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Tennessee gas price average increases one cent, Coffee County 16 cents below national average
Gas prices across Tennessee increased by a penny, on average, over last week. The Tennessee Gas Price average is now $2.88 which is 17 cents more than one month ago and nearly $1.10 more than one year ago. Coffee County’s average is $2.89, and the national average is $3.05. This makes Tennessee 17 cents below the national average and Coffee County 16 cents below the national average.
“We expect this week’s demand number to increase as it will reflect Memorial Day holiday weekend travel, but it’s not likely to lead to an increase in gas prices for the majority of motorists,” said Megan Cooper, spokeswoman, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “However, crude oil is on the rise and could prop up pump prices.”
Quick Facts
· 92% of Tennessee gas stations have prices below $3.00
· The lowest 10% of pump prices are $2.69 for regular unleaded
· The highest 10% of pump prices are $3.12 for regular unleaded
National Gas Prices
After ten days of stability, the national gas price average increased a penny over the weekend to $3.05. On the week, the majority of states’ (26) gas price averages either increased by one cent or saw no movement. Only two states saw prices increase a nickel or more. Prices are poised to fluctuate in the coming week, especially in light of a recent drop in demand. The Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported demand decreased from 9.48 million b/d to 9.15 million b/d for the week ending May 28. During the same week, total gasoline stocks increased to nearly 234 million bbl as U.S. refinery utilization jumped to 88.7%—the highest rate since February 2020.
To help gauge pump price fluctuation later this summer, AAA is tracking two additional factors: crude oil prices and global supply. Last week, crude prices increased to their highest price point ($69/bbl) in 2.5 years. Since crude accounts for more than 50% of the price at the pump, when it goes up, so does the price motorists pay. What is promising is that crude may not sustain at this level. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), and its allies including Russia, announced last week they still plan to gradually increase crude production in July. If they do increase production, this could lead to a decrease in crude oil prices, which is good news for motorists.
National Oil Market Dynamics
At the close of Friday’s formal trading session, WTI increased by 81 cents to settle at $69.62. OPEC’s efforts to hold its production agreement in place bolstered prices last week. The move could help reduce pump prices later this summer, but the amount of the price reduction will depend on how well OPEC and its allies adhere to their agreement and if the additional production is not met with higher demand. OPEC and its allies will meet again on July 1 to review their production agreement.
For more information on gas prices in Tennessee this week, visit https://gasprices.aaa.com/?state=TN
Motlow State to return to normal for fall 2021 semester
Motlow State Community College is excited to announce a return to normal student and staff activities on all its campuses. The College recently moved to Pandemic Level 1, allowing it to open its campuses completely to students, staff, and visitors.
All student support services are now fully open. Walk-in service is available. Students are welcome to but are no longer required to make appointments for support. Libraries are open and computer labs are becoming available. Testing, counseling, and tutoring are also open on campus. Yet, all of these services will continue to also be available to students online for learners who prefer to seek support virtually.
As the College returns to normalized operations under its Pandemic Level 1 status, fall classes will be chiefly on-campus in traditional classroom settings. Fall 2021 classes begin Aug. 23. The move to chiefly on-campus instruction this Fall does not affect any class for which a student is already enrolled. It simply means that more on-campus courses will be added to the Fall semester. Likewise, the College will provide a robust list of online courses for students who continue to prefer to learn virtually.
Motlow’s summer classes are already underway. Classes began for the full term and 1stshort-session term on June 1. Summer 2nd session classes start July 6. Summer courses will continue to meet as planned, with most meeting virtually, allowing a smooth phase-in of operations.
Motlow has been very intentional in assessing, defining, and implementing health, safety, and wellness protocols. Decisions to move from one Pandemic Response Level to another are holistically based upon comparative data points that are fluid and subject to change. Motlow has made the current decision cautiously based on indicators that suggest the local health environment is stabilizing. The preponderance of indicators asserts that normalizing services, operations, and instructional delivery is in the best interest of the majority of stakeholders.
At Pandemic Level 1, all campuses and grounds are now open and staffed. Students, employees, and visitors are no longer required to complete a daily health assessment before coming on campus. Mask wearing and social distancing are no longer required. However, the College encourages and supports all students in making personal mask-wearing decisions appropriate for their own needs.
Following CDC guidance, TBR and Motlow State recommend that individuals who have not been vaccinated do so as soon as possible. TBR and Motlow State also encourage those who have not been fully vaccinated to continue wearing masks and observing social distancing to protect themselves and others.
While moving to Pandemic Level 1 means that the College returns to near-normal operations, Motlow remains pandemic aware and will continue to stay ready to adapt further if needed. Motlow actively monitors a variety of data sets informing its pandemic response. In addition, the College is committed to ensuring that it acts based on the most up-to-date health guidance. As this guidance and local environmental factors change, College leadership regularly meets to re-evaluate how situational implications should inform its decision-making.
Motlow will continue to monitor local health department data and regional data to make the best decisions for its students and staff. If indicators were to change and the needs of students and staff shift, the college will remain prepared to pivot as appropriate. Motlow’s Pandemic Response continues to be informed by the TN Department of Health, Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and the College’s Pandemic Emergency Response Team (PEMT) recommendation.
View CDC guidelines here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html. View Tennessee Department of Health guidelines here: https://www.tn.gov/health/cedep/ncov.html.
For more information about admissions, financial aid, new student orientation, and class registration, visit Motlow’s website at Motlow.com or call 1-800-654-4877.
Tennessee’s Community Colleges is a system of 13 colleges offering a high-quality, affordable, convenient, and personal education to prepare students to achieve their educational and career goals in two years or less. The system offers associate degree and certificate programs, workforce development programs, and transfer pathways to four-year degrees. For more information, please visit us online at tbr.edu or visit Motlow at Motlow.com.
One injured after a shooting in Bedford County
Bedford County patrol deputies responded to a call of a shooting on Whitaker road in the Wheel community At 2:59 Monday morning. A female was found with a gunshot wound to the head. She survived her injuries.
There were also three other individuals in the vehicle. An adult male and two small children.
After further investigation, it was determined that Gulberto Olascoaga of Lewisburg, TN fired multiple gunshots into the vehicle. Members of the Bedford County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division obtained warrants on Olascoaga for 4 counts of Attempted First Degree Murder. Olascoaga is currently being held in Bedford County Jail on a $2,000,000 bond.
TBI Agents Investigating Officer-Involved Shooting in Murfreesboro
TBI special agents are investigating the circumstances leading to the shooting of a man during an interaction with officers from the Murfreesboro Police Department Sunday morning.
Shortly after 5 a.m., two Murfreesboro officers were approached by a man in a vehicle who displayed a handgun. A brief pursuit ensued, which ended near West Rutherford Boulevard and Southpointe Way. Officers talked with the man, who continually displayed a handgun, for more than half an hour and utilized less-lethal means before an escalation, in which an officer fired his service weapon. The man sustained a gunshot injury and was transported to a local hospital to be treated. No officers were hurt during the incident.
TBI agents are working to independently determine the series of events leading to the shooting, as well as gather any and all relevant interviews and evidence. Throughout the process, investigative findings will be shared with the District Attorney General for his further review and consideration. The TBI acts solely as fact-finders in its cases and does not determine whether the actions of an officer were justified in these types of matters. That decision rests with the District Attorney General requesting TBI’s involvement.
The TBI does not identify the officers involved in these types of incidents and instead, refers questions of that nature to the respective department to answer as it sees fit.
Bill Lee signs the permit-less carry gun bill
Tennessee Governor Bill has signed the permit-less carry gun bill.
Tennessee now joins 18 other states with similar laws waiving carry permit requirements.
The bill focuses on those who are 21 and older, but also allows for members of the military who are 18 to 20-years-of-age to carry a handgun either open or concealed without a permit.
The new handgun carry laws do not allow for felons, those convicted of domestic violence crimes, stalking or anyone diagnosed with a mental illness to carry a handgun. Furthermore, if you were recently convicted on a DUI charge, you cannot carry a handgun.
Read more about HB 0786 and SB 0765 here.
Coffee County’s New ICU at Unity Medical Center
Unity Medical Center, a leading facility in patient care, is announcing the addition of a brand-new Intensive Care Unit serving Coffee County and surrounding areas.
The ICU offers cutting-edge, life-saving technologies combined with creature comforts for both patients and their visitors. The 4-bed unit maintains the same personalized, high-quality care provided by all other departments within the facility. Patients can be admitted from the ER within the facility, or externally, as the new unit can accept transfers from surrounding areas to keep care close to home.
“We here at Unity Medical Center are proud to present our new intensive care unit. The newest addition to our campus is part of our efforts as a facility to invest in our community. The $1,000,000 unit offers the best technologies within the medical market and utilizes specially trained staff. Our highly-qualified nurses and 24-hour hospitalists are assisted by state-of-the-art hardware such as ventilators and heart monitors, and precisely delivered medications.”
UMC provides many advanced services to the Manchester area utilizing our highly trained staff that will be there with you every step of the way. Radiology and medical imaging, surgery, cardiology and pulmonary are only a small portion of the services that Unity Medical Center is proud to offer to the Manchester community.
Munn named Middle Tennessee Miss Softball by TNSCA

Another week and another postseason award for Coffee County Central Lady Raider Keri Munn.
The recent CHS graduate led the Lady Raiders to their deepest postseason run in program history, finishing AAA State Runner Up last month.
Now Munn has been named Tennessee Softball Coaches Association Class AAA Middle Tennessee Miss Softball.
Last week Munn was selected to play in the TNSCA All-Star Game on June 17 at Riverdale High School.
As a senior, Munn was 27-4 for Coffee County in the circle with a microscopic 0.78 ERA. She allowed just 20 earned runs over 178 innings worked. She struck out 277 opposing batters.
Munn has signed to play at MTSU next year.
You can hear Lady Raider softball all spring long on Thunder Radio, 107.9 FM — your Coffee County Sports Authority.
CHS girls, boys basketball teams pleased with first team camps
Both Coffee County Central basketball teams participated in their first summer camps in two years last week.
COVID-19 prevented team camps during the summer of 2020. Both teams were glad to be back at work and were pleased with their results.
Lady Raiders
There is one big storyline to watch for the CHS Lady Raider team that made a deep postseason run last winter – how will they fill the void left by departing senior Bella Vinson.
A strong post game was the answer on Friday as the Lady Raiders went 3-0 – beating Tullahoma, Lincoln County and Fayetteville City.
Junior post and returning starter Chloe Gannon had her way against Tullahoma in a 45-20 win, piling up 22 points. Elli Chumley led the way with 17 against Lincoln County and incoming freshman Olivia Vinson teamed up with junior point guard Jalie Ruehling to each score 14 in a win over Fayetteville City.
The Lady Raiders have two more camps this week.
The junior varsity Lady Raiders went 2-0 in camp play, beating Moore County and Marshall County. Holli Hancock scored 10 for the Lady Raider JV against Moore County and Remi Benjamin added 10 in the paint against Marshall County.
Red Raider boys
The Raider boys have multiple storylines to watch over the summer and going into the 2021-2022 season. CHS lost 7 seniors and its head coach. But returning to the bench is Andrew Taylor – who led the program once before and served as an assistant with Micah Williams, who left for Webb School following the past season.
The Raiders went to UAH on Friday and went 2-2 on the day.
“Very pleased with improvement from game one to game four,” said Taylor. “This is going to be a fun group to watch. They are undersized but they will flat get after you.”
The Raiders will go to Cleveland on Monday and Tuesday this week before going to Shelbyville on Thursday and Friday for more team camps.
You can hear Red Raider and Lady Raider basketball all winter long on Thunder Radio – your Coffee County Sports Authority.
Titans pick up WR Julio Jones in trade with Falcons
The Titans are adding a big-time playmaker to their offense in Julio Jones.
On Sunday, the team agreed to trade terms with the Atlanta Falcons on a deal that will send Jones to Tennessee, pending a physical.
The full terms include Tennessee trading their 2022 second-round pick and a 2023 fourth-round selection to Atlanta in exchange for Jones and a sixth-round pick in 2023.
YOU CAN HEAR THE TENNESSEE TITANS ALL SEASON LONG ON THUNDER RADIO – YOUR OFFICIAL HOME OF THE TITANS IN COFFEE COUNTY.
Jones is a big get for the Titans, a team that finished 2nd in the NFL in total offense a year ago but lost a pair of top performers – receiver Corey Davis and tight end Jonnu Smith – earlier this offseason in free agency.
A seven-time Pro Bowler, Jones is one of the top players in the league at his position.
A 6-foot-3, 220-pounder, Jones has 12,896 receiving yards and 60 touchdowns in his 10-year career, on 848 catches. He’s caught over 100 passes in three of his seasons, and he had at least 80 catches and 1,300 yards in every year from 2014-19, with an average of 104 receptions for 1,565 yards during that time period.
Jones is Atlanta’s all-time career leader in receptions (848), receiving yards (12,896) and 100-yard receiving games (58), and his 60 touchdown receptions rank second.
With an average of 95.5 receiving yards per game through 135 career games, Jones ranks first in NFL history, topping Calvin Johnson’s previous record of 86.1 receiving yards per game. His 12,896 career receiving yards already place him 20th in league annals. Jones’ 58 career 100-yard receiving games put him fourth all-time behind Jerry Rice (76), Randy Moss (64) and Marvin Harrison (59). Among all players in NFL history with at least 848 career catches, only Moss’ 15.6-yard average ranks higher than Jones’ average of 15.2 yards per reception.
Betty Jean Yates
Mrs. Betty Jean Yates, age 86, of Manchester, TN,
passed from this life on Saturday, June 5, 2021, in Manchester, TN.
Mrs. Yates was born in Summitville, TN, to her late parents Robert Glenn
Winn and Minnie Ellenbury Winn. She was a homemaker for much of her life.
Mrs. Yates was a member of Asbury Methodist Church. In addition to her
parents, she was preceded in death by her husband of 60 years, Jessie Wayne
Yates; daughter, Kristi Wynette Yates; brothers, Leon Winn, Robert Winn,
Cecil Winn; sisters, Joy Bailey, Evelyn Haynes, Myra Pica, and Glenda
Mullins.
Mrs. Yates is survived by daughters, Yvette Yates Lowe and Nicky, Lucrieta
Antoinette Yates and Orles Baugh; sisters, Pat Hill, Sherry Bright, and Sue
Keilman; grandchildren, Jeremy D. Hershman, Joshua Ryan Yates, Lindsey
Celeste Grider-Jarvis, and Lauren Kelly Grider; great grandchildren, Callum
John Jarvis, Jayden and Lexy Yates, Jaileb Yates, Jace Yates, and Keira
Yates.
Family will receive friends on Sunday, June 6, 2021, from 5:00pm until
8:00pm at Central Funeral Home in Manchester, TN. Funeral services will be
conducted on Monday, June 7, 2021, at 1:00pm from the chapel of Central
Funeral Home with Bro. Ben Eschenfelder officiating. Burial will follow in
Asbury Methodist Cemetery.
Central Funeral Home is serving the family, 931-723-7774,
centralfuneralhome.com