County Commission... By Barry West

During Tuesday night’s Coffee County Commissioners meeting, a property tax increase was on the agenda. A motion was passed 15 – 6 to refer the budget back to the Budget & Finance Committee to look at the possibility of balancing the proposed budget. As it stands now, the property taxes would go up 3 or 4 cents, unless the finance committee can cut more from the budget.
Jason Little and Kirk Rutland were recognized by the city and the Manchester Fire & Rescue for their bravery in saving young Parker Jones’ life from a fiery vehicle crash on June 17.

The two heroes received a plaque from the City of Manchester and the Fire Department.  Coffee County also presented them with a certificate of appreciation.

The commission received a surprise during the meeting as Commissioner Chris Bird resigned from his District 20 seat immediately. Bird said he was leaving at the advice from his doctor. The county will begin searching for a new representative for that district.

A 27-year-old Manchester man was arrested last week on charges of rape and incest.
Jeffery Stephen Ricco of Expressway Drive in Manchester was arrested on sealed indictments issued by the June term of the Coffee County Grand Jury on the charges.
According to the indictments, in March of this year Ricco had sex with a relative who was under 13-years-old at the time of the incident.
Ricco is being held in the Coffee County Jail under a $50,000 bond.

Gov. Bill Haslam

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and State Education Commissioner Kevin Huffman says that statewide student performance on the 2012 Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) improved for the second year in a row, as the state continues to push toward academic achievement through its First to the Top education reforms.

Students reached higher levels of proficiency in 23 of 24 TCAP achievement tests in grades three through eight. Achievement also increased on most high school “End of Course” exams.

“The continued success of students is a testament to how much work Tennessee teachers have done in the classroom,” Haslam said during the event at West End Middle School in Nashville. “We’re so proud of our students, teachers and parents for supporting statewide efforts to improve education, and it is exciting to see gains for a second year in a row.”

TCAP results show that after two years of steady increases, half of students in grades three through eight were reading at grade level or above during the 2011-12 school year.

Additionally, 47 percent of students scored proficient or advanced in math — about 55,000 more than were on grade level two years ago. More than 60 percent of students were proficient or advanced in science — 38,000 more students than in 2010.

In high school, more than half of students scored proficient or advanced in English I, English II, Algebra I, biology and history for the first time since Tennessee raised its standards three years ago.

To improve the quality of education in Tennessee, TCAP Achievement tests and End of Course exams became aligned with more strategic and rigorous standards in 2009, a result of the Tennessee Diploma Project. In the face of higher standards, students have demonstrated growth on the assessments each year as Tennessee strives to become the fastest-improving state educational system in the nation.

Cheyanne Belcher... Picture and info from WSMV-TV

Authorities are still on the lookout for a runaway teen from Shelbyville. Cheyanne Starr Belcher, who is thirteen years of age, was last seen on Friday. The teen could possibly be in the Murfreesboro area. Her parents say they believe she is traveling with a 19-year-old, and the two may try to leave the state. Belcher is described as a white female with sandy blonde hair and hazel eyes. She weighs about 120-pounds and stands at 4’11”. If you know of Belcher’s whereabouts you are encouraged to call 1-800-THE LOST.

On Friday, July 6 the Air Force will hold a ceremony to officially redesignate Arnold Engineering Development Center as a complex and welcoming a new commander to Tullahoma. The redesignation is part of a consolidation plan announced last November by the Air Force and Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) designed to eliminate redundant staff positions and reduce costs. Under the terms of the plan, AEDC will only lose 18 civilian jobs as a result of the consolidation, and those positions will be phased out through attrition. The new five-center construct comes in response to a Department of Defense challenge to find efficiencies and save tax dollars. Jason Austin AEDC’s director of public affairs explained that AEDC have little change. Although the official ceremony will be held next month, the event does not mark the switch to the new operating model but, rather, the beginning of a transition period slated to wrap up on Oct. 1. In addition to officially changing AEDC’s name, the July 6 ceremony will also include a change of command, with Col. Raymond G. Toth taking over from the current commander, Col. Michael T. Brewer.