Category: News

Students in the children’s drama class at Motlow College are practicing their roles for The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, which will open on Thursday, Nov. 1 in Eoff Hall on Motlow’s Moore County campus, according to director Debbie Zimmerman, an associate professor of communications and chairman of Motlow’s Humanities Department.

Performances for the public and area school children are scheduled for 10:45 a.m., 12:30 p.m., and 7 p.m. on Nov. 1, and 9 and 10:45 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. on Nov. 2, 7, 8 and 9.

A reception, open to the public, will begin at 6 p.m. on Nov. 1, followed by the 7 p.m. performance. Zimmerman said special guests will include former Motlow students who were in previous Wizard of Oz productions at the college in 1982 and 1995. Students who were in other plays at the college are invited, also.

The play marks the 30th children’s production that Zimmerman has directed at the college, and her last. She said she wants to give other Motlow theatre teachers the opportunity to work with children’s drama productions.

The play includes characters and some scenes from the 1939 Wizard of Oz movie, but follows the storyline of Frank Baum’s book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, which was first published in 1900.

Although there is no admission charge to the Motlow performances, reservations are required and can be made by calling 1-931-393-1700.

A College Street Elementary School teacher Gary Wilson Hawkins, 32, was booked into the Coffee County Jail on charges of child abuse Friday night.
Hawkins turned himself into the jail Friday with his attorney present. He is now free on $25,000 bond.
A witness came forward to authorities and described excessive bruises on Hawkins’ 12-year-old daughter’s back and buttocks area, according to Coffee County Sheriff Steve Graves. According the arrest warrant, the child suffered small abrasions on her buttocks, back, rear thigh, arms and hands. “The bruising was still apparent approximately 20 hours after the alleged incident,” the warrant states.
The warrant alleges that Hawkins “spanked” the child for making three “C’s” on her report card.
Sheriff’s investigator Jason Dendy who is investigating the incident presented the evidence to District Attorney General Mickey Layne, who instructed Dendy to obtain a warrant in the case.
Dr. Prater Powell Director of Manchester City Schools said Hawkins teaches CDC (Comprehensive Development Classroom), or special education, for grades four through six at the school.
Powell says that Hawkins is not at school this week. Powell added that Hawkins told Dr Lisa Yates the principal at College St. Elementary he was taking the week off.
Powell said he is working the school system attorney on what options the system has.
Hawkins appeared in Coffee County General Sessions Court Monday but his case was continued until Nov. 26.

A 19-year-old Manchester man was flown to Erlanger Medical Center in Chattanooga after being involved in a single vehicle crash Monday around 12:30 p.m. on Cat Creek Road in Manchester. According to Tennessee Highway Patrolman Carl Seagroves, Michael Christopher Campbell, 19, of Archery Lane was driving his 1990 Nissan 300 easterly on Cat Creek too fast for the roadway and lost control and hit a tree. The crash partially ejected Campbell. Members of the Manchester Fire Department and personnel from the ambulance service removed him and he was flown to the Chattanooga hospital for treatment.

It was a bittersweet night Friday for the family of Megan Sharpton, the nursing student that was murdered in July. Sharpton’s friends and classmates accepted their nursing degrees at the Highland Hills Church of Christ in Tullahoma.
Kelly Sharpton, Megan’s mother stated that Megan worked hard for this. She wanted this, she wanted to be a nurse and she was on her way before her life was stolen. Sharpton’s burned and beaten body was found in a Franklin County field July 2. Her mother, who accepted Megan’s diploma Friday, said her daughter’s loss affects more than just her family.

A Warren County mother who pleaded guilty to beating her handicapped 6-year-old son with a belt has been sentenced to 90 days in jail.
According to the Southern Standard, Lara Almeda Stevens, 28, entered guilty pleas this week on charges of misdemeanor child abuse and violating her probation on a previous domestic assault charge.
Judge Bart Stanley ordered Stevens to serve 90 days of an 11 month, 29 day sentence with the balance to be spent on probation.
According to police, Stevens faced charges for beating her 6-year-old and her 11-year-old sons.
In police warrants against Stevens, investigators said the mother was in a rage, upset about a boyfriend that was in trouble, and took out that rage on her children.
The incident was reported in August, which police said was witnessed by family members.
Police said in addition to assaulting her handicapped child, Stevens reportedly struck his 11-year-old brother with an extension cord while he was asleep.

A Shelbyville man died Monday morning after being shot in his home Sunday night. Bedford County investigators say they’re working on leads. 25-year-old Joshua Clark, was able to tell Bedford County deputies two men forced their way into his home and robbed him. Bedford County Sheriff Randall Boyce said Clark wasn’t actually robbed, but the suspects took an undetermined amount of marijuana from the home, which contained a growing operation. The suspects are described only as one white male and one black male, Sheriff Randall Boyce said. Clark told investigators he didn’t know the men. Clark was able to make his way to a neighbor’s home and contact 911. He was shot with a 40-caliber weapon in the stomach and arm.

Coffee County Rescue Squad Halloween party will be held tomorrow, October 31^st from 5:00PM – 9:00PM at the Coffee County Rescue Squad building 2270 Murfreesboro Highway in Manchester.

Please join them for some freaky fun and frightening food!

FREE: Hot Dogs and Candy.

Everyone Welcome!

This is very safe place for children to Trick or Treat.

Questions please call Neal: (931) 212-6005 or Stuart: (931) 212-4564

Jasie and Josie Willis wanted a Halloween-themed birthday party this year, but they didn’t want any presents.
Instead, the sisters, ages seven and nine, wanted to raise money for six-year-old Caden Goodrich, a kindergartner at Hillsboro Elementary school.
Caden was diagnosed with leukemia in June and is currently receiving treatment at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt.
For Jasie, a fourth grader, there’s a deeper connection. She is a cancer survivor too.
Jasie was diagnosed with a rare form of ocular cancer in 2007, and had her left eye removed.
Now she’s cancer-free and eager to ‘pay it forward’ for Caden.
Nashville Predators defenseman Hal Gill also made an appearance at the fundraiser, signing Predators jerseys and posing for pictures.
A fund has been established to help Caden Goodrich and his family at Ascend Federal Credit Union in Manchester. WKRN-TV

Coffee County Children’s Advocacy Center is organizing the 5th Annual Safe on the Square, a safe and family friendly trick-or-treating event for children on the historic Manchester Square. This year’s event is Wednesday, October 31st from 2:30 PM-5:00 PM. Over 60 local businesses will be passing out treats for the kids and there will be some special activities including face painting, games, and more along the way. A new addition to this year’s event will be a costume parade. Between 3:30 and 4 PM, the Manchester Police Department will be escorting a costume parade of all the kids around the square! Thunder Radio, WMSR will be playing Halloween music throughout the afternoon from the stage and will be helping kick off the parade. For information, call the CCCAC at 723-8888.

A teacher at College Street Elementary School in Manchester was booked into the Coffee County Jail Friday night on charges of child abuse.
Charges are against 32-year-old Gary Wilson Hawkins who was accompanied by his attorney when he turned himself into the Coffee County Jail Friday night.
According to Coffee County sheriff Steve Graves, charges were brought against the teacher after witnesses came forward describing excessive bruises on Hawkins’ young daughter. The sheriff stated that the bruising was on the girl’s buttocks and back.
Investigator Jason Dendy conducted an investigation into the allegations and presented that evidence to Coffee County District Attorney Mickey Layne. After reviewing the evidence in the case, the DA then instructed the investigator to obtain a warrant in the case.
Hawkins is free on a bond of $25,000.