Tennessee Tree Day is coming up in March and the local Master Gardeners in Coffee County are hosting a pick up site for this years event.
If you order your seedlings online by Feb. 13, you can pick them up at the UT-TSU Extension office in Coffee County from 8am-4:30 pm Friday, March 18 or from 8-12 on Saturday, March 19.
You can order your seedlings by clicking here.
Police believe suspects from Manchester armed robbery are in custody
Three suspects are in custody after an attempted robbery of a Cash Express in Woodbury Tuesday morning (Jan. 25) and a lengthy police pursuit that ended in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee.
According to police officials, there was an attempted robbery of Cash Express in Woodbury Tuesday morning. Doors were locked and subjects were unable to complete the robbery. Because of this, witnesses were able to contact police and a pursuit was initiated. The pursuit ended in Wilson County when spike strips were deployed on Interstate 40 and the vehicle caught fire.
Three suspects fled on foot and carjacked an individual shortly after. Suspects were later apprehended when they fled on foot once they traveled to the end of a dead-end road.
Manchester Police believe these suspects involved in the attempted robbery and pursuit are the same ones who committed armed robbery at Manchester Cash Express on January 18. Police also believe the suspects are tied to an armed robbery at a Cash Express in White Bluff, Tennessee on January 10.
Manchester Police Department Assistant Chief Adam Floied told Thunder Radio News that the ATF office in Nashville will be handling the investigation. Names were not released when this story was published. Updates will be posted as they are available.
Former Manchester clinic owner sentenced to 168 months in prison for opioid distribution
On January 21, 2022, Mark Daniel Allen, 64, of Venice, Florida, was sentenced to 168 months in prison and $700 in special assessments, followed by three years of supervised released, by the Honorable Travis R. McDonough, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
According to court documents, Allen was found guilty of six counts of unlawfully distributing controlled substances and one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises after a three-day trial, which began on September 1, 2021. Evidence presented at trial showed that Allen unlawfully prescribed approximately 15,000 opioid pills to three women with whom he had sexual relationships, and to a male patient who later passed away.
Allen was a nurse practitioner who owned Volunteer Family Medical Clinic in Manchester.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III for the Eastern District of Tennessee; Special Agent in Charge Joseph Carrico of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Knoxville Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Tamala Miles of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG); and Director David Rausch of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) made the announcement.
The FBI, HHS-OIG, TBI, Manchester Police Department, and Coffee County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney James Brooks of the Eastern District of Tennessee and Trial Attorney Emily Petro of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and prosecuted the case.
Surrounding areas get community development grants
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee and Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bob Rolfe recently approved $28.5 million in Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), which will assist communities with infrastructure improvements, housing rehabilitation and health and safety initiatives.
The CDBG program is funded through HUD and administered in Tennessee by the Department of Economic and Community Development. Funds are available for water and sewer improvements and new extensions, housing rehabilitation and health and safety projects.
Altamont and Grundy County received a large chunk in the form of $1.2 Million for water and sewer improvements. Over $370,000 went to Warren County for fire protection improvements.
Tennessee gas prices continue to creep up
The Tennessee gas price average is slowly increasing as the price of crude rises to multi-year highs. Since last Monday, gas prices across Tennessee have risen a penny on average. The Tennessee Gas Price average is now $3.04 which is 5 cents more expensive than one month ago and 84 cents more than one year ago.
Gas price average in Coffee County is currently $2.95 per gallon of regular unleaded, which is 9 cents below the state average and mostly inline with surrounding counties. The National average is $3.31. The most expensive gas in the nation comes out west in California, at an average of $4.64 per gallon.
“Since dipping under $3.00 in the first week of January, the state average for a gallon of gas has slowly started to rise again,” said Stephanie Milani, Tennessee Public Affairs Director, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “And as long as the price for oil remains elevated, consumers will be feeling it at the pump.”
Quick Facts
- 55% of Tennessee gas stations have prices below $3.00
- The lowest 10% of pump prices are $3.37 for regular unleaded
- The highest 10% of pump prices are $2.82 for regular unleaded
National Gas Prices
Despite typical low seasonal demand for gasoline, pump prices are clawing their way higher. The national average for a gallon of gas is $3.33, two cents more than a week ago. The culprit is the rising price for oil, which is now bobbing around $85 per barrel, nearly $20 more than in November. Last week, both OPEC and U.S. energy officials said the COVID-19 omicron variant is no longer expected to slow the continued recovery of petroleum demand in 2022. Despite this, OPEC and its allies are maintaining their planned modest production increases and will not dramatically ramp up output. The result will be a continued tight supply of oil.
According to new data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), total domestic gasoline stocks rose by 5.9 million bbl to 246.6 million bbl last week. Meanwhile, gasoline demand rose slightly from 7.91 million b/d to 8.22 million b/d. The slight increase still puts gas demand in the average range for the winter driving season. Typically, pump prices drop due to low gas demand and a rise in supply, but a steady increase in the price of crude oil has prevented this from happening. As oil prices continue to climb, pump prices will likely follow suit.
Tennessee first-time community college enrollment down 19% since beginning of pandemic
By Nadia Ramligan, TN Public News Service
A new study adds to evidence that higher-education credentials can increase a person’s earning power over a lifetime.
The research from economists at Kansas State University says completing a bachelor’s degree increases a person’s income by around $4,000 right after graduation, with additional jumps of more than $1,000 in following years.
Emily House, executive director of the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, said the state is concerned about economic mobility and workforce development as fewer people return to college.
“We’ve really seen a sharp decrease in enrollment of adult learners,” said House, “so, adults coming back to higher education, or engaging in higher education for the first time as adults.”
She added the colleges are reaching out to community organizations and faith groups, and partnering with employers to help people find about retraining opportunities. And the state’s Reconnect Navigators can help guide a person through the process of going back to college or enrolling for the first time.
More information about navigators is online at ‘tnreconnect.gov.’
House said adult learners have options through the state’s Reconnect Program, and notes that those who meet certain criteria may even be able to attend a local community college without paying tuition or fees.
“A lot of financial aid opportunity for those choosing to go back to school as an adult,” said House. “We have a call center here at the Higher Ed Commission; we have a lot of outreach specialists. Anybody who needs additional information can find us on the web, as well as just via phone.”
State data show enrollment has declined at every Tennessee community college, with the number of first-time, full-time college students falling by 19% compared to before the pandemic.
TAX TIPS: How to avoid refund delays
By Rosalyn Partin, Manchester H&R Block
IRS has opened for business and is processing returns! IRS expects that most taxpayers will receive their refund within 21 days of IRS acceptance. However, there are some situations where tax returns are delayed in processing, and refunds are not received for many weeks or even months. In this week’s Tax Tip, we give you helpful tips to help you avoid a delay in receiving your income tax refund.
- –File your return electronically to minimize delays. Electronically filed returns are primarily processed by a computer and therefore do not require human intervention. With the IRS still seeing a reduction in staff, human intervention can mean a significant processing delay.
- –Elect to receive your refund by Direct Deposit. You can request direct deposit of your refund to an account in your name at any financial institution. To request direct deposit you will need your financial institution’s routing number and your account number. Always double check the information used on your tax return so that the account used isn’t incorrect or closed. At H&R Block we can input your account information or you can receive an H&R Block Emerald Card when filing your return. The Emerald Card is a reloadable prepaid debit card for direct deposit of your tax refund that can be used year-round with easy access to your funds. The Emerald Card can be used anywhere Debit Mastercard is accepted.
- –Make sure the address on your return is accurate and you can receive mail at this address. If IRS needs to send you any correspondence about your return, they will use the address shown on your most recent tax return.
- –All names and social security numbers on the return must match what is on the person’s Social Security Card. Any name/SSN mismatches will cause the return to be rejected from processing.
- –File a complete and accurate return. Be sure you have included information from all your W2s, 1099s, and other required tax forms reporting your income. Filing an incomplete or inaccurate return can result in lengthy delays when IRS matches the information you have reported on your return to the information they have for you.
- –Make sure you include the correct amount of EIP3 (3rd Stimulus) and Advance Child Tax Credit you received in 2021 by using IRS Letters 6475 and 6419. If you haven’t received the letters, set up an IRS account on irs.gov to verify the amount IRS sent you. Incorrect amounts may result in your return being sent to error processing which will significantly delay processing.
- –If you had health insurance through the Marketplace you must include accurate information from your Form 1095a. If you haven’t received the 1095a through the mail, access your form through your account on healthcare.gov.
- –If IRS has assigned you an Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN) due to identity theft, you must use it when filing your return electronically. A new IP PIN is issued each year. Taxpayers with an IP PIN should receive their IRS letter with their new PIN by the end of January. Without your new IP PIN, you will have to file the tax return on paper, by mail, as the IRS will reject any electronic version submitted without the proper IP PIN.
While most refunds are received within 21 days of acceptance of the return, you may need money now. With the H&R Block Refund Advance tax refund loan you can borrow against your tax refund with no interest, no loan fees, and no impact to your credit score. You borrow part of your future refund upfront, and the loan is paid back using proceeds from your tax refund.
Call now to schedule your appointment at H&R Block. As always, we also accept walk-in clients at your convenience. Open Monday through Friday 9am-7pm and Saturday 9am-5pm.
If you have questions or want to schedule an appointment, please call H&R Block in Manchester TN at 931-728-9462. H&R Block Has Your Back!
House bill would add regulation to cannabinoid products such as Delta 8
A bill was introduced in the Tennessee General Assembly last week that would regulate federally legal hemp-derived THC products such as Delta 8 in Tennessee
House Bill 1690 would restrict the sale, purchase or possession of products containing intoxicating cannabinoids derived from hemp to anyone who is 21 years of age or older. It would also add a 6.6 percent tax to products containing hemp-derived cannabinoids. Additionally, retailers and wholesalers would also be required to obtain a $200 license annually. Revenue collected would be used by the Department of Agriculture to support product safety regulations and industry development.
The Tennessee Growers Coalition estimates that there are approximately 8,000 retail stores that sell Delta 8 and other hemp-derived THC in Tennessee.
The bill passed the senate on first consideration and is currently assigned to Agriculture & Natural Resources Subcommittee in the house.
Tennessee unemployment reaches lowest level since January 2020
Unemployment in the state of Tennessee reached a two-year low in December, according to new data released by the Department of Labor and Workforce Development. The state ended 2021 with an unemployment rate of 3.8%, which was 0.2 of a percentage point lower than the rate it recorded in November.
Over the past year, Tennessee’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased by 1.8 percentage points from 5.6% to 3.8%.
Tennessee has not seen unemployment at this level since January 2020 when it had a rate of 3.7%. The state experienced slight increases in unemployment in February and March of that year before COVID-19 business closures dramatically impacted the state’s workforce. In April 2020, Tennessee reached a record high unemployment rate at 15.8%. The workforce has been recovering ever since then.
Total nonfarm employment across the state increased by 14,500 jobs between November and December. Tennessee employers added the largest numbers of workers in the leisure and hospitality sector, followed by the trade, transportation and utilities, and the education and health services sectors.
Over the year, nonfarm employment in Tennessee increased by 96,400 jobs. The largest increases occurred in the leisure and hospitality, the professional and business services, and the trade, transportation, and utilities sectors.
Across the country, unemployment in December was at its lowest rate since March 2020, one month before the pandemic began to impact the nation’s workforce. The United States seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for December came in at 3.9%, down 0.3 of a percentage point from November’s rate.
A complete analysis of the state’s December 2021 unemployment data can be found here (https://www.us13.list-manage.com/track/click?u=166478db53c066a7d114ea462&id=c2030be7e2&e=29851e7b63) .
While the number of Tennesseans out of work continues to decrease, many citizens are still searching for work or looking for a different type of job. TDLWD offers a variety of services that can help those individuals. Assistance is available online or in-person and job seekers can begin their journey at www.TNWorkReady.com.
Window remains open to register to vote in upcoming May primary
Over the past 15 or so days, there have been approximately 40 candidates pick up petitions for various elected offices across Coffee County.
Candidates for the upcoming May 3, 2022 State and Coffee County Primary Elections began picking up petition papers on Dec. 20 at the Coffee County Election Commission.
The deadline to have petitions returned is Thursday, Feb. 17 at noon with a withdrawal deadline of Feb. 24.
Anyone wishing to vote in the May 3 primary must be registered by Monday, April 4. You can register by visiting the Coffee County Election Commission on McArthur St. Early voting will be April 13 through April 28. You can also register to vote from your computer – just click here.
There are multiple races up for grabs this election cycle. Just to name a few: Coffee County Sheriff, Coffee County Mayor, Manchester Mayor, Circuit Court Clerk, County Clerk, Register of Deeds, Coffee County Trustee, Road Superintendent, General Sessions Judge, District Attorney General, along with various county commissioners, city aldermen and school board seats.
