Category: News

Friday September 5^th 2014 – Today marks a historic day in Coffee County broadcasting history as tonight Thunder Radio’s own Lucky Knott will deliver his 3000^th sports broadcast as the Coffee County Red Raiders take on Columbia.

Lucky began his sports broadcasting career in 1983 when he took to the airwaves in Nashville to deliver an account of a state championship basketball tournament on WEPG for the folks back home in South Pittsburg.

In addition to football Knott has provided radio and television play by play action for baseball, softball, basketball, track, wrestling, volleyball and soccer games from little league to the college level. He even did a live broadcast of a lawn mower race just to round out his repertoire.

Knott graduated from the Professional Academy of Broadcasting in Knoxville and was guided by the legendary sports broadcaster John Ward who told him many years ago “Your mouth is a paintbrush, paint the picture on the radio for your listeners” This has been a key bit of knowledge Lucky admits he has never forgotten.

We at Thunder Radio want to give a big giant congratulations to Lucky Knott on his historic achievement! Lucky, we are proud of you and are so blessed to have you on our team at Thunder Radio!!

Lucky can also be heard daily on Thunder Radios local news coverage, his own program “Straight Talk” , he is the voice of the Coffee County Red Raider football, softball and baseball teams and the Motlow College basketball broadcasts.

A Tullahoma man was arrested on aggravated assault charges on Aug. 31.
Vichael Dewayne Morristo Taylor, 30, of Picard Drive Tullahoma was arrested on the charges after Tullahoma Police found his girlfriend with strangulation marks on her neck, a bruised eye and lacerations on her knee and chest.
Police were made aware of the assault after a 911 call was routed through Franklin County Communication Center from the Decherd woman being assault at a location in Tullahoma.
Taylor was located at a residence on West Cook Street sitting in his vehicle. He allegedly had blood on his white shorts and T-shirt. There were also blood spots on the driver’s side of his car.
Officers were able to locate the girlfriend at a location on North Jackson Street. Her mother transported her to Harton Regional Medical Center for treatment of her injuries.
Taylor was booked into the Coffee County Jail but was released after posting $5,000 bond.

One thing nearly all Tennesseans can agree on is they want good health and independence as they age, and efforts are underway in the state to make sure those opportunities exist today and into the future. The Governor’s Task Force on Aging has already recommended a number of steps, and according to Charla Long, dean of the college of professional studies at Lipscomb University and a task force member, this includes an initial review of aging services in state government. “There are 17 agencies that provide 24 key services to the aging,” says Long. “That’s a lot of bounce-back, and there could be some duplication in there. We’re encouraging the governor to have his team take a look at that, and see how could we streamline that to make services for the aging more efficient.” Governor Haslam’s office says they’re currently putting the pieces in place to do a comprehensive review, but they haven’t settled an official start date yet. The review is just one of many proposals from the task force, which also included Rebecca Kelly, state director of AARP Tennessee. She says their focus is on three key areas: promoting healthy aging, creating livable communities for people of all ages, and supporting family caregivers. “A tremendous number of individuals are out there trying to provide care for people they love,” says Kelly. “Some of them are in the workforce. Some are retired. Some of them are older themselves. They really need one place they can go to find information and easily access what they need.” To succeed in supporting family caregivers and making communities more healthy and livable as the state grows older, Kelly says all sectors of the state will need to come to the table. Long shares the sentiment. “If we move towards collective impact,” explains Long, “where there is cross-sector collaboration between employers, for profit, nonprofit, faith-based organizations and the government, we really have a chance of making a significant difference in the lives and of older Tennesseans and those that care for them.” The latest figures show more than 14 percent of Tennesseans are currently over age 65. That number is expected to grow to more than 22 percent by 2020.

The latest Little Free Library has been placed in the lobby of the Tullahoma Police Department.  The Tullahoma Sunrise Rotary club has undertaken the Little Free Library project for Tullahoma and soon surroundings areas to promote reading and literacy.  It also shows teamwork with the local Literacy Council which the Sunrise Rotary sponsors.  The Literacy council sponsors a used book store and this will be the source of the books for the Little Free Library.  At this time the Sunrise Rotary has twelve (12) libraries planned and in the building phase.
The Little Free Library is a “take a book, return a book” gathering place where neighbors share their favorite literature and stories.  In its most basic form, a Little Free Library is a box full of books where anyone may stop by and pick up a book (or two) and bring back another book to share.
The addition of the Tullahoma Police Department library will provide not only books, but applications for the Literacy Council free book program. Many children come to the police department for various reasons, the books will provide a welcome and enjoyable reading opportunity.  Reading is the gateway to information, adventure, travel, and recreation.  As the Police Department sign says, “Stop, and Read”.  The Tullahoma Sunrise Rotary appreciates the Police Department’s participation in this program and encourages others to consider a Little Free Library.

A one vehicle accident took the life of a McMinnville man on Monday night in Coffee County.
Doris Rackley, age 80 was driving a 1995 Toyota pickup north at 1800 Pocahontas Road at 7:39pm when it ran off the right shoulder and struck a utility pole.
Doris Rackley was pronounced dead upon arrival.
Tennessee Highway Patrolman Sgt Larry Fraley was in charge of the accident. Rackley’s death was the 2nd roadway death in Coffee County that occurred over the Labor Day holiday weekend.

A Coffee County woman is charged with TennCare fraud for selling prescription drugs paid for by TennCare.
The Office of Inspector General (OIG), with help from officers of the Coffee County Sheriff and Manchester Police arrested Frances Faye Wise, 67 of Manchester. The charges stem from an investigation conducted by the Manchester Police Department.
Wise is charged with TennCare Fraud in connection with obtaining a prescription for the painkiller Hydrocodone, which was paid for by TennCare, and later selling a portion of the prescription for financial gain.
“The Manchester Police Department laid the groundwork for this case and asked for assistance, and that’s the kind of cooperation we’re building statewide,” Acting Inspector General Lawrence S. Saylor, Jr., said. “Local officers are usually the first point of contact with those who are committing TennCare fraud, and they want to get it off the streets as badly as we do.”
District Attorney General Craig Northcutt will prosecute. If convicted, Wise could serve up to two years for the TennCare fraud which is a Class E felony.
The OIG, which is separate from TennCare, began full operation in February 2005 and has investigated cases leading to over $3.5 million paid in restitution and recoupment to TennCare, with a total estimated cost avoidance of over $173 million for TennCare, according to latest figures. To date, 2,173 people have been charged with TennCare fraud.
Through the OIG Cash for Tips Program established by the Legislature, Tennesseans can get cash rewards for TennCare fraud tips that lead to convictions. Anyone can report suspected TennCare fraud by calling 1-800-433-3982 toll-free from anywhere in Tennessee, or log on to www.tn.gov/tnoig/ and follow the prompts that read “Report TennCare Fraud.”

Prescription drug abuse has become the biggest substance abuse problem faced by the State of Tennessee.
More people die from abusing prescription medication than they do on our state’s highways. But only one out of eight people get the help they need.
According to the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, over the past decade, substance abuse admissions for prescription drugs, like hydrocodone, oxycodone, morphine and methadone have increased 500 percent.
Officials say as of July 2012, the number of admissions for prescription drug abuse exceeded admissions for alcohol abuse for the first time in history.

Dollar General upped its bid for the rival Family Dollar chain and addressed an earlier roadblock, saying that it will more than double the number of stores it would shed to tamp down the antitrust concerns of its takeover target.
The newest bid is worth $9.1 billion, or $80 per share, up from $78.50 per share in the previous offer.
Family Dollar, based in Matthews, North Carolina, rejected the earlier bid in favor of a lesser offer of $8.5 billion from Dollar Tree Inc., saying that regulators were less likely to stand in the way.
On Tuesday Dollar General, the country’s largest dollar-store chain, said it would divest as many as 1,500 stores, well above the 700 that it had originally agreed to, in order to sidestep any anti-monopoly actions that regulators might pursue.
The Goodlettsville, Tennessee company has also said it will pay a $500 million reverse break-up fee to Family Dollar Stores Inc. if the deal hits antitrust roadblocks.
Dollar General operates 8 stores in Coffee County with Family Dollar and Dollar Tree having 2 stores each.

The energy and excitement was evident at Tuesday’s special announcement ceremony at Westwood Elementary School where students, teachers, and community members alike were told that Westwood Elementary School had been chosen out of 1889 elementary schools to be among the top 3 elementary school finalists in TN for 2014 Score Prize. SCORE stands for State Collaborative on Reforming Education. The SCORE Prize “recognizes the schools and school districts in Tennessee that are leaders in student learning.” Westwood was chosen to be among the top 3 finalist based on their past 3 years of growth and performance. The winner will be announced in October in Nashville at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center during the 4th Annual Score Prize Event. More details and a Thunder TV News Video of the ceremony will be available in the next few days.