Category: News

Norma and Tommy Wright, Wright Paving Co. Inc., and Custom Stone LLC have won in a court ruling over a proposed rock quarry. The city of Shelbyville has been ordered to reverse a zoning decision and pay legal costs.
The battle has been going on for years including a multi-million dollar lawsuit against the city as well as its Board of Zoning Appeals, planning commission, and former codes and planning director, Ed Dodson.
The city, BZA and planning commission are accused of violating due process, inverse condemnation, unconstitutional taking, negligence and creating an unconstitutional “floating” zone.
The lawsuit arises from a prolonged dispute over a proposed stone quarry that the Wrights want to build on their property in Shelbyville.
State Appellate Judge Patricia J. Cottrell has ordered the Shelbyville Board of Zoning Appeals to consider the Wrights’ 2004 application at the earliest possible date and has remanded the case back to the chancery court to see if they are entitled to any legal fees.
Cottrell wrote that over the past eight years, the city has blocked the Wrights’ efforts to have the application considered. “In effect, they the Wrights have not had their bite of the apple.
Wright Paving Co. Inc. and Custom Stone LLC have been attempting for years to build a quarry in Hillsboro. The Coffee County town is already the home of one quarry. Grady Wright of Wright Paving Co. Inc. and Custom Stone LLC says their hope is to bring competitive business and good paying jobs to Coffee County. Those proposed to the idea complain it would bring down property values and bring to much dust and noise to Hillsboro.

At 3pm Wednesday afternoon a two vehicle accident occurred on Hwy. 41 north at Betsy Willis Road.
A 2004 Chevy Silverado driven by Regina Fultz, 43, of Estill Springs was attempting to turn left on Betsy Road, when a 1996 Oldsmobile Cutlass driven by Stephen Levan, 45, of Tracy City crossed into oncoming traffic and struck the Silverado. According the state trooper on the scene Levan blacked out prior to crash.
Levan, along with his passenger Gary Levan also of Tracy City, were taken via Coffee County EMS to Medical Center of Manchester for treatment of injuries. Two other people in the Fultz Silverado, Rebecca Stovall, 36, of Estill Springs and a one year-old child were not hurt in the accident.
Levan was cited for no insurance.

A Middle Tennessee family is offering a $1,500 reward for information on the mysterious disappearance of two Bedford County children.
Chloie Leverette, 9, and Gage Daniels, 7, were first thought to have died in a house fire that claimed the lives of their grandparents Molly and Leon McClaran on September 23.
An Amber Alert was issued after investigators were unable to find their remains.
Donations to the reward fund can be made at Regions Bank in Eagleville or Shelbyville.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the TBI at 1-800-TBI-FIND.

The father of a 19-year-old Tennessee man credits God for giving him the strength to climb up a 30-foot ravine with a broken shoulder and a broken leg after spending three days trapped near the wreckage of his pickup truck.
Tyler Campbell was spotted Tuesday by a truck driver who saw him lying beside Interstate 65 in Limestone County, just south of the Tennessee border.
Authorities had been looking for Campbell since he was reported missing over the weekend.

Tullahoma has received another Aa2 bond rating from New York-based Moody’s Investors Service Inc., keeping the city at the forefront among communities its size with good credit. Sue Wilson, city finance director, said that Tullahoma had refinanced some of its debt several years ago to capitalize on better interest rates to save money and Moody’s had upgraded the city’s standing from an A1 rating to Aa2 in 2010. Moody’s said the rating could go down if the tax base and wealth levels were decreased, reducing reserve funds and increasing the debt burden. When the city decided to refinance some of its debt in July, the main goal was to reduce a major spike in its debt obligations by moving toward refinancing a 2002 bond issue that could save a $1 million payment increase in the 2018 fiscal year.

Tennessee Democratic leaders say they plan to talk with Gov. Bill Haslam about expanding pre-kindergarten classes after the state’s education commissioner said he doesn’t plan to request funding for an expansion. Commissioner Kevin Huffman spoke during the governor’s budget hearings. Haslam has asked state departments to develop plans for a 5% cut in spending as a fallback. The Commercial Appeal reported Huffman said expanding enrollment in schools and inflation will require an additional $2 million in routine cost increases. House Democratic Caucus Chairman Mike Turner told The Associated Press on Wednesday that pre-K is needed and that he plans to talk to the governor and consider legislation to expand it. Tennessee’s voluntary pre-K program has not been expanded since 2008.

Manchester Police received a call Wednesday afternoon of a home burglary at 805 Sedgefield Court. The homeowner had suspected a neighbor had been taking items from his home. The owner had parked his automobile away from his home but was in his home when someone began knocking at the front door. The man knocking did not get an answer so he went to the backdoor. The person walked into the home where he was met by the homeowner who was carrying a pistol. The owner ordered the man to the ground and called police. Manchester Police officer John Hollins arrived at the scene and talked to the suspect who admitted that his was there to steal items. He also said he had taken items before and pawned them locally. Hollins arrested 19 year-old Joshua Smith who lives next door at 807 Sedgefield Court. Smith, charged with aggravated burglary was booked into the Coffee County Jail and is now free on a $5,000 bond.
Previous stolen items were recovered.

Tennessee State Parks announced its annual FREE state parks day for all Tennessee veterans on Monday, Nov. 12, offering one free night of camping and complimentary greens fees for 18 holes of golf with appropriate identification.
The free day on Nov. 12 is in addition to Tennessee State Parks’ current veterans’ policy, which includes a camping discount within the state parks system and is available annually beginning November 1 through March 31, offering a 15 to 25 percent reduction off the standard nightly base rates (depending on the type of site chosen). This camping discount is available to Tennessee residents showing proof of prior military duty.
A special state park discount also is in place for active duty military personnel and members of the Tennessee National Guard. This year-round discount is given to all U.S. military – regardless of their branch of service or where they are stationed. Disabled veterans also are eligible for the Tennessee State Parks year-round ADA discount that provides a 25 to 50 percent discount for campsites.
Tennessee’s 54 state parks and 82 natural areas span the state from the Appalachian Mountains to the Mississippi River.

U.S. drivers should see lower gasoline prices in the fourth quarter of this year. The national pump price is expected to average $3.56 per gallon during the period said the U.S. Energy Information Administration in its new monthly short-term energy outlook. That’s down 4 cents from what the agency projected in last month’s forecast. The low price per gallon currently in Manchester is $3.09 and in Tullahoma it’s $3.12.

In Cannon County, Liquor Stores are coming to the Woodbury City Limits now that 55.45% of the registered Woodbury City voters voted yes on the issue. 407 voters gave the green light while 327 voters (44.55%) voted no. Again, liquor stores will soon be a part of the community in Woodbury.