Category: News

Coffee County Schools Career and Technical Education (CTE) program has multiple opportunities with industries, businesses, and organizations across the community as well as their increasing partnership with Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) with the ultimate goal of ensuring that students are workforce ready upon high school graduation. Many students who are enrolled in the system’s CTE Programs have the opportunity to become industry credentialed through dual enrollment opportunities.
The Sportsmen & Businessmen Charitable Organization (SBCO) recently made a donation to Coffee County Schools’ Career & Technical Education Programs.
Organization President Carter said, “SBCO is proud to support students in this capacity and the continuous innovative advancement taking place within the CTE programs ensuring students are workforce ready. Today’s students are tomorrow’s workforce.”
SBCO’s contribution will go towards assisting students to ensure their endeavor is completed.

On Tuesday, (July 24th, 2018) Manchester Police Patrolman Ben Sneed
was called to the Logan’s Restaurant on Relco Drive in reference to suspicious persons. Upon arrival the complainant told officers that the people were asking patrons for money and was observed rummaging through the dumpster. Upon making contact with the man and woman the officer asked for consent to check the vehicle they were driving. After searching the vehicle Manchester officers allegedly found approximately 5.4 grams of methamphetamine, several needles with residue and a set of digital scales. Candance Leah Burks, age 37 of Big Sandy, TN had her 8 year-old son with her and apparently no means to provide for the child. She was found to be wanted out of Florida for auto theft.
Burks was charged by Sneed with fugitive from justice, child abuse or neglect (non-violent), unlawful drug paraphernalia uses and activities and schedule II drug violation.

Jimmy L Lyons age 41 Gibsonton, FL was with Burks and was charged with unlawful drug paraphernalia uses and activities and schedule II drug violation. Her bond was set at $100,000 and his bond is $10,000. They are set for Coffee Court on August 7, 2018.

DISCLAIMER: All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The arrest records or information about an arrest that are published or reported on Thunder Radio WMSR and WMSRradio.com are not an indication of guilt or evidence that an actual crime has been committed.

Many Coffee Countians are taking part in the 2 weeks of early voting. Election Day August 2nd, but early voting continues through Saturday July 28, 2018. So, if you want to early vote, poles are open Friday and Saturday. This the county general election, city elections and the state primary. You do not have to declare a party for the county election or city, but if you choose to vote in the state primary you must declare.
So far around 5,000 ballots have been cast. This is just over 16 percent of the registered voters in Coffee County.
Remember you do not have to declare a party for the county or city general elections, only for the state primary.
Local races include: County Commissioners, County Mayor, Sheriff, Circuit Court Clerk, Register of Deeds, Trustee, Road Superintendent, County Clerk, County School Board, Constables and Road Commissioners.
Manchester voters will also select three Aldermen and three City School Board members. Tullahoma will elect 2 Aldermen and 2 School Board members.
State primary races include those of Governor, U-S Senator, U-S Representative and State Representative.
Early voting hours for Friday are from 8am to 4:30pm and Saturday from 8:30am until noon at the Election Commission office in the Coffee County Administration Plaza in Manchester. In Tullahoma at the C.D. Stamps Center from 9am-4:30pm on Friday and Saturday 9am-noon. If you miss out on early voting you may still vote on Election Day, August 2nd. Remember you must present a government issued photo ID.

Tennessee saw a marked dip in the number of teachers that feel pulled around in many different directions in terms of what to teach and how to teach in the 2018 school year.
And only about a third of teachers say information received from statewide standardized tests is worth the investment of time and effort.
The takeaways from the 2018 Tennessee Education Survey, in its eighth year, are part of numerous questions asked about the state of teaching in Tennessee. Nearly 40,000 Tennessee educators, representing 58 percent of the state’s teachers, took the survey.
Overall, Tennessee saw a 17 percent dip in teachers saying they feel pulled around in many different directions in terms of what to teach and how to teach it.
This year, 45 percent agreed or strongly agreed they felt pulled around. That is in contrast to 2017 when 58 percent felt the same.
The survey also asked teachers this year whether the information received from statewide standardized exams is worth the investment of time and effort.
A total of 61 percent disagreed or strongly disagreed that it is.

A Manchester attorney has been suspended from practice following misconduct accusations and a drug-related conviction.
Judith-Ann Ross St. Clair was suspended for three years, with six months active and two and a half years on probation by the Board of Professional Responsibility of the Tennessee Supreme Court.
During the probationary period St. Clair, 36, must continue to be in compliance with the Tennessee Lawyers Assistance Program monitoring agreement and follow any and all recommendation; make restitution prior to seeking reinstatement; engage a practice monitor; and commit no further acts of misconduct resulting in a recommendation of discipline.
St. Clair was arrested in Manchester for a schedule II drug violation in a drug free school zone April 10, 2017. Manchester police said she was allegedly accepting oxycodone pills as payment for legal services and had 30 in her possession at a drug store parking lot near an elementary school.
She entered a plea to amended lesser charges, received judicial diversion, and a suspended sentence of 11 months and 29 days. During the period of her arrest and subsequent drug treatment she allegedly failed to communicate with her clients, provide diligent legal services, and abandoned their cases. St. Clair has made restitution to two clients and has agreed to make restitution to a third client.

On Monday, (July 24th 2018) Kristine Nicole Nakas age 33 of Atlanta, GA was a passenger in a vehicle stopped for a traffic violation on Interstate 24 by Tennessee Highway Patrolman Donnie Clark.
An alleged meth pipe was observed lying in the floor board below Nakas’ feet. Upon her arrest she was also apparently found to be in possession of a set of digital scales with residue on them. Upon being booked into the Coffee County Jail, Nakas was being searched when officers observed the subject removing something from her blouse and placing it in her moth and swallowing it. According to the arrest warrant, the woman told officers it was marijuana.
Coffee County Sheriff Department correction officers allegedly observed the subject messing with the front of her shorts and possibly attempting to hide something and when Nakas was asked several times to give up the item, she refused. The warrant goes onto say, the woman was then taken to medical and an x-ray was performed, and an object was apparently observed. The woman was instructed to remove the item and when she did, a small bag of what was believed to be methamphetamine was seen and Nakas allegedly swallowed it.
Nakas was charged by Trooper Clark with unlawful drug paraphernalia uses and activities, 2 counts of tampering with or fabricating evidence, schedule II drug violation, 2 counts of contraband in a penal institution. Her bond is $55,000 and a court date was set for August 6, 2018.

Tennessee’s tax-free weekend is set for Friday, July 27 through Sunday, July 29.
The tax-free weekend was created as a way to ease the financial burden of some large yearly purchases, such as back-to-school supplies and clothes.
You won’t pay any sales tax on purchases of clothing and school supplies of less than $100 and on computers that are less than $1,500.
The deals will start at midnight on Friday and run through 11:59 p.m. on Sunday.

The Manchester Recreation Department, in conjunction with the Park Partners, is hosting a Fundraising Golf Scramble on July 27^th.  The tournament will be played at Willowbrook with 4 person teams competing for awards and prizes.  Proceeds from the tournament will go toward the construction of a playground benefitting children with special needs.
The inclusive playground is designed to be built at Fred Deadman Park and will benefit all children. Funds raised from the tournament will be matched dollar for dollar through a grant received by the Recreation Department.
Cost for the scramble is $75 per player for non-members and $45 per player for members of Willowbrook.  Your entry fee will include greens fees, cart fees and lunch.  Registration will begin at 10:30 AM, Lunch is set to begin at 11:30 AM with a 1 PM shotgun start on Friday, July 27^th.   If you wish to reserve your spot, contact WIllowbrook at: 931-728-8989 or Jeff Houck at 931-728-0273.

Manchester Fire-Rescue responded at 12:28am Tuesday morning to a reported structural fire to the apartments located on McKellar Dr. Fire units arrived on scene within 2 minutes and noticed light smoke coming from an apartment on the first floor. Crews quickly deployed an attack line, made entry into the fire area and quickly extinguished the fire. Crews ventilated the apartment from smoke and conducted an investigation of the incident. The family involved stayed with friends for the remainder of the morning.
The Red Cross was contacted and provided assistance to the family. There was not any major damage during the incident and thanks to quick thinking by the occupants, once alerted to the fire they got out very quickly, there were no injuries reported.
Fire Chief George Chambers thanked the Manchester PD, Coffee County EMS and Coffee County 911 for outstanding support during this incident.

30-year-old Lauren R. Garner, 2-year-old Willow Frisbee, and 1-year-old Chrimson Frisbee were killed Monday morning in a one-vehicle crash on Hwy 108 near the Marion/Grundy County line.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol says the vehicle became engulfed in flames after hitting a tree. When the fire was extinguished, it was discovered there were three occupants in the car.
The crash happened south of the Marion County/Grundy County line near Kelly Creek Road.