The City of Manchester has announced that there will be a special called meeting on Monday, Oct. 19 at 7:30 p.m. at Manchester City Hall – located at 200 W. Fort St.
The only item on the agenda is to address the vacancy in the Manchester Mayor’s office, as required by article IV, section 4 of the Manchester Charter.
Currently, vice mayor Marilyn Howard is serving as city mayor after the passing of Mayor Lonnie Norman on Monday.
Thunder Radio feature story by Susan Campbell
Across the country, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) work to support children who have suffered from abuse or neglect, with the goal of providing safe, permanent homes and the opportunity to thrive.
Locally, CASA Works advocates for children in Coffee, Bedford and Franklin counties as they make their way through the foster care system. With a staff of three, much of the nonprofit’s work relies on the 46 dedicated volunteers in the three counties who work with the children. In 2019, CASA Works volunteers and staff advocated for 532 children, according to Executive Director Wanda Strayhorn.
“There are not enough volunteers, but many of our volunteers serve more than one case at a time, with supervisors accepting cases until a volunteer is available,” Strayhorn said. “I am proud to report that all children receive effective advocacy. As of June 2020, we are serving a total of 421 children in all three counties. We are happy to announce many of the children from last year have either been reunited with parents, are living with family, have found long time placement or were adopted.”
According to Strayhorn, volunteers are just ordinary citizens with a heart for children. But there are a few requirements. Those volunteering must be at least 21 years old; submit to finger-printing and a background check; attend 35 hours of pre-service training; monitor court proceedings; attend in-service education and on-going training as scheduled, with a required minimum attendance of 12 hours per calendar year; and commit at least one year to their service. Pre-service training is done by CASA Works staff, and covers everything from the judicial system to child welfare education.
CASA Works volunteers act as independent investigators, according to Strayhorn. Under the supervision of the CASA staff, they interview all parties involved with their assigned cases and record all findings as investigation progresses; confer with the staff during this process; keep a log of case hours and mileage; prepare reports to court, and attend and testify in court hearings and Foster Care Review Board hearings.
Those interested in learning more about becoming a CASA Works volunteer may visit the website at www.casaworks.org, or email Strayhorn at wanda@casaworks.org.
According to Strayhorn, CASA Works benefits the communities it serves because its focus is on the child who is facing one of the most traumatic times in his or her life.
“CASA Works monitors all parties who have influence with the child, but our goal is to be the voice for the child in court, school, with the Department of Children Services, physicians, mental health providers and their families,” she said.
“We work with the authority of the county juvenile judge. When CASA is assigned a case, our observations and monitoring provide us with fact-based, objective information that is submitted to the juvenile judge in a written court report. This court report provides information about everyone that has been interviewed, recommendations for the best Interest of the child and the current status of the child’s placement. This report aids the judge in making more informed decisions about the next steps to take for the good of the child and parents.”
In addition to Strayhorn, Teresa Barber services as Coffee County supervisor. She may be reached by email at teresa@casaworks.org.
Funding for the nonprofit comes primarily from grants, fundraisers, and the solicitation of donations from community organizations and individuals. In order for CASA Works to continue performing the quality advocacy for children, donations will be greatly appreciated and individuals who may be interested in becoming a volunteer are welcomed, according to Strayhorn.
Funeral arrangements have been released for Manchester Mayor Lonnie Norman, who passed away in the early morning hours of Monday, Oct. 12.
The family will receive friends on Saturday, Oct. 17 at the Rotary Park Amphitheater (next to the Manchester Recreation Complex) from 1-4 p.m.
Funeral Services will be conducted at the Rotary Park on Sunday, Oct. 18 at 1 p.m. For those who wish to attend the funeral services, social distancing is strongly encouraged and face coverings will be required.
Thunder Radio will broadcast the services live on the air – 107.9 FM, 106.7 FM, 1320 AM, Manchester Go app and thunder1320.com. Thunder Radio will also video stream the service on the Thunder Radio Facebook page. Read the full obituary here.
(Pictured, Tennessee first lady Maria Lee gives a high-five to Westwood Elementary student Naveyah McCord during a visit with students Wednesday morning. –Thunder Radio photo by Josh Peterson).
On Wednesday, October 14, Tennessee first lady Maria Lee and Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn stopped to visit Westwood Elementary to assist the Manchester City Schools Family Resource Center in processing and packaging student needs fulfilled through the Tennessee Serves Purposity campaign.
“We launched Tennessee Serves with the goal of mobilizing Tennesseans to serve their neighbors and volunteer in their communities, and through this partnership, Tennesseans can know exactly what a student or family needs and how to help,” said first lady Maria Lee. “We are honored to highlight the districts and Family Resource Centers participating in this campaign, and we hope that Tennesseans will use Purposity to serve their neighbors in need across the state.”
The first lady’s Tennessee Serves initiative has partnered with the Department of Education and Purposity, a free app, to streamline how Tennesseans can serve individuals, families, and students by fulfilling needs directly from their phone. Over 40 districts have joined the Tennessee Serves campaign on the Purposity app to post the needs of the students and families their communities.
Manchester City Schools has posted hundreds of needs through the district’s Family Resource Center. First lady Lee and Commissioner Schwinn will help prepare the needs that have been fulfilled by users on Purposity. These items will then be delivered to students and families.
“We are so thrilled the first lady has launched this effort to engage Tennesseans to help meet student and family needs across our state,” said Commissioner Penny Schwinn. “In these uncertain times, the work of our Family Resource Centers is so important, and we are grateful for the opportunity to visit Manchester City Schools and be a small part of the amazing work they are doing to ensure students have what they need.”
(Pictured below, Tennessee Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn works on an exercise with Westwood Elementary School Student Justus Ferrell. –Thunder Radio photo by Josh Peterson)
Beginning on Nov 1, 2020, Elk River Public Utility District (ERPUD) will be offering a voluntary program known as the Project Help-Round Up program. This program is designed to help Franklin and Coffee counties.
Customers who choose to participate in this program will have their monthly natural gas bills automatically rounded up to the next highest whole dollar amount. Monies collected from Project Help – Round Up will be disbursed using the following guidelines:
• Relief to ERPUD District Customers to Pay Natural Gas Bills
• Promotion of Social Welfare
• Assistance for Economic Development
• Advancement of Education
If you would like to participate in this program please email us at contact@erpud.com or call 931-455-9311. You can choose to opt out at any time. There will be a flyer with all of this information inside with your monthly gas bill. Remember you must choose to participate in this program.
Wednesday was the first day for early voting across Tennessee for the November elections and large crowds were visible at polling locations.
Many voters reported wait times of 30-minutes or more and lines were visibly backed out of the door at the Coffee County Election Commission office.
Historically, the first and last days of early voting are the busiest, according to the Tennessee Secretary of State. Early voting runs Monday through Saturday and ends on Oct. 29.
The City of Manchester leaf vacuum service begins again on Oct. 19.
The City of Manchester Street Department provides leaf vacuum service to all city residents from Fall to Spring of each year.
All leaves and grass must be recycled under State and Federal regulations.
All leaves placed out to be vacuumed must be free of any sticks, rocks, limbs, etc. or any other debris that would obstruct or harm the equipment.
If you have any questions please feel free to contact the Manchester Street Department office at 728-6903 Monday- Friday, from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Early voting for the Nov. 3 State and Federal Primary and County General election starts tomorrow, Wednesday, Oct. 14. Early voting runs Monday to Saturday until Thursday, Oct. 29.
Early voting offers Tennesseans the flexibility of evening and Saturday hours, along with multiple polling locations in many counties. The first and last days of early voting are normally peak days. Voters looking to avoid the busiest days of early voting should plan to vote on days other than the first and last day of early voting.
Tennessee voters can find their early voting and Election Day hours, polling locations, view and mark sample ballots and much more with the GoVoteTN app or online at GoVoteTN.com (https://t.e2ma.net/click/6hv4rmb/yvgckg/yrxmkxn). The GoVoteTN app (https://t.e2ma.net/click/6hv4rmb/yvgckg/ekymkxn) is free to download in the App Store or Google Play.
In Coffee County, registered voters can cast their ballots at the Coffee County election commission at 1329 McArthur St. Suite 6., or the CD Stamps building in Tullahoma at 810 S. Jackson St. Tullahoma.
“Early voting offers Tennesseans the flexibility to choose their location and time to cast a ballot,” said Secretary of State Tre Hargett. “I encourage voters to do their part by wearing a face covering while taking advantage of Tennessee’s generous early voting period.”
Voters need to bring valid (may or may not be current) photo identification to the polls. A Tennessee driver license or photo ID issued by the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, Tennessee state government or the federal government are acceptable even if they are expired. College student IDs are not acceptable. More information about what types of ID are acceptable can be found on sos.tn.gov by calling toll free 1-877-850-4959.
Tennessee state law requires polling locations and the area within a 100-foot boundary surrounding each entrance to remain campaign-free zones. This includes the display or distribution of campaign materials and the solicitation of votes for or against any person, party or question on the ballot in these areas. Voters wearing campaign-related clothing or paraphernalia will not be allowed within the 100-foot boundary.
During early voting and on Election Day, Tennesseans are encouraged to wear a face covering and maintaining a six-foot distance from poll officials and other voters. Voters should expect to see signs with further safety instructions at their polling locations. All poll officials will be wearing face coverings and will be trained in social distancing measures.
The voter registration deadline to participate in the November election was Monday, Oct. 5. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.
For the latest information on the State and Federal General Election, follow our social media channels Twitter: @SecTreHargett (https://t.e2ma.net/click/6hv4rmb/yvgckg/uczmkxn), Facebook: Tennessee Secretary of State (https://t.e2ma.net/click/6hv4rmb/yvgckg/a5zmkxn) and Instagram: @tnsecofstate (https://t.e2ma.net/click/6hv4rmb/yvgckg/qx0mkxn).
For more information about early voting in Tennessee, go to GoVoteTN.com (https://t.e2ma.net/click/6hv4rmb/yvgckg/6p1mkxn) or call the Division of Elections toll-free at 1-877-850-4959.
The Tennessee Department of Agriculture’s Division of Forestry is reminding citizens to follow simple safety practices to prevent wildfires and obtain a debris burn permit for leaf and brush piles. The official start of wildfire season in Tennessee is Oct. 15 – meaning a burn permit is required to burn starting on that date.
Debris Burn Permits for leaf and brush piles are available online at no charge. For larger, broadcast burning, such as forestry, agricultural, and land clearing, call your local Division of Forestry burn permit phone number Mon. through Fri., 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. The online system for permits and phone numbers can be found at www.BurnSafeTN.org.
Permits are issued only when conditions are conducive to safe burning. If you live inside city limits, you will need to contact the Manchester Fire Department before burning.
A list of materials that may not be burned can be found in the open burning guidelines from the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation at www.tn.gov/environment/program-areas/apc-air-pollution-control-home/apc/open-burning.html.
Burning without a permit, a Class C misdemeanor, is punishable by up to 30 days in jail and/or a fine. Wildfires caused by arson are a class C felony punishable by three to 15 years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines. Anyone with information about suspected arson activity should call the state Fire Marshal’s Arson Hotline at 1-800-762-3017. The hotline is answered 24 hours a day, and you may remain anonymous. Cash awards are offered for information leading to an arrest or conviction. To report illegal burning, call 1-888-891-TDEC.
Visit www.BurnSafeTN.org for additional tips to burn safely and to protect your community.
Manchester Mayor Lonnie Norman passed away during the early morning hours of Monday, Oct. 12, after a battle with COVID-19 virus.
The family of Mayor Lonnie J. Norman has issued the following statement:
“It is with a deep sense of sadness and a profound sense of loss that the Norman family announces the passing of Mayor Lonnie J. Norman. He passed away early on the morning of October 12th from COVID-19.
“It is said that when your work speaks for itself—let it. Mayor Lonnie Norman’s eight decades on this planet were filled with work that testifies to both his accomplishments and his values.
“He spent 40 years with Arnold Engineering Development Complex, retiring as a technician supervisor. In 1984 he entered public office and in 1991, Mr. Lonnie Norman became the first black Mayor of Manchester, Tennessee. His friends and neighbors returned him to the Mayor’s office four times—an act of trust for which he was immensely grateful. In his numerous campaigns for public office, he never lost a political race. He loved his hometown and they loved him.
“A new recreation complex, soccer field, improvements to countless parks, other infrastructure, and support for our beloved Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival were among his proudest accomplishments. He also fought hard against rural hospital closures, so all Coffee County citizens could access quality, affordable health care.
“Without question Lonnie Norman’s greatest accomplishments were as father to Virginia, Deborah, Priscilla, Lonnie, Jr. and grandfather to Brandi Sails and Kandi Guest. The entire family wishes to thank the people of Manchester, Coffee County, and the state of Tennessee for their support during this difficult time. Even with sadden hearts, we hold tight to Lonnie’s favorite quote: “It’s better to light a candle than to curse the darkness. We as a family appreciate all of the calls, texts, prayers, and well wishes.
“COVID-19 is a real and it took our beloved Lonnie Norman from us. To his fellow public officials, we say please remember your duty to keep the public safe. To our fellow citizens, we say please wear a mask, practice physical distancing, and protect public health and each other.
“We are all in this together.
“In lieu of flowers, we ask donations be sent to St. Jude Children’s Hospital and/or Bonnaroo Works Fund.”
The Manchester Board of Mayor and Aldermen has issued the following statement:
“Today we share in the sorrow of a great loss to our community. Mayor Lonnie J. Norman was a dedicated servant to the people of Manchester for several years. He served as Mayor during the early 90’s and again since 2012.
“Lonnie was a statesman and a diplomat, but above all else, he was kind, honest, and thoughtful. In a world that seems to so easily divided, Mayor Norman brought us together. Mayor Norman understood the importance of compromise and honest debate. He guided our community with a strong and steady yet gentle hand with empathy and compassion.
“Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with our beloved Mayor’s family, and to his extended families.”
See the original story of Mr. Norman’s passing by clicking here.
