Category: News

On Saturday Coffee County Deputy Kevin Smith stopped a vehicle for a traffic violation on Highway 55. Upon making contact with a female subject gave the deputy identification of another person. When the officer asked if there was anything in the car he needed to know about the woman handed him a black powder pistol and a pink container containing 3 grams of methamphetamine, needles and baggies.
After gaining consent to search the car, deputies found another set of digital scales and brass knuckles.
The vehicle she was operating was shown to be stolen out of Florida.
The woman was identified as Constance Nicole Love age 34 of Stillwood Dr Manchester. She was charged with criminal impersonation, illegal possession of a weapon, firearm use in association with dangerous felonies, manufacturing/delivering/ selling/possession of a controlled substance, unlawful drug paraphernalia uses, violation of probation and activities and theft of property. Her bond was set at $39,000 and her court date is Feb 27, 2017.

Shelbyville Police say Methamphetamine use drove the manufacture of a large number of counterfeit bills passed in Shelbyville over the past few weeks.
Five suspects are in custody – William Wesley Bates, 46, whose address is listed on jail records as America’s Best Value Inn, North Cannon Boulevard; Aaron Zane Little, 33, of Murfreesboro; James Raymond Evans, Jr., 24, of 231 South Trailer Park; Mika Jean O’Neal 36, of East Lane Street, all charged with criminal simulation and being held on $150,000 bonds at Bedford County Jail — and Ashley Taylor Brown, 21, of Raby Avenue, charged with criminal responsibility for conduct of another and held on $10,000 bond. Detective Lt. Brian Crews said, Brown’s charge is lesser because she hasn’t been seen on video passing any of the bills, but she was involved with and staying in the same motel room with the other suspects.
“There will be several counts by the time we complete the investigation,” Crews said. “Wesley Bates will likely be charged federally for his involvement.
Investigators got their much-needed break when Officer David Dye stopped a vehicle leaving the Circle K store on North Main Street after a clerk notified police two people, found to be Bates and O’Neal that had just left after trying to pass a counterfeit $100 bill.
Police say that they also made attempts at other locations.
Within the room was equipment to print the fake bills, including templates for $20, $50 and $100 bills.
Investigators believe Bates, who is currently on federal probation for counterfeit offenses out of Fort Worth, Texas, and Little were responsible for printing the bills and Evans, O’Neal and Brown passed them at Shelbyville businesses.
The U.S. Secret Service has joined the investigation and additional arrests are likely, police say.
Several of the bills are likely still in circulation, police say, and businesses should remain cautious. (Shelbyville Time-Gazette)

A Tennessee lawmaker has been hoping to change some minds about the use of medical marijuana in the state. Representative Jeremy Faison has been working for three years gathering information and even visiting grow operations in Colorado. He has now drafted an extensive 52-page bill that covers everything from seed to delivery. The bill would allow for 50 growers, and the first 15 have to go to the most rural areas. Faison said one grow could produce $20 million in revenue, plus 150 to 200 jobs. The bill also allowed for ten qualifying diseases, including PTSD, cancer, and depression. A doctor would prescribe the cannabis, then the department of health would send the patient a card. A 2014 poll by MTSU showed a vast majority of Tennesseans agree that seriously ill patients should have access to medical cannabis. Lawmakers will be voting on this bill at the end of February.

The Manchester Police Department is partnering with the Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO) for its annual “Seatbelts Are for Everyone” (SAFE) campaign. This statewide initiative is designed to increase seatbelt usage and child passenger safety restraint usage through the implementation of occupant-protection programs, public events, and checkpoints throughout local communities across Tennessee. The SAFE campaign is going on now and concludes on August 1, 2017.
2017 will be the fourth year that the THSO has sponsored the SAFE campaign. Last year yielded the following results:

• 1,717 child restraint violations
• 21,562 seat belt citations
• 723 other seat belt enforcement activities

“In 2015, Tennessee’s average seatbelt usage rate was 86.23%,” said THSO Director Vic Donoho. “Last year, we soared to 88.95%. Through increased education, enforcement, and community involvement, we’re striving for ninety percent or higher.”
This year, participating agencies will pay special attention to nighttime seatbelt enforcement. Tennessee has seen a disproportionate percentage of unrestrained fatalities between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 5:59 a.m. Historically, approximately fifty percent of Tennessee’s traffic fatalities are unbelted. That percentage increases to nearly sixty when nighttime crashes are examined.

The Tennessee State Library and Archives recently awarded more than $300,000 in technology grants to 114 public libraries across the state. The grants, which are distributed annually, are funded by Tennessee state government and a federal agency, the Institute of Museum and Library Services. In order to qualify, recipients must have dollar-for-dollar matching funds from their local governments.
The grants are used for the purchase of desktop and laptop computers, as well as other electronic equipment that library users and staff members may need.
The Library and Archives awarded $305,500 this year, with individual grants ranging from $350 to $15,000.
“In the age in which we live, libraries have become much more than places where people can check out books,” Secretary of State Tre Hargett said. “Libraries are often an essential stop for people who don’t have access to computers at home or at work. Libraries are often where people go to search for jobs, apply for unemployment benefits or get online training that helps them enhance their professional skills. I am proud that the Library and Archives has a role in providing funding that helps people get computer access.”
Tullahoma’s Lannom Memorial Library and the Manchester Public Library received $3,414 each.

A former sheriff’s major in Rutherford County has pleaded guilty to lying in connection with his application for U.S. citizenship.
The U.S. attorney’s office in Nashville said 47-year-old Terry McBurney pleaded guilty Thursday in U.S. District Court to unlawful procurement of naturalization, making false statements under oath and wire fraud.
The prosecutor’s office said in a news release that McBurney indicated on documents he submitted for employment with the sheriff’s office that he was a U.S. citizen. McBurney admitted during the plea hearing he was not a U.S. citizen.
The indictment said McBurney was born in Ireland.
Rutherford County required employees holding the position of captain or major to be a U.S. citizen.
The release said McBurney also admitted making false statements in order to procure citizenship in 2015. Sentencing will be May 12.

To support the American Legion’s Legacy Scholarship Fund, the Legion Riders of Post 78 in Manchester are hosting a Soup & Sandwich Night at 130 Shelton Rd in Manchester. The event will be held this Saturday from 3-6pm.
Some of you may remember back in the summer 350-400 motorcycles roared up I-24 as part of the national fund raising efforts for 2016.
Several years ago The Legion Riders committed to raise all the funds for this scholarship program that provides funds for any continuing education needs of the children of our fallen warriors since 9/11/01 and, as recently announced, the children of a 50% or more disabled veteran. This is a Trust Fund designed to be perpetually available as only the interest is used. You can learn more about how these scholarships help the children of our warriors at www.legion.org/scholarships/235110/legacy-scholarship-helps-ease-financial-burden
If you have questions email riders@post78.com.

On Thursday morning Coffee County Deputy Lee Marcom stopped Jennifer Marie Thompson of Skinner Flatt Rd, Manchester at New Union School on Woodbury Hwy in Manchester. Marcom says he had prior knowledge that Thompson was not to be operating a motor vehicle. A check of the subject’s driver’s license showed them to be revoked/suspended 2nd offense.
Deputies received permission to search the vehicle which was on school property and located allegedly .61 grams of a white crystal like substance believed to be methamphetamine in the subjects purse along with 3 Oxycodone pills, 2 1/2 Hydrocodone, 7 Ambien, and 4 Xanax pills inside of two pill bottles that Thompson allegedly did not have a prescription for at the time of her arrest. Deputies’ also apparently located two cut straws with one having residue inside of it. Marcom states in the arrest warrant that the woman had in her possession $1595.00 in cash along with 90 pesos.
Thompson was arrested for a drug free school zone violation, unlawful drug paraphernalia uses and activities, schedule IV, I and II drug violation and driving on revoked/suspended license 2nd offense. Her bond was set at $48,500 and her court date is March 20, 2017.

Improving a public school sometimes takes a very specific approach for the needs of a community. That’s the philosophy guiding the Tennessee Department of Education as it finalizes a plan to comply with the federal Every Student Succeeds Act.
The state plan, due next month, will include guidelines for letting individual districts make their own improvements before the state gets involved.
“Under ESA, we have a lot more flexibility around how we focus turnaround efforts for our lowest-performing schools,” said Hillary Knudson, special assistant to the Tennessee Commissioner of Education. “So, it’s not about a prescriptive model, it’s more of a – very much a – statewide approach, and then even more so, a district-wide approach.”
The state currently designates the districts performing in the bottom 5 percent statewide as Achievement School Districts, which gives them access to state and federal tools to improve. But critics of ESA have said it doesn’t move far enough away from the testing mandates seen under No Child Left Behind.
Sara Gast, the Tennessee Department of Education’s deputy director of communications, said that because the state already has been taking a local approach in recent years, it is positioned to take full advantage of ESA.
“One of the most important things we’ve learned is key to really changing what is happening within the walls of a school is, it has to be about what is happening within the neighborhood around that community, and within the families of those kids.”
Knudson said school districts will be able to address specific strengths and weaknesses under the new approach.
“This is tough work, and just like every student is unique, every school is unique,” she said. “There’s no ‘one size fits all’ approach to fixing a school. This is about, ‘What does that school need?’ ”
State education officials still are accepting public comments on their plan at tn.gov.