Category: News

The Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS) announced a major step forward in helping families pay for the cost of child care and incentivizing more providers across the state to participate in the child care subsidy program.
Beginning in April, TDHS will raise the weekly reimbursement rates for all providers who take part in the state’s Child Care Certificate Program. This rate increase is the first for child care providers since 2008.
Through the Smart Steps Program, TDHS provides child care financial assistance to families who are working or pursuing post-secondary education and who meet certain income eligibility requirements. The Child Care Certificate Program also serves teen parents enrolled in high school, through the Teen Parent Assistance for Child Care Program. Additional categories of child care payment assistance are available to families who take part in the state’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program known as Families First, parents transitioning off Families First, and children in foster care.
Tennessee has approximately 4,200 regulated child care agencies, who would be eligible to participate in the Child Care Certificate Program. Approximately 1,500 providers are currently participating. By raising the reimbursement rates, TDHS hopes that more providers will join the program, resulting in more choices for families seeking quality child care.
In July 2018, TDHS released new child care licensing rules that support providers in raising quality, health, and safety expectations for their services.

Garieon Simmons, accused of stealing a Cadillac Escalade from the Coffee County Funeral Chapel in Manchester, TN and leading a high-speed pursuit will head to trial September 16, 2019. Simmons was charged with first degree murder. The pursuit began in Manchester and ended in Murfreesboro on June 24th, 2016. The pursuit traveled westbound on Interstate 24 before exiting and ending in a crash on South Church Street in Murfreesboro which took the life of 28-year old Jennifer Campos. As she was turning out of a parking lot just past Veterans Parkway, her vehicle was hit in the driver’s side door. Campos died at the scene while her seven-month old child survived.
The now 30 year-old Simmons from Decherd, TN is currently behind bars at the Rutherford County Adult Detention Center. Pre-trial motions will be heard on March 22, 2019.

A Grundy County pastor, William E. “Tim” Smith, Jr. of the Palmer Church of God pleaded guilty on Friday to attempted child rape in a case involving a 12-year-old girl.
Judge Justin Angel sentenced Smith, Jr. to 9 years and 6 months in prison. Smith, Jr. also must not make any contact with the victim.
Grundy County Sheriff Clint Shrum says Smith, Jr. was arrested after investigators found him with a 12-year old female in a remote wooded area engaged in sexual conduct in Smith, Jr.’s truck.
Sheriff Shrum says he was also found in possession of legend and Schedule II prescription drugs.
At the time of the arrest, Tennessee Church of God officials announced he would be placed on administrative leave.

Two corrections officers in Grundy County have been suspended without pay after crashing a patrol cruiser into a woman’s car on Thursday.
The Grundy County Sheriff’s Office has announced it is now launching an internal investigation along with the Tennessee Highway Patrol’s investigation.
The woman involved in the crash, 18-year-old Shalyn Pickett of Beersheba Springs had minor injuries as a result of the patrol cruiser rear-ending her white Nissan Altima.
Sgt. Alan Bailey with the Tennessee Highway Patrol said there was an inmate in the back seat of the cruiser at the time of the accident.
Officers Jonathan Hargis and Cody Nunley are on unpaid leave pending the results of an investigation.
The THP said Officer Hargis was driving the patrol car when it rear-ended the other vehicle in Altamont in the 800 block of Main Street around noon Thursday.
A THP spokesperson said, the officer allegedly had his emergency equipment activated,” when he rear-ended the car.
A release from Grundy County Sheriff Clint Shrum says Hargis and Nunley, were bringing the patrol vehicle back from Tracy City where it had received maintenance.

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and Department of Labor and Workforce Development Commissioner Jeff McCord announced Thursday a preliminary statewide unemployment rate of 3.3 percent for January 2019.
Tennessee has now had a statewide unemployment rate of 3.3 percent for the last four consecutive months.
Total nonfarm employment in Tennessee increased by 8,300 jobs from December to January. The largest increases occurred in accommodations/food services, administrative/support/waste services, and arts/entertainment/recreation. Over the last year, nonfarm employment across the state grew by 61,200 jobs.

An executive order was signed by Gov. Bill Lee making it easier for Tennesseans to recover from the effects of serious flooding caused by heavy rains.
The order begins the process for declaring a federal disaster after parts of the state set records for rainfall last month. Rain caused flooding in homes, businesses, roads, farms and fields, and led to landslides and highway closures.
Lee’s order enables easier delivery of health care, insurance and relief supplies to 83 Tennessee counties (including Coffee) affected by flooding. It also helps the repair of state and federal highways damaged by high water.
The order is retroactive to Feb. 6 and runs through April 7.

A group from Michigan State University found out about the cleanup work the Coffee County Youth Bass Club has been doing at Normandy Lake and wanted to help. On Thursday 160 students made their way to the lake on their “Pay It Forward” tour. This was part of their week-long spring break trip.
The Michigan State University students and others began working on the cleanup. They worked with Tennessee Bass Nation (TBN) members Gary Lahr, Coffee County Coach Phillip Petty, TBN South Central Region Director and BASS National Conservation Director Jake Davis, 3 Coffee County anglers (Adam Petty, Jayden Yates, and Sawyer Banks), along with David Jordan from Tims Ford Council and the entire TWRA Region 2 fishery crews, with their 2 barges and 3 net boats worked to clean up the lake on the cool, wet and windy day. This is the third Coffee County Bass Club cleanup.
Coffee County Solid Waste provided a dumpster.

A riding lawn mower was stolen from Tri-Green Equipment on Interstate Drive in Manchester on Monday (3/4/2019). The Manchester Police Department is looking for the male suspect and the suspect’s vehicle he was driving.
If you can help them identify this subject or locate the vehicle you can see on our website, wmsrradio.com, please contact Manchester Police Investigator Trey Adcock at 931.728.2099. You can also respond to the police department’s social media pages (Facebook or Twitter) with information.
The vehicle is believed to be a 2-tone 90s model, standard cab GMC pickup truck. Your help is appreciated.

The so-called Daylight Saving bill, moved one step closer to becoming law this week.
A version of the bill already passed the Senate in February.
If the bill passes, the state of Tennessee would establish daylight saving time as the standard time in Tennessee.
According to a report by National Public Radio, studies show that changing the clocks does not lead to significant energy savings, and is not linked to increased heart attacks, strokes and traffic accidents due to the disruption in our daily biological cycles.
Remember to spring forward Saturday night (3-9-19).