Category: News

The downward trend on teen birth rates in the U.S. took another step last year, falling by 10 percent to a historic low.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), with the most recent drop, the teen birth rate is now down nearly 60 percent since hitting its peak in 1991.
Stephen Emmert, chief operating officer at Planned Parenthood of Middle and East Tennessee, calls the progress amazing.
“Particularly when you compare that with 1991, I think that it shows that once again, we need to provide our young people with information and when we do, they make better decisions,” he adds.
While the teen birth rate has dropped significantly in all 50 states over the past 20-plus years, state-specific 2013 numbers for Tennessee are not yet available.
The analysis also shows progress among younger and older teens, and among all racial and ethnic groups.
Emmert says he expects that will continue as more people gain health coverage.
“One of the things we’ll see is we’ll continue to increase access to health care and information and those will help keep this number in a downward trend,” he says. “But we as a community, as a country, need to make sure that we are doing everything we can to increase that access.”
The birth rate for women in their early 20s also declined last year to a historic low, while the rates for those in their 30s and 40s increased as more women are delaying motherhood.

A car wash fundraiser to benefit the Tullahoma Animal Shelter is scheduled for Saturday, June 7, 9am – Noon at Applebee’s on North Jackson St.
All funds raised will go to the Shelter. Pets are welcome, but they must be leashed.
Help raise much needed medical funds and get your car washed for a donation to the shelter.
They also need volunteers to help. Please call Teresa Holt at 454-1768 if you would like to be a Tullahoma Animal Shelter Volunteer.

The Manchester Police Department congratulates Major Bill Sipe, who was selected to attend the Southeastern Command and Leadership Academy (SECLA) by the Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police (TACP). They selected one officer from the state of Tennessee after an application and selection process. The Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police will pay for Major Sipe’s tuition in its entirety.
The Southeastern Command and Leadership Academy is a dynamic seven week law enforcement leadership and management program designed for progressive and innovative police managers. Southeastern Command and Leadership Academy prepares mid and upper level supervisory personnel for the increased responsibility of administrative command positions by providing them with the knowledge and skills necessary for successful leadership in their agency and community.

Tullahoma Police are searching for a man who has been missing since Thursday May 22.
Roger Dale Burgess, 56, was last seen leaving Dossett Apartments without telling his daughter that he was leaving. Police say that was unusual for him to do.
Burgess was last seen wearing a red “Tap Out” shirt, blue jeans and a Duck Dynasty hat.
He is described as being 5 feet 6 inches tall, bald, brown eyes and weighing 145lbs.
Anyone with information to his whereabouts is asked to contact Tullahoma Police at 455-0530.

State highway officials say preliminary figures show five people were killed in vehicular crashes across Tennessee during the Memorial Day weekend and holiday. Tennessee Department of Safety officials say the figure is down from 10 fatalities last year during the same 78-hour period.
Officials say one of the five fatalities involved a rider on an all-terrain vehicle, and another deadly crash was alcohol-related.
Figures show the Tennessee Highway Patrol arrested 153 people on suspicion of drunk driver, and troopers cited more than 1,500 people for not wearing seatbelts. THP officials say troopers issued 1,500 speeding tickets and cited drivers 41 times for failing to move over or slow down for emergency vehicles parked on the side of the road.

All Motlow College campuses will become “tobacco-free / no-smoking” beginning July 1, 2014, college officials recently announced. Motlow has campuses in Fayetteville, McMinnville, Moore County and Smyrna.
The new tobacco-free / no-smoking campus policy restricts the use of all forms of tobacco products including, but not limited to, cigarettes, pipes, cigars, chewing tobacco and snuff, as well as smokeless electronic cigarettes and other similar devices. It does allow the use of tobacco products in private vehicles.
Motlow is joining other institutions in our community, across the state and the nation in establishing a “tobacco-free / no-smoking campus” policy that will restrict the use of all forms of tobacco on College property. Harton Hospital, Middle Tennessee State University, Tennessee Tech University, Nashville State, Jackson State, and Cleveland State are just a sample of the institutions across Tennessee that are tobacco-free.

If you want to be an arts and/or craft vendor for the 2014 41 A-Festival in Tullahoma, now is the time to complete your application.
“The spots are filling up quickly for this year’s 41-A Music and Arts Festival,” said Marketing Chairman, Hope Sartain. “You don’t want to miss out on this awesome opportunity to showcase your artwork or business to thousands of people.”
While much of the activity is about music, there are many other activities to enjoy during the festival. “This year we’ve partnered with the Highland Rim Kiwanis to help attract regional artists,” said Tullahoma Arts Council Chairman, Marion Coleman. “This is the marquis festival for Tullahoma, and we want to help them with another great year. This is just another way the Arts Council is fulfilling their mission of making Tullahoma a Regional Arts destination.”
The application covers the details you need for your booth and the rules. Cost for a booth is $60.00 for the weekend. The application can be downloaded on the home page at http://www.tullahomatn.gov.
41-A Music Acts
Canadian country-rocker Dallas Smith will headline this year’s 41A Music and Arts Festival, set for the streets of downtown Tullahoma, Sept. 26 and 27. Currently touring with Florida Georgia Line, Smith is scheduled to play on Friday, Sept. 26, following country songwriter Logan Mize, whose single “Used Up,” was recently a “Highway Find” on the popular Sirius XM satellite radio country music channel The Highway.
Classic country Johnny Collier Band, folk rocker Rob Aldridge and rock cover band Phat Tuesday, as well as return appearances from Shelbyville singer-songwriter Kacey Smith and rock party band Granny Low.
Catherine Murray’s musical tribute to Michael Jackson will also make a return performance.
“Three of the performers at 41-A played during the CMA Fan Fest,” said Sartain.
For the complete line up, go to http://www.facebook.com/41Amusicfestival-highland
Proceeds support children’s charities in the area. With donations collected in the first four years, the club has been able to contribute more than $20,000 to charities such as Tullahoma Day Care, 5Loaves4Kids, Haven of Hope and Coffee County Imagination Library.
The Highland Rim Kiwanis Club meets at noon each Thursday at Lakewood Golf and Country Club.

Tullahoma Utilities Board (TUB) announces that the installation of a public Electric Vehicle (EV) charging station is complete.
This is the only public charging station available in Tullahoma.
“We want to provide a charging station for those travelling to Tullahoma in an Electric Vehicle,” said Brian Skelton, TUB General Manager. “Electric Vehicles offer a great alternative as a zero emission vehicle.”
TUB is a Green Power Provider. The addition of this charging station affirms our dedication in protecting the environment and our support in renewable energy sources.
The EV charging station is located in the North TUB parking lot, just off North Jackson Street.
There is no charge to use the charging station; and, there is no requirement to be a member of any charging network, such as Blink or ChargePoint, to use the station.

Since 1968 the Kiwanis Club of Tullahoma has helped provide the July 4th fireworks display for the citizens of Tullahoma and surrounding area. The group did not receive enough funding for a fireworks and air show at the airport for 2014. There was one other year that a fireworks show did not occur, 2008 due to the THS football stadium being torn down.
Due to new regulations the airport was the only option for a show.
The City of Manchester will hold its annual fireworks show at the Manchester Recreation Center.
The city pays $4,500 for the fireworks show and $2,000 for entertainment at Rotary Park. The July 4th event will start with entertainment at 6 p.m. and the 20-minute fireworks show that will start at 9 p.m.
The public is invited to the annual event.

Three Tennessee state parks have been listed among the Top 100 family friendly places to boat and fish in the United States.
Paris Landing State Park, Pickwick Landing and Tims Ford were selected by Take Me Fishing, a national campaign started by the nonprofit organization Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation to encourage participation in recreational boating and fishing.
Criteria for the top places included having a public body of water within an hour of a major city and good fishing opportunities.
For more information about Tennessee State Parks, visit http://tnstateparks.com.