Category: News

Early voting starts today (Friday July 13, 2012) and 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 foget to bring a your photo ID.

Erika Megan Sharpton

As investigators from the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department and the TBI continue to investigate the murder of 24-year-old Megan Sharpton, her family is establishing a reward for the arrest of the person or persons who killed her. Meagan’s sister, Leah Sharpton, says a benefit car wash is planned for this weekend.  Auto Pride number two (located between A-1 Pawn and Lyndsey’s Boutique on Jackson Street) will host the fundraiser Saturday from 10:00 – 2:00.  T-shirts will also be sold.  All money raised will go to the reward fund.  Anyone wanting to contribute to the reward fund may do so by sending the donation to the Megan Sharpton account at any branch of American City Bank. Sheriff’s investigators have interviewed a number of people in Coffee, Franklin and Bedford Counties. Franklin County Sheriff Tim Fuller stated that he feel that there are people out there who saw Megan on July first who haven’t come forward and told us about seeing her. Meanwhile, Leah Sharpton stated that she hopes that anyone who saw her sister on that day will take time to call the sheriff’s department.

Residents in Coffee County were treated to the bizarre scene of a train antique box car off the track tearing down phone and power lines.
Pulling over a 40,000 pound antique was a first for Coffee County Deputy Jim O’Neil. According to News Channel 5, O’Neil said that when he stopped the tractor trailer carrying the box car, it looked like it might fall off the back. The big rig was hauling the box 1983 model railroad car from Carthage and it was Lee Flippo’s job to get it to the railroad museum in Cowan, Tennessee.
Flippo took a rural route to avoid traffic and town, but soon discovered that the box car was a bit much for the narrow country roads. Deputy O’Neil stopped him after neighbors complained service lines were ripped down.
The antique boxcar did indeed make it safely to the Cowan Railroad Museum and the trucking company said it will fix any damage done to the road or power lines.

Coffee County Ambulance director John Cathey and Ambulance Authority chairman Jimmie Bradford recently revised an agreement with the Tullahoma Fire Department by adding another category of medical emergencies for which the fire department’s first response team will be dispatched with the ambulance. While city officials were grateful for the change and unanimously accepted it, some feel that the addition is somewhat overdue, as well as inadequate. Tullahoma Fire Chief Richard Shasteen said this still leaves 20 other medical categories that EMS and the Ambulance Authority still will not include in the agreement. If the first responders are dispatched immediately with the ambulance, Shasteen said his crew could sometimes reach the scene several minutes before the ambulance arrives, and can begin CPR and other methods to stabilize the patient until the ambulance has time to get there.

(L-R) Tiffany Clutter, George Plaster and Rob Clutter... Photo by Barry West

George Plaster at a press conference in Manchester... By Barry West

Nashville sports talk show host George Plaster will return to radio this month after being off the air for almost a year.
Plaster will join Thunder Radio beginning July 23 and host “Sports Night” from 3 to 6 p.m.
George has been a mainstay in sports radio for nearly 20 years.
Thunder Radio provides great sports programming like Coffee County High School athletics and Friday Night Thunder (a pre-game and post-game show heard on at least 10 other stations, but produced live in our studio.) WMSR also broadcasts nearly 20 college football games per season, along with Titans football and Predators hockey.
Station owner Rob Clutter said in Wednesday’s press conference, “When one thinks of sports talk, it’s difficult to not think of the name George Plaster. His familiar voice, experience, and welcome interaction with his audience will be a great addition to the airwaves of southern Middle Tennessee.” He added that WMSR Thunder Radio is certainly proud to be George’s new home!
Plaster left 104.5 The Zone in September 2011 after the station was purchased by Cumulus Broadcasting. He previously worked at 99.7 WTN (the former WMSR-FM) before leaving that station in 2003.

Two people were flown to Vanderbilt Medical Center after a two-vehicle crash Tuesday afternoon on Riley Creek Road.
According to a report by Tennessee Highway Patrolman Duane Stevens, a 2007 Ford Taurus operated by Christopher Tucker, 19, of Shelbyville collided with a 2005 Nissan Quest van operated by Tracy Barfield, 41, of Tullahoma. According to the trooper, Tucker was traveling on Frank Halin Road and failed to stop at a traffic stop and pulled in front of the van on Riley Creek Road. According to the Trooper Stevens, Amber Merlo, 19, and, Joshua Lloyd, 20, were flown to Vanderbilt for treatment of their injuries. Another passenger Amy Merlo, 30, was transferred to Harton Regional Medical Center for treatment of injuries. Tucker was charged with DUI, while Amber Merlo was charged DUI by allowance.

Earthquakes are a natural disaster not many know they could affect the mid-state, but emergency responders are making sure they’re ready in case of a catastrophic emergency. All this week the Coffee County Emergency Management Agency, several state and local agencies have been working together to practice an emergency earthquake drill. Crews are practicing a scenario where the New Madrid fault line a major seismic zone near Memphis, creates a 7.7 magnitude earthquake. The drill focused on managing lifesaving supplies, establishing emergency communications at the state and local level and tracking the movement of medical supplies to local hospitals.

Bell Buckle residents have been fed up with rusty tap water for years, and now they’re taking their clams to court.
On Tuesday, a group of residents filed a lawsuit against the city. The Bedford County city installed new water lines, but residents insisted the problems continued.
The city of Bell Buckle declined to comment, citing the pending lawsuit, but city leaders said they test the water regularly, and insist it is safe.

The American Red Cross recently issued a national blood appeal, but the severe storms in the Midwest and mid-Atlantic areas may severely impact the ability to build the blood inventory back up to sufficient levels in many locations.

Power outages, fallen trees and other storm impacts mean that blood donors have been unable to get to blood donation centers and blood drives. Dozens of Red Cross blood drives have been cancelled, resulting in the shortfall of nearly 1,700 units of blood and platelets.

The Red Cross is calling on all eligible blood donors – now more than ever – to roll up a sleeve and give as soon as possible. All blood types are needed, but especially O positive, O negative, B negative and A negative in order to meet patient demand this summer.

Upcoming Blood Donation Opportunities

Call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit redcrossblood.org to make an appointment or for more information. A blood donor card or driver’s license, or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental permission in some states), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.