Josh Peterson

Newly released data from the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development highlighted an improving economy with lower unemployment in nearly every county across the state in August.

Unemployment rates decreased in 94 of Tennessee’s 95 counties during the month. Benton was the only county with a slight increase of 0.1 of a percentage point in its month-to-month comparison.

Unemployment numbers reveal significant improvement in Coffee County. For August, the unemployment rate in Coffee County was 7.1 percent. This shows a 1.8 percent improvement from the July numbers in 2020. Due to COVID-19 pandemic, the rate of 7.1 percent is significantly higher than one year ago, when the rate was 3.4%.

Moore County had the state’s lowest unemployment rate in August. At 5.1%, unemployment in the county dropped by 1.3 percentage points when compared to the previous month’s revised rate of 6.4%.

Pickett and Williamson counties had the next lowest rates in the state. Pickett County’s rate went down 1.1 percentage points to 5.2%. Williamson County’s revised July rate of 6.5% dropped to 5.3% in August.
Shelby County experienced the state’s highest unemployment in August. The county’s new rate of 13.4% is down 1.4 percentage points from its revised July rate.

At 11.4%, Haywood County had the second-highest unemployment rate for the month. That represents a 1.6 percentage point decrease from the previous month. Davidson County recorded the third-highest unemployment rate in August. Its new rate is 10.4%, down 1.9 percentage points from the county’s July statistic.

Each of the state’s largest cities experienced lower unemployment in August. Memphis dropped 1.4 percentage points from its revised July rate of 17.4%. Nashville’s rate is now 10.4%, down 1.9 percentage points. Knoxville’s August rate of 8.1% is 1.5 percentage points lower than its July rate.

A complete analysis of Tennessee’s August 2020 county unemployment data is available here 

The statewide seasonally adjusted jobless rate in August dropped to 8.5%, down 1.2 percentage points from July’s revised rate of 9.7%.

Nationally, seasonally adjusted unemployment also decreased in August. At 8.4%, the United States unemployment rate fell 1.8 percentage points from the revised July rate of 10.2%

Customers of Tullahoma Utilities Authority have been the target of a scam.

According to TUA, information is being sent to people via a message about a postal shipment, informing the intended victim of an urgent alert about a USPS shipment and offering a clickable link.

Once that link is clicked, the intended victim is taken to a screen about Tullahoma Utility Authority giving away an iPhone 11. This is a scam and could potentially put your personal information at risk. Authorities warn to not click these links and do not provide information.

Friday is Fair Day at the Coffee County Fair. Rides are $20 hand stamp beginning at 10 a.m. and going through 5 p.m. Midway closes from 5-6 p.m. before resuming. Admission is free during the day on Friday.

Friday Night Entertainment is Rubiks Groove – the ultimate 80s and 90s tribute band in the grandstands.

On Saturday, the fair wraps up with 2 for $22 handstamps for rides. Tickets are also available. Gates open at 10 a.m. Saturday. Gate charge is $5 on Saturday until 3 p.m., when the gate charge goes up to $10 to include admission into the tractor pull. More details here.

By Susan Campbell, Thunder Radio

According to the U.S. Census, nearly 14 percent of the residents of Coffee County do not have a high school diploma. Those without a diploma are less likely to be employed, make lower taxable income, and earn an average of $8,000 per year less than graduates.

Working to change that since 1988 has been the Literacy Council, whose mission is to make basic adult education accessible to residents of Coffee County. The Literacy Council assists adults who are trying to earn their high school equivalency diploma by offering classes and by paying for the cost of taking the HiSET (High School Equivalency Test).

The Literacy Council, founded by Loretta Welsh, is now part of a 13-county region and overseen by the South Central Tennessee Workforce Alliance. Since the program was launched, over 100 inmates in the Coffee County Jail have passed the HiSET. Also, in 2019, Coffee County ranked first in number of program graduates in the 13-county region.
Much of the funding for providing the classes comes from sales from The Book Shelf, a used book store that opened in its current location in Northgate Mall six years ago.

“The Literacy Council used to do big fundraisers, and then when the 2008 recession hit we didn’t feel it was right to be asking businesses for money,” said Dot Watson, member of the Literacy Council and the force behind The Book Shelf.
“We decided that there wasn’t a better way to promote literacy than by selling books, so we started taking books to the county fair to sell,” she said. “It took us two years to convince the owners of the mall to let us move in. They now provide our space for free.”

The Book Shelf is now in its third mall location, having outgrown previous locations. While there is no exact inventory, books in The Book Shelf number in the thousands, with thousands more in storage because there is no more room.
The books are all donated by supporters, and most sell for $3 or less, with the exception of the Civil War collection and a few other collectible and First Edition books, which are specially priced.

In addition to supporting adult education, books have been donated to the Coffee County Jail. The Tennessee Valley Woodworkers designed and built book shelves and, with help from Coffee County Public Defender John Nichol, a library now has a home in the jail, totally inmate-managed.

The Book Shelf has helped the Literacy Council purchase materials, pay classroom utilities, wi-fi, teacher salaries and 12 computers for local adult education classrooms. Books and computers have been donated to the Blue Monarch, a Coffee County residential facility for women recovering from drug and alcohol addiction and their children. The Book Shelf, in collaboration with individuals and civic organizations, has donated books to the Little Free Libraries located across the county, participated in financial literacy classes for elementary-aged children, donated books for summer reading programs at both the Manchester and Lannom libraries, and donated books to senior centers and the Coffee County Imagination Library.

Staffed almost entirely by volunteers, the Book Shelf currently has limited hours due to the coronavirus, but is open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. No customers are allowed in the store, but staff and volunteers are still receiving requests by telephone, email and Facebook. A table is located at the entry to help customers who are searching for books. Donations are also being accepted.
To learn more about The Book Shelf or the Literacy Council, visit The Bookshelf, a Used Bookstore on Facebook, or www.needahighschooldiploma.com on the worldwide web. Call them at 931-273-8001 or 931-842-0373.

PICTURED BELOW:
Helping customers with customer donations and requests at The Book Shelf are, from left, Jennifer Russell, store manager Mendy Tant and store founder Dot Watson. – Photo by Susan Campbell