Category: News

Gas prices are back on the rise, now that the oil market is regaining strength. Gas prices in Tennessee increased 3 cents in the past four days. Sunday’s state average of $1.99 was just fractions of a cent from returning above $2 per gallon.
Pump prices in Tennessee are now rising for the first time in more than 12 weeks. Over the course of 90 days, the state average declined a total of 72 cents, saving the average driver more than $10 on a full tank of gas.
The national average price for a gallon of regular unleaded is $2.24.
The low price for a gallon of gas this week in Coffee County was $1.90 as of Monday evening.

James Ferguson. Jail intake photo.

39-year-old James Michael Ferguson, of Old Tullahoma Hwy, Winchester, has been charged with domestic assault, felony evading, reckless endangerment, failing to obey police officers, aggravated assault and felony evading or resisting arrest.
He was arrested after allegedly shooting an arrow from a compound bow at a deputy.
Franklin County Sheriff’s Office deputies initiated a vehicle pursuit due to a driver failing to obey traffic commands while traveling through an accident scene on Old Tullahoma Highway Sunday night.
Due to road and weather conditions, personnel terminated the pursuit.
Ferguson was later arrested and is to appear in Franklin County General Sessions Court on March 7 at 8 a.m.

SPECIAL CALLED BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
COFFEE COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE PLAZA
JANUARY 22, 2019 @ 6:00 P.M.
A G E N D A
• Sheriff Proclaims Commission Open for Business

• Invocation

• Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag

• Roll Call

• Revisions to the Coffee County Personnel Manual regarding Emergency Medical Services (EMS) pay.

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency is launching a new smartphone app, “TWRA on the Go,” with enhanced features to make it easier to hunt, fish, boat, and enjoy wildlife.
“We are always looking for ways to make it more convenient for those who enjoy the outdoors,” said Michael May, TWRA Assistant Director. “The new app makes it easy to go paperless and report your deer or turkey harvest with or without cell service.”
Android users can install the new app through Google Play. IPhone users may go through the regular Apple Store.
Users will have the ability to access a copy of their current license, store multiple licenses on one phone, buy licenses, check deer or turkey with or without cell phone service, see harvest data, access Tennessee rules and regulations, use geo-locating tools to enhance the recreational experience, and determine sunrise/sunset times based on GPS location.
Users will continue to have the opportunity to use features from the previous app. The “Stay Connected Page” provides easy access to TWRA’s newsroom and social media.
There is also an interactive map to find TWRA wildlife management areas (WMAs), physical check station locations, and duck blind locations. The “Hunter’s Backpack” is where hunter education courses, a summary of hunting seasons, and full versions of the agency hunting guides are available.
For anglers, “Fisherman’s Tacklebox” includes, fish identification, interactive maps to find boat ramp and fish access information, fish attractor locations, trout stocking locations, and trout stocking schedules.
On the app’s boating page, the “Boating Locker” includes boat regulations, safety checklists, boating education information, navigational aids, and recommended boating equipment.
For wildlife watchers, there is information about where to view wildlife across the state.

Evans Baird jail intake photo.

Former local school band director Thomas Evans Baird was back in jail on Friday facing more charges. According to Coffee County District Attorney Craig Northcott, Baird, age 79, was indicted on Tuesday, Jan. 9 by the Coffee County Grand Jury on 34 counts relating to sexual acts with multiple victims ages 12-15. The incidents allegedly occurred between 2016-2018. He was booked into Coffee County Jail on Friday, Jan. 11 with a $100,000 bond.
Current charges announced by DA Nothcott:

Two counts on continuous sexual abuse to a child
Six counts of indecent exposure
Twelve counts of exploitation of a minor to observe sexual activity
Three counts of aggravated sexual battery
Five counts of sexual battery by authority figure
Three counts of attempted sexual battery by an authority figure
One count of attempted rape
One count of attempted aggravated statutory rape
One count of attempted statutory rape by an authority figure
Baird, a Manchester resident, will be in court for an arraignment on Jan. 22 at 9 a.m. Due to these indictments, his previous court date scheduled for Feb. 14 will be dismissed.

The Board of Directors of Duck River Electric Membership Corporation (DREMC) have accepted the retirement request of Michael Watson, President and CEO. Watson relinquished his duties as CEO and President on Jan. 11; he will serve in an advisory capacity for the cooperative until June 30, 2019.
“We are grateful for the 27 years of service that Michael has dedicated to Duck River Electric,” said Barry Cooper, Chairman of the Board. “He has led DREMC through an important period of change in the cooperative business, including implementing an advanced meter infrastructure and installing a fiber backbone that is preparing the cooperative for broadband options.”
He has also demonstrated valuable leadership within the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association and the Tennessee Valley Public Power Association, Cooper said, as well as with the TVA Rates and Contracts process.
Cooper said that the board has taken action to employ Charles McDonald as an interim CEO. McDonald retired from DREMC in 2011 as Director of Member Services after 37 years of service with the cooperative. McDonald began his interim service effective Jan. 11, 2019.
The board will begin a thorough search for a CEO as soon as is feasible.

The federal government’s shutdown requires SNAP recipients to file paperwork by the end of the business day Monday.
The Tennessee Department of Human Services Press Secretary Sky Arnold said . . .
He stresses that meeting Monday’s deadline is an important step to ensure February benefits to those who qualify during the government shutdown.
Once again, individuals who are renewing their benefits or filing a 6 month Simplified Report form need to have any required paperwork in by the end of business Monday, January 14. Meeting this deadline is an important step to ensure February benefits are available to those who qualify during the government shutdown. Sky Arnold…
TDHS is reminding the more than 900,000 Tennesseans who depend on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) that these benefits are the only funds they should expect until at least March.

Williamson County Sheriff’s Office Investigators are working to identify two car burglary suspects wanted in five counties, including Coffee County. The two suspects were caught on video at several Kroger stores after using stolen credit cards taken during the burglaries.
The suspects are breaking into locked and unlocked vehicles during daytime hours in public parking lots at grocery stores and rec centers. They steal purses and use stolen credit cards to buy hundreds of dollars in gift cards at various Kroger stores in Williamson, Wilson, Maury and Bedford Counties and in Tullahoma.
If you have information about these two suspects call your local police department, you may be eligible for a reward up to $1,000.
All law enforcement urges residents to always lock their car doors, do not leave purses or other valuables in their vehicles and be aware of their surroundings.

The Manchester Board of Education will be meeting on Monday afternoon at 5pm in the administration building.
The board will be voting to start the search for a new director of schools. Current director Lee Wilkerson’s contract will be end at the completion of this year’s school term. Wilkerson, who was hired in June of 2015 came from the Murfreesboro City School system where he was principal at Cason Lane Academy.
Board of Education Chairman Travis Hillis explains why the decision is being made not to renew Wilkerson’s contract…

Also, on the agenda the Manchester Board of Education will be discussing the job of their legal counsel. Charles (Chuck) Cagle from Nashville is the current attorney for the system.

Telephone-based mass notifications systems are used by thousands of public safety agencies across the US to warn citizens about local emergencies, hazards and other threats. Now Coffee County announces that they have selected Hyper-Reach to help bring this same life-saving capability to the area. Hyper-Reach is a state of the art mass emergency notification system designed specifically for public safety. The county expects to have the service fully operational by the end of February.
The new emergency alert system will provide rapid notification of hazardous and urgent situations using a mix of telephone calls, text and email messages, and even TTY/TDD service for the hearing impaired. The system sends thousands of these messages to geographically targeted households in seconds, and can at the same time deliver them to an even broader audience via social media, as well as sending broadcast messages to most current mobile telephones (made since 2011) in an affected area by providing access to FEMA’s Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) system.
“Our job is to protect the citizens of Coffee County as effectively and cost-effectively as possible.” said Diane Argraves, Director of 911 for Coffee County. “We reviewed all the major vendors for emergency notification service, and Hyper-Reach gave us everything we needed at an unbelievable price. We’re really excited about this new capability.” The County plans to use the service primarily for alerts about weather and environmental hazards, criminal activity and missing persons. Landline phones are automatically enrolled for alerts (except weather), but for landline weather alerts or for alerts to mobile phones and email addresses, citizens must sign up. Residents and people who work in Coffee County are encouraged to enroll now either by calling or texting 931.800.3020 or by going to the website:
https://hyper-reach.com/tncoffeesignup.html.