Category: News

Charter Communications Inc. said late Saturday that the company was aware of some customers experiencing Internet outages across its service area.
Charter spokeswoman Kim Haas says the company is working to restore service and says the cause is unknown. She said the issues were “intermittent across parts of our footprint.” Most Service in Coffee County was back to full capacity on Sunday afternoon.
Haas said she could not provide any further details.
Social media users posted complaints on the company’s Twitter and Facebook pages. The company did not immediately respond on either site.
Numerous calls to the company’s service number rang busy for several hours.
Stamford, Connecticut-based Charter is the fourth largest cable operator in the U.S., according to its website. It also provides phone services and serves customers in 29 states.

Troy Rogers intake photo

 

A Manchester man is free on a $70,000 bond after being arrested on sex related charges.
Troy David Rogers, 72, of Union Drive, Manchester was indicted by the August term of the Coffee County Grand Jury for two counts of aggravated sexual battery under 13 years of age.
According to the two indictments he had unlawful sexual contact with two girls under the age of 13.
The case was presented to the grand jury by sheriff’s investigator Danny Ferrell.
Rogers was booked into the Coffee County Jail Aug. 19 on the charges and was released after posting the bond.

People are reminded not to leave children or pets inside vehicles. With the temperatures in the 90s and the heat index at 100 or more, leaving them in a vehicle can lead to death. As the temperature inside a vehicle can escalate by 15 degrees in just 10 minutes and with the hot temperatures and high humidity death can come very quickly. Even if you leave the windows rolled down some, the temperatures inside a vehicle can become deadly. Please take children in the store or leave them at home with someone as it would be better than death.
Also each year, countless animals die because they are left in cars on hot days.
Doctor René Carlson, President of the American Veterinary Medical Association says, when it comes to your pet’s safety and health, every minute counts. Leaving your pet in a hot car can cause the animal to suffer a heat-stroke, a life-threatening condition.
Sally Berryman, with the Coffee County Humane Society also reminds us that we need to take care of all animals in the extreme heat even when they’re not in a hot car. They need plenty of water, food and shelter just like humans.
We also ask that you check on your elderly family members and neighbors during this time. Make sure they have water and food plus check to see they have at least a fan to keep them cooler.

Authorities say a search of Warren County High School turned up a handgun Wednesday morning while the school was on lockdown.
Warren County Director of Schools Bobby Cox said two students told Principal Jimmy Walker that they suspected another student of being in possession of a handgun. That student was immediately taken to the principal’s office, the school was placed on lockdown, and law enforcement was called.
The search turned up a 22 caliber handgun, which was inside a locked box in a locker.
A 17 year old student was taken into custody by the Warren County Sheriff’s Department.
The lockdown was lifted at around noon.

Family Dollar is rebuffing Dollar General’s takeover bid, citing antitrust issues. The discounter’s board supports its existing merger with Dollar Tree.
Family Dollar Stores Inc. Chairman and CEO Howard Levine said in a statement Thursday that its board and advisers reviewed Dollar General Corp.’s offer and determined it wasn’t reasonably likely to be completed on the terms proposed.
Dollar General declined to comment.
On Monday Dollar General – the nation’s biggest dollar-store chain – offered about $8.95 billion, or a $78.50 per share in cash, for Family Dollar. The Goodlettsville, Tennessee company said at the time that it believed it could quickly address any antitrust issues and was willing to divest up to 700 of its stores in order to get the necessary approvals.
Last month Family Dollar agreed to an $8.5 billion deal with Virginia-based Dollar Tree Inc. The transaction includes $59.60 in cash and the equivalent of $14.90 in shares of Dollar Tree for each share held. The companies valued the transaction at $74.50 per share at the time. Including debt and other costs, Family Dollar and Dollar Tree estimated the deal to be worth approximately $9.2 billion.
Dollar General operates 8 stores in Coffee County with Family Dollar and Dollar Tree both offering 2 locations.

The Tennessee Valley Authority will raise electric rates by 1.5 percent in October, marking the second consecutive year of such a rate increase.
TVA President Bill Johnson said the base rate increase is less than the rate of inflation and should cost the typical household about $1.70 more per month, or just over $20 more a year for the average residential electric user.
TVA will spend a record high $3.5 billion in new capital projects in fiscal 2015 to pay for completion of the Watts Bar Unit 2 reactor, new natural gas plants to replace the Paradise and Allen coal plants, and new scrubbers at the Gallatin Fossil Plant near Nashville, among other major projects.

AAA Travel projects 34.7 million Americans will journey 50 miles or more from home during the Labor Day holiday weekend, the highest volume for the holiday since 2008 and a 1.3 percent increase over 2013. Nearly 86 percent of travelers (29.7 million) will celebrate the holiday with a final road trip before summer comes to a close. The Labor Day holiday travel period is defined as Thursday, August 28 to Monday, September 1.
“Labor Day travel is forecast to finish the summer with a bang,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “Gas prices are down and consumer spending is up, which should help generate the most travelers for the Labor Day holiday since the record setting 45 million in 2008.”

Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam and Tennessee Department of Transportation Commissioner John Schroer on Wednesday announced Safe Routes to School funding for the City of Manchester totaling $26,900.
The City of Manchester will utilize the Safe Routes to School funds for a School Activity Plan for Westwood Elementary and Westwood Middle Schools. This award will fund educational programs and promotional activities to encourage walking and biking as a practical and healthy initiative for approximately 920 students.
Since 2005, the Safe Routes to School grants have funded improvement projects at 167 schools across Tennessee.