Category: News

The Coffee County Democratic Party is announcing a $1000 scholarship for any Junior or Senior currently enrolled at Coffee County Central High School. Applicants will create and post on-line a short public service announcement on the political process. The deadline to submit is 20 April, with the winner to be announced in early May. If the winner is currently a Junior, the scholarship will be held and awarded after the winner enrolls in college in 2017. Applicants must a minimum GPA of 2.5. For additional details including parental permission, topics for the public service announcement, and other information visit the Facebook page of Coffee County HS Young Democrats at www.facebook.com/groups/ccchsyoungdem

The Tennessee Attorney General has declared that fantasy sports contests are gambling.
In Opinion 16-23, Tennessee AG Herbert H. Slatery III stated that gambling is illegal in the state, despite the state-sponsored lottery which is currently in operation.
The opinion continues to define gambling to include: “…lotteries, chain or pyramid clubs, numbers, pinball, poker or any as yet unnamed scheme where value is risked for profit.” 
Voters in Tennessee passed a lottery amendment in 2002 which made state-organized lotteries legal.
Tennessee’s lotteries are run by the Tennessee Education Lottery Corporation.

Texting while driving is illegal in Tennessee, but too many people do it anyway – sometimes with disastrous results. (DodgertonSkillhause/morguefile)

In the last 10 years, distracted driving was to blame for more than 172,000 accidents on Tennessee roadways, according to the Tennessee Department of Safety. Experts believe that number is actually higher, with not everyone reporting their distraction at the time of an accident. April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month and AARP Tennessee is reminding Tennesseans about the importance of paying attention when behind the wheel. George Coleman, state coordinator for AARP Tennessee, teaches safe-driving classes in the Memphis area. “People are doing so many more things,” he says. “They’re multiple-tasking in their driving and this is why so many crashes are happening, because people are not paying attention and there are distractions to what they’re doing.” Smartphones are increasingly a major distraction for drivers. Tennessee bans the use of hand-held cell phones by school bus and novice drivers. Text messaging while driving is illegal. AARP Tennessee sponsors safe-driving classes around the state for folks who’d like some extra pointers and updates on the laws; some insurance companies offer discounts to people who complete the class. Coleman says it’s important not to underestimate the lifelong impact a moment of distraction can have. “You’re driving through a neighborhood, you answer your phone, and a young child runs out in front of you,” he says. “Your reaction time is slow, you’re talking on the phone, you’re not paying attention to your driving. You run over a child, you kill that child – then, you’ve got to live the rest of your life knowing you took a child’s life.” The distracted-driving problem is especially high among younger generations. In one National Highway Traffic Safety Administration survey, nearly 30 percent of drivers ages 21 to 34 said texting has “no impact” on their ability to drive safely.

The 11th annual Coffee County Area Wide Home and Garden Show will be held at the Coffee County Fairgrounds this Saturday, April 9.
Over 30 vendors will display goods and services from 9am-3pm. The event is presented by Al White Ford/Lincoln.
You’ll be able to attend for free we just ask if you can to bring a non-perishable food item that will be donated locally.
Builders, pest control, furniture, landscaping, real estate and so much more will be on display plus many, many prizes will be given away.
Don’t miss this outstanding event.

CHS Principal Dr. Joey Vaughn

Coffee County Central High School Principal Dr. Joey Vaughn is no longer a candidate for the Director of Manchester City Schools position. Tuesday morning Vaughn withdrew his name from consideration.
He said he is very happy as principal at Coffee County High School.
Vaughn has served as principal of CHS since 2013 after leaving the Manchester City School system where he worked in the central office.
Board members met on Monday, but no action can be taken during a work session of the city school board.

The Coffee County Sheriff’s Department is investigating a recent rash of residential burglaries around Summitville, Beechgrove, Rutledge Falls and Ragsdale areas of the county.
A reward will be paid for information leading to the arrest of any person or persons involved in these burglaries.
If anyone has any information, please call Investigator Jason Dendy with the Coffee County Sheriff’s Department at 931-570-4427. All calls will remain anonymous.

Herman Lee Williams Jr… Photo provided by the CCSD

A Manchester man was arrested April 3 following a disturbance the day before at Taco Bell.
The arrest was made by Manchester Officer Brandon Tomberlin when he made contact with the subject after he observed a vehicle that the man was a passenger in.
Officer Tomberlin stopped the vehicle and spoke with passenger Herman Lee Williams Jr., 45, of Forrestwood Drive, Manchester who was allegedly involved in the dispute.
The arrest warrant says that when the officer started to search Williams, he felt an object in the man’s pocket. When the officer asked Williams what was in his pocket, he took off running.
Officers caught him and he allegedly told them that he had a syringe in his shirt that contained methamphetamines. Officers the tested the material in the syringe and found that it tested positive for meth.
According to a warrant obtained by the officer, Williams then admitted that he had thrown a baggie containing a small amount of methamphetamines away in an attempt to conceal from officers what had been in his pocket.
Williams was charged with a schedule II drug violation, evading arrest and aggravated assault. Bond was set at $22,500.