Van was on fire at the Marathon Station in front of the Manchester Post Office.. Photos provided

Truck and straw fire

Car inside a house on Spring St in Manchester

Manchester Fire and Rescue crews were busy Monday- first, crews responded to a vehicle fire at the Marathon Gas Station across from the post office. A van caught fire but was quickly extinguished before it spread past the engine compartment.
Next up Fire Chief George E. DeShields says workers were spreading straw on an access road in the industrial park. The straw on the ground caught fire and spread to the back of a truck. Both Manchester Fire and Rescue & Hillsboro VFD responded and while the straw was burnt, the truck was saved.
A few hours later, Manchester Fire and Rescue and Manchester Police were called to an incident where a vehicle rolled into a house. No occupants were in the car and the home was unoccupied.

As early voting continues for the May primary another list of candidates have qualified in non-partisan elections to be held locally on August 7.
Four of the seven seats on the Coffee County School Board could have been contested but only one race will have competition. Seat 4 will see incumbent Marilyn G. Morris face off against long time educator Pat Barton. Newcomer Sandra Klonaris will step into Seat 6 as Reggie Johnson decided not to run for re-election. Incumbents Brett Henley (Seat 3) and Freda Jones (Seat 2) are running unopposed. School board member serve 4-year terms.
In the Manchester Municipal Election for Aldermen there is a guarantee of at least two new aldermen. Alderman Cheryl Swan is the only incumbent seeking re-election. Aldermen Donny Parsley and Roxanne Patton did not file petitions to seek re-election.
Also qualifying to run for alderman are Tim Kilgore, Sam Miller, Claude S. Morse, Chris Robison, Lana Matthews Sain, Gary A. Trail and Nelson Watson.
The three candidates who receive the most votes in the Aug. 7 election will serve four-year terms.
In the race for three Manchester School Board members the incumbents (Lisa Gregory, Travis Hillis and Susan Wood) will return to their seats as no one else qualified. They will serve for 4 more years.
The deadline to register to vote in the August 7 elections is Tuesday, July 8. Early voting will be July 18 through Aug. 2.

An Estill Springs woman was arrested Saturday on charges of theft of property—shoplifting from Wal-Mart.
Loss prevention employee Antonio Frost alleged that Jeannie K. Sons, 26, of Fairview Street in Estill Springs took T-shirts, shorts, tank tops and sleepwear totaling $181.62 in value from the store and left without paying. She was found in the parking lot.
Tullahoma Officer Mickey Blanton transported Sons to the Coffee County Jail. She is scheduled to appear in Coffee County General Sessions Court May 22.

Amber Briggs

A Warren County woman is charged for a second time with doctor shopping for controlled substances, using TennCare benefits as payment.
The Office of Inspector General (OIG) announces the arrest of 28-year old Amber L. Briggs, of McMinnville. She is charged in a Unicoi County indictment with fraudulently obtaining a controlled substance by doctor shopping for prescription drugs, using TennCare to access healthcare benefits.
Briggs was arrested earlier this month after an indictment in Rutherford County charged her with two counts of doctor shopping for prescription drugs, using TennCare as payment.
“Prescription drug abuse is a target of communities large and small across Tennessee,” Inspector General Deborah Faulkner said.  “With the help of medical providers and local law enforcement, the Office of Inspector General is sending a message that abusing TennCare will have serious repercussions.”
TennCare fraud is a Class E felony, carrying a sentence of up to two years in prison. District Attorney General Tony Clark is prosecuting.
The OIG, which is separate from TennCare, began full operation in February 2005 and has investigated cases leading to over $3.5 million paid in restitution and recoupment to TennCare, with a total estimated cost avoidance of over $173 million for the TennCare program, according to latest figures.  To date, 2,089 people have been charged with TennCare fraud.
Through the OIG Cash for Tips Program established by the Legislature, Tennesseans can get cash rewards for TennCare fraud tips that lead to convictions.  Anyone can report suspected TennCare fraud by calling 1-800-433-3982 toll-free from anywhere in Tennessee, or log on to www.tn.gov/tnoig/ and follow the prompts that read “Report TennCare Fraud.”