Category: News

Come experience Old Stone Fort State Archaeological Park as most visitors never get to see it…at NIGHT!
This is the only time of year in which you will have the opportunity to see the Prehistoric enclosure after sunset. Hot chocolate and other refreshments will be served. There will also be an archaeological lecture beginning at 10:30 pm on 12/31/2016, prior to the hike departure at midnight.
This is an easy 1.25 mile hike that is suited for both adults and children.
Meet at:
Old Stone Fort State Archaeological Park Museum at 10PM on 12/31/2016 and the hike will begin at midnight.
For more information call (931) 723-5073. The park is located at 732 Stone Fort Drive Manchester, TN 37355.

Tullahoma Public Works is now accepting cut Christmas trees at the recycling convenience center, located at 942 Maplewood. Remove stands, lights, ornaments, nails and tinsel.
Trees will be accepted Monday-Thursday, 7:30am to 4:30pm. Saturday and Sunday, 8:30am to 4:30pm with a break from Noon to 1:00pm.
Curbside Tree pick-up is available with your normal debris collection.
If your garbage day is:
• Tuesday– pick-up is the first week of the month
• Wednesday– pick-up is the second week of the month
• Thursday– pick-up is the third week of the month
• Friday– pick-up is the fourth week of the month
Have debris at the curb on Monday of your week.
Normal yard waste pick-up will also resume in January. They apologize for the delay in pick up in December, but efforts were focused on tornado recovery. Thank you for your patience and have a Happy New Year.

Last week Coffee County Deputy Blake Simmons was on patrol in Lakewood Park when he says in his report he observed Cory Smith whom he knew had an active arrest warrant. Simmons says Smith was sitting in the back seat of a vehicle on Emerald Lake Run. A traffic stop was initiated because he was allegedly throwing a cigarette butt out of his window and the vehicle stopped in the driveway of 496 Enfield Dr. Upon making contact with the vehicle, Simmons came in contact with the driver Anastasia Baldwin, passengers Jessica Cooper, and Cory Smith. At this time Cory was placed into custody. He was asked if he had anything illegal on his person. Cory allegedly advised at that time that he had some scales, meth, pipe, and needle in his pocket. Simmons report also stated that Smith said there was a meth lab in the back seat of the vehicle.
At this time Sgt Brad Roberts arrived on scene, Baldwin and Cooper were asked to step out of the vehicle and all three subjects were advised of their rights and they acknowledged understanding them. The meth lab was in a reusable Walmart bag and had a strong odor coming from it. The bag was removed from the vehicle and placed at a safe distance while Captain Danny Ferrell was notified to come recover the meth lab. Captain Ferrell arrived at the scene and inventoried the chemicals. The deputy’s report says that a two liter bottle was an already completed shake bottle that still contained leftover chemicals, a used bottle of lighter fluid, coffee filters, lithium batteries, and an already used box of Wal-phed decongestant tablets. The chemicals were taken to be disposed of.
At this point Simmons spoke with Jessica Cooper and she advised that she had some methamphetamine in a red container by the seat and a pipe in her purse. Upon a search he located the red container that had .6 grams of meth inside and several little baggies. In her purse were a glass pipe, needle, a green pouch that contained balls of aluminum foil and bottle caps consistent to the meth making process. In addition there was also a bag that contained numerous small baggies inside the purse.
Simmons says in his report that on the key ring that Anastasia Baldwin stated was hers, there was a pill container that contained baggies. These were consistent with the baggies that Cooper had in her purse. Upon a full search of where Smith was sitting Deputy Simmons located a bag with scales, 1.3 grams of meth in separate baggies, and glass pipes.
All three were placed into custody and transported to Coffee County Jail. Smith and Cooper were charged with Intent to Manufacture Methamphetamine, Promotion of Methamphetamine Manufacture, Manufacturing/Delivering/Selling/Possession of controlled substance, and Unlawful Drug Paraphernalia. Baldwin was charged with Intent to Manufacture Methamphetamine, Promotion of Methamphetamine Manufacture and Unlawful Drug Paraphernalia.

Consumer watchdog groups are warning you to watch your wallet as some of the top rip-offs and scams will continue into 2017 with some changes.
The vast majority of the scams will start with a phone call.
According to The Better Business Bureau, the top scam for 2015, 2016 and possibly 2017 will be scams claiming you owe an IRS debt or some other kind of debt.
In both 2015 and 2016, those kinds of scams were the most commonly reported by victims.
In August, the U.S. Marshal’s office put out an alert to let people know the phone calls were not real.
According to the BBB, scams like this are expected to grow in 2017.
Another scam to be on the lookout for is fake charities. They often pop up after major events like the wildfires in East Tennessee.

Murfreesboro Police responded recently to 2563 Choctaw Trace in reference to an ongoing narcotics investigation where officers arrested a 56 year old retired man.
Richard H. Hodge was taken into custody at his home when authorities showed up with a warrant in hand. During a search of his home, police found a marijuana grow operation located inside a custom built garage cabinet. Detectives also found a THC Extraction Kit used to make what are called marijuana “Dabs” or “Honey Oil.”
In an outbuilding on Hodge’s property, police located two boxes of marijuana plants that appeared to be laid out to dry.
Hodge was booked under a $14,000 bond.

This past Friday Coffee County Deputy Joey Ricco responded to a structure fire at 75 3rd Street in Summitville.
Upon arriving Ricco spoke with Jeffrey Smith who stated that he was the owner of the property and he was next door at his ex-wife’s house. While they were talking she noticed that his residence was on fire. There was also a truck on fire close to residence.
Summitville Fire Department arrived on the scene and was able to get control of the fire and extinguish it.
Smith advised the property was valued at $20,000 for the mobile home and the Dodge truck was valued at $2,300.

On Saturday (Christmas Eve), a male subject was the operator of a vehicle that was stopped for reckless and erratic driving on Highway 41 in Coffee County by Tennessee Highway Patrolman Joseph Jones.
This occurred after authorities received numerous complaints of reckless driving eastbound on Interstate 24.
According to the arrest warrant, Juan Francisco Gonzalez age 39 of High St Manchester admitted to drinking and had the strong odor of an intoxicant about his person, his speech was slurred, his eyes were bloodshot and he was unsteady on his feet. The man was administered only one field sobriety test and refused any other tests, allegedly stating he was too drunk.
Gonzalez was charged with DUI 4th offense, violation implied consent law and driving on revoked/suspended license 4th offense. His bond was set at $17,500 and his court date is Feb 17, 2017.

At approximately 11:45am last Thursday the Grundy County Sheriff’s Office along with other local emergency personnel responded to a crash near the intersection of Hwy. 56 and Sanders Crossing involving a Grundy County Sheriff’s Office Tahoe.
Upon arrival, deputies found a 2013 Ford Mustang and the 2013 Chevy Tahoe had collided.
Chad Fultz (36) of Tracy City was airlifted to Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga and was last listed in critical condition. Sgt. Josh King (36) was taken to a nearby hospital.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol is investigating the crash.

Tennessee has the second highest rate of opioid prescriptions per person, according to the state Department of Mental Health, and a simple, new technology offers a way to help curb abuse.
It’s a bottle cap that fits most prescription bottles sold by drug store chains, with a built-in timer that automatically keeps track of the time that has passed between doses.
Larry Twersky, CEO of TimerCap, says he developed the company after growing up with a family member who became addicted to pain medicine.
“We can avoid some unintentional abusers going down the wrong path,” he states. “And since the expense of abuse is so high, we’re talking less than $3 per year per medication on an addiction problem that we’re trying to solve.”
According to the U.S. Surgeon General, a contributing factor to opioid addiction is that less than 50 percent of patients take their medications as directed, with forgetfulness as the biggest cause of that.
TimerCaps sell at major pharmacies, and Twersky says they last over a year.
While Twersky’s inspiration for the device was born out of a desire to curb drug abuse, he says customers taking any prescription medicine can see benefits, since the caps help them remember when they took their last dose.
“You can see for yourself the benefit of, ‘Did I or did I not take my medication?’” he explains. “Just as a simple adherence tool, it’s a perfect tool.”
The device is classified as compliance packaging, and Medicare doesn’t currently pay for devices with that label, but the makers of TimerCap hope that changes.
For now, it’s up to consumers and their family members to invest in the technology when picking up their prescriptions.