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Tennessee gas prices stabilize after 4 straight weeks on increase
After four straight weeks of increases at the pump, gas prices across Tennessee appear to have stabilized. Gas prices, on average, remain the same this week as they did last week. The Tennessee Gas Price average remains $3.16 which is 26 cents more expensive than one month ago and $1.28 more than one year ago.
In Coffee County, average prices is at $3.13, which is 3 cents below the state average and 27 cents below the national average of $3.40.
“Thanks to a dip in domestic demand, Tennessee drivers are starting to see a little relief at the pump,” said Megan Cooper, spokeswoman, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “Although still elevated, crude oil prices seem to have leveled off, helping to minimize any additional spikes in pump prices in the short term.”
Quick Facts
- 10% of Tennessee gas stations have prices below $3.00
- The lowest 10% of pump prices are $2.97 for regular unleaded
- The highest 10% of pump prices are $3.39 for regular unleaded
- Tennessee moved to the 10th least expensive market in the nation
National Gas Prices
The national average price for a gallon of gas rose to $3.40, but the two-cent rise over last week is the smallest weekly increase in a month. News that Iranian oil, which has not been sold globally in large quantities since 2018, may return to the world market coupled with an OPEC+ meeting on November 4 via videoconference, is increasing market volatility, but slowing pump price increases, at least for now.
According to new data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), total domestic gasoline stocks decreased by 2 million bbl to 215.7 million bbl last week. Gasoline demand also fell from 9.63 million b/d to 9.32 million b/d. The drop in demand has helped slow price increases, but elevated crude prices continue to put upward market pressure on pump prices, which will likely keep rising as long as oil prices are above $80 per barrel.
Today’s national average of $3.40 is 21 cents more than a month ago and $1.27 more than a year ago, and 79 cents more than in 2019.
National Oil Market Dynamics
At the close of Friday’s formal trading session, WTI increased by 76 cents to settle at $83.57. Crude prices gained on the day due to market expectations that the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, Russia and their allies, known as OPEC+, will maintain production cuts during their meeting this week. However, crude prices took a slight step back on the week after EIA reported that total domestic crude supply increased by 4.3 million bbl to 430.8 million bbl. If EIA’s next report shows another inventory increase, crude prices could decline this week.
Motorists can find current gas prices along their route with the free AAA Mobile app for iPhone, iPad and Android. The app can also be used to map a route, find discounts, book a hotel and access AAA roadside assistance. Learn more at AAA.com/mobile.
Melissa Northcott Anderson announces bid for County Clerk
Melissa Northcott Anderson has announced her intention to run for Coffee County Clerk in the 2022 election. Anderson intends to run on the Republican ticket.
Anderson will be challenging longtime incumbent Teresa McFadden for the office.
Below is Anderson’s full statement:
“After much prayerful consideration, I am excited to officially announce my
candidacy as a Republican candidate for Coffee County Clerk. As a lifelong
resident of Coffee County, my parents, Tom and Nancy Northcott, through their
words, and more importantly, through their example, instilled in me the love of
community, the importance of public service, and the value of strong leadership.
Strong leadership must be founded upon the Christian values of treating others
better than yourself, honesty, integrity and the resolve to always do the right thing
no matter how difficult or unpopular. I would like to serve this community that has
given me so much by bringing this leadership to the Coffee County Clerk’s Office.“
“After graduating Tullahoma High School, I obtained my degree in Biology from
MTSU. I then followed in my father’s footsteps by obtaining my dental degree
from the University of Tennessee, College of Dentistry in Memphis. After 2 years
of providing free dental care for Native Americans in Tuba City, Arizona, I
returned to Tullahoma and started and operated a successful dental practice. I
left the practice of dentistry to raise my three (3) children. Now that they are in
college and high school, I have returned to the business world and currently
manage a team of 30 people for an INC 5000 ranked company. Through owning
and operating a small business for many years, I know the value of money and
how to avoid unnecessary expenses through fiscal efficiency. It also taught me
the importance of and need to provide services by focusing on the needs of the
customer. Through that same experience as well as my current role, I have
learned how to manage people.“
“My commitment and desire to repay in part what our community has given to me
motivates me to bring these skills to the position of Coffee County Clerk. I humbly
ask for your support and look forward to the opportunity to serve Coffee County.“
(A previous version of this story stated Anderson was seeking County Court Clerk position. That was incorrect. Thunder Radio apologizes for the error)
TAX TIPS TUESDAY: what about hobby income?
By Rosalyn Partin, Manchester H&R Block
With more time at home, many people have taken up hobbies such as crafting, photography, woodworking, etc. These hobbies may also be a source of income. Taxpayers who make money from a hobby must report that income on their tax return.
What is the difference between a hobby and a business? A business operates to make a profit whereas people engage in hobbies for recreation or sport and do not have a profit motive. Taxpayers should consider nine factors when determining whether their activity is a business or a hobby, and they should base their determination on all the facts and circumstances.
IRS considers these 9 factors when determining if an activity is a hobby or a business:
- Whether the activity is carried out in a businesslike manner and the taxpayer maintains complete and accurate books and records
- Whether the time and effort the taxpayer puts into the activity show they intend to make it profitable
- Whether they depend on income from the activity for their livelihood
- Whether any losses are due to circumstances beyond the taxpayer’s control or are normal for the startup phase of their type of business
- Whether they change methods of operation to improve profitability
- Whether the taxpayer and their advisors have the knowledge needed to carry out the activity as a successful business
- Whether the taxpayer was successful in making a profit in similar activities in the past
- Whether the activity makes a profit in some years and how much profit it makes
- Whether the taxpayers can expect to make a future profit from the appreciation of the assets used in the activity
Hobby income is reported as “Other Income” on the tax return. Expenses cannot be deducted from the income. The hobby income is subject to income tax but not to self-employment tax (Social Security and Medicare tax). Alternatively, business income of a sole proprietor is reported on Schedule C of the 1040 return. Business expenses can be deducted from the income before tax is calculated, and business losses can offset other income. Business income is subject to income tax and self-employment tax.
If you have questions about the tax impact of hobby income and would like help from the Tax Professionals at H&R Block, please call 931-728-9462. H&R Block has your back in Manchester!
“My commitment and desire to repay in part what our community has given to me
motivates me to bring these skills to the position of Coffee County Clerk. I humbly
ask for your support and look forward to the opportunity to serve Coffee County.“
Braves bullpen rested, ready to bounce back in Houston
YOU CAN HEAR THE BRAVES ON THUNDER RADIO. YOUR EXCLUSIVE HOME FOR ATLANTA BRAVES BASEBALL IN COFFEE COUNTY.
Clinching the World Series with a second straight bullpen game wasn’t going to be easy. The approach had worked in Game 4 to inch the Braves one win away from a championship, but they ran into a heavy-hitting Astros lineup in Sunday night’s Game 5.
“That’s just a lot of innings to cover against a club like this that swings a bat so well,” Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said following the 9-5 loss at Truist Park. “The good news is, we’ll take a day off and be in good shape.”
After gaining a 3-1 Series advantage on Saturday, the Braves gave the starting nod to second-year pitcher Tucker Davidson in Game 5 as they looked to close it out at home. Davidson gave up Atlanta’s early lead — built by Adam Duvall’s first-inning grand slam — by allowing four runs (two earned) in two-plus frames. Veteran Jesse Chavez then tossed 1 2/3 scoreless innings to bridge the gap to A.J. Minter, one of the driving forces of the Braves’ dominant bullpen.
For only the second time this postseason, Minter didn’t shut out his opponent. The left-hander took the loss and a blown save after allowing three runs on three hits and two walks in one-plus inning, while also recording two strikeouts.
“My God, he’s been so good. He’s had such a great postseason,” Snitker said. “He had to work really hard. It didn’t work. We were going to take that shot right there and see if we could keep the game in check and go from there, because we kind of felt like he was our best option in that situation, especially with [Michael] Brantley coming up, to maybe get it to where we could piece it together with the other guys.”
High school basketball practice opens Monday, Nov. 1
All eyes are on the Central High School football team this week as the Red Raiders return to the playoffs for the first time since 2017.
But in the background – winter sports are lurking and preparing. The Coffee County Central Red Raider and Lady Raider basketball teams will have their first official team practices on Monday, Nov. 1 in preparation for the Nov. 19 opener against Moore County.
The Lady Raiders are coming off a 28-2 season – returning all but one starter. Meanwhile, the Raiders made the deepest postseason run in program history last winter.
Everyone is invited to join the Raider and Lady Raider basketball teams on Saturday, November 6 from 4:30-6pm at The Patch at CHS. You can watch both teams run through some practice drills, enjoy a free dinner and select your season ticket seats for the upcoming season. New to the basketball experience this year, fans will be able to purchase stadium seats and also pre-select their seat for the entire 2021-22 season with their season-ticket package.
The below packages are available:
bronze – includes a CC stadium chair and season ticket good for all regular season home games – $125.00
silver – includes a CC stadium chair and season ticket good for all regular season home games, plus you pick the location of your season ticket – $150.00
gold – includes a CC stadium chair and season ticket good for all regular season home games, plus you pick the location of your season ticket, plus free entry to the Raider hospitality room each home game – $175.00
Silver and Gold packages include a laminated seat square with your name for reserved seats! Along with your new stadium seat you will have a reserved spot where you will sit each game! There are only 100 stadium seats available so please hurry and reserve your piece of “The Patch.”
You can hear the Raiders and Lady Raiders all season long on Thunder Radio – driven by Al White Ford Lincoln. Listen at 107.9 FM, 1320 AM, 106.7 FM, on the Manchester Go app and thunder1320.com
Titans pick up wild OT win over Colts Sunday
On Halloween, the Titans walked out of Lucas Oil Stadium with quite a treat.
A 34-31 win by the Titans on Sunday gave them a three-game lead in the AFC South – a game you heard LIVE on Thunder Radio, presented by Charlie Gonzales with Weichert Realtors, Joe Orr & Associates.
Kevin Byard intercepted a Carson Wentz pass in overtime, which gave the Titans the ball at the Colts 32.
Then, kicker Randy Bullock booted a 44-yard field goal to win it.
With the win, the Titans are now 6-2, while the Colts dropped to 3-5.
It looked like the Titans might win it in regulation. A two-yard interception return for a touchdown by cornerback Elijah Molden gave the Titans a 31-24 lead with 1:26 left.
With Titans outside linebacker Bud Dupree’s arms wrapped around Wentz, Wentz threw the ball left-handed, and Molden snagged it out of the air and raced in for a two-yard touchdown in regulation.
But the Colts answered back with a touchdown of their own, as running back Jonathan Taylor scored on a one-yard touchdown run with 22 seconds left to tie the game at 31-31.
It only paved the way for a wild finish, and another gut-check win for the Titans.
The Titans took their first lead of the contest on a five-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Ryan Tannehill to receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine with 7:42 remaining in the third quarter, which made it 21-17. The scoring toss capped a 14-play, 75-yard drive that took 7:18 off the clock.
The Colts answered back with a five-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Carson Wentz to tight end Jack Doyle to make it 24-21 with 1:21 left in the third quarter.
The Titans tied it up at 24-24 with 11:15 left on a 46-yard field goal by kicker Randy Bullock, setting up the finish.
After a terrible start, the Titans got off the mat.
The Colts took a 7-0 lead early on a two-yard touchdown pass from Wentz to receiver Michael Pittman, which capped a 14-play, 82-yard scoring drive.
After an interception thrown by Tannehill, Wentz connected with Pittman again, this time from seven yards out, to make it 14-0 with 7:44 left in the first quarter.
Then, the Titans got back in it, starting with a fourth-down stop by the defense.
After that, Tannehill directed an 11-play, 60-yard drive that was capped off with a six-yard touchdown pass to tighe end Geoff Swaim to cut the lead to 14-7.
The Titans then tied it up on a 57-yard touchdown pass from Tannehill to receiver A.J Brown, who made a defender miss before racing to the end zone with 4:13 left in the first half.
The Colts led 17-14 at the half after a 34-yard field goal by Michael Badgley.
The Titans return to action next Sunday in Los Angeles vs the Rams.
Fundraising underway to replace sign at Crethan Hansert Memorial Hitting Facility
Fundraising efforts are now underway to replace the signage in front of the Crethan Hansert Memorial Hitting Facility that sits between the baseball and softball field at Coffee County Central High School.
Erected in memory of Crethan Hansert, the facility houses indoor workout space for both the Red Raider baseball and Lady Raider softball teams. The facility was built soon after Hansert was tragically killed in an automobile accident on Halloween of 2003. He was a senior outfielder for the baseball team at the time of his passing.
The sign in front of the facility is outdated and in need of repair. Crethan’s father – Scott Hansert – is leading the effort to replace the sign with a updated, LED board.
An account has been setup at Coffee County Bank in hopes of raising $25,000 to replace the sign. Anyone can make a contribution at the bank or by downloading the “Zelle” app on the app store and contributing to account #9312734099.
Anyone with questions can contact Scott Hansert at 931-273-4099 or Brandon Hall or Cyndal Adams at the bank at 931-461-8416.
Below you can see the current sign, along with the style of proposed sign, much like the one currently at North Coffee Elementary.
Currenty Sign 
Style of proposed sign
PREP SPORTS SCHEDULE: Nov. 1-6
Below is this week’s prep sports schedule. Events marked with an asterisk (*) are Thunder Radio on air broadcasts. Events marked with a pound (#) sign indicates a online audio stream broadcast.
| *Monday | 11/1/21 | 6:00 PM | CMS | Basketball | North Middle | Home |
| *Tuesday | 11/2/21 | 6:00 PM | WMS | Basketball | Harris | Home |
| *Thursday | 11/4/21 | 6:00 PM | WMS | Basketball | Community Middle | Home |
| Thursday | 11/4/21 | 6:00 PM | CMS | Basketball | South | Away |
| #Friday | 11/5/21 | 6:00 PM | WMS | Basketball | Coffee Co | Away |
| *Friday | 11/5/21 | 7:00 PM | CHS | Football | Riverdale | Away |
Thunder Radio broadcasts can be heard at 107.9 FM, 1320 AM, 106.7 FM, thunder1320.com and on the Manchester Go app. Thunder Radio online only broadcasts can be heard by clicking here.
Shelbyville man indicted, charged in Shelbyville and Nashville shootings
Ongoing casework by special agents from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has led to 13 felony indictments for a Shelbyville man in connection to two shootings – one of them deadly – earlier this year in Middle Tennessee.
On August 13th, at the request of 17th District Attorney General Robert Carter, TBI special agents began investigating the shooting of a woman in Shelbyville. On August 17th, 20th District Attorney General Glenn Funk requested TBI agents merge the investigation – with the assistance of the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department – with one involving the shooting death in Nashville of 22-year-old James William Warner, of Shelbyville. During the investigation, agents developed information leading to 25-year-old Samuel Earl Rich (DOB 8-9-96) as the person responsible for both crimes.
On Wednesday, the Davidson County Grand Jury returned indictments, charging Rich with three counts of First-Degree Murder, one count of Especially Aggravated Robbery, one count of Felon in Possession of a Weapon, and one count of Theft in relation to Warner’s homicide.
On August 15th, authorities arrested and charged Rich in connection to the Shelbyville shooting, and, this week, a Bedford County Grand Jury returned indictments charging him with seven criminal counts related to the case, including Attempted First-Degree Murder.
Authorities transferred Rich from the Bedford County Jail to Davidson County and served him with the additional charges, where, at the time of this release, he remained in custody without bond.
Unemployment in Coffee County falls to pre-pandemic levels
Unemployment rates dropped in a majority of counties across Tennessee in September, according to the latest data released by the Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD).
Eighty-eight of the state’s 95 counties experienced lower unemployment during the month. Rates increased in six counties in September and remained the same in one county.
The unemployment rates in 87 counties stand at less than 5%, while the rates are greater than 5%, but less than 10%, in the remaining eight counties.
In Coffee County, unemployment fell to 3.4 percent, which is down 0.6 of a percentage point from August rate of 4 percent and down from 6.4 percent one year ago. The 3.4 percent rate puts Coffee County at pre-pandemic levels of unemployment.
Williamson and Moore counties had the lowest percentage of unemployed residents for the month, each with a September rate of 2.3%. That was a 0.3 of a percentage point decrease from the August rate for Williamson County and a 0.4 of a percentage point drop for Moore County.
Perry County had the highest unemployment rate for the month at 8.4%, which was a 1.9 percentage point increase from its August rate of 6.5%. Maury County had the state’s second-highest rate in September. Unemployment in the county grew by 1.5 percentage points to 6.1%.
Tennessee’s statewide unemployment rate dropped for the fourth consecutive month in September, decreasing from 4.6% in August to 4.4%.
Unemployment across the country also ticked down in September. Nationally, the jobless rate dropped by 0.4 of a percentage point to 4.8%.
Unlike the statewide and national unemployment rates, county unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted to factor in seasonal economic influences such as school breaks and severe weather conditions.
TDLWD has produced a complete analysis of the September 2021 county unemployment data and that information can be found here (https://www.us13.list-manage.com/track/click?u=166478db53c066a7d114ea462&id=b20a253b8d&e=29851e7b63) .
Tennesseans can find the resources they need to help them navigate their return to the workplace at www.TNWorkReady.com. This includes over 550,000 job openings in and near Tennessee, as well as information about available training programs to help individuals skill up for a new career,