Category: News

A Blue Angels airplane crashed at or near the Smyrna-Rutherford County Airport, airport authority confirmed.
The pilot, Captain Jeff Kuss died after the jet crashed moments following the planes taking off during a practice flight around 3 p.m. on Thursday. According to media reports, the crash was the 26th fatality in Blue Angel’s history.
An eyewitness at the scene, Bill Lynch told our news partner WGNS Radio that when the jet went down there was a huge fireball.
The five other Blue Angels aircraft landed safely.
The Blue Angels had been practicing on Thursday for this weekend’s Great Tennessee Airshow in Smyrna.

Two people from Kentucky are being held in the Coffee County Jail after they were arrested on Wednesday on drug charges after they were found to be in possession of a pound and a half of meth.
According to warrants, Donald Jason Knight, 41, of Owensboro, Kentucky was charged with manufacturing/delivery/possession of a controlled substance, unlawful drug paraphernalia uses, drug free school zone and contraband in penal institution. His bond was set at $107,500.
Also charged was Michelle Virginia Pessia, 34, of Owensboro, Kentucky with manufacturing/delivering/selling/possession of a controlled substance, unlawful drug paraphernalia and drugs in a drug free zone. Her bond was set at $102,500.
The pair was arrested by Coffee County Sheriff’s Investigator James Sherrill and Deputy Brandon Reed Wednesday after deputies received a complaint that a couple was sitting in a truck behind Busy Corner Truck Plaza on the Murfreesboro Highway with a syringe possibly doing drugs. The deputies, allegedly, found Knight sitting on the passenger side of a pickup truck and Pessia sitting on the step at the rear of the truck stop. Knight told the officers that they had been arguing after a long ride from Georgia. Knight told the officers that they had been arguing about how much of the meth they had used since they left Georgia.
When Investigator Sherrill noticed that Knights’ pockets were “bulging” he asked him to empty them in case he had a weapon in the pockets. He pulled out a black box which was open and a pack of pills in it. Deputy Reed then looked in the box and saw in plain view a bag of meth that contained seven grams of meth. They also found a large set of digital scales sitting below the dash. Reed then found a black bag in the driver’s side floor board which contained a zip lock bag with approximately a pound and a half of meth.
According to the warrants, after the pair was arrested, Knight told Sherrill, Reed and FBI Agent Steve Brookes that they had been to Georgia to “buy meth.”
Because they had the drugs near North Coffee Elementary School they were charged with having the drugs in a school zone.
According to Investigator Sherrill, the FBI is continuing to investigate the incident and federal charges are possible.
The couple are due to appear in Coffee County General Sessions Court June 30.

Dr. David Black and his wife, Congressman Diane Black (R-TN), presented a check for $5,000 to the Honor Flight of Middle Tennessee following the Memorial Day observance on the Manchester square Monday.
“These funds will allow us to continue flying World War II and Korean War veterans on a free one day trip to Washington, D.C. to visit their memorials and we are grateful for the donation” said Claude Morse, Chairman of the Board of the Honor Flight of Middle Tennessee.
This check will cover the expenses of 12-13 veterans to fly on the fall Honor Flight to Washington D.C. on Sept. 21, 2016.
Contact Sergeant Major Larry E. Williams, U.S. Army/retired at (931) 924-3000 or email tennesseans2@blomand.net. If you or someone that you know who has served in World War II or the Korean War would like additional information and/or a Veterans’ Honor Flight Application.
Vietnam Veterans with a significant disability of 70 percent or more due to exposure to Agent Orange herbicide may apply and will be considered to go on a flight on a case by case basis.
Anyone interested in serving as a Guardian on one of the two yearly scheduled flights can contact Lana Bradford at (931) 455-3488. Guardians pay $400 to go on the trip.
All donations to the Honor Flight of Middle Tennessee, a Tennessee 501c3 non-profit corporation, are tax deductible. All funds donated are used to support Honor Flight trips. Donations can be mailed to Honor Flight of Middle Tennessee, P O Box 1926, Tullahoma TN 37388.

Recently in Manchester a mower and trailer separated from a truck and came to rest near Duck River Electric in Manchester. The victim did not realize the trailer separated from his truck, when he returned, the trailer and mower were gone. A witness stated a female (late 30’s – early 40’s, blonde, short curly hair) driving a GMC truck with paint missing stopped and told some Good Samaritans that it was hers’ and she needed help hooking it back up to her vehicle. The witnesses assisted and she left the area.
If you have any information relating to this please contact Manchester Police Investigator Bryan Eldridge at 931-728-2099.
The mower is a Cub Cadet, 24 HP, 50″ cut, zero turn (similar to picture) trailer is red, 5 X 7 tilt with a hinged tailgate.

The Coffee County Health, Welfare and Recreation Committee has approved a resolution proposing the establishment of a $45 victim’s assistance fee. The proposed $45 fee will potentially be collected from individuals convicted or entering a plea of guilty to a crime that imposes a fine of over $500 and possible imprisonment.
According to the director of the Coffee County Children’s Advocacy Center Joyce Pursak, the county would keep $3 from each of the fees assessed. Many counties already have been collecting this fee for years since. The state legislature passed the bill allowing for such a fee.

On Wednesday Coffee County Sheriff Steve Graves and members of his staff were in Nashville to receive the Certificate of Certification for the Coffee County Jail from the Tennessee Corrections Institute (TCI). Sheriff Graves says this is the first time for certification in 12 years. Graves says the new jail on County Jail Lane in Manchester, that was opened one year ago, met the required standards for the certification.
Sheriff Graves said, “I’m very proud of my outstanding staff that has been working hard to have the jail become certified. This is a very difficult task, but with the dedication of the staff the goals have been met.” Graves went on to say that the new goal is to keep the jail certified for the foreseeable future.
TCI is required to establish minimum standards for adult local jails, lock-ups, workhouses and detention facilities in the state.

Just as the first U.S. case of a superbug infection resistant to antibiotics is confirmed in Pennsylvania, a new report calls for a ban or restriction on using antibiotics in farm animals to curb the global spread of infections.
Cameron Harsh, senior manager for organic and animal policy with the Center for Food Safety, explains continuously dosing animals creates stronger strains of bacteria, which makes antibiotics less effective at fighting infections in people.
He says the report is a wake-up call for policymakers to reform common factory farming practices.
“Producers can crowd animals, have higher stocking densities, and they’re getting animals to grow faster on less feed,” he points out. “So, in the long run, these have been misused as a tool to raise more meat and poultry products faster and more cheaply.”
The Tennessee Department of Health has received funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to develop a campaign to address antimicrobial resistance in farm and veterinary settings.
According to the report, from the Britain based Review on Antimicrobial Resistance, some 700,000 people die each year worldwide from antibiotic resistant infections, and that number could rise to ten-million per year by 2050.
Industry groups say they’re using antibiotics to keep animals healthy, and maintain the practice is necessary to keep costs down.
Harsh notes making sure animals have good feed, can access the outdoors and have enough space to lie down helps boost their natural immune systems. And he says an increasing number of people are willing to pay more for drug free meat, dairy and eggs.
“And you’re seeing a lot of companies make strong statements about antibiotic use in their supplies, and make strong commitments to reduce use,” he states. “But transparency is going to be an important step moving forward, so that consumers can make informed food decisions in the marketplace.”
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has introduced guidelines that would require farmers to get antibiotics from licensed veterinarians, instead of over the counter at the local feed store, and has asked drug makers to voluntarily remove growth promotion claims from labels.
Harsh maintains those moves don’t go far enough.

On Wednesday morning on Thunder Radio’s Straight Talk program Coffee County Anti-Drug Coalition Director Kristina Clark, announced that she is giving up her position after nine years.
Clark said that she wants to spend more time with her new baby. She gave birth to her first child in the fall.
Prevention Coordinator Christina Merino will take over as executive director July 1, 2016.
Clark will remain with the coalition in a consultation role.

Tracy City Police are searching for two white males in connection with a shooting. 34 year old Cody Hill of Tracy City, told police that two men kicked in his door and demanded drugs at approximately 3 p.m. Monday. After Hill informed them there were no drugs in the home, the two men questioned him about prescription medications. Hill was shot in the leg, the men later tied him up before leaving with his prescription medications. Hill was then flown to Erlanger Medical Center in Chattanooga for treatment.
The two men are described as white and in their late-20s or early-30s, authorities said.
Anyone with any information on the incident or whereabouts of the two suspects should call the Tracy City Police Department at 931-592-9711.

Members of the U.S. Navy Blue Angels and U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor Demonstration Team will visit MTSU this coming Friday (6/3/2016) in advance of this year’s Great Tennessee Airshow June 4th and 5th at the Smyrna-Rutherford County Airport.
The special combined appearance by representatives of both groups, free and open to the public, will run from 8:30 to 10:30 Friday morning in the State Farm Lecture Hall at the MTSU’s Business and Aerospace Building.
Interim University Provost Dr. Mark Byrnes said, “We’re honored to welcome the Blue Angels and Raptor teams to our campus. This terrific event, sponsored by MTSU’s Department of Aerospace, will allow campus and community to talk to the pilots and learn more about their powerful aircraft.”
The back-to-back presentations will feature Blue Angels personnel from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m., followed by Raptor team members from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.
You may remember the Raptor planes, as they flew several practice runs over Coffee County a few years ago. (Portions of this story from WGNS)