Category: News

Gas prices have steadily declined since November 1, when the national average was $3.51. The current national average is $3.26, 25 cents less. Prices in the Southeast region followed the same trend. On November 1, regular unleaded gasoline averaged $3.34 in the Southeast, since then the average has dropped 20 cents to $3.14. Some areas in the Southeast have already seen gas prices dip below $3 a gallon. A barrel of oil settled Friday at $86.73 on the New York Mercantile Exchange—80 cents more than the week prior. The national average price of regular unleaded gasoline is $3.26, 9 cents less than last week. Tennessee’s average price of regular unleaded gas is $3.05 falling 8 cents last week. Here in Coffee County some discounters are offering regular gas for $2.89 in Manchester per gallon. In Tullahoma the low price is $2.93.

49 year old Jerry Butcher a Warren County man accused of raping a teenage girl last year pled guilty to the crime in Warren County Circuit Court and was sentenced to ten years in prison. Butcher must serve the entire ten years with no chance for parole. Butcher will then be listed on the state’s sexual offender registry for the rest of his life. Butcher and the victim were co-workers at a local nursery, when he followed the girl inside a building and sexually assaulted her. He then reportedly warned her not to tell anyone.

Hurricane Sandy was a hurricane that devastated portions of the Caribbean and the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States during late October. Aerospace Testing Alliance (ATA) recently offered employees a chance to help victims of Super Storm Sandy. Employees donated vacation hours and ATA turned it into cash for the victims along the upper east coast. The employees gave a check for $14,695.36 to American Red Cross CEO Mike Cowles. Damage in the US is estimated at over $63 billion and 131 people lost their lives.

A 28-year old Murfreesboro Police Officer has passed away. Officer Adam Pewitt died at his home on Friday of natural causes. Pewitt lived in Manchester. Adam became a Police Officer with the Murfreesboro Police Department in 2008 and was a United States Marine Veteran from 2002 until 2006, serving one tour of duty in Iraq. Adam earned his Associate Degree in Criminal Justice from Motlow State Community College and was continuing his education for his Bachelor’s Degree. Adam is survived by his wife, Sarah B. Griffin Pewitt and his four year old son, Connor Pewitt of Manchester.

Motlow College will close for the Christmas and New Year holidays at 4:30 p.m. on Dec. 24, and will reopen on Jan. 2, according to college officials. The closing applies to computer labs, libraries and other facilities at all Motlow College sites, which include the Moore County campus and the Fayetteville, McMinnville and Smyrna centers. Spring classes begin on Jan. 17. Students enrolled at Motlow this semester can register now for spring 2013 classes and are encouraged to do so, said Greer Alsup, director of admissions and records at the college. “Registering now will increase students’ chances of getting their preferred classes and schedules,” she said. “We also encourage new and readmit students to submit applications for admission or readmission as soon as possible because they can’t register for classes until admission requirements have been met.” New and readmit students must submit applications for admission or readmission by Jan. 9, with online applications accepted until midnight on that date. Online applications may be accessed from the “Apply Now” button on the college website. Students interested in earning high school and college credits for courses in the Dual Enrollment Program and those enrolling in the ACE Program (Adult College Express) also are required to apply by Jan. 9. For more information, call 1-931-393-1500 or 1-800-654-4877.

A court-ordered mental evaluation will delay a prosecution decision on whether to seek the death penalty for Donnie Frank Jones, Jr. in the July kidnapping, rape and slaying of Tullahoma nursing student Megan Sharpton. District Attorney Mike Taylor says that his office still is considering whether or not to filing of a notice that prosecutors will seek the death penalty. The 37-year-old Jones of 1912 Bel-Aire Drive in Tullahoma is charged with first-degree murder, especially aggravated kidnapping and aggravated rape. He pleaded not guilty during a Franklin County Circuit Court hearing in November and remains in the Franklin County Jail without bond. Franklin County Sheriff Tim Fuller says that the evaluation has already started.

Tullahoma Parks and Recreation director Kurt Glick, briefed city leaders recently about the a Frisbee golf course and how city-owned land adjacent to East Middle School could be used to accommodate an 18-hole disc golf course. The recreation director stated that the course would probably cost approximately $35,000 to develop. But he pointed out that much of the work could be done by the Public Works and Parks and Recreation departments, cutting the price in half. Glick said that in recent years interest has grown in disc golf to where more than 3,000 courses have been built in the United States with a limited number in Canada and Mexico. He noted that the sport is played much like real golf. Frisbees are used instead of golf balls. Glick said cement pads would be required where traditional tee boxes would go and be the brunt of the project’s expense. The sport also requires the equivalent of golf cups, but instead would have special type baskets to catch the Frisbees. An 18-hole disc golf course extends about two miles. The city board will review the idea later.

Officials have announced an end to the five-day strike affecting approximately 1,100 workers, including several from Coffee County at the Goodman facility in Fayetteville. According to the Elk Valley Times,
Union members voted on Thursday to approve a negotiated agreement. Passage of the agreement required a simple majority of union members. The strike ended immediately upon ratification, and employees were able to return to their regular scheduled shifts at Goodman starting Thursday night. Union officials and Goodman representatives were able to reach an agreement that offered several equitable benefits, including a combination of wage increases and medical coverage contributions that are favorable to both groups.

Tullahoma City Schools Director Dr. Dan Lawson has made the short list for superintendent search in two school systems. Lawson is being considered as a superintendent in Oak Ridge and at Jackson-Madison County Schools in Jackson, TN.
Oak Ridge had planned to fill its position by Dec. 8. However, holiday schedule conflicts led to delays with interviews with the remaining candidates remaining to be scheduled. Meanwhile, the Tullahoma School board is scheduled to receive a list of finalist determined by the state school board association on Jan. 21. the board will offer the job to the new director on Feb. 18, 2013 and an official announce on Feb. 25.

When Arnold Engineering Development Complex Fire Department Chief Daryle Lopes sent an email out to the worldwide fire protection community seeking moral support for a young man battling cancer, to say Chief Lopes was pleased and impressed with the response is an understatement.
Mark Kelly Olson is a 10-year-old boy who was diagnosed with very high-risk, acute lymphocytic leukemia in May and was later adopted by the Arnold AFB Fire Department as their new deputy fire chief. Olson is the son of Mark Olson, an Aerospace Testing Alliance operations controller at AEDC.
“My wife and I are grateful for the outpouring of support for our son, who is also very appreciative,” Olson said.
Chief Lopes’ message to all firefighters said, “Fellow chiefs and firefighters – We have an outstanding opportunity to support a fellow firefighter and a true hero in the true spirit of the holiday season. Please post a picture of your fire department patch and a few words of encouragement on the Facebook page at Go Team Mark Kelly, at www.facebook.com/TeamMarkKelly.”
Lopes, who is a retired Air Force chief master sergeant, said, “The response we got was overwhelming, not just from local departments, but from firefighters around the world, including Air Force, Department of Defense, civilian and volunteer fire departments from everywhere imaginable.”
Kip Luttrell, an AEDC fire crew chief said the one word that comes to mind is family.
Lopes said, “Mark Kelly has been bravely battling the cancer as well as a number of significant complications. He is in and out of the hospital, fighting hard to get better, and he needs us to stand with him. By virtue of his heroic efforts, Mark Kelly has been adopted by the Arnold Air Force Base Fire Department and promoted to the rank of deputy fire chief. Everyone at Arnold Fire is proud of Mark Kelly. We are truly thankful to call such an awesome young man one of our own.”