Category: News

The Manchester Police Department is proud to announce that Officer Landon Pence will be the new D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) Officer. Officer Pence graduated from D.A.R.E. training Friday afternoon. Pence will be working with the Manchester city school system to implement this program.
The new D.A.R.E program will begin when school starts back up for 2014-15 school term.
Starting in 5th grade, elementary students are given lessons to act in their own best interest when facing high-risk, low-gain choices and to resist peer pressure and other influences in making their personal choices regarding: Tobacco Smoking, Tobacco advertising, Drug Abuse, Inhalants, alcohol consumption and health, and Peer Pressure in a Social Network.

Tennessee Housing Development Agency (THDA) is allocating $15.25 million of HOME funding to cities and counties across the state for homeowner rehabilitation projects and supportive housing rental projects.
The federally funded HOME program promotes preservation and rehabilitation of housing for households of low income. THDA awarded a total of $15.25 million in HOME funding to over 50 cities, counties, and non-profit agencies in Tennessee. The funds will provide supportive housing development, homeowner repairs and down payment assistance to more than 450 households of low income. The local governments and non-profit agencies will post information regarding timing and procedures for individuals who wish to apply for assistance.
Tennessee Housing Development Agency (THDA) is allocating $375,000 of HOME funding to the City of Tullahoma for homeowner rehabilitation projects. Tullahoma will use the funding to assist approximately 12 households with repairs.

WWII Vet William Keesee floats over Tullahoma in recent jump.. Photos by Samantha Watters

Thunder Radio wants to Salute our Troops this Summer, but we need your help. Tell us about that special troop in your life so we can properly salute them this July.

Family and friends who came out in support of Mr. Keesee’s Birthday Jump.

In honor of Salute our Troops this year, we decided to Salute WWII Navy Seaman 1st Class William Keesee on Thunder TV this week. Mr. Keesee born on June 3rd, 1925 served in the military from 1943-1946. In honor of his 89th birthday recently, Mr. Keesee decided to tandem jump out of an airplane at the Tullahoma Airport. After his 14,000 feet jump, Mr. Keesee said that it was like floating in the air. It was beautiful. At this time Thunder Radio would like to Salute William Keesee and thank him for his service. Remember to Salute your Troops by logging onto Thunder Radio’s Facebook Page and Messaging us a Picture and Story. All submissions must be received by Friday, June 27th. To see Mr. Keesee’s Jump, watch Thunder TV’s news video online at WMSRRadio.com. If you would like to see any of our previous Thunder TV News videos check out our Youtube Channel: WMSRradio.

The animal-rights group PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) has sent a letter to Coffee County Sheriff Steve Graves regarding 37 year-old Gregory Scott Hale.
Hale is the man accused of killing, dismembering and cannibalizing the body of 36 year old Lisa Marie Hyder.
Part of the statement reads:
When police arrested Gregory Scott Hale, the reported Satan worshipper confessed to killing, dismembering and cannibalizing the body of 36-year-old Lisa Marie Hyder. PETA wrote a letter to Coffee County Sheriff Steve Graves, asking him to place Hale, who is now in Coffee County Jail, on an all-vegan diet. PETA points out that the violent acts for which Hale has been accused are acts that are commonly inflicted upon billions of farmed animals in the U.S. each year. Stressing the link between cruelty to animals and other violent crimes, PETA asserts that in addition to being healthy, cost-efficient, and easy to prepare, vegan meals promote non-violence.
Several correctional facilities have seen vegetarian diets help improve inmate behavior when used as part of a violence-reduction program.
Switching to vegan meals will at least keep the blood off this man’s plate,’ says PETA’s Associate Director. ‘PETA is offering to help Sherriff Graves save lives and public funds by switching prisoners, especially violent ones, to a humane and cost-effective vegan menu. (News source Newschannel 9 Chattanooga)

Cooling fountain at Bonnaroo

Lionel Richie on stage at Bonnaroo in Manchester during Saturday night’s performance.

Six years ago, back in 2008, Kanye West appeared six hours late for his performance at Bonnaroo. In the middle of his act he was basically booed off stage by the fans, which prompted Kanye to aggressively attack the press, Bonnaroo organizers and the crowd for weeks following the show. Friday night he was back and several Bonnaroovians in Manchester were not happy with West and his foul-language rants and comparing himself to John Lennon, Jimi Hendrix and Jim Morrison, calling himself the biggest rock star in the world. As some fans booed his wife Kim Kardashian cheered him on back stage, many people in attendance were asking why Bonnaroo organizers would have him return after the debacle in 2008. A certain number of those watching walked away from the main stage area where West performed. One Manchester resident said his goats sound better. The fans that stayed behind said they enjoyed his performance and that he redeemed himself. On Saturday night those in attendance were excited to see the legendary Lionel Richie. Words used to describe his performance; epic, amazing, fantastic and Lionel is “Rockin the House” at Bonnaroo. Fans were extremely pleased with show Richie put on. Jack White was up next to play the main stage. White is ranked No. 17 on Rolling Stone’s list of “The 100 Greatest Guitarists. Elton John the man who has sold more than 300 million records, making him one of the best-selling music artists in the worldclosed out the 13th Annual Bonnaroo on Sunday night. 20 years ago John was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and is now a part of storied history of Bonnaroo.

Visitors to Tennessee Department of Health facilities across the state including Manchester and Tullahoma will see a prominently-displayed public health advisory on electronic cigarettes and other electronic nicotine delivery systems. The advisory, originally posted to the TDH website earlier this year, cautions about using the devices or being exposed to secondhand emissions. Electronic cigarettes may emit a variety of chemicals. Most of these emissions have nicotine as a base ingredient, a highly addictive substance that can raise heart rate and blood pressure and damage coronary arteries. Currently there is no government regulation of how much nicotine, or any other unknown chemicals, a manufacturer may put in each electronic cigarette. A growing number of countries have either banned or restricted their use due to possible health risks both for users and for those exposed to second-hand emissions. Since TDH issued the advisory in February, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has proposed rules calling for regulation of electronic nicotine devices, including health warnings similar to those required for conventional tobacco cigarettes.

Health officials in Tennessee say they are investigating what could be a new mosquito-borne virus in the state. The Tennessee Department of Health said the state may have its first cases of the chikungunya virus, which is painful but not usually fatal. Officials said those exhibiting symptoms recently traveled to the Caribbean, where the disease has reached an epidemic state. Symptoms, including a high fever, nausea and joint pain, can be severe. State Health Department officials say anyone exhibiting symptoms should limit their exposure to mosquitoes because the insects can pick up the virus from an infected person and spread it.

A recent government study indicates American teenagers are smoking less, drinking less and fighting less. But they’re texting behind the wheel and spending a lot of time on video games and computers. The results come from a study of 13,000 U.S. high school students last spring. Highlights indicate fewer than 16 percent of the teens smoked in the previous month. But over 23 percent said they had used marijuana in the previous month. About 35 percent said they had consumed alcohol in the previous month, down from 39 percent in 2011. Among teen drivers, 41 percent said they had texted or emailed behind the wheel in the previous month.

They’re back! Thousands of music lovers are on “The Farm” for fun-filled days of music, food, art and much more known as the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Manchester.
If you are going please be very aware of the extreme muddy conditions inside the grounds and don’t forget the sunscreen.
Tonight the headline entertainer will be Kanye West, Saturday night Jack White will be the featured artist and Elton John will close the 13th annual Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival on Sunday night at 9:30pm.
Thousands of Bonnaroo goers are passing through the area. In fact, the gates opened on Wednesday afternoon. Our news partner WGNS talked to some people headed to Bonnaroo about who they are here to see? They said Elton John, Jack White, Deafheaven and others. They were also ask how safe is Bonnaroo? They said one of safest you can go to. The concert goers also said drug use is heavy.
According to figures released by the Coffee County Circuit Court Clerk’s office, Bonnaroo fines collected in Coffee County for 2013 were $621,127.75.

George Dickel Distillery in Tullahoma

Global liquor giant Diageo is arguing in federal court that its George Dickel distillery in Tullahoma could have faced shutdown because of a Tennessee law requiring locally made whiskey to be stored in the state.
Dickel is suing to halt the Tennessee storage statute, claiming it violates interstate commerce protections.
In March, the state’s chief alcohol regulator raised concerns that Dickel had shipped unaged bourbon and wheat whiskey from Tullahoma to Kentucky.
Dickel master distiller John Lunn testified Tuesday that Dickel had sent 16,000 barrels of whiskey to Kentucky between 2009 and 2013 because its warehouse was full. Lunn said the company may have been forced to idle the distillery and lay off up to 25 workers if it hadn’t shipped the whiskey.
Dickel later built an additional warehouse.