Josh Peterson

The Hillsboro Homecoming Association announced Wednesday that the annual Rumble on the Hill truck and tractor pull has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

But not all is lost – the association will host a free, drive-thru lunch on Saturday, Aug. 8 at the Hillsboro park. More details will follow soon on this upcoming event. 

The HHA issued a statement regarding the cancellation, it is below:

“It is with a heavy heart that we type this post. After careful consideration by our directors and our local elected officials, HHA has elected to cancel our annual tractor pull, Rumble on the Hill, for 2020. Due to the ongoing COVID 19 situation, all Directors in attendance agreed that it is in the best interest of our community and our supporters to cancel the event this year. This is the first cancellation in our long history, and this was a tough decision for us. If you are able to get out and about safely, please remember all of the wonderful sponsors that you hear at our pull. These folks never let us down and they need your support now more than ever! As a token of our appreciation to our wonderful supporters, we will be hosting a free drive thru lunch on Saturday August 8th at the park. We want to take the opportunity to give back a little to our wonderful community during these trying times! More details will follow on this page soon, but please make plans to drop by and grab lunch on us Saturday August 8th. We appreciate your understanding and hope you join us for a healthy pull in August of 2021!”

There remain 23 active cases of COVID-19 virus in Coffee County, according to the Tennessee Department of Health.
Since testing began in March, there have been 109 positive tests in Coffee County. Of these, 86 have recovered – leaving the 23 active cases.

Meanwhile, there are approximately 16,085 active cases of the virus across the entire state of Tennessee. There have been 583 confirmed deaths from the virus and 2,715 hospitalizations since mid-March.

There have been 817,522 total tests administered in Tennessee, which means about 5.5% of people testing are testing positive. Since testing began in March, there have been 44,951 positive tests confirmed in Tennessee.

We are two weeks away from the Thunder Radio political debate, which will be held Thursday, July 16 – which is one day prior to the early vote opening in Coffee County.

However, unlike past forums held by Thunder Radio, due to COVID-19 concerns and limitations for crowds, this year organizers say they have decided that it would be best to host the forum on the radio only.

Candidates for Manchester Mayor will be on the air taking questions from 6 to 635 p.m. on July 16. Meanwhile, three candidates for alderman will be on the air from 6:35 to 7:05, with the other three candidates on from 7:10 to 7:40 p.m.
The phone lines will be open for public questions the night of the event (931-728-1320). The forum can be heard live on Thunder Radio – 107.9 FM, 1320 AM and 106.7 FM and streaming on the Manchester Go app and www.thunder1320.com

Unity Medical Center continues with extensive renovations to the hospital campus at 481 Interstate Dr.

On Friday, July 3, patients, workers, vendors and visitors should be aware that the hospital plans to begin pouring new concrete outside the emergency room entrance – which will close this entrance temporarily.

Patients who need emergency treatment will need to go to the glass door in the back – signage will be posted in order to direct you in the right direction. The emergency department entrance will re-open on Saturday.

“This is just another step in ongoing renovations to improve and enhance our building at Unity Medical Center,” said Martha McCormick, CEO of UMC. “We are focused on reinvesting in patient experience, as well as enhancing the building to a point where our community can be proud of its hospital.”

In recent weeks, Unity Medical Center has added new patient beds, bedside tables, completed emergency department renovations, repainted interior rooms, painted the Helipad and completely reworked the front of the hospital with new paint and stone features. New signage for the interior and exterior of the building will also be added soon.

We are two days away from the City of Manchester’s annual Independence Day celebration. Although COVID-19 pandemic has altered this year’s celebration to look a little different with no live music or entertainment at Rotary Park, the city will still be shooting fireworks on Saturday, July 4, beginning at 9 p.m. Fireworks will be launched from the Manchester Recreation Center grounds at 557 N. Woodland St.

With other cities in the area cancelling or postponing their shows, Manchester’s show will go on and citizens and visitors from other areas are encouraged to find suitable viewing area and remain socially distanced. Wherever you choose to watch from, whether it be in the park, in your car or a random parking lot, you will be able to hear synchronized, patriotic music to the fireworks on Thunder Radio – 107.9 FM and 1320 AM (the thunder radio stream at www.thunder1320.com and the Manchester GO app has a 15-second delay. Best to listen on the actual radio for this event).  Radio programming will begin at 8:53 p.m. with the fireworks to begin at 9 p.m

There are businesses in downtown Manchester holding special events and sales Saturday afternoon, including Harvest Local Foods and Mercantile Café.

The Manchester Police Department has sworn in a pair of new officers over the past few weeks that you will see on the streets.

Sworn-in by Manchester Mayor Lonnie Norman on June 22 was officer Mark McGuinn. And more recently, sworn in to protect and serve on June 30 was officer Justin Bryan.

(Photos below. McGuinn on left, Bryan on right)

Hugh Adam Keckritz, who was wanted for his alleged involvement in a June 4 shooting at Northgate Mall in Tullahoma, has been arrested. 

Tullahoma Police Department officials announced that the US Marshals service was able to arrest Keckritz in Franklin County Tuesday, June 30. 

Keckritz has been charged with attempted criminal homicide. 

On June 4, police say Keckritz allegedly shot a 20-year old in the abdomen after the two got into a verbal altercation. An area search began after Keckritz fled the scene, but he was able to slip away until Tuesday.