Coffee County District Attorney General Craig Northcott has released a statement with clarifications and information regarding the shooting and carjacking incidents that took place in Coffee County on Sunday, Sept. 13. The statement in its entirety is below:

“Dear Citizens of Coffee County and Others Concerned:

In conducting and concluding my investigation of the horrible events which occurred on September 13, 2020, I met with Aileen Stevens, her family and the family of Jordan Stevens. To a person, they each showed remarkable grace, dignity, strength and faith. I was overwhelmed by their ability to rely on the Lord’s peace in the most tragic of situations. They requested that I assist them in a few things, which I will now try to do.

First, they want to thank everyone near and far for their kind and comforting words and actions. They thank everyone for the prayers for their peace and recovery. I can testify that those prayers and acts of kindness and compassion have had their desired effect to the greatest extent possible given the circumstances.

Second, they asked me to clarify a few facts that have been misconstrued or misreported over the past month. Specifically, it is important for them to clarify that Jordan was killed in a field in Coffee County. He was not killed in the vehicle and dumped on the side of the road. He died by sacrificing himself upon the promise that no harm would come to his wife and their unborn child. In short, he died a hero.

While clarifying facts, in my initial statement, I indicated that the evildoer exited the vehicle after wrecking it and then shot himself. This was incorrect. He never left the vehicle before shooting himself. I apologize for my mistake.

Third, the family is beyond words to express their gratitude for the number of people who have given money and gifts for Jordan and Aileen’s child. The generosity shown will assist greatly in the life of this precious child who will be born in a few short months. It proves that there is still good in the world and that this community and Country still come together to help each other when most needed.

In conclusion, I want to join the family in expressing my appreciation for each of you as well. I would also ask that you continue to pray for this family and the other victims of these events as the healing is a lifetime process. I would further ask that you continue to respect their privacy as they move forward.”

Many Tennesseans currently receiving unemployment benefits through programs funded by the CARES Act could be nearing the end of their weekly payments. The last day to claim benefits through these federal programs is December 26, 2020. According to federal program rules, many claimants could see their benefits stop before that date if they reach the maximum number of allowable weeks.

The state of Tennessee currently provides unemployment benefits through four separate programs, two of which are new federal programs receive created under the CARES Act.
* Tennessee Unemployment Compensation (TUC) – This state program provides benefits to eligible claimants having the required amount of wages earned from a covered Tennessee employer in the applicable base period. Employers pay the premiums that fund the program and individuals earn eligibility through a wage-earning work history. This program provides a maximum of 26 weeks of benefits during the claimant’s benefit year.

* Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) – This CARES Act program provides benefits to eligible claimants not having wages earned from a covered Tennessee employer and who are not working due to the COVID-19 pandemic. PUA is available to workers not traditionally covered by unemployment insurance, including self-employed individuals, contract workers, and gig workers. An individual out of work due to a covered COVID-19 qualifying event could also be eligible for PUA. This program lasts for up to a maximum of 39 weeks and PUA claimants are not eligible for any extended benefits programs. Per current federal law, this program ends December 26, 2020.

* Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) – This CARES Act program provides eligible claimants up to an additional 13 weeks of unemployment after exhausting benefits in the TUC program. Per current federal law, this program ends December 26, 2020.
* Extended Benefits (EB) – This federal program provides eligible claimants up to 13 weeks of additional unemployment after exhausting benefits in both the TUC and PEUC programs. The U.S. Dept. of Labor (USDOL) can end Tennessee’s EB program with little notice to the state or claimants.

Under the CARES Act, claimants who began receiving benefits through the PUA program early in its inception will begin reaching the maximum 39 weeks of payments in the coming weeks. All PUA claimants will receive benefits only through December 26, 2020. The state encourages claimants to continue searching for work so they can secure employment before their benefits end. Once a claimant exhausts benefits on the PUA program, they are not eligible for any other unemployment program.

If the Department determines the eligibility of a claim after Dec. 26, if approved, the claimant will retroactively receive applicable payments for all weeks with a completed certification through the program’s ending date.

Claimants receiving extended benefits through PEUC need to keep in mind this program will stop after the week ending Dec. 26, 2020.

The EB program will end whenever USDOL determines Tennessee’s economic recovery has reached a threshold where the program is no longer needed. This has already taken place in several states.

The Reemploy Tennessee initiative makes many resources available to job seekers to help them make the transition back into the state’s workforce.

Jobs4TN.gov integrates Tennessee’s unemployment system with its workforce development system to streamline the process of finding work. The site’s database has over 200,000 current job openings and provides help with resume writing, job interview techniques, and other skills that will guide individuals through reemployment.

For one-on-one assistance, career specialists at Tennessee’s more than 80 American Job Centers can work with claimants to provide customized job searches, information on virtual job fairs, Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment (RESEA) appointments, and assistance determining if job training assistance is available

The state offers these services at no cost to the job seeker.

Story by Susan Campbell, Thunder Radio

Many residents of Manchester know Bill Nickels as a city alderman, former vice mayor and business owner. But many may not know that Nickels is also an accomplished painter and sculptor, with shows in area galleries.

In November, Nickels’ work will be the centerpiece of a Manchester Arts Center (MAC) fundraiser entitled “Bill Nickels in the Black Box.” The event is set for 7-9 p.m. Friday, Nov. 20, in the lobby of the MAC, located at 104 E. Main St. in downtown Manchester.

The wine and cheese event will be the culmination of a major telephone campaign to solicit donations to MAC to help keep the doors open during the Covid-19 pandemic, according to Board President Doug Spangler. Local actors and other volunteers will be contacting local businesses and patrons over the next few weeks in hopes of raising $10,000. Donors will then be invited to the art show.

Nickels, a Manchester native, creates photobooks, drawings and sculpture, much of which is stored in his downtown office. His work is also on semi-permanent display at the MAC, and recently he held a show at the Tullahoma Fine Arts Center.

According to Nickels, several of the paintings depict one landscape originally created in 1993.

“Instead of figuring out a style that I had and going out to find different landscapes to paint, I tried to use the same landscape and do it differently each time,” he said. “I’ve made hundreds of them and been successful five times.”

Nickels said he works on his art every day, engages with other artists and tries to keep up with what’s going on in the art work. He was also instrumental in the introducing the work of Manchester artist Willard Hill to art galleries around the world. Hill’s mixed media sculptures have been featured in galleries such as the Good Luck Gallery in Los Angeles.
Nickels grew up on West Poplar Street in Manchester, and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from ETSU in 1986. He is the owner Bill Nickels Insurance LLC at 107 E. McLean St. Growing up on West Poplar Street is even the subject of one of his landscapes.

“One painting has the story of being from West Poplar Street on it,” he said. “This one I painted and let the rain fall on it and then painted on it some more and wrote the story on top of it.”

In conjunction with the fundraiser, Nickels had a print made of a drawing and will raffle it off to everyone who donates $20 to the art center. MAC is experiencing a $20,000 shortfall this year.

For more information on the telethon, the art show or upcoming shows, visit the website at www.manchesterartscenter.com.

The Manchester Arts Center is preparing for an exhibit of the work of local artist Bill Nickels, set for 7-9 p.m. Nov. 20. The wine and cheese event will be the culmination of a fundraising telethon in which the board hopes to raise $10,000 to offset the center’s 2020 deficit due to Covid-19.

Local artist Bill Nickels created “Still Life with Stick In it” by drawing on 48 sheets of medium-density fiberboard, cutting it out with a jigsaw and then painting it.

Coffee County School System has announced that Coffee County Central High School, Raider Academy will stop in-person learning through Nov. 6 due to COVID-19 increase.

Those schools will move to a virtual learning only from Oct. 29 through Nov. 6. All other schools will remain on their 4-1 schedule: four days in class and Friday as a virtual day. 

“This week the recent increase in community spread of COVID-19 in our community has started to have a more significant impact on our school district. Due to an increase in positive cases among the staff and students at Coffee County Central High School and Coffee County Raider Academy, these two schools will be distance-learning/virtual only from October 29 through November 6,” said Dr. Charles Lawson, director of Coffee County Schools.

All other schools in the district will be on their regular schedule of in-person instruction Monday through Thursday. Coffee County Schools will remain distance-learning only throughout the district on Fridays. The teacher in-service day that was scheduled for November 3 due to the election is still in place. No in-person or virtual classes will meet on November 3.

“The district regrets that this places additional burdens on our family and community. This decision was made in order to keep our students as safe as possible during this time,” added Lawson

Want news alerts instantly to your phone? Download the “Manchester Go” app to your apple or android smartphone. It’s free to download and use. 

Completed ballots may be mailed with a first-class stamp in the county you reside at the designated post office before 3 p.m. local time on Election Day, Nov. 3. A representative from the county election commission will pick up ballots directly from the designated post office to ensure they are received by the close of polls on Election Day.

Coffee county voters concerned about delays in mail delivery can speed the process up by mailing their completed absentee by-mail ballot at the post office located at 1601 Hillsboro Blvd, Manchester TN 37355, said Andy Farrar, Administrator of Elections

“The Postal Service is implementing extraordinary measures and resources to deliver for Tuesday’s General Election. We are working closely with local elections officials to offer ballot delivery on Election Day at 95 post offices across the state. While the 3 p.m. deadline is in place for ballots on November 3rd, other information about our locations, including retail hours is available at usps.com, under Find USPS Locations,” said USPS Tennessee District Manager Christopher L. Alexander.

“It is important that voters know that they can mail their absentee by-mail ballots in this manner. Every vote matters, and we want to make sure that every legal vote is counted,” said Coordinator of Elections Mark Goins

Coffee County voters can easily and securely track their absentee by-mail ballot’s status with the Secretary of State’s Absentee By-Mail Ballot Status Tracker tool: tnmap.tn.gov/voterlookup.

Tennesseans planning to vote early for the Presidential election have until this Thursday, Oct. 29 to cast their ballots. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.

“We have seen high turnout numbers during early voting, and I urge Tennesseans to take advantage of these final days of early voting,” said Secretary of State Tre Hargett.

During early voting and on Election Day, Tennesseans are encouraged to wear a face covering and maintain a six-foot distance from poll officials and other voters. Voters should expect to see signs with further safety instructions at their polling locations. All poll officials will be wearing face coverings and will be trained in social distancing measures.

In Coffee County, those wishing to vote early can do so at the Coffee County Administrative Plaza in Manchester or at the CD Stamps building in Tullahoma.

Voters can find early voting and Election Day voting locations, view and mark sample ballots and much more with the GoVoteTN app (https://t.e2ma.net/click/adimumb/yvgckg/6phf5xn) or online at GoVoteTN.com (https://t.e2ma.net/click/adimumb/yvgckg/miif5xn). Download the free GoVoteTN app in the App Store or Google Play.

Tennesseans voting early or on Election Day should remember to bring valid photo identification with them to the polls. A driver’s license or photo ID issued by the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, by Tennessee state government or by the federal government are acceptable even if they are expired. College student IDs are not acceptable. More information about what types of ID are acceptable can be found on sos.tn.gov by calling toll free 1-877-850-4959.

To view early voting turnout vote totals by county (https://t.e2ma.net/click/adimumb/yvgckg/2ajf5xn) and a comparison of how this year (https://t.e2ma.net/click/adimumb/yvgckg/i3jf5xn), visit GoVoteTN.com.

For questions about early voting in Tennessee, go to GoVoteTN.com (https://t.e2ma.net/click/adimumb/yvgckg/a9mf5xn) or call the Division of Elections toll-free at 1-877-850-4959.