CAEL WHITEHEAD

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation AMBER Alert issued on behalf of the Houston County Sheriff’s Office was canceled Wednesday afternoon after the subject and child were located traveling in his vehicle in Marion County. A driver of a tractor trailer spotted the vehicle traveling east on 1-24 through Marion County and contacted authorities. It was originally reported that this occurred in Coffee County but it was actually in Marion County. A Tennessee Highway Patrol trooper pulled the vehicle over and discovered the child; 2-year-old Cael Whitehead was safe. The subject, Austin Whitehead, who had outstanding warrants on him was arrested and booked into the Marion County Jail.

Austin Whitehead

Crash scene photo by Barry West

Right after 9am Wednesday morning a two-car accident occurred in Manchester. Emily Haggard was the driver of a Ford Mustang and was waiting to turn left off Hwy 41 into Hardees. A Nissan Altima driven by Elizabeth Stanbaugh had made her way into the turn lane and that’s when there was a head-on collision. Stanbaugh checked out at the scene and Haggard was uninjured. Manchester Police and Fire and Rescue worked the scene.

Tullahoma Director of Schools Dan Lawson

Tullahoma City School’s Director Dr Dan Lawson will remain in Tullahoma. After a two-hour meeting Tuesday night the school board voted to offer an extension to the contract to Lawson. Voting for the extension were Linda Thoma, Kim Uselton, Chairman Pat Welsh and Vickie Shelton. Voting no were Teresa Lawson, Sharon Vance and John Manis. Lawson was being considered as a superintendent in Oak Ridge and at Jackson-Madison County Schools in Jackson, TN. before the new deal was offered by Tullahoma.

Senator Lamar Alexander

Republican U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander is proposing a “grand swap” in which the federal government would take over all responsibility for Medicaid and the states would gain all control over education. The senator said an address to a joint session of the Tennessee General Assembly on Wednesday said that proposal mirrors one he made to President Ronald Reagan three decades ago while Alexander was the state’s governor. Alexander said Reagan embraced the idea, but it did not gain any traction in Congress. Alexander told reporters after the speech on Tuesday that he sees similar barriers to his proposal amid Democratic control of the Senate and the presidency but said the change would remove the concerns and political challenges facing the states on expanding Medicaid or creating state insurance exchanges.

The 2013 Nissan Leaf is now being produced in Tennessee. Nissan announced in a news release on Wednesday that production of the all-electric car had begun in Smyrna, next door to the company’s lithium-ion automotive battery plant. The new Leaf features faster charging and what will likely be an extended driving range, although that will be determined by Environmental Protection Agency testing. In addition, 2013 will see a new lower priced entry-level Leaf S grade. Meanwhile, the SL grade will see enhancements like leather-appointed seating and 17-inch aluminum-alloy wheels.

Layout of Lake Winnie

Lake Winnepesaukah announced the name for their new water park, which was unveiled in October. The new water park will be called ‘SoakYa,’ perhaps designed to play off the park’s name of Lake Winnepesaukah. Ground was broken Wednesday on the multi-million dollar waterpark that will be on the west side of the current park. Once completed, the new waterpark with feature a lazy river, wave lagoon, flume body slides, enclosed tube slides and side-by-side racer slides. There will also be a splash park for toddlers, and shaded lounge seating, retail shops and changing areas. The addition is expected to open for the summer of 2013.