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The first ever Thundie Sports Awards to be held May 21
The Dream for Weave Foundation and Thunder Radio will be hosting the first ever “Thundie Sports Awards” for the Coffee County community on Saturday, May 21.
The inaugural sports awards will honor the best athletes, coaches and teams of Coffee County Central High School, Westwood Middle School and Coffee Middle School. Doors for the red carpet event will open at 5:30 p.m. at First Baptist Church Gymnasium (1006 Hillsboro Blvd). Middle Tennessee State University head softball coach and the pioneer of the CHS Lady Raider softball program, Jeff Breeden, will deliver the keynote address.
Dinner will begin at 6 p.m. with awards to follow. Event tickets are now on sale for $50 ($400 per table). To purchase tickets, contact Josh Peterson at 931-409-2215 or josh.peterson.wmsr@gmail.com or Holly Peterson at 931-409-2173.
“This is the type of event that Holly, myself and the foundation board envisioned when the Dream for Weave Foundation launched back in late 2020, it has just taken us some time to get there,” said Josh Peterson, vice president of Thunder Radio and treasurer of the Dream for Weave Foundation.
“We put a great emphasis on local sports coverage at Thunder Radio with our broadcasts, our daily sports coverage, photos, Thunder The Magazine and our weekly coaches show,” added Peterson. “As everyone saw last spring when the Lady Raider softball team made a deep run in the state tournament and just recently when the Red Raider basketball team reached the state tournament – athletics are very important to our community. This event is perfect to recognize and honor them, and to raise funds for a foundation that gives back to them directly.”
The Thundie Sports Awards are driven by Al White Ford Lincoln — the presenting sponsor.
Sponsor Peoples Bank & Trust is providing meals and t-shirts for winning athletes, and Unity Medical Center is providing dessert and admission for award-winning athletes. All athletes who are set to be honored will be contacted and invited to the event free of charge thanks to these generous sponsors. Families, friends and fans can purchase tickets to the event to join in on the fun by contacting Josh Peterson at 931-409-2215 or josh.peterson.wmsr@gmail.com, or Holly Peterson at 931-409-2173. Awards will be decided based on decisions of the awards committee.
In addition to awards, the Weave Foundation annual scholarships will be presented at the Thundies. In its first year of operation, the Dream for Weave Foundation presented $3,500 in scholarship funding to athletes departing CHS. The foundation has also purchased and provided athletic gear and apparel for athletes in need.
“There are multiple people who are putting in so much of their time to make this event possible for our athletes and if not for them and our great sponsors, it simply would not be possible,” said Rob Clutter, president of the Dream for Weave Foundation.
Any businesses that would like to contribute – the event is still accepting “scholarship sponsors” for $250. This includes 4 event tickets and inclusion on in-event materials and promotions. The Dream for Weave Foundation is a 501c3 organization and all contributions are tax deductible.
All funds raised from the event tickets and sponsorships will be re-invested into athletes in need and scholarship funding.
“We will be honoring the best athletes from our schools and as many sports as possible – from football to fishing,” explained Peterson. “We want everyone dressed in their best and ready to have a good time.”
Dream for Weave Foundation
The foundation was formed in October of 2020, just 3 months after the sudden passing of Thunder Radio sports director Dennis Weaver after complications from a routine operation.
Beloved by all, Weave as the play-by-play voice for Coffee County athletics and one of the key contributors to the rise of the CHS softball program in the 90s. He was a graduate of Central High School.
His love for sports and the athletes who played them led to the formation of the foundation, which aims to ensure all children who want to play sports have the means and equipment necessary to play. The foundation also strives to provide scholarship funding to athletes departing CHS and pursuing higher education – whether in the college or technical fields.
About Keynote Speaker Jeff Breeden
Jeff Breeden is currently coaching his 10th season as Head Softball Coach at Middle Tennessee in 2022 and has seen improvement in his team in each of the nine previous years.
MT finished at 26-22 overall in 2021, including an 11-8 mark in Conference USA play, leading the Blue Raiders to their first winning record in league play since 2007.
Breeden is a high school state championship softball coach in Tennessee with over 700 career wins. He is largely credited with helping to build the Coffee County Central Lady Raider softball program, which had 1 win before his arrival. Breeden coached with Weaver for many years and together the two helped to build the softball complex where the Lady Raiders now play. He earned 341 wins as Lady Raider head coach from 1990-2003, and made two state tournament appearances before leaving for Riverdale.
H&R BLOCK STUDENT OF THE WEEK – Jonathan Williams
Join us at Thunder Radio and Rosalyn Partin of the Manchester H&R Block and congratulate our student of the week – Jonathan Williams
Jonathan is a freshman student at Coffee County Raider Academy. He was nominated by his teachers and administrators. Jonathan is the son of Stephanie and Chris Williams.
His favorite subject is sociology. In his free time, Jonathan enjoys drawing. He is a member of BETA Club and Student Government.
He plans to pursue a degree in the medical field.
All students of the week are selected for their work ethic and excellent attitudes in and out of the classroom.
Rosalyn Partin, owner of the Manchester H&R Block, has been inspired to recognize great kids in our community all year long. H&R Block gives each Student of the Week a commemorative plaque, a special letter of recognition and two tickets to Lake Winnepesaukah Amusement Park.
Job well done, Jonathan.
Slight chance of severe weather for Middle Tennessee Friday
The National Weather Service office in Nashville and the Storm Prediction Center have placed much of Middle Tennessee, including Coffee County, in a slight risk for severe weather threat Friday, March 18, 2022.
According to NWS, the main time frame for severe weather will be from 2-10 p.m. Damaging winds are possible and tornadoes cannot be ruled out along with 1-inch hale.
In case of severe weather, tune into 107.9 FM and 1320 AM for storm warnings and updates.
STATE BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT: Historic Raider season comes to an end
MURFREESBORO — The run had to come to an end sometime.
A magical, Cinderella run to the state tournament that will forever cement the 2021-22 Coffee County Central Red Raider Basketball team in the history books came to a close Wednesday in a 66-52 loss to Dobyns-Bennett High School in the quarter-finals of the TSSAA State Basketball Championships.
The score got slightly lopsided in the end, but didn’t reflect the game.
The Raiders led 15-14 after a quarter and took a 25-22 lead into the locker room. At one point the Raiders led by 8 in the first half at 25-17 on a Brady Nugent breakaway layup. But the Indians hit a a 5-0 run to close the half and quickly seized the lead in the third – going in front 28-27 just 45 seconds into the third quarter.
Dobyns-Bennett went on to outscored the Raiders 21-12 in the third and the Raiders were unable to recover as the Indians were solid at the free throw line, hitting 17-of-22 (14-18 in the final two periods).
Coffee County was led in scoring by senior guard Aidan Abellana with 11 points. He was 4-for-8 from the field and 3-for-4 at the stripe and was Thunder Radio’s Stone Fort Mortgage Player of the Game.
THIS GAME WAS BROADCAST LIVE ON THUNDER RADIO. CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE AUDIO REPLAY
Dayne Crosslin and Nugent each joined Abellana in double-figures with 10 apiece. Phineas Rollman added 8 points and four offensive rebounds. Connor Shemwell added 7 points, Cooper Reed 4 and Jackson Shemwell 2.
The Raiders knew they would have to deal with a potent Indian offense and it was hard to stop a team with 5 players averaging in double-figures. The Raiders held Jack Browder 5 points under his season average and Malachi Hale, who averages 15 points per game, didn’t hit a single field goal. But Brady Stump more than filled in the void with 27 points. The senior was 5-for-7 from the three-point line.
Season ends
The loss ends a historic season for the Raiders with a 24-10 record.
Coffee County won the postseason district tournament for the first time since 1979, then went on to win the region tournament for the first time since 1977 with a 10-point fourth quarter comeback and a double overtime win over Walker Valley. The Raiders then went on to beat Stewarts Creek in the substate to reach the state tournament for the first time since 1965.
Brady Nugent 
Connor Shemwell 
Connor Shemwell Student Section 
Aidan Abellana 
Brady Nugent 
Andrew Taylor 
Phineas Rollman 
Cooper Reed 
Dayne Crosslin 
Dayne Crosslin 
Jackson Shemwell 
Treyton Williams 
Team timeout
Birthdays- March 16
Barbara Hullett
Soozie Lowry
Debbie Martin
Scott C Howard- 38
Sarah Adams
Buck Baskin- 44
Lexie Youngblood- 19- Pizza Winner!
Michael Channey- 39
Dennis Lee Lawson
Dennis Lee Lawson of Tullahoma passed this life on Tuesday, March 15, 2022
at his residence at the age of 66. Funeral Services are scheduled at 2 PM
on Tuesday, March 22, 2022 at Daves-Culbertson Funeral Home with burial to
follow at Maplewood Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 12 Noon
until the service time.
A native of Tullahoma, he was the son of the late Frank Lee and Martha Jean
Lola Chisam Lawson. He was a member of the First Assembly of God and was a
Martial Arts Instructor. He enjoyed fishing.
He is survived by wife, Andrea Lawson of Tullahoma; daughter, Cassie Pack
(Steven) of Lynchburg; step-children, Natalie Betina Wilson (Corey) of
Bakersfield, CA and Thomas Meyer Wilson (Maggie) of Bakersfield, CA;
sisters, Shwanda Ratliff (Gary) of Nashville, Penny Daniels of the state of
Washington and Joy Bates of Tulsa, OK and fourteen grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested memorial donations be made in
his honor to Daves-Culbertson Funeral Home.
Woman found dead near wreck scene; person of interest sought
Authorities in Bedford County are seeking a man who they believe may have been involved in the death of a woman there.
This person – described by Bedford County Sheriff’s Department as a “black male, slender in build” allegedly walked away from a crash at the area of Sims and Henslee Road intersection at 7:30 p.m Tuesday, March 15, 2022.
According to Bedford County authorities, when troopers arrived at the crash, no one was in the car.
Authorities later found that the car belonged to a woman who was found dead in a nearby home.
Authorities believe the vehicle that belonged to the deceased woman was taken from the home.
Investigators added that the man allegedly knocked on the doors of two homes in the area before disappearing. He was last seen walking toward Sims Rd. from Henslee Rd. Deputies described the man as armed and dangerous.
Anyone with information about this incident should call 931-684-3232.
Be sure you know where to vote in upcoming primary election
When Coffee Countians go to the polls in April and May for the upcoming primary election, many will be going to different polling locations that previous elections.
The state of Tennessee underwent its decennial redistricting process last year. Coffee County Commission districts were adjusted and so were polling locations. Coffee County Administrator of Elections Andy Farrar sent out new voter registration cards last month to all registered voters.
If you did not receive a card, or if yours has inaccurate information, you should contact the Coffee County Election Commission immediately by phone at 931-723-5103 or you can visit in person at 1329 McArthur St. suite 6.
If you aren’t sure where you are to vote, you can click here to check.
Bill to protect teachers from assault advances out of subcommittee
A Republican proposal aimed at helping protect Tennessee teachers from being assaulted on the job advanced out of the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee last Wednesday.
House Bill 1934 expands the offences of assault and aggravated assault against first responders or nurses to also include teachers. There are 68,838 public school teachers in Tennessee, according to information from the Tennessee General Assembly Financial Review Committee. The legislation would result in an estimated 69 convictions annually.
“All of our schools have nurses in them that are already protected by this law,” State Rep. Jay Reedy, R-Erin, told members of the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee on Wednesday. “Why do we not protect the teachers in the classroom?”
Assaulting a teacher would be a Class A misdemeanor punishable by a fine of $5,000 and mandatory minimum sentence of 30 days in jail, according to the bill. Aggravated assault of a teacher would be a Class C misdemeanor punishable by a fine of $15,000 and a mandatory minimum sentence of 90 days in jail.
House Bill 1934 now heads to the full House Criminal Justice Committee for consideration. More information about the legislation can be found here.
High speed chase ends with arrest in Morrison
One man has been arrested after leading authorities on a high-speed chase Tuesday afternoon.
According to WOWC news, Cannon County Sheriff’s Department initiated the chase that ended in Morrison, which is in neighboring Warren County.
The chase began in Woodlawn. The suspect, driving a white Chevrolet truck, went through several roads into Warren County before finally being caught.
the suspect has been identified as Daniel Smithson, age 49, of Cannon County.