Josh Peterson

A report was filed with the Winchester Police Department on Christmas Day in reference to a runaway juvenile. According to Winchester Police Department, Jordan Harrington, 17, was missing from his home address. Jordan is a white male, approximately 5’6” and weighing 126 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Winchester Police Department and detective Ryan Fuller at 931-967-3840. 

By Nadia Ramlagan, Tennessee Public News Service

The juvenile court in Davidson county is spearheading an effort to reduce the number of girls and gender-nonconforming young people who end up behind bars. 

The court is emphasizing a trauma-informed approach, as part of the Initiative to End Girls’ Incarceration by the Vera Institute of Justice, which aims to meet its goal nationwide within the next decade. 

Kathryn Sinback is a juvenile court administrator with the county who says girls tend to to be pulled into criminal activity perpetrated by boys, or are sexually exploited by gangs.

“In Davidson County, what we see is the majority of the girls who are system-involved are living in poverty, and largely African-American,” says Sinback. “We have seen some changes in the types of offenses that girls are charged with.”

According to the Vera Institute, girls make up 55% of children nationwide who are taken to court specifically for running away. Yet Sinback points out many girls run away from home to escape sexual abuse and an unstable home life. 

She adds that nationwide, more than 80% of girls in the juvenile justice system have been sexually or physically abused.

Sinback says listening to girls is now a central focus of her work in Davidson County. 

“But what we found is that, when you focus on what the youth need to be successful — what they feel that they need to be successful — you actually have outcomes that reduce the risk for the community, and that reduce the risk of that girl committing additional delinquent acts,” says Sinback.

Lindsay Rosenthal, project director for Vera’s Initiative to End Girls’ Incarceration, says most girls who end up in the system are there because communities haven’t been able to offer long-term solutions.

“You know, girls who are coming into the system are not a threat to public safety,” says Rosenthal. “Unfortunately, they’re all too often being confined in an attempt to protect their own safety.”

She adds that instead of arresting, prosecuting and confining girls, courts should work to provide them with positive resources to help them deal with trauma, such as mentors and home-based therapy.

The Coffee County Sheriff’s Department is asking for the public’s help locating a 2015 Chevrolet Camaro convertible, gray in color, that was stolen from the Gnat Hill Rd. Area of Coffee County in the past week. Anyone with information should call investigator James Sherrill at 931-570-4404.

The flu vaccine is now being offered at no charge to patients at Tennessee’s county health department clinics as long as supplies last. Seasonal influenza is now widespread across Tennessee, but it’s not too late to get a flu shot.  

‘’I urge anyone who has not received a flu shot this flu season to get one as soon as possible,’’ said Tennessee Health Commissioner Lisa Piercey, MD, MBA, FAAP. ‘’It’s extremely important for young children, the elderly and pregnant women to receive a flu vaccine because they are at the most serious risk for illness or death from influenza.” 

Vaccine supplies will vary from county to county, so contact your local health department for information on getting a flu vaccine. The Coffee County Health Department is located at 800 Park St. in Manchester and can be reached by phone at (931) 723-5134. To find a county health department near you, visit www.tn.gov/health/health-program-areas/localdepartments.html. In addition to health department clinics run by TDH across the state, free flu vaccine is also available now at the Shelby County Health Department in Memphis and the Metro Public Health Department in Nashville. 

After getting the flu vaccine, it’s still important to wash your hands with soapy water or use alcohol-based hand sanitizers and cover coughs and sneezes with a sleeve or tissue to help prevent the spread of illness. People who are sick should stay home to recover and to prevent spreading illness to co-workers, friends and others. 

Learn more about preventing seasonal flu at www.cdc.gov/flu/consumer/index.html.  

The mission of the Tennessee Department of Health is to protect, promote and improve the health and prosperity of people in Tennessee. Learn more about TDH services and programs at www.tn.gov/health. 

The Coffee County Emergency Management Agency, along with Tennessee EMA, recently hosted a Hazardous Materials Technician Level training class at the Coffee County Emergency Management and Homeland Security Office.  

Firefighters from Manchester and Tullahoma Fire Departments in Coffee County, and the Murfreesboro Fire Department, along with TEMA personnel completed this two week, 80-hour course to certify first responders to properly respond to and mitigate hazardous materials incidents of all types.  

When students graduate this class they will have completed roughly 150 hours of training in Hazardous Materials alone to get to this point.  

As a result of this training the residents of Coffee County and Murfreesboro will have 17 additional Firefighters with the skills necessary to handle any type of Hazardous Material release within their respective jurisdictions.  

A practical skills drill was conducted to allow the firefighters to practice scene communication, applying protective HAZMAT suits, conducting remediation of the incident, and decontamination after exiting the Hot Zone. All personnel graduated on Friday, Dec. 20.

Grundy County Sheriff’s Department deputies made a traffic stop in the Pelham area overnight Saturday into Sunday morning that ended in a drug bust and recovery of a stolen vehicle. 

A deputy came in contact with a stolen vehicle near the intersection of Payne’s Cove and Clouse Hill roads. During the stop, deputies discovered approximately $8,000 in counterfeit currency and over two ounces of what is suspected to be crystal meth. Thunder Radio news has reached out for further information from the department.

The suspect identified himself as being from New York. However, Grundy County officials later identified the suspect as Thomas Lymn, age 33, from Elora, Tenn. He has been charged with manufacture, sale and delivery of schedule II drugs, unlawful possession of a weapon, theft of a motor vehicle, drug paraphernalia and evading arrest.

Thomas Lymn (33) from Elora, TN. Lymn has been charged with several charges including: manufacture, sell and delivery of schedule II drugs, unlawful possession of a weapon, theft of a motor vehicle, drug paraphernalia, and evading arrest. 

This case continues to be investigated. 

Over the weekend, Saturday (Dec. 21) in fact, was the first official day of winter. Although it might not feel like it out there – we are officially in the winter season. This is a good time to remind everyone that as temperatures remain cooler – and that eventually will happen – fire deaths across the state increase by almost 75 percent in Tennessee during this time of the year. 

Heating equipment is the leading cause of home fire deaths nationally and the second leading known cause in Tennessee. 

Remember – keep flammable items like blankets or furniture at least three feet away from space heaters and wood stoves, practice a home fire escape plan with your family, never smoke in a home where medical oxygen is present as the increased oxygen in the air makes fire burn hotter and faster, always turn off portable heaters when going to bed and never use the oven to heat your home. 

With the start of winter, it also means that days will start getting longer little by little. 

Friday, September 27th was a momentous day for Unity Medical Center in Manchester. The hospital’s new board of directors held its first meeting since transitioning to a not-for-profit hospital in July.

“Members of our new board of directors are committed to strengthening
healthcare in our community and together we have a great vision for moving our local hospital forward,” stated Martha McCormick, CEO of Unity Medical Center.

Members of the newly-formed board of directors are Leslie Trussler, DPT, MS, CSCS,, Kim Roberts, PharmD, Pastor Jerry Pullum, Ashoke “Bappa” Mukherji, Mike Niederhauser, Eric Burch, James Van Winkle, MD, Dr. Joey Vaughn and
McCormick, MHA,CHC.

“We have an eclectic mix of community leaders, intelligent and informed business people and medical experts on our board,” stated McCormick. “I look forward to working with them to improve healthcare for our residents.”

Unity Medical Center officially converted to a not-for-profit hospital in July in order
to expand the breadth of medical services that it can offer. Previously, the
hospital was a physician-owned facility. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) restricted
the ability of physician-owned hospitals to add new service lines.

New services that Unity plans to implement in the coming months include
inpatient medical detox and opening an intensive care unit (ICU). Another
planned service is the use of telemedicine through a partnership with TriStar
Centennial that will allow for patients at Unity Medical Center to be examined by
specialists at other hospitals remotely using a robot.

“We are honored that TriStar chose Unity to be the hospital to launch its tele-cardiology service,” said McCormick. “We have a four-bed ICU unit that was not in active use in 2010 so we have not been allowed to reopen it due to restrictions contained in the ACA. Reopening the unit will enable us to take care of more acute patients in Manchester, closer to their homes and families,” said Mukherji, Chairman of the Board.

In addition to adding services, Unity will be eligible for grants reserved for non-
profits.

“We will qualify for additional grants, specifically to recruit physicians, and
we will also be eligible for some student loan-forgiveness programs for workers
moving to rural healthcare settings,” explained McCormick.

Unity Medical Center is a 49-bed acute care hospital located at 481 Interstate
Drive in Manchester that operates two rural health clinics employing over 40
medical providers. The hospital can be reached by phone at 931-728-6354.

Manchester Police Department has been recognizing officers over the past few weeks for years of service. The department recognized Sgt. Keith Hendrix for 10 years of service, captain Devin Deford for 20 years of service, and Captain Nilesh Patel for 10 years of service.