Category: News

Billy Joe Nelson

Tullahoma resident Billy Joe Nelson, 31, of 1209 East Lauderdale Street, has been charged with carjacking in connection with the abduction of a Tullahoma female. Authorities are continuing to work on the case and say they expect additional charges to be filed. Nelson had a court appearance Thursday, but he did not have to appear as attorney Eric Burch informed General Sessions Judge Jere Ledsinger that he had been retained to represent Nelson. Nelson is being held in the Coffee County Jail under $250,000 bond. Eric Burch is representing Nelson and Assistant District Attorney Jason Ponder is prosecuting the case. According to a report by Tullahoma Officer Sam Campbell, police were advised by the Coffee County Communications Center that the woman had made a 911 call from South Washington Street in Tullahoma on Jan 1. After searching the area, police were notified by the communications center that a second call had been received from the woman who stated that she had gotten away from her abductor in the vicinity of Dossett Apartments. The man allegedly took the victim’s jewelry, cash, gift cards, driver’s license and credit cards.

People with unpaid Coffee County real property taxes who appear on the sale list have until 4:30 p.m. Jan. 11, 2013, to pay their taxes and prevent their property from being sold, according to Chancery Court Clerk and Master Charlotte Broyles. The properties will be auctioned on Saturday, Jan. 12, in the first floor courtroom at the Justice Center on Hillsboro Blvd. in Manchester, beginning at 10:01 a.m. According to Broyles, people wanting to bid on property should arrive early. She stated that as of December 31, 2012, there were 25 parcels remaining to be auctioned in the delinquent property tax sale. Property owners have until 4:30 p.m. on Friday, January 11, to pay the overdue amounts. Coffee County wants to sell property for delinquent taxes. In addition to the base amount of taxes owed, interest, attorney fees, sale and court costs have been added and will have to be paid to avoid the property sale. The bidding will start with a minimum price including taxes, interest, penalties, fees and costs. Once the sale is over, the high bidders are to pay for the property. Anyone wanting more information or wanting to pay delinquent property taxes should contact the office of Clerk and Master, 300 Hillsboro Blvd. in Manchester or call 723-5132.

The Tennessee Department of Transportation will begin displaying fatality messages on overhead interstate signs on a weekly basis instead of daily. TDOT first began displaying the fatality numbers on the overhead signs in April after an increase in fatal accidents in the first quarter of 2012. Commissioner John Schroer said, “We feel the fatality messages have been extremely successful in increasing awareness about highway deaths across the state this year, and may have helped us stop the dramatic increase we saw early in 2012″. He continued, “We have also heard from drivers who say the messages have caused them to make positive changes in their driving behavior.” TDOT officials added in addition to posting fatalities on Fridays, they will also continue to run safety messages targeted at specific issues such as texting while driving and driving under the influence on the signs. In 2012, 1,013 deaths occurred on Tennessee roadways compared to 937 in 2011.

Tennessee is working to renew efforts to curb drug abuse throughout the state in 2013. According to the latest statistics, Tennessee ranks second in the nation for over-utilization of prescription pain medications. Adults 18 to 25 have the highest rate of prescription drug abuse. For the last two years, unintentional drug overdose is the number one cause of death in Tennessee over motor vehicle accidents, homicides or suicides. In 2011, more than 1,000 people died from drug overdoses in Tennessee. A new state database, which is now a requirement for all pharmacies to use, reveals which Tennesseans have prescriptions for painkillers such as hydrocodone and oxycodone. With the new changes all doctors will have to check the database before prescribing drugs like pain killers and valium. Pharmacists will also have to step up the frequency they update their database. The state says if a doctor or pharmacist finds that a patient has been abusing the system it will have to be determined if that person has a drug problem. They likely will be referred to some type of counseling.

Picture from Bewley Cabinets website

Area fire departments were summoned early Thursday morning to a fire on Highway 130 in Franklin County, just outside of the Tullahoma city limits. When the North Franklin County firefighters arrived at the Bewley Cabinet Company they found a workshop of the business fully engulfed with flames. The firefighters then requested assistance from the Tullahoma, Estill Springs, Winchester and Broadview Fire Departments with the fire. Because of the wood and chemicals stored in the workshop, firefighters were kept busy for some four hours before being able to contain the blaze. According to firefighters the fire was contained to the workshop, the office and showroom of the business were saved.

Billy Joe Nelson

31-year-old Billy Joe Nelson of old Tullahoma/Manchester Highway, Tullahoma, was arrested yesterday afternoon by Manchester Police Chief Investigator Billy Butler on charges of carjacking. The charges follow an extensive investigation of a kidnapping of a Tullahoma woman New Year’s Day morning from an out of business gas station on the Hillsboro Blvd. in Manchester. Police say Nelson assaulted the woman after kidnapping her. Tullahoma Police say that Nelson robbed the victim of jewelry and other valuables. Investigator Butler noted that police are continuing their investigation into the abduction/kidnapping and additional charges are possible. Nelson is being held under a $250,000 bond in the Coffee County jail. Billy Joe Nelson’s court date will be set later.

A public hearing has been scheduled for 5 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 8, at the Coffee County Administrative Plaza to discuss zoning issues that would allow a second rock quarry to open in Hillsboro. The Coffee County Commission will meet at 6 p.m. with an agenda that includes a resolution to change the zoning of property owned by Wright Paving Contractors LLC to a high-impact industrial zoning so that the company can begin operations. A second resolution on the agenda would increase the price for reclamation bonding of all new mining operations from $2,500 per acre, not to exceed $95,000 per project, to $4,000 per acre, not to exceed $200,000. The hearing and commission meeting will be held at the Coffee County Administrative Plaza at 1329 McArthur St. in Manchester.

Tracy Carmen Thacker... Photo by Barry West

A trial date of Feb. 19 has been set in Coffee County Circuit Court for Beech Grove resident Tracy Carmon-Thacker. She is accused locking her mentally challenged sister in a shed adjacent to her residence. The sister had no running water in the shed. Thacker was charged with willful abuse, neglect or exploitation of adults and two counts of aggravated kidnapping. Winchester attorney Floyd Don Davis represents Carmon Thacker. Jeff Ridner will be prosecuting the case.

About 7% of Tennesseans previously receiving jobless benefits have been dropped for failing to verify that they were searching for work. That’s according to an audit by the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development reported in the Chattanooga Times Free Press. New rules that went into effect on Sept. 1 require Tennesseans receiving jobless benefits to document at least three job searches a week. State Sen. Jack Johnson was a sponsor of the bill. The Franklin Republican said the requirements already have saved the state. Tennessee pays a maximum of $275 a week for those who lost a job through no fault of their own.

Doctors who treat TennCare patients are getting a New Year’s pay raise. The Chattanooga Times Free Press reports practitioners in family medicine, general internal medicine, pediatrics or a related subspecialty will start to be reimbursed at Medicare rates. On average, that is more than 25 percent above what they are paid now. TennCare officials say that the boost will give qualifying Tennessee doctors an extra $55 million over the next two years. Providing doctors an incentive to treat TennCare patients is important, because health experts expect the rolls to expand a lot next year. That’s when the requirement that everyone have health insurance kicks in. The state must submit a plan for the reimbursement boost for federal approval. The increases will be retroactive to Jan. 1.