Category: News

Tennessee’s sales tax holiday has been set for July 28th through 30th this year. The tax-free weekend was created several years ago as a way to ease the financial burden on parents who much purchase back-to-school supplies and clothes.
The holiday weekend begins just after midnight on Friday, July 28th and continues through midnight on Sunday, the 30th.
During the tax-free weekend, shoppers will not have to pay any state or local sales tax on clothing and school supplies totaling $100 or less, or computers totaling $1,500 or less.

Parts of Tennessee continue to recover from the millions of dollars in damage done by last year’s wildfires – but new scientific research indicates the damage to the state’s air quality may be even worse than the EPA estimates. Two new studies from the Georgia Institute of Technology indicate particulates created by wildfire can have a long-lasting impact on climate. Smoke samples weren’t specific to the Tennessee fires, but Professor Greg Huey with Georgia Tech says they found a list of chemicals you’d expect from an oil refinery – methanol, benzene, other noxious emissions – which pose significant risks to public health. “As it gets drier, we might expect to have more forest fires and larger problems with air quality due to them,” he says. “So our study points out that we’re really going to have to think about forest management and fire policies as we move ahead.” A separate Georgia Tech study found that particulates from forest fires are reaching the upper atmosphere and staying there, which could speed up global warming. Scientists analyzed air samples collected by NASA aircraft some seven miles above locations across the U.S. Drought and warmer temperatures have been linked to the increase in the number and size of wildfires across western states. Huey notes the microscopic specks released by burning forests are especially dangerous for the lungs and heart. He says one way to limit the amount of particulates could be to beat wildfires at their own game. “There’s a pretty obvious candidate to look at, and that’s to do prescribed burning because prescribed burning releases fewer pollutants per amount of fuel burned than the wildfires do,” he explains. Previous EPA estimates for forest-fire pollution levels were based on samples taken on the ground during controlled burns ignited by forestry professionals. Huey and his team captured smoke samples by flying directly into three separate active wildfire plumes.

Broken Bow Records artist and Tullahoma native Dustin Lynch proved unbeatable in a December episode of Spike TV’s LIP SYNC BATTLE, taking on fellow country star Cassadee Pope.
Hosted by LL Cool J and Chrissy Teigen, LIP SYNC BATTLE pits celebrities in a head-to-head fight to see who can deliver the most outrageous and entertaining lip-synched performance. Lynch wowed the crowd earning himself the LSB championship belt and $10,000 for a charity.
Lynch decided to donate the money the Coffee County Children’s Advocacy Center. He gave recently gave the money to the center.
The Coffee County Children’s Advocacy Center was founded in late 2004 by a group of local activists led by the Coffee County Church Women United. In June of 2005, they officially opened their doors to serve the children of Coffee County.
Specific benefits to children of a Children’s Advocacy Center are:
* Less trauma to the child due to a single interview
* More immediate follow-up to reported cases
* More efficient mental health and medical treatment
* Increased successful prosecution
* Consistent support for child victim(s) and the non-offending caregivers
Call for more information about CCCAC at 723-8888.

We have an update on the two deputies with the Coffee County Sheriff’s Department that were shot at the county justice center on Monday afternoon.
Wendell Bowen is at Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga where he underwent over 5 hours of surgery Monday night and is still in the intensive care unit, while Wade Bassett is at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville awaiting surgery on his hand, which at last report is planned for some time this week.
Yesterday afternoon District Attorney General Craig Northcott said an inmate identified as 37-year-old Michael Eugene Bell was in the courthouse for a scheduled hearing on charges of domestic-related kidnapping, evading arrest and other charges.
Just before 3:00 PM, Coffee County Deputy Bassett went into the holding cell on the third floor of the Coffee County Justice Center to take inmate Bell back to the Coffee County Jail. As the deputy prepared to get Bell for transport, Bell attacked him, and the two engaged in a significant struggle. The inmate was able to gain control of the deputy’s weapon, and shot Deputy Bassett one time before fleeing down the stairs. When he got to the first floor, Bell shot Deputy Wendell Bowen, on his way out the door.
After fleeing the Justice Center, Bell ran about a block away, entered and then exited a home on Madison Street. He then fled to a yard at an adjacent home, where he was found deceased from a self-inflected gunshot wound to the head.
The Coffee County Justice Center offices will reopen on Wednesday, but there will be no court.

According to a report by Tullahoma Police Officer Matt Pruitt, he was notified by the communication center on June 10 that a burglary had occurred at North Jackson Wine & Spirits. When the officer arrived he found a front window had been broken out.
When owner Brian Uselton arrived they reviewed the security video and saw an individual attempt to break a front window but was unsuccessful. The thief then moved to another window and smashed it with a cinder block. Once inside the store the thief took six bottles of whiskey.
Security video shows a white male wearing black shoes, black basketball shorts, and a black ski mask.
Detective Johnny Gore is investigating the theft.

The Tullahoma Police Department is continuing to ask for the public’s assistance identifying a female subject. The individual is a suspect in a theft case. The theft took place recently at the Celtic Cup located on N. Anderson St. in Tullahoma.
Anyone with information regarding this person’s identity, please contact Tullahoma Police Investigator Johnny Gore at 931.455.0530 or by emailing jgore@tullahomatn.gov.

Close the book on this year’s legislative session in Tennessee: Gov. Bill Haslam has no more bills or resolutions awaiting his consideration.
The governor signed all the 524 measures sent his way this session, declining all calls for vetoing bills.
Others had unsuccessfully lobbied Haslam to veto a bill that allows people with handgun carry permits to be armed on all local government properties unless city and counties use metal detectors, hire security guards and check people’s bags.

Scammers who use a fake caller ID now face harsher punishment thanks to a new Tennessee law.
The new legislation hopes to crack down on a practice known as caller ID spoofing, which is now classified as a Class A misdemeanor. It involves sending inaccurate or misleading caller ID information with the intent to defraud, harm or steal. That could mean up to a $10,000 penalty per violation.
Commerce and Insurance Commissioner Julie Mix McPeak said, “These new protections give law enforcement more ways to punish perpetrators and, hopefully, prevent scammers from hurting our senior population.”
Even though scammers will face harsher punishments, the TDCI said it’s important to be watchful of the warning signs of a scam.
Don’t answer the phone if your number shows up on your phone’s Caller ID.
Don’t attempt to call the number back, and do not press any buttons if prompted.
If you do answer the call, don’t give out your personal or financial information. Never give your personal information over the phone to someone you don’t know.
If you believe you’re the victim of an ID Spoofing scam, call TDCI’s Division of Consumer Affairs at (615) 741-4737 or file a complaint online.
If you lost money on a scam as a result of ID Spoofing, immediately report the theft to your local police or sheriff’s department.

Two deputies with the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office have been injured in a shooting at the county justice center.
The incident occurred Monday afternoon at the Coffee County Justice Center in Manchester.
District Attorney General Craig Northcott said an inmate identified as 37-year-old Michael Eugene Bell was in the courthouse for a scheduled hearing on charges of domestic-related kidnapping, evading arrest and other charges.

After court, Deputy Wade Bassett was escorting Bell to be transported back to the Coffee County Jail. Northcott said Bell then attacked the deputy, and a scuffle ensued.
Bell was able to wrestle away Bassett’s firearm and shot him once in the stomach area. Officials said Deputy Bassett was protected because he was wearing a bulletproof vest. Bassett did receive an injury to his right hand during the struggle.
The suspect then went to the first floor of the three story building, and as D.A. Northcott said, “as he was exiting the building, in a very unnecessary and cowardly way, he shot Deputy Wendell Bowen on his way out.”

TBI Director Mark Gwyn said the suspect entered a home on Madison Street before exiting out the back and going into the yard of an adjacent house. It was there where officials said the suspect shot himself and died from his injuries.
Deputy Bassett was transported to Vanderbilt University Medical Center for treatment and Bowen underwent surgery at Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga.
The extent of the deputies’ injuries are not available at this time.
There will be no court on Tuesday, June 20. The Justice Center will be closed all day to employees, court personnel and the public due to a request by law enforcement, as they continue their investigation.

Coffee County Sheriff’s Department employees were on the scene and assisted other law enforcement officials searching for two escapees from Georgia in Rutherford County Thursday night. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation continues to investigate multiple incidents connected to the capture of the escapees.
Donnie Rowe, 43, and Ricky DuBose, 24, allegedly killed the two correctional officers in Georgia while they were being transferred to another facility by transport bus.
Ongoing investigative efforts continue to indicate the pair, forced their way into a home in Shelbyville at approximately 2:00 PM on Thursday afternoon. Dubose and Rowe held the couple hostage for around 3 hours and then left in the couple’s vehicle. The victims were able to notify law enforcement about the encounter and identity the assailants.
Law enforcement officers began an effort to locate the vehicle, were able to do so, and soon began a pursuit, which wound from Bedford County along State Route 231, into Rutherford County, and on to Interstate 24. During the pursuit, which lasted more than 20 miles and reached dangerously high speeds, shots were fired from the suspects’ vehicle, striking several Rutherford County cruisers. Ultimately, the pair crashed the vehicle along Interstate 24, at approximately Mile Marker 91, (just a few miles from the Coffee County line) and fled on foot through a tree line. They approached a nearby home, where an alert resident was able to safely notify law enforcement officers, leading to the immediate arrests of the individuals.
Dubose and Rowe remain in the custody of the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Department, awaiting extradition proceedings. The determination about any criminal charges in Tennessee has not yet been made.
During their run through Rutherford County they made their way to the driveway of a home on Pruitt Road where they were caught trying to steal a second vehicle from the home.
Initial reports by police said that the owner and a neighbor held the men at gun point until police arrived. However, Patrick Hale, set the record straight the next day, saying the men surrendered and he never drew his gun.