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Coffee County CAC launches Join Our Quest initiative
The Coffee County Children’s Advocacy Center has launched a Join Our Quest initiative, which aims to raise awareness of child abuse. Join Our Quest initiative invites community members to raise awareness by displaying the Coffee County CAC’s poster and posting a picture on social media. If you would like to display a poster, contact them at 931-723-8888 and ask for the poster.
The Coffee County CAC fights child abuse in Tullahoma. In 2020, of the 347 referrals received for services in Coffee County, 40% of the children were 6 years old or younger, 36% between the ages of 7 and 12, and 24% were between 13 and 18. Child abuse could affect any family, church or community. Data show that 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 7 boys will experience sexual abuse by the age of 18. With the confidential nature of child abuse cases, raising awareness is challenging and vital. Stigma, misconception and lack of awareness lead to the continuing cycle of child abuse.
Join the quest to a healthier society by donating to the center. Not only would breaking the cycle of child abuse lead to fewer victims but it would lead to a healthier society. According to the American Society for the Positive Care of Children, 14% of all men in prison and 36% of women in prison in USA were abused as children. Children who experience child abuse are nine times more likely to become involved in criminal activity.
Learn to recognize possible indicators of abuse and neglect. State law mandates anyone suspicious of child abuse to report it. If you suspect child abuse, call 877-237-0004. You can report suspicions of child abuse anonymously. In 2020, in Coffee County, there were 4 investigations involving the death of a child; 244 investigations involving sexual abuse allegations; 333 total severe child abuse investigations.
Tennesseans can apply for federal help with COVID-19 funeral expenses
The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency encourages Tennesseans who lost loved ones to COVID-19 to apply for the assistance that is still available from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help with funeral expenses.
“We’ve had about 38 percent of those eligible in Tennessee for COVID-19 funeral to apply with FEMA for the benefit,” TEMA Director Patrick Sheehan said. “At this time, there is no application deadline, so funeral assistance is still available and can help many who faced an unexpected and tragic expense.”
Tennesseans who may be eligible for the funeral assistance benefit can begin the registration process by calling FEMA’s COVID-19 funeral assistance phone number, 844-684-6333 (TTY: 800-462-7585), between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The application process with FEMA should take about 20 minutes and multi-lingual services are available. FEMA is not accepting online applications for the benefit, so a call to FEMA’s COVID-19 funeral assistance phone number is necessary to register and begin the process.
Applicants must be U.S. citizens, non-citizen nationals, or qualified aliens who incurred funeral expenses after Jan. 20, 2020, for a death attributed to COVID-19.
An applicant may apply for multiple deceased individuals with a maximum allowable amount of $9,000 per funeral, and a maximum of $35,500 per application.
More information on who can apply, what is eligible, and a list of frequently-asked questions can be found at COVID-19 Funeral Assistance | FEMA.gov.
Tennessee Department of Health “Give It A Shot” ad campaign
The Tennessee Department of Health announced on Monday, a new ad campaign, “Give It A Shot” focused on addressing vaccine hesitancy among Tennesseans. The ads will air across the state on broadcast, cable, and digital media. Some digital placement for this campaign began on May 1 and this is the next phase in the campaign rollout.
“The most effective tool we have for combatting the COVID-19 virus is a vaccine,” said Tennessee Department of Health Commissioner Lisa Piercey, MD, MBA, FAAP. “We recognize many Tennesseans have questions or concerns about the COVID vaccines and our goal is that these messages help to address some of those hesitancies. At the end of the day my hope is we will continue to see a steady increase in vaccine uptake across our state as more and more individuals feel more comfortable and confident in receiving the vaccine.”
This PSA will run from May through November. A toolkit is available to download campaign assets at https://app.box.com/s/4tlccdbfitmion6mubovmvgq3kyt9fqh.
All local health departments are offering walk-in options. Individuals can also schedule a COVID-19 vaccine appointment by visiting covid19.tn.gov or vaccinefinder.org.
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.
Ronald Edwin Jolly
Jolly, Ronald Edwin “Pete” , of Tullahoma, passed this life on Sunday, May 16 th , 2021 at NHC in Tullahoma at the age of 77. Pete was born in Manchester to the late Edward Jolly and Billie Spakes Moody. He served his country in the United States Air Force during the Vietnam Era and went on to work as an independent truck driver and was also the owner of Southeast Cargo. Pete loved horses and going trail riding as well as western books and movies. He never met a stranger and took every available opportunity to help someone in need. Pete will be greatly missed by his many friends and family members. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by one brother, Paul Jolly. Pete is survived by one sister, Mary Daniel (Randy) Ray; one nephew, Brent Ray; one niece, Luci (Carson) Tapley; and one great-niece, Adeline Tapley; two step-daughters, Stacey (Jim) Schwartzenberger Ryan and Erika Schwartzenberger Baker; step-grandchildren, Carolyn (Zach) Davis, Kevin Davis, and Rachel Throneberry; several step-great-grandchildren. A memorial service is being planned for a later date. For those who wish, in lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Tullahoma Animal Shelter, 942 Maplewood Avenue, Tullahoma, Tennessee 37388. Kilgore Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
ONE STEP CLOSER: Lady Raiders dismantle Smyrna, advance to region championship game

One more win.
That’s all the Coffee County Central Lady Raiders need to reach the state tournament after breaking out their big bats and thumping Smyrna 11-1 in the Region 4-AAA semifinals Monday night at Terry Floyd Field in Manchester.
The game ended early via the mercy rule when senior Eliza Carden ripped a single up the middle to score a run in the bottom of the fifth. Coffee County has now outscored its opponents 41-1 in four postseason games.
THIS GAME WAS BROADCAST LIVE ON THUNDER RADIO. CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE REPLAY!
The Lady Raiders once again left little doubt as to which team was superior – scoring 2 runs in the first inning to get things started and adding three more in the second on a Justus Turner double. Turner finished with 3 RBIs. (THUNDER RADIO BONUS COVERAGE: FACEBOOK USERS CAN WATCH JUSTUS TURNER DOUBLE OFF THE FENCE HERE)
Sophomore Kaitlyn Davis extended the lead in the third when she blasted a grand slam over the right centerfield fence. Davis finished with 3 hits and 5 RBIs. Her home run was the 12th of the season. She also leads the team in RBIs with 38. (THUNDER RADIO BONUS COVERAGE: FACEBOOK USERS CAN WATCH KAITLYN DAVIS’ GRAND SLAM BY CLICKING HERE)
Kiya Ferrell also had a big night at the plate for CHS, ripping 4 hits and picking up an RBI. She also scored three times.
Keri Munn earned the win in the circle – striking out 8 over 5 innings and allowing 1 unearned run. She surrendered 4 hits and walked 4. She worked out of a bases loaded jam in the second inning with back-to-back strikeouts and the game still in doubt.
The win improves Coffee County to 29-4-1 on the season. The Lady Raiders will host District 7-AAA champion Siegel in the Region 4-AAA finals at 7 p.m. Wednesday night. That game will be broadcast live on Thunder Radio (107.9 FM, 1320 AM, 106.7 FM, thunder1320.com). The winner will host the sectional on Friday. The loser will travel in the sectional on Friday. Winning teams on Friday reach the state tournament. Losing teams on Friday end the season.
Tickets for Wednesday’s Region Championship game will be available at the gate. No capacity limitations, no mask requirements.

Olivia Evans Kaitlyn Davis and coach Brandon McWhorter Emily Schuster Haidyn Campbell Olivia Evans Madison Pruitt Chesnie Cox Keri Munn Student section celebration Jake Freeze celebrates with Lady Raiders Alivia Reel Kiya Ferrell Hayden Hullett, left, rushes to hug Justus Turner Haidyn Campbell
Braves pitcher to miss months after punching bench
Huascar Ynoa was constructing one of baseball’s best stories before he broke his right hand by punching the padded dugout bench during Sunday afternoon’s 10-9 loss to the Brewers at American Family Field.
Now, the Braves right-hander might be sidelined for at least three months.
“It’s going to be a couple of months, probably, that he’s going to be down,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “Then, [he’s] going to end up having to get built back up. I hate to see that. The young guy was doing so good. It’s going to be a big loss for us.”
Ynoa threw the frustration-filled punch after allowing the Brewers nine hits and five runs over just 4 1/3 innings. He experienced initial discomfort, but the pain didn’t truly begin to build until he flew back to Atlanta on the team charter Sunday night.
Members of the Braves’ medical staff confirmed the fracture on Monday morning.
“It’s a shame,” Snitker said of Ynoa, who is 4-2 with a 3.02 ERA through nine outings (eight starts). “He’s not the first and he won’t be the last. There’s probably no one who feels any worse than him, too.”
The Braves lost to the Mets 3-1 Monday. Hear the Braves all season long on Thunder Radio.
Birthdays- May 17
Levi Avery- 5- Pizza Winner!
Lesley Burnett- 17
Birthdays- May 16
Amy Morgan
Alexis Thompson- 10- Pizza Winner!
Birthdays- May 15
Christy Brown- Pizza Winner!
Houston Marshall Fetzer
Graveside services for Houston Marshall Fetzer, age 85 of Manchester, will
be conducted at 2 PM on Wednesday, May 19, 2021, in the Manchester City
Cemetery, with Bro. Charles Williams officiating. Visitation with the
family will be held on Wednesday from 10 AM until 1:30 PM at Manchester
Funeral Home. Mr. Fetzer passed away unexpectedly on May 15 at The
Rutherford Memory Care in Murfreesboro.
Mr. Fetzer was born on May 24, 1935, in Manchester, to the late Houston and
Irene Sain Fetzer. He was a member of Main Street Church of Christ for many
years. He was a teacher for Coffee County Central High School, where he was
also a coach for their football team. In addition to football, Mr. Fetzer
loved all sports, especially Vanderbilt University and the University of
Tennessee. He also enjoyed quill hunting, raising TN walking horses, and
building and racing dragsters.
Mr. Fetzer is preceded in death by his wife, Betty Jane Stewart Fetzer. He
is survived by his daughter, Vicki Fetzer-Lufkin and her husband, Walter;
grandchildren, Mandy Lufkin Barrett and her husband, TJ, Megan Lufkin
Glover and her husband, Kevin, and step-granddaughter, Tina Lufkin Daigle
and her husband, Jim; great grandchildren, Jaxon and Addison Barrett, Tatum
and Kingston Glover; sister, Dorothy Fetzer Derryberry; special friend,
Joyce Hickerson; several nieces and nephews, and a host of friends.
Manchester Funeral Home is honored to serve the Fetzer family.