Josh Peterson

After a brief spike, gas prices in Tennessee are on their way back down. As of Monday, the average gas price in Tennessee for a gallon of regular unleaded stood at $2.25, which is a whopping 31 cents below the national average. It’s also down a cent from a week ago and 15 cents cheaper than the same time in August.

As of Sept. 9, a gallon of regular unleaded is 34 cents cheaper than this same time last year.

As the American Red Cross works around the clock supporting those impacted by Hurricane Dorian, providing food, shelter and comfort, individuals outside the affected areas are urged to help by giving blood or platelets to ensure patients in the storm’s path and around the country have access to lifesaving blood. People can also help by making a financial donation to support relief efforts.

Hurricane Dorian has forced the closure of blood donation centers and the cancellation of blood drives in its path, causing blood and platelet donations to go uncollected. When blood donations are disrupted in a region of the country, the Red Cross is able to move blood donations where they are needed most.

How to help

Donors of all blood types are urgently needed to ensure a sufficient supply for patients. Type O and B blood donors are especially needed. Make an appointment to donate blood now by downloading the free Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Financial donations are also needed and allow the Red Cross to make a difference in the lives of people impacted by Hurricane Dorian. Visit redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS or text the word DORIAN to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Financial donations enable the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from this disaster.

The next opportunity to donate blood locally will be at 6 p.m. Sept. 30 at the Manchester Recreation Center – that’s at 557 N. Woodland St. 

A Manchester man was arrested Wednesday afternoon after allegedly assaulting a United States Postal Carrier on Blanton Chapel Rd. in Coffee County.

Arrested and charged with assault was Shane Omar Elgouhary, age 30, of Manchester. His bond was set at $3,000.

Shane Elgouhary

According to a report filed by Coffee County Sheriff’s Department Sgt. Dustan Foster, deputies responded to a call on Blanton Chapel Rd. to a complaint of a male subject with no shirt and khaki shorts jumping out in front of vehicles. When Foster arrived he encountered a United States Postal Carrier who was distraught. The postal carrier stated that the male, later identified as Elgouhary, jumped into the window of her mail van and grabbed her while she was delivering mail. The carrier stated that she hit the accelerator and sped off in an attempt to get Elgouhary out of her vehicle, saying that she was fearful for her life. 

The suspect then left on foot toward US Highway 41 and was later located at Busy Corner Truck Stop. Foster’s report states that when he encountered Elgouhary he was acting nervous, sweating profusely and appeared to be on some sort of illegal drug. He was then taken into custody. 

The Coffee County Sheriff’s Department is investigating a case of possible animal cruelty after several dogs were found with no owners around and no food or water on August 30 on Ute Dr. in Beech Grove. 

Deputies responded to a call at Ute Dr. to a complaint that a puppy had fallen out of a second floor window of a house across the road from the complainant. 

Deputy Austin Wilson was allegedly greeted at the residence in question by three aggressive pitbulls. Wilson used pepper spray to keep those dogs away. Wilson’s report states that he found the door open and a wooden board keeping more puppies from getting out, but found other dogs entering and exiting the residence. Upon a welfare check of the home, Wilson states in his report that it appears no one was in the home nor had anyone been home recently. The report states that multiple dogs appeared to be malnourished, and no food or water appeared to be present. One dog was found to be in a cage, malnourished and dirty. 

Animal Control provided food for the dogs and advised that they had been to the residence before. Animal control took six puppies and two mature dogs into their care, including one that had an open sore on its back. There was also five dogs chained up and caged in the yard that appeared to have no food or water. Those dogs also appeared to be malnourished and neglected, according to Wilson’s report. Deputies were unable to locate the owners and the case remains under investigation at this time. 

The Decherd Mayor Robin Smith has been arrested and charged with one count of official misconduct and one count of theft of property between $1,000 and $2,500. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation secured indictments against Smith in charges that relate to his time as a probation officer. 

Smith was arrested Wednesday and released on $10,000 bond. During an investigation by the TBI that begain in November of 2018, agents learned that Smith allegedly took payments paid by those on probation for misdemeanors and used it for his personal benefit. 

Smith resigned from that job back in July. 

Saturday is the sixth annual William Jacob Myers Memorial Benefit – it will be held at Praters BBQ in Manchester beginning at noon and ending around midnight. There will be a silent auction, live auction, cornhole tournament, raffle, food and live entertainment and everyone in the community is welcome.

Over the past five years the benefit has given back around $50,000 in scholarships to Coffee County Central High School students.

William Myers

Students at North Coffee Elementary School got an unexpected day off on Wednesday due to a water line break.

According to Coffee County Schools Director Dr. Charles Lawson, on Tuesday water was taken offline temporarily to install a new water line due to construction at the school. When the new line was turned on, it was pressure tested and checked as late as 11 p.m. Tuesday, according to Lawson.  However, Wednesday morning the ditch near the school was full of water and it turns out the water line had blown a joint. Because of that, the school building could not be supplied with water and students were sent home. Lawson said the line was repaired on Wednesday, has been pressure tested again and school will return to normal operations on Thursday.

Thunder Radio was quick to report school was cancelled Wednesday. You can sign up for school closings and other text alerts by clicking here. 

If you happened to see or hear military helicopters around the area of Arnold Air Force Base Wednesday night, you were witnessing a training exercise. 

There was a US Army aviation exercise on the base Wednesday night, according to Jason Austin, Chief of AEDC Public Affairs. The training included US Army helicopters and took place in the evening, during nighttime hours. It was a one-day exercise.