Josh Peterson

Tennessee State Parks, in an effort to flatten the curve of COVID-19 while continuing to serve Tennesseans, is joining the CDC and the Tennessee Department of Health by encouraging residents not to travel, but to visit only their nearby parks. The park system is also announcing a series of operational changes effective March 26.

“Our state parks are part of the fabric of Tennessee communities and have been an important place of renewal during this crisis,” Jim Bryson, deputy commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, said. “The measures announced today will continue to provide healthy outdoor spaces for Tennesseans while providing more protection for our neighbors and our staff. We can do our part to flatten the curve of COVID-19 while continuing to provide open spaces when our neighbors need it most.”

Tennessee State Parks will transition to day-use schedules for all 56 state parks, opening daily from 7 a.m. – 6 p.m. The new schedule goes into effect on March 26 and will be in place until at least April 10.

During this period, all public gathering spaces such as visitor centers, shelters and playgrounds at state parks will be closed. Additionally, parks cabins, lodges and campgrounds close. Future reservations with arrival dates between now and April 9 will be canceled. The parks will waive cancellation fees during this time.

Camps catering to large groups will be closed during the same period. Golf courses and clubhouses in the parks will also be closed. Parks events of greater than 10 people will be canceled or postponed, in accordance with Gov. Bill Lee’s Executive Order 17. All park-hosted events have been canceled through April 15. Restaurants, cafes and bars will remain closed until at least April 10.

Along with the new schedules and closures, Tennessee State Parks strongly encourage guests to practice social distancing and follow guidelines for hygiene while visiting the parks. Limited restrooms and bath houses remain open that will be cleaned based on established cleaning protocols in the parks.

Tennessee State Parks will continue to assess the implications of COVID-19 and will alert the public when dates are determined for the reopening of public facilities and overnight accommodations. For up to date information about Tennessee State Parks or your local park, Tennesseans are encouraged to visit the Tennessee State Parks website by clicking here. 

Join us at Thunder Radio and Rosalyn Partin of the Manchester H&R Block and congratulate our student of the week – Kailee Rossman.

Kailee is an eighth grade student at Westwood Middle School. Her homeroom teacher is Julie Horton. Kailee is the daughter of Matt and Rebecca Rossman. In her spare time she enjoys running, playing basketball and calligraphy. When she grows up she plans to go to college and become an occupational therapist.

Rosalyn Partin, owner of the Manchester H&R Block, has been inspired to recognize great kids in our community all through hockey season. What does hockey have to do with our local students? Well, HR Block gives each Student of the Week a set of Nashville Predators hockey tickets, a commemorative plaque, as well as a special letter of recognition. Job well done, Kailee.

(Pictured above, from left, Rosalyn Partin, Kailee Rossman, WMS principal Julie Miller.) 

With schools closed for COVID-19 pandemic, Manchester City Schools have worked hard to offer online resources for parents and children at home to continue learning.

Dr. Joey Vaughn, director of Manchester City Schools, joined the Thunder Radio Morning Show on Wednesday, March 25, and explained that it is important that, if possible, children continue learning at home during this downtime. He did say that the coursework and exercises offered online is not mandatory, but is important for future development.

“We always want to keep their brain moving forward,” Vaughn said.

Vaughn also explained that the state 180-day education requirement has been waived by the state. This means that the days missed for COVID-19 closures will not have to be made up with extended school hours or a shortened summer. He added that school year will end at the end of may, as scheduled.

For parents who want to access the online learning tools from Manchester City Schools, they can click here.
Vaughn also encouraged parents to reach out to their schools or their teachers for more information and learning tools.

As of March 25, there are now 784 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Tennessee, including three deaths and 53 hospitalizations.

There are currently no confirmed cases in Coffee County.

Meanwhile, there are 19 confirmed cases in Rutherford County, one in Franklin County, and one in Grundy County. These numbers reported directly from the Tennessee Department of Health.

The Manchester Area Chamber of Commerce and director Katy Riddle have announced a 14-day challenge to continue to support local business during this unprecedented time.

Day 1 of the challenge calls for residents of Manchester to continue shopping local, but shop online, through pick-up service or through social media. For instance, many stores are offering deals through their websites or Facebook pages to shop remotely, or are offering private showings or curbside services, such as The Cracked Pot, High Cotton, The Wandering Apple, Merle Norman, Reese’s Genes Boutique, Owen’s Provisions & Apparel, Harvest Local Foods, Sprout Children’s Shop and many more.

Day 2 of the challenge asks local residents to remember to continue patronizing local restaurants through curbside services or delivery. Most all locally owned Manchester restaurants are offering full meals for carryout or normal lunch and dinner options to be picked up curbside. Remember, don’t forget about Manchester’s local businesses during this time. Continue looking for more challenges from the chamber of commerce as Thunder Radio will share them to our Facebook page, which you can like by clicking here.