Category: News

In recognition of National Public Lands Day, Tennessee State Parks and State Natural Areas invite the public to take part in ranger-led hikes, volunteer projects and interpretive programs at all 56 state parks on Saturday, Sept. 30.
“As the Volunteer State, we hope all Tennesseans will consider joining us in caring for the beautiful lands we get to call home,” said TDEC Deputy Commissioner for Parks and Conservation Brock Hill.
National Public Lands Day (NPLD) began in 1994 with just three federal agencies and 700 volunteers. Now in its 24th year, NPLD is the nation’s largest, single-day volunteer effort for public lands, which make up over 30 percent of America’s landscape.
For more information, including a list of hikes and events statewide go to www.tnstateparks.com
The event on Sept. 30, 2017 at Old Stone Fort State Park in Manchester will be to help halt the invasion of the plant, Privet. This is an invasive plant species with the tendency to outcompete native species in the area. This pesky pest has infiltrated the Garrison Road trail, stealing nutrients and sunlight from the native trees and underbrush. Privet is notoriously difficult to remove. State parks staff have been hard at work all summer in an attempt to combat this menace but they need your help! Meet with park rangers for this special volunteer event to help stop the invasion in its tracks. Please come prepared in comfortable, closed-toe shoes and clothes you do not mind getting dirty. Gloves are suggested. Tools will be provided by Old Stone Fort. They will have a water cooler, please bring your own refillable water bottle. They will meet at the check-in station in the campground at 10 AM and will hike a half-mile to the removal site.

A man from Estill Springs has been arrested by Grundy County authorities. Kevin Langford, 24, was charged with theft of property ($10,000 – $60,000) and criminal trespass. The arrest came after several burglaries in Pelham. Grundy County Sheriff Clint Shrum stated, “We anticipate more people to be charged in the days to come.”
Shrum explained a break came in the case when Langford and his brother Alex Langford were arrested in Lincoln County on similar charges. Lincoln County investigators obtained information regarding the theft of a Polaris Ranger in Pelham.
Grundy County investigators traveled to Fayetteville, and were able to obtain the location of the ATV. Investigators then went to a residence in Powell’s Crossroads in Marion County and recovered the Ranger. A motorcycle and several other items that were stolen from surrounding counties were also recovered.

This past Wednesday night, investigators with the Shelbyville Police Department, Bedford County Sheriff’s Office, and 17th Judicial Drug Task Force began an investigation into an attempt by multiple persons to smuggle contraband into the Bedford County Jail.
The investigation began because of information uncovered by Shelbyville Police Department detectives. While conducting the joint investigation, items which included tools, whiskey, tobacco, lighters, marijuana and methamphetamines were seized while trying to be smuggled into the jail and multiple persons are going to be charged. The Bedford County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the Shelbyville Police Department and the 17th Judicial Drug Task Force for their help and partnership in working this investigation.

Tennessee officials are now accepting applications for $10 million worth of broadband grants.
The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development said in a news release Thursday it will accept applications for the Broadband Accessibility Grant until Nov. 17.
A total of $10 million is available in the first round of grants, which were created by the recent Tennessee Broadband Accessibility Act.
The grants are meant to offset capital expenses of establishing broadband in unserved areas. Preference will be given to areas that likely wouldn’t otherwise receive broadband service.
Applicants must be authorized retail broadband providers in the proposed area.
State economic development officials will seek online public comments for three weeks after Nov. 17.
Officials anticipate announcing grant recipients in January 2018 with projects to follow early that year.
Many areas of Coffee County remain without broadband service.

A panel of Tennessee lawmakers wants to address the opioid epidemic with referral requirements at pain clinics, more state investigators and a public awareness program.
The Chattanooga Times Free Press reports that House Speaker Beth Harwell’s opioid task force released dozens of final recommendations Wednesday.
The group is recommending 25 new Tennessee Bureau of Investigation agents to address the issue. It also said independent referrals should be necessary so people can’t just walk into pain clinics.
The panel calls for further limitations on how much emergency rooms can issue controlled drugs. And it wants to develop consistencies across counties so there’s a more accurate count of overdose deaths.
Harwell told reporters she’ll review the issue and it will be a priority during the legislative session that begins in January.

The Tennessee Department of Health has now confirmed 19 human cases of West Nile Virus infection and 11 cases of La Crosse Virus infection in the state so far in 2017. Mosquito-borne illness is more common during late summer and TDH recommends taking simple steps to avoid mosquito bites and help prevent mosquito-borne illnesses.
TDH urges Tennesseans to increase their efforts to avoid mosquitoes. It’s also important to limit mosquito breeding sites. Individuals can eliminate potential breeding sites if they tip and toss standing water and drain and cover objects near homes or businesses that may contain or collect water. A mosquito can lay eggs in a container as small as a soda bottle cap. Additionally, keeping window screens on your home or business in good condition helps to prevent mosquitoes from entering buildings.
Follow these additional tips to avoid mosquito bites:
• Use EPA-approved insect repellants containing DEET, Picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus or IR3535 on your skin. Follow all label recommendations for use. Pay particular attention to recommendations for use on children and never apply any of these products around the mouth or eyes at any age. Talk with a health care provider if questions arise.
• Use products containing permethrin, a highly effective insecticide, for clothing, shoes, bed nets and camping gear. Permethrin-treated clothing repels and kills ticks, mosquitoes and other pests and retains this effect after repeated laundering. Some commercial products are available pretreated with permethrin. As a caution, however, do not use permethrin directly on skin.
• Wear ‘’long, loose and light’’ clothing. It’s best to wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants. Tuck pants into socks and shirts into pants. Loose-fitting clothing helps prevent bites through the fabric. Light-colored clothes are less attractive to many insects and help make them easier to spot and remove.

On Wednesday, September 6, 2017 Lazaro Franklin Aguila age 38 of Pueblo, CO was stopped on Interstate 24 at mile-marker 113 eastbound. After stopping Aguila for speeding, Tennessee Highway Patrolman Donnie Clark detected the odor of marijuana. The arrest warrant states that Trooper Clark asked the man to step out of vehicle and then asked Aguila if he had any marijuana? The man allegedly replied he had a small amount. Clark and Trooper Jason Boles began a probable cause search of the vehicle and found approximately 21 lbs. of marijuana in the trunk in garbage bags behind a cover load of water.
Aguila was charged with manufacturing/delivering/selling/possession of a controlled substance and unlawful drug paraphernalia uses and activities. He was booked in at the Coffee County Jail under a bond of $26,500 and he will appear in court on September 26, 2017.

What started as an idea to help some of the victims of Hurricane Harvey by the owners of the Jiffy Burger in Manchester, turned into a massive accomplishment. Nancy Pennington and her daughter Tracy St John began a task of asking friends and neighbors to help with a donation of water, and what a great donation it is. St John told WMSR News about the large amount of water headed to help the victims in Texas. The 19 pallets of water will weigh approximately 50,000 pounds and each pallet has 84 cases on each pallet.

St. John wanted to thank the several people who donated pallets of water; Josh Harrell, Gary N Cunningham, Steve and Gwen Graves, Rhonda Weaver Farley, Randy and Fhonda Hatmaker, Quinetta Sutton, Brian Sutton, Lynda Smoyak Carden, Brandon Imhoff, Matthew and Emily Taylor Norman, John and Sherry Taylor, Jim and Barbara Shemwell, Connie and Kevin Driver and Allan and Marilyn Howard.
It took only 39 minutes to come up with enough donations to fill an 18-wheeler. Reliable Carriers is providing all the transportation for FREE and they have been working together with David Pennington and Coffee County Emergency Management Agency Director Allen Lendley who worked with FEMA to get an exact distribution drop-off.
A special thank you goes to the Ken and Mary Duke at Spring Street Market for securing the water from their wholesale company. Instead of having the load of water delivered to Manchester they said it would be best to pick it up directly from the warehouse in Birmingham Alabama and Reliable will transported from there directly to Texas.
Another thank you goes out to the American Legion in Manchester for their assistance and to Eugene Warren and Faye Wilhoite who provided a gift certificate for the driver to help with his food there and back!
If anyone still wants to donate items, please check with Amy Cotten Sullivan from College Street Elementary or Canvas Church.