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New Report on School Safety in Tennessee
Dr Candice McQueen
While Tennessee has made several efforts in recent years to promote student safety and prepare schools for potential threats, Governor Haslam took further action in March 2018 by convening a School Safety Working Group that recommended a statewide review of school facilities and safety procedures and precautions. These recommendations were swiftly accepted by the governor, which led to the first statewide individual school safety assessments that rated each school on 89 safety standards and was overseen by the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, in coordination with the Department of Education and local school officials.
To support this work, the 2018 Tennessee General Assembly approved $25 million in one-time funding for schools to address vulnerabilities and risks and $10 million in recurring grant funding for ongoing safety and prevention programs.
Moving forward, the department has identified five key actions to address the challenges identified during the review of safety data. They are:
• Identify priorities for supporting districts and schools.
• Revise EOP and drill log templates to enhance planning and improve documentation.
• Create options for delivering training and guidance that provide flexibility and build local capacity.
• Monitor grant spending and results to identify promising practices.
• Integrate safety planning requirements into the school approval process.
H&R Block Student of the Week
Congratulations to Student of the Week -Ryan Hallenbeck!!! Ryan, the son of Rebecca and Kasoin Hallenbeck is a fifth grader at College Street Elementary School.
Ryan was nominated by Mrs. Parnham and Mrs. Allen. His teachers said that Ryan is a great kid, always smiling, kind, he gets his work done and always volunteers to help younger kids in ESP.
Ryan loves to play basketball, beyblades and is a part of College Street’s Steel Drum & Singers. Ryan’s favorite subject is history because he likes to learn about special people. Ryan hopes to be a famous basketball player someday.
Rosalyn Partin, owner of the Manchester H&R Block, has been inspired to recognize great kids in our community all through hockey season. What does hockey season have to do with our local students? Well, H&R Block gives each Student of the Week a set of Nashville Predators Hockey tickets, a commemorative plaque, as well as a special letter of recognition.
Pictured with Ryan is Rosalyn Partin of H & R Block, Tom Jacobs, Principal, and Mrs. Parnham.
11/17/18–Boyd Aylor
On November 5, 2018, Mr. Boyd Aylor, age 90 of Tullahoma, TN entered into rest at The Waters of Shelbyville. He was the only child of the late Clyde and Dessie Aylor, of Pelham, TN.
Mr. Aylor served in the United States Navy during World War II, spending most of his time on a submarine. After his service, he worked at Arnold Engineering and Development Center for 38 years as Iron Worker. He was a talented woodworker and enjoyed his retirement with his projects.
Charles is preceded in death by his parents, Clyde and Cassie Aylor. He is survived by his loving wife of 65 years, Lela Aylor; cousin, Betty Patton of Tullahoma; brother-in-law, Ronald (Sandra) Patterson of Chattanooga; sister-in-law, Nancy Howell of Chattanooga; special niece, Donna (Bill) Thomas of Ring Gold, GA; special cousins, Theresa (Jerry) Compton of Murfreesboro and many nieces and nephews. Also, Snowball, his loving cat that visited him in the nursing home often.
A graveside service will be conducted on Saturday, November 17, 2018 at eleven o’clock in the morning at Watson-North Memorial Park in Winchester, TN with Billy Meeks officiating.
In lieu of flowers memorial contributions can be made in honor of Boyd to:
Wesley Heights United Methodist Church in Tullahoma, TN
Tullahoma Funeral Home is honored to serve The Aylor Family and asks that you sign the guest book at www.tullahomafuneralhome.com
11/14/18 — Birthdays
Birthdays:
Tabitha Jones, 10 — Pizza Winner!
Ken Delaney, 59
Marcus Pratt, 36
Nikki Totten
High School Basketball Season is Here
The high school basketball season tips off on Friday for the Coffee County Red Raider and Lady Raider basketball teams. The Raiders and Lady Raiders will be hosting 2 days of Hall of Champions games. Teams from 11 different high schools will descend on Manchester on November 16th and 17th for 2 days of games. Nine girls’ teams and 7 boys’ teams will play games at the Joe Frank Patch Memorial Gym and at the Coffee County Middle School. Thunder Radio will be on hand on Saturday afternoon as we broadcast Coffee County taking on Huntland in boys and girls action. The girls’ game will tip off at 3 PM, we will begin live coverage with the pregame show at 2:50.
Coffee County Youth Football Team to Compete in Knoxville This Weekend
A U13 football team from Coffee County will head to Knoxville this weekend to compete in the annual Battle in Rocky Top. The Battle in Rocky Top has turned into a “National Tournament” for youth football with over 20 states expected to be represented and more than 300 teams. Games will be held all of the Knoxville area
The Coffee County team is comprised of players from both Coffee County Middle and Westwood Middle schools. The team is predominatly 8th graders who plan to be a part of next year’s Coffee County CHS freshman team. Additionally, the team includes a couple of 7th graders who will be eighth graders for both middle school programs.
The tournament will consist of 2 games on Saturday with at least one on Sunday, 2 if playing for the Championship. The boys have been practicing for the last 3 weeks, preparing for the tournament. This was all put together by J.D. Felice (Head Coach) and help from Wesley Colwell. Felice is assisted by Jon Helms, Danny Strickland and Tyler Luttrell. JD, Wesley, Jon and Danny are all board members with the Manchester Youth Football League and Tyler is a senior at Coffee County who just finished his last season as a Red Raider. Each is excited to be helping coach these future Raiders and start preparing them for their upcoming freshman season while giving them some preparation for playing high school football together.
For more information, you can visit the tournament website at: www.battleinrockytop.com
2019 NWHL All-Star Weekend Comes to Nashville
The Nashville Predators and National Women’s Hockey League (NWHL) today announced a partnership to present 2019 NWHL All-Star Weekend in Music City. Among the highlights of the weekend will be a unique NHL-NWHL doubleheader at Bridgestone Arena on Sunday, Feb. 10.
“We are proud to collaborate with the NWHL and showcase some of the best hockey players in the world on All-Star Weekend in Nashville,” said Nashville Predators President and CEO Sean Henry. “The advancement of girls’ and women’s hockey in Middle Tennessee is an important mission for our organization, and we are proud to host and celebrate the NWHL All-Stars – including players from the gold medal-winning U.S. Olympic Team – and put a well-deserved spotlight on them before the passionate hockey fans of our community.”
The 2019 NWHL All-Star Game will be played on Feb. 10 at Bridgestone Arena. After the Predators host the St. Louis Blues at 11:30 a.m. (CT), the NWHL All-Star Game will begin at 2:45 p.m. Ticketholders for the Predators game are invited to stay for the NWHL event. In addition, beginning Nov. 28, general admission tickets will be available for just $20 through Ticketmaster for those looking to attend the NWHL All-Star Game only. Doors to Bridgestone Arena will open at approximately 2 p.m. for fans with NWHL-only tickets.
The All-Star Game will consist of two 25-minute halves, and each team will have 14 skaters and two goaltenders. The captains of the teams will be Buffalo Beauts goaltender Shannon Szabados, a three-time Olympian with Team Canada, and Minnesota Whitecaps defender Lee Stecklein, who won the gold medal with Team USA in the Olympics in February.
“I am so excited to represent the Beauts organization and my teammates at the NWHL All Star-Game,” Szabados said. “It’s such a great honor to be named one of the captains for the game and I am looking forward to playing with the league’s best in Nashville.”
The annual NWHL All-Star Skills Challenge will take place on Saturday, Feb. 9 at Ford Ice Center. This will be an exclusive event, with seating for just 500 fans, and it will include a post-event autograph session with NWHL All-Stars. Tickets, priced at $25, will be available beginning Nov. 28 via Ticketmaster. Prior to the Skills Challenge, NWHL All-Stars will conduct a hockey clinic for young girls enrolled in the Little Preds Learn to Play program.
This will mark the third straight year the NWHL is taking its All-Star events to a neutral site and NHL market, following highly successful weekends in Pittsburgh (2017) and Minnesota (2018) that resulted in significant increases in viewership, apparel sales and social media engagement. In the case of Saint Paul, it led to the NWHL expanding to Minnesota with the acquisition of the Whitecaps.
“To say that our players and league were excited to accept the gracious invitation of the Preds’ organization to bring All-Star Weekend to Nashville would be a massive understatement,” said NWHL Founder and Commissioner Dani Rylan. “The opportunity to showcase our great players in an electric hockey market like Nashville will be one of the most significant moments in our young league’s history. From our youth clinic to the always-entertaining Skills Challenge and then the All-Star Game at Bridgestone Arena, the weekend is going to be a blast for everyone involved – especially the fans. We cannot wait to see you in Nashville!”
Further information regarding Saturday event start times, All-Star uniforms, broadcast plans, roster selection and other details will be available in the coming weeks.
About the National Women’s Hockey League (NWHL):
Established in 2015, the NWHL became the first professional women’s hockey league in North America to pay its players and share in revenue from select apparel sales. The mission of the league is to promote and develop women’s hockey, increase participation and interest in the sport at all levels, and shine a light on the role models that fill the rosters of all of its clubs. The league is made up of the Boston Pride (2016 Isobel Cup champions), Buffalo Beauts (2017 champions), Connecticut Whale, Metropolitan Riveters (2018 champions), and Minnesota Whitecaps. For more information, please visit NWHL.zone and follow the league on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook @NWHL.
About the Nashville Predators:
The Nashville Predators became the National Hockey League’s 27th team on May 4, 1998, and have evolved from a young expansion franchise into a staple of the Middle Tennessee community in the 20 years since. The team strives each season to reach its One Goal: becoming a Stanley Cup Champion hockey team while making Bridgestone Arena the number one sports and entertainment venue in the United States. With One Goal in mind, the team saw its greatest successes in team history when they made it to Game 6 of the 2017 Stanley Cup Final and were named the 2018 Central Division, regular-season Western Conference & Presidents’ Trophy winners last season.
About Ford Ice Center:
Ford Ice Center is a component of a public-private partnership between the Nashville Predators and Metro that helps continue the growth of hockey and skating in Middle Tennessee. Home to Nashville Predators youth and adult hockey initiatives and the Scott Hamilton Skating Academy, Ford Ice Center is a springboard for creating new fans, ensuring more and more kids have the opportunity to get on the ice at an early age and contributes to economic development in Southeastern Davidson County. For more information, visit Fordicecenter.com.
Christina Marie Benge
Christina Marie Benge, of Cowan, passed this life on Tuesday, November 13,
2018 at her residence at the age of 59 years. No services are scheduled.
A native of Hillsdale, Michigan, she was the daughter of the late Virgil
and Mary Frances Cook Cummins. After retiring, she and her husband, Thomas
Benge, relocated from Michigan to Tennessee. She enjoyed traveling and
going shopping. She always loved the holidays and enjoyed decorating her
home for the seasons.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a brother, William
Lee Cummins.
Mrs. Benge is survived by her husband, Thomas Benge of Cowan; daughter,
Loretta Rubly and her husband, Randy of MI; brothers, John Michael Cummins
and his wife, Julie of MI and Charles Leroy Cummins and his wife, Kathy of
TX; sisters, Susan Renee Wike of MI and Elaine May Irvine and her husband,
John of MI; sister-in-law, Robin Cummins of MI and four grandchildren.
Daves-Culbertson Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements
School Threat in Lincoln County Stopped
Lincoln County Sheriff deputies have arrested a juvenile after investigating a threat made to Lincoln County High School on Wednesday.
In a post on Facebook, the sheriff said, “The Sheriff’s Department has been working throughout the night after being made aware of a potential threat at the Lincoln County High School.”
The Sheriff added that the threat was investigated and found “there is no current threat.”
A juvenile has been arrested and charged with filing a false report.
The school district posted about the investigation on Facebook and said it will issue an “all-call” to Lincoln County High School parents to explain what happened.
The juvenile has not been identified, per state law, and the type of threat and how it was communicated has not been released. (WKRN)
Inmate Found Deceased in Grundy County Jail
Robert Dean Argo
Robert Dean Argo (62), of Monteagle, was speaking to corrections officers around 5:10 p.m. on Tuesday.
Sheriff Shrum said, “Mr. Argo had asked for some milk. When corrections officers returned a few minutes later they found him slumped over and unresponsive.”.
Argo was transported to Emerald Hodgson Hospital in Sewanee, TN by ambulance where he was pronounced dead. Sheriff Shrum stated the District Attorney’s Office has been notified. An autopsy has been requested.