Josh Peterson

Last week, Gov. Bill Lee issued the first steps from the “Tennessee Pledge,” the state’s rollout of guidance and best practices for Tennessee businesses in 89 of the state’s 95 counties to keep employees and customers safe during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The first industries to receive guidance through the plan include the restaurant and retail industries.

“Tennesseans pulled together to flatten the curve, and it is time for people to begin to get back to work and back to their businesses,” Lee said. “We are pursuing a careful, measured approach to reopening our economy that does not depend on heavy-handed mandates but instead provides practical tools for businesses of all sizes.”

Lee underscored the Tennessee Pledge plan for safe economic recovery is supported by data showing Tennessee’s curve of novel coronavirus infections hitting a plateau.

Lee also pointed to the unsettling economic reality COVID-19 has created in our state.
Tennessee has seen the average daily growth rate remain stable for 14 days, in addition to a steady downward trajectory in positive tests as a percentage of total tests since April 1. The state has also had a massive ramp up in testing, including open testing available to all Tennesseans across 33 sites over last weekend, 18 this weekend, and more the next.

On the economic front, 15 percent of Tennessee’s workforce filed unemployment claims as of this week – more than 400,000 people. State officials predict a $5 billion loss in the state’s gross domestic product during 2020.

Lee said last week’s announcement is the first step in a phased reopening of the state’s economy, which entails rebooting industries as they are safe to pursue in 89 of the state’s 95 counties. The state is working with Shelby, Madison, Davidson, Hamilton, Knox, and Sullivan on plans to reopen businesses in those counties. Lee added that many Tennesseans are facing not just potential sickness but crippling financial hardship, particularly in the service industries.

Lee announced Tennessee restaurants are able to reopen Monday at 50 percent occupancy. Additionally, Tennessee retailers are able to reopen on Wednesday at 50 percent occupancy. The state recommends that employees in both industries wear cloth face coverings and that business owners follow federal guidelines for hygiene and workplace sanitation standards related to the pandemic.

“Like the rest of the country, Tennessee has taken an unprecedented economic hit with families and small businesses feeling the most pain,” Lee said. “We must stay vigilant as a state, continue to practice social distancing, and engage in best practices at our businesses so that we can stay open.”

Lee’s administration assembled the Tennessee Economic Recovery Group, pulling together the state’s departments of tourism, economic development, and revenue, members of the Tennessee General Assembly, and business leaders to safely reboot Tennessee’s economy. The group is chaired by Tennessee Department of Tourist Development Commissioner Mark Ezell

Ezell said the state’s guidelines for restaurants and retail stores were developed in cooperation with business leaders in both sectors, mayors from across the state, and members of the legislature and health experts, as well as Unified Command which includes the Tennessee Department of Health. He added the reopening of future sectors would be accomplished with similar input from industry leaders and elected officials.

“We need Tennessee businesses, workers, and consumers to step up and pledge to follow these guidelines,” Ezell said. “It is critically important that we maintain our commitment to social distancing and adhere to these new guidelines so that we can continue to reopen our economy.”

Here are a few of the guidelines in place for restaurants to reopen:
*employees wearing face coverings and gloves
*follow daily sanitation protocols
*occupancy to be limited to 50%
*tables to be spaced 6 feet apart
*limit seating to six per table
*bar areas closed
*no live music
*screen customers with basic questions about COVID-19 symptoms.

Guidelines for retail locations include the following:
*limit customer occupancy to 50%
*customers should wear face coverings inside stores
*consider shopping hours for the elderly and medically vulnerable
*establish one-way aisles and traffic patterns
*increase curbside, pickup and delivery service options

A 42-year old Murfreesboro woman was shot at 11:15 a.m. Thursday, April 23, while driving her Tesla car on Veterans Parkway in Murfreesboro.

The victim was flown to Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Murfreesboro police are searching for more information about this incident. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact CrimeStoppers at 615-893-STOP. There is a cash reward of up to $1,000 in this case.

Murfreesboro police believe the woman was shot by a suspect in another vehicle. (WGNS radio provided this news story)

Beginning Monday April 27, there is a drop box available at Coffee County Raider Academy for incoming freshmen to drop off their completed registration forms for the 2020-2021 school year. The deadline to drop off forms is May 13. The address is 865 McMinnville Highway, Manchester, TN.

If students and parents prefer, the registration can be mailed to that address or students can take a photo of the registration form and send it to murrt@k12coffee.net.

For students up to age 18 in the Coffee County School System, weekly meals will once again be served from 9:30-11:30 a.m. Monday (April 27) at the Coffee County Raider Academy – 865 McMinnville Highway. This will be the only day of the week meals will be served. Organizers will serve meals for the entire week on this one day. Meals are free. 

At the request of 14th District Attorney General Craig Northcott, TBI Special Agents continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding an officer-involved shooting on Saturday night in Tullahoma.

Preliminary information indicates the incident began at approximately 7:30 PM, when officers from the Tullahoma Police Department responded to a domestic disturbance call in a vehicle, involving a man and his girlfriend. When officers arrived, they attempted to pull over the vehicle, but it fled, and the officers terminated their pursuit. A short time later, officers spotted the vehicle and, again, attempted to pull it over in the area of West Waggoner Street and South Jackson Street. For reasons still under investigation, however, the situation escalated and resulted in at least one Tullahoma officer firing his service weapon at the vehicle, striking the man inside, who continued to drive into neighboring Franklin County. Once he stopped, medics transported him to a nearby hospital where he was listed in stable condition. No law enforcement officers were hurt in the incident.

TBI Special Agents continue to work to gather any and all relevant interviews and evidence. As in any case, TBI’s investigative findings will be shared with the District Attorney General throughout the process for his consideration.

Today, Gov. Bill Lee issued the first steps from the “Tennessee Pledge,” the state’s rollout of guidance and best practices for Tennessee businesses in 89 of the state’s 95 counties to keep employees and customers safe during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The first industries to receive guidance through the plan include the restaurant and retail industries.

“Tennesseans pulled together to flatten the curve, and it is time for people to begin to get back to work and back to their businesses,” Lee said. “We are pursuing a careful, measured approach to reopening our economy that does not depend on heavy-handed mandates but instead provides practical tools for businesses of all sizes.”

Lee underscored the Tennessee Pledge plan for safe economic recovery is supported by data showing Tennessee’s curve of novel coronavirus infections hitting a plateau. Lee also pointed to the unsettling economic reality COVID-19 has created in our state.

Tennessee has seen the average daily growth rate remain stable for 14 days, in addition to a steady downward trajectory in positive tests as a percentage of total tests since April 1. The state has also had a massive ramp up in testing, including open testing available to all Tennesseans across 33 sites over last weekend, 18 this weekend, and more the next.

On the economic front, 15 percent of Tennessee’s workforce filed unemployment claims as of this week – more than 400,000 people. State officials predict a $5 billion loss in the state’s gross domestic product during 2020.

Lee said today’s announcement is the first step in a phased reopening of the state’s economy, which entails rebooting industries as they are safe to pursue in 89 of the state’s 95 counties. The state is working with Shelby, Madison, Davidson, Hamilton, Knox, and Sullivan on plans to reopen businesses in those counties. Lee added that many Tennesseans are facing not just potential sickness but crippling financial hardship, particularly in the service industries.

Lee announced Tennessee restaurants are able to reopen Monday at 50 percent occupancy. Additionally, Tennessee retailers are able to reopen on Wednesday at 50 percent occupancy. The state recommends that employees in both industries wear cloth face coverings and that business owners follow federal guidelines for hygiene and workplace sanitation standards related to the pandemic. 

“Like the rest of the country, Tennessee has taken an unprecedented economic hit with families and small businesses feeling the most pain,” Lee said. “We must stay vigilant as a state, continue to practice social distancing, and engage in best practices at our businesses so that we can stay open.”

Lee’s administration assembled the Tennessee Economic Recovery Group, pulling together the state’s departments of tourism, economic development, and revenue, members of the Tennessee General Assembly, and business leaders to safely reboot Tennessee’s economy. The group is chaired by Tennessee Department of Tourist Development Commissioner Mark Ezell

Ezell said the state’s guidelines for restaurants and retail stores were developed in cooperation with business leaders in both sectors, mayors from across the state, and members of the legislature and health experts, as well as Unified Command which includes the Tennessee Department of Health. He added the reopening of future sectors would be accomplished with similar input from industry leaders and elected officials.

“We need Tennessee businesses, workers, and consumers to step up and pledge to follow these guidelines,” Ezell said. “It is critically important that we maintain our commitment to social distancing and adhere to these new guidelines so that we can continue to reopen our economy.”

As of 2 p.m. Thursday, there are now 8,266 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Tennessee, and 4,193 people classified as recovered – meaning there are approximately 4,073 active cases in the entire state. There have been 170 deaths and 793 hospitalizations. In total, 123,100 tests have been administered.

In Coffee County, there are now 25 confirmed cases of the virus and nine people recovered – leaving about 16 active cases. There have been 685 tests that were negative in Coffee County.

Unemployment claims continue to soar in Tennessee and across the nation. According to the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, 68,968 new unemployment claims were filed in Tennessee for the week ending April 18.

Combined with the four prior weeks, that makes 393,469 unemployment claims in the state since the week ending March 21.

Across the nation, 4.4 million Americans filed for unemployment benefits last week. This makes approximately 26.5 million initial unemployment claims since March 14.

It’s not too late to self-respond to the 2020 Census.

In fact, with door-to-door enumerators delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this gives you more time to self respond to the 2020 Census. If you self-respond, you will not be visited by Census workers later in the summer attempting to gather information.

You can self respond to the Census by calling 1-800-354-7271. You can also respond online by clicking here or by filling out the questionnaire you should have received in the mail. You do not need to complete all three methods – simply choose one to complete your Census and be counted.

“We need all of our citizens to take time and fill in their Census – whether they do that online, over the phone or through the mail,” explained Manchester Mayor Lonnie Norman. “We want to have the best self-response rate in the State, that should be our goal here. There are a lot of federal dollars attached to Census data. I’m glad to see our citizens our off to a very good start.”

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, about $675 billion in federal money will be distributed based on the census data compiled, meaning ensuring a complete count in Coffee County is a top priority for local officials. One separate study shows that for every person that goes uncounted in the Census, Coffee County will miss out on about $11,000 in federal money allocation over the next 10 years.

Thanks to a strong online response, Coffee County is fourth in the entire state of Tennessee when it comes to self-response rate. As of Thursday, Coffee County’s self response rate is estimated at 58.3 percent. Williamson County leads the state with a 62.5 percent self response rate, Loudon County is second at 59.1 percent and Moore County third at 59 percent.

As of Thursday, all Census tracts in Coffee County have at least a 51% response rate, with one area as high as 69 percent.