Author's posts
12/25/17 — Birthdays
Birthdays:
Matt Moore, 10 — Pizza Winner!
Danny McCullough
Virginia Clayborne
Joe Nell Riddle, 92
Dianne Bouldin, 64
Mike Crouch
Margaret Davis
Anniversaries:
Danny & Sherry McCullough, 47
12/24/17 — Birthdays
Birthdays:
Chris Hesselbine, 48 — Pizza Winner!
Connie Lawrence
Ruth Cantrell
12/23/17 — Birthdays
Birthdays:
Kaitlyn McCullough — Pizza Winner!
Angela Yurcik, 49
Ethan Petty, 21
Anniversaries:
Sue & Jerry Stevens, 50
Manchester Man Arrested for Criminal Attempt to Commit Aggravated Statutory Rape in Bedford Co.
Jeremy Stahlhood
Operation Safe Christmas was the collaborative effort of the Bedford County Sheriff’s Office and the Shelbyville Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division working together to assure a safe Christmas for the counties most vulnerable children.
Earlier this month, investigators with both agencies began monitoring the internet for suspected child predators. Detective Cody Swift of the Shelbyville Police Department discovered an ad on Craigslist that led investigators to believe the poster was looking to have sex with an underage female. Investigators replied to the ad posing as the mother of a 13 year-old daughter. The conversations progressed and ultimately led to the arrest of Jeremy Stahlhood, age 23, of Manchester, Tennessee. Stahlhood drove to Shelbyville with the intent to have sex with a minor, but was apprehended by law enforcement as he entered a local residence used for the operation. Stahlhood was charged with Criminal Attempt to Commit Aggravated Statutory Rape.
Update on Officer Involved Shooting in Grundy County
Jacky Wayne Bean
The suspect fled on foot and later attempted to get a ride with a local resident but was unsuccessful.
At the crash scene, a 20-year-old female was transported to the hospital and later pronounced dead. She has been identified as Shelby Comer from Beersheba Springs. Her body has been taken to the medical examiner’s office in Nashville.
The suspect has been identified has Jacky Wayne Bean (32) from Soddy Daisy, TN. Deputies found Bean hiding in the woods near the scene around 8:00am on Sunday morning. He was transported to the hospital for evaluation. He is currently being held at the Grundy County Sheriff’s Office and has no bond. A bond hearing will be set this week. Bean is charged with Attempted First-Degree Murder, Evading Arrest, 3 counts of Reckless Endangerment, DUI and Violation of Implied Consent. More charges are expected later this week.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is assisting in the investigation of the case.
Successful Year for Tennessee State Fire Marshal’s Office
The Tennessee State Fire Marshal’s Office is celebrating a successful year.
In all of 2017, they’ve certified nearly 4,000 firefighters to serve across the state. They’ve also worked nearly 400 fire investigations, including five explosions and more than 100 arson-related fires.
They’ve also completed 1,065 training classes and had 62 new firefighter recruit graduates at the Tennessee Fire Service and Codes Enforcement Academy in Bedford County.
They’ve issued over 120,000 electrical permits and over 1,000 residential permits.
The number they’re most proud of is the 25,000 smoke alarms that have been distributed to neighborhoods across the state as part of the “Get Alarmed, Tennessee” program. Since 2012, the program has distributed more than 161,000 alarms and saved more than 190 lives.
The Fire Marshal’s Office has received a $266,667 grant from FEMA to keep the program going into 2018.
New Law Changing who enforces Marijuana Laws in Tennessee.
A new law will change who enforces marijuana laws in Tennessee.
A law taking effect in January removes the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission from the Governor’s Task Force on Marijuana Eradication.
The push to remove the commission began in 2012, when law enforcement discovered what they believed to be marijuana in the home of the commission’s director. Police never did a criminal investigation and the director retired in 2012.
Still, state Sen. Bill Ketron pushed to have the commission removed from the task force. His bill passed in May 2017 and will take effect on Jan. 1.
A representative for the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation noted the commission had nine agents assigned to the task force, work that must be absorbed by other law enforcement agencies.
Unemployment Up Slightly in Tennessee
Tennessee officials say the state’s unemployment rate in November was well below the jobless figure a year earlier.
Officials say the preliminary, seasonally adjusted statewide jobless rate last month was 3.1 percent. That’s 2 percentage points lower than the rate a year ago. It’s also 1 percentage point below the national jobless average of 4.1 percent.
Last month’s statewide rate was slightly higher than the previous month, but officials say unemployment in Tennessee remains historically low.
Officials say the state jobless rate reached 3 percent in both September and October, the lowest level since the government began tracking the statistic in 1976.
12/26/17 — Jerry Dale Gallagher
Mr. Jerry Dale Gallagher, 63, passed away, Sunday, December 24, 2017 at his home with his children at his bedside. He was born in Tullahoma on January 16, 1954 to Benton Clay and Cleora Wilson Gallagher who preceded him in death along with his niece, Shannon Magouirk.
Jerry worked on the family farm with his father and was a delivery driver for Coca-Cola and Frito Lay for many years. He also worked with his brother Kenny and nephew Tyler repairing and sealing asphalt driveways and parking lots.
He is survived by his daughters, Shalonda (Monte) Meeks and Amanda (Jamie) Ruehling of Gruetli-Laager and his son, Dustin (Tava) Gallagher of Manchester; sister, Tressie Jo (John) Kennedy; brothers, Bobby (Sheila) and Kenny (Tammy) Gallagher; grandchildren, Karastin, Kyla and Bryson Braden, Emily and Creed Meeks, Jaden, Jalie and Jeter Ruehling; great grandchildren, Tristin, Lindley and Shayde; niece, Shelly Landis; nephews, Scotty Magourik and Ben Gallagher; his best friend Pearl his faithful dog.
Family and friends will gather for a memorial service Tuesday at 7:00 PM in the Cumberland Funeral Home Chapel with Minister John Kennedy officiating and memories shared by family and friends. Visitation: 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM Tuesday at Cumberland Funeral Home, Monteagle, Tennessee.
Alontae Taylor Signs NLI with Tennessee on Friday
Alontae Taylor, surrounded by family and coaches, smiles after signing the National Letter of Intent with the University of Tennessee
Choking back tears, Alontae Taylor thanked his grandmother as “the biggest inspiration in my life” on Friday as he signed his National Letter of Intent to play college football at the University of Tennessee. As the tears flowed inside the Joe Frank Patch Memorial Gym at Coffee County Central High School, rain began to come down in torrents in an eerily symbolic gesture of the passion that has driven Coffee County’s most acclaimed athlete in a generation. Flanked by family and coaches, Alontae followed through on the promise he made to Tennessee coach Jeremy Pruitt as Pruitt’s first commitment to Tennessee under the new head coach.
Taylor, rated as a 4-star recruit by the national recruiting services, becomes one of the highlights of the Class of 2018 for Tennessee. Alontae became the 12th player to sign with Tennessee during the December early signing period. Taylor rescinded his previous commitment of more than a year in September and made the announcement on November 12th when Tennessee fired former head coach Butch Jones. Taylor took official recruiting visits to Wake Forest, Georgia and Notre Dame, after receiving 29 Division 1 scholarship offers.
Taylor becomes the first Division 1 football signee for Coffee County since the 1970’s on the final day of the early signing period for high school seniors. Taylor, who completed his high school degree in 3 ½ years, will enroll at Tennessee in January. Taylor will be able to begin the strength and conditioning program at Tennessee and participate in spring football for the Vols.
When asked what a mature young man Alontae was, Coach Ryan Sulkowski had this to say:
Taylor still has one more game to play before joining the college ranks as he will participate in the 2018 Under Armour All-America High School Football Game. The 2018 Under Armour All-America Game will be played Jan. 4, 2018 at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida. The game will be broadcast on ESPN and practices will be aired on ESPNU. Alontae is one of more than 80 players selected to compete in the 10-year anniversary game of the annual Under Armour All-America Game presented by American Family Insurance, a nationally televised competition spotlighting the country’s top high school seniors. Taylor is one of 2 players from Tennessee selected for the game as he joins Jordan Davis of Memphis’ Southwind High School on the team.
When asked what signing day meant to him, Taylor had this to say: