County Commission... By Barry West

On the agenda Tuesday night at the Coffee County Commission meeting was the appointment of members to the Ambulance Authority. Manchester Caucus nominated Anne Frisby to continue in her position. Rural Caucus Appointed Rennie Bell to continue in his position . Tullahoma Caucus wanted to defer until the September meeting for their appointment, but Commissioner Bobby Bryan brought up the issue of not voting for current member Jimmy Bradford. Commissioner Rush Bricken told Mr. Bryan that the decision was made by the majority of the Tullahoma Caucus and they had issues to work out. Bricken assured Bryan that Bradford would remain in that position until the September meeting. The issue was pushed to a vote with Bradford’s name placed into nomination. Commissioner Mark Kelly nominated Jody Baltz, who is the city administrator of Tullahoma. Votes were taken with Bradford receiving 10 votes, and Baltz getting 8 votes. One Commissioner abstained. Because neither received a majority of 11 votes, neither were appointed, and the matter will be brought up again in September. This whole procedure took over one and half hours.
In other business the budget was passed with no property tax increase.
A resolution about the Coffee County Government Internet Use Policy & Procedures was tabled until next meeting.
The body did pass a resolution to purchase a building and land next to the Rural Solid Waste Department for their use. The price tag for it is $92,500.00.

One person was killed in a single vehicle crash Wednesday morning on Interstate 24 near the Coffee County line.
The wreck was reported before 8 a.m. in the eastbound lanes of I-24 at mile marker 96.
A 1999 Audi was traveling east on Interstate 24 when the driver, identified as Andrew Ivanchuk, 21, of Wildwood, MO, fell asleep. The car traveled off the left side of the roadway, causing the driver to overcorrect to the right according to a THP report.
The car then crossed both lanes of I-24 and traveled off the right side of road, striking several large trees.
Killed in the wreck was a passenger identified as Danielle Janette Ivanchuk, 21, of Wildwood, MO.
Andrew Ivanchuk and 3-month-old, Veralyn Ivanchuk, were also injured in the crash.
Investigators said the child was properly seated but neither the driver or passenger were wearing their seat belts.

Gregorio Rosas Arenas

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has placed a McMinnville man wanted for murder on the state’s top 10 most wanted list.
The TBI says that 35-year-old Gregorio Rosas Arenas is wanted for the June 20 fatal shooting of 29-year-old Albertano Guerrero Trejo during an argument at Trejo’s apartment.
Arenas is described as a Hispanic male with black hair and brown eyes. He is 5’3” and weighs approximately 122 lbs. He was last seen driving a red Pontiac with Tennessee tag 555JPH that belongs to a different vehicle and may be in possession of the victim’s personal identification. Arenas should be considered armed and dangerous and approached with caution. Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Gregorio Rosas Arenas is urged to call the TBI at 1-800-TBI-FIND. There is a $1,000 reward for information leading to his arrest.

The seventh annual Tennessee “Sales Tax Holiday” is set to begin on Friday, August 3 at 12:01 a.m. and will end Sunday, August 5 at 11:59 p.m.
During the holiday, clothing with a purchase price of $100 or less per item is exempt from sales tax. School supplies exempted include items of $100 or less like binders, book bags, calculators, tape, chalk, crayons, erasers, folders, glue, pens, pencils, lunch boxes, notebooks, paper, ruler, and scissors. Additionally, there is no requirement that purchases be made only for students. If an item is tax exempt, anyone may make the purchase tax–free.
Computers with a purchase price of $1,500 or less, not for use in a trade or business, are also exempt from tax. Laptop computers, if priced at $1,500 or less, qualify as well as tablet computers.
For more information, please contact the Tennessee Department of Revenue online at www.tntaxholiday.com or at www.TN.gov/revenue. Citizens or merchants who have inquiries can also email salestax.holiday@tn.gov, or telephone 1 (800) 342-1003 7 a.m. – 5 p.m., CST, Monday through Friday.

Tennessee has moved up the ranks to 36^th from 39^thin child well-being in a newly released report on Wednesday. The annual report is compiled to improve evaluation of child well-being. Tennessee ranked better than most southern states in the Annie E. Casey KIDS COUNT project.
According to Tennessee Commission of Children and Youth, Tennessee’s ranking was lifted by its good showing on health domain, ranking 16th. Other scores; 38th on economic well-being, 39th for family and community well-being, and 42nd on education domain. Rankings on 16 indicators clustered in four domains – health, economic well-being, education, and family and community – are tallied to form the composite ranking.

The Tennessee Walking Show Horse Organization has released its results from the first round of swab test. Swab testing helps determine if a horse has been exposed to the practice of soring. As a result of TWSHO’s testing, three individuals have been suspended by the Walking Horse Trainers’ Association. The TWSHO’s goal is to rid the industry of trainers who use harmful chemicals on a horse’s front legs. The organization says swabbing is just the beginning of reform in the industry.