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“Operation Southern Shield” begins Monday
Monday, July 17, the Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO) will be joined by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, the Tennessee Highway Patrol, the Georgia State Patrol, and local law enforcement for a press event to launch “Operation Southern Shield,” a regional mobilization to crack down on speeding from July 17 to July 23, 2017. The purpose of “Operation Southern Shield” is to increase enforcement during this heavy vacation travel period when the rate of fatal crashes is highest throughout the Southeast. Other participating states include Alabama and South Carolina.
According to the Tennessee Integrated Traffic Analysis Network (TITAN), the number of Tennessee speed-related fatalities increased by approximately eight percent from 2012 to 2015. According to the NHTSA, the number of speed-related fatalities in Georgia increased nearly 50 percent during this time period. In an effort to reduce fatal crashes, the THSO and partners will target our region’s major highways and high-risk locations.
Coffee Co. Jail Recommended for Re-Certification
Coffee County Sheriff Steve Graves
The Tennessee Corrections Institute was very complementary of the jail and the staff. Graves added that this is a very difficult task, but his staff should be congratulated for their outstanding efforts.
Verizon confirms Personal Data of 6 Million Customers Leaked
Verizon confirmed on Wednesday the personal data of 6 million customers has leaked online.
The security issue, uncovered by research from cybersecurity firm UpGuard, was caused by a misconfigured security setting on a cloud server due to “human error.”
The error made customer phone numbers, names, and some PIN codes publicly available online. PIN codes are used to confirm the identity of people who call for customer service.
No loss or theft of customer information occurred, according to Verizon.
7/12/17 — Birthdays
Birthdays:
Kyle Bryan, 22 — Pizza Winner!
Anniversaries:
Oscar & Marie Daniel, 20
Brenda & Joe Roybal, 27
Bonnie & Jody Wilson, 4
Season Preview – CHS Volleyball
Tyana Fenton of Lady Raider volleyball[File Photo]
The Lady Raiders face a rebuilding task in 2017 as they return only 2 starters and a senior class with only 4 players. Middle hitter Alliyah Williams and libero Tyanna Fenton will provide leadership at 2 crucial positions this season but Coach Andrew Taylor is looking for several players to set up to help return the Lady Raiders to the region tournament for the 6th year in a row. Senior outside hitters Alexis Baker and Odalis Garcia have each showed marked improvement coming out of a skills camp on Tuesday as they look to provide a solid base of experience. Junior Kirsten Prater will be in contention for a setter position as Coach Taylor looks to find a suitable lineup combination. To complicate matters, junior Shannah Frame was lost for the season due to a knee injury earlier this week costing Coffee County a likely starter. Several underclassmen have stepped to the forefront in the summer workouts as Coach Taylor called out the talented play of sophomores Amanda Mukai, Keelie Hillis, Sarah West and Elizabeth Proffitt along with freshman Lexi Bryan. Each are looking to provide depth to the Coffee County netters.
After hosting the skills camp with Coffee Middle earlier this week, the Lady Raiders are off to Lebanon on Thursday to begin a 3 day camp at Cumberland University. The camp will work on skills during the day with match play in the evenings. Coffee County will travel to Eagleville next week for a team camp on Wednesday through Friday before returning home to host a varsity play day on Wednesday, July 26th.
The Lady Raider conclude preseason play with a varsity/JV scrimmage play day at Stewarts Creek on August 5th.
The Lady Raiders open the season on August 14th at home when they play host to Middle Tennessee Christian School. That match is scheduled for 6 PM. The Lady Raiders will be featured this fall on the First National Bank Home Town Sports Series. Thunder Radio’s first CHS volleyball broadcast is set for August 15th when they play host to Shelbyville at the Joe Frank Patch Memorial Gym.
Coach Taylor will also be a guest on the July 22nd edition of the Coffee Coaches Show to talk about the upcoming season. The Coffee Coaches Show is heard each Saturday at 10 AM here on Thunder Radio as it is broadcast live from the showroom of Al White Ford/Lincoln.
Voice of the Preds Receives Broadcasting Honors
Pete Weber of the Nashville Predators Radio Network
The Voice of the Nashville Predators has been adding to his trophy case this summer.
Preds Radio Play-by-Play Broadcaster Pete Weber was named the 2016 Tennessee Sportscaster of the Year by the National Sports Media Association on June 27, and then followed that by being named as an inductee to the Buffalo Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame Class of 2017.
Weber, who has been with the Preds franchise since Day One, collected his third consecutive Tennessee Sportscaster of the Year honor, and fifth overall, having received the accolade in 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015 and 2016.
A native of Galesburg, Illinois, Weber spent a large portion of his career covering sports in Buffalo, New York. He’s a worthy recipient of their induction, thanks to his work with the Buffalo Bills, Sabres and Bison, as well as collegiate broadcasting in the area.
After stops with the Los Angeles Kings and the Seattle Supersonics, Weber landed in Buffalo from 1982 to 1998 before the Preds came calling. He has been in Nashville ever since.
For Inciarte, All-Star Game was Toast to 1st Half
Ender Inciarte
When it came down to the Braves’ All-Star selection, there was not a more deserving candidate than dynamo center fielder Ender Inciarte. As he stepped onto the field at Marlins Park on Tuesday night, Inciarte felt honored to be a part of history.
“Just everything about the game,” Inciarte said. “Once you heard the national anthem and you realize that you are standing in line with all those guys, it is really special. I am happy with today and hopefully I can repeat it again.”
Inciarte made his All-Star debut in a familiar position in the sixth inning of 2017 MLB All-Star Game presented by Mastercard at Marlins Park, taking over in center field for Rockies All-Star Charlie Blackmon.
He went 0-for-2 in a game the National League lost 2-1 to the American League in 10 innings. In his first at-bat he hit a liner that was robbed by A’s first baseman Yonder Alonso.
Inciarte endured a similar fate in his second at-bat, grounding out after working a full count against Indians reliever Andrew Miller in the 10th inning.
“It was the best and something you dream of as a kid,” Inciarte said. “But once you are here it’s a fun moment and I am never going to forget about it.”
Inciarte has been the catalyst for the Braves this season. He has guided the Braves to a 42-45 record and proven his value as the team’s leadoff hitter. He owns a .302 batting average with career-high seven home runs at the break.
A key to Inciarte’s dazzling first-half performance may be an improved approach at the plate. He is taking more pitches and staying back on breaking balls. Since the 2016 All-Star break, Inciarte has a .319 batting average with 54 walks and nine home runs. He has also hit the ball to all fields, and owns a .422 slugging percentage in that span.
As a result, this approach has allowed Inciarte to rank third in MLB with 112 hits. He also has 58 runs scored and sports a 2.1 WAR this season. Defensively, he also has a leads the league with three five-star catches according to Statcast™.
Inciarte is trending in the right direction as the Braves try to catch the Washington Nationals in the National League East. The Braves are 9 1/2 games back and have a tough stretch with series against the D-backs, Cubs and Dodgers to close out July.
However, Inciarte believes that the team can make some noise with key players like Freddie Freeman and Sean Rodriguez coming back from injuries.
“We have a lot of faith in our ballclub and our teammates,” Inciarte said. “We have been playing good baseball and hopefully at the end of the year, we can surprise a lot of people.”
Order of Protection and Drugs leads to Manchester Man’s Arrest
William Homer Pinegar Jr… Photo provided by the CCSD.
Pinegar, Jr was charged with 3 counts of violation of order of protection, schedule II drug violation, schedule VI drug violation and unlawful drug paraphernalia uses and activities. His bond was set at $15,500 and he is to appear in Coffee County court August 15, 2017.
Maintenance and Upgrade set for Thursday, July 13 for DREMC
Duck River Electric Membership Corporation (DREMC) has scheduled a network maintenance and upgrade for Thursday, July 13, beginning at 5:15 pm. During this time, members will be unable to make payments of any type. You will also be unable to report outages using their website or mobile app. If you need to report an outage, please call your local DREMC office. Dispatchers are on duty after regular office hours to assist you.
DREMC apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause their members, and they appreciate your patience and understanding.
MADD: Drunk Drivers’ Rights Win Over Rights of Community
In Tennessee, suspected drunk drivers can now refuse to take a blood-alcohol test without facing additional fines or jail time. (Rob Nguyen/Flickr)
Tennessee lawmakers say they were forced to pass a new drunk driving law after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that implied-consent laws were unconstitutional, saying that states cannot criminalize a DUI suspect’s refusal to submit to a forensic test.
The new law took effect July 1 and has the group Mothers Against Drunk Driving charging that the rights of drunk drivers are being considered above those of victims.
Phaedra Marriott-Olsen, an underage drinking specialist with MADD in Tennessee, is a survivor of an incident with a drunk driver.
“It comes down to this – that drunk driver made two choices,” she states. “The first choice he made was to drink, and the second choice he made was to drive – so, when it comes to drunk driving, the ability to be able to just find a shortcut out of it or an easy way to get out if it, is not what we need to be doing.”
Drivers in all 50 states can still have their licenses revoked for refusing to take a blood-alcohol test, but can’t face additional fines or jail time.
Marriott-Olsen is now wheelchair-bound and says that as a result of the incident that injured her, she faces ongoing medical problems.
“I live it every single day of my life,” she states. “Every time I look at my scars, every time I look at my wheelchair, every time I push myself up a hill, I’m reminded how a drunk driver changed my life in just one instant.”
Tennessee faced the potential loss of federal revenue if the state didn’t change its law. Currently, drivers must either give consent for a blood test, or a warrant must be obtained.