Category: News

In a survey conducted through the Coffee County Anti-Drug Coalition, 1,923 students participated, giving the coalition solid feedback on the real scope of the drug/alcohol related problems that exist in Coffee County.
The average “age of onset” (first use, whether it continues in addition or not) that students in our county try smoking cigarettes is 13 years old, according to information gathered through the Pacific Institute for Research & Evaluation (PIRE, 2013).
In a 2013 survey, 15 percent of our students had reported using marijuana in the past 30 days. 22 percent of students who participated in the same survey reported using illicit drugs in the past 30 days (this excludes those who abused prescription drugs). For the latter statistic, this means that in the last month over 400 students chose to use illicit drugs.
Also, 13 percent of our students in Coffee County start drinking alcohol on a regular basis at 14 or younger; of these, nearly 50 percent are very likely to become dependent on alcohol at some point in their lives. This is according to the most recent numbers available through the Coffee County Anti-Drug Coalition.
The Coffee County Anti-Drug Coalition is a local non-profit organization that receives federal funding from the Drug-Free Communities grant, among others, to conduct anti-drug and anti-alcohol abuse campaigns and initiatives in our community that will benefit its residents. The Coalition advocates for policy and community-level changes that may be necessary in reducing rates of abuse and increasing overall community health and well-being.

Yesterday (Nov. 4) was Election Day and counting early voting and Tuesday’s vote 11,705 people voted in Coffee County, that’s just over 36% of registered voters. Local voters cast ballots to approve all constitutional amendments. Coffee Countians also voted down the proposed wheel tax 80-20%. In separate city votes, citizens in Manchester and Tullahoma approved the referendums to sell wine in grocery stores.
Statewide Governor Bill Haslam and Senator Lamar Alexander return to office. Dianne Black won her congress race. All constitutional amendments were approved by voters, with the abortion amendment being the closest yes vote.
Click here for Coffee County’s vote totals

A one vehicle accident on Monday night took the life of a Manchester man. According to a report by the Tennessee Highway Patrol, 49 year-old Bruce Rayfield of Manchester was driving westbound on Belmont Road around 6:30pm. Rayfield’s vehicle a 2002 Chevrolet SUV went off the left side of the road and rolled once. Rayfield a former Coffee County High School teacher was ejected from the vehicle and died early Tuesday morning at Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga due to injuries sustained in the crash. The report states Rayfield’s seatbelt was not in use.
Rayfield’s daughter Oliva Rayfield, 11, was transported to United Regional Medical Center by Coffee County Ambulance Service for treatment of her injuries. She was wearing her seatbelt.

The national average for regular unleaded gasoline fell below $3.00 per gallon for the first time since December 22, 2010 on Saturday.
More than sixty percent of U.S. gas stations are currently selling gas lower than $3.00 a gallon, while twenty-three states currently have averages under the $3.00 mark today. Motorists in the Southeast United States are currently enjoying some of the cheapest gas prices in the country. The average price of gas in Tennessee is the 2nd lowest in the nation.
“Gas prices are still falling,” said Josh Carrasco, spokesman, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “There is still room for the price at the pump to drop in the short term. We could see prices slide another 5-15 cents by the end of the year.”
Gas prices fell 33 cents per gallon in the month of October, the steepest decline since 2008. Much of the decline can be attributed to falling crude oil prices, which accounts for two-thirds of the cost of gasoline.
The current national average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline is $2.98, down 6 cents from last week. The price at the pump fell 6 cents in Tennessee this week, where motorists are paying $2.72 on the average per gallon. The low price in Manchester is $2.62 and in Tullahoma the low price for gas is $2.63.

The arrival of November means it is American Diabetes Month. It comes as the prevalence of the disease continues to rise across Tennessee and the nation. Meghan Beasy, director of the Memphis chapter of the American Diabetes Association, says the latest numbers show 29 million Americans with diabetes, and the toll on health can be great. “It can affect your heart, your lungs, your legs,” she points out. “We see a lot of people who lose a limb, a leg or a toe to diabetes. You also have quite a bit of eyesight – eye loss.” Beasy says about 95 percent of people with diabetes have Type 2, which healthier lifestyle choices with nutrition and physical activity can help prevent. Beasy notes that even some simple, small changes with healthy eating and regular exercise can yield big results. “The idea is that you want to control the blood sugar,” she explains. “So, maintaining a good diet and a good exercise regime helps maintain that blood sugar level and keep it level, which is what you want to see.” If the current trends don’t change, it’s estimated that by 2050, 30 percent of all Americans will have diabetes.

Three workers were seriously injured in a construction accident at Shelbyville Central High School Saturday morning.
Around 10:30 a.m. they were working on a wall at the new field house when it suddenly collapsed, causing them to fall on a concrete pad.
Two workers were taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center by LifeFlight, while the other was transported to a hospital in Shelbyville.
Police and other emergency personnel who were playing in a benefit flag football game at the Shelbyville football field helped the injured men after the wall came down. Some of those who helped during the emergency were from the Coffee County Sheriff’s Department along with Tullahoma Police officers.
According to police all of the construction workers had broken bones. One suffered a broken back, broken pelvis, and three broken ribs. Another had a broken right leg and foot. Two of the workers remain in the hospital.

Inspirational speaker and author Inky Johnson recently delivered a powerful message of determination and hope when he appeared as part of Disability Awareness Month at Motlow College. Johnson, who played football for the University of Tennessee before being injured, recounted the difficulties he faced growing up in inner-city Atlanta and how those early lessons learned have helped him persevere following the injury that ended his football career.
His book, an autobiography titled, “Inky: An Amazing Story of Faith and Perseverance,” was released in 2011 and can be purchased at any major book retail or online outlet.

On Saturday, November 8th from 12-4 PM, the Coffee County Children’s Advocacy Center will be bringing back a popular community event to the newly renovated historic Manchester Square. For a number of years, the Manchester Fire Department hosted a chili cook-off to benefit local organizations, including the Children’s Advocacy Center the final year it hosted the event in 2012. All proceeds from this year’s event will go to supporting the Children’s Advocacy Center and the work that they do for children who are victims of abuse in Coffee County.
There will be three $500 prizes awarded on November 8th and the community gets to vote for two of the three winners, including the Crowd Favorite Chili and the Best Decorated booth. The third $500 prize will be the Judges’ Choice and the judges for this year’s event include Judges Brock, Jackson, Johnson and Ledsinger. Teams can be comprised of up to 5 team members and a $25 donation to the Advocacy Center serves as the entry fee. Teams are asked to make at least six gallons of chili for the event. The Advocacy Center will be accepting team entries up until November 5th. For more information, call 723-8888.
The cost to taste the chili and vote for your favorite will be $5. For $5, guests will receive a ballot and a tasting spoon to taste the chili from each team and vote for their favorite chili and decorations.