Chelsee, Reagan Damron, Callie Goodwin, Thomas Mitchell Goodwin, Hannah Nichols, Chloe Nichols, Seth Elkins, Sawyer Elkins, Lucy Damron, Katherine Damron, and Jeanna Damron; one great-great-granddaughter, Alyssa Walls; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Visitation for Rev. Sawyer will be held on Friday, February 27th, 2015 at Kilgore Funeral Home from 5:00-8:00 pm.
Funeral Services will be held on Saturday, February 28th, 2015 at 2:00 pm in the Kilgore Funeral Home Chapel with Revs. AJ Alderman, Bob Case, and J.C. Stewart officiating. Masonic Rites will also be held at the funeral home to conclude the funeral service.
Burial with military honors will follow at Rose Hill Memorial Gardens in Tullahoma.
Nephews will serve as pallbearers and Methodist Ministers and their spouses will serve as honorary pallbearers.
Kilgore Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
2/25/15 —– Edward “Jack” Phillips
Edward “Jack” Phillips, of Tullahoma, passed this life on Sunday, February 22nd, 2015 at his residence at the age of 81.
Mr. Phillips was born in Franklin County, Tennessee to the late John Clayton and Emma Pauline Phillips.
Mr. Phillips served his country in the United States Army during Korea and Vietnam as well as the Army National Guard. He went on to work as a machinist with Carrier Technology, where he retired from in 1995.
Mr. Phillips attended Vine Street Church of God and was an avid hunter, particularly of squirrels, rabbits, and raccoons. He also raised and bred beagles for many years.
In addition to his parents, Mr. Phillips is preceded in death by two brothers, Aubrey “Cobb” Phillips, and Wayne Phillips; one sister, Doris Neal; and one son, Randall Phillips.
He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Doris Benson Phillips; four children, Michael “Eddie” Phillips and his wife Sherry of Gallatin, Karen Phillips Hargrove and her husband Jimmy of Tullahoma, Judy Phillips Evans and her husband Keith of Tullahoma, and Johnny C. Phillips and his wife Grace of Tullahoma; seven grandchildren, Jeremy and his wife Nycole, Justin and his wife Jada, Renia and her husband Cody, Tifini and her husband Josh, Andrea and her husband Jason, Amanda and her husband Andy, and Cruz; five great-grandchildren, Colin, Carter, Riley, Michael, and Hudson; one brother, Ronald Phillips; and three sisters, Era Wilhoit, Lillian Stewart, Linda Hane.
Visitation will be held on Tuesday, February 24th, 2015 at Kilgore Funeral Home from 5:00-8:00 pm.
Funeral Services will be held on Wednesday, February 25th, 2015 at 1:00 pm in the Kilgore Funeral Home Chapel with Bros. Glenn Thomas and Ronnie Holloway officiating.
Burial will follow at New Center Grove Cemetery in Franklin County.
Pallbearers will be Dale Cook, Vertie Keith, Richard Benson, Kelly Cunningham, Joey Phillips, and Josh Baker.
Kilgore Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Cold Weather Takes The Life Of Area Man
As the cold weather moved through the area last week there have been several deaths associated with the weather, one of those in neighboring Moore County.
According to Moore County Sheriff Mark Logan, Bill Barton, 73, was found dead in his Magnolia Street residence Thursday morning.
“He was using a little space heater to heat with but the temperature inside the house was 44 degrees,” the sheriff said. Logan stated that Barton had been in failing health.
To try and prevent deaths the Coffee County Emergency Management Agency in conjunction with the Manchester Fire Department operated an emergency shelter at the Red Raider Academy.
“We had several residents of the county to take advantage of the shelter,” Coffee County EMA director Allen Lendley stated Friday afternoon. They had cots for people to sleep and they provided food.
DREMC Battles Weekend Power Outages
System damage from the second ice storm to hit Duck River Electric Membership Corp. within a week was more widespread across the service territory. Line crews worked through the weekend to restore power.
This time, wind gusts in the early morning hours brought down trees, branches and limbs already weakened by the weight of un-melted ice from the earlier winter storm. Daylight revealed significant damage in Maury, Marshall, Bedford and Coffee counties.
All DREMC line crews were deployed. Contract crews also have been called in to assist.
The breakdown of members that were out in the district at its peak: Manchester, 1,487; Shelbyville, 843; Columbia, 759; Lewisburg, 535; Decherd, 43; Chapel Hill, 7.
Crews have worked since before daylight to assess the damage and initiate repairs. The outage total began to climb around 3 a.m. when winds picked up.
“This is part of the double-whammy of an ice storm. What our linemen have already repaired might come down again with the thaw,” said Steve Oden, DREMC’s director of member services.
Most of the problems have been caused by large trees growing off the cleared rights-of-way (ROW) on private property. DREMC operates an aggressive vegetation management program aimed at clearing and trimming ROW on regular cycles. However, “danger trees” beyond the clearance zones can reach lines when they fall in high winds or because of ice buildup.
21 Weather Related Deaths In Tennessee
The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency has confirmed 21, weather-related fatalities in the state as a result of the brutal winter weather (11 from hypothermia). Gov. Haslam elevated Tennessee to a Level II-State of Emergency due to the major impacts to infrastructure, power and roads as a result of the snow, ice and heavy rain in the state over the weekend.
Fatalities
• Benton County – One (1) fatality: 64-year-old female, motor vehicle accident
• Hamilton County – One (1) fatality: 63-year-old male, hypothermia related
• Haywood County – One (1) fatality: 40-year-old female, motor vehicle accident
• Henry County – Two (2) fatalities: 64-year-old female, hypothermia related; 69-year-old male, hypothermia related
• Hickman County (1) fatality: 67-year-old male, dialysis patient, unable to get to treatment
• Knox County – Four (4) fatalities: 30-year-old male, motor vehicle accident; 75-year-old male, fire; 68-year-old female, fire; 47-year-old male, fire
• Moore County – One (1) fatality: 73-year-old male, hypothermia
• Overton County – One (1) fatality: 38-year-old female, motor vehicle accident
• Roane County – One (1) fatality, 44-year-old male, hypothermia related
• Sequatchie – One (1) fatality, 85-year-old male, hypothermia related
• Sevier – Two (2) fatalities, 70-year-old female, hypothermia related; (age unknown) male, hypothermia related
• Shelby County – Three (3) fatalities: 48-year-old male, hypothermia related; (age unknown) male, hypothermia related; (demographics unknown), hypothermia related.
• Williamson County – Two (2) fatalities: 34-year-old female; 10-year-old male, motor vehicle accident
TNStars Helping Families
TNStars College Savings 529 plan has just been recognized as the top direct-sold plan in the nation. TNStars™ is a program of the Tennessee Department of Treasury. The number one ranking comes from SavingForCollege.org, who analyzes the investment performance figures for thousands of 529 portfolios and ranks the 529 savings plans from best to worst. The latest report released compares one-year investment performance as of December 31, 2014. TNStars™ investment options rank number one in the nation.
TNStars™ is designed to give Tennessee families high quality investment options at a low cost to help them put aside money for higher education expenses, while enjoying certain tax advantages and special incentives. Tennesseans can invest directly with the program, without having to go through a financial advisor. Money can be withdrawn from a TNStars™ account tax-free as long as it is used for qualified post-secondary education expenses.
Currently, all families who open savings account with TNStars™ can receive up to $375 in incentives. Some families will qualify for a four-to-one match of up to $1500 per child. Money saved in a TNStars 529 account, including any extra incentives, can be used not only for post-secondary education tuition and fees, but also additional related expenses such as course books, room and board, and equipment and supplies required for attendance and enrollment at a qualified institution.
To learn more about opening a TNStars™ account or participate in this nationally top-ranked college savings program, visit www.TNStars.com.
Nicoll Sworn In As Public Defender
John Nicoll sworn in as family and supporters watch ceremony… Photo provided.
Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam appointed John E. Nicoll as the public defender for the 14th Judicial District, which covers Coffee County.
Nicoll fills the vacancy left by the late B. Campbell Smoot, Jr., who passed away November 18, 2014.
Nicoll, 41, is founder and managing partner of the Nicoll Law Firm, PLLC, in Manchester. He has represented more than 200 indigent criminal defendants in the state and federal courts of Tennessee and has served as a member of the Criminal Justice Act Panels for the U.S. District Courts for the Middle and Eastern Districts of Tennessee.
As a U.S. Army Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps officer from 2000-2004, Nicoll successfully prosecuted more than 150 felony cases.