A Lynchburg man is being held in the Coffee County Jail on charges of kidnapping, aggravated assault and criminal impersonation. Nicholas Deangelo Beasley, 19, of Craig St. Lynchburg was indicted by the October term of the Coffee County Grand Jury. According to indictments, Beasley is accused of placing a gun to the head of Jimmy Leroy Corrigan of Silver Street, Tullahoma and taking his wallet. Beasley was indicted for the robbery. Beasley then allegedly forced Anthony Harmon of Old Manchester Highway, Tullahoma to drive him away from the residence. For forcing Harmon to drive him away from the residence, Beasley was indicted for kidnapping. Beasely is being held in the Coffee County Jail under a bond of $32,500.

The Tennessee Highway Patrol will be conducted extensive roadblocks in the area during the Thanksgiving holiday with the first ones set for Friday night here in Coffee County. This is being done in an effort to get drunk drivers off of the roadway. Be aware that the Tennessee Highway Patrol will be out in full force throughout the state.

A crash occurred early Tuesday morning around 12:50 a.m. on Highway 127 in Franklin County. According to the Tennessee Highway Patrol, a pickup truck left the roadway and traveled some 400 feet through a field and came to rest against a fence and caught fire. The body was sent to the State Medical Examiner’s Office for an autopsy and to identify the body. According to Franklin County Sheriff Tim Fuller, authorities were notified of the burning vehicle by an individual who was driving by and saw the fire. Authorities had a difficulty in reaching the pickup due to its location in the field.

FOOD, FAMILY, FRIENDS AND CELEBRATIONS. It’s holiday time! But, how do our pets handle it? Some of the simple things we take part in over the holidays can often be hazardous to our pets’ health, from food to decorations. Doctor Doug Aspros, President of the American Veterinary Medical Association says, “There are ten common hazards that pet owners should be aware of at this time of year”. If you keep these at the top of mind and away from pets, everyone will enjoy the holidays free from trips to the emergency clinic. Start with table scraps, candy, tasty decorations, flowers and plants, sugar-free snacks and chocolate. Then consider candles – keep them away from your pets’ reach and their wagging tail as they can be a hazard. If you’re having a holiday party, keep your pets in a separate room away from arriving guests where they can feel safe and secure. Finally, it’s best not to give a pet as a gift because the recipients won’t be able to choose one for themselves. For more holiday pet safety tips, visit avma.org.

The holiday shopping season is upon us. Area police would like to take an opportunity to remind citizens and visitors of a few crime prevention and safety tips to make the shopping experience enjoyable and safe. 1. Don’t shop alone, take a friend or relative with you. 2. Take only the cash or credit cards you believe you will need. Make sure you have the information avail able to notify the bank or credit card company in the event of loss or theft. Keep cash, credit cards, and ID in a front pants pocket whenever possible. 3. Keep close control on your purse or wallet. Do not leave your purse unattended or open in a shopping cart. 4. When paying for a purchase, do not “flash” large amounts of cash and use your body to shield your credit card information and any personal data. The availability of camera phones makes it too easy to capture credit card or driver’s license information for retrieval later. 5. Don’t carry so many packages. 6. Park your vehicle in a well lit area and survey the area for suspicious vehicles or people before exiting your vehicle. Make sure your windows are rolled up and the vehicle is locked. Any items of value should be placed in the trunk or out of sight. 7. When walking to your car have your keys out and available. Place your packages in the trunk or out of sight before going to your next destination. Make sure your doors are still locked and look in your vehicle before entering it. Once in your vehicle immediately lock the doors. 8. Above all, be aware of your surroundings. Notify store security or local law enforcement if you feel you are being followed or if you observe activity that does not appear “right”. 9. Be cautious of strangers that offer you products or try to engage you in long conversation, do not be distracted. 10. If you are concerned about a situation, please notify store security or call 911 for emergencies.

Yesterday (Nov. 20, 2012) Manchester city officials accepted the resignation of City CFO Ester Greene.
Mrs. Greene expressed her desire to resign from her post on Monday citing her lack of confidence that she “would be able to live up to this boards expectations.” The city did seek legal council on protocol before accepting the resignation.
Vice Mayor French released the following statement on the matter:
“The city is at a critical juncture in terms of instituting new best business practices in our finance/accounting division and we need a focus and dedication from our staff that will see us through these transitions of policy, as well as our current audit. Mrs. Greene was not confident that she was able to perform these duties to the expectation level of this board.”
French added, “At the end of the day our board has requested the highest level of transparency. It is critical to this administration that we continue to strive for honesty and transparency in our local government and I am confident that we are on the correct path in that regard.”
French said, “Moving forward the search for a new CFO will be comprehensive and detailed. This particular hire is something that should be completed only when the highest level of confidence is entrusted into a candidate and when we feel we have the right person to work in a completely open and honest atmosphere.”
City of Manchester officials accepted the resignation at last night’s city meeting. Leaders also named Bridgett Anderson as interim Finance Director.

Three Franklin County teenagers were killed in a fiery crash, just over the Alabama line on Sunday night.
Two vehicles were involved in the crash on Mulberry Road in Hazel Green, Alabama. Four people were inside one of the vehicle, a 2013 Dodge Dart. The victims were identified as Jonah Bradley, Chad Swafford and Jeff Stewart.
Waylan Terpay, who was also inside the boys’ car, survived the wreck and was taken to a hospital in Huntsville, AL. The three victims all graduated from Huntland High School in May.
The cause of the crash was not immediately known.

The Tennessee Supreme Court on Monday upheld a decision of the Chancery Court for Franklin County to permit the continued development of Cooley’s Rift, a 1,400-acre residential development near Monteagle, despite objections from some original homeowners to changes in the development plan. In 2005, after the president of the original developer of Cooley’s Rift died, New Life Development Corp. purchased the real property and the rights to develop Cooley’s Rift. Several existing property owners objected to New Life Development’s revised plans for the property and filed suit in the Chancery Court for Franklin County. The trial court dismissed property owners’ suit, but in 2009, the Court of Appeals instructed the trial court to decide whether the revised plans were contrary to implied restrictions in the subdivision plat or the development documents. In a unanimous opinion, the court ruled that the homeowners’ association had validly adopted the amendments.