Category: News

The Manchester Police Department is partnering with the Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO) for its annual Seatbelts Are for Everyone (SAFE) campaign. This statewide initiative is designed to increase seatbelt usage and child passenger safety restraint usage through the implementation of occupant-protection programs, public events, and checkpoints throughout local communities across Tennessee. The SAFE campaign runs now through August 1, 2019.
2019 will be the sixth year the THSO has sponsored the SAFE campaign. Last year yielded the following results:
• 1,182 child restraint violations
• 13,165 seat belt citations
• 305 other seat belt enforcement activities
“In 2017, Tennessee’s average seatbelt usage rate was 88.51 percent,” said THSO Director Vic Donoho. “In 2018, the usage rate was 88.77 percent. Through increased education, enforcement, and community involvement, we’re striving to achieve 100 percent.”
This year, participating agencies will pay special attention to nighttime seatbelt enforcement. Historically, approximately fifty percent of Tennessee’s traffic fatalities are unbelted. That percentage increases to nearly sixty when nighttime crashes are examined.

According to the CDC, flu activity in Tennessee has elevated from regional to widespread.
According to the CDC’s numbers, 43 out of the state’s 95 counties have reported at least one confirmed case of the flu.
Although widespread, confirmed flu cases still remain low in Tennessee.
There are 245 confirmed flu cases so far in Tennessee, the majority of cases, 89, have been from East Tennessee.
All county health departments run by the state are offering free flu shots.

Are you in a toxic relationship? You are if you use tobacco products. The Tennessee Department of Health joins partners across the state celebrating the third annual Tennessee Quit Week February 4 – 9, 2019 and invites all Tennesseans to support those who have quit using tobacco products and inspire more people to join them.
This year’s Tennessee Quit Week theme is “Let’s Call It Quits!” urging smokers to break up with tobacco. Tennessee Quit Week raises awareness of the Tennessee Tobacco QuitLine and other free resources available to help Tennesseans quit smoking and/or using other tobacco products. These proven, effective services can double a tobacco user’s chances of quitting.
Tennessee now ranks 44th in the nation in smoking prevalence among adults. The most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show 22.1 percent of Tennesseans smoke, noticeably higher than the U.S. rate of 15.1 percent. While the state’s adult smoking rate has become stagnant in recent years, the Youth Risk Behavior Survey reports youth tobacco use in Tennessee has declined to 16.7 percent.
Quitting smoking greatly reduces the risk of developing smoking-related diseases. Tennesseans who smoke and are ready to quit can call the Tennessee Tobacco QuitLine, use the web-based program or attend in-person counseling services and may receive free FDA-approved nicotine replacement therapy. These services are provided at no charge to participants. Call the Tennessee Tobacco QuitLine at 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) to talk with a counselor who will help create a personalized quit plan. Find more information or enroll online at www.tnquitline.org.

Gas prices in Tennessee declined 3.5 cents last week. Monday’s state average of $2.02 per gallon is 39 cents less than this time last year.
Tennessee drivers enjoyed the cheapest January at the pump in three years. Last month, Tennessee gas prices averaged $2.01 per gallon. The monthly average was 32 cents less than January 2018, and 11 cents less than January 2017.
AAA spokesman Mark Jenkins said rising oil prices and the switch to summer blend gasoline will eventually boost prices at the pump in the coming months.
The national average price of gasoline is $2.25 per gallon.
The low price in Coffee County as of Monday evening was in Tullahoma at $1.90 per gallon and in Manchester the low price was $1.92.

Up to 400 new jobs available IF a warehouse locates in Pelham, TN.
A company is proposing to locate a warehousing/distribution facility in Pelham and will create up to 400 new jobs. The facility, if located in the area, will be a boost to the local economy and offer jobs to local residents who might otherwise have to leave the area for employment.
Jobs have a starting wages of $11.25 per hour, not including benefits or shift differentials.
Order Processor: Product Shipping, ability to process orders in accurate, efficient and timely shipping process. Ability to work with peers and leadership team, maintaining a clean work area, ability to be cross-trained in other areas of the distribution center, ability to successfully use Voice-directed Picking System, flexibility to work in other areas and tasks as required by Customer needs, other duties as assigned by department leader or supervisor. High school diploma and/or GED equivalent required.
Lift Truck Equipment Operator/Material Handler: Responsible for accurately Storing, retrieving, loading and moving product in warehouse and relay loading / material moving information to appropriate personal. Must be able to successfully complete Lift Truck training. Work with and assist labeler when needed. Will be required the use of a slip sheet attachment. High school diploma and/or GED equivalent required.
Shift schedules for both positions may vary during peak season or because of Distribution Center needs.
Please express your interest in either position by mailing or dropping off a resume and/or job application to the Grundy County Mayor’s Office, P.O. Box 92, Altamont, TN 37301.

As many as 68,000 Tennesseans would be affected by a proposal to require parents who now receive Medicaid to demonstrate that they’re working at least 20 hours a week, according to a new report.
The report from the Tennessee Justice Center and the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families is based on research on a similar policy in Arkansas, which led to more than 18,000 adults losing their Medicaid coverage in the first few months.
Joan Alker, executive director of the Georgetown Center for Children, says the proposal is unlikely to promote more work, and most likely to affect women.
“We know this from research on other programs that have implemented work requirements and the experience of Tennessee’s neighbor Arkansas,” she states. “The practical effects of Tennessee’s proposal will be to take away Medicaid coverage from very poor parents, again, mostly mothers.”
Tennessee’s proposal has been submitted to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for review. The public comment period ends Feb. 7.
The state ranks top in hospital closures and has seen a loss of 12 hospitals in the poorest communities without Medicaid expansion.
Mary Graham, president of United Ways of Tennessee, maintains the waiver being requested by the state will create an even bigger health care crisis.
“You know, United Ways of Tennessee, we support work as a core value, but taking away people’s health care coverage?” she questions. “That’s not a way to get more people working.
“This is going to be devastating to communities across Tennessee, and this waiver is going to make it even harder for rural hospitals to keep their doors open.”
Graham says those with medical and other needs are likely to seek assistance at hospitals in the poorest communities and help from charitable organizations.

If you have someone in the NHC Healthcare in McMinnville that you would like to visit, you’ll have to wait until next week.
Due to the influenza virus, NHC Healthcare at 928 Old Smithville Rd. in McMinnville is asking that the community refrain from visiting until next Monday, Feb. 11th. This is for the safety of the patients as well as the partners, volunteers and family members.
If you need an update on a patient, you may call the center at 931-473-8431.

We have an update on a story we brought you last week. The Tennessee Highway Patrol has identified the driver they say was involved in a deadly hit and run near the Moore County-Lincoln County line.
Early Tuesday morning (Jan. 29, 2019), the THP says a 67-year-old man from Mulberry was struck by a vehicle around 2:30am on the Lynchburg Highway near Louse Creek Road. His body was discovered about 3 p.m. Tuesday afternoon.
Tullahoma resident Zachary A. Collins, 25, was allegedly the driver and the case will be presented to a grand jury.

The attitude around marijuana may be shifting, but on the federal level, it has not.
Marijuana is a Schedule I narcotic, with the likes of LSD and Heroine. It’s also now legal for recreational use in 10 states.
Now, law enforcement is caught in the middle.
“No matter what the states do, the federal government has marijuana as an illegal drug,” noted Franklin County Sheriff, Tim Fuller. “So, what some of our states are doing is sending a mixed message.”
Sheriff Fuller added, “I’ve been in law enforcement 37 years and it’s been a problem for 37 years,” he said. “There’s more coming by way of mail, UPS, FedEx, we’ve run into more of that than we used to.”
It’s a trend rising all across the state. According to the TBI, in 2017 drug and narcotics violations rose by just over 6%. (WKRN-TV)