Josh Peterson

 In the wake of devastating tornadoes that hit Davidson, Putnam and Wilson counties, Secretary of State Tre Hargett is urging people to use caution when trying to help those affected.

“Tennesseans are generous and support each other in times of need, and I encourage everyone to be diligent when donating money to charitable organizations,” said Secretary Hargett. ” Unfortunately, there are scam artists who prey on our generosity after a disaster. Tennesseans should give wisely so that we maximize recovery efforts.”

Secretary Hargett encourages Tennesseans to review these Wise Giving Tips from the Secretary of State’s Division of Charitable Solicitations and Gaming before donating:

• If a nonprofit asks you for a contribution, check to see if it’s registered online sos.tn.gov/charitable or by calling 615-741-2555.
• Take your time. Resist pressure to give on the spot.
• Ask Questions. If an organization has a specific mission, ask how and who will benefit from your donation.
• If you are asked for a donation via text or email, verify the request is directly from the charity or nonprofit.
• Do your own research and don’t assume a social media or blog recommendation has been approved by the nonprofit.
• If you give through an app or website, ask if it is going directly to the organization.
• Avoid giving cash. Always ask for a receipt and if your contribution is tax deductible.
• Pay close attention to the name of the nonprofit organization, as there are many with similar names.
• Don’t forget there are many ways to give, such as volunteering your time.
• If a paid fundraiser asks you for a donation, ask how much is kept by the fundraiser and how much goes to the nonprofit.

“Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with those affected by Tuesday’s devastating tornadoes, especially those who’ve lost loved ones, along with all of the volunteers and uniformed men and women who are tirelessly helping others during the ongoing recovery effort,” Secretary Hargett said.

Any charity that raises over $50,000 a year must register with the Secretary of State’s Division of Charitable Solicitations. To see if a charity is registered with the State of Tennessee visit, sos.tn.gov/charitable or call the Division of Charitable Solicitations and Gaming 615-741-2555.

As Tennessee’s charity officials, please report any false, misleading or deceptive fundraising activity to the Division of Charitable Solicitations and Gaming at 615-741-2555.

More local groups and organizations continue to set up drop off areas to donate and help those ravaged by storms earlier this week.

The Manchester Police Department, Manchester Fire Department, and local volunteer fire departments are taking donations to help storm victims in Putnam County. All donations can be dropped off at Manchester Fire Station 1, located on Hillsboro Blvd. near Papa Johns.

Items being requested are as follows:

Visa Gift Cards, Grocery gift cards for items like milk, eggs, cheese, Fruit cups, Applesauce cups, Juice boxes , Kid-friendly foods- such as individual bags of chips, fruit snacks, gummy bears etc, batteries,  diapers of all sizes, disposable wipes, baby formula, baby food, feminine hygiene products.

This collection will continue through the end of the day March 10, and items will be delivered on March 11, according to Manchester Fire Department Chief George Chambers.

There are also drop off locations for supplies at Unity Medical Center, Coffee County Board of Education, First National Bank of Manchester and Manchester Recreation Department. These locations are collecting peanut butter crackers, granola bars, snack packs, pop tarts, juice boxes, water, individual packs of food, Clorox wipes, hand sanitizer wipes, tarps, blankets, flash lights and hygiene items. 

Join us at Thunder Radio and the Manchester H&R Block and say congratulations to our student of the week – Keena Seivers.

 Keena is a seventh grade student at Westwood Middle School. She is the daughter of Stephanie Hershman, Jared Hershman and Cody Seivers. She is in Mr. Gribble’s home room class.

 She likes to play basketball and volleyball, and enjoys playing board games with her family. When she grows up she wants to play college volleyball and be a pediatrician.

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, H&R 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.

(Pictured above, from left, Rosalyn Partin with H&R Block, student of the week Keena Seivers, and Westwood principal Julie Miller.)

Authorities began releasing names and ages of those who perished in the Tuesday morning storms that swept through Nashville, Putnam, Wilson and Benton Counties.

In total, 24 people died in the storms, that included an EF-3 and an EF-4 tornado that hit the area in the early morning hours Tuesday.

Five children are among the 18 victims who died in Putnam County. All of the children were under the ages of 13. Three of the children were under 5 years old. As many as 17 people were still missing in Putnam County as of Wednesday afternoon.

Locally, several groups and good Samaritans are organizing collection efforts to help those displaced by the storms. North Coffee Elementary School executed a community service project to collect blankets for people in need. Now those blankets have been taken to Putnam County tornado victims by Coffee County Sheriff’s Department deputies who traveled to Putnam County Wednesday night to work in the area.

Meanwhile, Unity Medical Center has organized a collections point for items of need. Those wishing to help and contribute can drop off the following items at Unity Medical Center:

Cases of water

Hygiene products

Tarps

Feminine hygiene products

Diapers

Ensure

Formula

Cleaning supplies

New underwear

Gatorade

Protein bars

Pillows

Blankets

Laundry detergent

Garbage bags

Flashlights

Batteries

Plastic totes

These items can be dropped off at Unity Medical Center, 481 Interstate Drive in Manchester. All items should be dropped off prior to 5 p.m. Sunday, March 8. Hospital staff will deliver a truck of items Monday morning.

The Coffee County Rescue Squad sent volunteers to Putnam County Tuesday and Wednesday to help with recovery efforts. Meanwhile, the Coffee County Sheriff’s Department sent three deputies to Wilson County Tuesday and three to Putnam County Wednesday to aid in scene control and security.

(PICTURED BELOW, CCSD OFFICIALS WITH BLANKETS TO GO TO PUTNAM COUNTY)

Now that Tuesday’s March 3 primary is over, what is next? 

That would be the August 6 Coffee County and Manchester general elections, as well as the state primary, which is also on Aug. 6.

Among the races on the ballot will be the federal primary for the US Senate and US House of Representatives, primary for the Tennessee State Senate and Tennessee House of Representatives, Court of Appeals retention questions, county general election for assessor of property, Coffee County School Board seats 1,5 and 7, Manchester general election for Mayor, three aldermen and two school board members, Tullahoma general election for mayor, two aldermen and three school board members. Following that will be the November 3 federal general election, which includes President, US Senate, US House, State Senate and State House races.

The deadline for candidates to qualify for the Aug. 6 races is noon on April 2.

The Manchester Board of Mayor and Aldermen heard a pitch from Duck River Electric and TVA representatives Tuesday night, March 3, during a work session to convert city lighting to LED lights.

While the pitch was in generalities and, as one official put it, a “50,000 foot view of the potential project”, Duck River officials estimated that the city could save nearly 15% on costs by making the switch. City officials have asked Duck River to provide a more exact study on what would be included in the switch, what costs would be, etc. Duck River will begin working on that study at no charge to the city.

  (Above photo: Pictured is damage in Putnam County after a tornado ravaged the area Tuesday morning (March 3, 2020) . Photo provided by Neal Simmons, Coffee County Rescue Squad)

Coffee County residents and emergency personnel are rallying to help storm ravaged areas in Middle Tennessee.

In the early morning hours of Tuesday, tornadoes and high winds devastated areas of Nashville, Wilson County, Benton County and Putnam County, killing a total of 24 people with the death toll continuing to rise.

As of mid afternoon Tuesday, 18 people were killed and 65 injured in a 2-mile stretch in Putnam County just west of Cookeville. Three people were confirmed dead in Wilson County, one dead in Benton County and two in Nashville. Officials report that over 70 are missing in Putnam County. 

National Weather Service confirmed late Tuesday afternoon that an EF-3 tornado touched down in Nashville, Donelson and Mt. Juliet. NWS continues to work to determine strengths in other areas and whether or not there were one or two long-track tornadoes on the ground. 

Six members of the Coffee County Rescue Squad spent all day in Putnam County Tuesday, helping to search storm-ravaged homes for survivors.

“We are up here searching houses; dogs are going around hitting on houses and we [are searching them],” explained Neal Simmons with the Coffee County Rescue Squad. “It has really tore this place  to pieces up here.”

The rescue squad members planned to either stay through the night Tuesday night or send a crew back first thing Wednesday morning, depending on what Putnam County officials request.

Meanwhile, Coffee County Sheriff Chad Partin said he sent three deputies to Wilson County Tuesday night and will be sending three additional to Putnam County Wednesday night to help secure damaged areas.

“We will be helping to keep damaged areas secure,” explained Partin. “It takes a lot of people to secure those areas and we will help any way that we can.”

Partin said that deputies from Franklin County and Lincoln County will also be traveling with his deputies to assist in these storm-ravaged areas.

Tullahoma Mayor Lane Curlee said that Tullahoma is organizing a drive to assist in Cookeville through the Red Cross office. Once a list of needed items is available, we will post it on the Thunder Radio website and the Thunder Radio Facebook (click here to like us on Facebook). Drop off location will be at Fire Hall #1 in Tullahoma on South Jackson Street.

President Donald Trump has said he intends to visit the affected area on Friday, although details were not immediately available.

Dr. Joey Vaughn, Manchester City Schools director, has been named the Tennessee Coordinated School Health Director of the Year.

 Vaughn said he was completely shocked and humbled to receive the award, and quickly pivoted to the importance of the coordinated school health program and its importance to education in local schools.

“There is a lot of focus on the whole child,” explained Vaughn. “Not just educational, but their emotional and social needs. This is a focus of our school system and our team does a great job emphasizing that. “

Vaughn went on to explain that the coordinated school health program, along with school nurses and staff work hard to ensure proper nutrition in schools, as well as ensuring that food is home on the weekends for children to maintain proper nutrition. 

Manchester City Schools coordinator of Coordinated School Health is Leslie Brasfield.