Category: News

The Centers for Disease Control confirmed two cases of enterovirus D68 in Tennessee on Wednesday.
According to the Tennessee Department of Health, one patient lives in west Tennessee and the other in east Tennessee.
Both are young children who were hospitalized for their illnesses but have since been released and are at home doing well.
Enterovirus D68 is one of more than 60 types of enterovirus that causes cold-like symptoms.
The Tennessee Department of Health said some 10 to 15 million infections occur annually in the United States, with most occurring during the summer and fall when children return to school.
Infants, children and teenagers are more likely to contract an enterovirus than are adults. Most of the infections are mild but in some cases may lead to hospitalization.

As the number of people who fall victim to identity theft and fraud continues to soar, Tennesseans are being urged to take steps to protect themselves. One way residents can get details on the latest cons and how to prevent being scammed is at a forum in Knoxville. Among the panelists will be police chief David Rausch, along with American Association of Retired Persons volunteer Fred Fields, an attorney who says seniors are often primary targets. “This is the base bottom line,” Fields says. “If somebody wants to know anything from your birth date to your Social Security Number, to your credit card number, don’t answer those questions on the phone or internet. You’re going to be subjecting yourself to a possible scam.” The panel discussion in Knoxville is free for people of all ages, and will be held at the McClung Museum of Natural History and Culture. October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month. More information on the event is on the AARP Tennessee website. Fields says online is also where people can find details on a resource called the Fraud Watch Network. “You can go onto the Internet, put in ‘fraudwatchnetwork.org’ and it will pop up and give you real-time alerts about the latest scams, tips on how to spot them, and help you if you or someone you know has been victimized,” says Fields. Staying up-to-date is vital, according to Fields, especially with the massive data breaches over the past year at places like Target, Home Depot and JP Morgan Chase. Last year alone in the U.S., total losses from identify theft totaled about $18 billion, with a new victim every two seconds.

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.

Back in September, 2012 Potrillo Mexican restaurant located in the shopping center next to Wal-Mart in Manchester was a burglary victim.
At the time Manchester officers reported thieves cut a hole in the back of Potrillos. Once inside the business they took an undisclosed amount of money before leaving.
On Wednesday Manchester Police Investigator Jackie Matheny was proud to announce the case has been closed. Matheny says that Howard Wiley age 47 of Georgia was charged with the crime. He said they knew Wiley had committed the crime about 15 days after it occurred. During that time Wiley was convicted of another crime and was sentenced to two years in the Coffee County Jail. Wiley admitted to the burglary but had to serve the two years first before facing the restaurant break-in.
Wiley worked out a plea deal on the charges of burglary and theft of between $1,000-$10,000. He received of sentence of time served and had to return the money in the amount of $9,989 and will now face charges in Georgia from another crime.
On Thursday Investigator Matheny will return the money to the Potrillo Mexican restaurant owner.

On Monday of this week Keith Neal, a local contractor, reported that several power tools, air tools and various other equipment had been stolen from a job site on Wilson Avenue in Tullahoma. Investigator James Sherrill with the Coffee County Sheriff’s Department received information that some of the stolen items were located at a residence on Millers Crossroads in Hillsboro, TN. Tullahoma Police Department Investigator, Harry Conway, along with Sherrill went to the Hillsboro residence and did in fact find the majority of the missing items, which were later identified by the owner, Keith Neal. After assistance from the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department in locating a suspect, two individuals were charged for their involvement in the theft of the equipment. Thirty-five year-old, Donald Cribari, of 224 Riva Lake Rd. Winchester, TN and his 33 year-old brother, Robert Cribari of 2342 Millers Crossroads in Hillsboro, TN. Both have been charged by Tullahoma Investigator Conway, with Theft of Property over $1,000.00, a Class D Felony. At this time both suspects are being held in the Coffee County Jail, each under a $10,000.00 bond and are scheduled to appear in Coffee County General Sessions Court on Thursday, October 9th in Manchester, TN.

The issue of domestic violence has garnered a great deal of national attention. Domestic violence is a major problem in all communities and it crosses all socioeconomic, racial, and gender boundaries. October was first recognized as Domestic Violence month in 1987. Since that time many changes have occurred in the investigation, enforcement, and attitudes related to domestic violence incidents. The days of calming an argument, sending those involved to separate locations, and giving a stern warning that continued problems would result in someone going to jail, have long since gone and been replaced with an aggressive response to domestic violence incidents. Police officers, upon identifying a primary aggressor, will effect an arrest and deliver the alleged offender to the county jail.
The county will impose a mandatory waiting period prior to providing an ability to bond out.
Additionally, the responding officers are required to provide a victim of domestic violence with the opportunity to go to a safe haven; understand their access to orders of protection; and provide contact information for domestic violence resources. According to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s annual crime reports, domestic violence accounts for about 50% of crimes against persons. In the last three recent years (2011 – 2013) the TBI report reflected that between 51 and 52 percent of reported offenses are domestic related. In Tullahoma, the percentage closely follows the state average.
In the same period, Tullahoma police reported incidents that were domestic related in 51.2% (2013), 54.5% (2012), and 51.7% (2011) of crimes against persons. Over the course of a year, approximately
77% of the time, 3 out of 4 days a domestic violence arrest is made by Tullahoma Police. Victims of domestic violence, or people living in an abusive environment need not tolerate it. Any person in the area having questions about domestic violence resources can contact the Haven of Hope at (931) 680-3011, 1-800-435-7739, or your local law enforcement at (931) 455-0530, in Manchester call 728-2099. Any person needing law enforcement response should call the non-emergency dispatch number at (931) 455-3411, or 911 in the event of an emergency. Again in Manchester call 728-2099 or 911.

The Division of Forestry is reminding landowners in Coffee County that if you intend to do any outdoor burning, you are required by state law to obtain a burning permit. The permits issued by the Forestry Division are for the sole purpose of burning untreated wood waste or woody vegetation such as branches, leaves and brush. No permits will be issued for the burning of any man-made products like vinyl siding, shingles, cardboard, painted wood, paper or old clothes.
Burning permits can be obtained by calling (877) 731-2221 if you live in Coffee County. If you plan to burn on weekends, call on Friday for your permit.

The Arnold Community Council, a community support group for Arnold Engineering Development Complex, will host its annual dinner on Thursday, Oct. 23, at the Manchester-Coffee County Conference Center.
The social begins at 5:30 p.m. with dinner at 6 p.m. and the official program at 7 p.m.
The guest speaker will be Gov. Bill Haslam who announced the “Tennessee Promise” program this year that gives graduating high school seniors a chance to attend a two-year state-supported college or technical school tuition free.
The annual dinner is the council’s only fundraiser and the money raised is used to support and promote AEDC.
Anyone interested in attending the council event are invited to purchase table sponsorships at $700 for gold and $350 for silver. Individual seats are $75 per person. Companies and organizations who sponsor at the gold level will receive 10 seats at the event at a reserved table with the sponsor name; 10 council memberships for one year and recognition in the program, in the dinner slide show and on the ACC website.

Drivers across the United States paid the lowest September gas prices since 2010. The national average was $3.39 per gallon, which was about 13 cents less than last year and 44 cents cheaper than 2012. Today’s national average is $3.27.
Throughout September, the average price in Tennessee was $3.17, which was 56 cents less than last year and 47 cents cheaper than 2012. Tennessee’s average today is $3.07.
“Gas prices typically slide in September as the busy driving season ends and because many stations begin selling less costly winter-blend gasoline on September 16,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “Gas prices generally have been less expensive than in recent years due to the dramatic boom in North American petroleum production.
The low price per gallon in Manchester is $2.99 and in Tullahoma it’s $2.98.

Republican Gov. Bill Haslam is questioning why Tennessee’s unemployment rate remains well above the national level.
The most recent national unemployment rate released Friday was 5.9 percent – the lowest level since July 2008, in the middle of the Great Recession. Meanwhile, Tennessee’s jobless rate was 7.4 percent in August.
Haslam says Tennessee is among the top states adding new jobs and that the state is not adding a large number of new claims for unemployment benefits. That’s why the governor says “it’s a little hard to understand” why Tennessee has been unable to whittle away at the unemployment rate.
Haslam says he has asked some economists to look into the statistics to see if they can find an explanation for Tennessee’s high unemployment rate.