Category: News

The Tennessee-based Ruby Tuesday restaurant chain says it will close 95 of its underperforming locations by the end of the year in a move to help cut losses.
The locations to be shut down have not yet been identified. Coffee County has one Ruby Tuesday establishment, located in Tullahoma.
Ruby Tuesday is based in Maryville, TN.
The company said that employees displaced from the closed properties would be offered positions in nearby locations, when possible.
Ruby Tuesday said it had a total of 724 locations as of May 31.
Total revenue dropped 5.9 percent during the company’s fourth quarter, to $279.3 million.

Deputies in Bedford County are looking for clues and asking for the public’s help in finding two thieves.
Last week at the Beechgrove Market, Bedford County authorities say someone broke into a truck parked at the business and took two items including a briefcase with the name of a theft victim inside.
The two then allegedly broke into the home and stole credit cards and a checkbook, while a female occupant was taking a shower.
In Winchester, the couple cashed one of the stolen checks at a bank for $1,000, and made a $3,000 purchase with a stolen credit card in Murfreesboro.
The duo may be driving a red van, and they said the man has several tattoos across his neck, including a name.
Call local authorities if you see anyone meeting this description.
The suspects are wanted in four counties, stretching from Winchester to Murfreesboro.

Manchester Police is looking for a man wanted for questioning in reference to a hit and run crash near Relco Dr. and Hillsboro Blvd. The man was possibly driving a Dodge truck.

Also Manchester Police is searching for a male subject that is wanted for questioning relating to an attempted auto theft investigation.
If you have any information to help identify these two men please contact Chief Investigator Jackie Matheny at 931-728-2099.
The Manchester Police Department reminds the public that persons are innocent until proven guilty.

Efforts to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour are picking up steam, with California and New York approving plans to phase in the wage. Research is showing a higher wage could have benefits that reach far beyond families’ monthly budgets as well. A report by the White House Council of Economic Advisors finds raising the federal minimum wage would lead to reductions in crime.
Rebecca Vallas, the managing director of the Poverty to Prosperity Program with the Center for American Progress, said expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), to include adults without dependents could cut crime rates even further.
“Policies that raise wages, whether raising the minimum wage or expanding the EITC, ideally both, because those two policies go hand in hand, can both prevent recidivism and lower the rate of first-time offenses,” she said.
Tennessee’s minimum wage is $7.25 an hour, but advocates say that’s not nearly enough for families to make ends meet. The Center for American Progress said an estimated 70-100 million Americans have criminal records, and nearly half of all children have a parent with a criminal record.
Vallas said it seems logical enough, if people make enough to make ends meet, they’re less likely to take desperate measures that land them in jail, with lifelong consequences.
“That really means that now, research shows that a comprehensive criminal justice reform agenda must not only include addressing barriers to employment for workers with criminal records, it should also include policies to ensure that jobs pay a fair living wage,” she added.
Twenty-nine states, the District of Columbia, and some cities have raised their minimum wages above the federal level of $7.25 per hour. Residents of the remaining 21 states have been stuck at $7.25 for seven years.

A sealed indictments and warrants roundup was conducted by law enforcement on Friday, August 12. Twenty-five people were charged by Coffee County deputies with assistance from Tullahoma officers.
The operation was led by Coffee County Sheriff’s Investigator James Sherrill and Deputy Brandon Reed.
A drug operation was conducted from January through August 12, Nine vehicles were seized, approximately 2 pounds of methamphetamines with a street value of over $100,000, four pounds of marijuana, valued at $16,000, approximately $40,000 in cash along with numerous guns and ammo were confiscated during the operation
Other warrants are continuing to be served including state warrants with most being drug related plus others (such as probation violations, parole violations, failure to appear and other charges).
Those arrested on August 12, 2016;
Sammy L Cheney-Manchester
James Brewer-Wartrace
Cornelius M Starks-Tullahoma
Jaquize Fletcher-Tullahoma
John E Phipps-Manchester
Sawyer S Mason-Manchester
Andrew Harmon-Morrison
Davion O Elam-Manchester
Toni A Pratt-Manchester
Curtis Cargile-Morrison
Shane T Hale-Hillsboro
Lisa M Smith-Beechgrove
Nakeshia Gregorie-Beechgrove
Lisa M Roberts-Beechgrove
Donnie Thomas Jr-Manchester
Samantha J Tucker-Manchester
Ashley Poetting-Manchester
Samantha M Baker-Tullahoma
Jason W Baker-Tullahoma
Shana R Love-Tullahoma
Cody A King-Manchester
Anella L Heaton-Tullahoma
Zachary Rogers-Manchester
Andrew R Vasquez-Manchester
Eric R Rogers-Manchester
Others individuals were arrested, but those names are not being released at this time.
Coffee County Sheriff Steve Graves says he is very proud of the professionalism shown by his department. He also thanked the Tullahoma Police department for their help.

Early Saturday morning, (August 13) Coffee County Deputy Cody Lendley heard on his police radio that Manchester Police responded to a theft of property that had occurred at the Kangaroo Store on Interstate Drive. A Manchester patrolman began following the vehicle on Highway 55 and then it turned onto Interstate 24 going eastbound at mile-marker 111.
A few moments later Lendley turned onto I-24 and spotted the vehicle merging with traffic. The deputy’s report says the vehicle was traveling at a high rate of speed. Lendley said in his report that he caught up to the vehicle at mile-marker 117 where he got up beside the vehicle to get the license plate.
The report goes onto to say that after giving the plate number to the Coffee County Communication Center, the driver of the vehicle slammed on his breaks, trying to wreck the deputy. As Lendley attempted to stop the vehicle it continued traveling at a high rate of speed.
Moments later Lendley received information from the communication center that the vehicle was stolen from Miami, Florida. Sergeant Dwayne Mullins along with Deputy Keith Raney joined in the pursuit as it entered Grundy County.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol was notified as well as Marion County officials. Several attempts were made to spike the vehicle’s tires, however all failed. The vehicle attempted to exit at the rest area at mile-marker 160 and hit a barrier causing the vehicle to crash.
Upon making contact with the subjects they were removed from the vehicle by Marion County deputies and taken into custody shortly after. Marion County EMS responded and checked the subjects with all three males being transported to Parkridge West Hospital in Jasper. The three males were released a few hours later from the hospital and transported to the Coffee County Sheriff’s Department.
Rick Thangngo age 20 of Miami, FL as well as Kendel Isiah Saunders age 18 of Chicago, IL were charged with Evading Arrest, Theft of Property, and Reckless Endangerment with their court date set for August 29, 2016. A juvenile was also charged.

The Tennessee State Guard received a new commander on August 7, 2016. Brig. Gen. Tommy Baker, Assistant Adjutant General-Army, Tennessee National Guard officiated a formal change of command ceremony at the Armed Forces Reserve Center in Smyrna Tenn. Brig. Gen. Kenneth T. Takasaki relinquished command to Brig. Gen. Craig Johnson, a former Tennessee Guardsman.
Takasaki retires after serving nearly 30 years in Active Duty and Reserve assignments.
Prior to assuming command of the all-volunteer force, Brig. Gen. Johnson served with distinction for over 30 years in the Tennessee Army National Guard. In his last assignment he served as Commander, 194th Engineer Brigade, headquartered in Jackson, Tenn.
Brig. Gen. Johnson holds a Bachelor’s degree from Middle Tennessee State University, a Masters of Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College, and a Doctor of Jurisprudence from the University of Tennessee School of Law. He is a licensed attorney and has been a Circuit Judge since 1998 in Coffee County.

State Route 840 will soon be designated as an interstate following a Federal Highway Administration ruling.
Interstates allow drivers to travel faster and avoid congestion, according to a release from the Tennessee Department of Transportation.
The FHA approved a request to change the road’s designation.
TDOT has not said whether the speed limit will be raised following the change.
The change should be complete by the end of 2016 and will cost TDOT $230,000 to change signs.
TDOT reports the change was requested to encourage more economic growth along the corridor and more traffic diversion around Middle Tennessee’s urban core. (WKRN-TV)

Dreams Really Do Come True! Where can you go to meet Cinderella, Rapunzel, the Mermaid Princess, the Little First Princess, the all new Latina Princess, and the SNOW SISTERS, at the Cinderella’s Royal Masquerade Ball at Rutledge Falls Baptist Church on September 17, 2016. The event will take place from 6 – 8 pm. This event will benefit the Children’s Ministry at Rutledge Falls Church.
Rutledge Falls Baptist Church has an amazing Children’s Ministry whose mission is to change hearts and minds. They are involved in many outreach programs including Crossings Church Camp as well as their own Backpack Program, Clothes Closet, Food Pantry, Thanksgiving Meal Program and much more.
Tickets can be purchased for Cinderella’s Royal Masquerade Ball at www.EverAfterPrincessPartiesTN.com. Seating is limited. For more details, visit Cinderella’s Royal Masquerade Ball on Facebook.

Bradley Newton Weir, the former head baseball coach at Coffee County High School will return to the county for a court appearance next month. His case was continued last week until Sept. 28.
The 45 year-old Weir is accused of having sex with a student.
He was indicted by the Coffee County grand jury on one count of statutory rape by an authority figure, one count of aggravated rape, one count of sexual exploitation of a minor, seven counts of especially aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor and six counts of sexual exploitation of a minor.
After being arrested Weir made bond.
Weir worked for the Coffee County Raider Academy as a teacher and was head baseball coach at the high school. He was hired as baseball coach in late May of 2014.
He longer lives in the area.