Category: News

A man’s body was found in the Duck River on Saturday afternoon.
He has been identified as Mitchell Smith of Shelbyville, who was in his late 50s.
According to the Bedford County Sheriff’s Department, a TWRA officer saw what he thought was a body around noon. They said the body was recovered near Warner Bridge Road.
It’s not clear what led to his death, but officials believe this may be an accidental drowning.
An autopsy has been planned to officially rule out foul play.

Now through June 15, you have the chance to win $200 worth of local meats from a Tennessee farm.
Pick Tennessee Products, the Tennessee Department of Agriculture’s promotion that connects farmers directly to consumers, is offering a “Fill Your Grill” contest. A total of 12 winners will be randomly chosen on Monday, June 18 and notified by Pick Tennessee Products.
A link to the contest website can be found online at www.PickTnProducts.org. You may also search “Pick Tennessee Products” on Facebook and click on the “Fill Your Grill” post, which is linked to the directory of participating farmers. Contestants must choose which Tennessee farm to visit to collect their meats if they win, and then submit that choice with their own contact information.
The Tennessee Beef Industry Council, the Tennessee Pork Producers Association, and the Tennessee Sheep Producers Association are among the organizations that partner with Pick Tennessee to promote state meat producers and help fund the contest. The goal is to spread the word to the public that purchasing meats directly from nearby farms is easy to do.
By choosing a preferred farm, contestants are able to choose what kinds of meats and cuts they would select if they win. Each contestant just needs to be sure to choose the farm that offers what he or she wants, whether it’s beef, pork, lamb, goat, poultry, or some of everything. There is no cash prize. Entrants win the opportunity to visit a farm or local meats business and choose up to $200 of Tennessee meats, with no cost to the winner.

The 2018 Free Fishing Day is Saturday, June 9 when anyone may fish free without a license in Tennessee’s public waters.
The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency provides the annual free day in hopes of increasing interest in fishing. The day allows anyone the opportunity to try this great outdoor sport, especially children to celebrate fishing as a wholesome and healthy recreational option. In addition, children ages 15 and younger may fish without a license beginning on Free Fishing Day through the following Friday (June 15).
The day and week are annual events in Tennessee and are great opportunities to introduce children to the enjoyment and excitement of a day on the water catching fish. The TWRA is among several organizations planning special fishing events, primarily for youngsters. The TWRA annually stocks several thousand pounds of fish for various events.
For a list of the events, visit the TWRA website at www.tnwildlife.org and the For Anglers section. Anglers and potential anglers should check the events list often since special events are frequently added.
Free Fishing Day and Week apply to Tennessee’s public waters, TWRA owned and operated lakes, and state park facilities. Some privately-owned pay lakes and ponds continue to charge during this special day and week. Anglers will need to consult with those operators if there are any questions about a particular facility.

Dr. John J. Cauthon, 51, of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, was sentenced this week in U.S. District Court to two years in prison for healthcare fraud, announced Don Cochran, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee. Cauthon was indicted in October 2015 on seven counts of healthcare fraud and was found guilty on four counts, after a jury trial in September 2017.
In sentencing Cauthon, Chief U.S. District Judge Waverly D. Crenshaw, Jr., noted that Cauthon had accepted no responsibility for his actions and showed no remorse. Chief Judge Crenshaw also ordered Cauthon to pay $218,000 in restitution.
Cauthon is a podiatrist from Murfreesboro also operated an office in Manchester was contracted to provide podiatry services to residents of nursing homes located throughout Tennessee.
According to court documents, between May 2014 and August 2015, Cauthon engaged in a scheme to defraud Medicare, TennCare, and BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, by submitting $200,000 in fraudulent claims for a surgical procedure for nail avulsions, which he did not perform.
At trial, numerous witnesses from nursing homes across the state of Tennessee testified that Cauthon never performed the avulsion procedures that he claimed he performed; including in some instances, claiming that he had performed more than 30 avulsions in a single day. Nursing home residents also testified that Cauthon simply clipped their toenails. Former employees also testified that Cauthon directed them to bill Medicare for services that were medically unnecessary and directed them to fit bed-ridden patients in nursing homes with ankle braces, which served no medical purpose.

A 19-year-old Franklin County High School senior who just graduated died in a vehicle-pedestrian accident on Yellow Branch Road in Winchester just before 5 a.m. Tuesday.
Tennessee Highway Patrol reports identified the victim as Isiah T. Crockett of Decherd.
Reports said the District Attorney General’s Office has ordered an autopsy.
Reports said Crockett was lying in a fetal position in the middle of the road when a vehicle, driven by 62-year-old Larry Stephens, struck him. Reports said Stephens was not aware of the victim’s presence.
Crockett was pronounced dead at the scene.
No citations were issued, and no charges were made against the driver.

An overnight fire early Thursday at the Marion County Regional Skills Center in Kimball heavily damaged the American Job Center (AJC) affiliate office located inside the Battlecreek Road facility. The office provides job seekers and local businesses with employment and workforce development services.
The fire started during the overnight hours while the center was closed, so no one was inside the building. Local firefighters worked to contain the flames, and no one was injured while fighting the fire. Investigators are currently trying to determine how the fire started.
Starting Monday, the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development will also have its mobile American Job Center at the Chattanooga State Kimball office to help provide additional services to job seekers.
The Regional Skills Center facility is owned by Marion County and Chattanooga State Community College and has operated training and education programs for several decades at the location.
A temporary AJC is currently open at Chattanooga State’s Kimball campus. The temporary location is located at 2100 Main Street in Kimball.

Can’t make it to the beach this summer? No worries, the beach is coming to YOU.
Tomorrow (June 2, 2018) come join the fun at the first-ever Downtown Luau in Manchester to celebrate the beautification of our county seat. There will be a sandcastle building contest on the SunCrest of Manchester Beach, lawn games of all kinds, a land shark chase, live music, a late-night movie and more. Best of all, it’s FREE to attend. Bring your kids, bring your beach towels and folding chairs, and join us for a full day of fun surrounding the courthouse square.
Here’s a rundown of what’s happening when:
2pm-4pm: LAWN GAMES (with prizes!)
West Main Brick Oven — Shark & Minnows chase
Black Iris Arts — Pin the Tail on the Whale
Sprout Children’s Shop — hula hooping, bean toss and bubbles
Harvest Local Foods — photo booth and coloring contest
High Cotton Vintage Home Furnishings — cornhole on the square
4pm-5pm: POLYNESIAN DANCING
Duck River Dance will be performing a traditional hula dance, then teaching Polynesian dancing to any eager kiddos who want to learn.
5:30pm: LIVE MUSIC
Get your groove on with live music from a couple different local acts! The main stage will be located on West Main Street. West Main Brick Oven will be roasting a whole pig and serving up Hawaiian food, shish kabobs and beer in addition to the standard menu, so grab some food to go and settle in outdoors for the show.
8:30pm: MOVIE
There’s something in the water! Mid-Tn Vapor Shop will be playing a FREE (PG) movie in the back alley. Please enter from South Irwin Street where the former bank drive-through window is located and bring your lawn chairs or picnic blankets for a scary-good time. The Mercantile/Sweet Simplicity will be serving up popcorn and baked goods.
SPONSORED BY:
Cherokee Distributing Company
SunCrest Home Health an Almost Family Company
Thunder Radio
Manchester Times
Spring Street Market
3-Tenn Media, LLC
KK’s Music, Loans, and Jewelry
Mid-Tn Vapor Shop
West Main Brick Oven
Christopher Equipment Inc.
Master of Ceremonies Rental & Party Shop
A big THANKS to all the participating businesses and sponsors who support the vision to bring activity back to the beating heart of the county.

If you want to vote in the upcoming local General Election and State Primary in August, you have a little over a month to get registered. The deadline to register is Tuesday July 3rd. You can visit the election commission at the administrative building during regular business hours for more information. The general election and state primary is August 2. Early voting will take place July 13-28.
The Coffee County Election Commission will meet on Thursday, June 7, 2018 at 4:00 PM in the Election Commission office, Administrative Plaza, 1329 McArthur Street, Suite 6 in Manchester.
The purpose of the meeting will be to lock and seal ballot boxes, tentatively approve poll workers and set times for early voting for the August 2, 2018 elections.
For more information contact: Vernita Davis, Administrator Coffee County Election Commission.

On Tuesday, while working at the Agricultural Center in Rainsville, Alabama, DeKalb County, Alabama inmate Keith Amos Clark, 43, of Tracy City, Tennessee walked off a work detail and has not been seen since.
Clark has been incarcerated at the DeKalb County, Alabama Detention Center for the past 64 days. Clark has no violent crimes on his record and is not believed to be armed.
If you see Clark, call the Grundy County Sheriff’s Office at (931) 692-3466.