Category: News

The average price for a gallon of gas in Tennessee is now at about $3 a gallon, but that isn’t the only way drivers are saving money at the pump. According to a new report, model year 2013 vehicles hit an all-time high for gas mileage with an average of just over 24 miles per gallon. That’s up nearly five miles per gallon over the last decade and shows automakers are continually working to improve fuel economy, says Will Toor, transportation program director with the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project. “Leading automakers really partnered with the administration and said, ‘We can do this, and we’re not going to fight it,’ and instead, are really focusing on a variety of improvements,” Toor says. As of the year 2025 in the U.S., new vehicles will be required by the Environmental Protection Agency to average 54 miles per gallon. Toor says getting better gas mileage will have a positive impact on reducing the emissions that cause climate change. “Emissions from transportation account for about a third of the greenhouse gas emissions in the United States,” says Toor. “The bulk of that is from personal vehicles.” The EPA projects the increased fuel standards will double fuel economy by 2025, cut vehicle greenhouse gas emissions by half, and save Americans $1.7 trillion at the gas pump.
The low price in Manchester is $2.88 per gallon and in Tullahoma the lowest price is also $2.88.

Tennessee needs thousands of mentors for the young people graduating from high school and enrolling in community college. The Tennessee Promise plan pays for community college tuition, but it also pairs students with a volunteer mentor to offer some guidance.
To date, more than 35,000 high school seniors are registered statewide. An important piece of Tennessee Promise is volunteer mentors.
Across Tennessee, 6,000 mentors are needed. Because this program is launching this fall, officials hope more will volunteer.
The deadline for both students and mentors to sign up is November 1st.
To become a mentor, you must be at least 21 years old and be able to devote 10 to 15 hours to a handful of high school seniors. There is also a background check.
To sign up for the Tennessee Promise as a student or a mentor, go to www.tennesseepromise.gov.

Next up in the election cycle is the November 4 General Election.
32,067 registered voters in Coffee County will have the opportunity to cast ballots either on November 4 or during early voting from October 15- 30.
The Coffee County Election Commission says a high voter turnout is possible because of the wheel tax referendum, the wine in grocery stores referendum for the cities of Tullahoma and Manchester, and four proposed amendments to the state constitution. One of those amendments is the yes/no vote on the changing of the abortion law language in the state of Tennessee.
In Manchester, early voting will be held at the Election Commission office at 1329 MacArthur Drive from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday – Friday and 8:30 a.m. to noon on Saturdays.
In Tullahoma, early voting will held at C.D. Stamps Community Center at 810 S. Jackson Street from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mon-Fri and 9 a.m. – 12 noon Saturdays. Remember proper identification is required.

Tullahoma Police are investigating two robberies that occurred over the weekend.
The first one was at the Quick Stop Mini Mart on East Lincoln Street Sunday morning and the second one was at United Food and Gas of Tullahoma on Sunday night.
At the Quick Stop the store clerk told the officer that a man with a black handgun entered the store. He put the gun to the man’s head and demanded money.
The robber was described as being around 6 feet tall, skinny build wearing a black hoodie, blue jeans, gloves and a black cloth over his face.
At United Food and Gas of Tullahoma an employee told police that a man walked into the store wearing a black hoodie, red shirt underneath, a full face black mask and blue medical gloves and a black handgun. The robber then jumped the counter and placed the gun to the employees head and grabbed her arm and pushed her into the cash register. He then demanded that she give him the money.
While police were at the store investigating, a caller reported seeing an individual matching the description of the robber in the area of Dossett Apartments. Officers went to the area but did not see anyone matching the description.
If you have any information that could help police call 455-0530.

Tennessee voters begin casting ballots Wednesday on whether to keep but modify the state’s current method of selecting appeals judges and Supreme Court justices.
Under the current system, the governor makes appointments to fill vacancies on the state’s top courts. Voters then decide whether to keep or replace them in uncontested retention elections. A proposed constitutional amendment would allow the Legislature to reject the governor’s nominees.
Opponents of the current system say the retention elections violate a provision in the Tennessee Constitution that says the judges “shall be elected by the qualified voters of the state.”
Supporters like Republican Gov. Bill Haslam call the system a way to avoid overly political judicial elections.
Observers fear that failure of the amendment would plunge the state’s judicial system in to uncertainty.
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Tennesseans will soon vote on a constitutional amendment to bar lawmakers from ever imposing a state income tax.
But regardless of what voters decide on Nov. 4, it’s unlikely that Tennessee lawmakers would seriously consider an income tax because it’s become such a toxic political issue.
The last serious attempt to impose one failed in 2002 amid raucous Capitol protests that included a brick being thrown through the window of the governor’s office and demonstrators banging on the doors of the Senate chamber while lawmakers sought to conduct their business within.
The Legislature instead passed a 1 percentage point increase to the state’s sales tax rate to generate $933 million in new revenue, which was the last time the state passed a general tax increase.

The Tennessee Economic Development Council (TEDC) has recognized Ted Hackney, executive director of the Coffee County Industrial Board, as the 2014 Fred Harris Professional of the Year.
Some of his most notable contributions include expanding local industries from 12, at the beginning of his tenure, to the 55 in operations today. His involvement in the construction of eight speculative buildings in the county has resulted in all of them being sold and occupied.
Most recently, Hackney provided leadership in the recruitment of Aspen Technologies to locate a new manufacturing facility in the Manchester Industrial Park. This automotive supplier will invest $5.1 million and create 161 new jobs over the next five years.
The award is given in Honor of Fred Harris, who became a nationally recognized economic development professional during his tenure at the Nashville Chamber. Recipients of the award must be nominated by their peers and selected by a committee of TEDC past presidents from the field of nominees.

A special benefit dinner will be held for Manchester resident Lori Flowers on Saturday night Oct. 18 from 5pm-8pm. She is fighting stage 4 breast cancer again. Lori is the mother of Senior Red Raider football player, Justin Flowers.
The Spaghetti dinner will include salad, bread, dessert, and drink. To go plates will be available. Over 75 awesome silent auction items will be up for bid. Spaghetti dinner tickets are $10 each.
The event will be held at the Raider Academy in Manchester and everyone is invited to help the Flowers family.

The mayor of Normandy was charged with DUI last Friday, Oct 3 in Coffee County, according to a court document.
Larry Nee Jr., 62, of Poplar Street in Normandy was stopped by a Coffee County deputy on Riley Creek Road, said an affidavit filed in Coffee County General Sessions Court.
Nee admitted having consumed alcohol and failed five field sobriety tests, the affidavit filed by Deputy Eric Clem said. He submitted to a blood/alcohol test at United Regional Medical Center in Manchester; results are pending.
Nee chose not to run for re-election after 12 years as mayor but is a candidate for alderman in the November general election. (Shelbyville Times-Gazette)