Category: News

Coffee County authorities are continuing to investigate a robbery Saturday night of the Lank and Nick’s store located in Hillsboro. According to a store clerk, a black male walked into the store wearing a dark hoodie and armed with what appeared to be a rifle. He demanded money, and when the clerk gave it to him ,he fled on foot. An arrest of a local juvenile was made on Sunday.

Both vehicles severely damaged in Friday accident... By Barry West

3 people hurt in Friday night crash... By Barry West

A two-car crash occurred Friday night at approximately 9:30 on McArthur Drive in Manchester. A black Cadillac was in the turning lane traveling west in front on Ascend Federal Credit Union and a white Dodge traveling east in the left lane collided almost head-on. According to Manchester Police it appears that the Cadillac veered into the path of the Dodge.
The male driver and the lone female passenger in the Dodge were airlifted to a Nashville hospital. A male driver was the only person in the Cadillac and refused transport by ambulance and was taken by police to United Regional Medical Center for a toxicology report. The man later requested treatment on his injured foot and leg.
Police say alcohol was possibly involved and charges could be pending.

Coffee County investigators Saturday night busted another meth lab, this time in Manchester. The lab allegedly was being operated by a father and son. Deputies took Joshua Lee Phipps and his father, Danny Lee Phipps, and booked them into the Coffee County jail. The Coffee County Sheriff’s Department searched the home on Hendrixson Drive and found the meth lab as well as marijuana plants.

County non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rates for June 2012 show the rate increased in all 95 counties. Tennessee’s unemployment rate for June rose to 8.1 percent, up from the May revised rate of 7.9 percent. The national unemployment rate for June 2012 was 8.2 percent, unchanged from May. The state unemployment rate is seasonally adjusted while the county unemployment rates are not. Seasonal adjustment is a statistical technique that eliminates the influences of weather, holidays, the opening and closing of schools, and other recurring seasonal events from economic time series. Williamson County continues to have the states lowest rate at 5.9% tied with Lincoln County. Scott County has the highest rate at 18.5%. Coffee County climbed to 8.2% from 7.7 in May. Bedford County rose by over 1% going from 8.8 to 10.2%.  Cannon Co. went up 0.8 to 8.5 in June. Franklin County also went up from 7.9% in May to 8.9 in June. Grundy County had a difficult month rising 1.6 to 11% in June. In Warren County unemployed workers are now at 9.9% after having 8.8% unemployed in May.

Murfreesboro Police arrested a suspect on an outstanding warrant in Coffee County and also charge the man on drug possession. Authorities went to a home in the 14-hundred block of Dodd Trail in Murfreesboro in reference to a subject on Rutherford County’s Most Wanted list. Officer Levy spotted a vehicle, fitting the description of the one thought to be used by suspect Jeremy McCullough. The officer also reviewed the photograph of McCullough on the sheriff’s department Android app. When the subject arrived at the address, Levy made a stop and the suspect was placed under arrest. McCullough told the officer there was a spoon behind the front passenger seat with drug residue. A passenger reported to Levy that McCullough had been using oxycontin without a prescription. Further checks showed an active warrant out of Coffee County for McCullough. He was taken to the Rutherford County Adult Detention Center. The 29-year old will also face additional charges of possession of a schedule four drug and drug paraphernalia.

We now have more on the Wednesday morning crash on I-24 near Beechgrove and the Coffee County line. 21-year-old Danielle Ivanchuk, a Missouri mother, was killed and her infant was critically injured in a single-vehicle crash Wednesday morning on Interstate 24 south of Murfreesboro. The Tennessee Highway Patrol said the driver of the vehicle, 21-year-old Andrew Ivanchuk, may have fallen asleep behind the wheel, overcorrected and traveled off the road and into the tree line. A report out Thursday afternoon stated the infant had died, though, Friday morning Vanderbilt officials explained the baby girl remained in critical condition and was not deceased. Andrew Ivanchuk, the baby’s father and driver, was treated and released at Middle Tennessee Medical Center. No charges were immediately filed.

Show grounds at Shelbyville

As the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration draws nearer, horse show officials have announced they plan to give away $10,000 in cash during nightly drawings throughout the show. Each night in center ring at 8:30 p.m. there will be a drawing in which participants can win from $500 to $3,000 per night. “This promotion is being funded by local individuals, financial institutions and businesses. Interested folks should register at sponsor locations (to be announced) and be present at the show during the drawing. The show will be held Aug. 23 through Sept. 1. For more information call (931) 684-5915. -Shelbyville Times Gazette-

Dustin Blackwood performs... By Barry West

The Fraternal Order of Police held its fair last week wrapping up yesterday at the FOP event grounds on the Old Tullahoma Hwy. Hundreds and hundreds enjoyed the carnival, petting zoo, fireworks and entertainment. After holding a carnival for several years the FOP decided to have a fair this year and with the large crowds the fair was deemed a big success. Plans are now underway for next year.

Rides a big hit at the FOP Fair... By Barry West

Middle Tennessee State University is launching a new education doctoral degree program aimed at improving student achievement. The university said the program is the first of its kind in Tennessee and will begin in fall 2013. The new Doctor of Education in Assessment, Learning, and School Improvement degree was approved Thursday by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission. The Tennessee Board of Regents approved it earlier this year. The degree program will train educators to make best use of data on student learning and pinpoint areas needing attention as well as validate successes. There were 397 students who earned advanced degrees in education from MTSU in 2010-11.

Student performance on the 2012 Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program improved significantly in school districts across the state. Nearly all of the state’s 136 districts saw proficiently levels increase, and two-thirds improved in every subject of the 3-8 TCAP Achievement tests. District proficiency levels reveal major improvements in math skills. More than 50 districts saw double-digit growth over last year in Algebra I, with some reporting gains greater than 30 percentage points. Additionally, 23 districts saw double-digit growth in grades 3-8 math.