Category: News

Motlow Student beginning Medical Career Early

JuliAnna Dykes… Photo provided by Motlow College

If Motlow State Community College polled its students, faculty, and staff each year to name the most outstanding, highest achieving student, Tullahoma’s JuliAnna Dykes would rank at or near the top for the 2016-17 academic year.
Dykes, a sophomore who will graduate May 6 and continue her studies at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga next year, capped off her outstanding career at Motlow State by earning an opportunity to attend the Summer Health Professions Program at the University of Louisville.
The appointment to the program in Louisville is just the latest in a long list of outstanding accomplishments for Dykes this year at Motlow. In addition to being named Miss Motlow, she is the outgoing president of the Student Government Association, a 4.0 GPA Presidential Scholar, and was named the Student of the Year by the National Honors Council.

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Police Say Pot Plants Found Inside Manchester Residence

Pot plants found by Manchester Police

Last week Manchester Police officers went to a residence on South Spring Street to talk with a man about a matter. When officers knocked on the door, no one came to the door and officers could allegedly smell an odor of marijuana coming from the residence. One Manchester officer stayed at the residence while another officer obtained a search warrant. When the officers served the search warrant they allegedly found 40 marijuana plants in a hidden room in the basement area of the residence.
Manchester Officer Daryn Gadeken arrested Jason Ryan Arnold, age 32, of Spring St., Manchester, for manufacturing/delivering/possession of a controlled substance and driving on revoked/suspended license.
The man bonded out of the Coffee County Jail and is set to appear in court on May 23, 2017.

First National Bank Robbed in Murfreesboro

First National Bank (FNB) on Mercury Boulevard in Murfreesboro was held up by a robber just before noon on Monday. First National Bank in Murfreesboro is owned FNB of Manchester. Luckily, no one was injured inside the bank during the holdup.
After the robbery, the suspect fled the scene and was eventually captured about 7 miles away with the help of Murfreesboro Police, the Tennessee Highway Patrol, and the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office. The subject was caught in the area of Medical Center Parkway and I-24 during a short lived pursuit.
Further details on the bank hold up are pending the outcome of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigations. (WGNS)

Woodbury Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges

George Ronzell Fyke, 40, of Woodbury, Tennessee, has pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft and theft of government funds, announced Jack Smith, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee.
According to the plea agreement, Fyke stole names and social security numbers of deceased relatives and from fellow inmates at the Montgomery County, Tenn. Jail and used them to file false income tax returns. Fyke had the tax refund checks sent to addresses under his control and after being released from jail, he forged the signatures of the stolen identities and deposited the refund checks into his bank accounts. Fyke caused the Department of Treasury to release over $56,000 in unlawful tax refunds.
As part of his plea agreement, Fyke has agreed to a sentence of 48 months in prison and to pay restitution to the IRS. Fyke also faces a period of supervised release and other monetary penalties.
Sentencing is scheduled for August 14, 2017.
This case was investigated by the IRS-Criminal Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould.

Unemployment Rate Drops in Coffee County

Tennessee’s county unemployment rates for March 2017 have decreased in 91 counties, increased in three, and remained the same in one, according to data released by the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
Preliminary unemployment rates for Tennessee and the U.S. have lowered by two-tenths of a percentage point in March.
The unemployment rate in Coffee County in March dropped from 4.8 percent in February to 4.6 percent.
In other surrounding counties, Bedford fell from 4.9 to 4.6 and Cannon County stayed the same at 4.3 percent. Down in Franklin County their unemployment rate dropped from 5 percent to 4.8 percent. Moore County fell from 3.9 percent to 3.6 percent, the 4th lowest unemployment in the state. Upon the mountain in Grundy County they went from 6.4 to 6% and in Warren County they dropped from 4.9 percent in February to 4.6 in March.
The state’s lowest unemployment rate in March was in Williamson County at 3.3 percent and highest rate was in Rhea County at 8.3 percent.

State Budget Expected to Pass This Week

Tennessee lawmakers plan to pass the state’s annual $37 billion budget this week.
House and Senate members are required by the state constitution to pass a balanced spending plan every year, and enacting that legislation is usually the final major act before lawmakers adjourn for the year.
House Majority Leader Glen Casada told members this week that they should plan to stay in Nashville for an extra day this week in case the process drags into Friday. If the budget is passed by both chambers this week, lawmakers expect to conclude their business by early next week.
The budget process had been delayed until the passage of Gov. Bill Haslam’s plan to boost funding for infrastructure projects while also cutting taxes on groceries, manufacturers and earnings from stocks and bonds.

Uniform Bill Passed

Tennessee State Capital

The full Senate has approved legislation to enhance penalties against those convicted of intentionally selecting their victim because of his or her status as a uniformed law enforcement officer or member of the armed forces. Senate Bill 1342 was inspired by men and women in uniform who have lost their lives, were injured or targeted simply because of their jobs as protectors of the community.
Under the bill, the enhancement factor would be considered by the court at the time of sentencing. The law also applies to members of the Tennessee National Guard.
In addition, the State Senate passed legislation adding penalties to current law which forbids the release of private information regarding law enforcement officers to protect them and their families from being targeted.
Both bills now go to the governor for his signature. When signed, they will become effective on July 1.

Lawsuit Filed after Fatal Accident in 2015

Aaron Hill family [Photo from Facebook]

A terrible accident occurred on New Year’s Eve, 2015 in Winchester that took the life of three people including twin 7 year-old boys James and John Hill of Hillsboro. Their parents Aaron and Lynetta Hill were also injured. Mary Jane Parks, 83, of Winchester was also killed in the 3-vehicle accident.
Aaron and Lynetta Hill, have now filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court Eastern District of Tennessee alleging Kia Motors and its parent group, Hyundai-Kia Automotive, are responsible for what occurred.
They are seeking $35 million in compensatory damages and $60 million in punitive damages.
According to the lawsuit, as a “direct and proximate result of the defendants’ negligence, Aaron Hill and Lynetta Hill sustained serious and permanent bodily injuries and emotional and mental injuries,” and their minor children were fatally injured.
The lawsuit states Kia Motors and Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group “failed to discharge their duty to issue warnings prior to the sale of the vehicle.”
The lawsuit states the defendants were aware the product was defective or unreasonably dangerous before it was sold, and the corporation failed to take reasonable steps to warn potential buyers of the “defective or unreasonably dangerous condition of the vehicle.”
The lawsuit says the 2008 Kia Optima model, like the one driven by Parkes was defective because it had an inadequate fault detection system that could not “anticipate foreseeable unwanted outcomes, including unintended acceleration.”
It also alleges the electronic throttle control system and its components are highly susceptible to malfunction caused by various electronic failures, including faulty circuit boards, short circuits, software glitches and electromagnetic interference from sources outside the vehicle.
The Kia’s speedometer was frozen at 90MPH after the crash.
The lawsuit also says that the car model lacks a brake override system, meaning that the driver is unable to stop or slow the engine during a sudden unintended acceleration incident by stepping on the brakes.
It says the defendants could have easily implemented a brake override system years ago that would have prevented sudden unintended acceleration incidents, regardless of the cause.
Kia stated in its response that Kia Motors of America, based in California, “denies that the subject vehicle suddenly and unexpectedly accelerated out of control and they said that when the subject vehicle was designed, manufactured and sold, it conformed with the state of scientific and technological knowledge available to its manufacturer.”

Drug Investigation leads to Two Teachers being Suspended in Warren County

Two teachers have been suspended as a result of an investigation into allegations of drug involvement at Hickory Creek School in Warren County.
Jordan Underhill and Lisa Miller have reportedly been suspended indefinitely as the Warren County Sheriff’s Department investigation is ongoing.
Recently fifth-grade teacher Jason Moore was arrested after allegedly purchasing $225 worth of Percocet from an undercover operative in the Hickory Creek School parking lot. The suspension of Underhill and Miller is in connection with the incident involving Moore, although neither has been charged.
The investigation stems from complaints from parents regarding the sale of drugs on school property.