Tullahoma youngsters will have to find an alternate place to swim this summer.  The Joel Ferrell Outdoor Pool is closed due to heavy deterioration. Kurt Glick, Tullahoma Parks and Recreation director, says the pool’s poor substructure caused the pool to be out of commission. The pool has been operating the past 23 years with a liner designed to last 15 years. The recreation department has managed to repair the vinyl material for eight extra years, but an October 2011 hail storm left it beyond repair. The recreation director says the city received $82,810 in insurance money to replace the liner, but the concrete substructure has crumbled to where replacing the liner in the pool’s present state wouldn’t be feasible. The recreation department is working to extend the indoor pools hours of operation to accommodate swimmers. Manchester’s outdoor city pool will be open Memorial Day Weekend.

Karen Sue Partin... No picture available of Charles Gipson

Two people were arrested Saturday after they were allegedly found to be in possession of a methamphetamines lab and other drugs. Tullahoma Police responded to a disturbance at 212 West Moore Street and arrested 40-year-old Karen Sue Partin of Decherd.  54-year-old Charles Gipson of West Moore Street of Tullahoma was charged with manufacture/delivery/sell of controlled substance, possession of controlled substance, possession of Schedule II, possession of Schedule IV, and possession of drug paraphernalia. When the officer arrived he found an operating meth lab and another one outside the residence. The officer alleges that he also found multiple meth ingredients. In addition to the meth labs, Officer Ted Koziol also allegedly found morphine pills, Hydrocodone and Xanax pills in the residence. In addition to the pills, Koziol also found a baggie that contained a white residue in it. Their bond was set at $113,000. They are scheduled to appear in Coffee County General Sessions April 26.

TCAP tests will be administered April 23-30. TCAP, a state mandated assessment for grades 3-8, is a summative test that measures how well students have mastered grade level skills and what they are able to do beyond grade level. For the first time, TCAP scores will count 15% of a student’s second semester grade in reading/language arts and math. If a student is absent and does not make-up the test, a grade of 0 will be averaged for 15% of the second semester grade.

Coffee County Schools TCAP Schedule:
Monday, April 23 – Reading/Language Arts
Tuesday, April 24 – Math
Wednesday, April 25 – Science
Thursday, April 26 – Social Studies
makeup tests can be given through April 30.

The House passed a bill that would make it a felony to make or sell synthetic drugs often called bath salts that imitate controlled substances. The bill passed unanimously during the House floor session on Monday. Sponsor Rep. Jon Lundberg, a Republican from Bristol, said the drugs have hit his district in northeastern Tennessee hard after Virginia banned the drugs and people have been crossing state lines to purchase the drugs in stores in Tennessee. Lundberg said the drugs are not marketed for ingestion and can be purchased in convenience and tobacco stores. The bill would also allow authorities to declare the stores where the drugs are sold as public nuisances. The Senate has not yet passed its version of the bill.

Joshua Luke Mitchell

Law enforcement is searching for a Marion County man. 34-year-old Joshua Luke Mitchell is wanted in connection with charges of child rape and violation of the Tennessee’s sex offender registry. The man is listed on sexual offender’s registries in Alabama, Texas, and North Carolina. Mitchell is wanted in connection with an incident Sunday involving a 4-year-old girl in the Haletown area of Marion County. He had been living in Marion County for about two months.  Mitchell is described as a white man, 5-foot-7 to 5-foot-10, weighing between 175 and 190 pounds with blue eyes and blond or strawberry-colored hair. Anyone with any information on Mitchell’s whereabouts is asked to contact the Marion County Sheriff’s Office at 423-942-2525.

Victoria Jackson

Former Saturday Night Live star Victoria Jackson recently paid a visit to Murfreesboro. Jackson filmed a news story about the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro constructing a mosque on Veals Road. Jackson works as a conservative citizen journalist. Jackson did not have any luck on interviewing anyone from the Islamic Center, but says she believes the center is building a new mosque in Murfreesboro because of its college town status and will use the college as a recruiting ground for Muslim converts.

O’Charley’s has kicked off the “Greatest Grad Contest,” honoring deserving graduates with special graduation celebrations at their local O’Charley’s restaurants. The contest will run today through May 18, 2012. O’Charley’s is committed to supporting education at all levels and wants to celebrate those individuals during this important milestone.” The restaurant’s guests and fans can nominate anyone who will graduate this year from any educational program at any level. To nominate a deserving grad, entries must include a brief essay describing why the graduate being nominated deserves a special celebration. Nominations should be submitted through either the O’Charley’s page or the www.ocharleys.com/grads. At the end of the contest period 12 winners will be selected, and O’Charley’s will host special celebrations throughout the month of June at select restaurants honoring the graduates who have been selected. Following the internal judging process one grand prize winner among the 12 will be selected by the public to receive a new Apple® iPad. For more details on how you can nominate a graduate visit www.ocharleys.com/grad or visit our Facebook page at facebook.com/ocharleysfans or stop by your local O’Charley’s in Manchester.