Category: News

The attorney for Justin Shea Bautista-Jones has filed a motion to have District Attorney General Craig Northcott disqualified as the special prosecutor in the case against state house speaker Glen Casada. The motion states that Northcott should be disqualified because of his lobbying relationships with the state general assembly and his social media posts  that came to light in recent months that appeared to contain anti-muslim and anti-gay comments. 

Coffee County District Attorney Craig Northcott

You may remember the case against Casada where the speaker’s office has been accused of tampering with evidence to allegedly frame Bautista-Jones for violating bond – Bautista-Jones was charged with assault for throwing a cup of coffee at Casada. Nashville District Attorney Glenn Funk recused himself from the case and the state attorney’s general conference selected Northcott to prosecute. Bautista- Jones, who is black, is also concerned about Northcott’s comments about Muslim people because his attorneys feel the case against Casada is “very much so based upon race, free speech and substantial differences in opinions.” 

As of now, the City of Manchester will move forward with a new greenway that will start behind the Manchester-Coffee County Conference Center, run through the Great Stage Park Property – better known as Bonnaroo – and then end on Bushy Branch road with a trailhead available to walkers and runners. 

Little Duck River Greenway

Back in 2018, the city received one million dollars in grant funds from TDOT (specifically to extend the Greenway) that required a $300,000 match and the plan was to connect the greenway from where it ends now, behind Riverview Alternative School, extend it toward great stage park and eventually to the conference center in three phases. However, property owners have balked at the idea of the greenway passing through their land and the city decided to proceed with a new plan or otherwise lose the grant funds, with the hope that the two trails can be connected at a future date. 

Aldermen Mark Messick, Marilyn Howard and Bob Bellamy voted against the plan, while aldermen Ryan French, Chris Elam and Bill Nickels voted in favor. Mayor Lonnie Norman voted in favor to break the tie. 

Back in May of this year a Russian aircraft flew over Arnold Air Force Base for an observation flight as part of the Open Skies Treaty.  According to AEDC officials, the flyover was part of a mission allowed under the open skies treaty, also known as the treaty on open skies, which was signed by 34 participating nations in 1992, which permits each state party to conduct short-notice, unarmed observation flights over the others’ territories to collect data on military forces and activities.

These flights contribute to security by enhancing openness and transparency among the signed parties. The Russian plane that flew over our skies recently was a newly certified aircraft known as the Tupolev tu-214 and it has been the center of some controversy. The US refused to certify that plane in 2018 but was recentlly certified. 

The Berkeley city council in California voted last week  to eliminate gender-specific pronouns from its municipal code. For instance, “manhole” will now be considered “maintenance hole,” “manpower” will now be referred to as “human effort,” the terms “sister” and “brother” will now be referred to as “sibling,” and, get this one, the terms “male” and “female” will now be referred to as “people of different genders.”

A list of new terms in Berkeley, Calif.

A Rutherford County man is in trouble after allegedly shooting his neighbor after the two got into an argument. 

Pitts

The Daily News Journal reports that Larry Dale Pitts, age 57, has been charged with attempted first-degree murder. The report states that Pitt threatened to kill his neighbor and his family after the two to into an argument on Tuesday, July 16th. Later in the day, the two began arguing again when Pitts allegedly grabbed his gun and shot his neighbor once in the leg. The victim was transported to Vanderbilt University Medical Center for treatment. 

The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory in Coffee County today (July 19) from noon until 7 p.m. Heat Index is expected to be near 100 degrees today, according to the National Weather Service. 

The National Weather Service recommends rescheduling outside time and keeping any strenuous activities to early morning or evening. Wear light-weight and loose-fitting clothing when possible and drink plenty of water. Anyone overcome by heat should be moved to a cool, shaded location.