Josh Peterson

The Coffee County Health Department is offering flu vaccines at no charge to the community during a special “Fight Flu TN” vaccination event November 19.

“Getting a flu vaccine is the best way to protect yourself, your family and others in our community from the flu,” said Coffee County Health Department Director Pam Browning, RN. ”The flu can make you very sick, keep you away from work, school and other activities, put you in the hospital or even take your life. We urge everyone in Coffee County who hasn’t received a flu shot yet to get one now, and this event is a great time to do it.”

The Coffee County Health Department will provide flu vaccine November 19 at no cost to anyone who wishes to receive one at the Coffee County Fairgrounds from 12:30 to 3:30. To access the vaccine site please use the Hendrixson Drive entrance.

All TN county health departments are participating in the Fight Flu TN vaccination event on Thursday, Nov. 19. TDH county health department sites will not offer COVID-19 testing on this date, but will resume COVID-19 testing on Friday, Nov. 20.

The Coffee County Health Department recommends a yearly flu vaccine for everyone ages six months and older. The flu vaccine is especially important for infants, young children, pregnant women, adults over age 50 and those with chronic medical conditions. The flu vaccine remains the best protection against influenza.

For more information about the flu and getting a flu vaccine, contact your health care provider, call the Coffee County Health Department at 931-455-9369 (Tullahoma) 931-723-5134 (Manchester) or visit tn.gov/health/fightflu.

Tennessee gas prices, on average, are up two cents this week – breaking a four week streak of declines. The Tennessee Gas Price average is now $1.87 which is seven cents less than one month ago and 46 cents less than one year ago.
The average price in Coffee County matches the state average at $1.87. The national average is $2.12.

“Following a jump in demand, Tennessee broke its 29-day streak of declines and the state gas price average rose two cents,” said Megan Cooper, spokeswoman, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “However, with many states seeing rising COVID-19 case numbers and a number of officials warning against holiday travel, demand is likely to see a dip in coming weeks.”

Quick Facts

· 92% of Tennessee gas stations have prices below $2.00
· The lowest 10% of pump prices are $1.64 for regular unleaded
· The highest 10% of pump prices are $2.18 for regular unleaded
· Tennessee moved to the 8th least expensive market in the nation

National Gas Prices

With the majority of states seeing increases, the national gas price average pushed a penny more expensive. The overall weekly increases seen across the country are likely a reaction to the latest Energy Information Administration’s report showing increased demand (from 8.3 million b/d to 8.7 million b/d) while supply dwindled by 2.3 million bbl.

Despite the weekly increase, gas prices remain cheap both compared to last month (-5 cents) and last year (-48 cents).

National Oil Market Dynamics

At the close of Friday’s formal trading session, WTI decreased by 99 cents to settle at $40.13. Domestic crude prices decreased at the end of the day due to rising coronavirus infections worldwide, which could lead to a decrease in crude demand as countries and states implement new measures to reduce transmission of the virus. For this week, crude prices may continue to decline if demand concerns continue to worry the market.

Additionally, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) last week released its revised outlook for world oil demand through the end of the year, estimating demand will reduce by approximately 300,000 b/d to 96.3 million b/d. The revision raised market expectations that the cartel and its allies, including Russia, will either agree to continue or increase current supply cuts when they meet on November 30 and December 1. Currently, OPEC and its partners in the production reduction agreement have agreed to cut crude output by 7.7 million b/d through the end of 2020.

A statewide AMBER Alert has been issued for Jordan Gorman, who went missing from his home in Ashland City.

Gorman is 4 feet tall, 75 lbs. with brown hair and eyes, and was last seen wearing jeans and a grey, short-sleeved tee-shirt with red stripes.

If you know of his whereabouts, contact the TBI immediately at 1-800-TBI-FIND

Friday, Nov. 20 is the deadline to register your float for the annual Manchester Christmas Parade.

Click here for the registration packet:

The parade will be held the Saturday after Thanksgiving – Nov. 28. The parade will begin at 6:30 p.m. The route will go from the intersection of Highway 55 and 41, North on US 41 and through the downtown square via W. Main St.
Soon-to-retire Director of Parks and Recreation Bonnie Gamble has been named grand marshal.

Pictured below is the parade route.

There are currently 245 active cases of COVID-19 in Coffee County, this according to numbers provided by the Tennessee Department of Health on Sunday.

There have been 36 deaths reported in Coffee County since the pandemic began.

Meanwhile, in Coffee County there have been 48 cases of the virus among school-aged children in the past 14 days. This number is up 13 from Friday.

Across the state of Tennessee, there were 16 additional deaths reported Sunday and seven additional hospitalizations – bringing the current total of hospitalized patients to 1,785 in Tennessee.

As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches and more drivers hit the roads, Manchester Police Department is partnering with the Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO) to remind motorists to “Click It or Ticket.” From November 16 – 29, participating agencies across the state will increase seat belt enforcement as part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) nationwide mobilization..

“During the ‘Click It or Ticket’ campaign, we’ll be working with our fellow law enforcement officers across local and state lines to ensure the seat belt safety message gets out to all drivers and passengers,” said Chief Mark Yother. “By far, buckling up is the simplest thing you can do to limit injury or save your life during a crash. We see the results of not wearing a seat belt all the time. We see the loss of life and devastating injuries that could’ve been prevented with the simple click of a seat belt. That’s why buckling up is more than just a good idea—it’s the law.”

According to NHTSA, in 2018, there were 9,778 unbuckled passenger vehicle occupants killed in crashes in the United States. In that same year, 56 percent of passenger vehicle occupants killed at night (6 p.m.–5:59 a.m.) were not wearing their seat belts. That’s why one focus of the “Click It or Ticket” campaign is nighttime enforcement. Participating law enforcement agencies will be taking a no-excuses approach to seat belt law enforcement, writing citations day and night. In Manchester, TN, the maximum penalty for a seat belt violation is $30 for first offense, $60 for second or more.

For more information about seat belt safety or the THSO, visit www.tntrafficsafety.org