Grundy County grand jurors have indicted two Palmer, Tenn., men in connection with unrelated slayings in Gruetli-Laager, Tenn., according to officials. In one case, Troy E. Dent, 44, of 1274 Tatesville Road, was charged with second-degree murder in a fatal attack on another man with a ball peen hammer. Doug Birdwell, 63, was lying on the ground off Colony Road when deputies found him late in the afternoon on Oct. 5, according to Grundy County Sheriff Brent Myers. Birdwell was flown to Erlanger hospital in Chattanooga, where he died from severe brain injury, Myers said. Dent turned himself in...

County non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rates for October 2012 have been released. They show the rate decreased in 14 counties, increased in 64, and remained the same in 17. Tennessee’s unemployment rate for October decreased to 8.2 percent, down from the September revised rate of 8.3 percent. The national unemployment rate for October 2012 was 7.9 percent, 0.1 percentage point higher than the September rate of 7.8 percent. Coffee County went up slightly going from 7.3% in September to 7.4 in October. Cannon County dropped from 6.9 to 6.8. Bedford County stayed the same at 8.7%. Franklin County also remained...

A Lynchburg man is being held in the Coffee County Jail on charges of kidnapping, aggravated assault and criminal impersonation. Nicholas Deangelo Beasley, 19, of Craig St. Lynchburg was indicted by the October term of the Coffee County Grand Jury. According to indictments, Beasley is accused of placing a gun to the head of Jimmy Leroy Corrigan of Silver Street, Tullahoma and taking his wallet. Beasley was indicted for the robbery. Beasley then allegedly forced Anthony Harmon of Old Manchester Highway, Tullahoma to drive him away from the residence. For forcing Harmon to drive him away from the residence,...

The Tennessee Highway Patrol will be conducted extensive roadblocks in the area during the Thanksgiving holiday with the first ones set for Friday night here in Coffee County. This is being done in an effort to get drunk drivers off of the roadway. Be aware that the Tennessee Highway Patrol will be out in full force throughout the...

A crash occurred early Tuesday morning around 12:50 a.m. on Highway 127 in Franklin County. According to the Tennessee Highway Patrol, a pickup truck left the roadway and traveled some 400 feet through a field and came to rest against a fence and caught fire. The body was sent to the State Medical Examiner’s Office for an autopsy and to identify the body. According to Franklin County Sheriff Tim Fuller, authorities were notified of the burning vehicle by an individual who was driving by and saw the fire. Authorities had a difficulty in reaching the pickup due to its...

FOOD, FAMILY, FRIENDS AND CELEBRATIONS. It’s holiday time! But, how do our pets handle it? Some of the simple things we take part in over the holidays can often be hazardous to our pets’ health, from food to decorations. Doctor Doug Aspros, President of the American Veterinary Medical Association says, “There are ten common hazards that pet owners should be aware of at this time of year”. If you keep these at the top of mind and away from pets, everyone will enjoy the holidays free from trips to the emergency clinic. Start with table scraps, candy, tasty decorations,...

The holiday shopping season is upon us. Area police would like to take an opportunity to remind citizens and visitors of a few crime prevention and safety tips to make the shopping experience enjoyable and safe. 1. Don’t shop alone, take a friend or relative with you. 2. Take only the cash or credit cards you believe you will need. Make sure you have the information avail able to notify the bank or credit card company in the event of loss or theft. Keep cash, credit cards, and ID in a front pants pocket whenever possible. 3. Keep close...

Yesterday (Nov. 20, 2012) Manchester city officials accepted the resignation of City CFO Ester Greene. Mrs. Greene expressed her desire to resign from her post on Monday citing her lack of confidence that she “would be able to live up to this boards expectations.” The city did seek legal council on protocol before accepting the resignation. Vice Mayor French released the following statement on the matter: “The city is at a critical juncture in terms of instituting new best business practices in our finance/accounting division and we need a focus and dedication from our staff that will see us...