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Historic Sewanee Landmark Damaged by Fire

Rebels Rest, on the campus of University of the South, following a fire on July 23. Photo courtesy of Sewanee Today

Fire caused heavy damage to historic Rebel’s Rest on the campus of the University of the South last Wednesday night. The blaze was reported at approximately 11:30 p.m. and the Sewanee Volunteer Fire Department arrived on the scene at 11:35. There were no injuries or damage to adjacent buildings. The cause of the fire is not yet known; but the state arson investigator is investigating the fire. Rebel’s Rest has served as a university guest house for many years, but has been closed this summer for renovations. Originally built as the family home of Major George Fairbanks in 1866, the building is the only remaining campus structure from the re-founding of the university following the Civil War. The first post-Civil War meeting of the Board of Trustees was held there in October 1866.

Senator Lamar Alexander Visits Coffee County

Lamar speaks to supporters at the Oak Restaurant in Manchester on Tuesday. Photo by Samantha Terrell-Waters

Lamar speaks to supporters at the Oak Restaurant in Manchester on Tuesday. Photo by Samantha Terrell-Watters

Lamar Alexander’s tour bus outside the Oak Restaurant in Manchester on Tuesday. Photo by Samantha Terrell-Waters

Lamar Alexander’s tour bus outside the Oak Restaurant in Manchester on Tuesday. Photo by Samantha Terrell-Watters

U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander visited Manchester on Tuesday as part of his two week “Standing up for Tennessee” Bus Tour. At the Oak Restaurant, the US Senator met with local voters over lunch as part of his 35 stop tour before Election Day. Since 2002, Lamar has served in the US Senate. During his visit to Manchester, Alexander expressed his desire for re-election in order to enact positive change in his role as Chairman of the Committee of Education, Labor, & Health.

Story and pictures by Samantha Terrell-Watters

Manchester Couple Charged with Child Abuse

A Manchester couple is being held under a bond of $100,000 in the Coffee County Jail after their arrest on child abuse charges. According to warrants, Carlena Scalf, 22, of Maple Springs Road in Manchester is charged with hitting her 3-year-old son multiple times across the face causing swelling and bruising to his face. She allegedly told Sheriff’s Deputy Nick Graham that she did it because he “cursed” her. Preston James Myers, 22, of Fern Gully Lane, Manchester is accused of striking the 3-year-old in the face with his fist. They are both to appear in Coffee County General Sessions Court Aug. 18. The child was taken into DCS custody and placed with his biological father.
Thanks to Wayne Thomas of the Tullahoma News for this story.

Fires at Two Manchester Businesses on Monday

Manchester firemen battle a blaze at Johnson’s Mulch on Monday. Photo provided by Manchester Fire Chief George DeShields

Charred shrubbery at Sleep Inn & Suites on Relco Drive. Photo provided by Manchester Fire Chief George DeShields

The Manchester Fire Department had a busy day on Monday responding to a pair of fires at local businesses.
The fire department responded alongside the Hickerson Station Volunteer Fire Department to a fire on the loading dock at Johnson’s Mulch on the Old Tullahoma Highway in Manchester on Monday morning. Crews worked together to extinguish the fire with the use of firefighting foam and heavy equipment. Damage was contained to the loading dock area. The cause of the blaze is unknown and is under investigation.
On Monday afternoon, 911 received multiple calls for smoke from a second floor room at Sleep Inn & Suites on Relco Drive in Manchester. The Manchester Fire Department responded and found a charred bush in the hotel’s landscaping. The fire was noticed by a hotel guest and a hotel employee used an extinguisher to knock the fire down. Firefighters cooled remaining hot spots and used a thermal imaging camera inside the room to check for any fire extension. The cause of the fire is believed to be improper disposal of smoking material.

State Unemployment Rates Go Up

County unemployment rates for June 2014, released last week, show the unemployment rate increased in all 95 Tennessee counties since the May survey. Overall, the state seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased from 6.4% in May to a June rate of 6.6%. The rate for Coffee County increased from 5.6% in May to 6.6% in June. Franklin County increased from 5.8% in May to 7.0% in June. Moore County saw its rate rise from 5.5% to 6.7%; Bedford County increased from 6.1% to 7.5%; Grundy County increased from 8.1% to 9.5%; while Cannon County went from 5.5% up to 6.7%. Scott County, in East Tennessee, had the highest unemployment rate in Tennessee for June at 14.2% while Lincoln County has the state’s lowest rate at 5.2%
Specific county information for June is available online at: http://www.tn.gov/labor-wfd/labor_figures/LaborJune2014.pdf.

Manchester Man Arrested on Florida Warrants

A Manchester man has been arrested on fugitive from justice charges. Steven Eric Pless Jr., 19, of Park Motel was arrested July 23 on warrants from Florida. The warrants allege that he is wanted for two counts of sexual battery and lewd or lascivious molestation.
Florida authorities notified the Coffee County Sheriff’s department that he was possibly working at a Manchester industry. Officers went to his place of employment and arrested him on the warrants from Hillsborough County, Florida.
Pless is being held in the Coffee County Jail under a $1,000,000 bond awaiting extradition to Florida.

Coffee County Middle School Open House Tonight

Tuesday marks a big day for Coffee County Schools as students return to the classroom for the 2014-2015 school year. A few of those students will get the honor of attending the recently completed Coffee County Middle School on the Woodbury Highway in Manchester which opens its doors on Tuesday. To celebrate, the Coffee County School System would like to invite the community to an Open House for the new middle school on Tuesday afternoon. The student/parent Open House will be from 4:00 to 5:45 p.m. This will be followed by a Dedication Ceremony at 6:00 p.m. in the gym for all visitors. The Community Open House will begin immediately following the dedication until 7:00 p.m. Everyone is invited to attend.

Shelbyville Man Sentenced in Child Pornography Case

A one-time youth pastor from Shelbyville has been sentenced to three years and four months in federal prison for possessing child pornography. U.S. District Judge Harry S. “Sandy” Mattice could have leveled a 20-year sentence on 38-year-old Joseph Todd Neill for downloading child pornography on his home computer.
Shelbyville police were investigating Neill on charges of statutory rape and searched his home computer, finding 72 images of minors, 32 of whom were children. Neill worked as a youth pastor at North Fork Baptist Church in Bedford County.

Two Saturday Afternoon Wrecks

Two single vehicle accidents in southern Coffee County on Saturday afternoon kept emergency crews busy.
A wreck on I-24 near mile marker 125 occurred around 4:41 PM and backed up interstate traffic for as much as 8 miles. Zhameca Hall of Nashville was driving a Ford Econoline van eastbound on I-24 with 10 passengers aboard when the vehicle had a blow out on the left rear tire of the van. The van left the roadway turning over on its side, before coming to res4t on all 4 wheels. Amazingly, the vehicle never flipped over. The van contained 7 minors, ages 1 to 1 years of age. The group was reported to be members of a Nashville dance team. Five medical choppers were dispatched to the scene to transport some of the injured to Vanderbilt and Erlanger. 5 passengers were transported to Manchester Medical Center and all passengers were listed as being in stable condition on Sunday. The accident scene was worked by members of the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Manchester Fire & Rescue, Coffee County Sher

This 2001 Ford Econoline van, carrying 11 passengers, wrecked on I-24 in Coffee County on Saturday

This Volkswagon was involved in a single car accident on Hwy 127 north of Hillsboro on Saturday

iff’s Department, Coffee County EMS, Coffee County Emergency Management Agency, Grundy County EMS and AEDC Fire & Rescue
The second accident occurred around 6:30 PM on State Highway 127 about 6 miles north of Hwy 41. According to witnesses, the driver, who was said to be traveling below the speed limit, failed to successfully negotiate a left hand curve while traveling northbound on the Hillsboro/Viola Road near Henry Cove Road. The black Volkswagen crossed the southbound lane of the roadway and ending up on its side in the ditch. The Volkswagen had 4 occupants of which 3 were removed from the scene via medical choppers. The accident is still under investigation.

Missing Manchester Woman Found Safe

The week long search for a Manchester woman came to a happy ending on Sunday. Elizabeth Brook Roberts was located and is safe in Colorado according to Roberts’ mother. Roberts, who was last seen Monday at the Harper’s Point Apartments in Murfreesboro where she worked as a leasing agent was said to have been “dropped off” in Colorado. Roberts, who was left without identification, is expected to be returned to her Manchester home no later than Monday night. Coffee County Sheriff Stave Graves confirmed that the case is now listed as closed.

Brook Roberts. Photo courtesy of Facebook

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