Category: News

Weather officials say 19 touched down in Tennessee last year, marking the state’s lowest total since 2007.
The National Weather Service said Saturday that one tornado struck the state in April and two touched down in May of 2015.
A record-setting nine tornados hit the state in July. According to the weather service, the highest number of tornados to strike Tennessee in July was four in 1980.
An outbreak in December produced seven tornados, the most ever in that month. There were two deaths from tornados in 2015, both in Perry County in December.
The number of twisters to hit the state was the lowest since 10 tornados touched down in 2007. The record for the most tornados in one year is in Tennessee is 103 in 2010. The most in one year in Coffee County is nine, 2011 and 1974. Official record keeping of tornado statistics by the weather bureau began in 1916.
Tennessee averages 18 tornados per year, resulting in an average of 6 fatalities.

Have you wondered about police work and asked about the why and how it operates? The Tullahoma Police Department has created a Tullahoma Citizens Police Academy (TCPA) and is offering the opportunity for citizens to participate in the 3rd Annual class. The TCPA promotes a partnership between the Police Department and the community they serve. The Department is accepting applications through the month of January for those interested in attending the program beginning March 22, 2016. The TCPA will be conducted over a ten week period meeting on Tuesday evenings from 5:30 pm to approximately 9:30 pm and will consist of special guest speakers and officers of the department sharing information about how the Police Department operates; mock scenarios; and open discussion periods. At the end of the program the participants will have a better understanding of the challenges, requirements, and obstacles faced by law enforcement in criminal justice. Applicants must be twenty one years of age and be either residents, business owners, or business managers in Tullahoma. There is a thirty dollar ($30) fee payable upon notification of acceptance into the TCPA. The program will consist of forty (40) hours of instruction but participants must complete thirty-two (32) hours in order to graduate. This program will not certify participants to be law enforcement officers.
Interested citizens may go to www.tullahomatn.gov and select the “Citizens Police Academy” link for the application and additional information. Applications can also be picked up at the Police Department, 201 W. Grundy St, Tullahoma anytime. Any questions about this program, contact Chief Paul Blackwell at (931) 455-0530 or pblackwell@tullahomatn.gov. Once a class is filled, a waiting list will be established.

The Coffee County Sheriff’s Department has recovered items stolen earlier this year in a burglary that took place in the Fredonia area in the county.
Investigator Kelly Smith says that over $15,000 in jewelry has been given back to the owner of the property.
Smith says he got a lead in the case when Patrick Dwayne Billions pawned guns and tools at a store in Manchester. The items were stolen out of Limestone County Alabama. Billions is currently being held in Limestone County on burglary charges.
Smith says that he’ll present Billions case to the Coffee County Grand Jury and charges here are pending.
The investigator says it makes him feel good when he gets to return stolen items back to their rightful owners.

Work will begin in Coffee County beginning Monday, Jan 4 on a new exit ramp on the eastbound side of Exit 111. Grading, drainage, retaining/barrier walls and paving will be the first work to be done.
Once work begins, the outside shoulder on I-24 East will be closed on Monday through Friday between the hours of 6AM and 6PM. Estimated project completion date is July 2016.
At the completion of the work all eastbound traffic wanting to go to Tullahoma will take the new ramp. This work is being done so traffic will not have to cross over Hwy 55 in order to turn toward Tullahoma.

Tennessee is set to become the first state to release a registry that will consist of the names of people convicted of having intentionally abused animals.
Beginning Jan. 1, anyone can access the online registry, see a picture of the offender, and learn the offender’s age and where the offender lives.
The Tennessee House of Representatives and Senate passed legislation in May to allow the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation to create the website.
State Sen. Richard Briggs, R-Knoxville, a co-sponsor of the bill, says he thinks he it will be a strong deterrent against animal abuse.
The registry consists of those convicted of aggravated animal cruelty, or felony animal fighting. First-time offenders will spend two years on the registry, while a second offense makes it five.

Chances are many Tennesseans are making last-minute donations in preparation for the end of the tax year, but an IRS proposal could prompt some nonprofits in future years to collect the personal information of donors who give gifts valued at more than $250. Lewis Levine, president with the Center for Nonprofit Management based in Nashville, says collecting personal information such as Social Security numbers could create a financial and temporal burden for organizations and potentially impact donations. “It would be a voluntary system,” says Lavine. “But nonprofit leaders are concerned about that dampening down philanthropy and about their record keeping.” In addition to the cumbersome job of managing and protecting donor data, it could make it difficult for some nonprofits to secure board members, who are concerned over the liabilities involved. As with any collection of your personal data, you will be made aware of its collection and use. Supporters of the proposal say it is needed because currently not all taxpayers file the proper paperwork for donations. Lavine says while the proposal may be well intentioned, balancing personal rights with other concerns is a fine line. “We live in an era of terrorism and of concern about security,” says Lavine. “I assume that’s why the IRS is pursuing this idea.” An announcement is soon expected about whether the proposal will be put in place as an option for nonprofits.

What started as a theft of a television became a high speed pursuit over several interstate miles early Wednesday morning.
Robert Lee McComb, 48, of Hendersonville and Chree Chadwick, 47, of Old Hickory were wanted for shoplifting the TV from Wal-Mart in Kimball in Marion County.
According to a report by Coffee County Sheriff’s Deputy Andy NeeSmith, officers were alerted by Grundy County deputies that they were in pursuit of the couple, who were driving a Ford Taurus on I-24 around 4:30 a.m. on Wednesday.
The first attempt to stop the vehicle was done with spike strips at mile marker 127 and that attempt failed. McComb, who was driving at speeds exceeding 100 mph allegedly attempted to ram police vehicles.
The Manchester Police Department became involved at mile marker 111 when they placed another set of spike strips across the interstate. This time the strips punctured a tire.
As McComb continued to drive, Deputies Steven Sharketti and Blake Simmons attempted to box the car in but he attempted to hit their patrol cars.
At the pursuit continued to Exit 105 McComb drove his vehicle off I-24 crossed over the Murfreesboro Highway and then tried get back on the interstate, the car became stuck in the mud in a ditch. Deputy NeeSmith was able to pull in front of McComb’s Taurus to block it in.

A search of the car produced the 43 inch television that had been taken from the Kimball store and a small baggie that had white powder that Chadwick said was heroin.
McComb was charged with his sixth driving on revoked/suspended license, evading arrest, three counts of reckless endangerment, reckless driving and theft of property. His bond was set at $54,000. Chadwick was charged with theft of property, possession of schedule II and unlawful drug paraphernalia uses and activities. Her bond was set at $8,000. Both are set to appear in court Feb. 8.

Gatlinburg, Tennessee police confirm three juveniles have been charged with aggravated rape and aggravated assault of a basketball teammate. At last report they were being held in the Sevier County Juvenile Facility.
The male juveniles were members of the Ooltewah High School basketball team, and the victim is a freshman player.
He was treated and released from UT Medical Center in Knoxville, after an eight-day stay. He underwent surgery for a ruptured colon and bladder, according to a statement from the Gatlinburg Police.
The three juveniles have been dismissed from the team, but county school officials say they will have no statement on punishment from the school district until after the holidays.

Eight-thousand children in Tennessee are spending the holiday break with their foster families, and recent efforts at the national and state level are making it easier for them to experience a normal childhood. The federal Strengthening Families Act, signed into law last year, requires state foster-care agencies to create a system that enables caregivers to authorize participation in typical activities such as field trips and camps. Michael Leach, director of independent living with the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services, says it’s an important step forward. “These young people, they need normal and healthy experiences, healthy relationships,” says Leach. “They need to be involved with activities and be with their peers. It brings positive memories.” Tennessee received recognition in a report by the Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative, a part of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, because it limits the use of long-term foster care or emancipation from children’s parents as the goal for young people in foster care. Because of that, the state has the lowest percentage of children older than age 9 living in long-term foster care. Todd Lloyd, senior policy associate with the Annie E. Casey Foundation, says historically the limitations placed on foster children can impact their experience for the long term. “Some settings could be very restrictive and have policies that don’t allow after-school activities or don’t allow transportation or even certain rites of passage for adolescents, learning to drive a car, being able to go to the prom,” says Lloyd. Currently, some foster children in Tennessee “age out” of the system at 18, and the Casey report recommends states extend the age to 21 for all. Leach says beyond policy, what is most important is that the needs of children are placed above red tape and concerns over litigation. “I’m not sure it’s a legislative thing or a policy thing, I think it’s really a culture thing,” says Leach. “Making sure that we’re not driven by fear or liability concerns, and we’re more driven for what’s right for our young people.” Eleven-hundred of the Tennessee children currently in foster care are looking for a permanent home.

Tennessee officials have recorded more pedestrian and bicycle deaths in 2015 than in any other year in the past two decades.
WPLN Radio in Nashville reports that statistics show 120 pedestrians and bicyclists had died as of Dec. 29. By comparison, there were 93 deaths in 2014.
Tennessee Highway Patrol Lt. Bill Miller says the safety of pedestrians and those using non-motorized vehicles will be a primary focus for the agency next year.
According to federal data available since 1982, the highest number of pedestrian and bicycle deaths were recorded in 1984 when 145 people died.