Category: News

Unity Medical Center is proud to announce partnership with Blood Assurance for a blood drive in April.

Anyone wishing to donate blood can do so between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Monday, April 12 at Unity Medical Center in the Bloodmobile – which will be located at 481 Interstate Drive.

“As always, we are proud to partner with Blood Assurance for this event to ensure the community has an opportunity to make a difference in the life of someone in need at a critical time,” said Unity CEO Martha McCormick.

Anyone wishing to donate is encouraged to eat a good meal and drink additional water before donating. Please avoid energy drinks and remember to bring your ID.

All donors will receive a t-shirt and donors who give twice in 2-21 will be entered to win a “side-by-side” ATV.

Schedule your donation appointment online at bloodassurance.org/umc412. You can also save time at your appointment by answering health history questions before you arrive at bloodassurance.org/quickscreen

Shelbyville Police Department is asking for the public’s help solving a recent burglary of McGee’s Pharmacy, which occurred on March 24.

The suspect, or suspects, broke a window, gained access to the building and managed to steal a large quantity of Oxycodone.

Anyone with information regarding this burglary is encouraged to contact Shelbyville Police Department Sgt. Sam Jacobs at 931-684-5811 or Crimestoppers at 931-685-4300.

The Tennessee House has passed a permit-less carry law for handguns – dubbed “constitutional carry” by state lawmakers.

The bill now awaits Governor Bill Lee’s signature – which is expected.

House Bill 786 will allow citizens who are legally eligible to carry handguns without first obtaining a permit.

The bill also sets out to strengthen penalties for anyone who steals a firearm, felons in possession of a firearm and dangerous stalkers.

Currently, concealed carry permit holders have the right to carry a handgun, except in restricted areas. Republican lawmakers state that this bill will “extend that same constitutional right to carry a handgun without a permit to law-abiding citizens 21 and older or 18 and older for active members of the military.”

Both Tennessee House and Senate chambers on Monday gave unanimous approval to legislation further strengthening Tennessee’s human trafficking laws. House Bill 116 bars anyone convicted of human trafficking from getting a commercial driver’s license (CDL) in Tennessee for life.

The bill mirrors the No Human Trafficking on Our Roads Act of 2018 signed by President Donald Trump but is stronger because it does not only apply to perpetrators who commit human trafficking crimes while using a commercial vehicle.

House Bill 116 strongly supports a national effort to eradicate the appalling and heinous crime of human and sex trafficking by imposing tough penalties on those who exploit others. More than 11,500 reports of human trafficking cases were reported in 2019, according to the National Human Trafficking Hotline. Unreported cases are believed to be significantly higher. House Bill 116 heads to the governor’s desk for his signature.

The Tennessee Department of Transportation will suspend all interstate construction work this Easter weekend in anticipation of increased holiday travel.

TDOT crews and contractors will stop all road construction work that requires lane closures beginning Thursday, April 1 at 6:00 p.m. through Monday, April 5 at 6:00 a.m. This will provide maximum roadway capacity to motorists expected to travel across the state this holiday weekend.

Motorists will still encounter some long-term lane closures on construction projects that will remain in place. While lane closure activity will be stopped, some workers may be on-site in construction zones and reduced speed limits will still be in effect. Motorists are urged to adhere to all posted speed limits, especially in work zones, for their own safety. Slower speeds are necessary in work zones due to the temporary layout of the roadway and will be enforced.

Do your part to keep yourself and TDOT road workers safe – set your GPS in advance and Know BEFORE You Go, secure your phone in a Hands Free device, and Work With Us by moving over and slowing down when you see vehicles with flashing lights.

Bedford County Sheriff’s Department investigators have arrested Dakota Bryson, age 19, a suspect in an aggravated burglary that occurred in Wartrace on March 19.

Last Wednesday, detectives Trey Green and Chris Brown were able to recover five stolen firearms from the aggravated burglary.

Bryson has been charged with aggravated burglary and theft of property over $10,000.

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Legislation that seeks to protect small business during a state of emergency passed the Tennessee Commerce Committee this week.

“The Covid-19 pandemic presented many challenges for small businesses across the state. Those that were not deemed essential suffered while their bigger competitors were allowed to remain open, ultimately giving government the authority to pick winners and losers in business,” it was stated in a newsletter sent out by state representative Rush Bricken. 

House Bill 855, also known as the “Business Fairness Act,” provides businesses with the assurance that they cannot be forced to close while larger competitors stay open, and also gives businesses the choice to follow any set of guidelines, state or local, that allows them to operate at the capacity that works best for the business to protect their customers and employees.

The bill will need to move to the full assembly and get a governor signature before becoming law. 

For the first time this year, the Tennessee Gas Price Average decreased week over week – falling 2 cents over the last week. The Tennessee Gas Price average is now $2.67 which is nearly 17 cents more than one month ago and 89 cents more than one year ago.

The average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline in Coffee County is $2.56. This is 10 cents below the state average and 30 cents below the national average, which comes in at $2.86.

“Growing stock levels and cheaper crude oil prices are putting downward pressure on pump prices for the majority of motorists,” said Megan Cooper, spokesperson, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “These are positive signs that less expensive gas prices could be around the corner, but not enough to indicate a steady trend just yet.”

Quick Facts

· 80% of Tennessee gas stations have prices below $2.75
· The lowest 10% of pump prices are $2.44 for regular unleaded
· The highest 10% of pump prices are $2.95 for regular unleaded

National Gas Prices

At $2.86, the national average has decreased week-over-week for the first time since November of last year. Today’s average is two cents cheaper on the week. Since last Monday, 45 states also saw their averages decrease or no change at the pump.

Demand is one factor influencing gas prices. The Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported last week that demand was up by 174,000 b/d to 8.6 million b/d. That reading is just 222,000 b/d short of levels one year ago, when demand started to dip. If demand continues to increase, prices could follow. Gasoline stocks also saw a moderate increase with a build of 200,000 b/d. However, refinery utilization hit 82% indicating we could see a larger build in stocks this week, a factor that could help keep pump prices in check.

While a few cents cheaper on the week, the national gas price average is 15 cents more expensive on the month and 84 cents more expensive on the year. Those gaps, as well as stock levels and demand readings, are likely to widen in coming weeks as this time last year gas prices and related factors started to take a sharp turn due to the pandemic.

National Oil Market Dynamics

At the close of Friday’s formal trading session, WTI increased to settle at $60.97. Prices fluctuated throughout the week from a low of $57.76 to a high of $61.55 in reaction to world news, including concerns of new European Union lock downs and tight vaccination supplies throughout local economies. Also affecting the price of crude was news Thursday of a stranded container ship, which continued to block the Suez Canal, a major international oil-supply route. Reports out early today indicate that the ship has partially been refloated. While ships started to re-route last week, oil deliveries could be delayed. This is likely to have limited impact here as US oil production should be able to keep stateside supply balanced and in turn, prices stable until the canal clears.

Both chambers of the Tennessee General Assembly gave final approval to legislation that claims to protect the competitive balance of women’s sports last week.

House Bill 3 aims to ensure that female athletes are not discriminated against by clarifying that participation in public middle and high school interscholastic sports must correspond with a student’s biological gender at birth.

A weekly roundup from Tennessee Republican Rush Bricken states: “Local school districts have a legitimate interest and obligation to ensure they are not creating opportunities for undue injury to children who participate in interscholastic activities and sports. The bill ensures boys are not able to displace girls in competitive events which could deny female athletes’ victories, opportunities or scholarships.”

The General Assembly on Thursday gave final approval for legislation giving Tennessee’s governor the authority to issue an executive order requiring all schools across the state to offer in-person learning.

House Bill 225 gives the governor this authority in the instance of an emergency, which is defined as an “occurrence or threat, whether natural, technological, or manmade, that results or may result in substantial injury or harm to the population, including disease outbreaks and epidemics, or substantial damage to or loss of property.”

In addition to giving the governor the ability to issue the statewide order, the bill also grants school boards more independence regarding whether their schools should be open or closed to in-person learning during a public emergency. School boards can delegate the authority to the director of schools under an amendment added to the legislation.

House Bill 225 heads to Gov. Bill Lee’s desk for his signature.