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Haslam Signs Broadband Accessibility Act
Gov. Bill Haslam
The Republican governor signed the Broadband Accessibility Act of 2017 at a ceremony in Brownsville on Tuesday afternoon.
The measure clears the way for nonprofit electric co-ops, like Duck River Electric Co-Op to start providing both internet and video service. It also provides $45 million in grants and tax credits to co-ops and internet service providers, like AT&T and Comcast, to encourage the development of internet in areas that don’t have it.
A last-minute change adopted by lawmakers lowered the minimum internet speed requirement from download speeds from the federal definition of 25 megabits per second to 10 megabits per second.
Young Boy Injured on Tims Ford Lake
On Sunday afternoon at Tims Ford Lake in Franklin County a child was injured when he opened a motorboat cowling and flames erupted from the inboard’s engine when fuel had ignited. The incident occurred around 1pm.
The boy was taken via helicopter to Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital in Nashville.
The good news is that he boy was awake and talking to rescue personnel.
Retiring? County ranked among the Top Spots in Tennessee
Planning where you’ll spend your retirement can be difficult, especially for folks who will be relying heavily on Social Security as a main source of income. There are, however, places where Social Security goes further than others and in a new study, SmartAsset has delved in the numbers to find out where. In its third annual study, SmartAsset analyzed Social Security income, cost of living data, and taxes across all counties to determine where people are getting the most mileage out of Social Security, and Coffee County ranked among the top spots in Tennessee. We ranked number 7 with Moore County ranking at number 3. Loudon ranked number 1.
Concert at Frazier McEwen Park in Tullahoma
The City of Tullahoma Parks and Recreation Department is pleased to present Live from Ventura Boulevard (LFVB). This is going to be an exciting night of free music, said Director of Parks and Recreation, Kurt Glick.
“These musicians are Nashville professionals. One member, Scott Sheriff, is the keyboard player for Carrie Underwood.” Saturday night, May 20 at Frazier McEwen Park. Live from Ventura Boulevard plays music from the late seventies, which gave us some unforgettable melodies and instrumental hooks.
LFVB will take you back to that era with a set list filled with an eclectic blend of Power Pop, Top 40, as well as some high-end Album Oriented Rock gems to keep the good vibes flowing all night long. Some of the artists covered include Boz Scaggs, Kenny Loggins, The Doobie Brothers, Little River Band, Ambrosia, The Eagles and more.
Opening for LFVB will be the local Rock Creek Bluegrass Band.
5/20/17 — Mattie Sue Gibbs
Mrs. Mattie Sue Gibbs, age 77, passed away surrounded by her loving family at her Tullahoma residence on May 15, 2017.
She was born on August 20, 1939 to the late James Brown and Elizabeth Porter Riner in Lincoln County, Tennessee.
A Church of Christ by faith, she loved to crochet, quilt, read and cook for family and friends.
She is survived by her husband Richard Gibbs of Tullahoma and daughters Esther Hamilton and her husband Mark of Tullahoma and Deborah Akers of Pueblo, Colorado. Surviving also are sisters Jane Forcier a resident of California, Peggy Nelson and her husband J.T. of Shelbyville, Tennessee and Jena Bryan and her husband James of Hillsboro, Tennessee. One brother Jim Riner and his wife Ricki, residence of Colorado also survive along with five grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
Visitation with family will be on May 19, 2017 at Daves-Culbertson Funeral Home from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. A funeral service will follow at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 20 from the chapel of Daves-Culbertson Funeral Home. Interment will follow at Maplewood Cemetery in Tullahoma. Bill Cantrell will officiate.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made St. Judes Children Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, Tennessee 38105.
Online condolences may be made at www.davesculbertsonfuneralhome.com.
Daves-Culbertson Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Lady Raider Softball Spanks Lady Bulldogs in Region Semifinals
Kaylee Skipper of CHS Softball(file photo)
Eight hits and a pair of Smyrna errors fed a 9 run 2nd inning for Coffee County as the Lady Raiders beat the Lady Bulldogs 11 to 0 on Monday night in the Region 4AAA semifinals in Smyrna. In a game you heard here on Thunder Radio, the Lady Raiders pounded out 13 hits including 5 doubles and a triple to earn a Region Finals bid on Wednesday in Lawrenceburg against Lawrence County. Coffee County pitcher Kaylee Skipper tossed a 3 hit shutout as she notched 4 strikeouts in a game shortened to 5 innings due to the mercy rule.
After lining into a double play to end the first inning, Coffee County sent 14 batters to the plate in the top of the 2nd inning. Back to back doubles from Tori Bell and Sarah West to lead off the inning set the stage for the Raider rout. Ashley Evans added a 2 RBI double and Haley Hinshaw ripped a 2 RBI triple in the frame. West finished the inning with a single, a double and 2 RBI.
Leading 9 to 0 entering the 5th, West led off the inning with her 2nd double before Skipper drove her in with a single and Lauren Tomberlin hit an RBI double to give Coffee County the huge win. Skipper finished the game with 2 singles and 2 RBI to go with her stellar pitching line to earn the Crazy Daisies Player of the Game honor. West was 3 for 3 with 5 total bases and 2 RBI. Evans and Tomberlin each finished with a double and a single. Katie Rutledge finished with 2 singles and 2 RBI.
Here is Lucky Knott’s call of both of Skipper’s RBI
Coffee County will now face Lawrence County in the Region 4AAA finals in Lawrenceburg on Wednesday night at 7 PM. This will be the 5th meeting of the year between these 2 teams and the 4th in 16 days. Thunder Radio will be on hand to bring you all the action. Lucky Knott will be on the call as we begin live coverage with the pregame show at 6:50.
Download the broadcast at: http://www.thunder1320.com/downloads/
CHS Red Raider Netters Fall in Region Tournament
Grey Riddle of CHS tennis
The Coffee County Red Raider tennis team saw arguably their best season in history come to a close on Monday in the Region 4AAA singles/doubles tournament in Murfreesboro. The Raider netters, who qualified a singles player and a doubles team for the region tournament, saw their dream of a state qualification scrapped at Old Fort Park.
In doubles play, the district winning team of Reid Lawrence and Grey Riddle faced off against the District 7 runner-up team from Oakland. The Raider pair battled hard before falling in straight sets 3-6 and 4-6. Red Raider Joseph Sadler advanced to the region as the District 8 runner-up which matched him up against the District 7 champion from Siegel. The freshman Sadler bowed out 0-6 and 2-6 to cap off an incredible freshman season.
Red Raider Soccer
2017 CHS All-District award winners. {Left to Right) – Coach of the Year Robert Harper, 1st team All-District Tyler Walker, Defender of the Year Ben Reid, Forward of the Year Breyer Taylor, 1st team All-District Chase Harper, 2nd team All-District John Parigger, 1st team All-District Briggs Haithcock, 2nd team All-District Moises Ramirez
Seven members of the Coffee County CHS soccer team won All-District honors on Friday night following the District 8AAA championship. Additionally, Coach Robert Harper was named the District coach of the year. Red Raiders Tyler Walker, Ben Reid, Breyer Taylor, Chase Harper and Briggs Haithcock were named to the 1st team All-District team. Named to the 2nd team were John Parigger, Moises Ramirez and Paco Barrera. Additionally, Ben Reid was named the District 8AAA Defender of the Year and Breyer Taylor was named the District 8AAA Forward of the Year.
Colon Sharp, Freeman Homers as Braves Rout Jays
The Atlanta Braves entered Monday’s game in Toronto as Vegas underdogs and it was easy to see why. However, the team played quite well for nine innings and the end result was a rare, 10-6 victory that felt comfortable for long stretches of time.
In a continuation of positive recent trends, the Braves struck first and the initial blow came in the opening frame. Matt Kemp singled to send Freddie Freeman from first to third and, after a ghastly throw, Kemp was able to advance to second. On cue, Nick Markakis contributed some timely hitting with a two-run single to center and Atlanta was off and running.
Adonis Garcia then led off the second inning with a hit by pitch, stole second, advanced to third on an error and was brought to the plate by a sacrifice fly from Dansby Swanson. Braves starter Bartolo Colon did allow a run in the bottom half of the frame after back-to-back doubles but he escaped further damage and the Braves never trailed.
Swanson, who was excellent at the plate in the game, tacked on a run with an RBI single in fourth and Nick Markakis stretched the lead back to three with a second RBI single in the fifth. After a walk to Tyler Flowers, Garcia then extended the margin to 6-2 with an RBI single and the rout looked to be on from there.
A Jose Bautista double in the fifth inning did slash the margin back to three but, in short order, the game was broken open from the bat of Freddie Freeman. Swanson doubled to center to open the sixth and that was followed by a bunt single from Ender Inciarte. After a Brandon Phillips strikeout, Freeman blasted a three-run home run to center field and, at 9-3, the result was virtually academic.
The Braves would add an additional insurance run and, in continuing with his woeful performance this season, Ian Krol would allow Toronto to score a single run in the eighth inning before Josh Collmenter issued a two-run bomb in the ninth. Fortunately, both hiccups were largely meaningless and the end result was a positive one.
Individually, it was an excellent (read: perfect) night for Matt Kemp at the plate, as he went 4-for-4 with two doubles and three runs scored. Freddie Freeman, of course, added the biggest swing of the night, while Dansby Swanson (2-for-4, 2 RBI), Adonis Garcia (2-for-4, 2 RBI, 2 runs) and Nick Markakis (2-for-4, 3 RBI) brought strong performances to the table.
In run prevention, Bartolo Colon was not electric but he did enough to win. The veteran right-hander allowed three runs (two earned) across five innings of work and he was flanked by a scoreless outing from Jason Motte in addition to the issues of Krol and Collmenter.
The same two teams will be back at it on Tuesday in Toronto before coming back to Atlanta for two more on Wednesday and Thursday.
Sounds Begin Road Trip with Win at Fresno
The Nashville Sounds began an eight-game road trip with a 4-1 victory over the Fresno Grizzlies Monday night. Catcher Bruce Maxwell returned from his stint with Oakland with a three-hit night for the Sounds.
Working his way back from Tommy John surgery, Chris Bassitt (1-0, 4.00) put together a solid start for the Sounds (16-18). Six days after making his Sounds 2017 debut, Bassitt made his first start for the ball club and cruised through a season-high five innings and needed just 62 pitches to do so. He benefitted from outstanding defense behind him. The Sounds turned a double play in each inning from the second through the fifth. The four twin-killings matched a season-high for Nashville.
Through three innings Monday night’s game was a pitching duel. That ended when Matt Olson took Corey Coleman (1-2, 7.63) deep to give the Sounds a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning. One inning later, in his first game back with the club after a stint with Oakland, Maxwell smashed his first home run of the season to double the Sounds lead to 2-0. Franklin Barreto left his mark on the fifth inning with his 21st RBI of the season on a single to center field that scored Melvin Mercedes. Monday night’s game was 14th time the Sounds launched at least two home runs in a game in 2017. They are now 10-4 in such contests.
In the fourth inning Maxwell added to the Sounds’ lead with a base hit up the middle that scored Matt Chapman from second base. Chapman was aboard after recording his second double of the season.
Fresno (15-23) avoided a shutout thanks to a sacrifice fly from Preston Tucker off Michael Brady (2-1, 3.66) in the ninth inning but that was all the offense they could muster on the evening.
Maxwell added a lead-off double in the top of the ninth to secure his second three-hit game of the season. The Sounds catcher has now hit safely in four straight games for Nashville, which is a season-high.
Zach Neal (0-0, 4.02) picked up where Bassitt left off as he kept the Grizzlies’ offense at bay. Pitching out of the bullpen for the third time this season, Neal went three and surrendered just a pair of hits while striking out a trio hitters. Neal has not allowed a run in all eight innings he has pitched as a reliever this season.
Between Bassitt and Neal, the Sounds snapped Derek Fisher’s league-high 17 game hit streak. Nashville’s Renato Nunez saw his six game hitting streak come to an end as well.
The Sounds play game two of their eight-game trip in California tomorrow night against Fresno Game one against the Fresno Grizzles is scheduled for Monday night at Chukchansi Park. Right-hander Jharel Cotton (0-0, 0.00) starts for Nashville against right-hander David Martinez (1-4, 6.47) for Fresno. First pitch is slated for 8:35 p.m.