Category: News

Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands announced this week that it has launched a new program with the Coffee County General Sessions Court to support pro se litigants. Pro se litigants are those who do not have an attorney, but rather represent themselves in court.
Through the program, a Legal Aid Society staff member from the Tullahoma office, which serves Coffee County among other local counties, will provide a free, monthly presentation to pro se litigants while the General Sessions Court is in recess from its civil docket. The program will begin by focusing on detainer actions (in which a person is being evicted from his or her home) and may expand to include presentations for other case types, such as collection actions.
The Legal Aid Society representative will provide educational materials, explain court procedures, and clarify the legal rights and responsibilities of renters and landlords.
“Most of the tenants who appear pro se are unaware of their rights and options. They often agree to a judgment without enough information to make a sound decision. Many others may assert a defense, but are not prepared to do so effectively,” said Rae Anne Seay, an attorney with the Tullahoma office of Legal Aid Society. “Our new program will help tenants decide whether or not to ask for a continuance so they can have time to consult with an attorney prior to settling or contesting the case.”
“Legal Aid Society’s initiative to educate our pro se litigants will pave a smoother road to justice here in Coffee County,” said Judge Jere Ledsinger of Coffee County’s General Sessions and Juvenile Court Part II. “It’s critical that people understand their rights and the rights of others. They need to be able to grasp the issues at hand and know where to turn if they decide they need assistance. This program will be an asset to our citizens, and I am thankful Legal Aid Society is stepping in to help.”
While Legal Aid Society will not directly represent pro se tenants through this program, tenants will have the opportunity to speak with a lawyer for free within just a few days. Legal Aid Society’s presentations will typically occur on Wednesdays prior to the Coffee County Bar Association’s legal help clinics, held on the second Saturday of each month.
Individuals who need free legal assistance can also apply for Legal Aid Society’s representation and counsel by calling 866-898-0171 (or local number 931-455-7000) or by visiting the Tullahoma office at 123 NW Atlantic St., Tullahoma, Tenn. 37388.

Members of Highland Rim Habitat for Humanity along with Jim Carter and Dana Simpson are proud to announce that the Duck Family are the next recipients of the Habitats next home. The residence will be located at 507 East Moore Street in Tullahoma.
Highland Rim Habitat for Humanity believes in the importance of their volunteer ministry. Their goal is for each of these volunteers to come to a deeper understanding of the need for affordable housing and the situations faced by low-income families living in Coffee and Franklin Counties.

On Monday, Manchester Officer Dustan Foster stopped a vehicle for a traffic violation on I-24 at mile-marker 106. Foster said that he saw the male driver on Highway 55 at the Raider Academy and checked the registration. The communication center gave the registration belonging to a Honda CRV, but the tag was displayed on an Oldsmobile. Foster checked the man’s driving status and found that Christopher Charles Shaw age 42 of Aspen Hill in Fayetteville was allegedly driving on a revoked license. This would be Shaw’s 10th offense. He is also listed as a habitual traffic offender.
Shaw’s bond was set at $19,000 and he’ll be in court on May 10, 2016.

One in 10 children in Tennessee has had an incarcerated parent – equating to 144,000 children facing at least part of their childhood without them. That’s according to a report released today by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. The Volunteer State is tied with five other states for the third-highest prevalence of parental incarceration.
Linda O’Neal, executive director for the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth, explains why the rate is so high.
“One of the challenges in Tennessee is, we need to take a look at our criminal justice system and be sure we’re saving those resources for people who are really a danger to society,” says O’Neal. “Our system too frequently incarcerates people for relatively minor offenses or probation violations, when they’re really not a threat to society.”
O’Neal says in recent years the state has made some progress in providing more mental-health and substance-abuse treatment, as opposed to incarceration for some people, but there is more work to be done.
Among the recommendations in the report is considering children and families in the sentencing decision, providing communities with resources to support impacted families, and providing financial support to children and families during confinement.
Scot Spencer, associate director for advocacy and influence for the Annie E. Casey Foundation says early-education centers, schools, child welfare agencies, community-based health centers and other local and faith-based organizations should offer programs that foster children’s mental and emotional well-being.
“There is the potential for the ‘quiet whispers’ that may not be so quiet that a child would hear about a missing parent,” Spencer says. “And so, supporting those centers to be able to provide the services and the knowledge, so that they can be equipped to help that child navigate the tough times.”
O’Neal says addressing the issues created for children with incarcerated parents is a proactive way to make sure the cycle doesn’t continue.
“We know when parents are incarcerated, it provides toxic stress for the developing brains of young children and it often goes along with other stressors like mental illness or substance abuse or child abuse,” says O’Neal. “And we really need to prevent those from occurring whenever possible.”
The Casey report says inmates make from 40 cents to $1 a day for their work, making it impossible for them to save enough money to help sustain themselves and their children after their release.

Dixie Line Days is coming to Wartrace this Friday and Saturday April 29^th and 30th. It’s a festival of trains large and small with operating model railroads, dealer swap tables, model contests, and how-to clinics. The train show takes place in several locations in downtown Wartrace from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM on Friday and from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM on Saturday.
Photographers and book authors will make their presentations on Saturday from 10:30 AM to 2:00 PM in the Smith House Dinner Theater downtown.
The full sized trains of CSX Transportation will also make occasional appearances through the heart of downtown. For more information call 1-800-465-0448 or visit www.dixieflyertrains.com.

On Friday morning the Coffee County Department received a report of a burglary in progress at 61 Bush Lane. A female apparently was seen running from the home down Gnat Hill Road. The woman was found a short distance from the residence. When deputies checked the woman, identified as Shelby Leanne Lacewell age 24 of Lee Cox Lane Manchester, she was allegedly found to be in possession of property that had been removed from the home on Bush Lane. When deputies went to 61 Bush Lane they found the residence to have been burglarized with additional property sitting beside the front porch, including a safe. The arrest warrant says that Lacewell was identified as the person involved in the burglary.
A vehicle was stopped a short distance from the burglary and Shelby Lacewell allegedly told authorities that the driver, Regina Woodlee Lacewell age 54 of Lee Cox Lane Manchester was her mother. Shelby stated that her mother dropped her off at the residence and was to return and pick up the items taken. The warrant goes onto to say that by dropping off her daughter, this action shows her conspiring to assist in the burglary.
Shelby Leanne Lacewell was charged with aggravated burglary, theft of property and violation of probation. Her bond was set at $51,000 and she’ll be in court on Tuesday on the violation charge and in May on the other charges.
Regina Woodlee Lacewell was charged with criminal attempt with her bond set at $50,000 and she’ll be in court 5-9-16.
Coffee County Sheriff’s Department Investigator Kelly Smith charged both women.
The two women are also being questioned about possibly being involved in other burglaries.

This is a reminder about this Thursday’s “Green Out” softball game at Terry Floyd Field at the high school. The game is between our Lady Raiders and the Oakland Lady Patriots. This night is a night of Organ Donation Awareness. It is Donate Life month. Please come out to the field and wear your green. We want as many there as we can get. The ceremonies will start at 6:00pm. There will be special guests from Nashville to answer all you questions at their booth, and there will be free gifts.
All of those who have received a transplant of any kind and all of those who are on a transplant waiting list, please attend. Only 38% of Tennesseans are signed up to be organ donors. Wear something green, the color for Organ Donation Awareness.
Thunder Radio will be broadcasting live.