A fire that took the life of an Estill Springs man is under investigation by state and local authorities. According to Franklin County Sheriff’s spokesperson Sgt. Chris Guess, Ovie Sisk, 70, of Nash Lane died in an early Sunday morning fire. According to Sgt. Guess, the man’s body was found inside a bedroom of the residence. “We are trying to determine what caused the fire,” Guess stated Sunday. “It looks like it was an electrical fire.” According to the investigator, the residence was a single wide mobile home that had been added onto. Firefighters from the Estill Springs, North...

Gas prices in Tennessee remain low compared to recent years, averaging around $2.11 a gallon. It’s welcome relief to drivers at the pump, but even with the reprieve, they’re saying they still want their next car or truck to get better gas mileage. A new Consumer Federation of America survey finds car buyers still have an eye on better mileage. CFA’s director of research Dr. Mark Cooper says nearly 86 percent rank fuel efficiency as important when shopping for a new car or truck. “They say they want to get about five or six miles per gallon more, compared...

Many people know the Tennessee Promise offers free tuition to the state’s community colleges. But the money can also be used at four-year schools that offer associate degrees. WPLN-FM reports those schools are now trying hard to recruit Tennessee Promise students. Ted Brown is the president of Martin Methodist College in Pulaski. He said they fight tooth and nail to recruit students and it is hard to compete with free. But graduating high school seniors who enroll in the college’s associate degree programs are eligible for Tennessee Promise money. It won’t make Martin Methodist free, but it will pay...

Coffee County Raider Academy will host an academic orientation for all incoming freshmen in 2015-16 school year next Tuesday, March 3rd from 6-8 PM. Their academic orientation will serve as an opportunity for students and parents to receive vital registration information, tour of the building, and the Raider Academy vision. They are looking forward to having eighth grade students from both Coffee County Middle and Westwood Middle School to join them for this informational...

As the cold weather moved through the area last week there have been several deaths associated with the weather, one of those in neighboring Moore County. According to Moore County Sheriff Mark Logan, Bill Barton, 73, was found dead in his Magnolia Street residence Thursday morning. “He was using a little space heater to heat with but the temperature inside the house was 44 degrees,” the sheriff said. Logan stated that Barton had been in failing health. To try and prevent deaths the Coffee County Emergency Management Agency in conjunction with the Manchester Fire Department operated an emergency shelter...

System damage from the second ice storm to hit Duck River Electric Membership Corp. within a week was more widespread across the service territory. Line crews worked through the weekend to restore power. This time, wind gusts in the early morning hours brought down trees, branches and limbs already weakened by the weight of un-melted ice from the earlier winter storm. Daylight revealed significant damage in Maury, Marshall, Bedford and Coffee counties. All DREMC line crews were deployed. Contract crews also have been called in to assist. The breakdown of members that were out in the district at its...

The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency has confirmed 21, weather-related fatalities in the state as a result of the brutal winter weather (11 from hypothermia). Gov. Haslam elevated Tennessee to a Level II-State of Emergency due to the major impacts to infrastructure, power and roads as a result of the snow, ice and heavy rain in the state over the weekend. Fatalities • Benton County – One (1) fatality: 64-year-old female, motor vehicle accident • Hamilton County – One (1) fatality: 63-year-old male, hypothermia related • Haywood County – One (1) fatality: 40-year-old female, motor vehicle accident • Henry County...