Category: News

Alana Brown, an emergency medical services (EMS) instructor at Motlow College, was recently recognized with the Carla Kelly Merit award from the Tennessee Emergency Medical Services Education Association (TEMSEA). The Carla Kelly Merit award is given for excellence in EMS instruction to a veteran EMS instructor in Tennessee.
“Alana is a valued member of our team and has done great things since she started teaching with us,” said Drew Hooker, EMS program director at Motlow. “I am very proud to know that we have this level of teaching in our emergency medical technician (EMT) and advanced EMT programs.”
Brown, who works full-time as district chief of EMS operations for the Nashville Fire Department, has been teaching part-time at Motlow since 2002. Brown says over 28 years of experience in the field has helped her be effective in the classroom.
Recipients of the award have served 20 years or more in the EMS profession in Tennessee and have taught EMS education for at least five years while maintaining high professional and academic achievement standards, professional and academic rapport with colleagues and students, and a stimulating learning environment. Additionally, recipients have provided evidence of college and community service, demonstrated use of innovative classroom presentation skills, and are known for a positive, caring and inspiring attitude.
“I am deeply grateful to have received this award,” added Brown. “I credit receiving this with the support and backing I’ve received from the EMS program and Motlow.”
For more information about Motlow’s EMS program visit (www.mscc.edu/nursing/ems) or contact Hooker at 931-393-1879 or dhooker@mscc.edu.

Haley Vincent, 20, of Kingdom Road, Unionville was arrested July 18 for the theft of property from Wal-Mart on North Jackson Street in Tullahoma. Store personnel allegedly observed the woman placing items in her purse.
When Officer Tommy Elliott searched Vincent’s purse he allegedly found several end caps to hypodermic needles. He also allegedly found a small clear baggie containing what was believed to be methamphetamines. When the officer ask Vincent if she had any narcotics in her vehicle, according to a police report, she said that there were. The officer searched the vehicle and found several hypodermic needles and a white rock substance that tested positive for methamphetamines.
Elliott transported Vincent to the Coffee County Jail and charged her with theft of property and manufacture/delivery/sell of schedule II. She is being under a bond of $27,500 and is to appear in Coffee County General Sessions Court Aug. 6.

Wal-Mart personnel advised the officer that there was a male with Vincent who fled the store when security approached them. He was seen on security video entering Cato’s in the shopping center. Officer Michael Wilder then entered the store and Joseph McCullough, 30, of Oakwood Lane, Tullahoma fled on foot. He was arrested a short time later in a wooded area behind the store. He was found to be in possession of several empty clear jewelry bags and also he was in possession of items that were allegedly taken from Wal-Mart.
McCullough was transported by Officer Wilder to the Coffee County Jail and charged with theft of property, evading arrest and manufacture/delivery/sell of a controlled substance. He is being held in the Coffee County Jail under a $30,000 bond and is to appear in Coffee County General Sessions Court Aug. 6.

Management of the Waffle House on North Jackson Street in Tullahoma reported to police the theft of services.
On July 18 Charles Watson of the restaurant reported to Officer Mickey Blanton that a white male refused to pay his $20.95 tab.
The restaurant supervisor reported to the officer that the man and a female companion went to the register and the man told the cashier that “too bad for you. I have no money.”
The couple then left the business without paying, but the man left his wallet behind with his identification in it. When the officer looked inside the wallet he saw $220 in cash inside.
The man had an address in Bedford County, so police ask Bedford County authorities to check his residence but there was no one at the address.
The Waffle House management was advised about taking out a warrant for the man who failed to pay his bill. The wallet was placed in an evidence safe at the Tullahoma Police Department.

Tennessee is receiving national attention for having an “unhealthy” democracy. That’s the assessment of a national report released by the Center for American Progress, a liberal think tank, which awards letter grades in three categories. The report, titled Health of State Democracies, awarded the Volunteer State an F in Ballot Accessibility. Report co-author Lauren Harmon says democracy isn’t, and must never be, a partisan issue. “These are common sense things most people should agree on, unless their ultimate goal is in fact to impact the outcome of elections,” she says, “either by making it harder to vote, or making it so that money is seen as having the same weight in election as someone’s actual speech.” According to Harmon, one of the factors considered in evaluating Tennessee’s democratic health was the lack of online voter registration. Another factor was the lack of a “no-fault” absentee voting system, whereby voters can cast a mail ballot without having to have a government-approved excuse. Harmon says that doesn’t provide help for residents unable to vote because of work. Harmon says Tennessee received a D-minus in the Representation in State Government category because elected officials do not always reflect the demographics of their community. “This is one of the places that Tennessee really needs to improve,” she says. “There’s not even half as many women in elected office as there ought to be, and less than a third of people of color who should be in elective office, given their share of the population as a whole.” Tennessee’s voter I.D. law and felony disenfranchisement laws – which requires most residents convicted of a crime to petition a court for restoration of rights – are additional factors in why the state received low marks. Overall, Tennessee ranks 49th in the nation for the health of its democracy.

Manchester Police Department is investigating a stolen purse from an elderly woman at Wal-Mart Friday night around 7:30 pm.
The female suspect left driving a black sports car, possibly a Mitsubishi Eclipse (convertible?). If you have any information related to the identification of this person, contact the Manchester Police Department at 931-728-2099 or 931-728-9555.
The woman’s purse was recovered at Sav a Lot in Manchester, several items were missing. Manchester Police continue to investigate.

Last week Bedford County deputies responded to Unionville Chapel Hill Road in reference to a disturbance. Before deputies arrived, they were informed a person at the residence had been stabbed. The victim was transported to Heritage Medical Center, and investigators were called to the scene to investigate.
Members of the criminal investigations division of the Bedford County Sheriff’s Department took Barbara Davis, 38, of Unionville, into custody for the stabbing. Davis was booked into the Bedford County Jail on a $10,000 bond for Aggravated Assault.

On Sunday, Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam issued a directive to Adjutant General Max Haston to review security policies and procedures at National Guard armories, storefront recruiting facilities, and other installations and take appropriate steps to ensure the safety of Guardsmen, citizens, and property.
Early Saturday morning a 5th person died from the shooting in Chattanooga. A 24 year-old Navy Petty Officer.
Haslam also instructed the Department of Safety and Homeland Security Commissioner Bill Gibbons to evaluate the process for issuing handgun carry permits to trained members of the military and to look for ways to streamline it.
All stateside U.S. military bases and stations are currently at a force protection status of “Bravo,” and General Haston will review with the U.S. Department of Defense all means within this status and the confines of current federal laws and regulations to ensure that facilities in Tennessee are secure.
Governor Haslam will also work with the Tennessee congressional delegation on appropriate solutions at the federal level to secure military buildings.
Concerning the shooter, the president of the Islamic Society of Greater Chattanooga says the father of the man accused in Thursday’s shootings apologized to him. He said that the elder Abdulazeez told him he felt blindsided and did not see any recent changes in his son.

The Bedford County Sheriff’s Department has issued a “be on the lookout for” alert for Beau Dawson Beecham. He is a 24 year old, white male. Beecham is currently wanted by Bedford County Sheriff’s Office personnel for Felony Theft, Violation of Probation and Failure to appear in court. Beecham is known to flee law enforcement.
Please call the Bedford County Sheriff’s Office at 931-684-3232 or Crimestoppers at 931-685-4300. You can remain anonymous.

Tennessee Labor & Workforce Development Commissioner Burns Phillips has announced the Tennessee preliminary unemployment rate for June was 5.7 percent, one-tenth of one percentage point lower than the May revised rate of 5.8 percent. The U.S. preliminary rate for June was 5.3 percent, two-tenths of one percentage point lower than the prior month.
Economic Summary:
*        Over the past year, Tennessee’s unemployment rate decreased from 6.6% to 5.7 percent, while the national rate declined from 6.1 percent to 5.3 percent.
*        Total nonfarm employment increased 5,500 jobs from May to June. The largest increases occurred in professional/business services, health care/social assistance, and durable goods manufacturing.
*        Over the year, nonfarm employment increased 61,100 jobs. The largest increases occurred in trade/transportation/utilities, professional/business services, and education/health services.