Category: News

Tennessee’s unemployment rate for the month of May was 4.0 percent. That’s according to numbers from the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development. The 4.0 percent rate is down from the April rate of 4.7 percent.
The national unemployment rate is at 4.3 percent, a drop of one-tenth of a percentage point from April.
Officials say the May rate is the lowest Tennessee has seen in about 20 years.
In a year’s span, Tennessee’s unemployment rate has decreased six-tenths of a percentage point from last year’s 4.6 percent. The national rate fell less than half a percentage point from 4.7 to 4.3 percent.

Murfreesboro Police have issued a MISSING-RUNAWAY JUVENILE ALERT for a 16-year old white male.
Matthew Stafford walked away Thursday (6/15/2017) from his job at Sonic Drive-In on Middle Tennessee Boulevard.
The teen was last seen at Walmart on South Rutherford Boulevard around 5:00 o’clock Thursday evening where he cashed a check.
Sergeant Kyle Evans told our news partner NewsRadio WGNS, “He has no previous history of running away.”
The report of this missing teen notes that he has no known illnesses, no drug or alcohol issues, and no mental health challenges.
Anyone with information about Matthew Stafford’s whereabouts, please contact the Murfreesboro Police Department at 615-893-1311.

It is that time of year again! Coffee County Schools Family Resource Center is gearing up for its Coffee County Student Expo- a student support event to engage students, staff, and community organizations with the goal of combating barriers that hinder student academic success. This event provides Coffee County Schools’ students in need, grades Pre-K-12th, with a backpack, school supplies, hygiene items, etc.
Taylor Rayfield, Coffee County Schools Coordinator of Family Resource Center said, “Community partnerships and sponsors foster this program, providing necessary items for our students. He added, “We are fortunate to live in a community that ensures the needs of our children are met. We are excited and look forward to working with our businesses, industries, and organizations on this event.”
They need your help “Stuffing the Bus”! For the first time, Coffee County Schools Family Resource Center, in partnership with the Manchester Area Chamber of Commerce, will be hosting a ‘Stuff the Bus Tour: On the Road to Success’ on Wednesday, July 19th. Coffee County Schools Family Resource Center will be touring around businesses, industries, and organizations in Manchester picking up needed school supply items to ‘stuff the bus.’
Items needed:
Packs of #2 Pencils, Colored Pencils, Pens, Wide Ruled Loose Paper, Graph Paper, Glue, Scissors, Index Cards, Composition Books, Spiral Notebooks, Folders with Prongs, and 3-Ring Notebook Binders.
If your business, industry, or organization would like to participate in the Stuff the Bus Tour, please contact the Manchester Area Chamber of Commerce (931) 728-7635 or Taylor Rayfield, rayfieldt@k12coffee.net (931) 222-1066, (931) 409-8556 to sign up.

On Tuesday night May 9, District 2 Coffee County Commissioner Steven Jones was arrested for alleged public intoxication by Manchester Police Officer Earnie Colvin.
According to Police Chief Mark Yother, Colvin received a call from Assistant Chief Adam Floied that Jones could possibly be impaired. Jones was inside the Coffee County Administrated Plaza attending the County Commission meeting. The report goes onto say that when Jones was leaving the building and on his way to his car, Colvin explained to Jones what was going on.
According to Jones, after paying a fine of $363, he was released from the Coffee County Jail.
Now the charges have been dropped by Coffee County District Attorney General Crag Northcott.
Northcott told WMSR News, “The case was brought to my attention, so I looked into it, and after looking at the arrest warrant and talking to the officers involved and to witnesses, it appears there was sufficient evidence that Mr Jones had been drinking.” Northcott went onto say that the second element of the public intoxication law that requires the person to be a danger to himself, a danger to others or unreasonably annoying and he felt that was not the case with Jones. Northcott added that he did not think Officer Colvin acted with malice.
Jones’ attorney, Ray Fraley of Fayetteville, said he plans to file a suit against the City of Manchester, the Manchester Police Department and the still unidentified person the Manchester Police Department said to have alerted them about Jones’ alleged behavior. Fraley added that the suit would be for malicious prosecution and slander.

According to a report in the Tennessean newspaper, Motlow State Community College President Tony Kinkel resigned late Tuesday, a day before the completion of a blistering internal audit that accused him of using “fear, intimidation, hostility and condescension” as mainstays of his leadership.
The audit, performed by the Tennessee Board of Regents and completed Wednesday, described a dismal work environment that pushed several longtime employees to leave the college because of Kinkel.
Auditors said that, as their work neared completion, Kinkel pressured multiple employees to discredit the findings in an apparent attempt to save his job.
Kinkel’s resignation will officially go into effect Sept. 30, but he will be on leave until then. His duties will be rerouted to an interim replacement.
In a letter responding to an early draft of the audit, Kinkel defended his track record while ceding room for improvement when it came to communication.
Dr. Anthony G. Kinkel was named the new president of Motlow College during a special called meeting of the Tennessee Board of Regents on May 27, 2015 after Mary Lou Apple retired.

A Tennessee man has died in Louisiana after police say two friends performed wrestling moves on him.
Nola.com reports 45-year-olds Scott Pomeroy and James Ferrier were arrested Monday and charged with manslaughter in the death of 45-year-old Steven Knight of Woodbury, TN.
Westwego police spokesman Lt. Eric Orlando says the men were horse-playing after drinking. Pomeroy told detectives that Ferrier delivered a wrestling move known as an “elbow drop.” Ferrier admitted to dropping his body and extended the elbow on Knight twice and said Pomeroy performed the move at least once.
Knight was found without a pulse Sunday morning.
Orlando says there were no signs of foul play and the men had no intention to cause harm, but evidence led to manslaughter charges.

The Coffee County Rescue Squad received new turnout gear valued at $13,217 from the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation at a ceremony at the Firehouse Subs Restaurant in Murfreesboro on Tuesday. The foundation celebrated $35,380 worth of equipment grants awarded to three Middle Tennessee rescue squads.
The gear the Coffee County Rescue Squad received will replace damaged gear purchased over 20 years ago, helping first responders to provide efficient fire services in the community. The National Fire Protection Association recommends a 10-year turnout life before being placed on reserve status.
In 2005, the Firehouse Subs founders established the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation with the mission of providing funding, life-saving equipment and educational opportunities to first-responders and public safety organizations.

Celebrate 100 years of the magical MoonPie! The Chattanooga Bakery will celebrate its 100th birthday of its Southern icon this year, and they want you to make a BIG DEAL out of it at this year’s Bell Buckle RC-MoonPie Festival to be held on Saturday, June 17th!
Known as the first “fast food” meal, these two Southern traditions, RC and a MoonPie, are brought together for a grand celebration Bell Buckle style. The idea for the Festival first began as a way to celebrate the MoonPie and to bring tourists to Bell Buckle. Bell Buckle called the Chattanooga Bakery to see about throwing a party for MoonPie. Little could anyone have expected what a huge event this would become!
The day will get started as the sun rises above the historic century and a half old town with a run of 10 miles through the scenic countryside.
There will be 75 arts and crafts booths and entertainment. The day will wrap-up with the cutting of the World’s Largest MoonPie.

The 16th Annual Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival ended late Sunday night and Coffee County Sheriff Steve Graves says his department wrote 295 citations during Bonnaroo 2017. The number is up somewhat from 2016 when deputies wrote 277 citations. Graves added that the citation number is about normal for the festival.
Manchester Police Chief Mark Yother says his department wrote over 75 citations, increasing from the around 50 written at last year’s festival.
Tennessee Highway Patrol numbers are always released at a later date.
Overall there were 42 Bonnaroo related arrests by all law enforcement combined, which was up slightly from 37 in 2016.
Most of the arrests and citations were drug and alcohol related.
Bonnaroo organizers told WMSR News that they appreciate the working relationship they have with area law enforcement and they share the goal to have as safe a festival as possible.
Preliminary numbers show about 65,000 people attended.