The body of Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Randall Smith who was the last to die from the tragic shooting in Chattanooga, was flown to Nashville Friday evening, where a procession followed. That procession was met by people waving American flags from the time Smith landed to when he got home. In Manchester, hundreds lined the interstate overpasses waving American flags, shouting USA and some people became overwhelmed by the moment and began to cry. The funeral for Smith was held Saturday in his hometown in Georgia. Smith leaves behind a wife and three young daughters, but he didn’t...

After four marines and one sailor were killed in Chattanooga last week, the Manchester Police Department and city personnel volunteered to line the interior of their Army recruiting center in the city with dozens of sandbags on Wednesday. 15 volunteers worked to place the sandbags inside the center so they could possibly absorb ammunition in the event of an attack in Manchester. “It’s personal for us to protect these guys and help them the best that we can,” Assistant Cheif Adan Floied said. Manchester PD, along with the Manchester Street Department, rallied together, filled sandbags and delivered them (approx...

A Cookeville woman suffered minor injuries when the car she was driving rear-ended a tractor trailer. It happened Wednesday morning on Highway 55 near Morrison. According to the Tennessee Highway Patrol, 27 year old Heather Renner was driving eastbound on Highway 55 in a 2012 Nissan Altima when she was momentarily distracted and ran into the back of a flat-bed trailer. The tractor trailer was driven by 36 year old Mark Hale of McMinnville. Renner suffered minor injuries and was treated at Unity Medical Center in Manchester and...

The year 2014 represents the best year of job growth in the nation since 1999, but that upturn is skipping over thousands of Tennessee families, according to a report released this week by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. According to the 2015 Kids Count Data Book, more than 390,000 children in the Volunteer State are living in poverty and 85,000 lack health insurance. Linda O’Neal, executive director of the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth, said efforts to improve the lives of children all add up to a bigger picture. “For Tennessee children, today and in the coming months...

The staff at the Tullahoma Parks and Recreation Department and the Board of Mayor and Aldermen are pleased to invite the public to the ribbon cutting and open house for the new Splash Island and indoor pool. The ribbon cutting will be held on Monday, July 27 from 4:30 pm to 5:15 pm. Visitors are asked to enter through DW Wilson, tour the new indoor pool and exit on to the new deck of Splash Island. The Island Snack shack will provide samples of their new menu. “This is a great time for people to stop by and see...

On Tuesday, Daniel James Williams age 29 of Murfreesboro was the operator of a vehicle that was involved in a property damage accident on eastbound near the 100-mile marker of Interstate 24 in Coffee County. In a warrant, Williams is said to have admitted to a Coffee County deputy to injecting oxycodone. The warrant also says the man appeared to be under the influence of drugs, as his speech was sluggish, he was unsteady on his feet and he was jittery. The warrant indicates that five field sobriety tests were administered with the subject allegedly performing unsatisfactorily on four...

A task force appointed by Gov. Bill Haslam to look at prison sentencing is considering recommendations for longer prison terms. The Tennessean reports the enhanced penalties under consideration would boost the prison population in Tennessee by 4 percent over a five-year period, according to a report by Vera Institute of Justice that the newspaper has obtained. Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security communications director Jennifer Donnals says the governor’s task force has been at work for a year and could reveal its recommendations as early as next...

It’s been a stormy summer in recent weeks in parts of Tennessee, with storms causing thousands of dollars in property damage. With many consumers expected to file claims with their insurers to cover the damage, the state wants to make sure people understand the best way to do that and how to protect themselves from scammers trying to make a quick buck. Kevin Walters, a spokesman for the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance (TDCI), says the first thing to remember is to act quickly. “The most important thing that consumers can do is file their claim as soon...