The holiday season in Tennessee is one of fun with friends and family, but it’s also the deadliest time on the roads because of drunk driving. Kate Ritchie, state program director with Mothers Against Drunk Driving in Tennessee, says because of the increased risk, they’re once again partnering with Nationwide Insurance for the “Tie One On For Safety” campaign. “We are asking individuals to recognize themselves as a designated driver by stopping by any of the 50 Nationwide offices in the state of Tennessee or any of the MADD offices to pick up a red ribbon and tie it...

The state fire marshal’s office is reminding Tennesseans to be careful when using different methods to heat their homes. Officials say heating equipment is a major cause of home fires. According to the Tennessee Fire Incident Reporting System, last year heating equipment was involved in 654 structure fires, which caused 12 deaths, 14 injuries and more than $9 million in property damage. Some safety tips include: Keep anything that can burn at least 3 feet away from heating equipment, like the furnace, fireplace, wood stove or portable space heater. Remember to turn portable heaters off when leaving the room...

Just after 5pm Monday afternoon 73 year-old Howard B Lambert, Jr of Manchester, TN was driving his 2004 Buick north bound on the Old Woodbury Highway in Coffee County just behind the new middle school. According to a report from Tennessee Highway Patrolman Donnie Clark, for an unknown reason, Lambert apparently veered off the right side of the road way and struck a utility pole at which time the vehicle came to rest. Lambert died as a result of the injuries he received in the accident. Along with the Tennessee Highway Patrol the Coffee County Sheriff’s Department and Coffee...

A Winchester resident has been charged with aggravated armed robbery in Tullahoma and faces similar charges in Winchester. Courtney Lamont Somerville, 30, of Eighth Avenue Winchester was arrested Saturday by Winchester Police. Tullahoma Investigator Rana Pawlowski then served him with the arrest warrants from Coffee County. Somerville was arrested by Winchester Police on the Tullahoma charges. He is accused of robbing the United Food and Gas of Tullahoma on East Carroll Street on Oct. 12. According to a store clerk, the robber entered the store wearing a black hoodie, a full face back mask and medical gloves. After entering...

When 41.3 million Americans load-up the family vehicle for a Thanksgiving road trip, they are likely to find the cheapest gasoline in five years. The national average price for a gallon of regular unleaded was $2.82 Sunday, 46 cents cheaper than the price on Thanksgiving Day 2013. The majority (89%) of Americans will drive to their destination this Thanksgiving. Of the 41.3 million road trippers nationwide 973,710 are from Tennesseans. The average round trip is forecast to be 549 miles this holiday weekend. Travelers expect to spend an average of $573, 31% of budgets will go toward gasoline expenses....

A tax credit helping many low-income working families keep more of their earnings is proving to be especially important in rural areas and small towns across Tennessee and the country, according to a new study by the Center for Rural Affairs. “The Earned Income Tax Credit was used by more people in rural and small-town, small-city areas than in big urban areas in the country,” says Jon Bailey, who conducted the nationwide analysis. The Earned Income Tax Credit has been touted as one of the most effective anti-poverty policy efforts. Bailey, the center’s rural policy director, says the higher...

A few weeks ago, those of us at Thunder Radio asked for your help in honoring our local First Responders in and around Coffee County. Your submissions honoring the First Responder Heroes in your life have been received and will be heard on air throughout this week on Thunder Radio. Plus, to see your First Responders honored all you have to do is watch the all new Thunder TV News video online at WMSRradio.com. Thanksgiving is a time to count your blessings, share joy with those you love, and honor those who protect the safety we enjoy every day....

Charges against two men for multiple thefts will be presented to the January term of the Coffee County Grand Jury. According to a report by sheriff’s investigator James Sherrill, the men are facing charges of six counts of theft of property over $1,000. On Nov. 18 a trailer was reported stolen from Noah Road. A deputy taking a report informed the investigator that the resident on Noah Road had security video of the theft of a trailer from the residence. Sherrill and Investigator Kerry Farrar went to the residence and viewed the video and made a copy of it...