Category: News

Registration for new students who will be enrolling at Coffee County Central High School (grades 10-12) will be held on July 21-23 between the hours of 8:00 – 11:00 a.m. and 12:00- 2:30 p.m.

The following documents are required for enrollment:

1.    Two proofs of legal birth name (Ex. Birth Certificate and Social Security).

2.    Proof of Immunization on a Tennessee School Entry Immunization Form.

3.    Proof of Legal Custodial Guardian, if parents are divorced.

4.    Copy of a current physical, if the student is enrolling for the first time in a Tennessee school.

5.    Two documents that verify proof of residence in the school zone for a Coffee County School.

6.   Final report card from previous school

For more information, call (931) 723-5163.

In other school news for the Coffee County school system; they are pleased to announce Open House for the new Coffee County Middle School, Tuesday, July 29. The student/parent Open House will be 4:00 to 5:45 p.m. The Dedication Ceremony will begin 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. The new school is located on Highway 53, Woodbury Highway.

As we reported to you yesterday counterfeit money is making its way around the area. In recent weeks several businesses have been the victim of counterfeit money passed for purchases.
In years past, the counterfeit money passed has been $100 bills but several of the bills being passed now have been $5 and $10 dominations. There have been a few $20s and $100 bills passed but most have been smaller ones.
Tullahoma Police Chief Paul Blackwell on Monday told the Tullahoma News, “Any person that is in the business of money exchange such as stores or street vendors should practice some basic precautions.” Businesses aren’t the only ones being hit by the fake money. Recently, an individual selling vegetables from a stand had a counterfeit bill passed to make a purchase. The person did use a marking pen to check the bill but it was after the person passing it left and it was too late.
The chief noted that businesses should check to see if the bill feels like other bills. He stated that businesses should check both sides of the bill and see if they look right.
Manchester Police Chief Investigator Billy Butler stated that officers have also seen several counterfeit bills passed in Manchester.
The fake bills are usually turned over to the United States Secret Service who maintains a file of the bills. The agency also investigates the passing of the bills. They have made arrest in the past of those passing the counterfeit money.

 

A woman who operates an electronic cigarette business in Manchester was arrested after turning herself in at the Coffee County Jail on Monday night.
Jamie Catherine Mason, 30, of Hillsboro Boulevard is charged with storage of liquor for sale, possession of schedule VI and possession of drug paraphernalia. She was booked into the Coffee County Jail Monday night under a $5,000 bond and was released after posting the bond.
Manchester Police conducted a search warrant at the All Things E-Cig located on the Hillsboro Boulevard on May 30.
According to Manchester Police Chief Investigator Billy Butler, police seized the liquor from the business.
Police went to her residence on Morton’s Lake Road and there allegedly found 13 grams of a green plant believed to be marijuana, a grinder and a pipe with residue in it.
Police stated that a citation was issued, but now say no citation was distributed. We are clarifying that portion of the information we originally reported on June 4.
Mason is scheduled to appear in Coffee County General Sessions Court Aug. 12.

On Monday July 14th Franklin County Sheriff’s Office investigators seized one-hundred and ten marijuana plants. Information obtained through the course of an investigation led to investigators searching a wooded area adjacent to Jump-Off Road in the Sewanee area of Franklin County. As a result of their search, beginning at 9:00am and lasting to approximately 2:00pm, investigators were able to eradicate 110 marijuana plants averaging 4 feet in height with an approximate street value of $110,000 dollars. There is an ongoing investigation concerning this matter and further information will be released as deemed pertinent and necessary.

From days at the beach to afternoons out biking and hiking, people across Tennessee are eagerly soaking up the sunshine.
But doctors warn that sun lovers need to take steps to protect themselves from the most common form of cancer.
Dr. Wei-Wei Huang is a dermatologist who says many people still think of skin cancer as a mere inconvenience that requires removal.
But she calls that a dangerous underestimation of the disease.
“Melanoma can be deadly,” she stresses. “If you don’t take care of that, it can grow in your lymph nodes and can be all over your body, and people do die from that.”
Huang recommends hats, sunglasses and sunscreen as some simple ways to protect against the various forms of skin cancer.
Since early detection is key for successful treatment, Huang says people should regularly check for any suspicious moles, lesions or changes in their skin.
She explains that different forms of skin cancer appear in different ways, from a red, pimple-like bump to a dark, irregular-shaped mole.
She recommends using the ABCDE rule to look for irregularities.
“A is asymmetry, B is a border – not smooth border, but jagged border,” she explains. “C is color – so, the color is not evenly distributed, usually it is very dark.
“D is the diameter, usually we say more than six-millimeter diameter. And E is evolution, if a mole starts to change.”
More than 3.5 million cases of basal and squamous cell skin cancer are diagnosed in the U.S. each year, along with 75,000 cases of melanoma, which is the most serious type of skin cancer.

United Regional Medical Center (“URMC”) and Medical Center of Manchester (“MCM”) are taking the first steps towards a potential combination of the two hospitals. URMC plans to file an application for a Certificate of Need (“CON”) with the Tennessee Health Services Development Agency next month. The application sets forth a plan for the two hospitals to combine and operate a single hospital on Interstate Drive. Most medical operations at URMC’s existing McArthur Drive location would be discontinued.
In its application, URMC seeks regulatory approval to relocate to MCM’s campus on Interstate Drive and to close one of the two emergency rooms. Under Tennessee law, a hospital cannot move or shut down an emergency room without state approval. URMC’s filing cites the need for the two hospitals located only two miles apart to combine operations to create a stronger health care facility that can afford to invest in state-of-the-art equipment and recruit more primary care physicians to the area. The application also provides details of a financial transaction in which the ownership groups of the two hospitals would be combined.
An investor group led by Dr. Wendell McAbee and Ashoke “Bappa” Mukherji purchased Coffee Medical Center from Coffee County twelve years ago and renamed it to United Regional Medical Center. “When we bought the hospital, it was always our plan to expand services and modernize the facility,” explained Dr. McAbee. He continued, “We were able to dramatically increase the services offered, but have been unable to do much with the physical plant itself. The planned combination is the best way to develop a first class healthcare facility for the citizens of Manchester.” J. Stanley Rogers, President of MCM, commented: “Putting these two hospitals together is long overdue. This is a wonderful way to unite our medical community and bring additional services to Manchester.” Rogers and his partners built MCM thirty years ago.
Mr. Mukherji, who would oversee the integration of the two facilities, stated: “The application is an exciting and important first step, but nothing is finalized yet. The management teams of both hospitals have worked together to develop a strong operating plan and we hope to get a quick approval and move forward.” Martha McCormick, Chief Executive Officer of URMC, added: “We view a consolidation as the best way to improve the quality of health care in Manchester. We hope that the community gets as excited as we are about what we are trying to do.” Bobby Couch, Chief Executive Officer of MCM, stated: “We want to bring everyone together to get behind this project, not just the medical community. As Manchester continues to grow, we want to make sure that we have a medical center that can grow along with it.”
After URMC files the application for the CON, the HSDA will schedule a public hearing to hear debate from interested parties and the public. At previous meetings, members of the HSDA have expressed a desire to see the two facilities combine, if possible. URMC has requested an expedited hearing, but in any event the hearing should be scheduled within sixty to ninety days. If the CON is approved, the companies would then have to file additional notices with various other governmental agencies including Medicare.

A Freeman Street Tullahoma woman reported to police on July 11 that her boyfriend went to Wal-Mart and cashed his check. He then gave Tabitha Harris the money. She stated that she went the next day to buy gas and was told that the $100 was counterfeit. She then took the bill back to the store. She was to meet with loss prevention of the store. She says that she wants the store to make the bill good, but so far she has not heard from the store.
A police report by Officer Bob Looney says that Wal-Mart asked for a police report, Harris says that she asked for a police report be made.
Other police departments in the area are also reporting counterfeit bills are showing up at various businesses.

An allegedly-intoxicated driver clocked at 101 mph early Thursday told police he was speeding because his wife wanted him home soon.
Tony Leneal Brown, 40, of West Lane Street was stopped on North Main Street at the bypass at 3:49 a.m. Thursday, Officer David Dye’s report said. The speed limit in the area is 50 mph.
Brown allegedly told Dye his wife expected him home before 4 a.m. He said he had consumed one beer before 7 p.m. Wednesday, police said.
After failing field intoxication tests, Brown was charged with DUI, speeding and second offense driving on a suspended license.
(Thanks Shelbyville Times Gazette)