Category: News

The 10th Season of Fall family fun is underway at Grandaddy’s Farm! One of the additions to the Farm this year is the brand new stage. There’s no better way to break in a stage than quality bluegrass music with the 3rd Annual Pickin’ on the Porch bluegrass jam sessions. This Saturday, September 17th, the sweet sound of banjos and mandolins will be heard throughout the farm, from the apple orchard to the pumpkin patch. You’re invited to go out to the Farm and hear local talents as there’s pickin’ and playin’ from 12:30pm until the sun goes down!
Whether you’re a bluegrass fan or just enjoy a good time, there are plenty of memories to be made on your trip to the Farm.
And if Pickin’ on the Porch just isn’t enough music on the farm for you, join Grandaddy’s Saturday September 24th for their Big Birthday Bash as they celebrate 10 years with face painting, local first responders, and live music at 6:30 p.m. for their final series of Hot September Nights.
For more information about Grandaddy’s Farm you can visit their website: www.grandaddysfarm.com you can check out Grandaddy’s facebook event page by visiting this site:https://www.facebook.com/events/1592795627686625/.

A Tullahoma resident was arrested after she allegedly fraudulently returned items to Wal-Mart on North Jackson Street on Sept. 9.
According to a report by Tullahoma Police Officer Tyler Walls, the store reported that Lisa Cantrell Elser, 49, of South Franklin Street had allegedly taken an item off of the shelf and too the service desk for a refund.
When the officer checked wants and warrants he found that she had 14 active warrants for her arrest. There were seven warrants for burglary and seven for criminal trespassing.
She was booked into the Coffee County Jail on charges of fraud and criminal trespassing and her court date was set for Oct. 20. The warrants for burglary and trespassing were also served on her at the Coffee County Jail.

Elisa Chessor of Habitat for Humanity reported on Sept. 8 to police the theft of items from a house being constructed on East Moore Street.
She told Tullahoma Police Officer George Dodson that someone took 35 feet of copper wiring, a 25 foot extension cord and an electrical panel from inside the construction site.
Chessor told the officer that the items were seen around 7 p.m. the day before. She said that the house under construction was locked and she was not sure how entry was gained into it.
An investigation is ongoing.

Motlow State Community College will host its annual area-wide College and Career Fair on Thursday, Sept. 15, inside Nisbett Center on the Moore County campus. Motlow invites its student body, students from area high schools, those who are homeschooled, and the general public.
The event is set for 9 – 11:30 a.m. and will include representatives from more than 30 colleges and universities, technology centers, specialty schools and the Armed Forces; according to Brenda Cannon, director of special events at Motlow State.
“The college and career fair is another partnership that provides a valuable service to area high school students, counselors and parents,” said Cannon. “The fair is a central venue for universities, colleges, technical and specialty colleges to showcase their institutions as well as to recruit students.
“This year, Motlow academic departments will participate as well,” continued Cannon. “By doing so, curriculum chairs and faculty have an opportunity to deliberately market their disciplines. We are expecting approximately 1,000 students from across the service area. The event is free and open to the public.”
Those attending the fair will be able to gather information from representatives of Alabama A&M University, Aquinas College, Bethel University, Bryan College, Carson-Newman University, Cumberland University, East Tennessee State University, Fayetteville College of Cosmetology, King University, Love Beauty School, Inc., Lee University, Maryville College, Martin Methodist College, Memphis College of Art, Motlow State Community College, Nossie College of Art, Sewanee: The University of the South, South College, Tennessee College of Applied Technology at Shelbyville, Tennessee Technological University, Tennessee State University, Trevecca Nazarene University, Troy University, Tusculum College, Union University, US Air Force, US Army, US Navy, University of Memphis, University of Tennessee College of Agriculture Science, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, University of Tennessee at Knoxville and University of Tennessee at Martin. More schools are expected to participate as well.

A new Tennessee law allows authorized pharmacists to dispense an overdose antidote.
The Tennessee Health Commissioner said in a news release that administering the drug known as Naloxone can reverse opioid effects and prevent death in many cases, allowing time for the person to receive further medical treatment.
Pharmacists must enter into a collaborative practice agreement and take a training course. The pharmacist can dispense Naloxone to a person at risk of opioid overdose or to a family member, friend or other person to assist someone at risk of overdose. The Health Department says those individuals can receive instruction on how to administer it from the pharmacist or online.
The department says drug overdose is one of the top causes of death in Tennessee.

Facing a $60 million penalty from the federal government, Tennessee lawmakers have repealed an underage drunken driving law that ran afoul of zero-tolerance standards.
The Senate passed the measure 31-1 on Wednesday and the House later followed suit on an 85-2 vote.
The state law that went into effect in July had raised the penalties for driving under the influence by 18- through 20-year-olds. But by also raising the maximum allowable blood alcohol content from 0.02 percent to 0.08 percent for those drivers, the state stood to lose 8 percent of its federal road funding money on Oct. 1.
Gov. Bill Haslam called lawmakers into a special session this week to return the 0.02 percent rule along with the more lenient penalties for drivers below the legal drinking age.

Earlier this week we announced the first Al White Motors and WMSR (Thunder Radio) “Hometown Hero”, Daryl Welch. Daryl started as a correction officer at the Coffee County Sheriff’s Department in 2008 and later that year he became a road deputy.
In 2012 Welch began his employment with Coffee County Emergency Management/Homeland Security. He is the Deputy Director and he is also a Terrorism Liaison Officer and a member of the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force.
We are looking for the public’s help for more hometown heroes. Go to our Facebook page or the Al White Ford Lincoln Mercury Facebook page to nominate a law enforcement official. We have several, but we would love more nominees. Tell us why you think someone that serves Coffee County in law enforcement deserves to be chosen as a “Hometown Hero”. The man or woman that is selected each month will be recognized on WMSRradio.com and receive a nice surprise from Al White Motors. Thank you to all that serve and protect us, our Hometown Heroes.

Gas prices declined for the 11th consecutive day Sunday; falling 4 cents in Florida, 6 cents in Georgia, and 5 cents in Tennessee.
“Gas prices immediately began their seasonal downward trend at the beginning of September,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “Refineries are entering maintenance season as they begin the switch to winter-blend gasoline. This fuel has fewer additives, making it cheaper to produce than summer-blend gasoline, which leads to lower gas prices. Gas prices should follow a downward trend through the rest of the year.
The Tennessee state average of $2 is 3 cents less than a week ago and 7 cents less than a year ago, but $1.20 less than this time two years ago.
In Coffee County the low price in Manchester is $1.82 and in Tullahoma the low price per gallon is $1.87.

Coffee County Middle School is “Opening its Doors” to strengthen relationships between the school and community/business leaders. This is one aspect of a partnership between Coffee County Schools and the Manchester Area Chamber of Commerce’s CEO (Creating Educational Opportunities) program.
Recently Coffee County Middle School welcomed John Fletcher from the Chamber kick off “Work Day Wednesdays!” Work Day Wednesdays gives area businesses and community leaders the opportunity to send a representative to welcome students to school. “This is a great opportunity for our business and community leaders to join us through the CEO Program.
This program allows us to focus on simple life skills that will, in turn, help our students become workforce ready and better prepared in their everyday life,” said Taylor Rayfield, Family Resource Coordinator. In addition, the representative is in a short video highlighting the importance of attendance, careers, and education. Freda Kay Jones, representing the Coffee County School Board, headlined the inaugural video segment by joining with state officials in recognizing September as Attendance Awareness Month and stressing the importance of being at school every day.
Kim Aaron, principal of CCMS, “Appreciates the community’s support and is excited about the partnership.” If you are interested in being part of Work Day Wednesdays, please contact John Fletcher at the Chamber (931-728-7635) or Kim Aaron at Coffee County Middle School (931-723-5177).

More than 15 percent of Tennessee households are short on food in their pantries and refrigerators.
That figure places the state near the bottom in the country when it comes to food insecurity, according to new data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The rates are higher in households with children, minority households and those headed by a single man or woman.
Jim Weill, president of the Food Research and Action Center, says the Volunteer State has some work to do when it comes to improving access to food.
“They are even higher in Tennessee, which Tennessee has among the worst rate of food insecurity of any state in the nation,” he states. “It ranks 13th worst among the states.”
Among the recommendations to address food hardship, FRAC recommends that states boost jobs, wages and access to school and child care nutrition programs.
There are 479,000 low-income children in Tennessee receiving free or reduced price lunches, but only 61 percent of them are getting a school breakfast, which experts say is one way to reduce food insecurity among children.
Nationwide, food insecurity has declined from 2014 to 2015 – with 13.4 percent of households struggling with hunger in 2015.
That still leaves 42 million Americans living in food insecure households.
Weill says action must be taken on the state and federal level.
“We need higher employment rates,” he stresses. “We need better wages for low-income workers and we need stronger government support programs. We need a stronger food stamp program, a stronger school lunch and school breakfast and child care food programs.”
This year, Tennessee kicked off the No Tennessee Child Hungry Awareness Campaign. As part of the campaign, the state is working to raise awareness of the Summer Food Service Programs available.