Gov. Bill Haslam

Election Day also marked the start of this year’s budget season in state government. Gov. Bill Haslam’s Administration is asking departments to at least prepare for cuts of five percent. Some parts of state government may get trimmed under Governor Bill Haslam’s proposal, even as tax collections continue to improve. He says the rise in revenue still leaves some holes. Haslam says higher education needs some more investment and the state also needs to make up for past cuts to the Department of Correction.

Tyler Campbell, the 19-year-old who was reported missing in Lincoln County over the weekend, has been found alive. He was found Tuesday afternoon off Interstate 65 North, just south of the Tennessee line. He is okay. Lincoln County Sheriff Murray Blackwelder said Campbell ran off the road in his truck Saturday night. He went down a ravine and got stuck there for three days. Campbell was just able to get up the ravine today, and climbed up, crawled under a guardrail and flagged down a passing driver. Paramedics took him to Huntsville Hospital for treatment.

On Veterans Day, Sunday November 11, 2012, the Manchester American Legion Gold Star Post 78 will host a ceremony at 2pm on the square in Manchester. All citizens, but especially veterans, the families of any deceased veteran or any person currently serving on active duty, reserve or in the guard are invited to attend. The ceremony will honor those who have or still serving our country. In case of bad weather, the event will be held at the Coffee County Veterans Building at 130 Shelton Lane in Manchester.

Delivering the meal in front, from left are Chip Gesell, Jayden Rankin, Firefighter Amber Reed and Assistant Chief Mark Reed. In back are Chief Charlie Taylor and Firefighter Gary Gesell

Members of the Manchester Fire & Rescue prepared and delivered a meal to feed guests at the Ronald McDonald House in Chattanooga last Friday evening. Firefighter Amber Reed stayed at the house for 11 weeks when her daughter, Jayden, was born nine years ago. Friday marked the anniversary date when Jayden was released from Erlanger Hospital so the Manchester Fire & Rescue prepared a meal of ham, sweet potatoes, mixed vegetables, rolls, deserts and drinks for the guests of the house as a way to help Amber and Jayden return some of the hospitality they received nine years ago.

Donnie Jones

Donnie Jones, 37, of Tullahoma, has been charged with first-degree murder in July 2 death of Megan Sharpton, 24, also of Tullahoma. Jones is also facing rape and kidnapping charges in Sharpton’s death. Sharpton’s partially burned body was found by a passerby in the early morning hours of July 2 of this year on Awalt Road near the bridge in Franklin County. Her car was found later that day on Three Forks Bridge Road in Bedford County, while her purse was discovered two days later in Rock Creek near Estill Springs. Sharpton, was a nursing student at Motlow and waitress at a Tullahoma restaurant. Jones was arrested late Monday by Franklin County Sheriff Department investigators after being indicted by the Franklin County Grand Jury. He was transferred Monday night to the Franklin County jail from the Coffee County Jail, where he was being held on unrelated weapons charges. He is being held without bond.

A major drug bust has occurred and the Manchester Police department is too commended for their work on the case. The bust was at least part of a multi-county drug pipeline that had been operating for more than two years.
A confidential female informant who helped police said violent dealers will do what it takes to protect their golden goose. In this case a never ending supply of pills like oxycodone hitting the streets for big money in six counties: Coffee, Rutherford, Bedford, Franklin, Williamson and Davidson.
Billy Butler Chief Investigator for Manchester told WMSR, “We are talking thousands and thousands of pills that hit the streets during the past two years because of this scheme.
Butler said the dealers somehow obtained lists of the DEA numbers needed to write their own narcotic prescriptions and then started printing up their own prescriptions after somehow obtaining the special paper need to complete the task.
“Pharmacies usually catch fakes,” said Butler. “But not these…they are too good.”
A joint operation between Manchester and Murfreesboro police led to the confiscation of bogus prescriptions, computers and printers used to make the fakes. Three people have been arrested; Gary Pinkston, Christine Sankey and Johnny Turner. The three had been living in Coffee County.
Butler said that more arrests are coming including some prominent doctors and registered nurses involved in the scheme.

Today is Election Day (Nov. 6, 2012). Only one local race is contested that is for District 20 commissioner. Republican Gary Kidd and Democrat Paul Buckner are competing for this seat. Other competitive races are for U.S. President, 47th State Rep., U.S. Congress 6th District, U.S. Senate and Tennessee State Senate 16th District.
Over 11,000 people early voted in Coffee County.
Polls are open today from 8am-7pm. For more information on the 2012 election, call 931-723-5103.