Category: News

A one-vehicle crash on Interstate 24 Saturday afternoon around 12:30pm resulted in fatalities. According to the Tennessee Highway Patrol, the wreck happened at mile marker 107 in Coffee County.
The THP says that multiple people lost their lives near Manchester.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol Chattanooga District has yet to report how many people actually died in the crash or what led to the accident.
Traffic was backed up many miles for several hours as crews worked at the scene. The roadway was cleared by 4:15 p.m.
No other details have been released at this time, but we will continue to follow this story.

Investigators are looking for two people who ransacked a Grundy County pharmacy.
The Grundy County Sheriff’s department says two people broke into Palmer Drugs early Thanksgiving morning.
They can be seen on surveillance video smashing out the front door and then heading for the stock behind the counter.
One of the burglars trips and falls on his way to the back.
They take something and then leave through the same door they came in. The whole crime lasted just a couple minutes.
If you have any information on this crime, call the Grundy County Sheriff’s office at 931-692-3860. (Story from WTVC)

On Tuesday afternoon there was a structure fire at 4291 McMinnville Hwy. Coffee County deputies were first respond to the scene. A detached garage on the property was on fire.
All volunteer fire departments were summoned to scene along with Manchester Fire & Rescue.
The fire caused an estimated $11-15,000 in damage and the garage was a total loss. The home next to the garage was also damaged, causing around $5,000 in damage.

Fire crews from all over Rutherford County began working a brush fire on Wednesday morning. About an hour after the fire was reported volunteer fire departments from Coffee County and Manchester Fire & Rescue were called to assist in the firefighting effort along Highway 41 just outside Coffee County.
Authorities confirmed at least 15 structures were in danger.
Highway 41 had to be closed for period of time while firemen worked the scene.
However, authorities added they had the fire under control.

The new overtime law set to take effect next week has been put on hold.
Several states had asked a judge for an injunction.
The injunction put a temporary hold on the overtime rule until the total legality is made clear.
The new law could have affected as many as 4-million workers nationwide.
The new overtime rule would have allowed people who make $47,500 or less eligible for overtime if they worked more than 40 hours during a week.
As the current rules work, companies can avoid paying overtime to full-time salaried employees making $23,660 by classifying them as “exempt.” Those particular workers would then not be entitled to overtime pay even if they work more than 40 hours per week.

Every month, hundreds of veterans transition out of military service in Tennessee, with 400 joining civilian life at Fort Campbell alone. That transition isn’t always easy for veterans entering the job market. A new program by WorkForce Essentials, called “101 Jobs for the 101st,” was launched this year, and there’s been significant demand. Currently the job coaching program helps Fort Campbell personnel. But Charlie Koon, director of workforce and economic development for WorkForce Essentials, said they’re hoping to expand the program because of the overwhelming response. “Recruiting those soldiers that have the talents: they’re trained, they’re disciplined, they know how to be on time; how to recruit them and find placement for them, not only in our county but in our region,” Koon said. American Job Centers and the Tennessee Department of Labor help fund the program. Recently, AARP Tennessee partnered with WorkForce Essentials to provide headshot photos for veterans to help with their job searches. Stacy Pennington, community outreach director for AARP Tennessee, said one particularly effective aspect of the project is the mentoring program: volunteer civilians coaching veterans on how to enter today’s job market and be successful. “Our veterans are afraid when they exit the military, because their life has been so structured – so what do they do with their time?” Pennington explained. “And we have discovered that mentors are able to guide them through the process, a friendly ear to listen to what struggles they’re going through.” So far, 300 soldiers have been reached by the program, and more than 100 have found jobs. Koon says it couldn’t have happened without the contribution of so many in the community. “It takes a partnership not only with AARP, but with the Tennessee Department of Labor, the American Job Centers, Workforce Essentials, all of us partnering together,” he said. “It’s not a one-man band, and without any of those partners, it would be hard to succeed.” To volunteer or for more information, visit aarp.org/veterans.

An investigation by Special Agents with the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has resulted in the indictment and arrest of a Moore County pharmacist on a charge of theft.
TBI Special Agents and Agents with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General, along with the Moore County Sheriff’s Office, began investigating Robert Gray in January 2015. Gray is a pharmacist, and owner of the Lynchburg Drug Store. During the course of the investigation, Agents developed information that Gray submitted claims to Medicare for prescription drugs that were not dispensed by his pharmacy. Many prescriptions were automatically refilled, claims were submitted, and Gray received payment for the refills. On occasion, patients did not pick up their refills. The investigation revealed that between November 2012 through January 2015, Gray did not reverse those claims, and did not return the money to Medicare for the unclaimed prescriptions. Agents with TBI and HHS-OIG identified 76 Medicare claims totaling $20,617 for prescriptions that were not received by Medicare patients.
On Friday, the Moore County Grand Jury returned an indictment charging Gray, 59, with one count of Theft over $10,000. He was arrested Friday evening and booked into the Moore County Jail. Gray’s bond was set at $25,000.

With the Holiday season upon us, the Tullahoma Police Department would like to remind everyone to be vigilant of phone scams. Last week police were notified of a scam where a caller claimed to be with a local utility company and were threatening to disconnect the local person’s power if they did not pay their bill over the phone.
If you receive a similar call and have questions regarding your account please hang up and call your local utility provider.

The Manchester-Coffee County Conference Center (MCCCC) is looking to get into the outside venue business. The center is applying for a $50,000 grant from the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development.
County officials have agreed to match 30 percent of the grant money – about $15,000 – which will bring the total amount to $65,000.
Executive Director Rebecca French said the center will use the money for a concrete pad and a building beside the parking lot of the conference center. She also plans to purchase chairs to be used for outdoor events.
One of the reasons is to allow wedding ceremonies outside.