Category: News

110th Tennessee General Assembly Begins

Tennessee State Capital

State lawmakers convene the 110th Tennessee General Assembly on Tuesday with new leadership in the Senate and a House speaker eying a gubernatorial bid.
Both chambers featuring heavy Republican majorities are scheduled to begin their organizational sessions on Tuesday.
Longtime Sen. Randy McNally of Oak Ridge is the Republican nominee to succeed Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey of Blountville. Rep. Beth Harwell of Nashville is the GOP choice to stay in charge of the House, though her 40-30 nomination vote was closer than she hoped.
Harwell is among several prominent Republicans pondering a bid to succeed term-limited Gov. Bill Haslam in 2018, and political considerations might complicate a session in which the governor is expected to ask lawmakers to approve the state’s first gasoline tax hike since 1989.

New K9’s at Coffee County Sheriff’s Department

Deputy Jennifer Curbow and Max.

The Coffee County Sheriff’s Department has two new officers. Congratulations to K9 Yoshi and handler Larry McKelvey. Yoshi received his certification and badge.

L-R Deputy Larry McKelvey, Yoshi and trainer


Also congratulations to K9 Max and handler Jennifer Curbow. Max also received his certification and badge.
Coffee County Sheriff Steve Graves wanted to thank VIAM Corporation of Manchester for their contribution that helped bring the K9’s to his department.
One K9 will work at the jail and the other will be working on the road.

Update on Officer Involved Shooting

We have an update on a story we reported late Thursday.
A man from the Antioch neighborhood of Nashville died Thursday after he was shot by officers in Monteagle, Tennessee.
The shooting happened shortly before 2 p.m. on Deep Woods Road off Fire Tower Road not far from St. Andrew’s-Sewanee School.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation identified the man as Randy Wayne Cole, 40, of Antioch.
At the request of Franklin County District Attorney Mike Taylor, TBI agents are continuing to investigate the circumstances of the shooting.
According to Franklin County Sheriff Tim Fuller, the shooting occurred around 2 p.m. Thursday when the Franklin County Communication received a 911 call from Cole when he allegedly said that he was going to either kill himself or force officers to shoot him. Law enforcement started to search for the caller and located him on Deep Woods Road. According to the sheriff the man was armed with a gun and the officers from the sheriff’s department, the Sewanee Police Department and Monteagle Police began talking with the man trying to get him to put his weapon down. But he fired shots at the officers and they returned fire with an undisclosed number of bullets striking Cole. He was transferred to Emerald Hodgson Hospital in Sewanee where he died.
According to a TBI press release, the state agency is continuing to verify the report of the officers.
The TBI did not identify the officers involved and neither did Fuller.
The TBI forensic personnel arrived at the scene and gathered relevant evidence and conducted interviews with the officers. After completing their investigation the TBI will submit their report on the shooting to Taylor who will determine what action if any should be taken.
Friday Sgt. Chris Guess of the sheriff’s department stated that the officers have been placed on administrative leave.
According to the sheriff Sewanee-St. Andrews School was placed on lock down for a period of time before the shooting occurred.

Law Enforcement Searching for Missing Tracy City Man

Brandon Lee Price

The Grundy County Sheriff’s Office is asking your help in find a missing man.
Brandon Lee Price, 25, was last seen Friday around 10 a.m. at his home in Tracy City.
He was wearing a red hoodie, a flannel undershirt with a gray hood, black jeans and white tennis shoes.
His family describes him as being somewhat reclusive.
If you have seen Price or know where he is, call the Grundy County Sheriff’s Office at 931-692-3466.

Corrected–Manchester Man Arrested after 10th Revoked/Suspended Charge

Johnny Ray Brooks… Photo provided by the CCSD

On Thursday evening Tennessee Highway Patrolman Timothy Johnson stopped a vehicle for a traffic violation in Coffee County.
A check of the subject’s driver license showed Johnny Ray Brooks age 39 of Murfreesboro Hwy Manchester to be revoked/suspended 10th offense. The Trooper states that Brooks is also listed as an indefinite habitual motor offender 3rd offense.
Brooks was arrested and booked at the Coffee County Jail under a bond of $27,000. He court date was set for March 7, 2017.

New Civic Test for High Schoolers

It’s a new year and that means new laws, among the new laws is a test. Starting this year high school students will have to take a civics exam before graduating.
Legislators hope the requirement will encourage Tennessee students to become active and productive citizens.
Students will have to answer several questions from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service.
Under the bill a passing grade is considered 70%, but educators can pick the questions and how it’s graded. Students can also take the test as many times as possible.
Though you don’t have to pass, the Tennessee Department of Education hopes taking the test will get students thinking about what it means to be a citizen of the U.S.

Haslam looking for “Comfort Level” with Lawmakers

Gov. Bill Haslam

With just over three weeks remaining until he presents his annual Tennessee spending plan to lawmakers, Gov. Bill Haslam is still trying to find what he calls a “comfort level” with lawmakers on his efforts to boost transportation funding in the state.
Haslam argues that the state doesn’t bring in enough money to meet its road building and maintenance needs through its 21.4-cent gas tax. The governor says there’s a $6 billion backlog in state road projects awaiting funding.
But lawmakers are wary about voting for hiking the gas tax for the first time since 1989 despite arguments that paying the tax at the pump is similar to a fee for using state roads.
Haslam is expected to deliver his budget address on Jan. 30.

Motlow Closed Jan 16

Motlow State Community College will be closed on Monday, Jan. 16, in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, according to college officials. The closing includes all college facilities, including libraries and computer labs, on the Moore County, Fayetteville, McMinnville, and Smyrna campuses. Regular business hours for all sites will resume on Jan. 17. Spring semester classes begin on Jan. 17 at all locations. Students can register for classes through Jan. 16, although the deadline to fill out a Motlow College application for admission is Jan. 11. For more information, visit the Motlow website at mscc.edu or call 931-393-1500 or 800-654-4877.

Officer Involved Shooting in Monteagle

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) is investigating an officer shooting in the Franklin County portion of Monteagle.
According to Chris Guess spokesperson for the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department, two officers from the sheriff’s department, a Sewanee Police Officer and an officer from the Monteagle Police Department answered a 911 call Thursday afternoon to the Deep Woods subdivision in the Monteagle city limits.
According to Guess when the officers arrived they encountered a man who was armed. According to Franklin County Sheriff Tim Fuller the man had called 911 and “said that he was going to kill himself or force officers to shoot” him. They ordered the man to put down his weapon and after talking to the man for a while he fired at the officers and they shot back hitting him.
A preliminary investigation revealed the man was from the Antioch, TN and died from his injures.
TBI is investigating and will release any further information on the shooting.

Bonnaroo Ticket Information

Tickets to this summer’s Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Manchester go on sale next week.
The tickets go on sale Jan. 11, about five months ahead of the annual music fest that draws in tens of thousands of music lovers. A payment plan is available for fans. Tickets are $299.50 plus a $35.90 fee which includes a $6.00 facility fee, $3.00 contribution to Coffee County, $2.00 charity donation, and other applicable fees. After the $299.50 tier one tickets are sold out the price per ticket will rise to $324.50 and then when tier two tickets are sold the price goes up to $349.50.
A car camping pass this year is $59.75 plus fees per car and day parking is $39.75 plus fees.
More than 130 artists will perform on over 10 stages. This year’s lineup will also be revealed on Jan. 11.
This year’s festival will be held June 8 through 11.
For more information, visit Bonnaroo.com.