Category: News

Another person in Grundy County has been arrested for animal cruelty. A Grundy County woman was arrested after deputies said they found several dogs at her home in poor condition.
Grundy County deputies said they arrived at the Gruetli-Laager home over the weekend, they found several dogs in poor and malnourished condition.
The owner, 28-year-old Felisha Layne, couldn’t provide the deputies with any proof she had been feeding and watering her dogs, according to the sheriff’s department.
Layne was arrested and charged with animal cruelty. The Grundy County Sheriff’s Office says this is the third animal abuse arrest in five days.
Grundy County Sheriff Clint Shrum even took to Facebook Live on the office’s Facebook page to discuss the arrests.
Interested in fostering any of the dogs? Contact Captain Josh King at the Grundy County Sheriff’s Office, 931-692-3466.

Researchers have found yet another reason to add exercise to your New Year’s resolutions – particularly for seniors.
A report published this year in the journal Neurology examined multiple studies linking regular exercise to better cognitive skills in older adults at risk for dementia. In a six-month period, participants who did 35 minutes of aerobic exercise daily showed significant improvement in planning, problem-solving and decision-making.
State director of AARP Tennessee, Rebecca Kelly, said it should encourage people of all ages to stick to their fitness resolutions.
“New Year’s resolutions are great. I think the trick is to not set yourself up for failure,” Kelly said. “I also think the more normal you can make that routine, and the simpler, the longer you’re going to be able to do it.”
Getting healthy is at the top of the New Year’s resolution list, according to Google. But for older Tennesseeans, it could be key to preventing brain aging and keeping mild cognitive impairment – a precursor of dementia – at bay.
The study found just 52-hours of low-impact exercise throughout the year improved a person’s cognitive test scores to the equivalent of reversing nearly nine years of aging – and that’s with less than one hour of exercise per week.
While the benefits of being active outweigh the risks of living a sedentary lifestyle, over-exercising can also pose some dangers. Kelly said it doesn’t have to be complicated.
“You can keep it simple. Plan ahead, know what your day is going to look like,” she said. “Try to add in some healthy meals if you know you’re going to have a really unhealthy meal. Try to continue to drink water throughout the day, and as often as you can – and then, just move more than you moved yesterday.”
Experts suggest that before seniors start any new fitness program, they check with their doctor to make sure they’re aware of any limitations. For more tips on being active and eating healthier, visit AARP.org.

Kind-hearted Tennesseans will turn to charitable organizations this year to help make a positive impact for those who are less fortunate. Unfortunately, charity scammers will use the end of-year giving surge and take advantage to consumers’ generosity. To help consumers avoid charity scams, the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance’s (TDCI) Division of Consumer Affairs is advising consumers to always research charitable organizations before opening their wallets or entering personal information online.
“The holiday and end of year season is a great opportunity to donate to legitimate charitable organizations in order to give back to the community,” said TDCI Commissioner Julie Mix McPeak. “When making a donation, we advise consumers to always practice due diligence in order to ensure the money will be going to the intended organization, not a scammer.”
The Division of Consumer Affairs offers the following tips to help consumers avoid scammers. Remember:

• Always research the charity or organization before giving money.
• Ensure that the charity is registered with the Tennessee Secretary of State’s Office.
• Conduct an online search of the organization name.
• Check with the BBB’s Wise Giving Alliance at give.org to see charity reports.
• Find out how much of your donation will go for the charitable purpose and how much will go toward the charity’s administrative costs.
• Don’t rush. Request information be sent to you. Consider your options carefully. Get all the information about an organization before you give.
• If an organization is soliciting donations over the phone or via the Internet or social media and you did not initiate contact, do not give your personal or financial information until you are able to do research.
• Be cautious of lookalike websites. Fraudulent websites often ask for personal or financial information over an unsecure connection or may download harmful malware into your computer. Look for a padlock symbol or “https” before the web address indicating that it is secure.
• Don’t assume that charity recommendations on social media platforms have already been vetted. Research the charity yourself.
• Check labeling on donation bins indicating the intentions for the donations and information about the charity. You can review required information for professional solicitors, non-profit, and for-profit organizations here.
• Raffles are considered charitable gaming events and must be registered with the Tennessee Secretary of State’s Office. Find out who qualifies to hold a raffle and search registered events here.
• If you’ve witnessed deceptive or misleading fundraising activity, you can file a complaint with the Tennessee Secretary of State’s Office.

To learn more about being a savvy consumer, visit tn.gov/consumer.

Talks began again earlier this month concerning a possible sewer line expansion around exit 105 in Coffee County. Coffee County and Manchester leaders are looking at the possibility on an expansion in the North Coffee area to accommodate North Coffee Elementary and future commercial projects.
Speaking of commercial projects, you might remember that County Mayor Gary Cordell at one time estimated the project to cost $1.3 million and would be able to support the school, as well as two 50-room hotels, a 2,400-square-foot retail store, a 100-seat restaurant and two convenience stores. You might also remember that the county has implemented a hotel/motel tax in case some are built in the county, even though there no motels or hotels in the county at this time. The tax rate on rooms has not yet been determined, but county officials have discussed setting it at 6 percent, which is the same as Manchester and one percent lower than Tullahoma.
Manchester Alderman Ryan French says he is urging the city leaders to maintain the integrity of what tax payers pay for inside the city limits. French says he thinks any kind of expansion in the area would have to be tied to the long-term growth of the City of Manchester.
Manchester Water and Sewer Director Bryan Pennington agreed and added that this plan is big plan.
Despite Mayor Cordell and other county leaders back in May talking about the expansion and implementing the new tax, City Mayor Lonnie Norman says that no one had approached the city until November. He said Director Pennington was the only person that anyone had spoken too. He said the two governments needed to work together to help Manchester and Coffee County grow.
French also spoke about the “Urban Growth Boundary” (UGB) and to give the options of citizens in the UGB the option of annexing themselves into the City of Manchester. In return, they would be connected to the city’s expanded sewer lines.
French added that the city cannot force anyone to be annexed, it has to be voted on by that community. However, French saw potential to marry these two projects together to promote residential and commercial growth in the area between I-24 exits 105 and 110.
To move forward, the county would need approval by the city of Manchester.

Two people in Grundy County were arrested over the weekend for cruelty to animals. 27 year-old Greg Cunningham and 22 year-old Veronica Packard both of Tracy City were arrested Saturday after deputies responded to a call at their residence.
The rescued dog was placed in the care of a third party. Both were released on bond and have an initial court date of January 10, 2019. Grundy County Sheriff Clint Shrum reminds the public that both parties are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. He added that if anyone in Grundy County suspicions animal cruelty to please call the sheriff’s office in Altamont at (931) 692-3466. The sheriff added that with no animal control or pound in Grundy County, they have to rely on services from other communities.

Multiple laws will be hitting the books at the start of the new year.
Over 30 laws will be in effect, ranging from the prescribing of drugs and notification of opioid abuse.
One law says health departments are required to accept allegations of opioid abuse or diversion and to publicize them to report offenders, but it prohibits civil liability for/or firing a person who reports suspected abuse.
Other laws include health care prescribers to issue prescriptions for Schedule II controlled substances electronically by July 1, 2020. Prescribers are also authorized to do a partial fill of controlled-substance prescriptions.
Wine and beverage sales will also be allowed on Sunday during certain hours – except for Christmas, Easter or Thanksgiving.News State Laws Effective 01-01-19

The Tennessee Highway Safety Office has increased their impaired-driving enforcement during the holiday season.
This is part of the THSO’s statewide Booze It and Lose it campaign .
More messages about the dangers of drunk driving will be seen on highways across the state and nation alike.
Police are urging this message pointing out that even those who get a DUI conviction for the first time could end up having to pay costly fines, court costs, legal fees, jail time, mandatory drug and alcohol treatment, and/or the installation of an ignition interlock device in their vehicle.
Officials say state and local law enforcement partners will be out in full force to secure Tennessee roadways.
Remember in our report on Monday, the state reports that several more people have been killed on Tennessee roadways in 2018 than in 2017 with more than 4 days still remaining. Remember to obey speed limits, buckle up, no texting behind the wheel and don’t drive impaired.

With only a few days remaining in 2018, fire fatalities in Tennessee have already exceeded their totals from 2017. The Tennessee State Fire Marshal’s Office (SFMO) is advising Volunteer State residents that the cold weather season is the deadliest time of the year, and fire-safe behaviors could be the difference between life and death when it comes to home heating fires.
Heating equipment is the leading cause of home fire deaths nationally and the second leading known cause in Tennessee. From November 2017 through the end of February 2018, 33 Tennesseans lost their lives in accidental residential structure fires. Heating was the most common known cause of these fires, causing seven fatalities alone during that time period.
To help Tennesseans stay fire safe, the SFMO offers the following tips:
• Give space heaters space. Keep anything that can burn at least three feet away from heating equipment.
• Use space heaters that have automatic shut-off features. If the heater tips over, it shuts off.
• Place space heaters on a solid, flat surface. Keep them and their electrical cords away from things that can burn, high traffic areas, and doorways.
• Always turn portable heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed.
• Never use your oven to heat your home.
• Have heating equipment and chimneys inspected every year.
• Burn only dry, seasoned wood in fireplaces and woodstoves. Never burn garbage or use flammable liquids to start a fire.
• Make sure any fireplace has a sturdy screen to stop sparks from flying out. Ashes should be cool before disposing of them in a metal container. Keep the container a safe distance away from your home.
• Install wood burning stoves following manufacturer’s instructions or have a professional do the installation. All fuel-burning equipment should be vented to the outside to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.
• If you smell gas coming from your gas heater, do not light the appliance. Leave the home immediately and call your local fire department or gas company.
• Install and maintain working smoke alarms. If you need a working smoke alarm, many fire departments across Tennessee provide and install them for free.
For more information on being fire safe, visit tn.gov/fire.