Category: News

On Monday (05-21-2018) Coffee County Deputy Josh McKinney and Sgt. Stephen Sharketti were on scene working a vehicle crash on Fredonia Road. They had traffic stopped so the wrecker could get a vehicle out of the ditch line. A vehicle came through the scene and the driver was told to stop. Sgt. Sharketti stopped the vehicle driven by Todd Shannon Marshall, age 50, of Manchester and he stated that his breaks did not work. After a pat down the deputies reportedly located approximately 2 grams of a white crystal-like substance on the man and approximately 1 gram located inside of his wallet. Deputies also recovered a set of digital scales. Marshall allegedly admitted to officers that the crystal-like substance located by the deputies was meth.
Marshall was booked into the Coffee County Jail under the charges of schedule II drug violation, manufacturing/delivering/selling/possession of a controlled substance and unlawful drug paraphernalia uses and activities. Bond was set at $15,500 and his court date is set for June 18, 2018.

On Monday WMSR reported that Manchester-Coffee County Conference Center Manager Rebecca French says the center needs more money. French recently presented the Coffee County Budget and Finance Committee with two proposals, one totaling $416,000. French says this one includes in-kind discounts given to nonprofit organizations and schools that rent the center. The second option, totaling about $316,000, does not include continued in-kind contributions.
French informed WMSR that $94,000 was for repairs and maintenance of the building. She said the building needed new carpet (the current carpet is almost six years old), new ceiling tiles and parking lot resurfacing. This accounts for around $49,000; the rest is regular maintenance, repairs and lawn service. French added that all of the equipment in the building will be 17 years old without any major capital expense to date (like an entire air unit or refrigerator system going out). French said, “It’s time to start expecting some of those repairs.”
The center was built in 2002 for $3.5 million dollars with $1.5 million still owed. Losses at the center have topped $1 million over the last three years combined.
Coffee County and Manchester City taxpayers split the costs of the center, which includes paying for the building and operating costs.
The committee did not vote on the budget proposal.

South Jackson Civic Center will be transformed into a stunning outdoor art gallery for the weekend as the region’s top artists display their work and attract art enthusiasts from all over the area. Presented by the Tullahoma Arts Center, South Jackson Civic Center, and Tullahoma Arts Council, Arts Alive features a juried Gallery Exhibition and an Arts and Craft Market. The Tullahoma Arts festival, once a longstanding tradition held for over 40 years has reemerged as Arts Alive Tullahoma. You can expect to enjoy a can’t miss selection of artists, craftsmen, musicians and more.

Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bob Rolfe and Black Rifle Coffee Company (BRCC) officials announced Monday that the company will locate its new operations in Manchester. The coffee roaster and distributer will invest $6 million and create 52 new jobs over the next five years in Coffee County.
“Tennessee prides itself on creating a business-friendly environment that makes our state the perfect location for companies looking to locate new operations,” Rolfe said. “I appreciate Black Rifle Coffee Company for choosing Coffee County for its new facility and for creating more than 50 new jobs in Manchester.”
BRCC is a veteran-owned and operated coffee company that specializes in roasting and distributing premium, small-batch, roast-to-order coffee to its customers around the globe.
“As a veteran and general manager for Black Rifle Coffee Company, I am extremely proud to be part of BRCC’s team, its values and culture,” Black Rifle Coffee Company’s Amanda Higgins said. “It’s not every day that you can work alongside some of the most dedicated, hard-working people in America that embody the values that we stand for as a company. There is no other company I would rather work for and no better people we’d like to serve coffee to than the people of Coffee County and Tennessee. We’re so happy that we can call Coffee County home, and we look forward to building a strong relationship with the community.”
With this new location, BRCC will be better equipped to increase production capacity to keep up with growing demand. The company plans on producing roughly seven million pounds of coffee at the new facility.
“It’s great to announce that the Black Rifle Coffee Company will be locating its business in our Interstate Industrial Park. This is a veteran-owned company that will eventually employ up to fifty people over the next five years,” Coffee County Mayor Gary Cordell said. “We want to officially welcome them to Coffee County and wish them much success and growth in the future. Thank you so much for locating your business in Coffee County, Tennessee.”
“I’m excited that Black Rifle Coffee Company has chosen Manchester to expand its business and look forward to a long and successful partnership,” Manchester Mayor Lonnie Norman said. “I’m always pleased to welcome new industries to our community and are looking forward to working with this veteran-owned business to ensure its success.”
BRCC will be hosting a job fair on May 24 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. CDT at the Tennessee College of Applied Technology in McMinnville.
The Industrial Board of Coffee County also supported Black Rifle Coffee Company’s new location.

Manchester-Coffee County Conference Center Manager Rebecca French says the center needs more money. Last week French presented the Coffee County Budget and Finance Committee with two proposals, one totaling $416,000. French says this one includes in-kind discounts given to nonprofit organizations and schools that rent the center. The second option, totaling about $316,000, does not include continued in-kind contributions.
The center was built in 2002 for $3.5 million dollars with $1.5 million still owed. Losses at the center have topped $1 million over the last three years combined.
Coffee County and Manchester City taxpayers split the costs of the center, which includes paying for the building and operating costs.
The committee did not vote on the budget proposal.

On Thursday morning (May 17th, 2018) Tullahoma Officer Tommy Elliott stopped a vehicle and after checking the tag number it showed the vehicle as being stolen. James Matthew Hall age 32 of Tullahoma was the driver and Elliott asked Hall for consent to search and he allegedly told the officer that there was drug paraphernalia in a black bag in the floor board near the driver seat. According to the arrest warrant, a search of the vehicle yielded a set of digital scales, several small baggies and a glass pipe. Also, allegedly found in the backseat floor board was a wallet which contained another set of digital sales and approximately 5 grams of crystal ice. Of the four subjects in the car no one would take ownership of the items. Hall also allegedly had no valid driver’s license.
Hall was charged with theft of property, manufacturing/delivering/selling/possession of a controlled substance and unlawful drug paraphernalia uses and activities Bond was set at $16,000.

Passenger Melissa Abigail Smith age 26 of Tullahoma faces charges of manufacturing/delivering/selling/possession of a controlled substance, unlawful drug paraphernalia uses and activities and violation of probation. Her bond was set at $12,000.

Passenger Bamberina Star Forsythe age 19 of Normandy was charged with contraband in a penal intuition as she is accused of have 20 grams of crystal meth on her person as she was booked into the Coffee County Jail. She also faces 2 counts of manufacturing/delivering/selling/possession of a controlled substance and unlawful drug paraphernalia uses and activities. Her bond is $31,000.

Passenger Marcel Simon age 25 was charged with manufacturing/delivering/selling/possession of a controlled substance, unlawful drug paraphernalia uses and activities. His bond is $11,000.
All have court dates of July 12, 2018.