U.S. motorists in southern and mid-west states could see a handful of gas stations hit the $2 a gallon mark just in time for the Christmas holiday season. OPEC’s failure to cut oil production could cause gas prices to fall by as much as 20 cents. The national average has fallen for 67 consecutive days the longest streak since 2008. The streak of declines is 16 in Tennessee.
“Drivers in southeastern states, such as Tennessee, may see a select few stations selling gas at or below $2 in the coming weeks,” said Josh Carrasco, spokesman, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “The chances of gasoline averaging $2 per gallon are highly unlikely. Oil prices would have to drop another $25 to $30 a barrel before we reach the $2 threshold.”
West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil, the U.S. benchmark, fell $7.54 on Friday to $66.15 per barrel, the lowest close in five years.
Motorists should expect gas prices to fall throughout the holiday season.”
The national average for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline ($2.78) is 4 cents cheaper than last week, 23 cents cheaper than a month ago, and 49 cents cheaper than this time last year. Tennessee’s average of $2.57 is 4 cents cheaper than last week, 19 cents cheaper than a month ago, and 59 cents cheaper than this time last year.
The low price in Manchester is $2.44 per gallon and in Tullahoma the low price has dipped to $2.43.
Category: News
Gas Prices Will Continue To Fall
Be Extra Cautious Of Identity Theft This Time Of Year
State safety officials are urging Tennesseans to protect themselves against identity crimes this holiday season.
Last year, identity theft accounted for 14 percent of all complaints recorded by the Federal Trade Commission, leading the list of top consumer complaints.
The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security’s Identity Crimes Unit is offering the following tips for protection:
Don’t allow clerks to put your receipts in your bag, but rather carry them in your wallet where they are less likely to fall out.
Watch cashiers, waiters and bartenders, ensuring that they don’t “skim” or save your card number for later use.
Check your bank statements, credit card bills and credit reports often to avoid any efforts to use your identity.
For more tips, visit: www.TN.Gov/safety.
58th Annual Tullahoma Christmas Parade Is Friday Night
Tullahoma High School graduate and 2013-14 Gatorade National Baseball Player of the Year Justus Sheffield has been named Grand Marshal of the 58th annual Tullahoma Area Chamber of Commerce Christmas Parade.
The event is being sponsored for the second consecutive year by Stan McNabb Automotive Group and is set for Friday, Dec. 5.
Sheffield was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the first round of the 2014 Major League Baseball Draft.
The theme for this year’s event is “A Movie Time Christmas,” a tribute to favorite seasonal films.
Floats will be awarded prizes in five categories: Business, Civic/Non-profit, CEO/School, Jingle Bell Music, and the Mayor’s Award.
Man Dies In Jail– Committed Murder Inside Coffee County In 1985
Gregory Thompson
On New Year’s Day 1985 Gregory Thompson and a 15 year-old female accomplice abducted Brenda Blanton Lane at knife point from the parking lot of a Shelbyville Wal-Mart and forced her to drive to a remote location outside Manchester just off Short Springs Road.
There, Thompson stabbed Lane multiple times in the back and ran over Lane with her car and left the woman alone to die. Thompson’s only motive for the murder was to obtain Lane’s car.
At the time of her death, 28-year-old Brenda Lane was married and a budding journalist, having worked as a reporter and columnist for the Shelbyville Times- Gazette and, later, for United Methodist Communications in Nashville. In 1982, Lane was named the “Outstanding Young Woman of Bedford County.”
Thompson would have been the second man to be put to death in Tennessee in 40 years, but his execution date came and went.
Thompson gained national attention after 60 Minutes reported on him, claiming Thompson was schizophrenic, paranoid and delusional at the time he was supposed to be put to death.
Thompson, 52, was pronounced dead Thursday afternoon at Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville. His death is believed to be from natural causes.
Area Police Officer Charged With DUI
Sgt. Danny Mantooth of the Winchester Police Department was arrested recently by the Tennessee Highway Patrol on a DUI charge. Winchester City Administrator Beth Rhoton says that Mantooth, has been suspended without pay following his arrest on November 26 and his employment status will be determined at a later date.
Mantooth was released from the Franklin County Jail after being booked on the DUI charge on $2,500 bond.
The officer has been a policeman in Franklin County for 30 years.
HBCU CONNECT Magazine Honors Motlow
Motlow College was recently named as one of the top 50 employers of Historically Black Colleges and Universities students and graduates in the Fall/Winter edition of HBCU CONNECT Magazine.
The list includes private companies, government organizations and institutions of higher learning. Motlow was ranked No. 41 in the list of 50 organizations, with Microsoft holding the top spot and Wal-Mart ranked No. 2.
“Being recognized by HBCU is evidence of the practice Motlow employs to recruit the very best faculty and staff,” said Dr. MaryLou Apple, Motlow College president.
Other notable entries include the Department of State at No. 8, Ford Motor Company at No. 13, IBM at No. 19, Brown-Forman (the makers of Jack Daniels) at No. 24, Harvard University at No. 35, and Nationwide Insurance at No. 46.
According to the magazine, the list is compiled, “Based on our extensive relationships with faculty and staff at our nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities and the largest database of companies actively hiring students and graduates of HBCUs.”
HBCU CONNECT uses a list of criteria for organizations to be considered, including an organization’s HBCU specific outreach; conversations with the organization to learn their recruitment efforts; relationships that organizations have with HBCU or alumni; and the overall visibility of the efforts made by organizations to connect with HBCU.
The magazine adds, “Having a top 50 list is a great way to congratulate and encourage these companies to continue their efforts and to notify HBCU faculty, students and graduates about the employers putting a strong effort towards recruiting them.”
For more information about HBCU CONNECT visit their website at www.hbcuconnect.com.
Christmas Parade Is Saturday In Manchester
The annual Manchester Christmas Parade will be held one week later this year, this Saturday, December 6 at 7 p.m.
The 2014 parade will go with the theme “Christmas Candy Land.” City officials say they moved the parade from its traditional Saturday after Thanksgiving because of many request from people that are out of town during Thanksgiving week.
This year, a non-refundable entry fee of $30 must accompany the application form. The hard deadline to submit an application and entry fee is Dec. 1. Law enforcement agencies, fire departments, emergency service agencies, doctor’s offices, school sports teams, hospitals, schools, bands, emergency care, churches and government agencies may enter the parade without an entry fee. Please remember that as in years past the City of Manchester will place a float in the parade that will be carrying Santa Claus. Other floats are not permitted to have a Santa on board.
The top three floats as named by judges will receive monetary prizes; including $300 for first place, $200 for second place and $100 for third place. Judging will be based on use of theme, originality and effort, according to parade rules.
Throwing candy from moving vehicles and floats is prohibited. You may have participants walking alongside the display to pass wrapped candy to parade viewers and horses are prohibited.
Christmas Parade Grand Marshal Receives “Board of Education”
Norma Jean Wilson
Tullahoma Man Provides a Wonderful Gift
A Tullahoma man is reaching out to the Sumner County Food Bank with some help after recent burglaries.
News 2 reported Tuesday that the food bank had been burglarized twice within three days and was in desperate need of a security system with cameras.
The food bank; however, could not afford to purchase the security system since that money was needed to purchase food.
Danny Burton of Tullahoma saw the story and reached out, offering an eight camera security system to the food bank.
“I’m not rich,” Burton said. “My wife and I are not, but the fact that people are stealing from needy people and a church, I just don’t like it.”
Burton said he did not want to see the food bank forced to purchase a security system when that money could be used to buy food for Christmas. He remembered he had a home security system someone had given him, sitting in a closet. “It works, I checked it at home,” Burton said.
The Sumner County Food Bank was burglarized and thieves made off with about 800 pounds of meat according to Food Bank executive director James Gill.
Gill says the money saved on buying a camera security system will feed at least 30 families for 10 days.
