Outside Manchester's Ravago... By Barry West
Ravago Manufacturing Americas has purchased 16-acres behind its current facility located in the Coffee County Interstate Industrial Park for future expansion. According to Industrial Board of Coffee County Executive Director, Ted Hackney, the company is expected to purchase additional equipment this fall as well as adding a few new jobs. The company currently employs 130 at the plant.
Local law enforcement continues on alert for a man accused of attempting to lure children into his red pickup truck Friday in Wartrace.
“We’ve been looking all over the county and haven’t found him yet,” Sheriff Randall Boyce said.
The man approached two groups of children near the intersection of Hill and Vine Streets, Boyce was told.
“A guy pulled up in an old, red pickup truck and offered them some strawberries,” Boyce said.
“There were two groups (of children). One was a kind of young group,. He tried to get them to get in the truck and they wouldn’t. He went over to the older group and they wouldn’t get in either.”
The children gave a somewhat vague description to officers.
Boyce said, “They said it was just a red pickup truck driven by an older gray-headed guy. –Shelbyville Times-Gazette-
AEDC 1st Lt. Charmeeka Scroggins talks to students about the way work was done at AEDC in the 1950s and 1960s during the Smithsonian Exhibition at the Cowan Railroad museum
But many things regarding the way AEDC employees worked have changed, and some of them are being shown off during an exhibit at the Cowan Center for the Arts.
As part of the Smithsonian Exhibit “The Way We Worked,” which wrapped up a visit to Cowan recently, AEDC set up a booth with photos, historic information and instruments that were commonly used during the 1950s and 1960s.
The Smithsonian exhibit explores the diversity of the American workforce and dramatic changes in work environments and conditions throughout the years. Cowan is one of six towns in Tennessee to feature the exhibit.
Cowan Railroad Museum board member Patricia Ann Underwood said after they learned the exhibit would be coming to town, they started looking for area businesses that could contribute to the exhibit. In addition to reaching out to Aerospace Testing Alliance (ATA), Arnold Engineering Development Center’s operating contractor, they were able to get displays for other area landmarks such as Falls Mill, the University of the South and Kokomo Grain Company. The museum board members also had to develop a companion exhibit about Cowan to go with the Smithsonian’s.
The goal of the Smithsonian exhibit was to help the Cowan Railroad Museum and to make it a better museum for people when they come through.
The Better Business Bureau of Middle Tennessee warns consumers and businesses of a new phishing email scam making the rounds within the last few days.
This emails appear to be coming from AT&T Wireless from an “AT&T Customer Care” address, stating that the recipient’s wireless bill is ready for viewing and encouraging them to click on links to view the alleged bill, pay online, and download a smart phone application to manage the wireless account. However, the links lead to a third party website that downloads a virus onto the recipient’s computer instead.
BBB contacted AT&T to confirm that the emails are not originating from their company.
The emails appear to have been totally random in who they are sent to. They have gone to businesses as well as individuals. There is no indication that BBB Accredited Businesses are being targeted.
The spammers’ goal is to get as many email recipients as possible to click on the link within the email which redirects to a website infected with malware. If you clicked on the link within these emails, your computer is likely to be infected. The criminals then use that malware to transfer money out of bank accounts or obtain additional email addresses.
The two things people can do right now to prevent being victimized by this scam or other phishing scams:
Install good anti-virus software on your computer(s) and get regular updates of virus definitions several times a day.
Never click on links in emails that have come to you unsolicited.
If you have clicked on a link in one of these emails, delete the email and your trash folder, and run a complete system scan of your computer or network.
(L-R) Zachary Duncan and Kayla Smith
The Subway card winners this week are:
6th grader – Roberto Crisanto
7th grader – Michael Partin
8th grader – Jeremy Varden
Staff member – Donna Robinson
All of this is made possible through the Fuel Up to Play 60 Grant. Helping kids make healthier food choices and be more physically active for a healthier life!
Charter Business Account Executive Kimberly Lush presents the award to Kaylee Skipper
This week’s Charter Business Student Athlete of the Week is seventh grader Kaylee Skipper. The Coffee County Middle School Softball Player was chosen not only because she had a great week on the mound as a pitcher and also at the plate as a batter but also due to her leadership on and off the field. It’s also said she is a team player and would produce regardless of the position she’s asked to play.
Five Coffee County residents were arrested on federal sealed indictments. Richard Anthony, Audrey Williams, William Williams, Timothy Baltimore and Jeff Hill were named in sealed indictments on charges conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamines of more than 500 grams. They were transported to Chattanooga where they appeared before a federal magistrate who ordered them held without bond. The arrest of the five was the joint operation between the Manchester Police, Coffee County Sheriff’s Department and the Federal Drug Enforcement Agency.
Fireman looks for more fire and smoke... By Barry West
Manchester Fire Department responded to a fire call Friday night at 9:45pm at the Budget Motel on the Hillsboro Blvd. When fire and other emergency vehicles arrived they found smoke coming from the roof of the building. Most of the damage was the left side of the building and especially room 109 where the fire apparently started. No one was in the room at the time the smoke and fire began. No injuries were reported and an investigation continues into the cause.
Manchester Firemen investigate motel fire... By Barry West
A Tullahoma man from East Coffee Street has been charged with statutory rape after allegations surfaced regarding him and a 17 year old. According to a report by Tullahoma Police Officer Daryn Gadeken, Craig Patrick Barabas, 37, of East Coffee Street was charged with statutory rape of a 17-year old girl. The officer was called to a report of an unruly juvenile. When he arrived the father of the girl advised him that he had been having problems with his daughter and that she had admitted to him that she had been have sex with the man. The case was turned over to Investigator Harry Conway who talked with the teenager and she admitted to “several sexual encounters” between the start of spring and April 16. Barabas was arrested by the investigator and charged with statutory rape and placed in the Coffee County Jail under a $10,000 bond. He is to appear in general session court May 3.
Arnold Golf Course
Golfers who enjoy playing at the Arnold Golf Course will not need to find a new place hit the links. Despite talk about the course closing. According to the AEDC Director of Public Affairs, there are no plans to close the golf course. That, however, has not always been the case. The spokesperson said that the course operates on a “break-even cost model. As part of a process to determine where costs could be reduced. The course’s financial situation has since improved in recent times and the facility is no longer on the chopping block. Officials say that the drop in the number of golfers playing at Arnold over the past two years to Mother Nature’s effect on the property. They say that weather and disease to the greens was not kind to Arnold Golf Course in 2010 and early 2011.
