On Wednesday May 10th 2017 deputies with the Coffee County Sheriff’s Department went to serve an active warrant for arrest of Phillip Charles Gatewood age 38 on Walden Ridge Road in Manchester. Deputies were attempting to make contact with Gatewood, who was sitting in the driver’s seat of his vehicle. The arrest warrant states that Gatewood allegedly took off at a high rate of speed and led deputies on a pursuit that placed deputies and other citizen’s lives at risk by the man’s reckless driving. Gatewood later slowed his vehicle and put his hands up as if he was going to stop. He then allegedly leaned over in an attempt to take cover and accelerated the vehicle toward where Investigator Kelly Smith was standing, who then moved quickly to keep from being struck by the vehicle. Deputies also state that during the pursuit Gatewood passed several citizens on the wrong side of the road at a high rate of speed and in aggressive manner. Pursuit was continued down Sixteenth Model Road where contact was lost and the pursuit was terminated.
On Thursday May 11, Investigator James Sherrill and Deputy Brandon Reed received information that Gatewood might be at a residence on Allie Boyton Road. When they arrived they say Gatewood was barricaded in a bedroom. A few minutes later he came out of the room and was arrested.
Gatewood was charged with evading arrest, aggravated assault, violation of parole, reckless endangerment, reckless driving and driving on revoked/suspended license. His bond was set at $126,500 and he will appear in Coffee County court June 19, 2017.

The Transportation Coalition of Tennessee held a series of news conferences on Monday to discuss the impact of the IMPROVE Act’s projects on different areas of the state. As part of the series, a press conference was held to detail how specific projects will affect Coffee County residents.
The total impact for Coffee County is $14,207,763 for the combined revenue to cities and counties as well as the Tennessee Department of Transportation road and bridge projects, totaling $43,358,000 from the IMPROVE Act.
The IMPROVE Act creates a long-term, dedicated funding source to fix outdated transportation infrastructure by making a modest increase to the user fees on its roads and bridges while providing a tax cut to the grocery, business and Hall income taxes.
The increase in the user fees means Tennessee residents won’t shoulder the entire burden alone, as revenue will be captured from visiting tourists and the trucks that move goods through the state. This continues Tennessee’s history as a pay-as-you-go state, meaning the people who use the roads pay for their upkeep.

Tennessee gas prices declined 2.5 cents in the past week. The state average declined for the 24th consecutive day on Sunday, for a total discount of 9 cents during that time.
According to AAA, the Auto Club Group, the average price for a gallon of gasoline in Tennessee was $2.095 on Sunday, 24 cents less than the national average.
Oil prices settled at $47.84 on the NYMEX Friday – an increase of $1.62 from the week before.
The low price in Coffee County can be found in Manchester and Tullahoma at $1.98 each.

Suicide rates in Tennessee are on the increase across all age groups, just as a new Netflix series features a story line about a teenager who takes her life in the first episode.
The show “13 Reasons Why” is prompting numerous mental-health groups to express concerns about the series.
At the Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network, executive director Scott Ridgway says the detailed portrayal could ignite thoughts in impressionable young people.
“I think that we’re not planting it in their minds, that’s key, but if they had not made it so graphic, and it’s really more fictional,” he says. “It has a buy-in that people watch the first episode and go, ‘Oh, my goodness.'”
According to the most recent data, more than 1,000 people a year commit suicide in Tennessee, with more than 250 of those involving people under age 24.
Ridgway says the TSPN is advising against schools screening the series for students, or leading staff or class discussions.
In response to concerns, Netflix has added additional warnings to the show, including “viewer discretion advised” labels on the episodes that contain explicit material.
Ridgway says teens interested in watching the series should view it with a parent or guardian – to have an open dialogue after the show.
“We recommend parents to watch it with their children if their children choose to watch the series, and this way it gives an opportunity for that discussion afterward to let folks know that there are resources and support,” he explains.
Critics also take issue with the story line in the show that features a school counselor unable to help the lead suicidal character.
Ridgway says schools and community centers are equipped with professionals who would provide appropriate help to someone in need. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-TALK or you can text TN for help to 741741.

On Thursday May 11th, 2017 Tullahoma Police officers were assisting the FBI execute a search warrant concerning child exploitation at the residence of Martin Drew McFarlane age 31 on Castle Walk Street in Tullahoma.
According to the arrest warrant, officers discovered in the home in plain view a small amount of green leafy substance believed to be marijuana. Officers say they also found several empty baggies, a glass pipe and a package of rolling papers. The warrant goes onto say that officers found in the refrigerator a mason jar with several individually wrapped pieces of what is believed to be marijuana packaged for resale.
McFarlane who is the co-director of the Tullahoma High School band was charged by Investigator Harry Conway with Manufacturing/delivering/selling/possession of controlled substance and unlawful drug paraphernalia uses and activities. His bond was set $11,500, which he made and he was released from the Coffee County Jail. His court date is May 18, 2017.
In an email release to the media on Friday morning, Tullahoma Director Schools Dr Dan Lawson says that McFarlane contacted school system officials. McFarlane told officials that on the evening of May 11, 2017 he was arrested and transported to the Coffee County Jail. McFarlane was suspended without pay pending investigation of charges against him, but later in the day on Friday McFarlane resigned his position from the Tullahoma City School system.
The FBI investigation is continuing.

A Tullahoma High School senior who could have become the youngest person ever elected to serve on the city’s board of alderman will not be allowed to run this election.
18-year-old Michael Celiberti was able to convince aldermen and the mayor to vote to change the city’s charter, lowering the minimum age to run for office from 21 to 18.
The city will not time to call for a special-called meeting to vote to ratify the proposed charter amendment. Although the bill has been signed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Gov. Bill Haslam has to sign and it must be recorded by the Tennessee Secretary of State’s office before it can be sent back to the city board for ratification via special call meeting and as of Friday that had not occurred.
The deadline to register as a candidate is May 18.
The Tullahoma election is Aug. 3.