Author's posts

Revenue Collections Down In Tennessee

The Tennessee Finance Commissioner says the state’s overall revenue collections for November are slightly more than they were this time last year.
The commissioner said Tuesday that November collections were $768.2 million, which is 0.35% above last November.
He said November collections for this year were $17 million less than the budgeted estimate, and the general fund fell short by $13.6 million.

Haslam Says No To State-Run Health Insurance Exchange

Gov. Bill Haslam

Gov. Bill Haslam has decided not to create a state-run health insurance exchange, leaving the operation to the federal government. Haslam announced his decision during a speech Monday. The governor, who had until Friday to decide, said the lack of information from the federal government was “scary.” The exchanges, part of the federal health care overhaul, create new online markets where consumers will be able to buy individual private health insurance coverage. Haslam previously said the state likely could run an exchange more efficiently but acknowledged getting legislative approval would be difficult. Many Republican lawmakers ran for office on a platform of opposing President Barack Obama’s health care plan. Tea party supporters protested the idea of a state-run exchange outside the Capitol last week, deriding it as “Haslamcare.”

Christmas Stroll In Tullahoma

Olde Towne Christmas Stroll, a longstanding Tullahoma Tradition… The city invites you to join them Tuesday, December 11 from 5pm – 8 pm. This free musical celebration takes place in Tullahoma’s historic district at sites delineated by luminaries. In keeping with the spirit of Christmas, the city asks you to bring a newly wrapped toy for Toys for Tots or non-perishable food item.

Fund Raiser For CCCHS Basketball

The Coffee County Red Raider basketball teams would like to invite you to a chili supper and silent auction on Dec. 14. The cost of the chili supper is $5. Also that same night the basketball teams will be giving away 2 pairs of tickets to the MTSU basketball on Dec. 18 against Tennessee St. in Murfreesboro. The tickets will be given away during the 2 halftimes of the Lincoln County games at Joe Frank Patch Gymnasium.

Westwood Players Receive Honors

Westwood Boys's basketball team and coaches

Two of the Westwood Rockets boys basketball team members earned high honors from the DRVC coaches.
7th grader Carlos Medina was named to the DRVC all tournament team for his performance in the 2012 DRVC tourney.
8th Grader Stephen Sullivan was named to the DRVC all conference team for his strong play through the entire 2012 season.
These awards were voted on by the coaches in the DRVC that faced the Rockets this season.
Head Coach Will Pannell said, “These two young men are very deserving of these awards. I am very proud of them. Pannell added, “Stephen has been with the program for the last 3 years and has improved greatly and I am so happy to see him win such a great award in his last season in the DRVC before he moves on to the high school”. Pannell said that Carlos has done a wonderful job this year and he is very excited to see what he is capable of accomplishing in the future, luckily he is only a 7th grader so he will have another season at Westwood.

TSSAA Forced to Open Books

A Davidson County chancery court judge has ruled that the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association is subject to the Tennessee Open Records Act in a lawsuit filed by The City Paper.
Chancellor Claudia Bonnyman ruled in favor of the newspaper in a summary judgment delivered in oral remarks on Friday and agreed that the association was the functional equivalent of a governmental agency.
The Nashville newspaper filed a lawsuit after the athletic association did not provide records pertaining to Montgomery Bell Academy and records pertaining to violations of financial aid rules.
John Williams, the attorney representing the newspaper, said the case sets a precedent in Tennessee regarding the public’s right to access records from TSSAA.
TSSAA Executive Director Bernard Childress said on Monday that they intend on appealing the ruling.

12/11/12 —- Louise H. Willis

Funeral services for Mrs. Louise H.  Willis, age 84, of Hillsboro, will be conducted at 2:30 PM on Tuesday, December  11, 2012 at Manchester Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Jon Bell and Rev. Bob Jared  officiating. 

Burial will follow at  Hillsboro Methodist Cemetery. 

Visitation with the family will be from 5:00 PM until 9:00 PM on Monday  at the funeral home. 

Mrs. Willis  passed away on Sunday, December 9, 2012 at her residence, surrounded by her  family.

Mrs. Willis was born in Viola, TN, the  daughter of the late Paul F. and Octa Roach Haston. 

She was a homemaker and a very active  member in the Hillsboro First United Methodist Church for many years.  She served as Thompson Hall’s 4-H Volunteer leader and  a Coffee County 4-H sponsor for nearly 60 years.  She and her family were named as 1991  Tennessee Master 4-H Family of the Year.  Mrs. Willis was a member of the Thompson Hall Home Demonstration Club and  served on the Coffee County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee.  She and her husband served as advisors  for Coffee County Young Farmers and Homemakers organization.  During her lifetime, she logged in many  hours as a volunteer for the Hillsboro Elementary School  PTA.

Mrs. Willis is survived by her loving  husband of 64 years, Fred C. Willis of Hillsboro; four daughters, Jeanne (Jon)  Bell, Bobbie (Bill) Myers, Charlotte (Joe) Keele, and Angie Banks; two sons,  Charles (Terri) Willis and Brent (Linda) Willis, all of Hillsboro; one brother,  Lowell (Patty) Haston of Viola; sixteen grandchildren, Diana (Matt) Clarady, Jon  (Jennifer) Bell, Jr., Emily (Kevin) Ragland, Bryan (Jane) Myers, Beth (Brian)  O’Reilly, Beverly (Jeff) Keele, Belinda (Chad) Black, Quent (Amanda) Willis,  Whitney (Mandy) Willis, Lance Willis, Wesley (Margaret) Keele, Maggie (Michael)  Millraney, Amy Willis, Ethan Willis, Zachary Banks, and Remington Banks; and 15  great grandchildren.

Memorial donations may be made to U.T.  Extension Office-Coffee County, 1331 McArthur Street, Manchester, TN  37355, in memory of Louise Willis for  Coffee County Extension Endowment.

MANCHESTER FUNERAL HOME IS HONORED TO SERVE THE WILLIS FAMILY

12/12/12 — Zyphia Ann Douglas

Funeral services for Mrs. Zyphia Ann  Douglas, age 59, of Manchester, will be conducted at 1:00 PM on Wednesday,  December 12, 2012 at Manchester Funeral Home Chapel with Bro. Danny Anderson and  Bro. Ross Banks officiating. 

Burial  will follow in Lynch Cemetery in Coffee County, TN. 

Visitation with the family will be from  5:00 PM until 9:00 PM on Tuesday at the funeral home. 

Mrs. Douglas passed away Saturday  afternoon at Centennial Medical Center in  Nashville.

Mrs. Douglas was born in Bedford  County, TN, the daughter of the late Eddie and Sara Estell Ledbetter  McCart.  She was a cook for the  Coffee County Schools System at the high school and attended Hurricane Grove  Baptist Church.

In addition to her parents, Mrs.  Douglas was also preceded in death by two brothers, Eddie Comwell McCart, Jr.  and Ray McCart. 

She is survived by  her loving husband of 41 years, Ronnie Douglas of Manchester; one son, Ronnie D.  Douglas, Jr. of Manchester; two daughters, Christy L. (Chuck) Alford and Donna  A. (John Jones) Douglas, both of Manchester; three brothers, Edward McCart,  Thomas McCart, and Robert McCart, all of Manchester; one sister, Margaret Jones  of Manchester; and eight grandchildren, Zyphia Lynn Douglas, Chuck D. Alford,  Jr., Austin C. Alford, Isaiah Jones, Elijah Jones, Michael Jones, Hannah Jones,  and Josh Jones.

MANCHESTER FUNERAL HOME IS HONORED TO SERVE THE DOUGLAS FAMILY

12/12/12 — Clifford Oscar Taylor, Jr.

Mr. Clifford Oscar Taylor, Jr , age 62, of Tullahoma, passed away Saturday night at his residence.

He was a native of Alto, TN , and the son of Rosie Lee Mearse Taylor and the late Clifford Oscar Taylor, Sr. He was employed by Tennessee Tanning in Tullahoma. Mr. Taylor enjoyed fishing and gardening. In addition to his father, he is also preceded in death by brothers James, Leonard, Howard, and Horace Taylor, and also a grandson Jeremy Wade Steele.

He is survived by his wife Lora Taylor of Tullahoma, three daughters Tiffany Steele of Elora, Rebecca Gail Pierce of Dickson, Jennifer Taylor of Memphis, two sons Clifford Howard Taylor of Tullahoma and Roger Taylor of Pennsylvania, four brothers Jerry, Johnny, Carl, and Danny Joe, all of Tullahoma, and sisters Annie Lou Painter and Margaret Ann Corbin, both of Tullahoma, Linda Kay Elliot of Estill Springs, Debbie Smith of Fayetteville, twenty grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews.

Visitation with the family will be Tuesday from 5:00PM until 9:00PM at Tullahoma Funeral Home.

Services will be conducted Wednesday at11:00AM in the Tullahoma Funeral Home Chapel with Reverend Daniel Boyd officiating.

Burial will follow in the Mount Carmel Cemetery in Manchester.

Tullahoma Funeral Home is honored to serve the family of Clifford Oscar Taylor, Jr.

Smithson Gets Life With No Parole

Jeffery Smithson will remain in jail for life

The murder trial of a Manchester man wrapped up on Friday in Coffee County Circuit Court. Jeffrey Smithson was accused of murdering his 81-year-old aunt Virginia White in August of 2011 in her Ingram Place Apartment in Manchester. A jury on Friday found Smithson guilty of first degree murder, first degree felony murder, theft of over $1,000, and especially aggravated robbery. White’s body was discovered after neighbors reported not seeing her. She was found with panty hose wrapped around her neck, blood on her face and she had what turned out to be a blow to the back of her head.
Smithson went on the run and was found a few days later in a field in Cannon County. He has been held in the Coffee County Jail under a $1 million bond. After hearing testimony from Virginia White’s sons, that brought some to tears, Jeffrey Smithson was sentenced to life in prison with no chance for parole.