Category: News

Elk River Public Utility District employees have been working on Cedar Lane to relocate gas utility lines in preparation for the widening of that street. Because of the work Tullahoma Police are asking motorists to slow down when driving through the area. Mayor Lane Curlee and Public Works Director Wayne Limbaugh agree that in the coming weeks employees will be working near the Forrest Gallery Shopping Center and drivers should slow down to accommodate their situation. In addition to Elk River’s gas line work, the project involves moving Tullahoma Utilities Board’s electrical and broadband communications lines, and broadband communications lines by Charter Communications and AT&T Corp. Plans are to have the project ready to go to bid sometime in May. They added he expects the project to be completed in late summer 2013.

Joshua Luke Mitchell

Marion County Deputies have arrested a man wanted for child rape. Authorities in the east Tennessee had been looking for Joshua Luke Mitchell since last Sunday. Authorities believed he had fled the state, but Sheriff Bo Burnett says Mitchell was spotted by State Troopers Thursday evening on Highway 41. Burnett says Mitchell was arrested shortly before 7:30 p.m. behind the Riverside Catfish House after a short foot chase. Mitchell is accused of raping a four-year-old girl he was reportedly babysitting. He is a registered sex offender in Texas, North Carolina, and Alabama.

Remembering the life of Chad Crabtree... By Barry West

Family and friends of Chad Crabtree remembered the 17 year-old with candlelight ceremony outside Coffee County High School on Friday night. The very much loved Crabtree passed away due to leukemia that he was diagnosed with 2 years ago.  100’s were in attendance to share stories about Crabtree’s life.

Jacqueline Allen... By Barry West

The Emcee for the night was Jacqueline Allen. Singers also performed: Leah West HS Student, Karen Wainwright Westwood Teacher sang Amazing Grace and members of the high school choir also paid tribute. A eulogy was given Kathey Allen Westwood Teacher and close friends of Chad.
Funeral services were held yesterday at Westwood Jr. High where Chad attended school at one time with hundreds packing the Joel Vinson Gym.

Rest In Peace Chad... By Barry West

Culinary Arts Students from Coffee County Central High School took part in an end of year “Practical Exam” luncheon at the Manchester Coffee County Conference Center on Thursday. Chefs Michael Osborne and Bart O’Dare are mentors for several of the students that participated in the meal.

The Lunch featured a five course meal with:

Fire Roasted Tomato Bisque

Salad Maison in Pastry Ring

Southwest Style Margarita Sorbet

Italian Stuffed Breast of Chicken resting in Marinara Sauce with a Crispy Risotto Cake and Tuscan Grilled Vegetables

Dessert: Oreo Mousse Pie with Dark Chocolate Ganache and White Chocolate Garnish

The Student Chefs were: Marcelo Aguilar, Katie Gipson, James Jones, Tiffany Cislo, Megan Shepard and Dylan Brown.

Chad Crabtree from the Facebook page "Cheering for Chad

17-year-old Chad Crabtree has passed away. Crabtree loved by so many was a ninth-grader at Westwood Junior High in Manchester when he was diagnosed with leukemia.
A candle lighting ceremony tomorrow at Coffee County High School beginning at 8pm.
A Facebook page named “Cheering For Chad” was created over a year ago to leave messages of encourgement to Chad. The page was almost 4,ooo members strong. Many more notes were left yesterday for Chad’s family and friends.

Heavy smoke comes after fire takes down building... By Barry West

Firefighter work on Thursday afternoon blaze... By Barry West

A fire call came out around 3:30pm Thursday afternoon for a structure fire at 378 Lakeview St. in Manchester. There was some confusion as to whose fire it was, the City or the county. The City responded and Volunteer Departments were notified also. Upon arrival the out building behind the house was fully involved. The fire was extinguished, but it was a total loss. This fire will be under investigation

Despite fears of a shut-down by state fire marshals during their recent inspection of the Coffee County Jail, the results were apparently better than expected. In addition to the 20 men and five women that the Tennessee Department of Correction removed this week, Jail Administrator Capt. Pam Freeman told the county commission’s jail committee that General Sessions Judge Jere Ledsinger has approved the early release of nine local inmates incarcerated on misdemeanor charges, bringing the prison count down to 228, exceeding the jail’s official capacity by only 32 inmates. Despite overcrowding at the current 196-bed jail, with the population fluctuating up to 300 at times, Sheriff Steve Graves says that staffing levels have never been increased from the roughly 22 officers currently employed there. Graves said the outside work detail is also an important way to reduce the gang fights, bullying and stealing of food in the overcrowded cells, which create constant disruptions for corrections staff. CTAS is currently conducting a study for the needs of the proposed new jail. While the study is not yet complete, Graves told the Jail Review Committee that Jim Hart of CTAS had made reference to the poor visibility of high-rise designs, such as that of the Hamilton County Jail, which required a much higher ratio of corrections officers to inmates.

On Wednesday April the 18th at approximately 11:00am Franklin County Sheriff’s Office personnel conducted a search warrant at 5372 Rock Creek Rd. Estill Springs, TN. The search of the residence and the premises led to the discovery of approximately 3 ¼ lbs. of what was believed to be a schedule VI narcotic (marijuana) and various drug paraphernalia. Also seized was $460.00 in U.S. currency. There is an ongoing investigation concerning this matter and criminal charges are anticipated in the near future.

A proposal that increases the penalty for drunken driving when a child under 18 is a passenger in the vehicle is headed to the governor for his consideration. Under present law, a person arrested for DUI with a child under 18 in the vehicle is sentenced to a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 days and a fine of $1,000. The proposal requires such incarceration be served consecutively with any sentence for convictions of DUI, vehicular assault, vehicular homicide, or aggravated vehicular homicide.

State education officials are urging Tennesseans who have not earned their GED diploma to take the test soon.

That’s because effective Jan.1, 2014, the test will cost more, must be taken on a computer and will have major content changes.

According to a news release from the Tennessee Department of Labor Development, the 2014 test will be more rigorous in general and require higher level math proficiency.

The current test fee averages $65. In 2014, the fee will be a minimum of $120.

Last year, more than 12,000 Tennesseans earned GED diplomas. The state still has about 1 million adults without a high school diploma.