Scammers are threatening convenience stores in Franklin County with disconnection unless they pay Duck River Electric Membership Corporation (DREMC) bills for August that they claim were not processed due to a “glitch in the system.”
The calls came from an 801-prefix telephone number. In each case, the female caller blamed a problem with the payment processing system and said that, unless the stores could resubmit the August amounts due, a “technician” would be sent to pull the meters.
The caller promised that the payments would be reimbursed when the processing system was back on line.
The store owners became alarmed and called the co-op’s Decherd district office.
District Manager Patrick Hannah cautions all DREMC members that “we don’t contact folks in that manner.” He warns that anyone receiving such a call should immediately hang up and get in touch with the co-op.
Earlier this year, scam artists targeted stores and other commercial accounts in the Manchester area, part of a growing problem that started with con games aimed at residential co-op members across the state.
The Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association (TECA) issued a statewide alert in April due to the volume of such calls.
“The calls sound official, and the caller ID may even display the utility name,” said TECA Executive Vice President and General Manager David Callis.
DREMC started receiving complaints from members about utility scams in August of 2013. Since then, the co-op’s advice has been to never share banking, identity or personal information with callers who make unsolicited telephone or in-person contact.
“It seems there is new version of the utility bill scam launched every month,” said Steve Oden, DREMC’s director of member services. “We don’t want our members to be taken in by these thieves. Don’t help them make you a victim. Hang up.”

Canadian country-rocker Dallas Smith will headline this year’s 41A Music and Arts Festival, set for the streets of downtown Tullahoma, Sept. 26 and 27. Currently touring with Florida Georgia Line, Smith is scheduled to play on Friday, Sept. 26, following country songwriter Logan Mize, who’s single “Used Up,” was recently a “Highway Find” on the popular Sirius XM satellite radio country music channel The Highway.
Classic country Johnny Collier Band, folk rocker Rob Aldridge and rock cover band Phat Tuesday, as well as return appearances from Shelbyville singer-songwriter Kacey Smith and rock party band Granny Low.
Catherine Murray’s musical tribute to Michael Jackson will also make a return performance.
“Three of the performers at 41-A played during the CMA Fan Fest.
For the complete line up, go to http://www.facebook.com/41Amusicfestival-highland
Proceeds support children’s charities in the area. With donations collected in the first four years, the club has been able to contribute more than $20,000 to charities such as Tullahoma Day Care, 5Loaves4Kids, Haven of Hope and Coffee County Imagination Library.
The 41-A poker run will take place on Saturday morning. Registration is at 10am, kickstands up at 11am. Entry fee is $15 and $10 for additional passenger. $300 1st place and $100 for 2nd place.

Tullahoma Utilities Board (TUB) will host its annual Public Power Week Celebration on Thursday, October 9th from 3:30 – 5:30 p.m. The event is a way for TUB—and the community—to celebrate decades of reliable public power. TUB is one of more than 2,000 other electric utilities that collectively provide electricity on a not-for-profit basis to 45 million Americans.
Public Power Week is a national, annual event that originated 28 years ago. It is sponsored in conjunction with the American Public Power Association (APPA) in Washington, D.C. APPA is the service organization for community and state-owned electric utilities.
The event will take place at TUB grounds and will host a wide variety of events including bucket truck rides, pizza, ice cream, memorial utility pole climbs, a prize wheel with cash giveaways, a bounce house, games for small children, and much more! What’s even better is that the entire event is FREE to the community!
TUB was created in 1947. Today, it has approximately 80 employees, serves approximately 10,500 utility customers, and has two substations that receive power directly from Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).