Category: News

Tennesseans have surrendered nearly 43 tons of pills and pill waste over the last year, a rise in volume even as the death toll from drug overdoses continues to climb.
The Tennessean reports that U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration collection events over two days this past year collected more than 35,489 pounds, while the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation reports that permanent drop-off sites around the state collected an additional 52,164 pounds between September 2016 and August 2017.
At least 1,631 Tennesseans died from drug overdoses in 2016.
Tennessee Methamphetamine and Pharmaceutical Task Force director Tommy Farmer says he’s surprised and heartened that the volume of surrendered pill waste hasn’t dwindled.
Farmer says collecting unused pills and reducing prescriptions enables law enforcement to focus on street drugs.
The Coffee County Anti-Drug Coalition has permanent drop-off boxes at the Coffee County Sheriff’s Department, Manchester Police Department, and Tullahoma Police Department.

A new study shows Tennessee ranks fourth in the nation for women being murdered by men per capita.
The study by the Violence Policy Center says 71 Tennessee women were murdered by men in 2015, which amounts to 2.10 per 100,000 people. Four of the victims were under the age of 18 and 10 were over 65. The average age was 40 years old.
Out of the 71 female homicide victims, 44 were white and 27 were black.
Seventy-one percent were shot and killed with guns, mostly handguns. Twelve were killed with knives or other cutting instruments, two with a blunt object and two by bodily force. Ninety-six percent of the female victims were killed by someone they knew. Only three were killed by strangers.
The Violence Policy Center says intimate partner violence is too common and takes many forms, the most serious of which is homicide. The U.S. Department of Justice has found women are far more likely to be the victims of crime committed by intimate partners than men, especially when a weapon is involved. (WATE-TV)

Former Gov. Phil Bredesen, the last Democrat to win a statewide race in Tennessee, is considering a bid to succeed retiring Republican Bob Corker in the U.S. Senate.
Bredesen said in a statement to The Associated Press on Monday that he is mulling an entry into the race after several people urged him to reconsider his initial statements that he had no interest in running.
Bredesen is a former Nashville mayor who was first elected governor in 2002. He completed his second term in early 2011.
Republican U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn has joined the race on an anti-establishment platform. Former Rep. Stephen Fincher is also considering a Republican bid.
Nashville attorney James Mackler is the only Democrat actively campaigning, though Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke is also considering a bid.

On Monday morning (October 16, 2017) around 5:45am, Sgt. Dwayne Mullins and Deputy Michael Sharp with the Coffee County Sheriff’s Department responded to a call of a structure fire at 329 Summitville Road. Upon their arrival, the Summitville Fire Department was on the scene with a mobile home fully engulfed.
All seven people in the home were able to get out safely. Coffee County EMS was on the scene and checked out all the subjects due to smoke inhalation.
The mobile home was a total loss.

A Lynchburg man has been arrested in connection with the theft of items from a residence on West Carroll Street in Tullahoma.
According to a report by Tullahoma Police Officer Brooke Earhart, Alyson Forsyth reported to the officer that someone entered her residence through an unlocked bedroom window and took her Dell wide screen laptop computer.
The computer was found at KK’s Pawnshop and had been pawned by Noah Fults of Hurricane Creek Road, Lynchburg.
Investigator Johnny Gore charged Fults with burglary, theft of property and possession of drug paraphernalia as he allegedly found a meth pipe in the man’s back pack.
Fults was booked into the Coffee County Jail on the charges under a bond of $12,500 is scheduled to appear in Coffee County General Sessions Court Nov. 2.

The Grundy County School Board voted 6-2 Monday night to allow the football team to finish its season. The school system forfeited the team’s game against Upperman this past Friday, due to five players being charged with attempted aggravated rape of a teammate.
Because of the cancelled game, school board Attorney Chuck Cagle says the school owes Upperman about $2,500, which is stated in a contract between the two schools.
School board members stated they wanted to be in charge of appointing a new head coach if the season continued; however, Cagle said that is illegal and the opposite of what the state statute allows.
Chairman Bob Foster also appointed an oversight committee responsible for making sure investigations stay transparent. That committee consists of board members Phyllis Lusk and Chris Grooms.
Now former Head Coach Casey Tate and Assistant Coach Greg Brewer are no longer with the team, but will remain teachers.
On Tuesday morning former Grundy County football player and current assistant coach Nick Meeks was named Interim Head Coach.
The Grundy County High School Football team will take on Sequatchie County on Friday.

Tennessee gas prices averaged $2.31 per gallon on Sunday, after dropping 8 cents during the past week.
As of Tuesday, the state average has declined for 37 consecutive days, falling a total of 28 cents during that time. Although Tennessee gas prices are 27 cents less than a month ago, the state average remains 19 cents higher than this time last year.
The national average price per gallon is $2.47.
The low price in Manchester was $2.12 per gallon as of Tuesday afternoon and in Tullahoma the low price was $2.17.

If the weather isn’t an indication Halloween is around the corner, the pumpkin patches, mazes and haunted houses surely are. While getting spooked is a holiday tradition for many, state officials want to make sure haunted houses don’t provide a real-life scare.
The Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance – charged with protecting the interests of consumers – is offering tips on how to make sure the activity you choose is safe. Spokeswoman Claire Marsalis explained:
“When you’re visiting a haunted house, always just be aware of your surroundings and on the lookout for any safety features,” Marsalis said; “so if you just do a quick look around of, ‘How will I exit, if I need to exit?'”
Haunted houses aren’t required by law to post details about their safety measures, including sprinkler or alarm systems, but Marsalis said you can ask the event organizers or even the local building code office about the status of a particular business or address.
She added that an outdoor venue is typically safer than one indoors, but keeping an eye out for the closest exit is always a good idea.
With hundreds of Halloween activities popping up around the state, Marsalis said her office is also asking the public to be vigilant.
“If you notice any violations or any dangerous activity that you might see when you’re out at a haunted house, you can always contact the State Fire Marshal’s Office or the local code enforcement officials,” she said.
Along with looking for safety measures taken by organizers of a haunted house or corn maze, medical experts advise against partaking in these types of activities for those who have a heart condition.

In a follow-up to a story we reported last week about fake $20 bills popping up around Coffee County, now we have learned counterfeit $100 bills are also showing up.
County Sheriff’s Department Investigators Jason Dendy and Kelly Smith say the counterfeit bills have been passed at businesses. Some of the $100 bills have pink Chinese writing on them.
The investigators are urging area businesses to be very cautious when accepting cash by checking all bills to make sure they are not counterfeit.
An investigation is continuing.

Five Grundy County students appeared in court on Monday after being charged with attempted aggravated rape. The charges against the students stem from an early-morning incident on Oct. 11, when the five students — who range in age from 14 to 17 — allegedly sexually assaulted another football player.
Sheriff Clint Shrum said that the students will remain on their house arrest until their next court date, which will be November 15th.
Judge Trey Anderson recused himself on Monday, he has apparently represented some of the parents in a private case.
In the press conference, the Assistant District Attorney says it is too early to tell if the students will be charged as adults.
Sheriff Shrum added that his office is also investigating possible past inappropriate sexual activity at Grundy County High School, saying, “we’re definitely looking into that.”