Category: News

Early voting for the March 3 primary ended on Tuesday, and turnout in Coffee County was better this year than for the last presidential primary in 2016.

This year’s early voting in Coffee County, which ran Feb. 12 through Feb. 25, saw 3,517 total votes cast. Of those, 2,179 were cast at the Coffee County Election Commission office and 1,202 were cast in Tullahoma at the CD Stamps location. There were 136 total absentee voters. Of those 3,517 early voters, 2,561 voted in the Republican primary, while 956 voted in the Democratic primary.

Voters in both primaries are choosing candidates for the presidential race – with the majority of those candidates being in the Democratic primary as President Donald Trump is the presumed candidate on the Republican ticket. Locally, voters in the Republican primary are choosing one of four candidates to be Coffee County General Sessions Judge. There are no judge candidates on the Democratic ticket.

The early vote total of 3,517 votes outpaced 2016 totals in Coffee County, which was the last presidential primary. That year there were 3,074 early votes – 2,327 republicans and 747 democrats.

For those who did not early vote, election day is next Tuesday, March 3, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 28, is the final day to pay your property taxes before they are delinquent. Coffee County taxes are for the calendar year of January 1 through December 31 of the same year. Payment period for county taxes are from the first Monday of October through the last day of February for the following year.

There are multiple ways to pay your county property taxes. You can drop off payment in the drop box that has been installed in the trustee’s office window at the Coffee County Administrative Plaza (no cash, please). Please use a check or money order and include the tax notice or write the receipt number on the memo portion of your check. No cash.

You can take payments to the Coffee County Trustee’s office from 8 am. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, or you can mail payment to Coffee County Trustee, PO Box 467 in Manchester, TN. 37349.

The physical address of the trustee’s office is 1341 McArthur St. Suite 1, Manchester, TN. 37355.

If you choose to mail your payment, it will need to be postmarked by Feb. 28 in order to not be delinquent.

Beginning March 1, county taxes become delinquent and begin to accrue a 1.5 percent penalty and interest on the first day of each month.

You can also pay your county property taxes online by clicking here. 

Property owners who live inside the city limits of Manchester will also need to pay property taxes with the city  – that can be done between 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. at Manchester City Hall – 200 W Fort St. in Manchester or online. You can also pay your city property taxes online by clicking here. 

Local authorities are warning the public of a new phone scam being received by local residents. In this scam, the intended victim receives a call from someone claiming to be with Apple Support, claiming that there is an issue with their account.

The scammer then begins to request personal information from the intended victim, asking for social security numbers and financial information. Authorities warn to never share this information unless you are confident with who you are talking with.

Friday, Feb. 28, is the final day to pay your property taxes before they are delinquent. Coffee County taxes are for the calendar year of January 1 through December 31 of the same year. Payment period for county taxes are from the first Monday of October through the last day of February for the following year.

There are multiple ways to pay your county property taxes. You can drop off payment in the drop box that has been installed in the trustee’s office window at the Coffee County Administrative Plaza. Please use a check or money order and include the tax notice or write the receipt number on the memo portion of your check. No cash.

You can take payments to the Coffee County Trustee’s office from 8 am. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, or you can mail payment to Coffee County Trustee, PO Box 467 in Manchester, TN. 37349.

The physical address of the trustee’s office is 1341 McArthur St. Suite 1, Manchester, TN. 37355.

If you choose to mail your payment, it will need to be postmarked by the last day of February in order to not be delinquent.

Beginning March 1, county taxes become delinquent and begin to accrue a 1.5 percent penalty and interest on the first day of each month.

You can also pay your county property taxes online by clicking here.  

Property owners who live inside the city limits of Manchester will also need to pay property taxes with the city  – that can be done between 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. at Manchester City Hall – 200 W Fort St. in Manchester or online. You can pay your city property taxes online by clicking here. 

Initial business filings continue year-over-year growth and don’t show any signs of slowing down, according to a reported released Tuesday by Secretary of State Tre Hargett’s office. 

The Tennessee Quarterly Business and Economic Indicators report for the fourth quarter of 2019 showed that there were 10,604 new business filings representing a 7.8 percent increase over the same quarter in 2018. Initial filings have now seen positive year-over-year growth in 33 consecutive quarters. New filings from domestic nonprofit corporations saw the strongest year-over-year gains, increasing by 13.3 percent.

“Tennessee welcomes new business and business leaders continue to take note. Our data shows strong growth across the state and a healthy economy with no signs of slowing down,” said Secretary Hargett.

According to the report, Tennessee’s unemployment rate remains at a record low of 3.3 percent and is 0.3 percentage points below the national average. Nonfarm employment in Tennessee expanded by 1.6 percent in December, representing an increase of 49,200 jobs compared to December of 2018.

“The strong new entity filing numbers in the last quarter of 2019 suggest that Tennessee’s economic expansion and historically low unemployment rate will continue into 2020,” said Dr. William Fox, director of the University of Tennessee Knoxville’s Boyd Center for Business and Economic Research.

The Tennessee Quarterly Business and Economic Indicators report provides a snapshot of the state’s economy based on a variety of key indicators, including new business data from the Secretary of State’s Division of Business Services. It’s published through a partnership with the University of Tennessee Knoxville’s Boyd Center for Business and Economic Research and the Secretary of State.

To review the complete Q4 2019 Tennessee Quarterly Business and Economic Indicators report, past reports and a recording of Tuesday’s teleconference visit, https://www.sos.tn.gov/tennessee-quarterl-business-and-economic-indicators-reports.   

The Tennessee gas price average has increased nearly three cents this week after strong declines earlier this month.  The Tennessee Gas Price average  is now  $2.23 which is nearly three cents more than last week, 7 cents less than one month ago, and 4 cents more than one year ago. Tennessee is the 10th least expensive market in the nation.

Average prices for a gallon of regular unleaded in Coffee County are actually below the state average, with Coffee County prices at $2.19 a gallon as of Tuesday afternoon. The National average is $2.47.

“Gasoline prices are likely to fluctuate in the coming weeks, but not drastically, as the winter driving season nears its end and refineries undergo maintenance,” said Megan Cooper, spokesperson, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “This is the typical trend this time of year.”

Contributing to the increase in pump prices was the decrease in gasoline stocks and maintenance at regional refineries. Stocks drew by 277,000 bbl down to 92.9 million bbl. That is the second lowest measured stock level for the region this year. However, the good news is the latest EIA regional refinery utilization report shows a 2% bump to 92%. This could help to increase stock levels in the week ahead and help minimize any further price fluctuation.

Attorney General Herbert H. Slatery III announced that Tennessee has joined a bipartisan, multistate investigation of electronic cigarette manufacturer JUUL Labs. The 39-state coalition is investigating JUUL’s marketing and sales practices, including targeting of youth, claims regarding nicotine content, and statements regarding risks, safety and effectiveness as a smoking cessation device.

“Youth e-cigarette usage is a serious public health concern for Tennessee,” said General Slatery. “Public health research shows that nicotine dependence and e-cigarette usage among youth are associated with increased likelihood of youth smoking, even among youth who are otherwise not likely to smoke.”

While traditional cigarette use has decreased among youth, vaping has risen sharply. In Tennessee, high school smoking rates have dropped to 9.4%, while vaping among the same group has risen to 11.5%. The National Youth Tobacco Survey conducted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control found 20.8% of high school students were vaping in 2018.

The Murfreesboro Police Department has announced the arrest of a man they are calling the “Mule Kick Burglar.” They say he is allegedly responsible for at least 59 burglaries and break-ins in several Middle Tennessee communities, including Coffee County.

Robert Shegog, age 35, of Murfreesboro, was stopped during a routine traffic stop in Rutherford County on Jan. 27 and charged with possession of drugs. This stop led to Shegog being identified as a suspect in a rash of business burglaries dating back to September of 2019. Shegog was interviewed and arrested Friday, Feb. 21 for multiple counts of burglary, theft and vandalism.

He is accused of stealing more than $100,000 in cash from businesses in 11 cities throughout Middle Tennessee.

According to Murfreesboro police, Shegog is responsible for 16 burglaries on file with the Shelbyville Police Department, 14 burglaries with Murfreesboro Police Department, 7 burglaries with Rutherford County Sheriff’s Department, eight with Smyrna, three with Chapel Hill, two with Tullahoma, two with Manchester, two with Woodbury, two with Bedford County, one with Nolensville and one with Wilson County.

Tuesday, Feb. 25 is your final day to vote early for the upcoming March 3 primary.

Early voting began on February 12 and ends on Tuesday, Feb. 25. If you do not vote early, you will be able to vote on election day, which is March 3.

Those wishing to vote early can do so in Manchester at the Coffee County Election Commission office, located at 1329 McArthur St. Suite 6 from 8 to 4:30 p.m. Voters in Tullahoma can vote from 9 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. at the CD Stamps Building.

If you wait until election day, you will need to vote at your assigned precinct. Hours for voting on March 3 are 8 a.m. until 7 p.m.

In this election, locally, candidates for general sessions judge are placed on the Republican primary (there were no Democratic candidates). Voters will need to choose whether they will be voting in the Republican or Democratic primary, a ballot that will also include presidential candidates.

For additional information, contact the Coffee County Election Office at 931-723-5103.

If you see a large contingent of emergency personnel on Tuesday at the old Southern Family Market building, do not be alarmed. Coffee County Sheriff’s Department will be conducting training Tuesday, Feb. 25 at the abandoned Southern Family Market building and parking lot, which is located at 2050 Hillsboro Blvd. The public will continue to have access to the adjacent Coffee County Bank and Family Video store.