Josh Peterson

Video of Saturday night’s devastating house fire.

A Tullahoma woman and her two children need your help after a fire Saturday night destroyed their home.

The fire took place on East Lincoln St. An arrest has been made in the case. Timothy Aaron Vines, 38, is charged with arson. He was taken to the Coffee County Jail.

Items are being collected to help:

11 year old Kenzie

Size 8 women’s shoe.

women’s large shirts.

women’s medium pants

Pre teen Christmas items

3-year old Jax

Size 10 boys shoe

Size 5t shirts.

Size 4t pants

Diaper size 5.

Sensory toys.

You may drop off items at 210 Whiteoak St. or 214 Heritage Dr.

You can also make monetary donations through gofundme by clicking here.

Interstate crash kills Manchester man

A single-vehicle crash on Interstate-24 in Murfreesboro Friday afternoon took the life of a Manchester man, according to a news report from our news partner WGNS Radio.

According to the Preliminary Report from the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Erik Elgouhary of Manchester was traveling alone in his 2005 Dodge Ram 2500 at approximately 4:16 p.m. Friday, Dec. 17.

Sgt. Alex Campbell said that the Highway Patrol’s investigation indicates that Elgouhary lost control of the vehicle, and veered off the right side of the interstate at mile marker 84.2 and slammed into a tree.

While he was being extricated from the truck, first-responders pronounced the 46-year old Elgouhary deceased at the scene.

TDOT to halt highway construction for Christmas holiday

Road construction won’t delay travelers during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays. The Tennessee Department of Transportation is once again halting all lane closure activity on interstates and state highways in anticipation of higher traffic volumes across the state. No temporary lane closures will be allowed for construction on Tennessee roadways beginning at midnight on Thursday, December 23, 2021, through 6:00 a.m. on Monday, January 3, 2022.

“With motorists expected to travel Tennessee roadways during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, keeping traffic moving and getting motorists to their destinations safely is our top priority,” said TDOT Commissioner Joe Galbato. “As always, please wear your seatbelt, reduce your speed, avoid distractions, and never drink and drive.”

Except for a few long-term closures that must remain for safety, all construction-related closures will be suspended during the holiday period. Workers may still be on-site in some construction zones. Drivers should obey all posted speed limits, particularly in construction areas. Slower speeds are necessary in work zones due to the temporary layout of the roadway and will be enforced. Drivers convicted of speeding through work zones where workers are present face a fine of $250 to $500, plus court fees and possible increased insurance premiums.

AAA Travel expects more than 109 million Americans to travel this holiday season, with a majority of them driving. More than 2.6 million Tennesseans are forecast to travel between December 23 and January 2.

Get the latest construction activity and live streaming SmartWay traffic cameras from your desktop or mobile device at www.TNSmartWay.com/Traffic. Travelers can also dial 511 from any landline or cellular phone for travel information or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/TN511 for statewide travel. As always, drivers are reminded to use all motorist information tools wisely and Know Before You Go! by checking travel conditions before leaving for your destination. Drivers should never tweet, text, or talk on a cell phone while behind the wheel.

Support available for Tennesseans mental health and suicide prevention during the holidays

For some people, stress increases during the holiday season, leading to physical illness, depression, anxiety, and substance misuse. If you or a loved one experience a mental health crisis, live with substance misuse or exhibit suicidal behavior during the winter holidays, there are resources and services available through the Tennessee Department of Health (TDH) and the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (TDMHSAS) to help navigate those challenges and strengthen community connections.

“Saving a life, your own or someone else’s, should never be a solo effort,” said Tennessee Department of Health Commissioner Lisa Piercey, MD, MBA, FAAP. “Support is available to help Tennesseans who are living with mental health challenges, and we urge you to learn what to look for, when to act, and who to contact if faced with a mental health emergency or suicidal crisis.”

“The holiday season can be a tremendously stressful time for many individuals who are living with mental health challenges such as depression and anxiety,” said TDMHSAS Commissioner Marie Williams, LCSW. “No matter what you’re going through, please know this: there is hope, and help is available.”

Some of the mental health and suicide prevention resources include:

Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Services Resource Directory
The Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Services Directory provides a comprehensive list of suicide prevention resources available across the state to support efforts to reduce deaths by suicide. The directory includes all suicide prevention, intervention and postvention resources throughout the state, such as training, resources and services for help, support groups, fact sheets, and infographics and data. Developed through a partnership of the Tennessee Department of
Health and the Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network, the directory can be downloaded at https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/health/program-areas/vipp/TDH-Suicide-Prevention-Resource-Guide-Final-Draft-9-24-2021.pdf.

Tennessee Statewide Crisis Line
The Tennessee Statewide Crisis Line, available 24 hours a day/365 days a year is a free resource for anyone experiencing a mental health crisis. All calls are routed to a trained crisis counselor in your area, who will provide you support and guidance and work to connect you with appropriate community supports. Call 855-CRISIS-1 (855-274-7471) or text “TN” to 741-741.

ResilienTN
ResilienTN is an initiative that works to prevent the loss of life to overdose and suicide by empowering Tennesseans with the tools and knowledge to overcome their personal challenges and watch out for and help those around them. The campaign includes training in overdose reversal and suicide prevention; events focused on addiction recovery efforts on college campuses, and suicide prevention among people living with substance use. A calendar of events and other resources are available at https://tntogether.com/shareables/.

Tennessee REDLINE
The Tennessee REDLINE offers a convenient and confidential 24/7/365 resource for substance misuse treatment referrals. The service is provided by the Tennessee Association for Alcohol, Drug and other Addiction Services (TAADAS) through a contract with the TDMHSAS. Referrals are available by phone call or text at 800-889-9789. https://www.tn.gov/behavioral-health/substance-abuse-services/prevention/tennessee-redline.html

About the Tennessee Department of Health
The mission of the Tennessee Department of Health is to protect, promote and improve the health and prosperity of people in Tennessee. Learn more about TDH services and programs at www.tn.gov/health.

About the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services
Our Mission: Creating collaborative pathways to resiliency, recovery, and independence for Tennesseans living with mental illness and substance use disorders.
Our Vision: A state of resiliency, recovery, and independence in which Tennesseans living with mental illness and substance use disorders thrive.
https://www.tn.gov/behavioral-health.html

About ReslienTN
ResilienTN is a collaboration of the Tennessee Department of Health, Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services and Tennessee Together to address the risk of drug overdose and suicide. https://tntogether.com/shareables/

WRESTLING: Raiders compete in Thursday quad

Coffee County wrestling took on Rockvale and Siegel Friday. Results below.

Rockvale (Girls) (RVG) 6.0 Coffee County High School (Girls) (COFG) 6.0
138: Jade Lenhart (COFG) over Ginny (Wes) Griffith (RVG) (Fall 0:00) 165: Crystal Rollins (RVG) over Sara Crosslin (COFG) (Fall 0:00)

You can find more details regarding this dual using the following link.

Coffee County High School (Girls) (COFG) 6.0 Siegel (Girls) (SIGG) 0.0
145: Lyra Leftwich (COFG) over Mollie Bowman (SIGG) (Fall 0:19)

You can find more details regarding this dual using the following link.

Coffee County (COFF) 31.0 Warren Co. (WACO) 21.0
132: Jeremiah Wardell (COFF) over (WACO) (For.) 138: Caleb Mackie (WACO) over Jamie Norris (COFF) (Fall 1:48) 145: Double Forfeit 152: Tommy Miller (COFF) over (WACO) (For.) 160: Gavin Prater (COFF) over Zach Keel (WACO) (MD 11-0) 170: Jacob Barlow (COFF) over Ethan Stanford (WACO) (Fall 1:30) 182: Bryan Currey (WACO) over Chris Hollis (COFF) (SV-1 14-10) 195: Ian Walker (COFF) over Jared Park (WACO) (Dec 7-1) 220: Double Forfeit 285: Blayne Myers (COFF) over (WACO) (For.) 106: Double Forfeit 113: Double Forfeit 120: Anthony Johnson (WACO) over (COFF) (For.) 126: Roberto Dodson (WACO) over Gabriel Westbrook (COFF) (Fall 0:22)

You can find more details regarding this dual using the following link.

Rockvale (RKV) 60.0 Coffee County (COFF) 18.0
126: Jerell Johnson (RKV) over Gabriel Westbrook (COFF) (Fall 2:45) 132: Parker Sparks (RKV) over Jeremiah Wardell (COFF) (Fall 3:06) 138: Logan Saller (RKV) over Jamie Norris (COFF) (Fall 3:19) 145: Ian Ramirez (RKV) over (COFF) (For.) 152: Caison Jones (RKV) over Tommy Miller (COFF) (Fall 4:12) 160: Gavin Prater (COFF) over Aden Clemons (RKV) (Fall 1:55) 170: Jacob Barlow (COFF) over Jaden Cannon (RKV) (Fall 0:36) 182: Nazario Flores (COFF) over Connor Hedges (RKV) (Dec 7-5) 195: Andrew Weinrauch (RKV) over Chris Hollis (COFF) (Fall 0:43) 220: Ian Walker (COFF) over Nicholaus Crowell (RKV) (Dec 4-2) 285: Brady Owen (RKV) over Blayne Myers (COFF) (Fall 3:15) 106: Eugene Hattabaugh (RKV) over (COFF) (For.) 113: Taiv Molchan (RKV) over (COFF) (For.) 120: Orion Humphrey (RKV) over (COFF) (For.)

You can find more details regarding this dual using the following link.

Local VFW announces teacher, student awards

Veterans of Foreign Wars All-American Post 10904 proudly announces the
selection – and advancement – of the 2021 VFW Teachers of the Year. This is
the second year in a row that all three teachers selected at the Post level
were advanced to the District level and, having been selected again, have
now advanced to the State level.

Trudy Nash of Temple Baptist School was selected in the high school
category; Will Pannell of Westwood Middle School was selected in the middle
school category; and Kelli Cunningham of Cowan Elementary School was
selected in the elementary school category.

These incredible teachers were not only selected from all area teachers at
the local Post level, but were then selected at the District level as the
best among Teachers of the Year from 9 other VFW Posts. They will now be
considered among the best teachers from 11 Districts, encompassing 91 VFW
Posts in Tennessee. State winners will be announced January 15, 2022 and
will advance to the National level. Emily Ezell of Cowan Elementary School
was awarded VFW’s National Teacher of the Year in 2018.

In addition to the outstanding teachers in our area, several local students
won the annual VFW essay competitions.

There were 64 submissions in the Patriots Pen essay competition at the
middle school level. This year’s subject was “How to be a good American”.
The winners are:

First Place: Katherine Clark of Temple Baptist School

Second Place: Carmen Barrett of Westwood Middle School

Third Place: Anza Reynolds of Westwood Middle School

Fourth Place: Sarah Shedd of Westwood Middle School

There were 16 entries in the Voice of Democracy essay competition at the
high school level. The subject was “America: Where do we go from here?” The
winners are:

First place: Andrew Hetrick of Coffee County Central High School

Second place: Rylee Bachyrycz of Temple Baptist School

Third place: Blake Albright of Temple Baptist School

Andrew Hetrick was also selected at the District level as the best of 54
submissions. He now advances to the State level.

TWRA stocks cutthroat trout in Tennessee waterways

For the first time since the 1960s, Cutthroat Trout are being stocked into Tennessee’s waterways to provide anglers with the opportunity to catch a different trout species at a few locations.

On Wednesday afternoon, 2,550 Cutthroat Trout were released into the upper portion of Fort Patrick Henry Reservoir on the Holston River below Boone Dam. Last week, 3,000 cutthroats were also stocked into the Hiwassee River, and there are plans to release 2,250 more into the Tims Ford tailwater on the Elk River in the coming months.

These cutthroats are of the Snake River fine-spotted Cutthroat Trout strain and were provided through a partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The fish were hatched and raised at the Dale Hollow National Fish Hatchery and were recently transferred to the TWRA Flintville Hatchery. Hatchery trucks delivered the fish to the TWRA Smith Shoals Access Area where they were released into the Holston River by wildlife technicians and fisheries biologists. On the Hiwassee River, they were stocked at multiple locations in the delayed harvest section of the river.

Cutthroat Trout regulations at Boone and Tims Ford fall under statewide regulations of 7 trout daily creel limit in combination with other trout species and with no minimum length limit. Currently, the cutthroats on the Hiwassee River from the Apalachia Powerhouse downstream to the L&N Railroad Bridge fall under the delayed harvest regulation and must be released. However, from March 1^st through September 30^th, there will be a daily creel limit of 7 trout in combination with other trout species and no minimum length limit.

For more information on trout fishing in Tennessee, visit: https://www.tn.gov/twra/fishing/trout-information-stockings.html

Annie Jane Jones

Annie Jane Jones passed this life on Thursday, December 16, 2021 at the age
of 90. Funeral Services are scheduled for Monday, December 20, 2021 at 12
PM at Daves-Culbertson Funeral Home with burial to follow at Oakwood
Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 11 AM until the service
time.

Annie, a native of Tullahoma, was the daughter of the late Huey Branch and
Emma Weaver Branch. She preceded in death by her husband, Cleadus Jones;
daughters, Janie Simmons and Betty Mae Jones; grandson, Torrey Simmons, two
brothers and one sister.

She is survived by her daughter, Joyce Sons (Ronnie); sister, Virginia
Evans; grandchildren, Teddy Simmons, Jeff Simmons, David Jones and Sara
Hill; great-grandchildren, Liam Jones and Kelby Rollins and great
great-grandchildren, Iris and Amon Rollins.

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

Christmas music all day Friday, Saturday on Thunder Radio WMSR

In keeping with tradition, Thunder Radio WMSR will be airing your favorite Christmas hits on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

The WMSR collection of Christmas hits is hundreds of songs deep. Beginning at 6 a.m. Dec. 24 through midnight Christmas night, you will be able to hear your favorite Christmas classics on your hometown, community radio station.

“Another one of the great traditions of WMSR over its decades is Christmas music on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day,” said Thunder Radio co-owner Josh Peterson. “That’s just not something you are going to find on big commercial, corporate radio conglomerates.”

Music will play mostly commercial free for the two days, with the occasional “Merry Christmas” message intertwined from area local businesses, as well as a few weather updates.

“I know at our house we like to have Christmas music on in the background for a couple of days around the holidays while the kids are opening gifts and while we cook breakfast,” said Peterson. “We hope everyone will join us for this special holiday.”

You can hear Thunder Radio WMSR at 107.9 FM, 106.7 FM, 1320 AM, streaming on the Manchester Go smartphone app and thunder1320.com.

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL: Raiders start, finish strong to take down Tullahoma

Aidan Abellana lets out emotion after lobbing an alley-oop layup to Dayne Crosslin in a 50-36 win over Tullhaoma – Thunder Radio photo by Holly Peterson

Coffee County never trailed against visiting Tullahoma Friday night.

The Red Raiders jumped out to a red hot start – taking a 11-0 lead – and fought off multiple Tullahoma runs to take a 50-36 win over the Wildcats at Joe Frank Patch Memorial Gym in Manchester.

Tullahoma eventually overcame the early start and tied the game at 24-24. Both teams went back and forth until 35-35, but the Wildcats never took the lead. And it was all Raiders from there, who closed on a 14-1 run down the stretch.

Three Raiders got into double figures. Dayne Crosslin scored 11 points, Phineas Rollman and Connor Shemwell each with 10. Shemwell scored 8 in the first half to get the Raiders off to a good start. Rollman was named Thunder Radio’s Stone Fort Mortgage Player of the Game.

CHS closed strong – not missing any free throws down the stretch. Brady Nugent was 4-of-4 at the line in the fourth quarter. The Raiders had their best night of the season at the charity stripe, going 15-of-19.

Tullahoma was led by Krys Uselton with 17. He scored the first 10 points on the night for the Wildcats. Coffee County held him to just 7 points after that.

The win makes four wins in the past 5 games for the Raiders and improves them to 8-4. They play next week in the Sonic Shootout in Sparta.

THIS GAME WAS BROADCAST LIVE ON THUNDER RADIO. CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE AUDIO REPLAY.