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COVID-19 vaccinations
The number for people vaccinated in Tennessee is close to reaching 5 million (4.857,898). 33.4 % of the population is fully vaccinated, while 39.3% have at least one dose.
Ages 61-70 seem to have the highest rate of vaccines across the state at 535,084 people vaccinated.
The Tennessee Department of health is still running their “Give it a Shot” campaign, which is used to encourage those hesitant of receiving the vaccine to go out and get it.
Nationally, a total of about 135 million people are fully vaccinated which is equivalent to 41.2% of the U.S. population.
For more details about vaccination numbers in Tennessee, visit https://www.tn.gov/health/cedep/ncov/covid-19-vaccine-information.html
TDOT to resume construction
Tennessee Department of Transportation will resume construction Tuesday morning at 6 a.m. This comes after construction was suspended for Memorial Day weekend as it was anticipated that many people would travel. Construction was paused at noon on Friday, May 28th.
“Suspending construction-related lane closures during the Memorial Day weekend will lessen congestion and delays on Tennessee’s major highways,” said Commissioner Clay Bright. “We want to do our part to help everyone have an enjoyable and safe holiday weekend and keep traffic flowing as smoothly and efficiently as possible.”
AAA estimated nearly 37 million Americans would travel this Memorial Day holiday, 60% more than last year, still almost six million fewer than pre-pandemic. Over 776,000 Tennesseans planned to travel, with more than 687,000 driving to their Memorial Day destinations.
From your desktop or mobile device, get the latest construction activity and live streaming SmartWay traffic cameras 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.
Gas prices down in Tennessee
Tennessee gas prices are down one cent on the week as many Tennesseans are expected to hit the road for Memorial Day. Gas Price average is now $2.87 which is 17 cents more than one month ago and $1.17 more than one year ago. Coffee County is 25 cents below national average and 7 cents below the state average.
The County average is $2.80, the state average is $2.87, and the national average is $3.05 for Memorial Day. The national average cost for gas just two weeks ago when the Colonial Pipeline shut down, was $3.00 a gallon which makes the new average 5 cents higher for Memorial Day weekend.
For the complete list of county averages, visit https://gasprices.aaa.com/?state=TN
Unemployment down across the state in April
Tennesseans continued returning to the workforce in counties across the state in April. According to newly released data from the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, nearly all counties experienced a decrease in unemployment during the month. In year-to-year comparisons, each county showed a remarkable recovery from pandemic-era unemployment rates one year ago.
The department reported 87 counties saw lower unemployment rates in April when compared to the previous month. The rates remained the same in two counties, while six counties did experience higher unemployment.
Seventy of the state’s 95 counties now have rates less than 5%. Unemployment is 5% or greater in the remaining 25 counties.
Coffee County had a 4% unemployment rate for the month of April which is down 0.9% from March.
At 2.8%, Williamson and Moore counties recorded the state’s lowest unemployment for the month. Williamson’s rate is down 0.5 of a percentage point from March and 7.9 percentage points from April 2020, during the height of business closures due to the pandemic. Moore County’s rate is down 0.9 of a percentage point from March and 9.8 percentage points from its rate one year ago.
A complete analysis of the April 2021 county labor force estimates is available here.
While Tennessee has seen great improvement in unemployment over the last 12 months, many residents still need to find a path back into the workforce. The state stands ready to help them navigate the job market to gain meaningful employment.
Online or in-person resources are available to job seekers in every county. Jobs4TN.gov, TNVirtualAJC.com, ApprenticeshipTN.com, and more than 80 American Job Centers across the state can provide a starting point to a new job.
The state of Tennessee will release the May 2021 statewide unemployment rate at 1:30 p.m. CT, Thursday, June 17, 2021.
Plane crash in Percy Priest Lake leaves 7 deceased
Saturday morning, a 1982 Cessna 501 departed Smyrna Airport heading toward Palm Beach International Airport in Florida. Shortly after take-off, the small jet crashed into Percy Priest Lake.
Seven persons were on board and all family members have been notified. William J. Lara, Gwen S. Lara, Jennifer J. Martin, David L. Martin, Jessica Walters, Jonathan Walters, and Brandon Hannah all of Brentwood. They were all leaders in the Remnant Fellowship Church, 1230 Franklin Road in Brentwood.
Rutherford County Fire-Rescue Captain and Incident Commander John Ingle said, “The debris field is approximately a half of a mile wide.”
Drone operations continue over the debris field, and airspace traffic has been restricted at the crash site and within a radius of one nautical mile, 500 feet altitude.
The National Transportation Safety Board is the lead investigating agency with assistance from the Federal Aviation Administration and local officials. NTSB has enlisted the help of other agencies including Cessna aircraft to assist with the investigation. According to NTSB officials, the entire investigation can take up to one to two years to complete.
Retired FAA Inspector Larry Williams is concerned that the crash happened so quickly that the pilot never called for help.
Boaters on the lake report that the jet from Smyrna crashed into the water near the Fate Sanders Recreation Area. Authorities have blocked-off a debris field. The crash area of the lake was described as an “oil slick”.
Local agencies involved are Rutherford County Fire Rescue, Almaville and Lascassas Volunteer Fire Departments, Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office, Rutherford County Emergency Medical Services, Rutherford County Emergency Management Agency, Tennessee Highway Patrol, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, and Smyrna Airport Authority Public Safety.
Two juveniles found safe
Two Juveniles were found safe Friday after Coffee County Sheriff’s Department advised people to be on the lookout. Trinity Storm Barber, age 11, and Candace Sun Barber, age 8, were located and taken home. The Sheriff’s Department put out a statement online to ask people in the Roberts Ridge Road area to check anywhere they could be. They were last seen at 12 on Thursday before located and safely returned home.
STATE RUNNER-UP! Lady Raiders make history, finish second in TSSAA state tournament
It was a ride for the ages.
Coffee County Central’s softball team gave everything it had, pushing Farragut to the brink, but ran out of gas in the TSSAA State Championship Friday in Murfreesboro – falling 4-2.
The second place finish for Coffee County sets a school record for best placement by the storied softball program, which has reached the state tournament a handful of times.
“When you get there, the first goal you have is to not be the first team out,” said Coffee County head softball coach Brandon McWhorter. “You want to prove that you belong. We did that.”
And then some.
Coffee County battled out of the loser’s bracket, beating Siegel and Dickson County on Thursday and then fighting a downpour to beat Summit 12-4 Friday morning and advance to the state championship against Farragut Friday afternoon. The Lady Raiders would have had to beat Farragut twice in the same afternoon to win the state title after waking up and winning a 9 a.m. game the same morning. It was a tall task.
“Farragut is a good team,” said McWhorter. “Our girls fought and they gave it everything they had all week. The community support was just awesome and we couldn’t have got this far without that. It was incredible to see.”
Coffee County 12
Summit 4
The Lady Raiders needed to beat Summit at 9 a.m. Friday morning to advance to the title round – and they left no doubt.
Kaitlyn Davis had 6 RBIs, including a grand-slam, and senior Justus Turner blasted a grand slam over the center field fence to lead an offensive onslaught that buried Summit early. CHS took advantage of erratic Summit pitching – as CHS batters were hit 7 times and earned 7 walks.
Keri Munn earned the win in the circle – allowing 3 runs on 5 hits while striking out 6. The win sent Coffee County to the state championship game against Farragut for the first time in school history.
THIS GAME WAS BROADCAST LIVE ON THUNDER RADIO. LISTEN TO THE AUDIO REPLAY BY CLICKING HERE.
Coffee County 2
Farragut 4
Coffee County took the lead against the Admirals – but the Lady Raiders couldn’t hold on and Farragut won the state championship Friday afternoon.
It took a while for the scoring to get started – then the Lady Raiders finally broke through in the fifth inning.
Kiya Ferrell pulled a ground ball to the right side of the field and beat out the first baseman to the bag. In the process, Chesnie Cox scored and Olivia Evans motored all the way around from second to put Coffee County up 2-0.
Farragut answered immedietely.
The Admirals put three on the board in the bottom of the fifth to retake the lead.
The Lady Raiders loaded the bases in the sixth and Olivia Evans hit a line drive on the nose. But it went directly to the right fielder and ended the threat.
“I think when they took the lead there (in the fifth) we kind of knew it was over,” said senior Justus Turner. “We were tired. Nobody said that, but you kind of just knew.”
The Lady Raiders graduate three seniors from this year’s team – Eliza Carden, Turner and Keri Munn.
Tryouts for next year’s team are next week.
“We couldn’t have made this run without every single person on this team, all 23 of them,” said McWhorter.
photos – Coffee County vs. Summit
Brianna Shelton 
Keri Munn 
Chesnie Cox 
Olivia Evans 
Olivia Evans 
Haidyn Campbell (22) 
Keri Munn
CHS freshman football orientation is Tuesday
All incoming freshman students at Coffee County Red Raider Academy who want to play for the Red Raider football team should attend upcoming orientation.
The orientation is at 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 1. It will be a brief informational meeting at the Coffee County football facility (located at Coffee County High School next to the practice field – 100 Red Raider Dr.).
Everyone should bring completed physical paperwork if available.
The Coffee County Central Red Raider football team will kickoff the 2021 season on Aug. 20 at Franklin County. You can hear the Red Raiders all season long on Thunder Radio – 107.9 FM, 1320 AM.
CMS baseball, CHS basketball tryouts this week
Multiple area prep teams will have their tryouts this week.
CMS Baseball
Will have tryouts Thursday, Friday and Saturday (June 3-5) from 5-6:30 p.m. each day. Players should be prepared for the field or indoor facility at CMS based on weather. Bring completed physical paperwork.
CHS boys basketball
Will have tryouts for incoming freshmen June 1-2 from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. Freshmen must bring a copy of their current physical.
Claud Alfred “Buddy” Chellstorp
Claud Alfred “Buddy” Chellstorp, age 78, passed away on Wednesday, May 26 th , 2021 at his residence surrounded by his family. Buddy was born on February 12, 1943 to Claus and Ruth Chellstorp in Fairfield, Alabama. He grew up in Birmingham, along with his sister, Gladys Chellstorp Dunn. He attended Columbia Military Academy in Columbia, TN and later served in the United States Air Force and worked for Lockheed Aircraft and LSI Inc. in aircraft technical support. Buddy is survived by his loving wife, Charlotte Diane Crump Chellstorp and has three children, Melissa Byars, Janet (Jeff) Wooten, and Chad (Chelsea) Chellstorp; six grandchildren, Keith and Hunter (Lesley) Byars, Jarrett and Jenna Wooten, Forrest and Chase Chellstorp; and one great-granddaughter, Brynlie Byars; one sister, Gladys Dunn; special niece and nephew, Kathy Peters and David Dunn; as well as many other nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by one brother-in-law, Roy Dunn. He and his family moved to Coffee County in 1972. Buddy early on became an entrepreneur, starting Communications Specialist (a two-way radio enterprise), Coffee County Answering Service, was instrumental in building and managing the TV Cable system in Manchester, and was a member of the Coffee County Sherriff’s Department. He also started A1 Paging, and was a long-time member of First United Methodist Church in Tullahoma. Buddy became a ham radio operator and was a member of the Ham Radio Club. His call number was W4KTK. Buddy was a board member of the Tullahoma Airport Authority, the Treis County Chapter of the American Red Cross, and the noon Tullahoma Rotary Club. He was also an avid aviator with a strong passion for flying. Buddy was honored to be invited to accompany German captains in the cockpit of German Lufthansa Airlines while on a family trip to Germany. Buddy holds an FAA Commercial Multi Engine Instrument Pilot Rating. Visitation will be held on Saturday, June 5 th , 2021 at Kilgore Funeral Home from 12:00pm-2:00pm with the funeral to immediately follow at 2:00pm with Rev. Rickey Wade officiating. Burial will follow at Rose Hill Memorial Gardens. For those who wish, in lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Buddy’s memory to St. Jude Children’s Hospital.
Kilgore Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.