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H&R BLOCK STUDENT OF THE WEEK – Keira McInturff
Join us at Thunder Radio and Rosalyn Partin of the Manchester H&R Block and congratulate our student of the week – Keira McInturff.
Keira is a 7th grader at Westwood Middle School. She was nominated by her teachers and administrators. Keira is the daughter of Carrie and John McInturff. Her favorite subject is English Language Arts. During her free time she enjoys playing soccer and basketball. She also enjoys playing the piano and singing.
After she graduates high school, Keira plans to be a doctor.
All students of the week are selected for their work ethic and excellent attitudes in and out of the classroom.
Rosalyn Partin, owner of the Manchester H&R Block, has been inspired to recognize great kids in our community all year long. H&R Block gives each Student of the Week a commemorative plaque, a special letter of recognition and two tickets to Lake Winnepesaukah Amusement Park.
Job well done, Keira!
Birthdays- December 8
Patsi Fortner- 66
Nick Meeks
Jaxen Waggoner- Pizza Winner!
Robert Donald Van Noy Sr.
Robert (Bobby) Donald Van Noy, Sr., the last son standing of Mrs. Nellie Mae Hickerson and Mr. Roy Herman Van Noy, joined his eight siblings, Hershell, Herman, Esther, Melvin, Forrestine, Crawford, Wayne and Delores on Thursday, December 2, 2021. This sudden and quiet transition rocked the foundation of Bobby’s family left behind, but we are confident his family awaiting his arrival had a special family reunion. His mother has welcomed her last “little piece of gold.”
Bobby was born in Manchester, Tennessee on January 9, 1938. He graduated from Davidson Academy in Tullahoma, Tennessee where he was an avid sportsman. As an athlete, he was strong, dedicated and committed. Bobby’s personality and friendly disposition always connected him with his family and his community. He loved his family and friends, and he entertained his circle with lots of stories of building huts, swimming in the Little Duck River, playing in the corn fields and his other escapades in school.
Robert, Bobby, Dad, Big Bobby, Bob, Bubba, Mr. Bob, Uncle Bobby, Uncle Bob, Bob A Loo, Big Red or whatever you prefer to call him, he will truly be missed by many, but we take comfort in knowing that he has joined so many that he missed so deeply. As Bobby joins his family everyday can be the 4th of August. We will still celebrate the 4th of August in his memory. It will be different, it will be difficult, but it will be done.
To cherish his memories is his wife of 19 years, Ann M. Hunter Van Noy, his children Robert Jr., Annette (Walter Mark McClanahan) and Sharon (Mark A. Frisby), his Grandchildren, Mark Jr., Maya, Latisha, Errol, Sheena, Brittany, Cameron, Aiden, Caleb, and Tyron, Great-Grandchildren, Tristan and Cairo, Bobby’s 93 year-old Aunt, Lorene McReynolds, Sisters-in-Law, Patricia Hunter and Edna Cooper, Brothers-in-Law, Charles Cooley and John Hunter, Nieces, Nephews, Cousins and Friends, Bobby’s Lifelong Friend, Zeda Norman Brantley.
Memorial services will be held on Friday, December 10, 2021, at 2pm in the Manchester Funeral Home Chapel. Deacon Mark A. Frisby, Sr. will deliver the eulogy.
James Gibson Jr
James Gibson Jr of Tullahoma, TN passed this life on Tuesday, December 7,
2021, at his residence at the age of 75. No services are scheduled.
James, a native of Pueblo, Colorado, was the son of the late James C.
Gibson Sr and Bessie “Ruth” Rodarmel Gibson. In addition to his parents,
James was preceded in death by his wife, Dawn Gibson and his brothers;
Robert W. and Wesley Lee Gibson.
James retired from the Air Force after 20 years of service. He enjoyed
working on electronics and fishing.
James is survived by his son, James Gibson; daughters, Ashley Gibson (Isaac
Kline), Angela Lynn Gibson and Jaquline Gibson.
Online condolences may be made at www.davesculbertsonfuneralhome.com.
Daves-Culbertson Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Kevin Daniel Stewart
On November 24, 2021 Kevin Daniel Stewart left his earthly home in
Manchester Tennessee and reunited with his mother Ima Jean, brother David
Luke, and grandson Jacob Jr. in their heavenly home. Born to his parents,
Ima Jean Ruth Stewart and Rev. Phillip Harland Stewart on September 27,
1952 in Ceres, California, Kevin was raised in the Central Valley where his
dad was an Assembly of God minister and a plasterer. Kevin attended local
schools graduating from Ceres High School in 1970. He was an avid athlete
playing high school football, basketball, baseball and track. He was chosen
as the sole recipient in Ceres High School Inaugural Hall of Fame for the
class of 1970. He played football at Modesto Junior College and at New
Mexico Highlands University where he was awarded a football scholarship.
Kevin married his high school sweetheart Judith Ann Smith on May 20, 1972
and they had two sons Joshua born in 1972 and Jacob born in 1978. Kevin
spent his career as a plasterer and built his own business which followed
him when he moved his family from California to Oregon, Arkansas, Texas and
Tennessee. A man of strong faith Kevin deeply loved his family and nothing
was better than the time he spent with them sharing his love of God, sports
and fishing. Kevin is survived by his loving wife of 49 years Judy and
their sons Josh (Dora) and Jake (Jamie); their grandchildren Emily (Jacob),
Kacy, Joshua, Max, and great grandchildren Ella, Hudson, Addilyn, and
Porter. Kevin was much beloved by his surviving 97-year-old Father (Rev.
Phillip); his brothers and sister, many nieces and nephews, as well as so
many friends. He was greatly loved and will be greatly missed. Visitation
with the family will be held on Thursday, December 9, 2021, from 4:00pm
until 8:00pm at Central Funeral Home in Manchester, TN. Funeral services
will be conducted on Friday, December 10, 2021, at 1:00pm from the chapel
of Central Funeral Home. Burial will follow in Rose Hill Memorial Gardens
in Tullahoma, TN. Central Funeral Home is serving the family, 931-723-7774,
centralfuneralhome.com
Thunder Radio, Atlanta Braves renew radio contract
The defending World Series Champions are returning to Thunder Radio. m
Thunder Radio Vice President Josh Peterson has announced that Thunder Radio WMSR (Coffee County Broadcasting) has reached a contract agreement to continue broadcasting as an affiliate of the Atlanta Braves Radio Network for the 2022 baseball season.
“So much about radio is entertaining and I obviously enjoy all of our programming at Thunder Radio,” explained Peterson, “but there is just something about listening to a baseball game on the radio that feels right. We are proud to continue to bring that to our listeners next year.”
Thunder Radio was a radio affiliate of the Braves Network last season and that proved to be an excellent season. The Braves went on to win the World Series in a six-game series with the Houston Astros. You heard it all on Thunder Radio.
Catch Atlanta Braves baseball on Thunder Radio at 107.9 FM, 106.7 FM and 1320 AM.
NWS confirms Monday tornado; first December tornado on record for Coffee County
The National Weather Service office in Nashville, Tenn.. has confirmed that a tornado did impact Bedford, Moore and Coffee counties on Monday – confirming what many already assumed after surveying damage.
Severe weather hit the area Monday morning that resulted in some structure damage and multiple trees and limbs down in Tullahoma. The National Weather Service office in Huntsville survey team found that damage in Moore county was consistent with an EF-1 tornado. The NWS office in Nashville followed with a report confirming that the tornado remained on the ground into Coffee County.
According to NWS survey, this EF-1 tornado touched down in the Raus Community near Smith Chapel Rd. at Elijah Parker Rd in far southern Bedford County where it caused EF-0 damage. Moving eastward, the tornado crossed into Moore County and strengthened to EF-1 where it blew down numerous trees and caused minor damage to several homes along Brinkley Rd., Ledford Mill Rd., and Motlow College Rd. The tornado then moved into Coffee County, where it continued to blow down trees and damage homes. NWS states that the tornado weakened as it entered and moved across northern portions of Tullahoma.
Peak wind speeds are estimated at 90 miles per hour with a path of 8 miles and a maximum path width of 100 yards. This is the first December tornado on record for Coffee County.
No injuries were reported from the storms. Tullahoma Utilities reported that about 2,500 people were without power at one point Monday morning as a result of the storms, in addition to approximately 1,100 Duck River Electric customers.
The National Weather Service issued a Tornado Warning for Coffee County shortly before 8 a.m. Monday morning, specifically for the Tullahoma area.
Looking ahead, forecasters are calling for potential severe weather Friday night into Saturday. If weather does become severe, you can always tune into Thunder Radio at 107.9 FM, 1320 AM, 106.7 FM, thunder1320.com and Manchester Go app to get updates.
DMA-events adds Literacy-themed mural to downtown Tullahoma
A 30-foot-tall painting of a baby reading the iconic 80’s children’s book Chicka Chicka Boom Boom showed up on a railroad-facing wall in downtown Tullahoma last week. After local nonprofit DMA-events received an Arts Build Communities grant through the Tennessee Arts Commission last summer on behalf of the Coffee County Literacy Council, the organization tapped Nashville-based artist Eric “Mobe” Bass, with whom they’ve worked several times in the past.
“When approached by DMA about doing a literature mural, my mind started racing. That could literally be almost anything,” Eric says. “I have wanted to paint my son Rainn since he was born—he has always been such an inspiration for me. So when his mother Anna put him in a little reindeer outfit and sat him in the bed with a book, I saw the joy in his eyes. I pulled out my camera and captured what I think was a perfect moment of pure bliss brought on by literature. I placed him on a fluffy cloud and illustrated letters coming from the book trying to capture what I thought his little imagination was thinking.”
Tullahoma-based Ascend Federal Credit Union stepped in to provide the additional funding needed to move the project forward, and Eric arrived on Dec. 1 under a veil of darkness to sketch out the image on the wall with his painting partner Kyle “Folek” Barton. The duo worked around the clock the following two days, finishing up the piece they’ve named Rainn on Friday, Dec. 3 just as Santa was gliding across Jackson Street to end the Christmas parade.
“Incredible,” remarks Caren Gabriel, Ascend President and CEO, of the mural. “I am so proud that Ascend was able to play a part in bringing such a vivid and vibrant presence to our downtown community. Kudos to Kristin Luna and her team for bringing to life in our town an image of curiosity, hope and wonder, and thank you for letting Ascend play a role in displaying this piece to our neighbors and community partners.”
About the Coffee County Literacy Council
The Literacy Council was founded in 1988 with the guiding purpose to provide education for those who don’t have a high school diploma, as well as supply resources and materials like books to the schools in Coffee County. Two years ago, the council launched a program in the county jail to provide classes to the incarcerated, many of whom were without a high school diploma. To date, more than 100 inmates have successfully completed the course and graduated; when they leave prison, they have a credential to help them get a job, which aids their families and the local economy while simultaneously reducing recidivism.
Due to a mall renovation, the Book Shelf—the public-facing arm of Coffee County’s Literacy Council that funds many of the nonprofit’s efforts—was relocated to a city-owned building at 114 SW Atlantic St. in April 2021. In September, the City of Tullahoma sponsored a project that enabled DMA to put a fresh coat of paint on the secondhand bookstore’s building and adjoining cinderblock wall, which belongs to Sharon and Norman Blair of Memories Antiques. The Blairs have been partners in previous mural projects and again donated their wall for this community public art project.
About Eric Bass
Nashville native Eric “Mobe” Bass is one of the most prolific artists in the Southeast. His artistic process began as a child rooting from real life experience and heartbreak; now, his primary source of inspiration for his richly diverse subject matter comes from being a father, as well as exploring nature, hiking and rock climbing. His art is characterized by realistic portraiture and a playful use of light sources. Eric’s works are displayed in several private residences throughout the world, as well as on hundreds of public walls in Nashville and other cities across the United States. This is his third mural in Coffee County for DMA-events.
About DMA-events, Inc.
Kristin Luna and Scott van Velsor started 501(c)(3) DMA-events in May 2018 as a way to harness and inspire the imaginative spirit found in all of humanity by removing some of the barriers to entry of the creative process. In April, DMA-event’s Walls for Women program was awarded the Daughters of the American Revolution’s state public relations and media award for commitment to historic preservation, education and patriotism consistent with the DAR mission. All of DMA-events’ murals can be found here: http://bit.ly/DMAMuralMap.
Arnold Fire and Emergency Services employees complete training to prevent child abuse
The Coffee County Children’s Advocacy Center presented several child abuse prevention training sessions at Arnold Fire and Emergency Services in November.
About 40 employees serving at Arnold Fire and Emergency Services took the training. They strengthened their knowledge about child sexual abuse prevention.
“Taking this training shows dedication to keeping children in our community safe and thriving,” said Joyce Prusak, executive director of the Coffee County Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC). “We are so thankful to Arnold Fire and Emergency Services employees for learning more about protecting children. Participants in the training studied the red flags associated with child sexual abuse. They gained additional knowledge and tools to help them recognize child sexual abuse and stop it. Taking this training shows that management and employees of Arnold Fire and Emergency Services are deeply committed to doing what’s necessary to keep children safe.”
The training sessions at Arnold Fire and Emergency Services were held in November. The training and the materials were free for participants thanks to a grant awarded to the Coffee County CAC and to the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services.
About the training
The Coffee County CAC offers training programs for adults, empowering them to recognize, prevent and respond appropriately to child abuse.
“We offer these programs free to Coffee County organizations and any interested parties,” Prusak said.
“Our authorized facilitators use Darkness to Light’s Stewards of Children program to fight child abuse through education and eliminating the stigma that affects conversations about child abuse. Darkness to Light’s Stewards of Children program trains adults to react responsibly to child sexual abuse. The program aims to eliminate child abuse through training adults to recognize and prevent child abuse.” Darkness to Light’s Stewards of Children programs are “the only evidence-informed, adult-focused child sexual abuse prevention trainings proven to increase knowledge and change behavior,” according to www.d2l.org.
Child sexual abuse involves sexual contact between a child and an adult; or a sexual contact between a child and another child who forces sexual contact. Statistics show that one in 10 children will be sexually abused by age 18; and 95% of victims are abused by someone they know and trust.
Coffee County CAC offers Darkness to Light’s Stewards of Children training free for community members. The two-hour training is available in-person or online and is presented by a Darkness to Light authorized facilitator.
For more information about training or to schedule a training session, please email Elena Cawley elena@coffeecountycac.org. Learn more about the training by visiting coffeecountycac.org.
About Coffee County Children’s Advocacy Center
When the most vulnerable members of the community are harmed, they find a safe place and support at the Coffee County CAC. Coffee County CAC is a nonprofit serving children who have experienced severe abuse. The organization’s goal is to end child abuse through prevention, education and intervention. Learn more about the Coffee County CAC by visiting www.coffeecountycac.org.
Moonlight & Mistletoe shopping event planned for downtown Manchester Dec. 17
The Manchester area Chamber of Commerce is teaming up with Manchester downtown merchants to host “Moonlight & Mistletoe” – a downtown shopping event set for December 17th.
This event will feature all of the Manchester downtown boutiques and shops, many of which will remain open later than normal for Christmas shoppers to find gifts for the holiday season.
On the downtown square will be Christmas carolers, a photo backdrop for cell-phone family pics at Southern Diva Boutique, special menu and festive drinks at Harvest Local Foods, Women’s wish list and scratch off ornaments for a discount at Aislinge Boutique. These are just a few of the special events.
Downtown businesses like The Cracked Pot, Soul Revival, Owen’s Provisions and Apparel, Sprout Children Shop, Southern Diva Boutique, Harvest Local Foods, Southern Healing Enterprises, Mercantile and Reese’s Genes Boutique will all be open extended hours (through about 8 p.m.).
Follow the Facebook event page for more details (click here).