At a recent Manchester Safety Committee meeting, Manchester Police Department Chief Mark Yother said that discussions have begun about adding a school resource officer (SRO) to his 2018-2019 budget.
Yother said if approved, Westwood Middle School would be the officer’s base location but would assisting the city’s two elementary schools.
You may remember that the public began asking about having an SRO for the city schools after a student brought an unloaded gun to Westwood Middle School in September (2017).
Chief Yother told WMSR News that the starting pay for an officer is just over $40,000, plus benefits. He said some other costs are involved such as the person’s uniform, training, car and other needed items or supplies and that would be an extra $24,000. The chief said those items are a one-time cost and some reoccurring.
Yother went on to say that the city schools and police department will need to come up with a plan to split the cost of the SRO in order for that person to be approved.

Coffee County Children’s Advocacy Center has been awarded re-accreditation by National Children’s Alliance following an extensive application and site review process. As the accrediting agency for Children’s Advocacy Centers (CAC) across the country, National Children’s Alliance awards various levels of accreditation and membership to centers responding to allegations of child abuse in ways that are effective and efficient, and put the needs of child victims of abuse first. Accreditation is the highest level of membership with National Children’s Alliance and denotes excellence in service provision.
Accredited CACs must undergo a re-accreditation process every five years to ensure that best practices are continually being applied. With accreditation standards being updated in 2017, re-accreditation this year reflects Coffee County Children’s Advocacy Center’s commitment to providing evidence-based methods practice.
Coffee County Children’s Advocacy Center has been helping children in Coffee County since opening in 2005. Since then, over 3,450 children and families have been helped and over 18,500 have participated in child abuse prevention and awareness programs. The Center provides services including forensic interviews of child victims, child and family advocacy services, trauma focused mental health services, specialized medical exams on-site through a partnership with Our Kids and child abuse prevention programs throughout the community. All services are provided free of charge. As an Accredited Member of National Children’s Alliance, Coffee County Children’s Advocacy Center is dedicated to providing comprehensive, coordinated and compassionate services to victims of child abuse.
National Children’s Alliance awards Accredited Membership based on a CAC’s compliance with 10 national standards of accreditation to ensure effective, efficient and consistent delivery of services to child abuse victims. Accredited Members must utilize a functioning and effective Multidisciplinary Team approach to work collaboratively in child abuse investigation, prosecution, and treatment. National Children’s Alliance also considers standards regarding a center’s cultural competency and diversity, forensic interviews, victim support and advocacy, medical evaluation, therapeutic intervention, and child focused setting.
“As an organization/team of individuals dedicated to responding to child abuse, we recognize the importance of providing the highest level of intervention services for children and families that are affected by child abuse. Re-accreditation not only validates the Center’s dedication to proven effective approaches of child abuse intervention and prevention, but also contributes to consistency across the child advocacy center movement as a whole,” said Joyce Prusak, Executive Director of Coffee County Children’s Advocacy Center.
“Coffee County Children’s Advocacy Center is to be commended for its continued commitment to effectively serve victims of child abuse. As the national association and accrediting body for Children’s Advocacy Centers across the country, our goal is to ensure that every victim of child abuse has access to high quality services that result from professional collaboration. By requiring Accredited Centers to undergo re-Accreditation every five years, we ensure that evidence-based practices are being implemented and the highest quality of service is being provided,” remarked Teresa Huizar, Executive Director of National Children’s Alliance.
For more information about Coffee County Children’s Advocacy Center, please call 723-8888 or visit www.coffeecountycac.org.

Near-constant rain is creating flooding through parts of Tennessee. AAA urges caution on the road during periods of heavy rainfall because it can cause reduced visibility. In fact, nearly 1.2 million traffic crashes occur each year on wet pavement with more than a half million injuries and 5,700 deaths, according to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
“There’s no way to tell how deep standing water is, so motorists should avoid driving through water covered and flooded roads,” said Stephanie Milani, Tennessee Public Affairs Director for “The Auto Club Group.” “Driving on familiar water covered roads is no safer because objects could be below the water that could cause damage to your vehicle.”
Here’s what can happen to your vehicle if you drive through standing water:
• Engine floods with rain water
• Brake rotors warp from rapid cooling when immersed in water
• Loss of power steering
• Short in electrical components
Know what to do if your vehicle stalls in water:
• DO NOT remain in the car. Abandon it as soon as possible and seek higher ground. Flood waters can elevate quickly, sweeping away the vehicle and its occupants.
• Do not restart the vehicle. If your vehicle shuts down while in standing water, do not try to restart it. Restarting a vehicle in standing water can cause more water to enter the engine and could cost thousands of dollars to repair.
• Contact your insurance company. Depending on the vehicle year, make and model, the cost of repairing flood damage can easily exceed a car’s value. Contact your insurance company for help in determining the best course of action.
• Have vehicle inspected by a qualified technician. Once the vehicle can be moved safely, take it to a trusted mechanic for a thorough inspection of mechanical and electrical systems and to flush contaminated systems.