Outside County Jail... Photo by Barry West

A Winchester man is being held in the Coffee County Jail under a $1 million bond. Marcus Wade was transferred from federal custody to the county lock up Friday morning to face charges in connection with the October 2011 double murder at a Tullahoma motel of two Franklin County men. Wade is accused of killing Richard Wayne Elliott and Timothy Gill. He was released from federal custody after charges were dismissed last week. Sheriff Steve Graves stated Friday that Wade’s return to Coffee County is causing serious problems in the already overcrowded jail. The sheriff noted that due to Wade being a high risk prisoner, one cell block has been cleared out and he is being held in the cell. Wade has been linked to several murders in Franklin County, another one in Coffee County and possibly Bedford County. He has been called part of a major crack cocaine drug trafficking organization. He is scheduled to appear in Coffee County Circuit Court May 30.

Indiana Bat

During a meeting of the Coffee County Budget and Finance Committee was told by members of the Jail Review Committee that an endangered species known as the Indiana bat could delay construction of the new jail if the county decides to issue bonds through the U.S. Department of Agriculture. According to county and USDA officials, the USDA’s rural development bonds require National Environmental Protection Act assessments by several environmental and wildlife agencies for any project involving the clearing of trees, construction or land disturbance. Upon the county’s recent application for rural development bond financing to construct the new jail, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service determined that, due to the presence of wetlands and trees of a certain size at the new jail site, a biologist will have to determine whether the Indiana bat resides on the property. If the bats are present, the county cannot clear any trees on the property until after the bat’s mating season ends September 30 if the county wishes to use this source of federal funding to construct the jail. That means jail construction will be delayed.

House burns in Gossburg... Photo by Barry West

Just as the rains started around 8:30 Saturday night, a call came into the Communication Center to report a house fire on Gossburg Road. It occurred around the 6 mile marker and the home was totally engulfed when the Sheriff’s Deputies and North Coffee Fire Department arrived. It was reported as a vacant house and the fire department made the decision to let it burn. The department stayed at the scene and made sure the fire was contained. No one was hurt and the cause was unknown at this time. Coffee County Deputies will investigate.

The Tullahoma Beer Board has directed Gregory Jackson of Young, Inc., owner of the Piggly Wiggly store on East Lincoln St., is to appear for a “show cause” hearing at City Hall tonight to explain why the company has not met the conditions established at its complaint hearing in February. The February hearing resulted from a December “sting” operation in which 10 of 27 local establishments with permits to sell beer were caught selling it to an underage female. In lieu of other penalties, Jackson had accepted the option of having his employees and himself complete an approved vendor training program within 60 days of the February hearing, but according to the Beer Board, the company has thus far failed to comply. Completion of said training and certification would have resulted in a reduction of the probationary period from five years to one year.

Jesse Rogers

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation last week arrested Jesse Elbert Rogers, 60, on charges of Bribery of a Witness and Solicitation to Compound a Felony.
Rogers is employed by and owns Universal Technologies, Inc., located in Estill Springs, TN. He is charged with paying over $5,000.00 to a complainant on an unrelated criminal case in Franklin County. The payment was part of an agreement to have the complainant drop the charges against one of Rogers’ employees, Anthony Lee Carrick. Carrick is currently under indictment in Franklin County for both Aggravated Burglary and Sexual Battery and is out on a $3,500.00 bond.
Rogers was arrested while at his home, which is located behind his business. He was booked in the Franklin County Jail. His bond has been set at $7,500.00 and his arraignment date in the Franklin County Circuit Court is May 18, 2012.
TBI is investigating the case at the request of Franklin County District Attorney General J. Michael Taylor.

City officials open new sidewalk

The City of Manchester had the official ribbon cutting of the new Greenway extension to the Old Stone Fort State Park area last week. The new sidewalk was installed by Hansert Excavating of Manchester. Those in attendance at the ribbon cutting were Mayor Betty Superstein, Alderman Gene Holmes, Alderman Roxanne Patton, and others were present along with members of the Recreation Commission.

The City of Manchester Public Works Department employees have been working pouring concrete on the Lynchburg Road Sidewalk Extension project. Estimated cost for this project is $67,029.50. All of the work is to be done by the City of Manchester.

City workers pour concrete