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Gov. Bill Lee extends Tennessee State of Emergency through Sept. 30
On Friday (8/28/2020) Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed Executive Order No. 59 to extend certain, targeted provisions of Executive Order Nos. 36, 38, 49, 50, 54, and 55 through September 30, 2020 to facilitate the continued treatment and containment of COVID-19 through regulatory flexibility, promoting social distancing and wearing face coverings in public places, and protecting vulnerable populations.
Gov. Lee also signed Executive Order Nos. 60 and 61, which extend through September 30 provisions that allow for electronic government meetings subject to transparency safeguards and remote notarization and witnessing of documents, allowing for implementation of best practices developed during COVID-19 for providing live broadcasts of electronic meetings and safely conducting in-person transactions, respectively, beginning October 1.
• Executive Order No. Urge persons to wear a cloth face covering in places where in close proximity to others, while facilitating local decision-making concerning face covering requirements;
• Urge social distancing and limit social and recreational gatherings of 50 or more persons, unless adequate social distancing can be maintained;
• Limit nursing home and long-term-care facility visitation, while providing a framework for safe, limited visitation, and continue the closure of senior centers;
• Provide that employers and businesses are expected to comply with the Governor’s Economic Recovery Group Guidelines (e.g., Tennessee Pledge) for operating safely (the 6 counties with locally run county health departments have authority to issue different directives on businesses/venues);
• Provide that bars may only serve customers seated at appropriately spaced tables and must follow the Economic Recovery Group Guidelines (e.g., Tennessee Pledge) for restaurants (the 6 counties with locally run county health departments have authority to issue different directives on businesses/venues);
• Continue access take-out alcohol sales to encourage carryout and delivery orders;
• Allow broad access to telehealth services;
• Increase opportunities for people to easily join the healthcare workforce;
• Facilitate increased testing and health care capacity;
• Extend deadlines and suspend certain in-person continuing education, gathering, or inspection requirements to avoid unnecessary person-to-person contact; and
• Increase opportunities to work remotely where appropriate.
Executive Order No. 60, as previously extended by Executive Order No. 51, is extended through September 30 and allows governing bodies to meet electronically regarding essential business as long as they provide electronic access to the public and meet the safeguards established in that order to ensure openness and transparency. The order ensures that governmental entities are able to carry out essential business in a safe, transparent way without creating large gatherings in a confined space and endangering persons, particularly those at increased risk of suffering severe illness from COVID-19, while requiring that governing bodies transition toward adopting best practices developed during the pandemic, like providing real-time, live public access to electronic meetings, beginning October 1.
Executive Order No. 61, as previously extended by Executive Order No. 52, is extended through September 30, and allows for remote notarization and remote witnessing of documents, subject to compliance with certain procedures. The order ensures that persons, and particularly populations especially vulnerable to COVID-19, including older adults and persons with compromised immune systems or serious chronic medical conditions, can continue to engage in commerce and execute legal documents without requiring in-person contact while also making preparations to implement best practices for a safe return to in-person transactions beginning October 1.
NWS confirms tornado touch down near Viola on Friday
Severe storms rolled through middle Tennessee Friday as remnants of Hurricane Laura sped through the area.
National Weather Service confirmed Saturday that two EF-0 tornadoes touched down Friday, including one in Warren County that was west of Viola, and another in Putnam County.
This was the first ever tornado recorded in Warren County for the month of August.
Damage appeared to be minimal. NWS did post a photo of crop damage caused by the twister.
(Photo below: Damage of crops caused by Friday Twister. Photo posted by NWS).
Coffee Co. Schools to be in classroom four days a week after Labor Day
Coffee County Schools have announced a return to a more traditional learning setting beginning the day after Labor Day (Sept. 8)
According to director of schools Dr. Charles Lawson, the current plan is to maintain the A/B hybrid schedule through Friday, Sept. 4. After Labor Day, all students except those on parent-choice virtual or students who are quarantined and isolated should be able to return to their schools four days each week: Monday through Thursday.
Friday will remain a distance learning day for all students through fall break.
“Our community is not close to being finished with this pandemic and there remains a risk that groups of students will need to be placed on distance learning,” Lawson said. “These Fridays will ensure that teachers and students are prepared for distance-learning possibilities. There are not any current plans to return to the A/B Hybrid schedule.”
Lawson went on to say: “we are now able to monitor cases and quarantines in our schools in real time. For this reason, Coffee County Schools will no longer be using active case rate for the county as a number to make decisions about the district schedule. We will now be using district level information related to COVID-19 to make decisions at the district, school, grade or potentially classroom level.”
Manchester City Schools to return to traditional learning
Manchester City Schools have announced that they will return to traditional school schedule on Tuesday, Sept. 8.
“On Tuesday, September 8, Manchester City Schools will return to a traditional school schedule. We began the year with our Pathway to Re-entry 2020-2021 and it helped our district open the school year effectively. As we have moved into the first semester of school and developed procedures to address COVID-19, we believe it is in the best interest of our students to return to in person instruction,” the system announced on Friday. “While we will continue to monitor active COVID-19 cases in our community, we will also take into consideration the impact the pandemic is having in our district as well as individual schools and classrooms. As a reminder, from August 31 – September 4, we will continue with the current hybrid plan.“
Procedures will remain in place at each school to help ensure the health and safety of our school family.
*Masks are recommended for all. Wear them correctly (covering nose and mouth).
* Daily temperature checks
* Frequent handwashing and hand sanitizing
*Social distancing practices when feasible
*Strategic movement of students
*Cleaning and disinfecting commonly touched surfaces and objects throughout the day
“We will continue to partner with the Tennessee Department of Health for guidance related to mitigation strategies as well as steps to follow when a positive case is identified,” the school system stated.
Friday, Aug. 28 COVID-19 update for Coffee County
There are 280 active cases of COVID-19 in Coffee County as of Friday according to data provided by Tennessee Department of Health. This is one less case than the previous day.
There have been six reported deaths that are COVID-19 related in Coffee County.
Across the state active cases fell by 289 Friday, continuing a downward trend for the past two weeks.
Schools announce each district to go away from ‘pathway to re-entry’ plan, make decisions based on local data
All three area school districts – Coffee County Schools, Manchester City Schools and Tullahoma City Schools – released a statement Friday announcing that each system will be going away from the “Pathway to Re-Entry” that they were following to begin the school year, allowing for each district make decisions regarding school based on localized information. The statement is as follows:
“In preparation for the beginning of the school year, the three school districts in Coffee County collaborated to create the Pathway to Re-Entry 2020-2021. Data utilized to determine whether districts were in minimal, moderate or significant spread was the active case count percentage within Coffee County. Now that the school year has started each district has its own localized information. As a result, each district will be moving away from the Pathway and making decisions based upon local school district needs. While the three districts will continue to collaborate, the details of how each selects to proceed will have unique characteristics. Further information will be forthcoming from each district. “
Raiders lose momentum in second half, 95th Coffee Pot goes to Tullahoma
Coffee County looked to have all the momentum it needed going into halftime Thursday night at Wilkins Stadium in Tullahoma.
Then Jakobe Thomas got his hands on the football.
With the scored tied at 7-7 with 50 seconds left in the first half, Thomas got his hands on a Red Raider kickoff and sprinted 70 yards for a touchdown. The momentum swing proved insurmountable for the CHS Red Raiders as they went on to fall 42-13 in the 95th meeting between the two schools.
Thomas’ kickoff return came just seconds after Red Raider quarterback Connor Shemwell connected down the sideline with senior wide receiver Kelvin Verge for a 27-yard score to tie the game at 7. The score looked to tie the game heading into the locker room with the Raiders set to receive the second half kickoff.
But Thomas scored and the Wildcats went on to roll in the second half.
CHS fell behind 28-7 and cut the score to 28-13 on another connection from Shemwell to Verge, this time from 30-yards out. But the Raider defense finally wore down and Tullahoma pulled away.
Shemwell finished 12-of-23 through the air with two scoring passes to Verge, who finished with 63 receiving yards on three catches. Verge also had an interception of Tullahoma quarterback Ryan Scott near the end zone in the first quarter to thwart a Wildcat scoring opportunity. Verge was named the Mid Tenn Turf Player of the Game for Thunder Radio.
In addition to his kickoff return, Thomas finished with 113 yards on 10 totes for the Wildcats. He also two passes for 13 yards and a score.
The Raiders (1-1) will open region play next week when they travel to Blackman High School. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. and the game will be broadcast live on Thunder Radio. Pregame begins at 6 p.m. with the Friday Night Thunder pregame show.
CHS volleyball stays perfect, sweeps Lincoln County
Coffee County Central High School volleyball remained perfect on the season, picking up a 3-0 sweep over visiting Lincoln County Thursday afternoon.
The win keeps CHS perfect with a 4-0 record. And, so far, the Lady Raiders haven’t even lost a single set. They have dropped everyone by clean sweeps.
CHS beat Lincoln County 25-21, 25-21 and 25-23.
Lauren Brandt finished with an impressive 20 assists on the afternoon. Brandt also served up an ace and had five kills. Brandt’s fancy sets allowed Lexi Bryan to finish with 9 kills, Keri Munn to add 8 and Kiya Ferrell 7.
The Lady Raiders will return to action Wednesday, Sept. 2, when they travel to Tullahoma for a 6 p.m. first serve.
Upcoming prep schedule
Remnants of Hurricane Laura expected to be in the area Friday have forced the cancellation of the Westwood Middle School Lady Rocket soccer game against Coffee Middle.
Westwood volleyball will be in action Friday as the Rockets travel to Cascade.
The Rocket football team has a makeup game Monday, hosting Community at 6:30 p.m. Also Monday night, the CHS freshman team will host Tullahoma at 6:30 p.m.
COVID-19 number update Thursday, Aug. 27
Active cases of COVID-19 virus remain 0.5 percent of the Coffee County population on Thursday, according to data provided by Tennessee Department of Health.
As of Thursday, there are 281 active cases in the county. There have been six reported COVID-19 related deaths in Coffee County, according to TDH.
Across the state, active cases saw a slight uptick Thursday with 150 new active cases. However, active cases remain on a downward trajectory in Tennessee over the past two weeks.
Since March, there have been 1,627 confirmed COVID-19 related deaths in Tennessee and 6,677 hospitalizations.