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Grundy County Officers Disciplined
Photo of car involved in the crash.. Photo from WRCB-TV
Officer Tyler Hargis has been suspended for 30 days without pay for violating the agency’s policies on seatbelt use, use of emergency vehicle equipment, and attention to duty, conduct and behavior.
Officer Cody Nunley was suspended for four days without pay for violating the agency’s policy on seatbelt use and inmate supervision.
Sheriff Clint Shrum says Corrections Officers Tyler Hargis (the driver) and Cody Nunley (the passenger) were being asked to help with a troubled inmate. Shrum says an inmate trustee was sitting in the back seat. He says Hargis and Nunley misinterpreted the call as an emergency and had their emergency lights on and were driving above the speed limit. Shrum says it’s not clear whether the officers employed the vehicle’s siren.
Sheriff Shrum says the inmate in the back of the van had gone with the corrections officers to help with a mechanical project.
The THP said Hargis rear-ended a car being driven by Shalyn Picket, and she was sent to the hospital with minor injuries.
Gov. Bill Lee’s Education Savings Account plan to cost $125M
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee
Gov. Bill Lee’s office says his school voucher plan will now cost $125 million over the next five years as he seeks to allow more parents to use state funds to pay for their children’s private education.
According to the proposal provided Thursday, parents of students in certain low-income school districts could receive $7,300 to pay for approved expenses.
Enrollment would be limited to 5,000 students in the initial year, but the cap would increase by 2,500 students if the enrollment maximum is met in the following year.
During Lee’s first State of the State address to lawmakers, the Republican governor said the program could cost at least $25 million. Officials have since said that number will be $125 million over the next five years, depending on student participation.
Univ. of Tennessee will soon provide Free Tuition to Tennessee Residents beginning Fall of 2020
The University of Tennessee will soon begin providing free tuition to Tennessee residents starting in the fall of 2020.
Interim university President Randy Boyd announced Thursday that tuition and fees will be covered for students with household incomes under $50,000 a year.
Qualifying students will be matched with volunteer mentors and need to complete service-learning hours. Both incoming students and those already enrolled in 2020 will be eligible.
Tennessee five years ago became the first state to make community college tuition-free for new high school graduates. It later expanded that program to allow older adults. State commitments have enabled 46 percent of UT students to graduate without debt.
“Nobody Trashes Tennessee” Program Begins
The Tennessee Department of Transportation is teaming with local grocers and cleanup partners to promote litter prevention and feature “Great American Cleanup” events happening in Tennessee communities this spring. While supplies last, free reusable bags will be available at 483 Tennessee grocery stores. Sorry only one per person. The bags will feature the logo of TDOT’s “Nobody Trashes Tennessee” litter prevention campaign, as well as campaign partners Keep Tennessee Beautiful and the Tennessee Grocers and Convenience Store Association.
In addition to distributing reusable bags, grocery stores in each of Tennessee’s 95 counties will host booths or displays of local governments and non-profits conducting “Great American Cleanup” events this spring. The public is encouraged to visit those organizations and volunteer for an upcoming cleanup.
Be sure to ask your local grocer if they have “Nobody Trashes Tennessee” bags.
Weekend Prep Results and Monday Prep Schedule
Friday Prep Results
CHS Baseball at Marshall Co – Read the story HERE
CHS Boys’ Soccer fell to Henry Co – 3 to 0 at Smokey Mt Cup in Gatlinburg – Read the story HERE
Saturday Prep Schedule
CHS Boys’ Soccer lost to Seymour – 3 to 2 – Smokey Mt Cup at Gatlinburg – Read the story HERE
CHS Boys’ Soccer lost to Morristown West – 4 to 0 – Smokey Mt Cup at Gatlinburg – Read the story HERE
Monday Prep Schedule
5:00 PM – CCMS Baseball HOSTS North Franklin
5:00 PM – CCMS Softball HOSTS North Franklin
5:00 PM – CHS Softball at Warren Co – Thunder Radio Broadcast
5:30 PM – WMS Softball HOSTS Cannon Co
6:00 PM – CCMS Boys’ Soccer vs. Westwood Boys’ Soccer at Coffee County Raider Academy
6:00 PM – WMS Baseball at Cornersville
Coffee County Baseball Team Gets Road Win at Marshall County
Hayden Skipper of CHS baseball
The Coffee County CHS baseball team traveled to Lewisburg on Friday to take on non-district foe Marshall County. After building a 6 run lead going into the bottom of the 6th inning, the Red Raiders saw Marshall County rally to tie the game in the bottom of the 6th inning. Coffee County rallied for a run in the top of the 8th to capture a 7 to 6 win.
Leading off the 7th inning, Lane Spry laced a double to centerfield. After being sacrificed to 3rd base, Spry scored on an RBI groundout by Griffin Meeker. Meeker came on to pitch in the bottom of the 8th to get the save. The Red Raiders were held to only 5 hits on the game Hayden Skipper led the Raiders in hitting as he had 3 singles, 2 walks and scored 3 times.
The Red Raiders return to the field on Tuesday when they jump back into district action at home. Coffee County will play host to Lincoln County in the first of a 2 game series. Thunder Radio will be on hand to bring you all the action. Lucky Knott will be on the call with the first pitch set for 6 PM.
Coffee County Soccer Falls in Saturday Tournament Matches
Briggs Haithcock of CHS soccer
The Coffee County CHS soccer team opened play in the Smoky Mountain Cup Tournament in Gatlinburg on Friday. Opening up against Henry County, the Coffee County defense got shut out for the 2nd game in a row. Coffee County fell by a final score of 3 to 0.
Henry County grabbed a pair of first half goals as they scored in the 18th and 36th minutes to carry a 2 nil lead into halftime. The Patriots added a 2nd half goal to drop Coffee County to 1 and 2 on the young season.
On Saturday, the Red Raiders dropped both of their matches in heart-breaking fashion. In Saturday morning’s contest against Seymour, Coffee County raced out to a 2 to 0 lead in the first 10 minutes on a pair of goals by Briggs Haithcock. Seymour notched a goal at the 11 minute mark as the two teams went to the half at 2 to 1. Seymour tied the match in the 50th minute before knocking home the game winner with 6 minutes left in regulation to claim the 3 to 2 win. Andres Cavalie and Leo Suarez assisted on Haithcock’s goals.
In the 2nd game of the day Coffee County battled with an extremely talented Morristown West squad. The Red Raiders held West to 1 second half goal before the Morristown squad rallied for 3 second half goals to drop Coffee County 4 to 0.
Coffee County will be back in action on Tuesday when they travel to Columbia for a district match. That match begins at 7 PM at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
Arvidsson Tallies Twice as Preds Finish Trip with Big Win in San Jose
Viktor Arvidsson of the Nashville Predators
You could make the argument it’s the Nashville Predators’ biggest victory of the season to date.
Those who made it happen sure seemed to think so.
A commitment to team defense was evident on Saturday night at SAP Center as the Preds held the Sharks to two goals in a 4-2 win to conclude their trip to California. The victory is Nashville’s second in a row and hands San Jose back-to-back losses in regulation at home for the first time this season.
After a particularly frustrating effort and loss in Anaheim on Tuesday the mood didn’t turn sour for the Predators, but instead shifted to a narrowed focus that seemed freeing. They practiced what they preached by taking care of business with a win over the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday. On Saturday, they delivered their best work in a long time by shutting down one of the League’s best teams in a fearsome environment.
“Looking at our situation, where we want go and where we want to get to, you could put that under the biggest win of the season, for sure,” Preds center Ryan Johansen said. “We finished up this road trip on a great note. You have a short memory this time of year, and we always talk about the one day at a time, but it’s really just putting this behind us and continuing to move forward – but we’ll enjoy this one tonight.”
“For us to come in against a really good team… it was really strong by our guys,” Preds Head Coach Peter Laviolette said. “We played a really complete 60 minutes, and had good responses too when they scored. We were able to score right back again, which I thought was important.”
It didn’t take long – just 1:07 into Saturday’s contest – for the Preds to take a 1-0 lead, and it came courtesy of Colton Sissons, who deposited his second goal in as many games. It was the 28th point of the season for Sissons to set a career high in the category.
San Jose evened the score roughly four minutes into the second stanza, but 24 seconds after Timo Meier tied it, Viktor Arvidsson tipped home his 30th of the campaign to give Nashville the lead once more. Arvidsson’s 30th came in just his 49th outing of the season, the fastest that feat has ever been attained in Predators franchise history. He also joined Filip Forsberg as the only two Preds to record multiple 30-goal seasons in franchise history.
“It’s been a crazy year with injuries and stuff like that,” Arvidsson said of his accomplishment. “I started good, then got going pretty well in the beginning of the year, and then got injured, but then I’ve just been going really good again. [Johansen] and [Forsberg] have been unreal and setting me up and giving me passes, and I’m just trying to work hard and give them the puck as much as I can.”
“It’s ridiculous,” Johansen said of Arvidsson. “It’s too bad for him having that injury during the middle of the year, because he could be doing something really special that not a lot of players in this League achieve… He just goes out there and works his butt off and gives everything he’s got. All the guys are pretty lucky to have him on our group.”
Joe Thornton made it 2-2 before the period was out, but that was the last time the Sharks found a way to beat Juuse Saros.
The Predators had to dig deep in the third period – their final one of the road trip and ninth against the strong, heavy teams of Anaheim, Los Angeles and San Jose.
It was Forsberg who wrapped the puck around the San Jose net and got it to go to give the Preds their third and final lead on the night. From there, Saros continued to shut the door, and Arvidsson iced it into the empty net with his 31st of the season – and second of the evening – to give the Predators four points to finish off the California swing.
“We kept taking small steps in the right direction, and we just have to keep taking small steps and work on the details,” Arvidsson said. “[We have to keep doing it to] really find our game and to find it consistently.”
“We’ve had a lot of guys step up their game these last couple days,” Johansen said. “Now, it’s about continuing to move forward.”
Notes:
As was the case on Thursday, Kyle Turris, Cody McLeod and Matt Donovan were once again scratched for the Preds on Saturday.
Arvidsson’s first goal was his 28th even-strength marker of the season, which set a Predators franchise record.
Forsberg recorded career point No. 300 on the evening, while Johansen hit No. 400.
With their final California swing of the season complete, the Preds will now head home to host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday (at 7 p.m. CT) and the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday (at 7 p.m.) before embarking on another road excursion.
Pete Weber’s Postgame Report
Late Goal Drops Nashville SC to First Loss of Season
In its second home match of 2019, Nashville SC fell to Saint Louis FC in a heartbreaking 1-0 defeat at First Tennessee Park Saturday night. Though Nashville dominated Saint Louis in possession, the team could not outshoot nor outscore the visitors in an otherwise equal matchup.
NSC now prepares for its first road test of the 2019 USL Championship season with back-to-back away games against New York Red Bulls II and Ottawa Fury FC in Weeks 3 and 4, respectively.
90 in a Nutshell
Nashville and Saint Louis were deadlocked with nearly equal possession and just one shot on target total. Matt Pickens’ diving save in the 38’ minute was the highlight of the first 45’. The veteran keeper deflected Caleb Calvert’s well-placed header to snuff the half’s only quality opportunity.
Nashville’s urgency was apparent in the second half as the team earned five corners in a span of three minutes. Though no one could get on the end of the attempts, the spree revived NSC’s attack and sparked a string of chances.
Cameron Lancaster nearly found the breakthrough goal in the 74’ minute when he connected with a dangerous free kick, but his shot sailed wide. Matt LaGrassa then took a turn in the 82’ minute, but Saint Louis’ Jake Fenlasen punched his header over the crossbar.
Despite NSC’s pressure, Saint Louis was first and last to get on the board when Calvert redirected a corner past Pickens in the 84’.
Goals
84’ STL- Caleb Calvert (assisted by Joaquin Rivas)
A Possession Game
While Nashville SC didn’t win the game, it did have the ball the majority of the night. NSC led the possession nearly 64-36 percent and that number was even higher in the second half as Nashville out-possessed STL 74.7-25.3 percent.
Rare Home Shutout Loss
The 1-0 loss is only the second shutout loss for Nashville at home since the team began in the USL Championship in 2018. Last season, Nashville lost 2-0 to Indy Eleven in the only previous instance. Tonight’s game was just the fourth home loss for Nashville in 19 home games since the beginning of 2018.
Winning Set Pieces
Nashville SC dominated the stat sheet in corner kicks. Nashville had 12 corners to Saint Louis’ 3, including nine corners for Nashville in the second half.
LaGrassa with a Look
Despite nine shots, Nashville SC recorded just one shot on a target, a header from midfielder Matt LaGrassa. A cross from Kosuke Kimura found the head of LaGrassa a few feet from goal and LaGrassa put it on frame near the crossbar. The Saint Louis goalie made a diving save to keep the game scoreless at the time.
Up Next
Nashville SC will make its first road trip of the season next weekend as it travels to New Jersey to take on New York Red Bulls II on Sunday, March 24 at Noon CT. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.
Coffee County Government MEETINGS THE WEEK OF MARCH 18, 2019
Thursday, March 21
4:00 p.m. – Board of Zoning Appeals
5:00 p.m. – Ambulance Authority