Josh Peterson

Manchester’s Board of Mayor and Aldermen will hold a special called work session at 9 a.m. Monday, April 27 with the following items on the agenda: at 2019-20 budget amendment, the governor’s local government support grants and the 2020-21 budget.

This meeting will be held via Zoom from the board room at Manchester City Hall.

Coffee County Middle School principal Kim Aaron has released a statement to help parents and students understand the processes for ending this school year.

According to Aaron, the school will set dates and times for students to return library books, textbooks, uniforms and other school property and to allow students to pick up personal belongings when social distancing restrictions are eased.

She added that the yearbook was completed and will be shipped on schedule. However, student pick-up of yearbooks will not happen until restrictions are lifted. She also noted that spring photos will be ready for pickup at that time. She also clarified that grades will not be given for coursework that was assigned during distance learning over the past month.

As of 2 p.m. Wednesday April 22, there have been 7,842 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Tennessee,. There are 4,012 patients classified as recovered, leaving 3,830 active cases. There have been 166 confirmed deaths and 775 hospitalizations. In total, 114,980 tests have been performed across Tennessee.

In Coffee County, there are 23 total cases as of 2 p.m. Wednesday. With 9 patients recovered, that leaves 14 active cases. There have been 726 negative tests performed in Coffee County.

According to a Wednesday report from WTVF, Tennessee officials plan to order millions of cloth masks to distribute to residents of the state.

The plan was revealed during a conference call with members of the Tennessee General assembly on Wednesday, the news report states.

Officials are said to be in the process of ordering five million cloth masks to give away to Tennesseans as stay at home restrictions are set to expire on May 1. The population of Tennessee is approximately 7 million. Stuart McWhorter, who heads up the COVID-19 Unified Command in Tennessee, said the state is working on a distribution strategy with Amazon.

 Last Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced the creation of the Stimulus Financial Accountability Group to ensure proper fiscal management of stimulus funds received by the state through the Coronavirus Relief Fund created by the CARES Act. The State of Tennessee projects a distribution of approximately $2.3 billion from the Fund. The group held its first meeting Wednesday.

“The CARES Act has given our state critical relief to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and begin to reopen Tennessee’s economy,” said Gov. Lee. “We must ensure that these funds are spent wisely and effectively, and I’m grateful to the members of this group for their valuable input as we steward these resources and serve Tennesseans.”

The first meeting of the Stimulus Financial Accountability Group was held remotely on April 22nd.

On March 27, President Trump signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The largest relief package ever passed by the United State Congress, the CARES Act includes a broad array of provisions intended to support the nation’s healthcare system as well as provide direct relief to businesses, individuals, and state and local government.

As of 2 p.m. Tuesday, there have been 7,394 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Tennessee. If you factor in that 3,828 of those patients have recovered, that leaves approximately 3,566 active cases across the entire state of Tennessee (down from 3,663 the prior day). There have been 157 deaths and 760 hospitalizations. In total, 108,182 total tests have been performed.

In Coffee County, there have now been 21 confirmed cases of the virus with eight people classified as recovered, which leaves 13 active cases. This is the same number of active cases as the prior day. In Coffee County there have been 522 negative tests performed.

If you have an eighth-grade student preparing to enter the Raider Academy next fall, this story is of particular interest to you.

An email was sent out to 8th graders this week with the following information about 9th grade registration:

If a student turned in their registration form before the closure, it will be turned into Raider Academy this week.
There will be 3 ways that students can turn in Registration forms if they did not turn them into the school prior to closure.

1. Students can mail registration forms to CCRA, Attn: Terri Murr, 865 McMinnville Hwy, Manchester, TN 37355. Deadline is Wednesday, May 13.

2. Students can take a photo of the registration form or scan it and email it to: murrt@k12coffee.net. Deadline is Wednesday, May 13.

3. There will be a drop box available beginning Monday, April 27 through Wednesday, May 13 at CCRA’s main entrance where students can drop off a completed Registration form.

Any registration questions should be emailed to either the assistant principal, Terri Murr, at murrt@k12coffee.net or the School Counselor, Susan Ferrell, at ferrells@k12coffee.net.

Digital copies of the form, course descriptions, and Mrs. Ferrell’s presentation were included in the email and can also be seen by clicking here. 

The Tullahoma Police Department is asking for the public’s help in getting information about two burglaries that occurred in the early morning hours of Sunday, April 19.

The burglaries were to Krystal restaurant and Jackson Street Market on North Jackson Street. The subjects gained entry into each of the businesses by breaking the glass doors. Three subjects were seen entering each business. The suspects were observed taking a small amount of cash in the Krystal Restaurant burglary. In the Jackson Street Market burglary a small amount of cash, cigarettes, and electronic cigarettes were taken. The suspects may attempt to sell some of these items. If anyone has any information regarding these burglaries, they are encouraged to contact Tullahoma Police Department detective Johnny Gore at 931-455-0530 ext.131 or email jgore@tullahomatn.gov

**Most Tennessee State Parks will open for day-use visitation between 7am and sunset starting April 24, 2020. The public will have access to most trails, boat ramps, marinas, golf courses and other outdoor recreation opportunities. Park facilities and overnight accommodations will remain closed, as will playgrounds and other social gathering places.

The following parks will remain temporarily closed after April 24, 2020:

Burgess Falls State Park
Cummins Falls State Park
Seven Islands State Birding Park
Lamar Alexander Rocky Fork State Park
Additional parks or areas of parks could be closed when the capacity is reached.

TIPS FOR DAY-USE VISITORS
This day-use opening will allow local visitors the chance to enjoy hiking, cycling and other outdoor recreation. We have implemented policies designed to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and we will monitor all aspects of the issue to ensure continued safety. We urge the public to help us keep our state parks open by doing their part to stay apart, by maintaining proper social distancing and personal hygiene. Here are a few tips and instructions for day-use visitors:

*Don’t visit if you’re sick or were recently exposed to someone with COVID-19.
*Practice social distancing.
*Maintain at least six feet of separation between you and other visitors.

*Don’t travel long distances to visit state parks.
*Look for parks that are a short drive from your house.

Don’t visit crowded areas.
If parks are full, consider coming back at a different time. Consider coming earlier in the day to allow for plenty of time if an area is full and you need to adjust your plans. Tennessee State Parks may limit access to certain parks or areas if capacity is reached.

Only park in designated areas.
Please do not park along the shoulders of roads. If a parking area is full, please adjust your plans and find another area to visit.

Follow all park rules and regulations.
You can find our rules and regulations here.

We especially ask that you stay on trail and not enter areas that are closed or restricted.

Plan ahead.
Understand if a park or area of the park you plan to visit is open or closed. Specific details on which parks will reopen will be available on the COVID-19 Closures page later this week.

Bring everything you will need to have a safe and enjoyable day in the park. Here are a few specific points for planning:

Closed buildings. Remember that many buildings will still be closed during your visit. It’s important to bring your own snacks, water and hand sanitizer.

Restrooms. Some restrooms may be open, but many will remain closed. Even if restrooms are open, we ask that you help us keep them clean and practice appropriate personal hygiene in accordance with the CDC’s recommendations.

Masks. We recommend that you bring a mask and wear it when around other people.

Pack out your trash.
When it’s time to leave, please clean up after yourselves. Carry out any trash or dispose of it in the appropriate containers.

Contact Information.
If you need to reach our staff, or need assistance from our rangers, you will find signage posted on Visitor Center doors. In the event of a life-threatening emergency, please call 911.

OVERNIGHT ACCOMMODATIONS TEMPORARILY CLOSED
All park cabins, lodges, group overnight facilities, and campgrounds are closed through April 30. At this time, upcoming reservations will be honored for arrivals beginning on May 1. Online reservations will remain available for trips with arrival dates after May 15th.