Category: News

The family of Leo Paul Massicotte III is offering a $5,000 reward to locate the Manchester man who has been missing since July 3, 2011.
He was last seen when he was dropped off by his girlfriend near the AEDC property off of Skinner Flat Road in Manchester.
He was last seen wearing a brown T-shirt, cut-off blue jean shorts and Timberland work boots. He is 6 ft 1” tall, weighs between 180 to 200 lbs. He has hazel eyes and short brown military-style hair cut.
He is the father of six children, three of whom live in Manchester. The other three live in Florida.
“We are extremely concerned about finding him and fear for his safety,” his mother Elizabeth Drawdy stated. “We are desperate for information to find him and have tried every resource to locate him.”
Massicotte’s family is offering a $5,000 cash reward leading to locating him, with no questions asked.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Crime Stoppers at 461-8888 or Manchester Police Detective Ray Stewart at 728-2099. Or you can contact private investigator Larry Flair Sr at 615-519-4800.
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A Tullahoma man who was scheduled to appear in federal court Monday for sentencing on charges of receiving child pornography failed to show up. An order was issued by a federal judge for the arrest of Denver Cole of Tullahoma. A 24-count indictment was issued by a federal grand jury in July 2011 against Cole for receipt of child pornography in interstate commerce by means of a computer. Reportedly, Tullahoma Police located Cole Monday morning at Harton Hospital.

The warmest March on record statewide is having its downside in the form of insect-borne diseases.
The Tennessee Department of Health has identified 74 cases of Rocky Mountain spotted fever statewide by mid-May. That’s three times the rate at which the disease was found last year during the same time span.
In Hendersonville, 7-year-old Kaitlyn Stetzer spent almost a week in the hospital with what doctors believe was Rocky Mountain fever. Her parents never saw any indication of a tick bite.
The disease can be fatal, but is highly treatable when detected early.
Health officials urge people to check themselves frequently for ticks, use insecticide and be aware of symptom that include fever, joint pain and a rash.

On June 1st and 2nd the Wartrace MusicFest will feature plenty of Bluegrass, Blues, and Bar-B-Q. Plus, music fans 18 years and older have an opportunity to consume as many Little Debbie Oatmeal Crème Pies as they can eat in 45 seconds.
In addition to eating his or her fill of crème pies, the winner will walk away with a $100 gift certificate. Registration for the contest is from 5 to 6 PM and the competition begins at 6:00 PM. As an appetizer, the first 600 people through the gate will receive a Little Debbie Oatmeal Crème Pie.
Friday night is all bluegrass night from 6pm-midnight with The Gallagher Trio, Lonesome Valley Grass, Just Thrown Together, Tom Brantley & Missionary Ridge, Golden Hollow Bluegrass, and Friday Night Orphan Brigade.
Saturday night is a blues bash with Nashville’s Bad Moon Blues Band, Soul Patch, the Andy T Band featuring James ’Nick’ Nixon, The Midnight Special Band featuring Bobby Cochran, and the McKenzie-Fox Band. Admission is $5 per night with children under 12 free. Rough camping sites are available, alcohol is prohibited, and bringing your own lawn chair is encouraged. For a copy of the eating contest rules and regulations, and vendor and camping information call 931-389-6144. Additional information and directions are available at www.wartracemusicfest.org

With an estimated nine billion mouths to feed by 2050, the future of farming depends on America’s youth. Organizations like the Coffee County Future Farmers of America (FFA) Chapter help turn these ag youth into community and industry leaders who will be able to meet the challenges of our growing population. Thanks to one local farmer and America’s Farmers Grow Communities, Coffee County FFA can continue to help its members learn the proud tradition of American farming.
Grow Communities, sponsored by the Monsanto Fund, gives farmers the opportunity to win $2,500 for their favorite local nonprofit organizations. As we reported first on WMSR, Sammy and Amala Morton were the winning farm family in Coffee County. The Morton Family saw the financial need of their local FFA and chose to give back to the Coffee County Chapter.
“The FFA is the youth of what we do for a living and I think it’s great for the community to enrich the future of farming,” said Sammy Morton. “We are very grateful to the Monsanto Fund for this opportunity.”
Coffee County FFA will use the $2,500 to purchase a new sprinkler system and lights for the school greenhouse, and to help fund its Alumni Scholarship Program.
“We had a number of needs for the chapter so we were delighted to hear that the Morton family selected us,” said Adam Willmore, FFA advisor. “We’ll use the funds for travel, scholarships and other programs that will allow students to further their ag education.”
In a ceremony held on Thursday, May 10 at Central High School, the Morton family got the chance to present the Coffee County FFA chapter with the $2,500 donation.

Music City Roots FREE Memorial Day Lunchtime Party

What better way to celebrate the heroes that fought for our freedom, than with FREE music and FREE stuff

WHEN
Monday 5/28 – Memorial Day
Noon-2pm

WHERE
John Roberts Nissan
I-24 exit #114 in Manchester

WHAT’S GOIN’ ON

• Free show by the Volunteer String Band
• Free Vietti Chili dogs…served by Aly Sutton, the Vietti Chili girl
• Drawings for Free CD’s, T-shirts and other cool swag compliments of NISSAN

• Register to win free tickets to Music City Roots on a free luxury shuttle from Manchester
• Can be heard Live on WMSR

Music City Roots, is a weekly, two-hour radio show that revives the historic legacy of live musical radio production in Nashville. Music City Roots showcases Nashville’s astonishing music scene, from country and Americana to more progressive interpreters of tradition — a “roots and branches” format that brings together fans of different tastes and generations.

A woman accused of embezzling more than $60,000 from her employer entered a guilty plea in Coffee County Circuit Court last week. 60-year-old Carolyn Bell Jones of West Doak in Manchester pled from taking the money from Vickers Concrete Reinforcing, Inc. between 2004 and 2011 while she was working as the company’s bookkeeper. She was sentenced to ten years in prison but will be required to serve 365 days in the Coffee County Jail and will remain on probation for 15 years. Jones will also be required to pay $238,000 in restitution to her employer. The TBI investigated the theft. Assistant District Attorney Marla Holloway prosecuted the case and Campbell Smoot represented Jones.

An 18-year-old Manchester man is free on a $39,500 bond after his arrest Friday. Alex Jacob Dalton of Madison Street was arrested after police were called to the Ambassador Inn in Manchester to investigate burglaries involving two vehicles. According to a report by Manchester Police officer Fed Lee, Dalton ran but was caught, and officers found him to be in possession of burglary tools.

Coffee County sheriff’s investigators are still waiting on results of an autopsy of local car dealer Mike Thompson. The 45 year-old Thompson died May 6 in a swimming accident at a home in Coffee County. Apparently Thompson dove into a pool at his residence on Fairview School Road and did not come back up. Meanwhile officials with the business say that they will continue to operate the Ford dealership on Highway 55. Robert North is the General Manager; Thompson’s mother, Brenda Mehring, will be involved in the dealership.

A key figure in the Tennessee Walking Horse scandal aimed at trainers involved in “horse soring” is set to plead guilty in Chattanooga today.
Jackie McConnell is due to appear before Federal Magistrate Court Judge Bill Carter.
According to papers filed in Federal Court, he will plead guilty to one count and all other charges will be dismissed. A 52-count indictment had been issued against him, Jeff Dockery, John Mays and Joseph R. Abernathy. Abernathy and Mays are also set to appear in court today.