Motlow College will observe Fall Break Oct. 12-13, according to college officials.
Offices will remain open on their regular schedule, but no classes will be held during the break. This applies to the Moore County campus and the Fayetteville, McMinnville and Smyrna centers.
The library on the Moore County campus will be open from 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 12, and 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 13. Library hours for each of the branch libraries will be 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. on both Monday and Tuesday.
The Motlow Bookstore at Moore County will be open from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. on Oct. 12 and 13. The McMinnville and Smyrna bookstores will be closed both days.
Classes resume at all Motlow College campuses Wednesday, Oct. 14.
Category: News
Fall Break Coming Up at Motlow
Pastor Arrested on Rape Charges–UPDATED
Maurice J. Pugh of Decherd has been arrested on rape charges. Pugh was indicted by the June term of the Coffee County Grand Jury.
According to indictments, Pugh is accused of having sexual contact with a girl between the ages of 13 to 18 years old in the Manchester area.
At the time of the alleged incidents Pugh was serving as a pastor of a church in Fayetteville and according to the indictments used his position of trust or power to accomplish the sexual act.
Pugh, 45, of Sunshine Drive in Decherd was charged with two counts of Statutory rape by an authority figure and two counts of aggravated statutory rape.
He is being held in the Coffee County Jail on a $75,000 bond.
Convicted Murderer Accusing Former District Attorney of Misconduct
Jacob Pearman
Carla Pearman was the former Carla Dillard of Manchester and was a 2002 graduate of Coffee County High School.
Luke Evans said during a motion hearing for a new trial Friday that closing statements in his client’s trial “tainted the jury” and didn’t give Pearman a chance to respond since the state got the final word.
Bill Whitesell, who’s now retired, was back in a courtroom Friday, not prosecuting a case, but defending himself against some bold allegations.
Evans said he asked Judge David Bragg to rectify a wrong and grant his client a new trial.
Evans said Whitesell made statements regarding injuries to the victim’s son and about Pearman’s lack of remorse.
Evans said those closing statements were improper oral arguments where the state attempted to shift the burden to the defense.
Bragg denied the motion for a new trial and will issue a written order about his ruling.
Pearman waived his right to appear Friday and is currently serving life in prison.
Evans said he plans to appeal.
Motlow’s Main Campus To Host Tennessee Promise Sign-Up
Motlow’s Moore County campus will host a Tennessee Promise Scholarship Saturday on Oct. 17. Current Motlow freshman Zana Hendon from Winchester took advantage of the Tennessee Promise last year and encourages all current high school seniors to attend the event. Motlow College photo.
The event is designed to encourage students to enroll in Tennessee Promise, Governor Bill Haslam’s program to provide two years of community college or technical school tuition. Tennessee Promise is part of the Drive to 55 initiative to increase the number of Tennesseans with some form of post-secondary credential, such as a college degree or technical certificate.
During Scholarship Saturday, students may come to the Moore County campus and use the college’s computers to sign up online. Free pizza will be on hand for anyone signing up.
The Motlow Moore County campus is located at 6015 Ledford Mill Road.
Local Artist Wins At Annual International Bluegrass Music Awards Show
Left to Right:
Eric Gibson (The Gibson Brothers), Kyle Cantrell (head programmer for SiriusXM’s Bluegrass Junction channel 61), Becky Buller, Leigh Gibson (The Gibson Brothers), Paul Schiminger (IBMA executive director)
The Gibson Brothers have won multiple IBMA awards in recent years and hosted this year’s award show on Oct. 1.
Winners included Emerging Artist of the Year: Becky Buller who is the Co-host of WMSR’S Bluegrass Crossroads heard every Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. Becky also won for the Recorded Event of the Year: “Southern Flavor,” Becky Buller, with Peter Rowan, Michael Feagan, Buddy Spicher, Ernie Sykes. Becky Buller also won the award for Bluegrass Songwriter of the Year.
Becky told WMSR News how honored and excited she is. Click to listen to Buller’s response;
Panther/Bobcat 3rd Annual 5K run helps Tullahoma! Get Fit
On Saturday, October 24, the Third Annual Get Fit! Tullahoma Panther/Bobcat 5K Family Fun Run and Walk will be held at Frazier McEwen Park. Saturday’s 5K is a part of the Get Fit Tullahoma! program that was launched in March of 2013. Mayor Lane Curlee is behind the initiative that was created to encourage wellness and to reduce obesity and diabetes in the community.
The cost for the event is $25 for adults and $10 for students. Registration is currently ongoing at http://www.tullahomatn.gov/get-fit plus you can register both East and West middle schools. Registration will also be available on the day of the race. T-shirts are first come first serve the day of the race.
Registration begins at 8:30 am at Frazier McEwen Park, and the run will start at 9:30 am.
For Saturday’s run, East and West middle schools are competing in a friendly rivalry to recruit the most 5K sign-ups for the event. The winner will receive a trophy and bragging rights. Last year, East Middle was crowned the inaugural champions, after more than 200 volunteers.
Police Looking For Missing Winchester Teenager
Eva Alejandra Lopez
A TBI Endangered Child Alert remains active for a 15-year old missing out of Winchester.
According to the TBI, Eva Alejandra Lopez was last seen September 22 at her home. She is possibly with a 25-year old man named Avaro Gamez Martinez, who is wanted for six counts of aggravated statutory rape.
Eva Alejandra Lopez is Hispanic, is 5’4”, weighs 150 pounds, and has brown hair and green eyes.
Anyone with information about Eva’s whereabouts is asked to contact the TBI at 1-800-TBI-FIND or Winchester police at (931) 967-2331.
Handgun Permit Holders Up In Tennessee
The number of handgun carry permits in Tennessee is on the rise at a much faster pace than last year. A report from Knoxville TV station WATE shows more than 12,000 handgun permits were issued in August, following the shooting death of five military members in Chattanooga the month before. The number of permits issued in August of last year was 9,567.
The report also indicated there are 4,951 handgun carry permits holders in Coffee County, 3,199 in Warren County, 1,188 in Grundy County, Franklin County 3,873, Bedford County 3,585 and 729 in Moore County.
THP To Run Pilot Program
The Tennessee Highway Patrol has been selected to be a lead agency in a national pilot program.
THP Colonel Tracy Trott says the agency has been selected by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration as a partnering agency to conduct an occupant safety enforcement pilot program.
The THP has identified two counties where fatal crashes have increased due to lack of seatbelt use. They are Bedford and Hawkins counties.
The program runs now through Sept. 30, 2016. The THP will collect occupant protection data including seat belts, child restraint devices and motorcycle helmets from all participating agencies.
The information will be combined with the THP’s data and submitted monthly to NHTSA.
Year to date, 48 percent of all traffic fatalities in Tennessee were unrestrained motorists, compared with 54 percent in 2010.
