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Bump in Coffee County EMS pay added to proposed county budget
Coffee County Budget and Finance has voted in include large pay increases to Coffee County EMS staff in the next year’s proposed budget.
The committee voted for a 25% increase in pay for medics, EMT’s and paramedics and a 10% increase in pay for drivers. A 5% increase was included for EMS director Michael Bonner.
Hiring problems and staff shortages have plagued Coffee County EMS for some time now, leaving the county often underserviced when it comes to available ambulance to service emergencies and transports.
Coffee County baseball camp postponed due to heat
Coffee County Central High School baseball youth camp scheduled for June 20th through the 22nd has been postponed due to extreme heat in the forecast.
The camp will be rescheduled with tentative dates of July 11-13 selected. More information will be provided at a later date. Anyone who pre-registered will receive an email.
Please pre-register by clicking here.
Bonnaroo 2022 – IN PHOTOS
The 2022 Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival is the 19th time the festival has been held in Manchester since its inception in 2002. The festival was not held in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19 and weather cancellation.
Here are some photos of this year’s festival – headlined by J Cole, Tool and Stevie Nicks.
More photos will be added later.
Tove Lo performs on What Stage Friday, June 17, 2022. Photo by Douglas Mason. 
The Chicks perform on the Bonnaroo What Stage Friday, June 17, 2022. Photo by Charles Reagan 
Allison Krauss and Robert Plant perform on the Bonnaroo What Stage Friday, June 17, 2022. Photo by Jenn Devereaux 
A photo of J Cole performance from VIP hill Friday, June 17, 2022. Photo by Taylor Regulski 
J. Cole performs as the Bonnaroo headlining act Friday, June 17, 2022. Photo by Roger Ho. 
Illenium performs at Bonnaroo 2022. Photo by Brian Hensley. 
Dayglow performs on Bonnaroo Which Stage Friday, June 17, 2022. Photo by Nathan Zucker. 
Dillon Francis performs Friday night, June 17, 2022. Photo by Leone Julitte. 
Dillon Francis performs Friday night, June 17, 2022. Photo by Leone Julitte. 
Sidepiece performs Friday, June 17, 2022 at Bonnaroo. 
Clozee puts on a show at The Other Friday, June 17, 2022. Photo by Taylor Regulski. 
Fun in one of the campground plazas Friday night, June 17, 2022. Photo by Bryan Lasky 
More Bonnaroo campground plaza fun Friday night, June 17, 2022. — Photo by Bryan Lasky 
The War on Drugs performs Friday night, June 17, 2022 at Bonnaroo. Photo by Phil McDonald. 
The crowd is gathered at What Stage Friday, June 17, 2022. Photo by Charles Reagan. 
The Bonnaroo Ferris Wheel and giant Disco Ball light the night sky Thursday night, June 16, 2022. Photo by Taylor Regulski. 
Photo by Nathan Zucker
Investigator Billy Cook retires after 40 years
After 40 years working in law enforcement, District Attorney Investigator Billy Cook has retired from service.
Cook has spent the past 33 years with the Coffee County DA’s office.
Coffee County District Attorney General Craig Northcott released the following statement:
“I am both happy and sad to announce that, after 40 years in law enforcement including 33 years as an investigator for the District Attorney’s Office in Coffee County, Inv. Billy Cook has retired. His daily presence will be missed by all in this office and certainly me. His positive impact on this community’s safety cannot be overstated. He has been instrumental in achieving justice in every serious case that has occurred in Coffee County for those 33 years. However, his influence has not been limited to Coffee County. Among other similar statewide projects, Billy was instrumental in creating the Tennessee Methamphetamine and Deadly Drug Task Force to help improve law enforcement efforts to combat the manufacturing and distribution of narcotics. Among many other traits and skills, Billy has an unmatched ability to deescalate a situation and relate to everyone with whom he interacts. Because of his humility and professional manner, witnesses are made comfortable to be forthcoming and defendants often confess to him. His experience, contacts, tireless work and wisdom have led to thorough investigations and many convictions that would not have happened without him. His integrity has made his testimony unassailable and led defense attorneys to seek his guidance in the handling of situations as well. His greatest impact, though, has been through his mentorship and training of other investigators and patrol officers in the Tullahoma Police Department, Manchester Police Department, Coffee County Sheriff’s Department and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. Through his example and daily counseling of them, every investigator in Coffee County for the past three decades has been influenced by Billy. In fact, many of those investigators have gone on to be Sheriff and police chief both in Coffee County and other areas of the State. Billy Cook cannot be replaced. However, his influence in the District Attorney’s Office and local law enforcement will mean that his legacy will continue to be felt for many decades to come. I am proud to call Billy Cook one of my friends and mentors. Thank you Billy Cook for your service to this community and enjoy your well-earned retirement.”
Crippling heat to return to Middle Tennessee this week
This past weekend provided some much needed reprieve from record-breaking heat and humidity that gripped Middle Tennessee last week.
The bad news is – the break won’t last long.
After high temperatures in the low 80s on Sunday, National Weather Service is predicting high temperatures to reach 90 on Monday, 94 on Tuesday, 97 Wednesday and 95 on Thursday and 93 on Friday. Overnight lows will remain in the 70s.
Remember to stay hydrated and take frequent breaks in shaded or cooled areas if you must be outside. Otherwise, stay indoors and check frequently on elderly friends and relatives.
Tennessee Secretary of State arrested for DUI after leaving Bonnaroo
Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett was arrested by Tullahoma Police Department for alleged DUI Friday night / early Saturday morning (June 17/18) after leaving the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Manchester.
Hargett posted a $2,000 bond and was released from the Coffee County Jail Saturday morning. His first court date is set for July 14th.
Hargett’s office released a statement Saturday:
“On Friday night after leaving the Bonnaroo Music Festival, I was stopped by the Tullahoma Police Department and subsequently arrested for DUI. Driving Under the Influence is a serious matter, and I regret the circumstances that led to my arrest. I respect law enforcement and will trust the legal process as we move forward.”
Hargett has served as Tennessee’s Secretary of State since 2009. He was elected by the General Assembly and has been subsequently re-elected by the assembly in 2013, 2017 and 2021.
Tennessee unemployment inches up slightly from historic low
Preliminary data from the Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD) indicated Tennessee’s unemployment rate for May 2022 increased slightly from April’s record-breaking number. The seasonally adjusted statewide rate for the month was 3.3%, 0.1 of a percentage point higher than the previous month’s revised figure.
The state’s civilian workforce also grew in May and reached a new high. The seasonally adjusted number for the month came in at 3,405,582, up from 3,388,428 in April. Tennessee also saw an increase in the number of citizens who were employed in May, up nearly 15,000 workers to 3,293,564. The state’s Labor Force Participation rate also surpassed 61% for the first time in over two years.
Tennessee employers added 3,700 nonfarm jobs to their payrolls between April and May. The construction sector added the most jobs. The state government sector saw the next largest increase, followed by the professional, scientific, and technical services sector.
Over the last year, the state’s nonfarm employment grew by 135,000 jobs. The largest increase came from the leisure and hospitality sector, followed by the trade, transportation, and utilities sector, and then the professional and business services sector.
Nationally, the unemployment rate for the United States was unchanged in May, mirroring the seasonally adjusted April rate of 3.6%. That number does mark a decrease of 2.2 percentage points when compared to the May 2021 national unemployment rate.
Each month, TDLWD produces a complete analysis of the state’s unemployment data, including an in-depth look at Tennessee’s workforce statistics. That report is available here.
The state’s jobs database currently has listings for hundreds of thousands of open positions across and near Tennessee. Job seekers can access Jobs4TN.gov and the other online services the state of Tennessee offers residents looking for meaningful employment at www.TNWorkReady.com.
Career specialists are also available to work one-on-one with job seekers at nearly 80 American Job Centers located in counties across Tennessee. They can find the closest job center to them here.
Birthdays – June 17
Birthdays:
Robert Hullett
Anabelle Layne – Pizza Winner!
Leslee Willmore
Linda Rich
Linda Buckner
Weekly Winners:
Cake – Courtney Reed
Flowers – No Winners
Investigator Billy Cook retires after 40 years
After 40 years working in law enforcement, District Attorney Investigator Billy Cook has retired from service.
Cook has spent the past 33 years with the Coffee County DA’s office.
Coffee County District Attorney General Craig Northcott released the following statement:
“I am both happy and sad to announce that, after 40 years in law enforcement including 33 years as an investigator for the District Attorney’s Office in Coffee County, Inv. Billy Cook has retired. His daily presence will be missed by all in this office and certainly me. His positive impact on this community’s safety cannot be overstated. He has been instrumental in achieving justice in every serious case that has occurred in Coffee County for those 33 years. However, his influence has not been limited to Coffee County. Among other similar statewide projects, Billy was instrumental in creating the Tennessee Methamphetamine and Deadly Drug Task Force to help improve law enforcement efforts to combat the manufacturing and distribution of narcotics. Among many other traits and skills, Billy has an unmatched ability to deescalate a situation and relate to everyone with whom he interacts. Because of his humility and professional manner, witnesses are made comfortable to be forthcoming and defendants often confess to him. His experience, contacts, tireless work and wisdom have led to thorough investigations and many convictions that would not have happened without him. His integrity has made his testimony unassailable and led defense attorneys to seek his guidance in the handling of situations as well. His greatest impact, though, has been through his mentorship and training of other investigators and patrol officers in the Tullahoma Police Department, Manchester Police Department, Coffee County Sheriff’s Department and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. Through his example and daily counseling of them, every investigator in Coffee County for the past three decades has been influenced by Billy. In fact, many of those investigators have gone on to be Sheriff and police chief both in Coffee County and other areas of the State. Billy Cook cannot be replaced. However, his influence in the District Attorney’s Office and local law enforcement will mean that his legacy will continue to be felt for many decades to come. I am proud to call Billy Cook one of my friends and mentors. Thank you Billy Cook for your service to this community and enjoy your well-earned retirement.”
Jerold “Jerry” Edward Barkve
Funeral services for Mr. Jerold “Jerry” Edward Barkve, age 78 of Tullahoma, will be conducted on Saturday, June 25, 2022, at 1 PM in the Tullahoma Funeral Home chapel. Burial will follow in the Windrow Cemetery in Rockvale, TN with military honors. Visitation with the family will be held on Friday, June 24, from 5 – 8 PM at the funeral home. Mr. Jerry passed away on Monday, June 13 at Unity Medical Center after an extended illness.
Jerry was born on September 25, 1943, in Emmetsburg, Iowa, to the late Norman Milford and Leota McQuan Barkve. He faithfully served his country in the United States Air Force as a jet engine mechanic, then honorably retired after 22 years of service. After his retirement from the military, Jerry continued his occupation as a jet engine mechanic at AEDC, until his retirement after 20 years of service. He was a member of the VFW 1893 in Estill Springs. Jerry enjoyed woodworking and playing his guitar with his brothers and sisters in their younger years.
In addition to his parents, Jerry is preceded in death by his loving wife, Patricia Ann Willard Barkve; brothers, Allen, Norman, and Kenny Barkve; sister, Marilyn Lampe. He is survived by his children, Jerold Edward “Eddie” Barkve, Jr., and Cheryl Nelson; grandchildren, Matthew Barkve, Jacob, Jared, and Joshua Nelson; great grandchild, Mabel; brother, James Barkve; sisters, Carol Hellickson, Linda Weber, and Jeannie Larson; special fur baby, Montana; several extended family members and a host of friends.
Tullahoma Funeral Home is honored to serve the Barkve family.
Online condolences and memories can be shared at