Josh Peterson

With the August 6 State Primary, Manchester Municipal and Tullahoma Municipal elections fast approaching, reminder that Tuesday, July 7 is the deadline to register to vote in the upcoming August election.

You may register at the Coffee County Election Commission office between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. The office is located at 1329 McArthur St. Suite 6 in Manchester.

The following races will be on the ballot for the Aug. 6 election:
US House of Representatives sixth district
United States Senate
Tennessee State Senate
Tennessee House of Representatives 47th District
Judges retention questions
Coffee County School Board Seat 1, Seat 5 and Seat 7
Manchester Mayor
Manchester Aldermen (3 seats)
Manchester School Board (2 seats)
Tullahoma Mayor
Tullahoma Aldermen
Tullahoma School Board (3 seats)

Early voting dates are July 17 through Aug. 1, with election day on Aug. 6.

Reminder – Thunder Radio will host a political debate on Thursday, July 16, with a focus on Manchester Mayor and Aldermen candidates. That debate starts at 6 p.m. and can be heard on Thunder Radio and watched on Facebook live.

The City of Manchester annual Independence Day celebration will include fireworks on Saturday, July 4.

Although COVID-19 pandemic has altered this year’s celebration to look a little different with no live music or entertainment at Rotary Park this year, the city will light fireworks at 9 p.m. Saturday. These fireworks will be launched from the Manchester Recreation Center grounds at 557 N. Woodland St.

There will be synchronized music to the fireworks on Thunder Radio – 107.9 FM and 1320 AM. beginning at 8:53 p.m. Saturday. 

Those wanting to view the fireworks show are encouraged to find a suitable viewing area and remain socially distanced. Wherever you choose to watch from, whether it is Fred Deadman or Dave King Park, downtown Manchester or a random parking lot, you can hear synchronized music with 107.9 FM.

Local police are searching for a Moore County man after he allegedly shot someone in Tullahoma on Thursday.
Tullahoma Police say Benny Reese, age 51, allegedly shot a male victim at approximately 1:30 a.m. Thursday. The victim was flown by helicopter to an area hospital.

Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact Tullahoma Police Department Johnny Gore at 931-455-0530 or by email at jgore@tullahomatn.gov.

Good news and bad news when it comes to Tennessee unemployment claims for last week.

According to the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce, new claims for statewide unemployment continued an upward trend for the second straight week, with 22,256 new claims for the week ending June 27. That makes 666,055 new claims filed since COVID-19 pandemic began affecting unemployment in mid-march.

However, continued claims went down for the seventh consecutive week and is now at 262,224 – which is still abnormally high. In Coffee County, there were 2,227 continued claims. Nationally, unemployment fell to 11.1 percent in June as the economy actually added 4.8 million jobs. This is better than the 13.3 percent rate in May.

Tennessee’s rural county health departments continue providing traditional services and are taking every precaution to keep patients, clients and staff members safe from COVID-19. In addition to routine services, TDH county health departments offer COVID-19 testing at no charge for anyone who wishes to be tested.

“We’re ready and eager to provide crucial services such as immunizations, WIC, family planning and sexually transmitted infection testing and treatment, and to remind everyone of the importance of maintaining routine health care,” said Assistant Commissioner for Community Health Services Karen Hyman, MHA. “We will work with you to provide the care you need in the safest manner possible. We don’t want anyone putting off needed health care for fear of COVID-19, so call your local clinic to ask about available services.”

Tennessee’s local health departments are diligent in infection control efforts and provide a safe environment in which to receive health care and other services. Our rural health departments now offer some services by telephone and will soon have services available via telemedicine. Many health department clinics offer curbside immunizations and prescription pick-up. Clinics are managing appointment times and patient flow to provide for social distancing. TDH county health department clinics offer face masks to patients and clients who do not bring their own to wear, and all staff members wear masks and follow strict Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for health care facilities and providers.

Services available to everyone at Tennessee county health departments include:
• Immunizations
• Women, Infants and Children Supplemental Nutrition Program
• Family Planning
• STI Screening and Management
• Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening
• TB and HIV Testing and Treatment
• Baby & Me Tobacco Free™ Smoking cessation program for pregnant women and their partners
• Primary Care (select locations)

TDH operates local health department clinics in 89 of Tennessee’s 95 counties. Find location and contact information for your local county health department at www.tn.gov/health/health-program-areas/localdepartments.html. Local health department clinics will be closed Friday, July 3 in observance of Independence Day.

TDH health department clinics offer COVID-19 testing Monday-Friday. Some clinics require an appointment for testing. Find information on clinic testing hours online at www.tn.gov/content/tn/health/cedep/ncov/remote-assessment-sites.html.

Area high school rising juniors, a fantastic opportunity is knocking at your door. Motlow State is offering free dual enrollment courses to high school juniors interested in pursuing a degree in Mechatronics. The Motlow Middle College program will pay for all books, tuition, and even travel for juniors willing to pursue a dual enrollment mechatronics degree.

“High school juniors are now able to earn an associate degree, at no extra cost to them or their families, while they earn their high school diploma,” said Sally Pack, Motlow administrator of high school initiatives. “The high demand for qualified employees in mechatronics, along with this free opportunity, is a win-win for families, area industries, our students, and the College.”

Partnerships with secondary schools are at the forefront of Motlow’s mission to serve the community, and as a result, Motlow leads the state in dual enrollment headcount. Dual enrollment partnerships allow high school students to take college courses in their junior and senior year to get a jumpstart on their college education.

In May 2020, 11 high school seniors became the first graduates from the Middle College Mechatronics program, funded by a grant awarded to Motlow in 2018. Michael Walton of Murfreesboro earned his associate degree in Mechatronics from Motlow and his high school diploma from Oakland in the spring of 2020.

“Earning my Associate Degree in Mechatronics through the Dual Enrollment program at Motlow, with no debt, and graduating from Oakland at the same time gives me a head start on my career,” said Walton. “The program is challenging, the last three months even more so, but I completed it. I’m starting MTSU this fall to earn my bachelor’s degree in Mechatronics.”

Motlow’s Mechatronics career program provides the academic knowledge and practical experience necessary to prepare students for high-wage employment as highly skilled technicians. Many Motlow graduates have gone on to successful careers at Nissan, Bridgestone, and many others.

“We are very proud of our dual enrollment program in mechatronics,” said Fred Rascoe, Motlow dean of career and technical programs. “High school students are taking advantage of this offering and obtaining their certificate or AAS degree in mechatronics. They are well on their way toward a gratifying career.”

Motlow Mechatronics is nationally recognized and certified by the Association for Technology Management and Applied Engineering (ATMAE) as a premier educational program with a high job placement rate of graduates. Motlow Mechatronics instructors have been awarded two National Science Foundation grants totaling more than $1 million in the last three years.

Additional to partnerships with high schools, Motlow engages in 2 + 2 partnerships with universities and colleges. An example is the Mechatronics 2 + 2 partnership with Tennessee State University, allowing Motlow graduates to pursue their bachelor’s degree in mechatronics and remain on a Motlow campus.

Mechatronics is a synergy of mechanical, electrical, and computerized technologies that together form a complex system used in product engineering, manufacturing, and packaging operations. Opportunities for employment with a mechatronics degree are wide-ranging across the business landscape.