The Tennessee Department of Transportation reports the number of traffic deaths on Tennessee roadways is more than six percent higher than this time last year. Beginning in late April, TDOT began posting the number of traffic deaths on interstate message boards. Since April 28, motorists have watched the number of deaths rise from 288 to 690. TDOT officials say the signs are bringing awareness. Tennessee Highway Patrol Colonel Tracy Trott says if it brings attention to the fact that almost 1,000 people die in Tennessee every year.

The deadline to register to vote in the upcoming November election is nearing. The deadline has been set as October 8th, according to the Coffee County Election Commission. November 6th is Election Day for the President of the United States. For more information on the election and the Voter ID law, stop by the election commission office in the Coffee County Administrative Plaza on McArthur Drive in Manchester.

The University of the South in Sewanee has been awarded a grant by the John Templeton Foundation to study the Laws of Life Essay Contest. The award of more than $1.1 million will allow principal investigator Sherry Hamby, research associate professor in the Department of Psychology, to conduct a comprehensive mixed-methods evaluation of the essay contest. The Laws of Life Essay Contest will be familiar to many people who either participated as students or have children who participated in the contest. The contest originated in Franklin County, the home of Sir John Templeton. The Laws of Life are principles such as the Golden Rule or “honesty is the best policy.” Students choose the Law of Life that has been most important to them and write an essay on how it has touched their lives.

Members of the Tullahoma Fire Department found more than they expected Tuesday when responding to a call of smoke coming from a vacant house.  Firefighters entered the house located at 511 East Grundy and found what appeared to be a meth lab. The firemen got out of the house and notified the police department. When Lt. Jason Ferrell arrived, he requested the Tennessee Meth Task Force to take possession of the chemicals.

Current Tullahoma Director of Schools Dan Lawson

The Tullahoma Board of Education is beginning its search to find a replacement for Tullahoma City School’s outgoing director.  A special meeting is planned for October 2nd at Tullahoma High School to obtain input from residents about what skills and qualifications they deem the replacement candidates should have. Dr. Tammy Grissom, Tennessee School Boards Association executive director, will lead groups in discussion designed to determine their views about the issues and challenges facing the school system and the director’s position. Board members agreed in August they prefer candidates have a doctoral degree plus administrative level experience. Dr Dan Lawson announced earlier this year that he would not be seeking an extension to his contract which expires June 30, 2013. The board has agreed to have a replacement in place before then with a May 1, 2013, deadline.

Two residents of Tullahoma have reported to police that someone has been illegally using their debit/ATM cards. Shelton Daniel of Smoke Rise Circle reported to Tullahoma Police Officer Kevin Smith that his ATM card was used at Mapco Market on East Lincoln Street. The people using the card obtained $202.50 and then charged $100.09 for two cartons of cigarettes at the store. Officer Smith learned that an attempt was used later at two other locations, but the card was declined due to Daniel notifying the card company that it had been stolen. Susan Baldwin of Growden Lane, Tullahoma, reported to Tullahoma investigator Lt. Jason Ferrell that someone had used her debit card to purchase $422 worth of jewelry in Mexico. Area police are warning residents to be alert when using credit cards and be sure to obtain a receipt after each purchase.

Flight Nurse Patrick Fair and Flight Paramedic Michael Clements in front of CCR 2 in Tullahoma. Photo by Tony Smith.

Vanderbilt LifeFlight is adding a new response vehicle to its fleet, one that will assist local emergency service agencies on days that the helicopter can’t fly due to unfavorable weather conditions.
A “Critical Care Response” car will be placed at each of the five LifeFlight helicopter community bases for the critical care medical teams to meet local EMS teams and assist transport by ground ambulance on missions that can’t be completed by air due to weather conditions. The cars are former Vanderbilt University Police Department patrol vehicles.
The LifeFlight medical crew will have all of the medical equipment and supplies that are normally available on the helicopter, including lifesaving blood.
Weather has a significant impact on LifeFlight’s ability to fly – in 2011 more than 1,300 missions were turned down due to poor weather conditions. LifeFlight has always offered its medical teams to help local EMS agencies on transports, however that was often a logistical challenge since the EMS agency had to pick up the teams at the local LifeFlight base.
The first of these vehicles has been placed at LifeFlight 2 at the Tullahoma Airport. The car, CCR 2, made its first mission within hours of being in service – the LifeFlight 2 crew responded to Harton Regional Medical Center to meet Coffee County EMS for a ground critical care transfer to Nashville.
Vanderbilt LifeFlight is the only non-profit air ambulance service in the Middle Tennessee region.

The seventh annual Middle Tennessee Remote Control Club Association will be held at the Tullahoma Regional Airport. The event will be held September 15 & 16.
This is the second year that the club has held their annual fly-in at the local airport. Last year members of the club requested permission to use the airport near the Beechcraft Heritage Museum. Like last year, the club is expecting as many as 30 airplanes to take part.  The event includes different competitions for planes built to scale, sport, giant scale, turbines and helicopters craft. The aircraft will take off and land on an unused taxiway at the airport. The event is open to the public.