Category: News

The Coffee County School system is continuing its summer feeding program for those who need meals.

Every Monday, from 9:30-11:30 a.m. you may pick up meals at Raider Academy. According to Carlan Cotten with Coffee County Schools, the system is handing out five breakfast meals and five lunch meals during that one distribution to help keep students fed at home through the summer months. The program is aimed toward Coffee County students under the age of 18.

Students do not have to be with adults when meals are picked up, according to Cotten. The program will take place every Monday through the summer up through July 20.

The deadline to apply for two months of emergency cash assistance for families who’ve lost employment due to COVID-19 is now June 30.

The Emergency Cash Assistance provides two monthly cash payments to families that were employed as of March 11, 2020 and have lost a job or lost at least 50% of their earned income due to the COVID-19 emergency. Applications for emergency cash assistance will be accepted through June 30, 2020. This money is funded by the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program and provides:
• $500 for a household of 1 to 2 persons.
• $750 for a household of 3 to 4 persons.
• $1000 for a household with 5 or more persons.

To be eligible, families must have been employed as of March 11, 2020 but have since then lost employment or at least 50% of their earned income due to the COVID-19 emergency, include a child under the age of 18 or a pregnant woman, have a valid Social Security Number, must not have resources exceeding $2000, and the gross and/or unearned monthly income may not exceed 85% of the State’s Median Income that’s currently:
• Gross Monthly Income of $2,696 for a household of one.
• Gross Monthly Income of $3,526 for a household of two.
• Gross Monthly Income of $4,356 for a household of three.
• Gross Monthly Income of $5,185 for a household of four.
• Gross Monthly Income of $6,015 for a household of five.

Apply Online

To check the status of your application, call (833) 496-0661.

More Information:
Applicants are required to upload their verification to the application prior to submitting to TDHS. Once the application and verifications have been submitted, no further action will be needed. Applicants DO NOT need to call the DHS office for an interview. Applicants will receive a notification of denial or approval via email. If approved, applicants can expect an electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card to be sent within 10-15 days of approval via mail.
The Emergency Cash Assistance provides two monthly cash payments to families that were employed as of March 11, 2020 and have lost a job or lost at least 50% of their earned income due to the COVID-19 emergency. Applications for emergency cash assistance will be accepted through June 30, 2020. This money is funded by the Temporary

Assistance for Needy Families program and provides:
• $500 for a household of 1 to 2 persons.
• $750 for a household of 3 to 4 persons.
• $1000 for a household with 5 or more persons.
This assistance is available in addition to any unemployment benefits individuals in the family may be receiving.

As of 2 p.m. Monday, there are 20,607 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Tennessee. This includes 338 confirmed deaths and 1,594 hospitalizations.
There are 13,073 cases classified as recovered, leaving 7,534 active cases. This is 226 more active cases than the prior day. There have been 396,219 total tests performed. This means about 5.2 of those tested are positive.

In Coffee County, there are 66 confirmed cases with 42 recoveries – leaving 24 active cases, a number that has held steady over the past several days.

The Grundy County Sheriff’s Department sent out a press release Friday notifying that a search warrant was performed that included seizure of drugs, cash, guns and two arrests – these arrests were made as a result of an investigation into multiple overdoses in the area. However, the Grundy County Sheriff would not confirm or deny if this arrest has a direct connection.
Investigators found methamphetamine, over 100 fake pills believed to be laced with fentanyl and seized $4,118 in cash, two handguns, an AR-15 and three long guns.

Arrested were Rick Adam Dickinson, age 35, and Rachel Gwen Rollins, age 28, both from Monteagle.

Both have been charged with possession of schedule I drug, possession of schedule II drug, manufacture, sale and delivery of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of a weapon.
Both will appear in court in June.

According to the Tennessee Association of Utility Districts, an accident occurred Friday, May 22 at the Tracy City water plant that led to a fatality.

Tracy City Mayor Nadene Moore issued a statement: “An accident occurred during the delivery of normal chemicals used for processing water. Unfortunately, the accident resulted in injuries to an employee at the plant and also resulted in the loss of life for the individual delivering the products. The town expresses great sympathy for those affected by this tragedy.”

Details of the accident remain unclear. Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating. Officials announced that water quality is not affected.

The Coffee County Central High School Parade of Graduates took place Friday without incident and finished with rave reviews from the community.

Class of 2020 graduates rode through downtown Manchester and eventually to CHS, where they received diplomas. Many made the trip hanging out of windows, truck beds and sun roofs to wave and celebrate with the crowd that gathered along the route.

Well over 300 graduates chose to participate in the parade. Thunder Radio was onsite at Raider Academy to conduct interviews of students before the parade began. Thunder Radio also broadcast names being called, as well as valedictorian and salutatorian speeches. You can rewatch the festivities on our Facebook page.
(Below photos by Dennis Weaver, Thunder Radio)