Category: News

The investigation into the murder of Megan Sharpton is continuing according to Franklin County District Attorney Mike Taylor. The prosecutor stated that investigators for the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department and the TBI have gathered a large amount of evidence in the case and are continuing to gather more. Taylor stated that his office is awaiting results of lab work from the TBI in the case. He stated that investigators are following up on some evidence.
The young nursing student’s burning body was found off of Awalt Road in northern Franklin County on July 2nd. Sharpton lived in Tullahoma.

Tennessee is dedicating more than a dozen law enforcement officers to investigating identity crimes. The Department of Safety and Homeland Security has created a new unit of mostly Highway Patrolmen.
The Safety Department is given specific authority in state law to investigate identity theft. Commissioner Bill Gibbons says the agency has taken on some cases, but not enough. Nationwide, identity theft is on the rise. In Tennessee, the rate of growth is a bit slower.

Law enforcement is warning residents of another letter scam that is making the rounds in the area. The letter will inform you that you are entitled to a settlement from a claim services company from Canada. The address is in Quebec and shows a phone number with a 514 area code. The letter advises the recipient that they are to receive a large amount of money and all they need to do is contact the sender and pay for a processing fee. Then all the recipient has to do is cash the check that has been mailed. The checks in this particular case bear the name England Logistics, INC. and an address of West Salt Lake City, Utah. Captain Frank Watkins of the sheriff’s department stated that there have been various version of this scam making the rounds in Coffee County. He stated that anyone receiving a letter similar to this one to not fall prey to it.

Nissan North America has given Middle Tennessee State University two electric cars and three charging stations to promote the use of 0-emission vehicles.
MTSU officials said Tuesday that the Nissan Leaf cars will go into the university’s motor pool. Students, faculty, staff and campus visitors will be able to use the charging stations. Nissan has an auto assembly plant in Smyrna that is scheduled to begin making lithium ion batteries this fall and to begin producing the all-electric Leaf vehicle in December.

The Old Farmer’s Almanac has hopes for those of you who like cold weather. The publication, which has been forecasting the weather for over 170 years, is predicting winter will be much colder and drier than normal, with the coldest periods in mid- to late December, early January, and early February. Snowfall will be near to above normal, with the snowiest periods in the north in mid- to late December, early January, and mid-March.

Tennessee walking horse groups continue to clash with U.S. Agriculture Department inspectors this week as the industry’s premier event takes place in Shelbyville.
The Tennessean reports that frequently during the Celebration, USDA inspectors have issued citations where independent inspectors and an independent veterinarian found signs of soring. Soring is the illegal practice of causing injuries to a horse’s legs or hooves to exaggerate the high-stepping gait that wins prizes.
On Monday night, USDA inspectors cited Winky Groover, a trainer who recently appeared in newspaper and television reports explaining what’s being done to clean up walking horse shows.
Groover disputed the UDSA’s finding.
Inspectors are under pressure to put an end to soring after a graphic undercover video released in May showed horses being beaten and sored with chemicals.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Four runaway juveniles from Manchester were taken into custody around 2pm Tuesday afternoon. The four teenagers allegedly ran away from Coffee County High School on Monday when they were seen entering a cornfield. Coffee County Rescue Squad and Coffee County tracking dog, Deputy Griff, entered the field just before dark Monday and then searched. The teens were identified as William Campbell, Josh Cox, Hannah Fryman and Rachel Irving. They were spotted in the Pelham area Tuesday morning by a couple of individuals. Deputies were notified and converged on the area. After leading law enforcement in Coffee and Franklin Counties around the area of Pelham and Roarks Cove area of Franklin County, they ended up on Dean’s Shop Road in Franklin County and then back into Coffee County where they were taken into custody. They were transported to the Coffee County Jail.

Graphic testimony was presented during a preliminary hearing for Thomas “Tommy” Allen who is accused of murdering Meagan McGuinn March 8, 2012, at her Harton Boulevard apartment in Tullahoma. Tullahoma Investigator Ty Brazier testified in Coffee County General Sessions Court that an autopsy of McGuinn revealed she was stabbed in the head, neck, jugular, trachea, liver, lungs, 5 to the legs and hands. The cause of death was listed as sharp force trauma. After listening to the testimony, General Sessions Court Judge Jere Ledsinger bound the case to the October term of the grand jury. After the hearing, Allen was returned to a cell in the Warren County Jail where he is being held for safety reasons.

Just after 6:00pm Monday afternoon, a red Toyota pickup was traveling south on Murfreesboro Hwy. The Manchester man attempted a left turn into Hill Top Gas Station and lost control jumping the curb. The small pickup became wedged on the curb and a light pole. The driver and the passenger were checked out by EMS and both refused to be transported. Manchester PD worked the scene.

It’s not exactly the news people want to hear days before a holiday weekend, but gas prices have gone up. In Tullahoma the average price per gallon of gasoline yesterday was $3.49 a gallon, while in Manchester it is $3.50….But that’s 23 cents lower than the national average, with is sitting at $3.73 per gallon. With soon-to-be hurricane Issac heading towards the coast, prices could even spike even higher in the coming days. In anticipation of the storm, oil companies are evacuating their rigs in the Gulf of Mexico. Experts’ estimate 75 percent to 90 percent of gulf oil production could be shut down.