Category: News

Accusations of horse abuse at the Walking Horse Celebration grew louder on Friday as federal inspectors disqualified more horses. The Humane Society of the United States called the event a conspiracy and a cover-up. This has been the most contentious celebration in years partly because insiders in Shelbyville sued the U.S. Department of Agriculture over the way it inspects horses. The USDA has the final say in inspections. This year it disqualified dozens of horses. In response Friday morning, the industry defended itself. “Reform in this industry, it is serious. There are serious people doing serious things,” said Jeff Howard with the Tennessee Walking Show Horse Organization. The Humane Society said it firmly believes the majority of high-stepping horses suffer from some sort of abuse. “That is an unnatural, illegally-induced gait. Horses don’t walk that way”. But the Horse Protection Act, the law guiding the industry, disagrees with that statement. They contend that the horse’s distinctive walk they may be achieved through patient, careful training. Some owners promise that kind of training helped their horses. The Humane Society wants the government to revise the Horse Protection Act to give inspectors access to the training process. That could be the one thing to which both sides can agree. On Saturday night “Walk Time Charlie” was named World Grand Champion horse at the 74th Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration in Shelbyville.

Coffee County Sheriff’s investigators say a Hispanic festival at St. Mark’s Catholic Church in Manchester Sunday resulted in an accident. According to information that investigators gathered at the church, each year during the festival, people climb an old utility pole. This year was no different, but apparently too much weight was put on the pole, and it fell. The pole landed on Mary Morales, 31, who was taking pictures of the activities. According to Sheriff Steve Graves, when the pole fell it struck the woman in the head. When paramedics arrived at the church and checked Morales’ injuries they requested a medical helicopter land at the church and transport her to Vanderbilt. But due to severe weather that was in the area, no helicopter was able to fly Sunday. Coffee County Ambulance Service to Vanderbilt Medical Center where she underwent treatment for her injuries transported her was she is listed in critical condition.

The University of the South was given approval last week by the planning commission to tear down the existing Sewanee Inn and rebuild it with a 47,000 square foot facility. Work is expected to start this month in the small Franklin County town of Sewanee. The University of the South is also redoing the golf course behind the inn.

As you can imagine, the magnitude of love and support shown after Rod’s passing is far-reaching.
My family would like to begin thanking the people of Manchester and others by a simple message.
I would like to say, “To the good people of Manchester, Central Funeral Home, the employees of the City of Manchester and Manchester police dept. and the employees of Coffee County and the Coffee Co. Sherriff dept., all Coffee County volunteer fire Depts, Tullahoma Fire Dept., AEDC Fire Dept and most of all, Manchester Fire and Rescue, Mrs. Rod Ballard (Bonnie) and the Ballard family thank you for your overwhelming outpouring of love and support during our time of grief.”

Thank you, Mrs. Rod Ballard (Bonnie)

The man accused of murdering two men in a Tullahoma motel in October 2010 is scheduled to go on trial January 3rd in Coffee County Circuit Court. Marcus Wade is being held in the Coffee County Jail under a $1,000,000 bond on the charges. Wade is accused of murdering 34-year-old Timothy Wayne Gill and 50-year-old Richard Wayne Elliott in a motel room on North Jackson Street. In addition to first degree murder, Wade is also charged with two counts of aggravated robbery of the two men.

The Tullahoma Kiwanis Club air show and fireworks is expected to go on in 2013, but what entertainment will be offered depends on the financial shortfalls.
This year’s extreme heat led to low attendance, greatly reduced donations, leading to more than a $9,000 shortfall. Mike Rutherford, who is the Kiwanis Club’s Independence Day coordinator, the club has reduced the deficit to about $5,000. The club has received approximately $1,000 in personal donations and vendors have contributed, corporate donations have been made and patrons have paid for advertising related to the show. Rutherford said aviation rules require that having fireworks on airport property require an air show be held. He noted that entertainment has increased expenses.

More than the usual number of Tennessee Highway Patrol cars and motorcycles were parked at the Coffee County Justice Center yesterday. General Sessions Judge Tim Brock issued subpoenas for all of the troopers who issued tickets during Bonnaroo to be in attendance. That meant that troopers from as far away as Memphis had to make the trip to Manchester to attend yesterday’s court proceedings. Many of the tickets were dismissed. Several people called into “Straight Talk” on Thunder Radio after Bonnaroo to complain about how they were treated by out-of-town THP officers during the June event.

A dispute between Tennessee walking horse owners and a national animal advocacy group intensifies as the major horse show of the year plays out in Shelbyville.
The Humane Society of the United State has posted a new video on its website in which a trainer convicted of intentionally soring horses is interviewed.
Barney Davis says on the video that the only way to win at the National Walking Horse Celebration is to sore the animals to walk with an exaggerated gait.
Celebration officials say the claims made by the 39-year-old Davis are false.
The Chattanooga Times Free Press reported Celebration officials fault the society for allowing horse abuse to continue for 11 months at a Collierville stable where an undercover operative was secretly taking video to document it.

As kids are now back in school, some cafeterias have introduce revamped menus.
The menus offer nutrient-rich flavored milk, and more whole grains, fruits and veggies, all in line with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s new school lunch regulations. All flavored milk will be fat free, and lower in calories and sugar than ever before.
Despite these positive advances and the essential nutrients milk offers children, school milk consumption continues to decline for the third year in a row and kids are falling far short of the recommended servings of milk each day.
Registered dietitian Carolyn O’Neil says, “Flavored milk is the most popular choice in school lunch rooms and students drink less milk when it is not offered”. O’Neil added “it’s important that kids learn how to make food choices in the lunch room to develop skills that last a lifetime.”O’Neil continued, “By providing a variety of nutritious and delicious foods – like fat free chocolate milk — we’re teaching kids good decision-making to ensure that lunch doesn’t end up in the trash. Flavored milk is a win-win on the lunch tray”.
For more info, visit milkatschools.com.

The Tennessee Department of Safety says it has initiated the department’s second “No Refusal” enforcement campaign beginning at 6 pm Friday (Aug. 31).
“No Refusal” is the latest enforcement strategy aimed at deterring impaired driving and reducing fatal crashes on Tennessee roadways. The new law, passed this year by the General Assembly, allows law enforcement officials to seek search warrants for blood samples in cases involving suspected impaired drivers.
In years past, a person could refuse testing unless he or she had prior convictions or there was a serious injury. The new enforcement allows the district attorneys to seek a warrant regardless of objection. A sound application based on probable cause is required.
The targeted enforcement will focus on 16 counties where impaired driving and fatal crashes have increased in 2012. The counties are McMinn, Meigs, Roane, Campbell, Robertson, Rutherford, Shelby, Tipton, Jefferson, Sullivan, Cumberland, Warren, Bedford, Lincoln, Chester and Weakley.
In Tennessee, the preliminary number of alcohol-related crashes has increased 8.7 percent through the first seven months of 2012, compared to that same time period last year. The number of DUI arrests made during that time increased by 29 percent.
In addition to the “No Refusal” program, motorists can also expect sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols in other counties across the state for routine holiday enforcement.