The state’s largest teachers’ union is calling on Gov. Bill Haslam to increase teachers’ pay by 6 percent this year.
The Tennessee Education Association issued a news release on Tuesday, three days before the governor is to hear a budget presentation from the state Education Department.
Haslam is holding budget hearings with state agencies this week.
The TEA said it would ultimately like to see a salary increase of 11.3 percent for teachers; 6 percent this year and the rest phased in over two to three years.
The group said the increase could be built into the state’s school funding formula, or BEP.
In 2013, Haslam vowed to make Tennessee the fastest-improving state in the nation in terms of teacher pay. He told reporters on Tuesday that he’s still committed to that, even though he didn’t say how and or when he’d do it.
Category: News
TEA Wants Raises For Teachers
Open House At The Sheriff’s Department To Help The Needy Is Saturday
Each year Coffee County Sheriff Steve Graves and his staff provides toys to over 500 children and food baskets to 250 elderly, handicapped and needy families in Coffee County at Christmas. This is a very important project and can only be accomplished with community support as we provide this service strictly through donations and charity events such as the Christmas Open House.
Coffee Co. Sheriff’s Department Christmas for Charity Open House will be held this Saturday from 9am-Noon at the Sheriff’s Department. Please come and bring a non-perishable food item or unwrapped item or unwrapped toy and enjoy some refreshments with Sheriff Steve Graves and his staff. Tours of the jail will be available to those who wish to participate.
Tullahoma’s Jackson Street Closing For Christmas Parade
Tullahoma Police Department Lieutenant Ray Higginbotham advises that motorists should take alternate routes starting Friday, December 5 at 5:00p.m. to allow for the Stan McNabb 58th Tullahoma Christmas Parade to proceed north on Jackson Street.
At 5:00 p.m. the Tullahoma Police Department close Jackson Street to northbound traffic at Carroll Street as the parade entries line up. Volney, Decherd, Warren, and Lauderdale Streets will also close at Jackson at 5:00 p.m.
At approximately 6:15 p.m., Jackson Street will be closed at Lincoln and Jack Farrar Lane, and all streets in between: Big Springs, Wilson Avenue, Grundy, Moore, Grizzard, Hogan, Blackwell and Ogee.
Jackson Street will remain closed until the parade’s conclusion at approximately 9:00 p.m.
To prevent congestion, no vehicles other than parade entries will be allowed onto South Jackson at the Civic Center after 5:00 p.m. Parade participants meeting a float can park at old West Middle School and easily walk to the parade line-up.
Alternate Route
Lieutenant Higginbotham advises that motorists can avoid traffic congestion and delays by taking either Cedar Lane or Washington Streets. He also suggested motorists proceed with caution and patience, and be especially aware of the many pedestrians that will be present for the parade viewing.
Tullahoma Fire Department Collects Donations for Toys for Tots
This holiday season, let’s give back. Join the City of Tullahoma Fire Department as they once again collect new, unwrapped toys and distribute them as Christmas gifts to less fortunate children in the community.
“This year we are off to a great start. They’ve had local businesses and individuals who have helped our effort with sizeable donations,” said Chief Richard Shasteen.
“This program is a message of hope to children. I appreciate the continued community support this program has received over the years,” said Chief Richard Shasteen.
New, unwrapped toys or monetary donations may be dropped off at:
• Fire Hall No. 1 on South Jackson Street
• Fire Hall No. 2 on Ovoca Road
Donations are currently being accepted and will continue to be accepted until December 15. Monetary donation can also be made by mail:
Make check payable to TFD Toys for Tots
TFD Toys for Tots
PO Box 807
Tullahoma, TN 37388
All toys and proceeds remain in the Tullahoma area.
Manchester Police Asking For The Public’s Help
Manchester Police is asking for the public’s help with a theft at a local store. Police are looking for a female subject that is wanted for questioning involving a theft at Walgreen’s in Manchester on Nov. 24th. In surveillance pictures the female is seen with male subjects and they may or may not have been with the female.
Please call the Manchester Police Department Crime Investigation Division and speak to Investigator Bryan Eldridge if you have any information that could help at 931-728-2099.
Man Damages Truck and Assaults a Person With a Golf Club
Tullahoma Police were called to a residence on East Lauderdale Street, where a man was hitting a vehicle with a golf club.
When they arrived Nov. 24 to a residence on East Lauderdale they were informed that Matthew Charles Haag had gone to his girlfriend’s residence and struck the front door of the residence with a golf club.
As the officer arrived, he saw Haag running and jumped a fence. He then turned toward Sgt. Phil Henderson carrying a golf club. He then reached down and picked up another club and told the officer “come on”.
As Officer Chase Sons pulled up Haag allegedly threw one of the clubs through a windshield at the residence.
He then kicked in the front door and entered the residence.
He then left and went outside and began to hit a GMC Sierra pickup truck and damaged the front windshield, headlights, fog lights, bug deflector and side vent shades. Damage to the truck was estimated at $1,000.
A victim told officer Tim Brandon that she was awaken to find her children screaming and that is when an assault occurred. The victim received multiple injuries from the attack.
Haag allegedly was swinging the golf club inside the residence at a 4-year-old attempting to strike him. The child grabbed his mother and they fled the area with Haag chasing them and striking at both of them.
The man was later arrested. (Thanks to Wayne Thomas of the Tullahoma News for the information in this story)
More Than 16,000 Tennesseans Now Living With HIV
Doctors recommend everyone get an HIV test at least once in his or her lifetime. With today’s treatment options, testing and early detection can help those who are infected live a normal lifespan. Photo credit: Wheeler Cowperthwaite/Flickr.
Dr. Tim Jones, state epidemiologist with the Tennessee Department of Health, says there are now more than 16,000 people in the state with the disease, with nearly 900 new diagnoses annually, and those who are infected living longer. “With better drugs and protocols for taking care of folks, people are living much, much longer than they were a decade or two ago,” he points out. “And many folks are actually living a normal lifespan, which is really exciting.” Regardless of risk, Jones says it is recommended that every person be tested for HIV at least once in his or her lifetime. Jones notes that the group with the greatest risk of contracting HIV continues to be men who have sex with men, but he says increased outreach is also needed for Tennessee’s communities of color. “African-Americans are, on a per capita basis, about three times more likely to have HIV than the general population, so that’s clearly a group which we target for prevention as well,” he explains.
As of 2013, AIDS has killed more than 36 million people worldwide and an estimated 35 million are living with HIV.
Tennessee Lawmakers Getting Pay Increase
Tennessee State Capital
The Knoxville News Sentinel reports that the legislators’ base pay will increase to $20,884 under a state law that ties their salaries to state employee compensation over the last two years.
State workers got no raise this year, but a 2013 increase caused lawmaker salaries to go up by $681.
Members of the state House and Senate will receive $198 in daily lodging and dining allowances in 2015, though they still won’t have to submit proof that they spent it all on hotels or restaurants.
Under a new state law lawmakers living within 50 miles of the Capitol will no longer be eligible for the $132 lodging portion.
Olde Towne Christmas Stroll Showcases Local Talent
Olde Towne Christmas Stroll is a longstanding Tullahoma Tradition, and they invite you to join them Tuesday, December 9 from 5pm – 8 pm. This free musical celebration takes place in Tullahoma’s historic district, and performance times and venues are below.
This year’s concerts features the Tullahoma High School Band and Singers, including the Aristocats, Tullahoma City Schools Elementary Choir, Clean Hands Ministry, Girl Scouts caroling, and other music that will leave you with the spirit of the season. “Tullahoma has great musical talent, and this is a fun way to sample some of the musical groups our town offers,” said Mayor Lane Curlee.
The Historic Harton House will be open for guests who would like to tour the home decorated for Christmas.
The Historic Daves-Cublertson Funeral Home will have a community “Tree of Memory Service” where guests can hang an ornament. They also will host Brother Pat Allison from the Church of Christ at Cedar Lane.
Participants are also asked to bring a new, unwrapped toy for Toys for Tots or a non-perishable food item. These gifts can be left at any location. Just label the package Toys for Tots and arrangements will be made to take them to Fire Station 1 at 613 North Jackson Street.
Details available at http://www.tullahomatn.gov.
Olde Towne Christmas Schedule
South Jackson Civic Center
5:00 pm
THS Aristocats
5:30 pm
Peggy Burton Vocal Students
Christmas Caroling
Listen throughout the evening, at various locations for caroling provided by Girl Scout Troop 2163
Ganoe-Bussell Log Cabin open for viewing
Experience life in the 1850’s as you sip punch by a crackling fire.
First United Methodist
6:00 pm — Tullahoma City Schools Elementary Choir, directed by Chelsey Preiser and Chris Gregory… Nativity Museum open until 7pm.
Mt. Zion Baptist Church
6:30 pm — Mt. Zion Baptist Church Choir
7:00 pm — Clean Hands Ministry
First Christian Church
6:30 pm THS Chamber Ensembles
Historic Harton House
5:00 pm – 6:30 pm — Open for viewing and refreshments.
Historic Daves-Culbertson Funeral Home
7:00 pm —Brother Pat Allison from the Church of Christ at Cedar Lane will be the guest speaker.
A community “Tree of Memory Service” to allow anyone to honor their loved ones by hanging a memorial ornament on our Christmas Tree.
St. Barnabas Episcopal Church
5:00 pm — Organ Music
Caboose Tours open for viewing
Tour our brightly decorated Caboose from a bygone era
Coffee County Unemployment Rate Drops Again
County unemployment rates for October 2014, show the rate decreased in 80 counties, increased in 10 counties, and remained the same in five counties.
Tennessee’s unemployment rate for October was 7.1 percent, two tenths of one percentage point lower than the 7.3 September revised rate. The U.S. preliminary rate for October was 5.8 percent, down from 5.9 percent in September.
Coffee County dropped one-half percent going from 6.1% to 5.6, the lowest rate in years. There are currently 1,480 people unemployed in Coffee County. Bedford County went down from 6.3% to 5.9. The unemployed in Cannon County dropped from 5.6 to 5.3%. Grundy County fell 0.4% to 7.3. In Franklin County they went down from 5.5 to 5.3. Down in Moore County the unemployment rate is now 5% down 0.4% and Warren County their rate went up slightly going from 6.8 to 6.9%.
Lincoln County had the state’s lowest rate at 4.4% and Scott County the highest at 11.8%.
