Coffee County officials say they are applying for a state grant to help with security at the Coffee County Justice Center. The court security grant is for $68,000 with 10% match from the county.
If the grant is approved the money will be used to add concrete traffic barriers in front of the justice center and protective panels to some areas in courtrooms and court clerk’s offices.
The justice center already has barriers protecting the main entrance, but they are temporary and on loan from the Tennessee Department of Transportation.
Other new items expected at the justice center are a public address warning system and Automated External Defibrillators. Officials plan to purchase these items to be used in emergencies.
An AED is a CPR and trauma medical kit. These emergency kits will be mounted in secured, easily accessible boxes on each floor of the justice center, allowing for quick response for critical medical situations.

 

On Friday morning around 5am a 2007 Chevrolet driven by 23-year-old Cody D Slatton of Gruetti-Laager, TN was traveling westbound on U.S. Hwy 64. near Pelham in Franklin County.
According to the Tennessee Highway Patrol, a pedestrian was walking westbound, on the westbound side of the left lane of the highway. Slatton’s vehicle struck the pedestrian, 74-year-old Larry Seymour Chaffe of Mid-West City, OK. Chaffe later died from his injuries due to the collision.
No other injuries were reported, and no charges were filed.

The Tullahoma chicken and biscuits restaurant Bojangles that opened its doors in September 2016, closed Sunday after less than two years of operation. The eatery on North Jackson St employed between 30 and 35 people.
On Aug. 2, the restaurant chain announced the closure of 10 stores with “negative cash flow” and the refranchising of 30 other stores following poor second quarter performance.
Not all Tullahoma employees will be without jobs following the closure as many were offered jobs at other Bojangles’ locations such as Manchester and Shelbyville which will remain open.

Motlow State Community College and the Mechatronics program have been awarded a $545,000 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for a 36-month project to introduce the concepts and technologies of Smart Manufacturing to the educators of advanced manufacturing in the United States.
The project, titled “Smart Manufacturing for America’s Revolutionizing Technological Transformation” will feature Motlow as a national hub for training Smart Manufacturing for Mechatronics and Advanced Manufacturing educators across the nation.
Smart Manufacturing, defined in Congress in 2015 and also known as Industry 4.0, combines automated processes with networks of advanced sensors, data analytics, and information and communication technologies needed to support improved productivity. It has been widely recognized as a groundbreaking technological trend with the potential to transform manufacturing industries.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are now warning five states, including Tennessee about Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.
The CDC says Tennessee, North Carolina, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Missouri account for over 60 percent of spotted fever cases in the nation.
The disease is transmitted by ticks and can be fatal without immediate treatment.
Symptoms can include a high fever, headache, pain in the muscles and discomfort.
The CDC saying its crucial to keep an eye on these warning signs and get treatment within the first five days.

While matches and lighters are useful resources to adults, curious children may use them to unintentionally start fires. The Tennessee State Fire Marshal’s Office (SFMO) is urging parents to talk to their kids about the safe uses of matches and lighters, while ensuring these tools are stored in a secure location out of a child’s reach and sight.
Novelty lighters resembling children’s toys can attract curious kids who may see these items as fun but may not recognize them as potential fire hazards. While Tennessee banned the sale of novelty lighters in 2008, these products can still be found and represent a potential threat to lives and property.
In the last five years (2013-2017), Tennessee fire departments reported 400 fires in which playing with matches or lighters was a contributing factor, according to the Tennessee Fire Incident Reporting System. Fires resulting from playing with matches or lighters caused one civilian death, 19 civilian injuries, one firefighter injury, and $4.8 million in property damage during that time. More than half of those fires were structure fires.
The SFMO offers the following fire safety tips for parents:
• Supervise children closely. Many fires happen when young children are left alone, even for a short period of time.
• Set clear rules and consequences about fire misuse.
• Keep matches and lighters in a locked drawer or cabinet, high out of the reach of children.
• Purchase and use only lighters designed with child-resistant features. Remember, child-resistant does not mean child-proof.
• Teach young children to never touch matches and lighters, and to tell a grownup if they find them. Children need to understand that fire is difficult to control; it is fast and can hurt as soon as it touches you.
• Take the mystery out of fire by teaching children that fire is a tool for adults, not a toy for children. Never use lighters or matches as a source of amusement for children; they may try to do the same.
• Check under beds and in closets for burned matches, evidence your child might be playing with fire.
• Have working smoke alarms inside each sleeping area, outside each sleeping area, and on every level of your home.
• Develop a home fire escape plan, practice it with your children and designate a safe meeting place outside your residence.
• Teach children not to hide from firefighters. Show them how to crawl on the floor below smoke, to get out of the home, and to stay out.
• Demonstrate how to stop, drop to the ground, and roll if their clothes catch fire. Make sure your children can differentiate stop, drop, and roll from other fire safety messages.