The National Weather Service has confirmed that a tornado touched down in Bedford County late Monday afternoon (Sept. 17, 2012).
The storm survey team said on Tuesday they found damage consistent with an EF-0 tornado.
According to officials, EF-O tornados can have wind gusts up to 85 miles-per-hour.
No injuries were reported.
The National Weather Service also found scattered wind damage in Coffee and Warren Counties.

Thieves continue to obtain credit card numbers of area residents and making purchases in other states.
A Tullahoma woman reported to police that she checked her credit card information online and learned of a withdrawal of $6,000.
She learned that the withdrawal was for a furniture liquidation company in Elkridge, Maryland. She told police that she was not familiar with the company nor had she authorized a payment be made to the company with her credit card.

Special Investigations Section of the Tennessee Department of Revenue conducted the investigation that led to the arrest of the former general manager of Warren County Kubota on charges of sales tax evasion and theft. Irvie W. Loudermilk, Jr., age 55, was arrested by Special Agents of the Tennessee Department of Revenue.
On Friday (September 14, 2012), Irvie Loudermilk was indicted by a Warren County Grand Jury on multiple Class E felony counts of sales tax evasion and one Class C felony count of Theft of Property over $10,000. The indictments charge Irvie W. Loudermilk, Jr. with willfully attempting to evade or defeat sales tax totaling $18,120.77 during the period February 2011 through September 2011. Loudermilk was the general manager of Warren County Kubota during the period. On September 7, 2012, Loudermilk surrendered to Rutherford County Sheriff officials on similar charges relating to the Kubota store located in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
If convicted, Loudermilk could be sentenced to a maximum of two years in the state penitentiary and fined up to $3,000 for each count of attempted sales tax evasion and a maximum of six years in the state penitentiary and fined up to $10,000 for theft of property.

Early Tuesday morning flooding at Monteagle’s new sewage treatment plant filled the facility’s basement four feet deep with wastewater, potentially damaging equipment and leaving the town without sewer treatment capacity. Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation Agency spokeswoman Meg Lockhart said the incident happened overnight after heavy rains in the area. Electrical service was cut off at the plant and the backup, meanwhile, could overflow manholes and pump stations in Monteagle. Local firefighters brought pumping equipment to the plant Tuesday to pump wastewater from the basement onto the ground surrounding the plant because the treatment basins already are full.
Monteagle Mayor Marilyn Campbell Nixon said that plant workers discovered the mess early Tuesday. The plant, just opened this summer, is under warranty. She says contaminated water will be treated before being released into the creek system.

There will be a minor construction project taking place from Oct. 17 – 22 that will reduce or eliminate some of the Arnold Engineering Development Complex’s (AEDC) Visitor Center services during that timeframe.
This will have a direct impact on base employees, official visitors and the area’s military retirees and their dependents.
The Visitor Center will undergo a minor remodeling/reconfiguration project and some of the computer systems will be disconnected for several days, according to Dan Hawkins, AEDC’s installation security section manager.
“We ask patrons in need of military ID card services during this time to defer their request until after the construction is complete since the equipment required for this service will remain in the construction zone,” Hawkins said. “Emergencies will be handled on a case-by-case basis.”
Visitors coming to the base on official business will receive credentials from a temporary trailer set up in the parking lot. This service will be very limited and only pre-made credentials can be issued during this timeframe.
“We appreciate everyone’s patience during this time,” Hawkins said.
For additional information, please call Hawkins at 931-454-5504.

Tennessee has a new college savings plan officials hope will help students afford a higher education. Governor Bill Haslam and several state officials announced the “TNStars College Savings 529 Program” on Tuesday. Under the program, Tennesseans who open accounts with at least $50 will receive a one-time $50 match from the state. Those who roll over their account balances from other 529 college savings plans, including the state’s prepaid plan, will get $100. The program also has other benefits, such as federal tax-free earnings if the money is used for higher education expenses. About four years ago, the state partnered with Georgia to start a college savings plan. The new one is specific to Tennessee. Haslam praised the plan as a “great opportunity for Tennesseans who want to attend college.”

A federal judge in Chattanooga has sentenced a Tennessee walking horse trainer who was caught abusing horses in an undercover video to three years’ probation and fined him $75,000.
The video shows Jackie McConnell and others applying caustic substances to horses’ legs and hooves and beating the horses to make them stand.
The process is called soring and is used to enhance the horses’ high-stepping gait.
Stable hands Jeff Dockery and Joseph Abernathy were sentenced to one year probation and ordered to write an article about soring at the hearing Tuesday.
The Chattanooga Times Free Press reports that McConnell cried as he read a statement saying that he takes responsibility for what he did.

Junior Miss Coffee County 6-8 year-olds

4th #22 Parris Pless, 3rd #6 Jalie Grace Davis, 2nd #15 Lilee Scott, 1st #8 Kyleigh Morgan, Winner #1 Marli Brynn Miller

Junior Miss Coffee County 9-12 year-olds

4th #2 Macy Tabor, 3rd #11 Madison Golden, 2nd #14 Madison Murray, 1st #13 Bailey Nicole Keel, Winner #20 Kylie Reece Phillips

Thursday, September 20
7:00 PM Amateur Karaoke Contest-Final Round

Ride special: 2 for 1
1 Person Pays Full Price
2nd Person Rides Free

This Saturday will be the first ever antique tractor parade for tractors built in 1965 or before. The parade will go from CCMS to the fairgrounds.
Registration is at 8 a.m. on Saturday at the middle school. Participants are encouraged to display an American Flag from their tractors.