Student performance on the 2012 Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program improved significantly in school districts across the state. Nearly all of the state’s 136 districts saw proficiently levels increase, and two-thirds improved in every subject of the 3-8 TCAP Achievement tests. District proficiency levels reveal major improvements in math skills. More than 50 districts saw double-digit growth over last year in Algebra I, with some reporting gains greater than 30 percentage points. Additionally, 23 districts saw double-digit growth in grades 3-8 math.

The summer break for most children is soon coming to an end. Coffee County Schools will have an abbreviated day on August 2nd from 7:45 a.m. to 10 a.m. with the first full day of classes on August 6th. Manchester City Schools will have an abbreviated day on August 2nd, from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m., with regular classes beginning on August 6th. Classes at Tullahoma City Schools will be back in session August 1st. Franklin County is back to the drawing board on August 7th. Moore County Schools will have an abbreviated day on August 2nd with the first full day on August 6th.
Grundy County Schools will have an abbreviated day on August 3rd with the first full day of classes on August 7th.

This weekend, long lines of booksellers will be greeting book collectors in Cowan where rare books, magazines and even a 1744 map of California as an island will be featured. It’s all part of the Antiquarian Book Fair held every year in this tiny town at the base of Sewanee Mountain. This year there will be a signed first edition of “Gone with the Wind” and the British first edition of “Dymer” by C. S. Lewis.

Following an attack at a Colorado movie theatre, which left 12 people dead and at least 58 people wounded, Regal Cinemas, owner of the cinema eight in Tullahoma, announced it would be updating its policy on applicable theatre attire.  Ticket holders “should expect stricter controls over character attire and accessories at our theaters.”  Montana & Company owns the Oldham Theater in Winchester, Estill Springs’ Montana Drive-In, and theaters in Shelbyville and Sewanee. Montana & Company’s Beth Rhoton gave no comment whether or not those theaters would be increasing security or changing policies citing the media’s coverage of the shooting.

Early voting continues through July 28. Those voting in Manchester can do so at the Coffee County Election Commission office. Those who want to vote in Tullahoma can vote at C D Stamps Center. Saturday hours are 8:30 to noon in Manchester and 9 to noon in Tullahoma. Weekday hours are 8 to 4:30 in Manchester and 9 to 4:30 at C D Stamps Center. Don’t forget to bring your photo ID.
As of Thursday, 1,431 people cast a republican ballot, and 770 have voted as democrats. Coffee County’s total number of early voters so far is 2,346. WMSR will provide live election coverage beginning at 7pm Thursday, August 2nd.

An assisted living facility in the Grundy County town of Coalmont, Tenn., has paid more than $151,000 in back wages to 15 employees following a federal investigation.
According to a news release Thursday from the Department of Labor, Exceptional Enterprises Inc. violated the minimum wage and overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act.
Investigators said the employer had been improperly deducting time for sleep from employees’ hours, resulting in minimum wage violations for the sleep time that was not compensated. Additionally, the facility failed to pay employees overtime compensation at 1 1/2 times their regular rates.
The news release said an employee who is required to be on duty for less than 24 hours is considered working even if he or she is permitted to sleep or do other personal activities when not busy.