The Manchester Fire & Rescue would like to invite you to participate in its 3rd annual Chili Cook-Off scheduled from 12 to 4 p.m. October 13, 2012 on the downtown square in Manchester, Tennessee. The event is open to any and all individuals or teams that have a desire to make chili and have fun! It is also a good way to promote your cooking skills or business! Last year’s event was a great success as 29 teams competed for one of three trophies and $500 cash prizes awarded. The 2011 cook-off netted over $3,700 for Manchester Fire &...

A Manchester man faces several sex related charges allegedly involving juveniles. Marvin Ray Hill, 58, of County Farm Road, Manchester has been charged with two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, three counts of solicitation of statutory rape and two counts of sexual battery. According to warrants obtained by Manchester Police Officer Ernie Colvin, a woman entered the police department and reported that her daughter was at a Manchester area motel with another juvenile drinking alcohol. Warrants allege that when the officer entered the motel room he found two 40-ounce bottles of beer, which the juveniles...

The Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) announced Monday it is aggressively seeking men and women who are interested in careers in law enforcement for a new Trooper Cadet Class slated to begin March 1, 2013. Applications will only be accepted online from today, October 3 through Wednesday, October 10, 2012 ( http://www.tn.gov/dohr/employment/applicant.shtml ). Individuals interested in applying for the position of State Trooper must be at least 21 years old, a U.S. Citizen and have a high school diploma or equivalent. No applicants with felony convictions will be considered. The selected applicants will be required to successfully pass the physical...

The Tennessee Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are investigating cases of meningitis involving 11 patients treated at one outpatient surgical center/pain management clinic in Nashville and one patient treated at a facility in another state. The form of meningitis in these patients is not transmitted from person to person and the cause for the cluster of cases is not known. Two patients related to this cluster of meningitis have died. All patients at Saint Thomas Outpatient Neurosurgery Center who had steroid injections between July 30, 2012 and September 20, 2012 have been...

Deutsch Industrial, a manufacturing facility on Airport Road in Tullahoma has announced 33 layoffs as a result of being bought out by a larger company earlier this year. The company provides plastic injection molding and assembly for electronic connectors. Officials at Deutsch could not be reached for comment, but a spokesman for TE Connectivity in Pennsylvania said his company purchased Deutsch in April and that 33 people have been affected out of a total 228, leaving 195 still employed locally. According to company officials the 33 employees were notified on the 27th, and all of them will receive severance...

The Elk River Public Utilities District will host Customer Appreciation Day on Friday, Oct. 5 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at its office, located at 217 South Jackson St. Hot dogs, baked beans, barbecue, potato salad, drinks and cookies will be served, and guests can register to win a natural gas grill and gift baskets. Tennessee One Call will also be there with lots of extras. The event is offered free and the public is...

A preliminary hearing will be held Friday for the man who was arrested last Thursday on weapons charges. Donnie Jones, 37, who is the suspect in the murder of Megan Sharpton was arrested after officers from the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department and the Tullahoma Police Department found the weapon while searching his Bel-Aire residence. According to investigators, the gun has been sent to federal Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agency for testing. Jones appeared before General Sessions Judge Tim Brock and stated that he wanted a “speedy trial” in the case. When asked if he had an attorney he stated...

County non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rates for August 2012 show the rate decreased in 90 counties, increased in two, and stayed the same in three. The state unemployment rate is seasonally adjusted while the county unemployment rates are not. Seasonal adjustment is a statistical technique that eliminates the influences of weather, holidays, the opening and closing of schools, and other recurring seasonal events from economic time series. Lincoln County has the lowest rate in the state at 5.7% and Scott County the highest at 17.5%. The August unemployment rate for Coffee County is 7.8% down from 8.1 in July. Bedford...