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Police and TBI Continue To Investigate Murder
Erika Megan Sharpton
A passing motorist saw something burning on the side of Awalt Road in Franklin County and found the body of the Motlow nursing student early Monday. Franklin County Sheriff Tim Fuller stated that they have interviewed a number of people in connection with this case. The sheriff stated that Wednesday the investigators gathered evidence in connection with the case but did not elaborate on what they found. Her body was transported to the State Medical Examiner’s Office for an autopsy. According to the sheriff, the autopsy revealed that her death was associated with blunt force trauma. The TBI, along with Franklin County Sheriff’s investigators and Tullahoma Police Investigator Jason Kennedy searched Sharpton’s East Lauderdale apartment gathering evidence, again the officers would not elaborate on the evidence collected. Sharpton’s vehicle was found Monday afternoon in Bedford County parked in the middle of Three Forks Bridge Road. Fuller stated that officers feel that people saw her Ford Mustang sitting in the middle of the road and if they did they will call the sheriff’s department. The sheriff asked that anyone who saw Sharpton Sunday afternoon or night to contact investigators at 931-967-2331 or the TBI at 1-800-TBI-FIND and let us know.
Tullahoma Man Busted For Drugs
Jonathan Taylor
A West Grundy Street man faces a number of drug charges following a traffic stop Wednesday night by a Tullahoma Police officer.
Tullahoma Officer Rocky Ruehling stopped a Dodge Ram on East Lincoln Street operated by Jonathan Taylor for failing to maintain his lane.
As the officer approached the car, Taylor opened the door to get out. As he did, Ruehling alleges that he observed a bag that contained marijuana sitting in the seat. The officer placed Taylor under arrest, asked him if he had any more drugs, and was told that there “was some marijuana in the floor.”
As the officer searched the car, he allegedly found 300 grams of marijuana along with several Oxycodone, Soma pills, digital scales, as well as $493.07 in cash.
Taylor was booked into the Coffee County Jail on charges of manufacture/delivery/sell of a controlled substance, possession of schedule II, possession of schedule IV, possession of drug paraphernalia, failure to maintain control of his vehicle and no proof of insurance. He is being held in the Coffee County Jail under a bond of $23,500 and is scheduled to appear in general sessions court July 26.
Tracy City Mayor Quits
At a recent meeting in the Grundy County town of Tracy City, their mayor resigned. Mayor Jim Campbell decided to leave his leadership roll due to health reasons.
The council also passed a resolution outlining procedures to follow after accepting Mayor Campbell’s resignation, which stated that due to the resignation of the mayor, council members would appoint a vice mayor or mayor pro tempore.
Tracy City Councilman Michael Price nominated Councilman Kevin Meeks for the position of vice mayor, which was approved by the board. Meeks will serve until the next meeting to be held July 10 at 6:30 p.m. at Tracy City Hall or until a new mayor is appointed.
Drought Becoming Problem Across The State
Low water levels at area lakes
The U.S. Drought Monitor issued its weekly-updated map of drought conditions, and things are looking decidedly worse across the state of Tennessee.
Last week’s map showed 26% of the state in the “severe drought” category that included Coffee and several surrounding counties. After a week that brought a new all-time record high temperature, and no organized rain, it’s safe to say that conditions were expected to get worse.
And that’s the case: nearly 65% of Tennessee, including all of Middle Tennessee, is now in the “severe drought” category. The map even paints “extreme drought” across the northwest corner of Middle Tennessee into northern parts of West Tennessee.
The drought’s impacts are currently classified as “short-term,” meaning the lack of rainfall has caused vegetation to dry out and primarily impacted farmers thus far. If the lack of rainfall continues through the summer, the impacts may become more “long-term.” That’s when the water tables are impacted and the dry conditions have a wider impact on all walks of wildlife, not just agriculture.
Woodbury Man Faces Child Porn Charges
A Woodbury man was arrested on possession of child pornography charges. 23-year-old Casey B. Basham evidently forgot his cell phone at a Dairy Queen in Murfreesboro, and the person who found the phone looked through the pictures saved to the device. That was when they discovered 24 child porn photos on the phone. Basham admitted to downloading the photos, and as a result was charged with 24 counts of possession of child pornography.
Golf Tournament Raises Money
L-R--Bobby Cummings, Tyler Freeman, Major Shelton, Roger Steele, Randall Robinson and Butch May
Titans Ready For Training Camp
The Titans have set their training camp practice schedule, which will include 12 practices open to the public at Baptist Sports Park and one open practice with the Atlanta Falcons in Georgia.
The first opportunity fans will have to see first-round draft pick Kendall Wright and his 2012 NFL Draft rookie classmates is 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Sunday, July 29.
All practices that are open to the public are free to attend and have been scheduled for evenings and afternoons.
7/8/12 — Judith Peterson
Judith Peterson of Tullahoma died unexpectedly July 2 at age 71.
She worked at the Tennessee Correction Academy until her retirement in 2004 after 20 years of service with the state.
She is preceded in death by her daughter Aili Helms, Tullahoma; father, Lloyd Tytlandsvik and mother, Juanita Snowdon, sister Barbara Jean Ransom; husbands Karl Krohn and Leonard Peterson.
Judy was born in 1941 in Loon Lake, Saskatchewan, Canada on a cattle ranch until her family moved to the Q-Ranch in Alberta. An avid horseback rider, she competed in barrel-racing and was runner-up Rodeo Queen at the Calgary Stampede. In 1970, she co-founded with her Dad the Tennessee Game Farm in Cheatham County which later became home to the Nashville Zoo.
Judith is survived by her two sons, Joe (Pam) Peterson, Joelton; Lee (Cindy) Peterson, Hendersonville; son-in-law, Kenny Helms, Tullahoma; brother, Casey (Debbie) Tytlandsvik, Nashville and three grandchildren, Crystal McDermond, Kyle and Wesley Peterson and several nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, donations are requested for the Aili Helms Mission Scholarship c/o FUMC 208 West Lauderdale Street – Tullahoma TN 37388.
A memorial service is planned for Sunday, July 8 at 2 pm Tullahoma Funeral Home 401 Westside Drive (931) 455-4567.
Tullahoma Funeral Home is honored to serve the family of Judith Peterson.
7/7/12 — Peggy Joan Butler Rhodes
Peggy Joan Butler Rhodes passed away on July 2, 2012, after a brief illness.
She was the widow of Dr. Virgil L. Rhodes, OD DOS.
Born in Manchester, TN, she was the daughter of Thurman Alexander and Connie Arnold Butler, both deceased. She was also preceded in death by her brothers Thurman Buell Butler and Billy Alexander Butler.
Her sister and true friend, Polly B. Cuzzort, survives.
Married to Dr. Rhodes on September 19, 1954, her children are Judy Rhodes Allen (Clark) and Jeff Butler Rhodes (Sonia). Her grandsons are Jake and Jeb Allen and John Rhodes. She has 5 nieces and nephews with 1 deceased niece and numerous grand nieces and nephews.
Mrs. Rhodes was valedictorian of the Manchester High School class of 1948. She received a Bachelors of Fine Arts from Peabody College at Vanderbilt in 1952. Following graduation she was a buyer for Castner Knott in Nashville. Later, she was employed as an Engineering Assistant at the Arnold Engineering Development Corporation (1954-1963).
An active member of the Auxiliary to the Tennessee Optometric Association, she worked tirelessly to improve the sight of young children and to raise awareness of the importance of vision. She served in several capacities with the Auxiliary over the years including as President.
A lifelong member of the First United Methodist Church in Manchester, she lived her life as a true example of a Christian woman.
Visitation with the Rhodes family will be Friday evening, July 6, 2012, from 5:00 until 8:00 p.m. at Coffee County Funeral Chapel.
Funeral services will be conducted Saturday, July 7, 2012, at 2:00 in the afternoon at the funeral home.
Burial to follow in Rose Hill Memorial Gardens.
The eulogy will be delivered by Dr. Richard Phillips, President of the Southern College of Optometry, Memphis with prayers from the Reverend Neal Glass, First United Methodist Church in Manchester. Serving as pallbearers are nephews Billy Butler, Steve Willmore, and Monte Rhodes and grand nephews Daniel Bradshaw, Adam Willmore and Alan Willmore. Honorary pallbearers are all the members of the TN Optometric Association and the American Optometric Association.
Memorials: Dr. Virgil and Peggy Rhodes Endowment Fund, Southern College of Optometry, 1245 Madison Avenue, Memphis, TN 38104-2222.
CASA Works, Inc., serving Bedford, Coffee and Rutherford counties. 224 West Fort Street, Manchester, TN 37355
An avid reader, she would be honored by donations of books to any library.
Coffee County Funeral Chapel in charge of arrangements
Raindrops Falling On My Head
As fire departments battle grass fires and Normandy Lake is at low levels, most of Coffee County received rain yesterday (July 4, 2012). This is the first measurable rainfall since June 11 according to the Tullahoma Utilities Board. Despite the rain, Normandy Lake remains some 7 feet below normal, reminding us all of the drought of 2007. The forecast the rest of the week calls for highs in the upper 90’s and a slight chance of rain each day.