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Alexander will Not Seek Re-Election in 2020
Lamar Alexander
Republican U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee says he won’t seek re-election in 2020. Alexander said in a news release Monday that he’s deeply grateful for being elected to serve more combined years as governor and senator than anyone else in Tennessee.
As a Tennessee native, Alexander is the only Tennessean ever popularly elected both Governor and U.S. Senator. His 2008 general election vote total of 1,579,477 is the largest ever received by a statewide candidate.
He has served more than 24 years in public service.
New Program Offers Free Legal Assistance for SNAP Recipients
Written By: Mary Grace Stoneking, SNAP Community Outreach Advocate, Legal Aid SocietyChances are, if you live in Tennessee, you probably know somebody who currently benefits, or who has benefited in the past, from the state’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
SNAP (formerly known as food stamps) is used by more than 1 million people in Tennessee — a state with fewer than 7 million total residents. That means more than 1 out of 7 residents depend on this program to keep food on the table as they keep up with other essential living expenses. As we reflect on our own blessings this holiday season, that figure is an eye-opening one that should give us all pause.
Benefits go to residents whose income is below an established threshold — a situation that can apply to working families, the elderly, the disabled and the unemployed, among others. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, in 2016, 107,000 of Tennessee’s SNAP recipients were seniors, very few of whom likely know they can deduct medical costs in order to receive more SNAP benefits. Around 467,000 children in Tennessee were on SNAP in 2016, without which they would be less likely to receive adequate nutrition and food.
SNAP delivers more nutrition assistance to low-income children than any other federal program, making it the United States’ largest child nutrition program, according to a 2016 Center on Budget and Policy Priorities report.
Despite providing an average of just $1.35 per person per meal for households with children, the small boost it gives families is enough to bring them over the poverty line into a basic level of stability.
Despite the clear need for this assistance, there is often confusion surrounding how SNAP works. Many Tennesseans don’t know their legal rights when it comes to the program — such as when they qualify, how to apply, or if they are receiving the correct amount. Some have even had their SNAP benefits wrongfully terminated or reduced.
It’s a terrible feeling to not know where to seek help for such a fundamental need. As a result,
some of our fellow Tennesseans do not have sufficient food for their families, oftentimes
choosing between having a meal or being able to pay for rent.
This is why Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands has started its new SNAP Outreach Program to inform and educate our state’s most vulnerable populations of their rights when it comes to SNAP. By contacting us, these residents can ensure they are getting the level of SNAP benefits they are entitled to, as well as resolve issues surrounding benefits that have been unexpectedly cut off or cut back.
This new program is funded by MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger. MAZON is a national advocacy organization working to end hunger among people of all faiths and backgrounds in the United States and Israel. MAZON is enabling Legal Aid Society to more effectively provide advocacy for those who experience food insecurity.
If you ever feel that your SNAP benefits have been wrongfully terminated, or you would like to know what amount of SNAP you should be getting, please contact us. We’re also happy to work with organizations that serve low-income and senior Tennesseans to provide SNAP train progressions and to accept referrals for people who need help getting access to their benefits. All it
takes to get the process started is a phone call.
Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands provides assistance on SNAP and other civil legal matters to eligible residents across 48 counties in Middle Tennessee and the Cumberland Plateau. The Legal Aid office in Coffee County is located at 281 Industrial Blvd. Tullahoma, TN. The best way to get help is to call them at 931-455-7000 or 866-898-0171 before you come in.
12/19/18–Terry Wayne McCullough
Graveside services for Mr. Terry Wayne McCullough, age 63, of Manchester,
will be conducted at 2:00 PM on Wednesday, December 19, 2018 at Hurricane
Grove Cemetery. Visitation with the family will be from 12:00 Noon until
1:30 PM at the funeral home. Mr. McCullough passed away suddenly on
Saturday, December 15, 2018 in Manchester, TN.
MANCHESTER FUNERAL HOME IS HONORED TO SERVE THE MCCULLOUGH FAMILY
12/18/18–Richard “Bodean” Bennett Waller
A Celebration of Life for Richard “Bodean” Bennett Waller, age 65, of Manchester, will be held on Tuesday, December 18, 2018 at 6:00 P.M. at Manchester Funeral Home. The family will receive friends prior to the service from 4:00 P.M. until 6:00 P.M. He passed from this life on Friday, December 14, 2018, at Horizon Healthcare in Manchester.
Richard was born in Cookeville, TN, to the late Bennett and Doris Huddleston Waller. Richard was an electrician, he built AEDC, Bridgestone, and Nissan in Decherd, and he loved to joke around. He was a loving father, brother, and grandfather.
Richard is survived by his two sons, Jason Waller (Joyce) and Austin Waller; two sisters, E.K. Waller, Rebecca Waller; three grandchildren, Zachary, Madison, and Mia Waller.
Manchester Funeral Home is honored to serve the Waller family.
12/18/18– Ralph Eugene Swoape, Sr.
Funeral services for Mr. Ralph Eugene Swoape, Sr., age 84, of Manchester, TN, will be conducted at 10:00 AM on Tuesday, December 18, 2018, at Coffee County Funeral Chapel. Burial will follow in Bethany Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 4:00 PM until 8:00 PM at the funeral home on Monday. Mr. Swoape passed away on Friday, December 14, 2018, at Skyline Medical Center in Nashville, TN.
Ralph, Sr. was born in Normandy, TN, to the late John and Novella Swoape. He was a welder, and he loved watching football. Ralph, Sr. loved fishing, hunting, and gardening, birds, and his cats. Family meant everything to Ralph, and he was a loving husband, father, grandfather, and brother.
In addition to his parents, Ralph, Sr. is also preceded in death by his loving wife of 59 years, Leedom Louvada Swoape; two sons, Jerry and David Swoape; one daughter, Brenda Swoape Uselton; two sons-in-law, Eugene Walter and Ted Carter; ten siblings. He is survived by his son, Ralph, Jr. (Gina); daughters, Rosie Walter and Jeannie Carter; six grandchildren, Brandon (Lauren), Steven (Bethany), Kevin, Josh (Katie), Jessica, and Amy; seven great-grandchildren, Kaden, Jettsen, Emily, Olivia, Cameron, Connor, and Liam.
Coffee County Funeral Chapel is honored to serve the Swoape family.
Coffee County Basketball Sweeps Nashville Central Christian
Morgan Jones of CHS basketball
Coffee County traveled to Nashville on Saturday night for a pair of games with Nashville Central Christian. Both Coffee County teams found their shooting touch in the non-district sweep. The Lady Raiders rolled to a 63 to 38 win while the Red Raiders ground out a hard fought 74 to 61 win.
The Lady Raiders held the home-standing Warriors to 1 point in the first quarter but could mange just a 10 to 1 lead headed to the second period. Coffee County found their range in the 2nd to pour in 21 points and cruise to the win. Jacey Vaughn led the Lady Raiders in scoring with 13 points. Abby Morgan added 12 points and Morgan Jones came off the bench to score 7. For her steady play in the 2nd half, Jones was named the Crazy Daisies player of the game. The Lady Raiders are now 13 and 0 on the season.
The Red Raiders used their defense and strong outside shooting to race out to a 27 to 16 lead in the 1st quarter. But Nashville Central Christian kept fighting back to close the gap to single digits throughout the game. A 21 point outburst in the 3rd quarter and solid defense in the 4th quarter lifted the Raiders to the win and snapped their 3 game losing streak. Shawn Anderson had 21 points in the 1st half and finished with a game high 22 points as he earned the Crazy Daisies player of the game award. Darius Rozier added 15 points and Kyle Farless netted 9 for Coffee County who improves to 6 and 3 on the year.
Shawn Anderson of Coffee County CHS basketball
Coffee County returns home for this weekend’s 2018 Coffee County Christmas Tournament. The Lady Raiders open up tournament play on Friday at the Joe Frank Patch Memorial Gym in a rematch with Nashville Central Christian. The Lady Raiders will take on Oakland on Saturday afternoon at 2 PM, and Thunder Radio will bring you that broadcast via out stream and at WMSRradio.com. The Red Raiders open tournament play on Thursday at 5 PM against Wilson Central. Thunder Radio will be there to broadcast that game beginning with live coverage at 4:50. The Red Raiders come back for a 9:30 AM game on Friday against Riverside Christian and will then finish play on Saturday morning.
Download the broadcast at: http://www.thunder1320.com/downloads/
Coffee County Elementary Basketball Crowns Season Champions
2018 Girls Elementary Champs – Westwood Lady Eagles
The Coffee County Youth Basketball League crowned their season champions on Saturday with a full day of action at the Joe Frank Patch Memorial Gym. The day opened up with a pair of consolation games as New Union defeated East Coffee 21 to 10 in the girls’ consolation. In the boys’ consolation, Westwood rallied from a 4th quarter deficit to drop North Coffee 24 to 20.
In one of the most exciting girls’ finals in the league’s 46 year history, the Westwood Lady Eagles rallied to beat North Coffee’s Lady Chargers 30 to 28. Trailing by 10 points entering the 4th quarter, Westwood scored 15 points in the final period to gain their 3rd league title in the last 5 years. North Coffee got off to an 11 and 0 start in the first quarter and led by 10 entering the halftime intermission. Foul trouble plagued the Chargers in the 2nd half as Westwood chipped away at the lead before taking the lead with 25 seconds left on an Audri Patton basket. Jules Ferrell led Westwood in scoring with 17 points, including 13 in the 4th quarter. Patton added 7 points for the Eagles. Natalie Barnes led North Coffee in scoring with 13 points while Danni Hillis added 11.
2018 Boys Elementary Champs – College Street Cougars
In the boys’ final, the College Street Cougars won their 6th straight league title with a 31 to 15 win over Deerfield. The Cougars got off to a red hot start as they scored 7 points in the final 90 seconds of the first half to take a 13 to 2 lead after 1 quarter. The two teams stayed even in the 2nd quarter before College Street outscored the Bucks 14 to 6 in the 2nd half to gain the win. Blake Cummings led College Street in scoring with 14 points. Kane Dixon added 4 points as 10 different College Street players scored in the game. Landon Abellana led Deerfield in scoring with 10 points while Jase Cashion added 3 points for the Bucks.
Members of the Westwood girls’ and College Street boys’ teams will be guests on Saturday’s Coffee Coaches Show to review their seasons. The Coffee Coaches Show airs at 10 AM each Saturday and is broadcast live from the showroom of Al White Ford/Lincoln.
Local Prep Swimmers Host Home Meet; Honor Senior Swimmers
CHS senior swimmers are, left to right, Emelia Walker, Jack Beachboard, coach Becky Behrendorff, Anna O’Connor; Ali Marlow and Haley Richardson[Photo by Tiffany Clutter]
In team scoring, the high school team went 3 and 1(combined) getting wins over Warren County and a pair of home school teams before losing to Sewanee as both boys’ and girls’ teams had identical 3 and 1 records. In the team relays, both the boys’ and girls’ 200 medley relay teams finished in 2nd place. The boys’ 200 freestyle relay team captured 2nd place and the girls’ 400 freestyle relay team came in 2nd place.
Individual race winners for Coffee County were: Kaylee Williams in the 100 backstroke(with a time of 1:12.02), the 100 breaststroke(1:12.02) and 100 butterfly(1:07.96); Jack Beachboard in the 100 backstroke(58.71), the 100 butterfly(56.58);
Individual winners for the Westwood swim team were: Nick Bogle in the 50 freestyle(25.3)and 200 IM(2:22.02); Abby Gilday in the 200 freestyle(2:35.87);
For Coffee Middle, the 200 Medley relay team was 1st in their heat as Emily Williams, Taylor Wall, Clancey Sand and Elli Masters swam the race in 2:24.02 which was less than a second behind the Sewanee high school squad which had the low time. The same foursome also finished in 2nd place in the 400 freestyle relay. Individual winners for the Coffee County Middle School swim team were: Emily Williams in the 500 freestyle(6:17.33) and 100 butterfly(1:16.63);
Friday’s meet was the last of the calendar year for the prep racers. The high school team will compete in Sewanee in January before the region and state meets. The middle school swimmers will next be in action in the region meet set for late January in Nashville.
Titans, RB Derrick Henry Roll Past Giants in 17-0 Win
Derrick Henry runs the football against the Jacksonville Jaguars on December 6th [AP Photo/Mark Zaleski]
Henry ran for 170 yards and two touchdowns on 33 carries, one week after rushing for a franchise-record 238 yards against the Jaguars, as the Titans rolled to a 17-0 win over the New York Giants here at MetLife Stadium.
The Titans improved to 8-6 after their third straight win. It was the first shutout by the defense since December 25, 2000 vs. the Cowboys.
The Titans took a 7-0 lead on a one-yard touchdown run by Henry, which came on fourth-and-goal. Quarterback Mariota connected with receiver Corey Davis for third-down completions of 11 and 17 yards on drive, which ended up being 15 plays for 75 yards in 7:45.
Later, the Titans got another one-yard touchdown run by Henry. Kicker Ryan Succop kicked a 22-yard field goal in the fourth quarter to account for the final points.
Defensively, the Titans held the Giants in check. Titans cornerback Logan Ryan and safety Kevin Byard each recorded sacks of Giants quarterback Eli Manning in the first half, giving the team’s defensive backs the record for sacks in a season.
Early in the second half, Byard stepped up and made a big interception for the Titans, stopping a Giants drive deep in Tennessee territory.
The defense got an even bigger play later, when linebacker Kamalei Correa sacked Manning, forcing a fumble that was recovered by defensive lineman Jurrell Casey at the Giants 14.
Five plays later, Henry found the end zone again for the one-yard touchdown.
It was a big day for the defense, which came just one week after the Giants scored 40 points in a win over the Redskins.
The Titans return home to face the Redskins on Saturday at Nissan Stadium.
Manchester Man Killed in Vehicle/Bicycle Crash–Another Local Man Facing Vehicular Homicide Charge
On Saturday morning just after 7 am, there was a fatal crash involving a 2004 Buick and a bicycle.
Scott D Ross jail intake photo.
According to Tennessee Highway Patrolman Sgt. Shawn Boyd’s report, the Buick, driven by 49-year-old Scott D. Ross of Manchester, TN, was traveling south on Highway 53. The bicycle was being operated by 63-year-old Terry McCullough also of Manchester. McCullough was on the right shoulder of the roadway, likewise going south. Ross’ Buick crossed two lanes of traffic and struck the bicyclist. McCullough succumbed to his injuries at the scene. McCullough is known to pull a small trailer with his bike with a small dog inside. The animal was also found deceased at the scene.
Ross was charged with vehicular homicide, DUI 2nd offense, driving on a revoked license and violation of implied consent. He was booked in at the Coffee County Jail under a bond of $82,000.