Category: News

The price of oil is on its longest weekly slump of the year, after reaching the lowest closing price since the ‘Great Recession’. This continues to put downward pressure on the price of gasoline, which dropped another 2 cents last week in the southeastern U.S.
There continues to be a surplus amount of oil in the global market which is expected to keep prices of both oil and gasoline on the low end through the rest of this year,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “Gas prices did not fall as fast last week as they have in recent weeks, but that is to be expected because we are still in the middle of the peak driving season. Gas prices should fall even faster in the fall when school is back in session.”
Last week, the price of oil reached its lowest closing price since March 3, 2009. On that day, the price of oil was $41.65, and gasoline averaged $1.81 in Tennessee. As of Tuesday the price of oil was $41.87 per barrel.
The current average price for gas in Tennessee is $2.29 per gallon. In Coffee County the low price is $2.16 in Manchester and in Tullahoma the low price per gallon is $2.19.

Bedford County Sheriff Austin Swing is looking at making changes in security at the county courthouse in Shelbyville.
Last month 24-year old Tristan McMahon escaped out of the courthouse right after being sentenced on drugs and weapons charges. McMahon has so far avoided capture.
A Bedford County committee has made a proposal to hire two more sheriff’s deputies and a correctional officer, all to be stationed at the courthouse for security. The Bedford County Commission still has to approve the recommendation.
Also, the sheriff wants the four doors on the first floor to be secured. One for prisoner transport and the other three would be used only as exits. The sheriff also wants people visiting the courthouse to go through a basement metal detector.
If you see, or know the whereabouts of 24 year-old Tristan McMahon, please call Bedford County Sheriff’s Office immediately at 931.684.3232, or Crimestoppers at 931.685.4300, to remain anonymous.

The Tennessee Highway Patrol is creating a new protective services bureau responsible for the safety of citizens, elected officials, state workers and state buildings.
The Protective Services and Special Programs Bureau will oversee the governors’ protective detail, Capitol and state building security and the THP’s handgun unit.
The specialized functions of the new bureau were formerly under the supervision of the THP’s administrative bureau, which also includes the department’s special operations unit and training center.
The bureau will be led by newly promoted Maj. Mark Proctor. The 18-year veteran of the Highway Patrol began his career as a road trooper in Memphis and Nashville before joining the governor’s security detail in 2001. He most recently served as head of THP’s protective services division.

A Manchester man died early Saturday morning after he was involved in a single vehicle crash on East Carroll Street in Tullahoma.
According to a report by Tullahoma Police Sgt. Robert Weaver, around 3:30 a.m. Saturday morning Justin John Reed, 21, of Stacy Ann Road, Manchester was traveling east on Carroll Street when his 2001 Cadillac left the road on the right side. The Cadillac traveled several feet.
The vehicle then began to flip and struck a utility pole at the intersection of Mitchell Boulevard. Reed was then ejected from the vehicle.
Reed was transported from the accident scene to the helipad at Vanderbilt LifeFlight terminal at Tullahoma Regional Airport by personnel from the ambulance service along with members of the Tullahoma Fire Department. He was the flown to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville where he died.

“Close the door.” It’s an instruction many of us heard countless times from our parents, and now the state Fire Marshal’s Office is reminding Tennesseans that closing a door during a house fire is one of the best things you can do to stop a fire from spreading. Claire Marsalis, state community risk reduction coordinator for the Fire Marshal’s office, says aside from reducing damage to your home, seconds count when it comes to survival. “It’s all about buying you time,” she says. “If that door can stop the spread of smoke and flames and allow you more time to escape, time is crucial in a fire. It just moves so very fast.” A closed door will help deprive a fire of the oxygen it needs to grow. Marsalis adds that if you’re unable to escape a building that is on fire, closing all doors between you and the fire will give rescuers more time to get to you. In addition to closing doors in the event of a fire, Marsalis says it’s a good idea to make a habit out of sleeping with the bedroom doors closed in case a fire starts at night. “Because that barrier is there, it’s good to get in the habit,” she says. “Keeping bedroom doors closed at night can be a barrier to smoke and flames should a fire erupt during the night when you’re sleeping.” The state Fire Marshal’s office also reminds residents of the importance of checking the batteries in home smoke detectors, and having a fire extinguisher handy in case of a small fire.

Gov. Bill Haslam says he has seen wide agreement on a statewide tour about transportation that Tennessee needs more money for road and transit projects.
But the Republican governor says there’s little consensus on what to do about it.
Haslam said in a recent forum in Nashville that a frequent comment he receives from elected officials who want to kick start projects in their home areas is: “I’m not really excited about a gas tax, what else can we do?”
The problem, Haslam says, is that there’s “no magic bullet” to fund a $6 billion backlog of transportation projects around the state.
Tennessee charges a 21.4-cent tax on each gallon of gasoline. The tax, which raises $657 million per year, was last increased in 1989.

Tennessee residents are allowed to hunt without a license on Saturday, Aug. 22 which coincides with the opening day of squirrel season.
Free Hunting Day is an event the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency annually provides in hopes of increasing interest in hunting. Squirrel hunting is one of Tennessee’s oldest and favorite traditions. The day serves as an excellent opportunity for persons to experience the enjoyment of the sport.
The TWRA encourages regular hunters to introduce friends and family members (young and old) to the outdoors sport. It is also an excellent opportunity for those folks who have not tried hunting in a while to be reintroduced to the sport.
On Free Hunting Day, state resident hunters are exempt from hunting licenses and WMA permit requirements. Many of the WMAs are open to hunters seeking public access on Aug. 22. Hunters are asked to check the information for particular WMAs in the newly-published 2015-16 Tennessee Hunting and Trapping Guide which is available online at www.tnwildlife.org or copies are available at any TWRA regional office or at most outlets where licenses are sold.
The TWRA offers a reminder that hunter education requirements are not waived for Free Hunting Day. Anyone born on or after Jan. 1, 1969 is required to have successfully completed a hunter education course. An apprentice license is required for those born on or after Jan. 1, 1969 if the hunter education course has not been completed. This license exempts the hunter from the mandatory hunter education law for one year from the date of purchase, but may only be purchased for up to three consecutive years during the lifetime of the hunter.
Hunters are allowed to harvest up to 10 squirrels a day from the opening day of squirrel season through Feb. 29, 2016 with each hunting day beginning a half-hour before sunrise and ending a half-hour after sunset.
In addition to squirrels, those species that have a year-round season will be open as well. The year-round species include armadillo, beaver, coyote, groundhog, and striped skunk.
For more information about hunting in Tennessee, visit TWRA’s website at www.tnwildlife.org or contact your nearest TWRA regional office.

An Endangered Child Alert was issued for the Cookeville Police Department for East and Middle Tennessee. That alert has been cancelled. Putnam County officials say they have located for 14-year old Jasmine Nicole Johnson. She was found safe
Jasmine was last seen leaving the Days Inn in Cookeville, Tennessee with a 28 year-old white male.
No other details were released by the Cookeville Police or the TBI at this time.

Last week, members of the Bedford County Sheriff’s Department Criminal Investigation Division arrested Cathleen Vaughn, age 38, of Lynchburg for two counts of Statutory Rape by an Authority Figure and Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor.
Vaughn is employed by an agency which specializes in working with people with substance abuse issues. The woman is a substance abuse counselor and has been accused of becoming too involved with a teen client.
Vaughn’s arrest came after a lengthy investigation.

The Coffee County Grand Jury wrapped up a busy session last week by hearing 179 cases.
Of the cases heard 54 had been forwarded to the panel from the Coffee County General Sessions Court. The other 125 cases were sealed cases. Those cases will see those named arrested and booked into the Coffee County Jail.
Sealed cases are those that have not been through the court system and they are presented straight to the grand jury.