Category: News

A Grundy County School Board member is in trouble after being arrested for aggravated domestic violence.

According to the Grundy County Herald, Mike Yates was arrested on Sunday.

Mike Yates

According to the first deputy on the scene, the officer spoke with the alleged victim, who stated that she was arguing with her husband when he hit her and kicked her in the face. According to the deputy, the victim had swelling of her left eye. She stated that she wanted to press charges.

Mike Yates claims he and his wife were arguing when she struck him on top of the head, at which point he was defending himself.

Yates was arrested in 2015 for assault. He was a school board member at that time, he resigned but successfully ran again for school board in 2018.

Thunder Radio does not identify potential victims of domestic violence.

Gas prices are rising across the country ahead of Independence Day. After last week, a gallon of regular unleaded is, on average, a nickel more expensive with 25 states seeing an increase since last Monday, according to AAA. 

As of Monday, the national average is $2.71 per gallon. While that is a nickel more than last week, it’s 11 cents less than last month at this time and 14 cents cheaper than the same time in 2018. 

Despite the slight increases, Tennessee remains in the top 10 for lowest gas prices in the nation. Tennessee is sixth with an average price of $2.41. The cheapest gas is currently in Mississippi, at $2.32 per gallon. 

In Coffee County, as of midday Monday the lowest price was $2.43

If you are on your cell phone while driving today, you’d better be using a hands free device. Otherwise, you could face a fine. Beginning today, drivers across the state of Tennessee are prohibited from holding or physically supporting a phone while driving. Hands free devices such as earpieces, headphone devices or devices worn on a wrist to conduct a voice-based communication are allowed, as well as dashboard mounts. Tennessee is the 19th state to pass such a bill. A first violation will result in a $50 fine. The third violation, or a violation resulting in a crash, will be a $100 fine and the fine increases to $200 in work and school zones when they are active. There are some notable exclusions for law enforcement officers, first responders and utility workers using their phones for work-related matters, and anyone making an emergency call. The state senate passed the ban in a 23-7 vote in April.

Many other laws take effect July 1. Here are a few:

Traffic Safety

This new law prohibits a person from loitering or “conducting any commercial activity” in or close to the median of a state highway (In Manchester, McMinnville Highway and Woodbury Highway are considered state highways). The act will lead to Class C misdemeanor that requires a warning citation for a first offense.

Child marriages

A marriage license cannot be issued for an applicant who is under the age of 17 and defines “parent” for the purposes of parental consent to marriage of a minor. The law also deletes the “obsolete requirement” that a minor’s marriage license application be mailed to the parent of the minor and held for three days before the license is issued. The legislation follows a law signed by former Governor Bill Haslam that outlawed anyone under 17 from marrying in Tennessee.

Cock fighting

Possession, owning, selling, transferring or manufacturing cock fighting paraphernalia with intent that the items will be used in promoting, facilitating, training for or furthering cock fighting is a Class A misdemeanor

Dropping items from drones

This prohibits dropping items or substances from an unmanned aircraft into an open-air event venue in which 100 or more people are gathered.

Minors operating businesses

This law stops a county or city from requiring a license, fee, permit or any other regulation for a business that is solely operated by a person under 18, is located on private property with the owner’s consent and grosses $3,000 or less per year.

Death penalty appeals

This law expedites the death penalty appeals process by sending death penalty cases to the Tennessee Supreme Court and removing a Court of Criminal Appeals step.

Indecent exposure 

This law redefines “public place” to prohibit indecent exposure in restrooms, locker rooms, dressing rooms or showers designated for multi-person, single-sex use.

Child abuse 

The law extends the statute of limitations on child sexual abuse cases, giving victims more time to pursue legal action. It also tightens the penalties for persons who intentionally fail to report cases.

• The statute of limitations is eliminated if the victim is under 13 years of age at the time of the offense.
• The statute of limitations is eliminated if the victim is between the ages of 13 and 17 at the time of the offense and reports the abuse within five years of turning 18.
• If the 13- to 17-year-old victim does not report the abuse within five years of turning 18, the statute of limitations is extended to 25 years after they turn 18 years old. If the 25-year deadline passes, the prosecution must produce “admissible and credible evidence.”

The Manchester Parks and Recreation Department’s Independence Day
Spectacular event is set for this Thursday, July 4 – make plans to attend an
evening of music, fun and, of course, fireworks!
The fireworks will be visible from multiple locations near the recreation
center, but the prime viewing experience will be at Rotary Park adjacent to
the rec center, located at 557 N. Woodland Street. Parking will be limited,
parking is also available at Fred Deadman Park and patrons can walk the
Little Duck River Greenway to the Rotary Park area.

Music begins at 7 p.m. with cover band Burning Las Vegas set to take the
stage at Rotary Amphitheater.Burning Las Vegas is an audio-visual dance
party that spans all genres, decades and ages. Fireworks will begin at
approximately 9 p.m. The event is free to the public, but there will be food
and beer vendors on hand selling concessions.

Also, before the fireworks, there will be an ice cream social
There will be some new events of note this year to check out. A bicycle
parade will start at 5:30 p.m. and will go around the square and down to the
amphitheater. Participants are encouraged to decorate their bikes for a
chance to win prizes. There will also be an ice cream social at 4:30 p.m. on
the courthouse lawn at the center of downtown Manchester..

Burning Las Vegas

The state of Tennessee is introducing The Safe At Home Address Confidentiality Program, the Department of State’s newest program aimed at supporting victims of domestic violence, sexual offenses, stalking, and human trafficking in their efforts to escape their abusers.

Through the program, participants will be able to ensure that their residential address, which will be made confidential, will not be subject to public records request disclosure by state and local government agencies and officials. 

Under Tennessee law, all state or local government records are considered public and available for public review. These records include identifying documents such as voter registration and driver’s license information, making it easy for abusers to find you. Through the Safe at Home program, your address is concealed and secure. Victims of domestic abuse, stalking, human trafficking, victims of sexual offenses, and victims of crimes are all encouraged to apply for Safe at Home. More information can be found by clicking here. You can also call 615-253-3043 for more information.

Blood assurance is low on blood supply and you can help. Blood assurance needs to maintain a five day supply of each type of blood. However, there is less than a one-day supply of B-negative, A-negative and O-positive currently on hand. Blood assurance says it always sees fewer donations in the summer months. To be eligible to donate you must be 18-years old or have parental consent if you are 16 or 17-years old, weigh at least 110 pounds and be in overall good health. Before donating, drink plenty of fluids and eat a meal rich in iron. You can call blood assurance for more information at 1-800-962-0628 or visit 652 N. Jackson St. in Tullahoma. 

A McMinnville man was killed Tuesday when the motorcycle he was riding crashed into the back of a farm tractor. It happened on Highway 56 in the Irving College area.
According to the Tennessee Highway Patrol, 40 year old Stirling Van Fleet was operating a Kawasaki Ninja motorcycle and was south bound on Highway 56 when his motorcycle crashed into the rear of a John Deere tractor, driven by 58 year old David Farless of McMinnville. Trooper Wade Myers said the tractor had slowed to make a left turn into a private driveway when Van Fleet attempted to pass the tractor on the left side.
Van Fleet was pronounced dead at the scene. Farless was not injured.

County unemployment numbers in Tennessee show the unemployment rate decreased in four counties, increased in 90 and was unchanged in one county.
Coffee County’s unemployment rate went up from 2.6 in April to 2.9 percent in May. 780 people are currently unemployed in the county.
Williamson County had the state’s lowest unemployment rate at 2.2 percent, while Clay County had the highest at 5.4 percent.