Category: News

Several Rutherford County businesses have been added to a lawsuit against Rutherford County government leaders in connection with the February 12, 2018 OPERATION CANDY CRUSH. You might remember that 23 Rutherford County businesses were shut-down for selling products that contained CDB.
The raids were completed under a court order and carried out by the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office, local agencies along with backing by the TBI, DEA, and FBI. The businesses were padlocked after undercover agents allegedly bought candy that contained CDB.
The district attorney dropped the charges, as it reportedly was learned that it was not illegal to sell products containing CDB in Tennessee.
This lawsuit was filed by Cloud 9 Hemp owner James Swain Rieves and 16 other plaintiffs were added. Rieves claims that legal merchandise was seized which caused loss of business, serious mental and emotional distress, diminished reputation and standing in the community and other charges. The business owners felt that their civil rights had been violated.
Among other things, Rieves requests a trial by jury, $500,000 in compensatory damages, coverage of reasonable attorney fees, along with other issues.
This lawsuit was filed against Rutherford County District Attorney Jennings Jones, Sheriff Mike Fitzhugh, Smyrna Police Chief Kevin Arnold, along with Assistant DA John Zimmerman.

Candidate campaigns and outside interest groups have spent more than $51 million combined so far in Tennessee’s contentious, open contest for U.S. Senate.
According to federal campaign finance disclosures through September, Democratic former Gov. Phil Bredesen’s campaign has spent $11.7 million. Outside groups supporting him have spent about $13 million.
Republican Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn’s campaign has shelled out about $9 million. Pro-Blackburn outside groups have spent about $17.6 million.
From mid-July through September, Bredesen raised $4.3 million, spent $6 million and loaned his campaign another $2 million, bringing his total personal loans to about $5.5 million. He entered October with $3.2 million cash remaining.
In that timeframe, Blackburn raised almost $2.7 million, transferred $750,500 raised through related committees and spent $5.6 million. She ended September with $5 million left.

 

Encounter Life Church on Oakdale St in Manchester has started an outdoor food pantry. The Community Food Pantry is located in their parking lot at 1006 Oakdale St. in Manchester TN, next to Westwood Elementary. It is open around the clock and is self-serve.
The front doors of the pantry read, “Take what you need, leave what you can, a lot becomes a little in the Master’s hands.”

Pastor Adam Cutshaw said, “I am thankful for the men of the church that designed, constructed, painted and labeled the outside pantry.” The Community Food Pantry is open to everyone with no exceptions. Cutshaw added that he’s asking that anyone in the community stock it themselves at any time with non-perishable goods. The Community Food Pantry contains non-perishable goods, pregnancy tests labeled with Life Choices information, flyers with community aids and resources, gospel tracts and Bibles. Everything is absolutely free.

The U.S. Geological Survey at Memphis reports a Magnitude 2.3 earthquake rattled folks in Grundy County and surrounding communities about 1 a.m. Monday.
It was roughly 5 miles below the surface.
No injuries or damage was reported.
According to officials, the quake was centered about halfway between Pelham and Altamont along State Route 50.
According to reports, the trembler was detected as far away as Nashville, which included a portion of Coffee County.

After nobody won the most recent Mega Millions drawing, the jackpot prize for Tuesday is expected to approach record territory.
No ticket sold for Friday’s drawing matched all five numbers plus the Mega Ball, so the jackpot will reach an estimated $654 million ($372.6 million cash) on Tuesday.
The Mega Millions jackpot record is a $656 million prize on March 30, 2012.
The jackpot has been growing since July 24, when a California office pool of 11 people won a $543 million prize, according to a Mega Millions statement.

Tennessee’s attorney general has joined several dozen other states to ask the federal government to take action on illegal robocalls.
Attorney General Herbert H. Slatery III’s office said in a news release that a document signed by officials from almost three dozen states asks the Federal Communications Commission to create new rules to allow telephone service providers to block more calls.
The document says scammers using illegal robocalls are able to get around a call blocking order entered last year by disguising their identities. The release said they also make the calls appear to come from the same local area code as the person receiving the call.
The attorneys general are seeking authority allowing service providers to use new technology to detect and block illegal spoofed calls.

The pursuit of clean energy is what drives groups such as the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, but this election season, the alliance is working with dozens of volunteers across Tennessee to get out the vote.
The group registered voters across the state and now, has its sights set on turning folks out at the polls.
“It can’t be a half-hearted pursuit in order to make real change,” says Michael MacMiller, a Southern Alliance regional organizer. “We need everybody, all hands on deck. You can’t complain about the results of the game if you don’t check in at all. ”
Almost 38,000 people registered to vote on the deadline day alone last Tuesday.
The alliance and its grassroots campaign, Renew Tennessee, will now plan seven Election Day parties at polling stations across the state in an effort to increase voter turnout.
Organizer Jenn Galler concentrated her efforts on colleges in east Tennessee and noticed enthusiasm among many.
“It was super exciting for some of the students because they were like, ‘Oh, I just turned 18 and finally get to vote,'” she relates.
In addition to registering, Renew Tennessee organizers are building volunteer teams to educate Tennesseans on issues around clean and affordable energy.
But MacMiller says first there’s one thing that should be on the top of everyone’s to do list.
“We’re going to throw a party at seven precincts all around Tennessee,” he states. “We know you’re registered. Now just come along and do the last piece, which is actually coming out to vote.”
Currently, Tennessee is ranked 50th in voter turnout and 40th in voter registration. Turnout is expected to be higher than normal, with voters selecting a new governor and U.S. Senate candidate, in addition to local races.

In 1985, Rotary launched its PolioPlus program, the first initiative to tackle global polio eradication through the mass vaccination of children. Rotary has contributed more than $1.8 billion and countless volunteer hours to vaccinate more than 2.5 billion children in 122 countries. In addition, Rotary’s advocacy efforts have played a role in decisions by donor governments to contribute more than $7.2 billion to the effort.
Just 22 polio cases were confirmed worldwide in 2017, which is a reduction of more than 99.9 percent since the 1980s, when the world saw about 1,000 cases per day.
Coffee County Mayor Gary Cordell has declared October 24th World Polio Day in Coffee County.
More than one million Rotary members have donated their time and personal resources to end polio. Every year, hundreds of Rotary members work side-by-side with health workers to vaccinate children in polio-affected countries. Rotary members work with UNICEF and other partners to prepare and distribute mass communication tools to reach people in areas isolated by conflict, geography, or poverty. Rotary members also recruit fellow volunteers, assist with transporting the vaccine, and provide other logistical support.
Local Rotarians here in Coffee County have been active in support of this cause.

On Friday, Moore County deputies were called to Woodards’ Market for a Theft of Property. Upon arrival, suspect Hollie Kilgore was questioned, and was eventually found to be in possession of the stolen item.
After being detained, Deputy Brandon Thomas noticed Kilgore behaving strangely in the patrol unit. Further investigation by Thomas and Deputy Taylor of the Sheriff’s Department revealed Kilgore trying to hide Methamphetamine “ICE” in the seats on the patrol unit. Kilgore was found to have the Narcotic hidden on her person, along with paraphernalia used to ingest the drug.
Sheriff Tyler Hatfield, Corrections Officer Diane Tipps, and Lt. Larry Hatfield responded to the scene and assisted in the search and arrest of Kilgore.
Further investigation also revealed that Kilgore was in possession of a large sum of money at the time of her arrest.

Duck River Electric Membership Corporation (DREMC) answered the call for help after Hurricane Michael bashed the Florida Panhandle early Wednesday afternoon.
Twelve DREMC linemen and two supervisor/managers volunteered to head to Southern Georgia and sister-electric cooperative Colquitt Electric Membership Corporation to assist with Hurricane Michael recovery efforts.
The close to Category 5 strength hurricane brought what is described as catastrophic damage leaving over 900,000 without power in Florida, Alabama, Georgia and the Carolinas. Winds from the Category 4 hurricane reached 155 mph at landfall in hardest-hit Mexico Beach. Significant rainfall fell in the northern Gulf Coast continues Thursday as the storm pounded the northeast, dumping heavy rains on North and South Carolina that are still struggling to recover from Hurricane Florence last month.
“Strong storms like this can leave thousands of people without power for days and sometimes weeks,” says DREMC President and CEO Michael Watson. “We are proud of our linemen for volunteering to assist. They will be working long days in difficult and dangerous conditions, but they were quick to respond to the call for help. We ask that everyone keep them and their families in your thoughts and prayers while they are away.”
DREMC crews arrived in Moultrie, Georgia, where Colquitt EMC is headquartered. It is unclear how long DREMC crews will be in Georgia.