Category: News

Local farmers and gardeners have certainly welcomed the recent rains with open arms, as have those whose yards are brown. But the rains that have suddenly become frequent have done very little to help lake levels at Normandy Reservoir. As of yesterday, lake levels at Normandy were at 865.42 feet. That is actually down slightly from 865.50 that was recorded at 1 a.m. Sunday. It is also down from the 866.25 that was recorded earlier this month. The desired summer pool is 875, according to the Tennessee Valley Authority. The dam, as of Tuesday, was releasing 149 cubic feet of water per second, which is slightly down from 150 that was being released earlier this month. TVA officials say that is a small amount for the non-power-generating dam. “We’re trying to keep it as low as we can to meet downstream requirements,” officials added. “The outlook is not very good for rain and runoff, so the reservoir levels will continue to fall.”
So far, the public is not being asked to limit water usage at this time.

Average retail gasoline prices in the Coffee County area have risen 2.3 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $3.04/g yesterday. This compares with the national average that has not moved in the last week to $3.42/g.
Prices yesterday were 51.5 cents per gallon lower than the same day one year ago and are 7.1 cents per gallon lower than a month ago. The national average has decreased 11.0 cents per gallon during the last month and stands 24.7 cents per gallon lower than this day one year ago.
Prices are as low as $3.03/g in Manchester and $2.97/g in Tullahoma.

The next time you swipe your credit or debit card, you may be charged a fee. Businesses can now charge customers a fee for using a credit card for a store purchase or transaction. The idea of charging customers for a credit transaction is the result of a $7.25-billion lawsuit settlement with Visa and MasterCard merchants. The National Retail Federation says that retailers pay about $30-million annually in credit card fees.
Some businesses in Coffee County already ask customers to spend a minimum amount before using credit cards.

A commander says Arnold Air Force Base in Tennessee is vital to the overall Air Force mission.
Gen. Janet Wolfenbarger of the Air Force Materiel Command praised the work done at the Middle Tennessee base and its Arnold Engineering and Development Center. The center has recently been redesigned as a complex as part of an AFMC re-construct that consolidates the command’s centers from 12 to five. Wolfenbarger said Arnold will continue to be critical to the command’s mission of providing war fighter support.
The newly designated complex is the country’s largest complex of flight simulation test facilities. The complex has 30 active test cells at the base.

The woman convicted of stabbing Middle Tennessee State University basketball player Tina Stewart to death has been sentenced to 29 years total in prison.
Rutherford County Circuit Court Judge Don Ash on Tuesday sentenced Shanterrica Madden of Memphis to 25 years for second-degree murder and four years for tampering with evidence, with the sentences to be served consecutively
Judge Ash said during sentencing that he did not find her credible or remorseful, during the trial or in her statement read before the court Tuesday.
Madden was convicted in May of second-degree murder in the March 2, 2011, death of Stewart, at an off-campus apartment they shared.

Early voting continues through July 28. Those voting in Manchester can do so at the Coffee County Election Commission office. Those who want to vote in Tullahoma can vote at C D Stamps Center. Saturday hours are 8:30 to noon in Manchester and 9 to noon in Tullahoma. Weekday hours are 8 to 4:30 in Manchester and 9 to 4:30 at C D Stamps Center. Don’t forget to bring your photo ID.

Saturday night (July 14, 2012) Corporal James Sherrill of the Coffee Co. Sheriff’s Department along with Agent Wendell Norton and Deputy George Dodson went to 3900 Powers Bridge road just outside Manchester to execute a search warrant for meth products. The officers recovered 8 one-pot cooks and numerous other items used to cook meth. The subjects appeared to have been cooking at the residence for some time. The case is to be presented to the Coffee County Grand Jury.

A Franklin County man is charged with TennCare fraud and obtaining a controlled substance by fraud.
The Office of Inspector General (OIG) has announced the arrest of Alfred Hill, 54, of Decherd, after a joint investigation with the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office. Hill is charged with one count of TennCare fraud and two counts of obtaining a controlled substance from a local pharmacy by means of fraud.
TennCare fraud is a Class E felony, carrying a sentence of up to two years in prison. Obtaining a controlled substance by fraud is a Class D felony that carries a sentence of up to four years in prison per charge. District Attorney General J. Michael Taylor is prosecuting.
The OIG, which is separate from TennCare, began full operation in February 2005 and has investigated cases leading to over $3.5 million paid in restitution and recoupment to TennCare, with a total estimated cost avoidance of over $173 million for the TennCare program, according to latest figures. To date, over 1,600 people have been charged with TennCare fraud.
Through the OIG Cash for Tips Program established by the Legislature, Tennesseans can get cash rewards for TennCare fraud tips that lead to convictions. Anyone can report suspected TennCare fraud by calling 1-800-433-3982 toll-free from anywhere in Tennessee, or log on to www.tn.gov/tnoig and follow the prompts that read “Report TennCare Fraud.”

A CNBC report ranks Tennessee’s transportation system as one of the best in the nation for the third year in a row. According to CNBC’s 2012 study “America’s Top States for Business,” the state ranks fourth best in America in the category of “Transportation and Infrastructure,” and is the only state topping the list that has no transportation debt.
Many states across the nation carry transportation debt, and must allocate a large portion of their funds to interest payments.
“This is significant as we are the only top-ranked state without any transportation debt,” said the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) Commissioner. “The next state on the list without debt was ranked 19th. Tennessee is a ‘pay as you go’ state and TDOT will continue to do our part in upholding Governor Haslam’s vision of running an effective and efficient government.”
The CNBC report scored all 50 states on 40 measures of competitiveness, including the vitality of each state’s transportation system. Tennessee also ranked well in the categories of business friendliness and cost of living. This is the sixth year the news network has performed the study.

Tennessee lottery officials say the lottery has set another record with more than $323 million raised this year for state education programs.
They announced Monday that the figure is a 10.2% increase over last year’s then-record of $293.4 million. Officials said this year marks the eighth consecutive record-setting year.
According to data from the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation, which oversees lottery-funded programs, more than 600,000 scholarships have been awarded to in-state education institutions since the lottery’s inception in 2004.
Total education funding since then stands at more than $2 billion.
The lottery had more than $1.3 billion in total sales this year, surpassing last year’s record of $1.2 billion.