Category: News

Gas prices could finally be reaching their peak as the rate of increase at the pump is beginning to stall. Since last Sunday, the average price for gasoline rose 1-cent in Tennessee. In Coffee County the price went up drastically especially in Manchester where the low price per gallon jumped 14 cents to $2.49. In Tullahoma the low price went up by just one-cent to $2.37.
“Gas prices usually peak by May, but have been rising on the back of crude oil prices and increasing demand,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “The price of crude oil has found a new normal around $60 a barrel, and it’s likely that gas prices will decline in June.
Oil settled at $60.30 a barrel Friday after trading as low as $56.51 last week. The highest daily settlement this year was $60.93 a barrel on May 6.

Tennessee’s biggest health insurer has proposed raising premiums next year by an average of more than 36 percent.
The Chattanooga Times Free-Press reports BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee lost $141 million during its first year of offering individual health plans through the federal Affordable Care Act.
The insurer says it initially underestimated the number and cost of the medical claims filed by new enrollees.
Last year, the insurer enrolled nearly two-thirds of the 231,000 Tennesseans who signed up for health insurance exchange plans.
The deadline for state regulators to make a decision about the proposed rate hikes is August 25th. If approved, average individual rates would rise to more than 60 percent above their 2014 levels.

Tennessee State Parks announced the participants for the 2015 Seasonal Interpretive Re-creators (SIR) program. SIRs provide interpretive programs such as guided tours, hikes, slide shows, demonstrations, campfires and other outdoor activities for park visitors during the peak season, which is late spring through summer.
Most of the summer staff are still in college studying natural resource, recreation, history, or biology-related fields. Tennessee State Parks offers a one week intense training in interpretive techniques. The goal is to help visitors build emotional and intellectual connections to the park. Based upon Freeman Tilden’s Principles of Interpretation, participants learn to develop thematic programs on the primary and secondary park themes.
“Tennessee State Parks are extremely lucky to have SIR’s each year, with some returning year after year. Their passion and drive is what makes for such an exciting summer at our parks,” said Brock Hill, TDEC Deputy Commissioner for Parks and Conservation.
Those participating locally; Old Stone Fort State Archaeological Park – Rachel Grigsby, South Cumberland State Park – Eric Metz and Tim’s Ford State Park – Nancy Lilly

On Monday morning at 5:36am the Coffee County Communication Center received a 911 call from an open cell phone. They summoned the Coffee County Sheriff’s Department to report to Interstate 24 around mile-marker 101. When a deputy arrived, he began speaking to the occupants of a Chevrolet Avalanche. During that time 25 year-old Jose Luis Garcia of Nashville pulled out a handgun and shot himself. The bullet apparently traveled through Garcia and struck two occupants inside the vehicle. The injured females were taken to the hospital for treatment of their non-life threatening injuries.
After speaking to witnesses, it was learned the Garcia had allegedly held the 5 occupants at gunpoint for around 6 hours.
Garcia was on parole for aggravated robbery, but there was an active parole violation.
Coffee County Sheriff Steve Graves says the investigation is continuing and more information will be released when deemed necessary.
If any citizen saw anything that occurred during this time on Interstate 24 (Midnight till 5:30am Monday morning) that could help authorities please contact the Coffee County Sheriff’s Department at (931) 728-3591.

Saturday morning pancakes just got a little better because now you can enjoy delicious pancakes with family and friends and support The Tullahoma Animal Shelter. The Animal Shelter is pleased to be hosting a pancake breakfast to raise money to help finance, medical operations for dogs at the shelter as well as for the new building fund. The event is Saturday (June 6) at Applebee’s from 7:30am-10am, and the cost is a minimum donation of $5.
Friends of the Tullahoma Animal Shelter Fund Raising Chairman, Lincoln Brown, is pleased to announce a fundraising contest to benefit the new Tullahoma Animal shelter. Buy tickets for the “Win a Hot Tub” to benefit the Animals” contest. Winning tickets will be drawn at the shelters annual “Bark in the Park” in October.
For $5.00, you get 1 chance and for $20.00 you get 5 chances.
This pancake breakfast is a continued effort of all the animal shelter fundraisers, but it is having an increase in intensity now because of the need for a new facility. “The shelter should only accommodate 20 to 25 dogs indoors, but there are times when the city is looking after as many as 40 at a time,” said Director of Public Works, Wayne Limbaugh. “The new facility is estimated to cost $250,000. The community has been supportive, and it’s going to happen, with continued efforts like this and the generosity of our citizens.”

Tennessee Democrats have called for a special legislative session to take a full vote on Insure Tennessee. And, since the state is passing up millions of federal dollars, the Tennessee Justice Center (TJC) says it is organizing a statewide tour of informational meetings about the health coverage gap. More than 280,000 Tennesseans remain uninsured after state lawmakers failed to pass Gov. Bill Haslam’s Insure Tennessee plan in the most recent session. According to TJC Executive Director Michele Johnson, it’s important to understand that Insure Tennessee wouldn’t increase the state’s bottom line. “This basically is budget-neutral for Tennessee taxpayers,” says Johnson. “It results in no new taxes, and it brings in $2.7 million a day in federal funds.” Insure Tennessee is different than a Medicaid expansion, she explains, because it would offer vouchers to buy private insurance and require co-pays for services. Some oppose the program because it is funded through the Affordable Care Act. In addition to working families and students, an estimated 24,000 Tennessee veterans fall into the coverage gap. In addition, says TJC, 54 Tennessee hospitals are at risk of closing without the federal funding. Together, they employ 21,000 people and provide support to thousands of working families, Johnson says. “For people with chronic illnesses, or even people with young children who can’t access a hospital within two hours because their hospital closed due to politics – really, it’s the failure of our Legislature to take the dollars that are ours and bring them back to our state,” she says. Tentative tour dates and locations include: June 23, Chattanooga; June 29, Huntingdon; June 30, Brownsville; July 13, Gallatin; July 14, Centerville; July 16, Shelbyville; Aug. 3, Knoxville; Aug. 6, Kingsport; Aug.11, Morristown; and Aug. 25, Memphis.

Jonathan Micah Esslinger, 30, of Manchester was driving a 2007 Nissan Titan pickup along Parker Road late Thursday night when he lost control on a curve. According to a Tennessee Highway Patrol report, Esslinger’s truck ran off the right side of the roadway around midnight, striking a brick mailbox, two concrete columns and a culvert. The vehicle then overturned and came to rest on its wheels.
Esslinger was pronounced dead at a Manchester hospital where he was transported by Coffee County EMS.
Coffee County Sheriff’s Department personnel and firemen with the New Union Volunteer Fire Department assisted the THP at the scene.

Tullahoma Fire Chief Richard Shasteen worked to coordinate fire, rescue and police along with sheriff department personnel following a fall by a female at the Short Springs Natural Area last week. The victim, who fell from a trail near the Bobo Creek and Machine Falls Branch split, was reportedly awake when rescuers reached her and suffered non-life threatening injuries. Coffee County deputies, Rescue, EMS and EMA, as well as Tullahoma Fire and Rescue and Police responded. Tullahoma Police Department closed the 420-acre state-owned natural area to non-essential personnel for about an hour during the rescue,