Category: News

As most of you know there was a terrible accident on New Year’s Eve in Winchester that took the life of three people including twin 7 year-old boys James and John Hill of Hillsboro.
A benefit and auction for the Hill family will be held Feb. 13 at the Hillsboro Elementary School.
Aaron and Lynetta Hill have huge hospital bills as they have been in the hospital since the wreck.
The benefit auction will feature barbecue plates for $8 with serving time between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.
The auction will be held at 6 p.m.
A $1 donation will give you an opportunity to win special items.
Donations and items for the auction can be left with the sponsors, Coffee County Sheriff’s Department, Coffee County Rescue Squad, Hillsboro Volunteer Fire Department, Dr. Jay Trussler or auctioneer B.B. Brown.

The Manchester City School system is moving forward with its search for a new director of schools.
Former Director of Schools Dr Keith Brewer retired last year after having a seizure and later finding out he had a brain tumor. Since his retirement Director of Instruction Sandra Morris has been filling in until a new director is named.
So far, six candidates have applied including, Westwood Middle School Principal Chad Fletcher; Larry Thompson, of Manchester; Tullahoma East Middle School Principal Charles Lawson; Former Grundy County Director of Schools William Childers; Sharon Harper, of Chattanooga and Jan Harris, of Huntsville, AL.
No deadline date has been announced for the hiring of the new director, as the system is still accepting applications.

On Saturday, Samuel Zuniga was stopped by Officer Tommy Elliot of the Tullahoma Police Department on North Collins Street for a traffic violation. Zuniga age 35 of South Franklin St Tullahoma consented to a search of his vehicle. According to the arrest warrant, the search yielded 4 clear baggies of a white crystal substance believed to be ice methamphetamines. Officer Elliot conducted a field test of the contents of the baggies which allegedly tested positive for methamphetamines. According to the warrant Zuniga admitted to the possession of the meth.
Zuniga was charged with manufacturing/delivering/selling/possession of a controlled substance with a bond set at $25,000. He has a court date 2-11-16.

Supporters of legal marijuana hope to spur action on an issue they say has broad support in Tennessee.
The Tennessee Cannabis Coalition met Sunday night in Nashville to gear up for the upcoming legislative session.
The activist group said 76 percent of Tennesseans support medical marijuana.
They hope increased awareness will lead to voting on the issue.
The coalition said the positive news from states that have legalized marijuana could help raise awareness here in Tennessee.
This year, six states will vote on to legalize marijuana.

The University of Tennessee is beginning a program for students who want to go to law school that would allow them to finish a bachelor’s degree and law degree in six years instead of seven.
The university says students will complete three years of approved undergraduate work in the College of Arts and Sciences then be admitted to the College of Law, where they will become full-time first-year law students. The first year of law school will count toward the law degree as well as completion of the bachelor’s degree.
The student will earn a juris doctor degree after two more years of law school.
The university said in a news release that students in the program will be eligible during their first year of law school for undergraduate financial awards.

In 2006 Adam Braseel was 21 years old and living in the Grundy County town of Pelham. 22 months later he was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison. His family has been fighting for his conviction to be overturned or at least a new trial. On Christmas Day Braseel’s family got some good news they had been waiting almost 8 years for, a new trial. Circuit Judge Justin Angel also told the family that there would be a bond hearing on Friday Jan. 8, 2016. Bond was granted and Braseel was released.
The crime, which occurred on Jan. 7, 2006 resulted in the killing of Malcolm Burrows and the assault Rebecca Hill. Hill died in the years since the conviction.
In his Dec. 25, 2015, ruling, Angel granted relief from conviction or sentence, voiding Braseel’s convictions and ordering a new trial.
Angel concluded that Braseel’s “allegation that he did not receive effective assistance of counsel at the jury trial was supported by clear and convincing evidence at the post-conviction hearing” held in November.
Angel states he “placed emphasis on the credibility and sufficiency of the identifications testified to at trial. Again, no other evidence, DNA or other, that link Braseel to the crimes. The jury clearly relied on the identification of Braseel by Rebecca Hill and a man by the name of Kirk Braden.”
During the trial, Hill actually identified another person from a lineup, and Braden identified Braseel from a single-photo lineup, according to Angel. A single-photo lineup has been ruled unconstitutional in other cases and Braseel’s trial lawyers failed in 2007 to move to suppress either lineup, Angel noted.
Twelfth Judicial District Assistant District Attorney Steve Strain was the prosecutor in the 2007 trial. He says, “We disagree with the court’s ruling and we have filed a notice of appeal.”
Braseel’s lawyer, Knoxville-based Doug Trant, said the state’s appeal was expected.
A new trial date will be announced.

State Sen. Jim Tracy of Shelbyville has filed legislation aimed at correcting what he says are serious problems within the Tennessee Department of Human Services (DHS). The bill would, among other things, force DHS to justify its continued existence to the legislature between now and July 2017.
Comptroller audits and investigations have identified financial mismanagement and fraud within some of the federal food programs managed by DHS. Tracy said many of the problems are the result of DHS’ ineffective monitoring of third-party agencies that receive taxpayer money to feed children and adults.
Senate Bill 1472 will require DHS to file monthly reports to certain legislative committees, the state comptroller’s office and the speakers of both chambers on a variety of issues, including its monitoring activities and internal audit functions.
An independent hotline will also be set up within DHS to allow employees to report internal misconduct. DHS will be prohibited from terminating any employee without providing a written explanation to the Tennessee General Assembly. (Shelbyville Times-Gazette)

Glick & Woods Dentistry of Tullahoma will be providing free children’s dental check-ups on Saturday, February 6th, 2016 beginning at 9 a.m. by appointment only.
Children ages 4 to 10 are offered a dental examination, cleaning & fluoride treatment free of charge. Glick & Woods Dentistry is asking for a donation (minimum $10 per child with max of $25 for immediate family only). The donation money will be given to the Haven of Hope.
To schedule an appointment please call: Glick & Woods Dentistry 931-455-3917. Appointments are limited so call early to reserve an appointment time.