Josh Peterson

Those traveling to and from Rutherford County on Interstate 24 the past couple of days have probably noticed some random lane closures and slower travel. This is scheduled to continue through Wednesday evening, March 2.

Tennessee Department of Transportation has announced that I-24 in both directions between mile markers 89 and 96 (Buchanan Rd. and Beech Grove exit) will continue to have temporary lane closures between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. through March 2 for “maintenance work.”

Anyone making that trip is encouraged to allow for extra time or take US Highway 41 as an alternate route.

TN lawmakers introduce bill to ‘ensure students are taught virtues of capitalism’

Republican legislation intended to ensure that students are taught about the benefits of America’s founding principles as part of their social studies curriculum advanced out of the Tennessee House Education Instruction Subcommittee last week.

House Bill 2742 would require that high school students in Tennessee be taught about the virtues of capitalism and the constitutional republic form of government as compared to other political and economic systems such as communism and socialism.

“We understand that the job of educators is to teach accurate, unbiased material to students,” State Rep. Dennis Powers, R-Jacksboro, told members of the subcommittee. “The objective of this bill is not to force a specific ideology on students, but to teach them our founding principles.”

The legislation now moves to the full House Education Instruction Committee for additional discussion and debate. More information about House Bill 2742 can be found here.

Franklin County police warn of another scam

Another day, another scam alert to tell you about.

This alert comes out of Franklin County.

The Franklin County Sheriff’s Department is warning people that a scammer is contacting people about a rental home opportunity in which you have to complete an application and an $80 application fee.

Authorities say to disregard this and do not send in any payments. This call comes from a 423 area code number. If you have received such an officer, call Franklin County Sheriff’s Department investigator Chuck Stines.

William “Billy” Parker

William “Billy” Parker, age 61, of Manchester, Tennessee, passed away
following a brief illness, on Friday, February 25, 2022.

Born in Ypsilanti, Michigan, on April 30, 1960, to the late William T.
Parker and Vera Sanders- Parker, “Billy” devoted his life to being a loving
son, brother, uncle and friend. He was a retired Army- National Guard
Veteran and had been employed with Kasai North America Inc. for over
thirty-three years. “Billy” was a very hardworking and caring person, with
a big heart and always willing to lend a helping hand to others, especially
his parents and siblings. In his younger years, he enjoyed traveling and
going on cruises, including California, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica,
Australia and Mexico. “Billy” will be missed dearly by his loving family
and friends.

Other than his parents, he is preceded in death by one nephew, Donald
Allen, Jr. and one brother-in-law, Don Vance.

Survivors include two sisters, Margaret Allen and Shelliah Vance; one
nephew, Matthew Vance; one great niece, Chrissy Beason; two great nephews,
Nicholas Allen and Malachi Vance; one great great niece, Olivia Beason; and
two great great nephews, Rayden Beason and Phoenix Beason.

Visitation will be held at Coffee County Funeral Chapel in Manchester,
Tennessee, on Thursday, March 3, 2022, from 4-7PM.

Funeral Services will be held, at the funeral home, on Friday, March 4,
2022, at 11AM, with Pastor Billy Welsh officiating.

Interment to immediately follow at Winchester City Cemetery in Winchester,
Tennessee.

Coffee County Funeral Chapel is honored to assist the family with the
arrangements.

HS BASKETBALL: Lady Raider season comes to abrupt end with OT loss to McMinn County

After Monday night, only 16 girls basketball teams remain in the state of Tennessee.

Unfortunately, Coffee County isn’t one of them.

Second half turnovers hurt Coffee County Monday night (Feb. 28, 2022) in Manchester and the Lady Raiders fell to visiting McMinn County 53-51 in overtime of the Region 3-4A semi-finals.

McMinn County advances to play Bradley Central in the in the region championship and earns a berth in the state sectional. The Lady Raider season comes to a close.

Coffee County led 30-23 at the half behind hot shooting from Olivia Vinson and solid post play from Chloe Gannon. But the Lady Cherokees took off on a 6-0 run to start the third quarter and close the gap. Coffee County led 36-33 after three quarters before McMinn County finally took the lead in the fourth quarter and actually pulled ahead by 5 before Vinson nailed a 3-pointer (she finished with 14 points).

Lady Raider post Chloe Gannon tied the game later at 41-41. Then the Lady Cherokees held the ball for the final 2 minutes of regulation for a final shot – an attempt that was thwarted by the Lady Raider interior defense.

But Coffee County instantly fell behind by 4 in overtime within the first minute and the Lady Raiders were never able to tie or regain the lead. A baseline jumper from Lady Raider Kiya Ferrell with 17.9 seconds to play pulled CHS to within 50-48, but McMinn County was too good at the free-throw line and Coffee County could not manage a defensive steal.

Chloe Gannon led the Lady Raiders with 16 points on the night, followed by Vinson with 14. Reel scored 6 off the bench and senior Elli Chumley had 5 before fouling out.

Peytyn Oliver of McMinn County led all scorers with 22.

Turnovers were costly for the Lady Raiders in the second half. CHS turned the ball over just 4 times in the first quarter, but ended up with 9 in the second half for 13 on the night – including some costly ones in the back court and on forced entry passes to the post.

Coffee County falls to 0-3 in Region semi-final games in the past four years – a hump the Lady Raiders have struggled to get over in the postseason.

CHS final record is 29-4 in a season that included a 26-game winning streak (that ended Monday night), a regular season district championship and a district tournament championship.

The loss also marks the end of the high school basketball careers for Ferrell and Chumley.

Birthdays- February 28

Lilly Shores

Judson Hensiek- 15

Pepper Henley- 2- Pizza Winner!

Lawson Mychrac

Birthdays- February 26

Audra Lowery

Amanda Morton- Pizza Winner!

Joseph Parks- 42

Hunter Smithson

Jill L. Blackburn

Jill L. Blackburn of Huntland passed this life on Sunday, February 27, 2022
at the age of 42. Funeral Services are scheduled on Wednesday, March 2, 2022
at 11 AM at Daves-Culbertson Funeral Home with burial to follow at Watson
Cemetery in Huntland. The family will receive friends from 5-8 pm on Tuesday,
March 1, 2022.

A native of Nashville, she was the daughter of the late Phillip and Lorena
Clark Blackburn. She loved spending time with her grandchildren, family and
friends. She enjoyed cooking, watching mystery shows on TV, reading and
taking long bubble baths.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her grandparents,
Lonzo and Elsie Clark and Evelyn and Zane Blackburn.

Jill is survived by her son, Dillon Summers (Allisa) of Huntland;
daughters, Monica Summers and Jenny Blackburn, both of Huntland, Kiara
Blackburn of Sewanee and Brooklyn Blackburn of Shelbyville; brother, Jimmy
Dale Moody (Desiree) of Huntland; sister, Paula Carr (Steve) of Ankeny,
Iowa; boyfriend, G W Taylor Jr. of Huntland and grandchildren, Avery,
Paisley, Ivy and Mylan.

Online condolences may be made at www.davesculbertsonfuneralhome.com.
Daves-Culbertson Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Author's posts

Robert G. Rainey

Birthdays- March 1

Slow travel on I-24 due to maintenance work