Category: News

To help veterans who have had a problem with the justice system, Coffee County will initiate a new veterans treatment court program soon. The program will be an addition to other recovery programs, such as the mental health and the drug court programs. Judge Craig Johnson will preside over the veterans treatment court, beginning in August. The judge said that after he, the attorney general office, a public defender and some of the mentors complete the necessary training in early September, they will start the program. The program will help men and women who have served in the military. Judge Johnson said that they dont necessarily need to have a service-related disability. To qualify for the treatment, people need to have served or serve in the military and have problems in the criminal justice system due to addictions or mental health issues, explained Johnson. The program will be geared mostly toward nonviolent offenders.

– From our news partners at the Tullahoma News –

A rapid response this week by the Franklin County Sheriff’s department, Cowan firemen and CSX personnel to an incident in the Cowan tunnel may have averted a much worse-case scenario.Chuck Stines, with the Franklin County Sheriff’s department, said a train going through the tunnel “went into emergency mode and caused the train to come uncoupled and it lost communication with a helper engine located in the middle of the train.”

Area law enforcement were searching for a missing female on Monday. Kelsey Feck, age 20 was last seen in Shelbyville around 9pm Saturday night (July 23).
Kelsey was found safe last night (Monday). The family thanks the public and area law enforcement for their help.

The Coffee County Drug Court program is continuing to grow with its largest number of graduates since the initiative began more than a decade ago.
Coffee County Mayor Gary Cordell says 17 participants graduated earlier this month.
Drug court is a two-year treatment program for nonviolence offenders living in Coffee County whose current offense is a result of illegal drug use.
Cordell says the program’s success can be measured by those who remain drug-free after completing the program.
He says Coffee County has had an 11 percent re-offense rate for those originally arrested on drug charges in the past five years, well below the national level.

A man escaped from Moccasin Bend Mental Hospital in Chattanooga on Saturday. Chattanooga police said 33-year-old Brandon Robinson was on a law enforcement hold out of Bedford County with the Shelbyville Police Department.
Robinson was captured on Sunday morning in Monteagle, according to the Grundy County Sheriff’s Office.
Officers responded to a call at McDonalds after a person reported someone had stolen their order straight off the counter. When officers arrived they encountered Robinson in the parking lot in a stolen vehicle. A struggle ensued and Robinson was taken into custody. (Story from WRCB TV)

Motlow State Community College will administer the High School Equivalency Test (HiSET™) several times throughout the remainder of 2016. Test locations will be in Winchester and on the Motlow State Fayetteville, Smyrna and Moore County campuses.
A high school diploma remains the primary ticket to many entry-level jobs. In most cases, it is also the prerequisite for advancement in employment, occupational training, and postsecondary education. The High School Equivalency Diploma provides adults with the opportunity to grow, whether it is through further education, enhanced employment or stature within the community.
As of April 1, 2016, the General Education Development (GED) test is no longer an option for the High School Equivalency Diploma for residents of Tennessee. The HiSET is the only option for residents of Tennessee who wish to obtain their High School Equivalency Diploma.
Applicants interested in completing the HiSET must register online at Hiset.ets.org or by calling 1-855-MyHiSET (1-855-694-4739).
The fee for the HiSET is $15 per test or $75 for the entire test, and is available in both computer and paper-based format. Applicants should contact the Service Delivery Area (SDA), formerly the Adult Education Center, in their community for information on preparation classes for the tests and vouchers to take the test.
Applicants must complete the online registration form and bring a notarized copy of the Official Practice Test, present a government issued picture identification, confirmation letter, and an Eligibility for Enrollment Form, if applicable, to the test. For more information regarding the tests, visit the Motlow State testing website at www.mscc.edu/testing.

A Coffee County man will serve nearly 22 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to a number of drug offenses. Brian Lee Fielding, a.k.a. “Bull”, 35, was sentenced to serve 262 months in prison by the Honorable Curtis L. Collier, U.S. District Judge last Wednesday. Fielding pleaded guilty in March to a federal indictment charging him with, among other things, conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. According to information on file with the U.S. District Court, Fielding conspired with others to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine in the Eastern District of Tennessee and elsewhere from January 2015 until at least September 2015. According to a Department of Justice press release his role in the conspiracy was to obtain meth for others to distribute in furtherance of the conspiracy. As part of his plea agreement, Fielding admitted that he personally distributed one kilogram of methamphetamine in furtherance of the conspiracy. Fielding was also classified as a “career offender” under federal law, since he had two prior drug trafficking convictions, including a 2009 conviction for distribution of cocaine in Coffee County. The federal judge hearing the case recommended that Fielding take part in a drug treatment program while in prison.