Cameron Derek Allison… Photo provided by the CCSD.
Corey James McDonald
A Tennessee legislative panel has changed and passed Gov. Bill Haslam’s transportation bill, which Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris says would ensure people save more in food tax cuts than they’d pay in a gas tax hike.
Norris called the bill a compromise with Haslam as the Senate Transportation and Safety Committee passed it by a 7-1 margin Monday.
Over three years, Norris said the gas tax would increase 6 cents a gallon and the diesel tax would jump 10 cents a gallon. Initially, Haslam proposed a 7-cent gas tax increase and 12-cent diesel hike.
Norris said the food tax would decrease to 4 percent from 5 percent under current law.
In the House, a committee has previously removed fuel tax hikes to rely on sales taxes for road projects.
Chris Jones
Hope Sartain
Severe thunderstorms caused power outages and damage in Middle Tennessee on Thursday night into Friday morning. Electric crews responded in Coffee County to outages in Tullahoma and in the Boynton Valley area. A few thousand customers lost power in Tullahoma, Estill Springs, Decherd and Lynchburg.
Duck River Electric says around 10,000 of its customers lost electricity in Middle Tennessee.
Hail the size of a half dollar was reported by a storm spotter in Tullahoma at 12:05am.
Bedford County EMA reported that a semi-truck was blown over at the Walmart Distribution Center in Shelbyville. An antique mall in Bell Buckle suffered roof damage.
On Saturday cold windy weather gave way to light snow. A dusting occurred in most of Coffee County with up to 2 inches in portions of Franklin and Moore counties.
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
COFFEE COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE PLAZA
March 14, 2017 @ 6:00 p.m.
A G E N D A
1. Sheriff Proclaims Commission Open for Business
2. Invocation
3. Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag
4. Roll Call
5. Approve agenda.
6. Review and approval of the minutes of previous meeting.
7. Resolution of Memorial, Sympathy and Commendation
8. Elections, Appointments and Confirmations
a. Notaries
b. 911 District Communication
c. Law Enforcement Committee
d. Other
9. Unfinished Business
10. New Business
a. School Budget Amendments
b. Budget Amendments
c. Resolution 2017-02 – A Resolution Authorizing the issuance of General Obligation Refunding Bonds of Coffee County in the aggregate principal amount of not to exceed $8,900,000, in one or more series; making provision for the issuance, sale and payment of said bonds, establishing the terms thereof and the disposition of proceeds therefrom; and providing for the levy of taxes for the payment of principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the bonds.
d. Resolution 2017-03 – Resolution to Authorize Cooperative Purchasing Agreements for the use and benefit of all County Departments
e. Rural Solid Waste Contract
f. Resolution 2017-04 – Resolution to amend Coffee County Zoning Resolution No. 2006-39 to rezone the residential property at 2345 (MAP 067 – PARCEL 065.00) McMinnville Hwy., from RS-1 Low Density Residential District to C-2 General Commercial District
g. Resolution 2017-05 – Resolution to amend Coffee County Zoning Resolution 2006-39 to rezone the residential property at MAP 110 – PARCELS 121.00, 123.00 and 125.00 located on the Old Manchester Highway, from RS-1 Low Density Residential District to M-1 General Industrial District.
h. Resolution 2017-06 – Resolution to Terminate the existence of “The Water and Wastewater Treatment Authority for Coffee County, Tennessee” and transfer all assets and liabilities of the entity to Coffee County to be operated under the oversight of the Health, Welfare and Recreation Committee or to be sold and/or transferred, if possible, to an existing recognized utility.
i. Resolution 2017-07 – Resolution approving the establishment of a Medical Waste Processing Facility at 210 Mitchell Boulevard, Tullahoma, Tennessee BioWaste, LLC
Property owned by Ron Mayes
j. Other
*Report of standing committee and action thereon by the commission.
*Report of special committees and action thereon by the commission.
11. Statements & Announcements
12. Public Comments
13. Adjournment
County unemployment estimates for January show the rates increased in all 95 counties.
Coffee County jumped up from 4.9 in December to 5.6 percent in January. Warren County’s unemployment rate for January was 5.6 percent, up from the December rate of 4.8 percent. Grundy County went from 7.3 to 7.6 percent. Cannon County went from 4.6 to 5.1 percent. Bedford County rose from 5.1 to 5.8 percent. Franklin County also went up going from an unemployment rate in December of 5.2 percent to 6 percent. Moore County remained one of the lowest in the state, but their rate still went up from 4.1 to 4.8 percent.
Williamson County had the state’s lowest unemployment rate at 3.9 percent, while Lake County had the highest at 11.3 percent.
The Tennessee Hospital Association has come out against a new congressional health care proposal that would repeal and replace the Obama health care law, saying Tennesseans could lose health coverage if the measure passes into law.
The organization’s president and CEO, Craig Becker, said in statement Friday that a significant number of the roughly 230,000 Tennesseans currently covered by the program could lose their coverage because the new plan cuts federal subsidies to help people pay for insurance.
The hospital association acknowledged real challenges with the law as it is now. However, Becker said the new measure proposed by House Republicans could drive up the costs of uncompensated care.
The hospital association says Tennessee hospitals provide nearly $2 billion annually in services to the uninsured.
Tennessee’s 56 State Parks are hosting free guided hikes statewide on Saturday, March 18 to celebrate the coming of spring and the bounty of recreation opportunities state parks offer.
Park staff – who can speak to the natural, cultural and historical treasures that all Tennessee State Parks have to offer – will guide free hikes throughout the day. From the cypress swamps of the Mississippi River in West Tennessee to the rugged ridge tops and waterfalls in the middle of the state to the majestic mountains in the East, every park showcases a unique piece of Tennessee’s outdoor beauty.
“For 80 years our state park system has created outdoor adventures and recreational opportunities for all Tennesseans,” said Deputy Commissioner of Parks and Conservation Brock Hill. “We are always excited to highlight our state’s beauty and special stories.”
The wide selection of events across the state ensures that everyone can find a hike suitable for them. Hikes will range in distance, degree of skill, accessibility, and time of day in an effort to accommodate the needs of anyone who seeks to enjoy a day outdoors. Planned activities along the trails include wildlife viewing, spring clean-ups, scavenger hunts, historical programs and more.
For a full list of all planned hikes for March 18, visit http://tnstateparks.com. You can share your photos with Tennessee State Parks on social media using the hashtag #spinghikeTN.
The time to spring forward is near. On Sunday, March 12, Daylight Saving Time for 2017 will begin at precisely 2 a.m. that morning.
Standard Time will return at 2 a.m. on Nov. 5, 2017.
We will lose an hour of sleep when 2 a.m. becomes 3 a.m. on March 12, and while some people love gaining the extra hour of afternoon daylight, most don’t enjoy losing the extra sleep.
Changing the clocks is always a good time to sync changing the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
Fire safety officials recommend changing those batteries at least once a year and replacing the detectors every 10 years, even if they’re hard-wired.
