Josh Peterson

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Tennessee General Assembly passes no debt $42B budget

The House and Senate of the 112th General Assembly on Thursday successfully approved a no-debt $42.6 billion budget that provides strategic investments in education, health care, public safety and economic development initiatives.

The budget provides a return to many pre-pandemic priorities with the 2021-22 fiscal year budget. The 2021-22 fiscal year budget invests $100 million into the Rainy-Day fund, bringing the state’s savings account to $1.55 billion.  The budget also sets aside $250 million through the Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System. Tennessee remains on solid financial ground as one of the indebted states in the nation with a AAA bond-rated state rating.

The budget provides $730 million in new spending for education, including the spending from the special session.  This includes more than $480 million on K-12 education and more than $240 million on higher education.

The Basic Education Plan (BEP) will be fully funded at approximately $62 million. Tennessee educators will receive $120 million to provide a pay increase in addition to $43 million allocated for teacher salary increases during January’s special session. The budget includes $79 million to address the growing needs of Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology campuses. The new budget funds $250 million for a Mental Health Trust Fund to provide mental health assistance and support for K-12 students.

Additionally, the budget cuts more than $50 million for a sales tax holiday on grocery sales and prepared foods from July 30-Aug. 5.

The budget also puts a strong emphasis on job creation and rural development with a significant $100 million investment to expand high-speed broadband to underserved Tennessee communities.  These funds are in addition to federal coronavirus stimulus money provided for this purpose.  In other jobs investments, the budget provides $190 million for Fast Track Infrastructure Grants to add high-quality jobs throughout the state.  It also provides $7 million to help support Tennessee entrepreneurs and innovators with promising start-up companies.

Health care is another essential priority for next year’s budget. It provides $37.9 million to fully fund medical inflation in the state’s TennCare program and adds $5 million to further widen the state’s Health Care Safety Net.  The Health Care Safety Net focuses on services that help uninsured patients get preventative and disease management care and avoid more costly hospitalizations. 

Key budget highlights include:

*$100 million for cities and counties with funds available in July for any non-recurring needs;

*$931 million for capital improvements to keep the state’s infrastructure strong without incurring debt;

*$9.5 million to improve salaries for probation and parole officers to offer competitive pay with other states

*$4.4 million for new agents in TBI;

*$17 million for a new radio communications system, $2.3 million for body cameras and full funding of the salary plan and survey for state troopers;

*$8 million to expand marketing and tourism initiatives

*$145 million for air and rail transportation infrastructure

The FY21-22 budget takes effect July 1, 2021.

The Tennessee Election Integrity Act passes both chambers

Both chambers of the General Assembly gave final approval this week to legislation that aims to uphold the integrity of elections in Tennessee by ensuring absentee ballots are not fraudulent.

 House Bill 1276, requires all absentee ballots to include an easily discernible watermark approved by Tennessee’s Coordinator of Elections, except those officially authorized to be delivered electronically. The Tennessee Election Integrity Act, the legislation also requires absentee ballot counting boards of local county election commissions to reject any absentee ballot without the approved watermark to prevent election fraud.

The bill now heads to the governor’s desk for his signature.

Two Coffee County residents killed in interstate crash

Two Coffee County residents were killed in an accident on Interstate-24 just across the Rutherford County line on Thursday. The accident left traffic snarled for hours in Rutherford and Coffee counties.

Killed were 19-year old Sebastien Tarin, of Manchester, and 65-year old Stanley Peterson of Beechgrove.

A passenger was injured.

According to THP, Tarin’s vehicle was traveling east on Interstate 24 when it left the roadway and crossed the median, entering the westbound lanes and striking Peterson’s Nissan head on.

Sarah Miller

Funeral services for Mrs. Sarah Miller, age 91, of Morrison will be conducted at 1:00PM on Sunday, May 2, 2021, at Fountain Grove Methodist Church.  Burial will follow in Fountain Grove Cemetery.  The family will receive friends from 5:00PM until 7:00PM on Saturday, May 1, 2021, at Coffee County Funeral Chapel.  Mrs. Miller passed from this life on Thursday, April 29, 2021, at her residence in Morrison, TN. 

Sarah was the most loving and generous wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, and friend.  She never met a stranger and could talk for hours and tell stories.  Sarah enjoyed fishing, ceramics, going to the Flea Market, yard sales, and talking on the phone. She was loved by so many.  You never left her house hungry or sad, and her smile and laughter was contagious. 

Sarah is preceded in death by her beloved husband, James Miller.  She is survived by 4 siblings, Louis Johnson, Ellen Keith, Levon Johnson, and Jerry Johnson; her daughter, Judy Eastman and husband Chuck; her son, Jimmy Miller and wife Anita; 5 grandchildren, and 8 great-grandchildren. 

Robert F. Holt

Robert F. Holt, of Lynchburg, passed this life on Friday, April 30, 2021 at the age of 61. The family will welcome friends for visitation on Sunday, May 2 from 4PM until 8PM at Lynchburg Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held Monday, May 3 at 1PM at Lynchburg Funeral Home, with burial to follow at Lynchburg Cemetery. 

Mr. Holt was the son of the late Glenn Woodson and Barbara Woodson Holt. He proudly served our country as a soldier in the United States Army and was of the Baptist faith. Mr. Holt was a hard worker and enjoyed vacationing at the beach, cooking, and baking. He was a loving husband to his wife, Becky, and a wonderful father to their three children. Together they enjoyed watching their children and grandchildren play ball. 

In addition to his devoted wife, Becky, he is survived by his sons, Zack Pirtle and Joshua Holt; daughter, Brandy (Eric) Brandon; grandsons, Hayden Carter, Bryson Carter, Hudson Brandon. 

For online guest registry please visit, www.lynchburgfuneralhome.com 

LYNCHBURG FUNERAL HOME IS IN CHARGE OF ARRANGEMENTS. 

Margaret “Ann” Crosslin

Mrs. Margaret “Ann” Crosslin, age 82, of
Manchester, TN, passed from this life on Saturday, May 1, 2021, at her
residence.

Mrs. Crosslin was born in Manchester, TN, to her late parents Frank Harner
and Alene Cantrell Harner. She was a homemaker all her life and always
loved coming home to Manchester. Mrs. Crosslin was an amazing wife, mother,
grandmother (also known as “grand nana”), and great grandmother. In
addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Floyd
Crosslin; brothers, Vernon Harner and Roy Alvin Harner.

Mrs. Crosslin is survived by a son, Jeff (Cindy) Crosslin; daughter,
Jennifer (Scott) Milauckas; brother, Jerry Harner; sister, Sue Cook;
grandchildren, Paul (Mandy) Rader, Daulton Milauckas, and Jessica (Reid)
Francis; great grandchild, Hudson Rader.

Family will receive friends on Wednesday, May 5, 2021, from 5:00pm until
7:00pm at Central Funeral Home in Manchester. Funeral services will be
conducted on Thursday, May 6, 2021, at 11:00am in the chapel of Central
Funeral Home with Scott Eggleston officiating. Burial will follow in Rose
Hill Memorial Gardens in Tullahoma, TN.

Central Funeral Home is serving the family, 931-723-7774,
centralfuneralhome.com

Birthdays- April 30

Birthdays:

Tracy Duke

Donnie Newman- 69

Truman Brandon

Sam Rogers- Pizza Winner!

Addi Sartain- 14

Jane Watkins

Anniversaries:

Jeremy & Mary Darnell- 16 years

Weekly Winners:

Cake- Caley Buckley

Flowers- Jeremy & Mary Darnell

Rosemary Tarwater Starnes

Rosemary Tarwater Starnes , age 91 of Tullahoma, TN passed away Wednesday, April 28, 2021, at 5:15 AM at her home. Born the fourth daughter of a farmer father and a schoolteacher mother in Sevierville, TN, Rosemary was incentivized by her parents to excel in school. Her sister Doris shared that she never had to work hard to achieve good grades, she easily absorbed everything in class, rarely had to study and made terrific grades throughout her high school years. She was an active member of the Pleasant View United Methodist Church youth group, an accomplished pianist and trumpet player, played piano at her church, and was often asked to play taps at local funerals. She was awarded a music scholarship to Martin Methodist College in Pulaski, TN where she met Bill Starnes, the love of her life. Bill pursued Rosemary relentlessly, as he considered her the most beautiful girl on campus. After their first year in college, he asked for her hand in marriage. He did advise her that at age 14, after reading a book named African Game Trails written by Teddy Roosevelt that he had heard and accepted the call by God to become a missionary to Africa. She had to think long and hard about it, but eventually decided that life with Bill would be a grand adventure. They married on September 15, 1949, and after further studies at Scarritt College and Vanderbilt University, they headed overseas. With more studies in Brussels to learn several languages, they made their way to Zaire where they served as missionaries for four years. Bill preached among numerous tribal villages and Rosemary taught health and hygiene to the local village women. As missionaries, Bill founded a college originally named the Congo Polytechnic Institute, now known as the University of the Congo. During their stay the Congo Crisis occurred and war broke out between the government and Communist rebels who were looting the country’s valuable minerals and copper. During this crisis, Bill was captured and almost killed by rebel troops. Through almost divine intervention, he was rescued and Rosemary, Bill and their four children were smuggled out of the country returning home on the SS United States ocean liner in 1960. Upon their return, Rosemary became a language teacher and Bill continued his support of the Board of Global Ministries and the University of the Congo for another six years until he was recruited by his alma mater, Martin Methodist College to become President with Rosemary serving as First Lady. Rosemary was the wind beneath his wings during their 11 years on campus, and during that time he doubled the size of the campus and was instrumental in setting the stage for it to become a four-year institution. Prior to his retirement, the Student Union Building was named the Bill & Rosemary Starnes Student Union Building. In a few weeks, Zan Martin, also a Martin alumna who is now serving on the Board of Trustees, will participate in the unveiling and dedication of a painting she produced in their honor that will be permanently placed in the Student Union Building. Throughout the years, aside from her deep and abiding faith in her savior Jesus Christ, her five children were Rosemary’s greatest pride and joy. When they were young, she entered them in many music and art studies to help them explore their natural gifts and talents teaching them that there was nothing in life they couldn’t achieve if they wanted, I bad enough. And most importantly, she provided intense, unconditional love throughout their lives. After their tenure at Martin Methodist College, Bill returned to the pulpit where he served the United Methodist Church in both Nashville and Tullahoma while Rosemary became active with the Daughters of American Republic, (DAR) and the Garden Club, and as she always had, continued to host extravagant dinner parties and gatherings at their home. After Bill retired in June, 1996, she most loved working in her garden, enjoying time with family and friends out on Bill’s beloved pontoon boat and as many visits with her children and grandchildren as she could get. Rosemary is predeceased by mother Ella Tarwater, father Millard Tarwater, sister Ruth Thomas, sister Altha Wager, sister Wilda Parrot, husband Billy McDonald Starnes, daughter Evelyn Starnes Pelfrey, and son-in-law Phillip Tomlinson Terry. She is survived by sister Doris Phelps, daughter Carol Terry, daughter Linda Edwards (Bruce), daughter Suzanne Martin (Randy), son Robert Starnes, grandchildren Robert Edwards (Cheryl), Blake Edwards, Jeff Grammer (Abby), Zachary Starnes, Kaylee Starnes, and six great grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Martin Methodist College, First United Methodist Church Tullahoma, or the Ella Tarwater Scholarship Fund, care of Pleasant Hill United Methodist Church, Sevierville, TN. Her visitation will be held on Thursday, May 6 th , 2021 at First United Methodist Church in Tullahoma from 12:00-2:00pm with the funeral service to follow at 2:00pm with Rev. Rickey Wade officiating. Burial will follow at Rose Hill Memorial Gardens. Kilgore Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

SOCCER: Raiders can’t find offense in second half, fall to Lincoln Co.

Coffee County put together a solid defensive effort, but the Raiders couldn’t muster enough offense in a 2-1 loss to Lincoln County Thursday night in Fayetteville.

The Raiders went into halftime tied 1-1 after a goal from Aiden Abellana. But CHS couldn’t break the tie in the second half.

The Raiders will host senior night at 7 p.m. Friday, April 30. That match will be broadcast live on Thunder Radio.

Westwood soccer blows past Webb in tournament semi-finals

Westwood’s Rocket soccer team beat the brakes off of Webb in the conference tournament semi-finals Thursday at Dyer Bouldin Field.

The Rockets got goals from six different players and mercy-ruled Webb 9-0 in a 31 minute game that was stopped after the Rockets scored one minute into the second half. – a match you heard live on Thunder Radio as part of the Peoples Bank & Trust Hometown Sports Series.

Westwood picked up goals from Will Rogers, Alex Dewolfe, Juanes Barrera (2), Torin VanZandbergen (2), Joel Barrera and Alexander Petatan (2).

Westwood will play in the conference championship at 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 30.