Category: News

The Rat Rod that will be featured on the Discovery Channel

A local business will be featured on an upcoming television show. The Discovery Channel’s new special about rat rod builders across the Appalachia. The premiere of “Rebel Road” is set for this Monday, April 28 at 9:00 p.m.
Ricky Bobby’s Rod Shop located at Hawke Hardware Speed Shop in Manchester will be part of the show.
A rat rod is a style of hot rod or custom car that, in most cases, imitates (or exaggerates) the early hot rods of the 1940s, 1950s, and early-1960s. The style is not to be confused with the somewhat closely related “traditional” hot rod, which is an accurate re-creation of a hot rod from the same era.
Ricky Brown better known as Ricky Bobby says the production company contacted him 2 years ago about the idea of doing a show about Rat Rod’s. Brown said once the show was a go he and his crew started to build the car that is featured on the TV show. It took 28 days working 16 hours a day to complete. James Cartwright General Manager of Hawke Hardware Speed Shop said it was amazing watching it all come together. He said it was hard keeping the show a secret for all this time.
Owner of Hawke’s Jim Cartwright said Ricky and his son James have put in the time and energy to make the businesses succeed. Jim with a smile on his face said he is very proud of all the people involved.
Three other rod builders are also on the show and they along with Ricky Bobby meet at the end of the show for a competition. Brown said if the show is a hit it could be made into a series. Be sure to watch “Rebel Road” is set for this Monday, April 28 at 9:00 p.m. on the Discovery Channel. Ricky and James will be on Straight Talk on Thunder Radio Tuesday morning at 8:15am. Look below for more pictures.

(L-R) Ricky (Ricky Bobby) Brown, Aaron Dugan and Nathan Coker

One of the Rat Rods being built at Hawke Hardware Speed Shop

Rat Rod built by Ricky Bobby and his crew

A Tullahoma resident found more than she expected when she returned home from town on Saturday, April 19.
Sheryl Renee Johnson found her apartment on East Moore Street had been ransacked and her cell phone, silver necklace and gold necklace were missing. She also found Sybol Ann Peace, 24, of Decherd, a family member according to Johnson unconscious in a bed in her home.
The missing items were found in Peace’s pants pocket along with a syringe.
Peace was charged with theft of property and possession of drug paraphernalia. She was into the Coffee County Jail under a bond of $3,000. She is scheduled to appear in Coffee County General Session Court May 8.
The original report said a stranger but Sheryl Renee Johnson reported to us that Sybol Ann Peace is a family member. We apologized for the mistake.

Actual mortar.. Photo provided

A family that just recently moved to Tullahoma found more than they expected while unpacking.
According to Police Chief Paul Blackwell, a family who recently moved here from Hickman County and was unpacking, found a mortar shell. They told police that their son placed the mortar on the moving truck when the family was packing to move here.
“After finding the shell the man placed the shell near a wood pile and then notified us,” Chief Blackwell stated. The chief explained that Lt. Ray Higginbotham then notified the Army explosive personnel at Fort Campbell, Ky. The explosive experts made the over two hour trip to Tullahoma and took possession of the device. They then properly disposed of it.
Anytime such a device is found police should be notified and they will contact the proper people who will properly remove the item.

The City of Tullahoma will observe Arbor Day on National Arbor Day, Friday, April 25 at 10:00 a.m. The public is invited to attend a Tree Board ceremony to honor the Noon Rotary Underpass Planting Project completed in 1997. The ceremony will be held adjacent to the Family Chiropractic Complex at 111 Marbury Crossing. Visitors are asked to park behind Kmart.
State Forestry officials with the State Urban Forestry Department will present the City with its 17th Tree City USA Award. Tree City USA is a tree planting and tree care program sponsored by The National Arbor Day Foundation for cities and towns in the United States. To qualify for Tree City USA, a town or city must meet four standards established by The National Arbor Day Foundation and the National Association of State Foresters. The State will also present Tullahoma Utilities Board with the Tree Line Award. The five standards for Tree Line are quality tree care, annual worker training, tree planting, tree based energy conservation and Arbor Day Celebration
The Tullahoma Tree Board encourages residents to consider a Memorial Tree donation. Donations can be made for $150. The tree will be planted on public property by city staff. Each donation will be recognized by a “leaf” on a memorial tree plaque at City Hall and cross-referenced in a “key.” Every effort will be made to honor the wishes of the family and donor concerning tree species and location.
Tullahoma Tree Board members include Chairman Ralph Graham, Mark Schempp, Liz Kennedy, Barbara Snyder, Milner Carden, Wendell Hanson and Steve Worsham.

First Lady Michelle Obama has announced a new online effort to link soldiers leaving the military with jobs that match their skill sets.
She said Wednesday that the new Veterans Employment Center provides one-stop shopping for troops as they transition to civilian life.
The move comes as the U.S. winds down wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the administration seeks to lower unemployment among veterans.
Mrs. Obama, joined by Vice President Joe Biden’s wife, Jill, made the announcement at Fort Campbell along the Kentucky-Tennessee state line. Go to www.ebenefits.va.gov

It’s that time of year, Relay For Life in Coffee County will be Friday night at the Coffee County fairgrounds.
Relay For Life is a fun-filled overnight event designed to celebrate survivors and raise money for research and programs of the American Cancer Society. There will be a live auction, food, games, and more.
This year’s Relay For Life will begin at 5 p.m. with a survivor reception and registration. The opening ceremony will be followed by survivor and caregiver laps will be at 6p.m. Please come support and cheer on the Survivors and take a moment during the Luminaria Ceremony to remember all those we have lost to this terrible disease.
In the event of rain, the Relay will be held indoors at Westwood Middle School.

On Saturday, April 26th, the Better Business Bureau will host a national identity theft and fraud protection event in local communities across North America. Bring your boxes or bags of paper documents that contain personal identifiers, and we’ll shred it for you FREE – on the spot. The BBB will also be distributing great tips and resources to help you protect your identity – online and off.
The Shred Day will be held at 9am – Noon or till truck is full. The Better Business Bureau event will be held Ascend Federal Credit Union, 1929 McArthur St, Manchester, TN.

Billy Hix, associate professor of education and full-time faculty member, and Shannon Freeman, an adjunct professor of psychology, were awarded the 2013-2014 Motlow College Foundation’s Faculty Excellence Awards during a recent ceremony in the Clayton-Glass Library on Motlow’s Moore County campus.
Nominees were selected by a committee comprised of Motlow College faculty and staff. A resident of Shelbyville, Hix has taught for over three decades. In addition to teaching at Motlow, Hix directs the STEM program, which teaches students about science, technology, engineering and math. Through this program, Hix travels to area schools to educate students about astronomy and other STEM related subjects. Hix also serves as a teacher liaison for the Space Foundation, a nonprofit organization that supports global space industry through educational programs, and is an advisor to NASA.
Originally from Shreveport, La., Freeman has been a resident of middle Tennessee since 2006. Upon completing her graduate degrees in both counseling psychology and education, Shannon has served as an elementary classroom teacher, school guidance counselor and a professor of psychology at Motlow.

Van was on fire at the Marathon Station in front of the Manchester Post Office.. Photos provided

Truck and straw fire

Car inside a house on Spring St in Manchester

Manchester Fire and Rescue crews were busy Monday- first, crews responded to a vehicle fire at the Marathon Gas Station across from the post office. A van caught fire but was quickly extinguished before it spread past the engine compartment.
Next up Fire Chief George E. DeShields says workers were spreading straw on an access road in the industrial park. The straw on the ground caught fire and spread to the back of a truck. Both Manchester Fire and Rescue & Hillsboro VFD responded and while the straw was burnt, the truck was saved.
A few hours later, Manchester Fire and Rescue and Manchester Police were called to an incident where a vehicle rolled into a house. No occupants were in the car and the home was unoccupied.

As early voting continues for the May primary another list of candidates have qualified in non-partisan elections to be held locally on August 7.
Four of the seven seats on the Coffee County School Board could have been contested but only one race will have competition. Seat 4 will see incumbent Marilyn G. Morris face off against long time educator Pat Barton. Newcomer Sandra Klonaris will step into Seat 6 as Reggie Johnson decided not to run for re-election. Incumbents Brett Henley (Seat 3) and Freda Jones (Seat 2) are running unopposed. School board member serve 4-year terms.
In the Manchester Municipal Election for Aldermen there is a guarantee of at least two new aldermen. Alderman Cheryl Swan is the only incumbent seeking re-election. Aldermen Donny Parsley and Roxanne Patton did not file petitions to seek re-election.
Also qualifying to run for alderman are Tim Kilgore, Sam Miller, Claude S. Morse, Chris Robison, Lana Matthews Sain, Gary A. Trail and Nelson Watson.
The three candidates who receive the most votes in the Aug. 7 election will serve four-year terms.
In the race for three Manchester School Board members the incumbents (Lisa Gregory, Travis Hillis and Susan Wood) will return to their seats as no one else qualified. They will serve for 4 more years.
The deadline to register to vote in the August 7 elections is Tuesday, July 8. Early voting will be July 18 through Aug. 2.