Josh Peterson

Have you had your flu vaccination yet?

Nationwide, there have been a total of 27 influenza-associated child deaths during the 2019-2020 season, according to Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention reports. Two children have died this season here in the Volunteer State, and one was here in Middle Tennessee.

The CDC recommends a yearly flu vaccine for just about everyone 6 months and older, even when the viruses the vaccine protects against have not changed from the previous season. The reason for this is that a person’s immune protection from vaccination declines over time, so an annual vaccination is needed to get the “optimal” or best protection against the flu.

Flu is unpredictable and seasons can vary. Seasonal flu disease usually peaks between December and March most years, but disease can occur as late as May.

The Winchester Police Department is requesting assistance in identifying a few individuals. You can see the individuals in question and a vehicle in the photos below.  If you recognize the subjects please contact Detective Brian Wilder with the Winchester Police Department at 931-967-3840. Aonymous tips can also be made to Crime Stoppers 931-962-3636. 

Unity Medical Center, in partnership with TriStar Centennial, is proud to announce that Dr. Byron Haitas will be performing consults for cardiac telemedicine at Unity Medical Center in Manchester. 

Unity announced last month that it will employ a state-of-the-art robot that will allow patients at UMC instant access to cardiology specialists while being a patient at Unity. 

UMC is the first hospital to partner with TriStar Centennial for cardiac telemedicine. 

“This partnership with Unity Medical Center and TriStar will allow our patients in this community to have access to quality doctors without having to drive long distances,” stated Martha McCormick, CEO of Unity Medical Center. “We continue to strive for programs like these to ensure that rural healthcare in Coffee County is strong and our residents have access to life-saving care. “For our patients to have instant access to a prestigious specialist such as Dr. Haitas right here in Manchester is a great step forward for our community. We are thankful for him and TriStar Centennial for this partnership.” 

Dr. Haitas joined Centennial Heart in 2015. He has practiced with the First Cardiology at TriStar Centennial Medical Center for 25 years. Upon moving to Nashville, he actually completed a fellowship in cardiology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center where he served as Assistant Professor of Medicine and Interim Director of the Cardiac Catheterization Lab. 

Dr. Haitas graduated Cum Laude from the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa.  After completing his internship and residency at Johannesburg Hospital, he served as research fellow at the University of Oxford & Radcliffe Infirmary in Oxford, England. Dr. Haitas also served as a

Registrar in Internal Medicine and Cardiologist at Johannesburg Hospital and the Head of the Department of Cardiology at JG Sitijdom Hospital in Johannesburg, South Africa. After this he moved to Nashville. 

Unity Medical Center is located at 481 Interstate Dr. in Manchester, TN.

The Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival has announced its lineup for the 2020 festival.

Headliners for this year’s festival include Tool, Lizzo and Tame Impala, with other prominent names including Miley Cyrus, Bassnectar, Flume, Oysterhead, Lana Del Rey, Vampire Weekend, Nelly and others.

The 2020 Bonnaroo festival will take place June 11-14 in Manchester. The complete lineup is below.

Coffee County District Attorney General Craig Northcott says the state medical examiner performed an autopsy on six-week old baby Noah Clark Monday (Jan. 6).

Northcott said a final autopsy report will not be available for several weeks.

Noah Clark’s father, 21-year-old Gavin Clark, was arrested over the weekend and charged with aggravated child abuse – charges that were upgraded to first degree murder after Noah passed away Sunday morning (Jan. 5). Northcott said the first degree murder charges do not include premeditation, but did not rule out making additional charges pending further investigation.

Authorities report that Noah Clark was taken to Tennova Harton Hospital Saturday (Jan. 4) afternoon for what the parents described as a “fall.” Doctors at Harton alerted Manchester Police Department officials that the injuries were more severe than that of a fall. Noah was transported to Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital, where he passed away.

“This father has been charged with causing the death of his six-week old son through blunt force trauma, which resulted in a fatal closed-head injury,” Northcott said Sunday. “Further, he negligently failed to seek immediate medical assistance for injuries to his infant son.”

Two suspects in the homicide of Johnny Tesar are expected to be transported back to Coffee County and will be in the Coffee County Jail by Wednesday, Jan 8. 

Tesar’s body was discovered late on Monday, Dec. 30, after authorities performed a welfare check in Lakewood Park. He was. 68. 

Two suspects, Tyler Carter, age 20, and Sasha Payton, 33, were tracked to Oklahoma where they were detained and charged with theft of a motor vehicle as they were driving Tesar’s vehicle. 

They are being extradited to Coffee County on theft charges and more charges are expected, according to authorities.