Category: News

In a rare display of bipartisanship, the U.S. Senate last week passed a measure by a vote of 92-8 to reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund indefinitely. Now, all eyes are on members of the House, who could vote on a public-lands package as early as next week.
Congress allowed the fund to expire in 2018, but Tracy Stone-Manning, vice president for public lands at the National Wildlife Federation, said more than 75 percent of Americans support the program, which uses fees from offshore oil and gas drilling to protect public lands.
“This one issue – the ability to bring people together around public lands, around protection of our wildlife – has punched through as something that is so uniquely and beautifully American that it has brought the Senate together,” she said, “and we’re hoping it does the House as well.”
For nearly 50 years, the program has helped build hiking and biking trails, parks, playgrounds and ballfields, with local communities often raising matching dollars to improve access to public open spaces. In Tennessee, the grants have totaled more than $200 million.
When the grant money is used to purchase land, said Garett Reppenhagen, Rocky Mountain regional director for the Vet Voice Foundation, it’s usually to create access points to public land for hunting, fishing or hiking. Reppenhagen, who served in Kosovo and Iraq, said these activities on public lands help him and other veterans readjust to civilian life.
“Military veterans use the outdoors to heal from our military trauma, from our experiences on the battlefield,” he said. “It helps with our post-traumatic stress disorder, and we use the outdoors to bond with our family and friends when we come home from long deployments.”
Stone-Manning said the program also boosts local economies, especially in rural areas, supporting Tennessee’s outdoor-recreation economy, which is worth more than $21 billion a year.
“Our population is growing; need for open space and need for parks is growing with it,” she said. “So we desperately need this program to continue, so that our kids and our grandkids have the exact same access to parks and wildlife habitat that we have.”
If the bill clears the House and makes it to the president’s desk, she said, it would be the biggest public-lands package in a decade.

After closing the Coffee County Jail workhouse back in the Fall (2018) Coffee County Sheriff Chad Partin in a recent committee meeting brought up the idea of building a new workhouse or annex next to the main jail. The currently closed annex is next door to the Justice Center.
When the closing took place Partin said this was a temporary closing.
Partin said the sheriff’s department was down 15 corrections officers at the time of the closing and is currently down around 17.
He added this issue is not urgent. He just wants leaders to think about the future.
However, according to Partin, there is a contraband problem.
The county commission would have to approve this expenditure.
Inmates serving as trustees work for Coffee County and Manchester City departments.
Partin also stated that his first priority was getting pay raises for corrections officers.
The county spent about $90,000 to renovate the now closed annex. The renovation was completed in 2017.
Currently, trustees are housed at the main jail location.
(Portions of this story from the Tullahoma News)

In a press release from the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, they say on Wednesday February 20, 2019 Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Deputies Kason Bolin and Deputy Patrick Stefanski initiated a traffic stop in the area of Rock Creek Road.
An investigation began after the stop and it revealed that the passenger had an active warrant in Coffee County and was detained at the scene. Further investigation revealed the passenger to allegedly be in possession of 28.65 grams of a white crystallized substance believed to be methamphetamine. According to the release, at this point the suspect did attempt to assault the deputies and flee the scene but was restrained and placed in custody.
James William Gann of Pleasant Grove Rd. Winchester, TN. was placed into custody and transported to the Franklin County Jail. Gann was charged with Possession of Methamphetamine, Fabricating/Tampering with Evidence, Resisting Arrest and Assault. Gann is currently being held under no bond and has a court date set for Thursday April 11th, 2019 in Franklin County General Sessions Court.

Also, on the same day Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Jason Brockman initiated a traffic stop on Highway 64 East in the area of State Route 16.
After stopping the vehicle, Deputy Brockman made contact with the driver and through an initial investigation he allegedly discovered the presence of narcotics.
Deputy Brockman and Deputy Martin Tyler then made contact with one of the passengers Bradley Scott Brazelton of Rowe Gap Rd. Belvidere, TN. After a field interview and further investigation deputies did find Brazelton to allegedly be in possession of various illegal substances and paraphernalia as well as $369 cash.
Brazelton was placed into custody and transported to the Franklin County Jail where is was booked on charges of Possession of Drug paraphernalia, MFG/Sell/Del/ of a Schedule I (mushrooms), MFG/Sell/Del of a Schedule II (Hydrocodone) and MFG/Sell/DEL/ of a Schedule VI (marijuana) and placed under a $7,500 bond which was posted and Brazelton was released. Brazelton has a court date set for Thursday April 18th, 2019 in Franklin County General Sessions Court.

In the wake of record-setting rains, power outages, road closures and water rescues throughout the region, The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee has created the Middle Tennessee Emergency Response Fund to support the affected communities and nonprofits helping victims address their ongoing needs.
Grants from the Fund will be made to nonprofits providing vital services both immediate and long term. Their work helps free nonprofits up to concentrate on delivering vital services while we “connect generosity with need” and our community sets out to rebuild lives.
Nashville already has surpassed its all-time rainfall record for the month of February with 13.47 inches, according to the National Weather Service. The previous record was in 1880 at 12.37 inches. So far this month, 12.89 inches of rain has fallen in Manchester.
The Community Foundation exists to promote and facilitate giving in the 40 counties of Middle Tennessee (including Coffee) and beyond. It does this by accepting gifts of any size from anyone at any time and by empowering individuals, families, companies, nonprofits, and communities to respond to needs and opportunities that matter. The Community Foundation works with people who have great hearts, whether or not they have great wealth, to craft solutions that reflect their intentions and goals. For more information or to make a donation, call 615-321-4939 or visit www.cfmt.org.

 

It was a busy Saturday for Coffee County deputies, city patrolmen and rescue personnel as rising water created many issues.
A State of Emergency was declared in Tennessee after widespread flooding and severe weather occurred over the last several days.

The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency activated the Tennessee Emergency Management Plan at Level 3 out of 5.
Governor Bill Lee asked residents of Tennessee to follow all instructions of emergency officials and stay alert as flood waters continued to rise.
Around 40 roads were impacted in Coffee County, closing several for a long period of time. Most are now passable, after no rain, wind and sunshine helped to start the process of drying out on Sunday.
The Coffee County Rescue Squad evacuated three families from their homes on Saturday. Coffee County Emergency Management opened an emergency shelter at College St Elementary in Manchester on Saturday for those in need.
Officially Manchester received 7.5 inches of rain from Feb. 19-23. The most falling on the 23rd, (Saturday) 3.96 inches.
All counties in the WMSR listening area reported damage during the rain occurrence. Homes, highways, and bridges were reported as flooded or put out of commission by the heavy rains. You can double left click on pictures to make them larger.

A one-vehicle accident took place on Saturday afternoon on Freedonia Road near C Anderson Road. Apparently raging waters came up over the road just as the male driver came around a curve and allegedly the water swept the vehicle off the roadway. The car was submerged deep in the water. The driver was able to get out of his car before water began rushing inside.
Emergency personnel quickly responded to the scene.

A two vehicle crash took place on Friday afternoon at 3:15pm. The accident happened on Hwy 53 (Woodbury Hwy) at the entrance to Circle J trailer park.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol, who was in charge of the accident, received assistance from local law enforcement. Coffee County EMS responded to check on possible injuries.
No other information has been released by the THP at this time.

An investigation by Special Agents with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has resulted in the arrest of a Shelbyville woman on charges that she fraudulently obtained prescription drugs.
At the request of 17th District Attorney General Robert Carter, on July 5, 2018, TBI Agents began investigating Sherry Graham on allegations of obtaining drugs by fraud. During the course of the investigations, Agents developed information that the Shelbyville woman was responsible for fraudulently obtaining prescriptions from October 2017 through April 2018.
On Thursday, the Bedford County Grand Jury returned indictments charging 46 year-old Sherry Denise Graham with 12 counts of Obtaining Drugs by Fraud. She turned herself into law enforcement officials on Thursday and was booked into the Bedford County Jail on a $5,000 bond.