Category: News

Tennessee’s first execution in almost a decade is now scheduled for next month.
Fifty-nine-year-old Billy Ray Irick is set to die August 9th.
He raped and killed a 7-year-old girl in Knox County 33 years ago.
He is one of 60 people currently on death row.
WBIR-TV reports that the Tennessee Department of Correction says it has the necessary drugs to carry out a lethal injection.
Wednesday, a judge in Nevada delayed a lethal injection there because one of the drug’s manufacturers says it doesn’t want its product used for executions.
Tennessee uses that same drug.
Will there be a delay in the execution, we will wait and see?

The Boyd Foundation introduced the Tennessee Dog Park Dash earlier this year, a multi-year commitment toward making Tennessee the most pet-friendly state in America. Through the program, The Boyd Foundation will award a $1 million annual donation for building and enhancement of dog parks in communities across the state.
The Tennessee Dog Park Dash will impact more than 100 dog parks through the three-year program.
Manchester Parks and Recreation is receiving a $25,000 grant toward an off-leash dog park. Dr Prater Powell, who serves on the recreation committee, says the park is planned for a location on Waite St. between the retention pond and the large soccer field. He added that there will be no access for the dogs to be in or around the retention pond. Powell says there will be a location for small dogs and one for larger dogs.

The Manchester Times and Thunder Radio will be hosting a political forum from 5:30-9 p.m. Thursday, July 12 at The Church at 117, located at 117 East Fort St, Manchester.
The event will be free to the public and will be an opportunity for you to hear from local candidates. The forum will be broadcast live by Thunder Radio at 107.9-FM and 1320-AM.

Speeches
5:30 – 5:34 – Robin Dunn (Trustee)
5:35 – 5:39 – John Marchesoni (Trustee)
5:40-5:44 – Ronnie Watts (Road Superintendent)
5:45 – 5:49 – Benton Bartlett (Road Superintendent)
5:50 – 5:54 – Jenna Amacher (County Clerk)
5:55 – 5:59 – Teresa McFadden (County Clerk)
6:05 – 6:35: Forum 1 – Mayoral Candidates – Gary Cordell, Tim Brown and David Pennington
Speeches
6:40-6:44 – Natalie Brooke Dotson (Circuit Court Clerk)
6:45-6:49 – Heather Hinds Duncan (Circuit Court Clerk)
6:50-6:54 – Teresa Wright (Register of Deeds)
6:55-6:59 – Donna Toney (Register of Deeds)
7:04 – 7:34 – Forum 2 – Sheriff Candidates – Steve Graves and Chad Partin
Speeches
7:39-7:43 – Steve Jernigan (school board seat 4)
7:44-7:48 – Pat Parton (school board seat 4)
Speeches
7:49-7:53 – James “Jim” Lemmons (city school board)
7:54-7:58 – Prater Powell (city school board)
7:59-8:03 – Travis Hillis (city school board)
8:04-8:08 – Lisa Lovelady Gregory (city school board)
8:13 – 9 – Forum 3 – Manchester City Aldermen – Tammie Fuller, Terence Hillsman, Marilyn Howard, Mark Messick, Bill Nickels, Donny Parsley and James Threet

Four Republicans have spent $33 million-plus in Tennessee’s primary for governor, unleashing about $33 million of personal wealth.
Reports through June show ex-state economic development commissioner Randy Boyd has added $14.2 million in personal cash and spent $15.7 million since the race began.
Congresswoman Diane Black has added $10.3 million and spent $10.3 million. Businessman Bill Lee has contributed $5.3 million, spending $4.7 million. House Speaker Beth Harwell has loaned $3.1 million, spending $2.6 million.
Aside from personal money, they have raised $12.9 million. Each has $2.6 million to $3.6 million left.
For Democrats, ex-Nashville Mayor Karl Dean has contributed $743,000 and spent $3.1 million, with $1.4 million left. House Minority Leader Craig Fitzhugh has loaned $766,000, spent $624,700 and ended with $467,300 remaining.

Unsafe, unsightly and unsanitary garbage is piling up along Tennessee’s interstates, and the problem is costing taxpayers millions of dollars.
TDOT reportedly spends $15 million each year on litter prevention and pickup. Now, TDOT and THP are looking to crack-down on these incidental litterbugs.
According to TDOT, most of the littering is not done on purpose but blows out the back of pickup trucks or trailers hauling loads of garbage to the dump.
According to TDOT Beautification office manager Shawn Bible, research shows about 70-percent of roadside litter problems stem from uncovered loads and unintentional littering.
Each year, TDOT gets thousands of calls reporting litterbugs. However, TDOT does not specify litter that comes from unsecured loads.
Right now, even if the tipster has the license plate number of the car or truck that the litter came from, TDOT only sends a letter. No tickets are issued.
THP said they do not have specific statistics on people violating the “tarp law” that requires them to secure their loads. The offense is simply categorized as a “non-moving violation.”
If you see someone littering on the interstate, intentional or not, you can file a report with the THP or TDOT’s litter hotline by calling (877)-8-LITTER.

Smoking will no longer be allowed inside public housing nationwide starting on July 31.
The ban from the U.S. Housing and Urban Development department was announced back in November 2016 but gave Public Housing Agencies until July 31, 2018 to comply.
HUD explained that the smoke-free rule will reduce damage and maintenance costs tied to smoking, cutback on secondhand smoke and lower the risk of accidental fires.
As part of the policy, no smoking will be allowed inside any public housing buildings or within 25 feet of those buildings. Each housing agency can also create additional smoke-free areas if they choose.
According to HUD, at least 600 of its more than 3,100 Public Housing Agencies across the country already had smoke-free policies in place when the rule was announced in 2016.

Duck River Electric Membership Corporation senior lineman Dean Batey, of the Coffee County and Manchester area, died from injuries sustained in a fall as he tried to escape a bucket truck fire on July 9. An investigation is currently underway to determine the cause of the fire and the actions that led to Batey’s death.
Batey was repairing a security light for a DREMC member in Beech Grove, TN, at approximately 3:30 p.m. when the incident occurred. Homeowners, who were outside during the time of the incident, reported that Batey had begun working on the light when a fire suddenly ignited at the end of the boom connected to the truck’s bucket, which raises and lowers the lineman working on electrical equipment. As Batey attempted to lower the bucket and cradle it to safety, he was unable to complete the descent and was forced to release his safety harness and climb from the bucket. It is estimated that he jumped 12 to 15 feet from the bucket, and reportedly landed on his side.
Batey was conscious when Coffee County Deputy Lee Marcom and Coffee County EMS arrived at the scene. Batey was transported to Unity Medical Center in Manchester, and a life flight helicopter was on the scene ready to transport as medical teams worked to stabilize the man. His injuries from the fall were severe; he died before he could be airlifted.
“We do not know at this time how the fire started,” says DREMC President and CEO Michael Watson. “The incident is still under investigation.”
“Accidents such as this are a terrible experience, not only for Dean’s family and friends, but also for his fellow employees,” says Watson. “Electric linemen have a unique bond. Their jobs are extremely dangerous, and they rely heavily on their own skills and training to keep them safe every day.”
“Batey was an experienced lineman and valuable member of our team, and this is a great loss to our cooperative family and community,” comments Watson.
A team of electric industry partners are assisting DREMC staff with investigating the fatal accident, including Tennessee’s Job Training & Safety, the Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and representatives from the service truck manufacturer.
“At this sad time, we appreciate your thoughts and prayers for Dean’s family as well as our cooperative family as we mourn the loss of one of our own,” adds Watson.
Batey, 58, began working as a lineman for DREMC in May 1999. Prior to his 19-year career at the cooperative, Batey had spent 21 years in electrical work and was employed by Osborne Electric as a foreman before coming to DREMC.

The Tennessee Department of Transportation is currently working on removing the last of the X-Lite guardrails in Tennessee.
TDOT is making the replacement due to safety concerns.
TDOT spokesperson says there are still 36 guardrails left in the state. None of the guardrails are left in Coffee County. The nearest one is located in Cumberland County.
The Tennessee Department of Transportation estimates the cost of removing and replacing the guardrails to be around $3.4 million. The deadline for removal is July 31, 2018.