Category: News

The Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance’s Division of Consumer Affairs is warning residents to be wary of holiday-themed scams.
TDCI says scammers use the holidays to prey on people’s good nature and reminds people “if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.”
TDCI offered the following precautions: Be suspicious of anyone requiring you to send money with prepaid money cards. Be suspicious of apps, online advertisements, or websites offering prices that seem suspiciously lower than retail prices at trusted retailers. Consider paying with a credit card that offers fraud protection when possible. When it comes to charitable giving, remember: Don’t assume that charity recommendations on social media platforms or blogs have already been vetted. Research the charity yourself. Find out what percentage of your donation will go to the charity and whether you will be charged any fees for making a donation through a fundraising platform website. Check to see if the charity is registered with the Tennessee Secretary of State. Avoid being pressured to make an immediate donation. Don’t hesitate to ask questions to get more information. If you didn’t initiate contact, avoid giving personal or financial information over the phone. Never write out a check or give cash to an individual solicitor. Write out checks to the name of the organization or use a credit card.

The Kroger Company has recalled Comforts for Baby Purified Water with Fluoride Added. The company has received complaints about mold in the product.
The gallon-sized jugs being recalled have sell by dates from 4/26/2018 to 10/10/2018. The container is clear, but the mold may not be visible.
The recalled products are labeled with the UPC Code 0 41260 37597 2 and the plant code 51-4140. The labels also state DISTRIBUTED BY THE KROGER CO, CINCINNATI, OHIO 45202.

A Tennessee region has not been immune to the effects of a nationwide Christmas tree shortage, which is driving up costs and potentially endangering future years’ supply.
Bluebird Christmas Tree Farm owner Leo Collins told the Knoxville News Sentinel that this year’s shortage largely stems from a tree surplus more than a decade ago. The East Tennessee farmer says that surplus depressed tree prices, which, combined with the Great Recession a few years later, pushed Christmas tree growers out of the market.
Collins says wildfires that burned across six southern states in 2016 also impacted the tree and seedling supply. He says the shortages have resulted in customers purchasing his stock of shorter trees, which could wipe out his potential supply of the bestselling 8-foot (2.4-meter) trees for 2018.

An East Grizzard resident reported to Tullahoma Police that on Dec. 3 that he was assaulted as he walked home.
Austin Grap reported to Officer Jeremiah Kirk that around 11 p.m. he was walking along East Lincoln Street when he was confronted by three males, whom he did not know.
He told the officer that a black male struck him in the side and then struck him in the face. Grap stated that he grabbed the man but let go when one of the two white males pulled out a pistol and struck in him the face knocking to the ground.
All three were wearing baseball caps.
Grap was taken to Tennova—Harton Hospital by a friend for treatment of his injuries.
Officer Rocky Ruehling is investigating the incident.

A Winchester woman reported to Tullahoma Police Officer Tyler Walls that she had been held against her will and struck several times.
The woman told the officer on Dec. 1 that she and her ex-boyfriend had been riding around in her vehicle when he refused to let out. She stated that they rode around Manchester and Tullahoma for several hours.
The woman told the officer that while they were in Tullahoma the former boyfriend, who has not been identified as warrants have been obtained for his arrest and have not been served, became violent and started to strike her with his cane. He even allegedly slammed her head into the door. She said that the man damaged her cell phone, so she could not call for help.
She finally got away from him and call 911. The woman was transported to Tennova—Harton Hospital for treatment of her injuries.

It’s been almost two months since five football players at Grundy County High School were charged with attempted aggravated rape. Since then, the school removed its high school’s football coach, the chairman of the board resigned from his position, and questions came out regarding the performance of the director of schools. After Monday night’s school board meeting, only one of those issues has been resolved. Phyllis Lusk was voted as the new school board chairman.
The next major item discussed hiring a new football coach. Director of Schools Jessie Kinsey says 26 people have applied for the job and she’s ready to begin interviewing them. She said before she could hire someone, she would need to know how much money to offer them.
Kinsey said Casey Tate, the high school’s old coach, was able to make up to $12,000 in supplements.
The board agreed to narrow down the search for the next coach and tabled the discussion until next meeting.
During the board’s work session, Phyllis Lusk said the board was two years behind in creating an evaluation tool for the director of schools and aren’t on track to evaluate the director this school year. The board decided to table the evaluation tool until their February meeting. (WTVC-TV)

An analysis has found that substance abuse annually costs Tennessee more than $2 billion, with most of it attributed to lost income from people who’ve fallen out of the labor market.
At $1.29 billion, the lost income from having an estimated 31,000 people, or 1 percent of the workforce, out of jobs accounts for the biggest component.
Other listed costs include $138 million for hospitalizations with alcohol listed as the first diagnosis and $46 million for babies born with neonatal abstinence syndrome.
The White House’s Council of Economic Advisers projected, in a November study, that the opioid epidemic cost the U.S. economy over $504 billion in 2015.

On Saturday November 25, 2017 the Coffee Co. Sheriff’s Department Christmas float won the 1st place prize in the large division at the Manchester Parade. On Tuesday (Dec. 5, 2017) their float committee members Lesley Hennessee, Kelly Smith and Larry Floyd presented the prize money to Coffee County Sheriff Steve Graves.
All of the money will be used for gifts for children and food baskets for the needy at Christmas.

There will be some new faces on the county commission as some current commissioners will not seek re-election: Sam Mai, Republican representing Manchester’s District 4, Diane Argraves, a Democrat representing rural District 11, Kerry Farrar, a Democrat representing District 8, Mark Kelly, a Republican representing Tullahoma’s District 15, Kimberly Martin, a Republican representing Tullahoma’s District 17, and Rush Bricken, a Republican representing Tullahoma’s District 21 have all decided not seek re-election. Others may choose not to run, but have not announced.
No candidates have picked up qualifying papers to run in districts 1, 2, 4, 12, 13, 15 or 19 for county commissioner. In District 3 Michael T Crockett is planning to run as a republican. William Henry Judkins II has picked up papers to run in District 5. In District 6, Republican Dennis Hunt is running for reelection and Raymond Carr has picked up papers to run as a democrat. Paul Gish will run as a republican in District 7. Two republicans are running for District 8 commissioner; Charles Schultz, Jr and Emily Howes. David Orrick is running as an independent in District 9. Harley Myers plans to run as a democrat in District 10. James Fielding is planning a campaign as a republican in District 11. Republican Robert John Jarman is the only candidate so far in District 14. Republican Tim Stubblefield is planning on running again for the District 16 commissioner slot. Jimmy Bradford, Democrat and Tildon J Stubblefield Jr, Republican are running in District 17. So far one candidate has picked up qualifying papers to run in District 18, Republican Barbra Buckner. Democrat Rosemary Crabtree is running in District 20 and Democrat Gwendolyn Carr and Republican Charles Lynn Seaborn are running for District 21 commissioner.
This list can change often, and we will keep you updated in the coming weeks.