Category: News

Join us at Thunder Radio and Rosalyn Partin of the Manchester H&R Block and congratulate our student of the week – Peyton Graham.

Peyton is in eighth grade at Coffee County Middle School. She is the daughter of Josh and Alisha Graham. Her favorite subject is social studies. When she grows up, Peyton would like to be a lawyer. Peyton’s favorite hobbies are basketball and reading.

Rosalyn Partin, owner of the Manchester H&R Block, has been inspired to recognize great kids in our community all year long. H&R Block gives each Student of the Week a gift card, a commemorative plaque, as well as a special letter of recognition. Job well done, Peyton!

(Pictured, Rosalyn Partin presents Peyton Graham with her student of the week award)

Coffee County Communications Board (CCCB) on Wednesday (Feb. 10) made a motion to pursue leadership changes at the Coffee County 911 Center.

In a special-called meeting, Tullahoma Police Chief Jason Williams made the motion that was seconded by Tullahoma alderman Daniel Berry.

The motion asks for the 911 board, which is the funding body for the CCCB, to look at an exit package to present to Diane Argraves, who is the director of the 911 Center.

Coffee County Sheriff Chad Partin, who is chairman of the CCCB, told Thunder Radio that an exit strategy will be presented to Argraves in the next couple of days for her consideration and she will be given the opportunity to accept that at the next regular meeting, which is 6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 17.

“We have to look for new vision,” said Partin. “We need someone who can take the bull by the horns, with a vision who can take our 911 center forward into the future.”

PREVIOUS STORY ON THUNDER RADIO THAT WAS PUBLISHED LAST WEEK:

Tensions have risen lately after 911 Director Diane Argraves submitted a formal complaint to the Coffee County Government HR department that leveled accusations at Sheriff Chad Partin, who happens to be the chair of the Coffee County Communications Board (CCCB), accusing him of being a bully and discriminating against her because of her gender and her age.

In a meeting last month, Partin addressed the CCCB and read an overview of ongoing issues the board has had with Argraves over the past two years.

Bluntly, Partin told Argraves he felt that the position of director was “over your head. “

Partin said the he and other board members have received complaints about dispatcher attitudes, lack of checking on first responders after arrival on a call, putting too much detailed information over the radio, speaking disrespectfully over open microphones and dispatchers acting unprofessionally, “leaving in the middle of a shift to spy on a husband.”
“This puts coworkers in distress and left citizens and officers in distress,” said Partin.

Tullahoma Police Chief Jason Williams, who is also a member of the 7-person CCCB, said during the January meeting that his primary problem is that there is no real direction or vision for the building. Williams added that when he brings problems to Argraves’ attention, she addresses or responds, but there is no initiative.

Among the issues Partin highlighted was the issuance of bonuses paid to employees of the 911 center. Money was made available and Argraves was divvying it out without structure. Partin said that Argraves told the board that there was no record of evaluations to gauge bonuses, that it was ‘in her head.”

“Members of the board explained to [Argraves] that we could be sued over the current way it was being done and that this had to be corrected,” said Partin.

Partin said the board devised a plan to tie these bonuses into training, with checks given at the end of the year once each employee completes training, with money amounts to be consistent for each employee.

Partin said in December when he asked Argraves for a record of the training, records were not ready. He said once he received them, there was training written down for dates that had yet to take place. He added that he felt the 911 board was “being misled.”

“The attitude of our director is to the point of a rebellion and resistance.”

In Argraves’ letter to the county with a complaint about Partin, it stated that Partin came to the 911 center and slapped the glass and was yelling.

Partin addressed this, saying that incident happened in the summer and found it interesting that it was just now being brought up.

Argraves serves at the pleasure of the CCCB. She was appointed by the board as director in 2017.

The mobile food pantry that was scheduled for families with students in the Manchester or Coffee County School systems on Friday, Feb. 12, has been cancelled.

According to event organizers, it was cancelled due to possible inclement weather.

The next scheduled mobile food pantry is set for April 9. Thunder Radio will post more details on that event as they are available.

The Coffee County Sheriff’s Department has immediate openings for Correction’s Officers to work inside the jail.

The person applying must be at least 18 years-old, drug and alcohol free, no criminal history and have a high school diploma or equivalent. Other requirements may be possible.

If you are interested, contact administration at the jail, 931-570-4427. You can also stop by the Coffee County Sheriff’s Department at 76 County Jail Lane in Manchester to pick up an application.

A new AAA travel survey, conducted in January, reveals that 59 percent of Tennesseans are uncomfortable traveling during the Covid-19 pandemic. The main concerns are:

· Fears of getting sick (63%)
· The number of Covid-19 cases (60%)
· New strains of the virus (50%)

The travel industry has been hit hard by this pandemic. Nearly three-in-five Tennesseans (59%) canceled or rescheduled travel plans in 2020. Currently, over half (52%) of Tennesseans are comfortable staying in a hotel, while only 29 percent feel comfortable taking a commercial flight. The majority (88%) feel most comfortable traveling in their personal vehicle.

Treatment and Knowledge Fuels Optimism

With more known about the virus and how it spreads, there appears to be growing confidence among some travelers. Nearly one-in-five (19%) of Tennesseans say they are more comfortable traveling now than when the pandemic began. Their growing confidence was attributed to:

· The implementation of mask use and cleaning policies (42%)
· More knowledge about how the virus spreads (37%)
· Quarantine fatigue/want to get out of the house (27%)
· More confidence in medical treatment and outcomes (25%)

This year, nearly half of Tennesseans (49%) plan to take at least one vacation of 3 days or more. One-third (33%) of respondents plan to take multiple trips. However, over one-in-three residents say they will feel more comfortable traveling after receiving both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine (35%) and when cases begin to decrease (38%).

“The Covid-19 vaccine truly is the key to restoring Americans’ confidence in traveling again,” said Megan Cooper, spokeswoman, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “With health experts predicting widespread vaccinations by the summer, AAA Travel Advisors are seeing growing interest in bookings for the second half of the year.”

Additional survey highlights:

· 80% will wear a mask in public while traveling
· 35% are more likely to visit a destination with a mask mandate
· 46% are driving less due to the pandemic (42% – no change in driving habits)
· 33% are more likely to purchase travel insurance than before the pandemic
· 74% will not travel in Q1 (46% cite the pandemic as a reason why)

The latest report is in and the Tullahoma-Manchester Micropolitan Statistical Area (McrSA) has been ranked number two in Tennessee according to the latest economic ratings, keeping
the area in one of the strongest positions in in the entire United States.

The Tullahoma-Manchester McrSA consists of Coffee, Franklin, and
Metropolitan-Moore counties with approximately 104,000 residents.

The annual report is prepared by POLICOM Corporation, an independent
economics research firm based in Palm City, Florida, which specializes in
analyzing local and state economies and economic development. The index
takes into account the condition of the economy from the viewpoint of its
impact upon the standard of living of the people who live and work in the
area.

In the latest ranking, the 3-county local area is rated Number 56 out of 543
Micropolitan Areas in the U.S. In Tennessee, only Sevierville was rated
higher in the 2021 report, coming in at Number 44 out of thirteen such
areas.

Each year since 1997, POLICOM has ranked the U.S. Metropolitan and
Micropolitan Areas for their long-term tendency to consistently grow in both
size and quality. POLICOM analyzes local economies, determines if they are
growing or declining, identifies what is causing this to happen, and offers
ideas and solutions to improve the local economy.

United States Micropolitan Statistical Areas (McrSA), as defined by the U.S.
Office of Management and Budget(OMB), are labor market areas in the United States centered on an urban cluster(urban area) with a population of at least 10,000 but fewer than 50,000
people.

The micropolitan area designation was created in 2003. Like the better-known
Metropolitan Statistical Areas(MSA), a micropolitan area is a geographic
entity used for statistical purposes based on counties and county equivalents.

From its research and educational programs, community and government leaders
can discover what is driving their economy and what the community will have
to do to enhance the “quality of life” for the people living and working in
the area.

The Tennessee Department of Agriculture is now accepting applications for the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP).

“A strong specialty crop sector is beneficial for all of Tennessee agriculture,” Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher, D.V.M. said. “Tennessee is proud to administer this valuable program, providing assistance to large and small organizations by supporting projects ranging from research and education to market studies.”

The Tennessee Department of Agriculture administers the grants, which are authorized through the USDA. SCBGP funds are granted to enhance production and competitiveness of specialty crops, including fruits and vegetables, dried fruits, tree nuts, honey, floriculture, and other nursery crops.

Eligible organizations include universities, institutions, cooperatives, producers, and industry or community-based organizations. The program aims to support projects that directly affect multiple Tennessee producers and have a positive, long-lasting impact on Tennessee agriculture.

Previous grant funding assisted Tennessee Tech University in Cookeville to expand markets for Tennessee bush-type heirloom green beans. “The Specialty Crop Block Grant is a high-impact program focused on benefiting a wide range of Tennessee stakeholders,” Associate Professor of Plant Science Dr. Brian Leckie said.

Another grant recipient, Cul2vate, works to increase demand for specialty crops and provide education to future specialty crop growers in Middle Tennessee. “Through this grant, Cul2vate has been able to improve our training and education resources regarding specialty crops and emphasize their value to our local food chain,” Executive Director Joey Lankford said. “It has helped us concentrate our efforts toward outcomes that make us better and more productive as a farm.”

Eligible individuals and organizations must submit proposals using the 2021 project template. The project template, performance measures, and information required to apply are available online at www.tn.gov/agriculture/businesses/business-development/scbg.html.

Proposals are due by March 15, 2021 and should be submitted by email to tn.scbg@tn.gov. First-time recipients have a funding limit of $25,000. Early submission is encouraged.

By Nadia Ramligan, TN Public News Service

Tennesseans charged with a crime often face a mountain of fees and fines, even if they aren’t convicted.

Critics say mandatory costs help pay for operating the criminal-justice system, but may simultaneously create new, indirect costs for governments, while trapping those who are unable to pay in the system.

Mandy Pellegrin, policy director at the Sycamore Institute, said residents have reported owing several thousands of dollars in fines and fees.

“If you use a public defender, there is a fee for that service,” Pellegrin explained. “You can face fees for things like a blood alcohol test or a drug test. You often owe a weekly or a monthly fee for probation or parole.”

Tennessee law allows judges to reduce or waive costs for those who cannot afford them, but Pellegrin pointed out audits have found wide variation across the state in how judges determine who can and can’t pay, and cautioned heavy caseloads often leave little time to accurately assess an individual’s ability to pay.

Recent data from the Sycamore Institute documented more than 360 state-authorized fees, fines and taxes.

Pellegrin noted costs can be levied by courts, state officials and sometimes even private entities.

She stated civil action against people who have not paid their fees and fines can lead to garnished wages, interest, and other penalties, further driving individuals into debt.

She believes it’s time for the state to assess the role of fines and fees in communities.

“One really good place to start is better understanding the extent to which different local governments in Tennessee are relying on this as a source of revenue,” Pellegrin contended.

Research shows criminal-justice system costs can have negative ripple effects because family members often share the burden of financial obligations.

If debts lead to incarceration of a parent, they may also contribute to negative long-term outcomes for children.

Coffee County Sheriff’s Department authorities are asking for the public’s help to find stolen property.

According to CCSD, a 2015 Polaris Razer 900 was stolen over the weekend from the Beechgrove area. A white Chevrolet Colorado pickup truck is a vehicle of interest in this case. (see a photo of the Razer and the vehicle of interest below)

If anyone has information, please contact Coffee County Sheriff’s Department Investigator James Sherrill at 931-728-9555 or 931-570-4404.

Two people have been killed in a plane crash in Franklin County.

At approximately 10 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 7, 2021, Franklin County Sheriff’s Department personnel responded to Keith Springs Mountain in reference to a plane crash.

Upon arrival on the scene, deputies were able to locate the scene of the crash in the Hickory Ridge area.
Details of the crash are currently under investigation and further information will be released when appropriate, according to officials.

The pilot and passenger in the plane have been identified as Carl C. Spray, age 78 of Estill Springs., and Joseph L. Mackey, age 58 of Estill Springs. Both were pronounced dead at the scene.

The National Transportation Safety Board and FAA will assist in the investigation.