Category: News

Tennessee has a new college savings plan officials hope will help students afford a higher education. Governor Bill Haslam and several state officials announced the “TNStars College Savings 529 Program” on Tuesday. Under the program, Tennesseans who open accounts with at least $50 will receive a one-time $50 match from the state. Those who roll over their account balances from other 529 college savings plans, including the state’s prepaid plan, will get $100. The program also has other benefits, such as federal tax-free earnings if the money is used for higher education expenses. About four years ago, the state partnered with Georgia to start a college savings plan. The new one is specific to Tennessee. Haslam praised the plan as a “great opportunity for Tennesseans who want to attend college.”

A federal judge in Chattanooga has sentenced a Tennessee walking horse trainer who was caught abusing horses in an undercover video to three years’ probation and fined him $75,000.
The video shows Jackie McConnell and others applying caustic substances to horses’ legs and hooves and beating the horses to make them stand.
The process is called soring and is used to enhance the horses’ high-stepping gait.
Stable hands Jeff Dockery and Joseph Abernathy were sentenced to one year probation and ordered to write an article about soring at the hearing Tuesday.
The Chattanooga Times Free Press reports that McConnell cried as he read a statement saying that he takes responsibility for what he did.

Junior Miss Coffee County 6-8 year-olds

4th #22 Parris Pless, 3rd #6 Jalie Grace Davis, 2nd #15 Lilee Scott, 1st #8 Kyleigh Morgan, Winner #1 Marli Brynn Miller

Junior Miss Coffee County 9-12 year-olds

4th #2 Macy Tabor, 3rd #11 Madison Golden, 2nd #14 Madison Murray, 1st #13 Bailey Nicole Keel, Winner #20 Kylie Reece Phillips

Thursday, September 20
7:00 PM Amateur Karaoke Contest-Final Round

Ride special: 2 for 1
1 Person Pays Full Price
2nd Person Rides Free

This Saturday will be the first ever antique tractor parade for tractors built in 1965 or before. The parade will go from CCMS to the fairgrounds.
Registration is at 8 a.m. on Saturday at the middle school. Participants are encouraged to display an American Flag from their tractors.

Here is a follow-up to a story we told you about yesterday. Three people were treated at a hospital for injuries, and a fourth person was arrested following a two-vehicle crash Sunday night. According to a report by Tennessee Highway Patrolman Tommy Lyles, around 9:30 p.m. Tiffany Fults, 18, of Hillsboro lost control of the 1997 Pontiac Sunfire that that she was driving on a curve in Prairie Plains Road. After losing control of the vehicle, the car traveled sideways, skidded and struck a utility pole. The Sunfire then reentered the roadway and was struck by a 1993 Ford F-150 operated by Harold Fults, 57, of Hillsboro. Both vehicles then traveled into a ditch. Tiffany Fults was flown to Vanderbilt Medical Center for treatment of her injuries by Air-Evac medical helicopter. According to a spokesperson for the hospital, she was released Monday. Passengers in the Fults vehicle, Tabatha Fults, 18, of Hillsboro and Dallas Massey, 18, of Manchester, were transported to Manchester Medical Center for treatment of their injuries. Harold Fults was not injured. He was transported to the Coffee County Jail where he was charged with DUI, three counts of reckless endangerment, reckless driving, no seatbelt, registration violation, no insurance and driving an unregistered vehicle. He was released after posting $75,000 bond. Harold Fults is scheduled to appear in Coffee County General Sessions Court Oct. 23.

What started out as a legitimate Internet transaction resulted in a Tullahoma man being a victim of a scam. The man reported to Tullahoma Police Officer Rocky Ruehling that he posted an electric generator on Craig’s List on the Internet. He received an email agreeing to purchase the generator for $615. The victim then received an email from the customer telling him that they had sent too much money for the generator. The victim was requested that he wire them the difference between the purchase price and what was sent, which he agreed to. He later received three money orders totaling $2,962.50. The Marbeth Lane resident took the money orders to Regions Bank and was told that the checks were valid. So he returned the difference to the customer. His bank later notified him that the checks were counterfeit, and that he would be liable for the money.

A study of the state’s TennCare program found the number of uninsured Tennesseans has dropped to 9.2%, the lowest percentage since 2005.
The number of uninsured adults decreased from 12% in 2011 to 11.2% this year. The number of uninsured children increased slightly from 2.4 to 2.7%, but still remains low.
The telephone survey of 5,000 heads of household by the University of Tennessee’s Center for Business and Economic Research found 93% of TennCare recipients are satisfied with the program. About 70% said their own care was either “good” or excellent,” while 80% rated their children’s care in 1 of those two categories.

Life Care Centers of America honored Travis Hillis, senior executive director of Life Care Center of Tullahoma, with its Eastern Division President’s Award, on Monday, Sept. 10.

Hillis received one of two President’s Awards for the Eastern Division, presented for distinguished service in the long-term health care management role. He has overseen the building since 2010.

“Travis came into our facility, saw what needed to be done and did it,” said Diane Cook, licensed practical nurse. “He did it in a fashion no staff member could object to – the right way. He expressed no partiality. He speaks to all residents, associates and visitors alike. I have been in health care for more than 30 years, and I had never seen an administrator who knows each staff member and resident by name.”

Hillis was also praised for his mentorship of other Life Care administrators as senior executive director.

Fourteen President’s Awards are presented annually to leaders of overall successful facilities or organizations within Life Care. Criteria for winners include at least two years of service with Life Care, adherence to the company’s mission and values statement and successful financial performance.

Life Care’s Eastern Division includes 41 skilled nursing and rehabilitation facilities in Tennessee, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.

Life Care Center of Tullahoma is located at 1715 N. Jackson St.

Founded in 1976, Life Care is a nationwide health care company. With headquarters in Cleveland, Tenn., Life Care operates or manages more than 220 nursing, post-acute and Alzheimer’s centers in 28 states.

The Coffee County Sheriff’s Department is hosting its 14th Annual Fishing for Christmas Tournament October 13, 2012 at Normandy Lake. The tournament will be held from 7:00am to 2:00pm at the Barton Springs Boat Ramp, this is where the weigh in will held as well. The tournament will give prizes away for Bass, Bream, and Crappie in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd places and children’s category for the biggest fish. Tickets may be purchased at the Coffee County Jail located at 300 Hillsboro Boulevard, Manchester, TN, or at the boat ramp the morning of the Tournament. This tournament helps the sheriff’s department support several local children and families.

LITTLE MISS COFFEE COUNTY

4th #4 Skylar Nevaeh Logan,

3rd #18 Brynlee Faith Davis,

2nd #13 Sadie Beth Davenport,

1st #8 Lily Irene Duke,

Winner #6 Abigaile Dawn Vandergriff

Wednesday, September 19
9:00 AM Senior Citizens Program
5:00, 7:00, & 8:30 PM Nick’s Kids Show
7:00 PM Jamie Harden’s Ultimate Oldies

This Saturday will be the first ever antique tractor parade for tractors built in 1965 or before. The parade will go from CCMS to the fairgrounds.
Registration is at 8 a.m. on Saturday at the middle school. Participants are encouraged to display an American Flag from their tractors.

A Georgia man is facing charges in connection with the burglary of a Manchester restaurant. According to Billy Butler, Manchester Police Chief Investigator, suspect Harold L. Wiley is being held in Austell, Georgia, in connection with the theft of money from El Portrillo Mexican Restaurant located in Manchester. According to Butler a hole was cut into the back of the business, and the thief entered the business and took over $5,000 in cash. According to the investigator, the person suspected of committing the crime used his credit card to purchase black pants and gloves at Wal-mart before the burglary. “Watching the surveillance video, we can track the suspect from Wal-mart to the Mexican restaurant,” Butler said. He stated that since the individual used his credit card, police were able to track the man to Georgia. Investigators from the Manchester Police Department went to Austell, Georgia, and served Wiley with an arrest warrant and were able to recover a large portion of the money as well as burglary tools used in the El Portrillo Restaurant burglary. According to Butler, Wiley had targeted Mexican Restaurants in Middle Tennessee, as he had printed out locations of Mexican restaurants across the mid-state. Wiley is awaiting extradition to Manchester to face the charges.