Category: News

A father and two of his children died in a house fire in Moore County on Saturday morning.
Because of their injuries, the mother Elizabeth Robinson, age 36, and son, Mason, 11 were flown to Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Moore County officials say the father, Nathan Robinson, age 33, and the family’s daughters, Kailyn, 13, and Julianna, 8 died in the blaze.
The residence is located at the edge of Moore County along a portion of the highway which straddles Moore, Lincoln and Bedford counties.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Investigators with the Coffee County Sheriff’s Department are searching for 27 year-old Corey Franklin Keele. His last known address 8734 Murfreesboro Hwy in Manchester.
Keele is wanted for being in possession of weapon where prohibited, failure to appear and promotion of methamphetamine.
If you have any information leading to the location of Keele please call 931-728-3591 and ask to speak to Coffee County Investigator James Sherrill or Deputy Brandon Reed.

The bridge on Cat Creek Road over Crumpton Creek will be replaced in 2018, according to Benton Bartlett, Coffee County’s road superintendent.
The project will cost about $1 million, and funds raised through the state’s IMPROVE Act (Improving Manufacturing, Public Roads and Opportunities for a Vibrant Economy) will cover the expenses completely, according to Bartlett.
Gov. Bill Haslam’s IMPROVE Act, signed in April, aims to battle the state’s $10.5 billion backlog of road and bridge projects and is expected to bring $43 million in revenue for 10 road and bridge projects across Coffee County in the next 15 years.
Once construction begins, the bridge will be closed for several months. (Tullahoma News)

Motlow State Community College will close for winter break on Wednesday, Dec. 20, at 4:30 p.m., and will reopen on Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2018, according to college officials.
The closing applies to computer labs, libraries and other facilities at all Motlow locations, including the Fayetteville, McMinnville, Moore County and Smyrna campuses.
The registration deadline for the spring 2018 semester is Monday, Jan. 15, with classes beginning on Tuesday, Jan. 16.
“Students enrolled at Motlow this semester can register now for spring 2018 classes and are encouraged to do so,” said Mae Sanders, director of admissions and records at Motlow. “Registering now will increase students’ chances of getting their preferred classes and schedules.”
New and readmit students must submit applications for admission and readmission by Jan. 10, with online applications accepted until midnight on that date. Online applications may be accessed from the “Apply Now” button on the Motlow website, mscc.edu.
Students interested in earning high school and college credit courses in the Dual Enrollment program and those enrolling in the Adult College Express (ACE) program are also required to apply by Jan. 10.
For more information about applying for admission to Motlow, call 931-393-1520 or email admissions@mscc.edu.

A traffic violation led to the arrest of an Illinois’ man on Dec. 6.
Tennessee Highway Patrolman Jason Boles stopped a vehicle at mile marker 114 for a traffic violation. In warrants, the trooper alleges that Frankie Wydell Simmons, 50, of Banks Street, Rockford, Illinois gave a false name and date of birth. After further investigation the officer learned that Simmons was a fugitive from justice from Illinois for several active warrants. Also, a check of Simmons’ driver license revealed that he was driving on revoked/suspended license for failure to appear in court.
Simmons was charged with being a fugitive from justice, criminal impersonation and driving on revoked/suspended license. He was booked into the Coffee County Jail on a bond of $106,500 and is to appear in Coffee County General Sessions Court on Dec. 20.

On Wednesday December 6th at approximately 11:00am Franklin County Sheriff’s Office authorities executed a search warrant at 808 4th Avenue SW Winchester, TN. The search resulted in authorities recovering a .40 caliber handgun and ammunition as well as approximately half a pound of a green plantlike substance believed to be marijuana with a street value of approximately $600.00, also recovered was approximately 7.5 grams of a white rock like substance believed to be crack cocaine with an estimated street value of $600.00.
There is an ongoing investigation regarding this matter and charges are anticipated to be pursued at the next Franklin County Grand Jury.

Eighty-one percent of Tennessee voters support solar energy in the Volunteer State, and even more want it installed on their own homes.
The polling data was released Monday from the conservative polling firm, North Star Opinion Research. The survey was conducted among voters from a variety of ages, races, genders and geographic locations.
Brian Bickel, who sits on the board of the Tennessee Solar Industries Association, says the results confirm what the industry is seeing.
“I’m not surprised by the support for solar at all,” he says. “I think, in this day and age most people want to see more of it. They recognize the value of clean and renewable energy. I think they expect their utility to support them in their efforts to generate clean power on site.”
Bickel says the confirmation of public support comes at a time when the Tennessee Valley Authority is making solar less economic and accessible for customers. The regional power provider does have a program allowing customers to sell up to 50 kilowatts of green energy back through their local power provider in the service area.
In addition, the survey showed people want to pay for their electric bill based on usage, versus a fixed fee, which is what TVA proposed earlier this year.
Stephen Smith, the executive director of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, says the agency is proposing policies that would charge people regardless of energy use.
“What TVA wants you to do is pay whether you use electricity or not, and they’re the only business that I know of that wants you to have to pay something whether you use their product or not, and it’s really grossly unfair,” laments Smith.
According to industry estimates, solar panels can cost around $20,000 or more to install, but Bickel says property owners are making an investment that will ultimately pay for itself.
“There’s obviously the cost to the system, and there’s a return on that cost, but there is no return at all on just continuing to pay your electric bill,” he explains.
Tennessee ranks 20th across the country in terms of installed solar capacity, but Bickel and others say with 200 days of sun on average each year, the state has the potential to harness much more energy from the sun.

The Appalachian Regional Commission has awarded a $500,000 grant that will help provide additional water access at the Bonnaroo grounds in Manchester. The water infrastructure in Manchester will also be improved.
The grant will be matched with $650,000 contributed by the owners of Bonnaroo, $100,000 funded by the City of Manchester and $150,000 funded by Coffee County, for a total of $1.4 million to be invested in the project.
This improved water infrastructure will allow for permanent structures to be built for Bonnaroo and any additional events.