Category: News

The Tennessee Department of Transportation is celebrating its centennial by placing a time capsule in a new granite memorial at Bicentennial Mall.
The time capsule is to be opened after another 100 years, on July 1, 2115. The agency says it contains photos of current employees, a 2015 highway map and a hard hat belonging to the Transportation Commissioner.
The department says employees and industry partners paid for the capsule and memorial through donations.
The first state highway agency, the Tennessee Department of Highways and Public Works, was created July 1, 1915, to create a network of state highways and perform and oversee construction and maintenance on state roadways. It was renamed the Tennessee Department of Transportation in 1972.
The agency has been celebrating the centennial for the past year.

The U.S. Postal Service previewed the Music Icons: Elvis Presley Commemorative Forever stamp yesterday and joined with Sony Music’s RCA/Legacy Recordings in announcing the upcoming debut of an exclusive music CD titled ELVIS FOREVER that includes an Elvis song, as you’ve never heard it before. The CD will be available online and in select Post Offices beginning August 12 — on the same day as the Elvis Presley stamp dedication ceremony.
Priscilla Presley will join Postmaster General Megan Brennan in dedicating the stamp on the morning of Aug. 12 at Graceland in Memphis as part of this year’s Elvis Week celebration.

Coffee County Mayor Gary Cordell has issued a statement concerning marriages. During his term as mayor no weddings have been or will be conducted by him. These have been performed as a courtesy in the past, but state law does not require weddings to be performed by a mayor.
The Coffee County Clerk’s office will no longer perform weddings either. They have not conducted ceremonies for some time now.
However, as required by law marriage licenses will continue to be issued at the county clerk’s office at the Coffee County Administration Plaza in Manchester.

Recently Tullahoma Police Officer Johnny Gore observed Tommy Kapise walking in the parking lot of the Celtic Cup.
The officer’s report states that he knew there was a federal warrant for the arrest of Kapise, so he stopped the man. As Officer Gore was patting the man down he allegedly found 5.7 grams of crystal methamphetamine as well as a bag of marijuana.
Kapise was booked into the Coffee County Jail on the charges. Federal authorities were notified and have since taken the man into custody.

The Tennessee Highway Patrol is taking steps to try to make the Fourth of July holiday period as safe as possible.
According to a news release, the agency will use predictive analytics to allocate manpower and target areas where the likelihood of alcohol-related, serious injury or fatal crashes may occur during the holiday period.
State troopers will also conduct saturation patrols, and sobriety and seat belt checkpoints.
Twelve people were killed in Tennessee during last year’s Fourth of July holiday period. That’s down from the 19 vehicular deaths during the 2013 holiday period.
Of last year’s 12 traffic fatalities, seven were vehicle occupants and five were motorcyclists.
Four of the individuals killed were not wearing seat belts and three of the traffic deaths were alcohol-related.

The Tennessee Department of Health and Agriculture has developed an app to allow users to check Tennessee restaurant inspection scores.
The app is available for both Apple and Android users. It is updated daily and features locations across the state.
Tennessee’s more modern Food Safety Act goes into effect on Wednesday. The Food Safety Act requires additional education and certification for those in the industry, eliminates bare hand contact with ready-to-eat foods and requires for training on procedures.
To get the app, search for Food Scores in the Apple or Google Play stores.

The Manchester Parks and Recreation Department invites you to their Independence Day celebration on Saturday, July 4.
They will start the day off with an opportunity to cool off in the outdoor pool, it will be open from 12:00-5pm. At 6:00pm come out to Rotary Park for a free concert with the group Spencer’s Own. At 9:00pm, the highlight of any 4^th of July celebration is fireworks and Manchester Parks and Recreation Department has you covered with their annual fireworks display. Don’t miss the fun, we’ll see you there.

Manchester Police say they have charged a local man with burglary and vandalism. Lucas Bailey Sarzosa of Manchester was arrested after police say he entered the Computer Shoppe on 112 East Main Street in Manchester by allegedly ripping open a screen door and kicking in the upstairs door to enter the business. Sarzosa is accused of taking an undisclosed amount of cash and a .38 Smith and Wesson pistol from the business. Investigators say he then tore down four security cameras which were not located and a D-link router, cable modem and 16 port switch box that Sarzosa is accused of tossing onto the roof of the business. Manchester Police also state that the man tore the ceiling tile out of the ceiling as he was taking down the cameras. Damage to the business was over $500.00.
Investigators were able to identify the Sarzosa through surveillance video. He was booked at the Coffee County Jail on a total bond of $39,000 and has a court date set for July 7.