Billy Hix, associate professor of education and full-time faculty member, and Shannon Freeman, an adjunct professor of psychology, were awarded the 2013-2014 Motlow College Foundation’s Faculty Excellence Awards during a recent ceremony in the Clayton-Glass Library on Motlow’s Moore County campus. Nominees were selected by a committee comprised of Motlow College faculty and staff. A resident of Shelbyville, Hix has taught for over three decades. In addition to teaching at Motlow, Hix directs the STEM program, which teaches students about science, technology, engineering and math. Through this program, Hix travels to area schools to educate students about astronomy and...

  Manchester Fire and Rescue crews were busy Monday- first, crews responded to a vehicle fire at the Marathon Gas Station across from the post office. A van caught fire but was quickly extinguished before it spread past the engine compartment. Next up Fire Chief George E. DeShields says workers were spreading straw on an access road in the industrial park. The straw on the ground caught fire and spread to the back of a truck. Both Manchester Fire and Rescue & Hillsboro VFD responded and while the straw was burnt, the truck was saved. A few hours later,...

As early voting continues for the May primary another list of candidates have qualified in non-partisan elections to be held locally on August 7. Four of the seven seats on the Coffee County School Board could have been contested but only one race will have competition. Seat 4 will see incumbent Marilyn G. Morris face off against long time educator Pat Barton. Newcomer Sandra Klonaris will step into Seat 6 as Reggie Johnson decided not to run for re-election. Incumbents Brett Henley (Seat 3) and Freda Jones (Seat 2) are running unopposed. School board member serve 4-year terms. In...

An Estill Springs woman was arrested Saturday on charges of theft of property—shoplifting from Wal-Mart. Loss prevention employee Antonio Frost alleged that Jeannie K. Sons, 26, of Fairview Street in Estill Springs took T-shirts, shorts, tank tops and sleepwear totaling $181.62 in value from the store and left without paying. She was found in the parking lot. Tullahoma Officer Mickey Blanton transported Sons to the Coffee County Jail. She is scheduled to appear in Coffee County General Sessions Court May...

A Warren County woman is charged for a second time with doctor shopping for controlled substances, using TennCare benefits as payment. The Office of Inspector General (OIG) announces the arrest of 28-year old Amber L. Briggs, of McMinnville. She is charged in a Unicoi County indictment with fraudulently obtaining a controlled substance by doctor shopping for prescription drugs, using TennCare to access healthcare benefits. Briggs was arrested earlier this month after an indictment in Rutherford County charged her with two counts of doctor shopping for prescription drugs, using TennCare as payment. “Prescription drug abuse is a target of communities large...

Gas prices are beginning to stabilize after going on a streak of more than 20 days of increases. Here in Coffee County prices have stayed the same at most places. In Manchester the low price for regular unleaded is $3.43 down one-cent from last week. In Tullahoma the low price is $3.42 down two-cents “During the past week, gas price increases slowed until they finally stopped over the weekend,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, The Auto Club Group, AAA. Sunday’s national average for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline was $3.67, 3 cents more than last week. Tennessee’s average of...

Early voting in continuing in Coffee County. In Manchester you can vote early at the election commission office in the Coffee County Administrative Plaza from 8am-4:30pm Mon-Fri and Saturdays from 8:30am-Noon. In Tullahoma voting can be done at the C.D. Stamps Community Center Mon.-Fri. 9am-4:30pm and Saturdays from 9am-Noon. Early voting runs through May 1 and Election Day is May 6. If you would like to read a copy of the sample ballot that is clean and simple to read go to www.theticketradio.com and click on the election central link. The Democrat and Republican ballots are available. On that...

GOT DRUGS? The Coffee County Anti-Drug Coalition in conjunction with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) National Take Back Initiative, the Coffee County Sheriff’s Department, Manchester City Police Department and the Tullahoma City Police Department present Drug Take Back Day. Bring in your unused or expired prescription, over-the-counter, and/or veterinary medications for proper disposal. The event will be held Saturday, April 26, 2014 from10 am to 2 pm at First Vision Bank 2134 Hillsboro Blvd in Manchester and Southern Community Bank 1400 N. Jackson St. in...