Recent survey conducted on behalf of Anheuser-Busch reveals two-thirds of parents have used the back-to-school timeframe to talk with their teens about underage drinking. An online survey also found 88 percent of those parents felt their kids were receptive to the conversation. Separately, 67 percent of parents surveyed feel they have influence on their teens’ decisions about underage drinking and their teens listen to them. Kathy Casso, vice president of corporate social responsibility says as parents, we have tremendous influence on our kids’ decisions about drinking. And, as kids are back in school, catching up with friends and experiencing...

Two stolen computers, eleven grams of cocaine, and marijuana were recovered during a traffic stop on I-24 at the 72-mile marker. The traffic stop was executed by the Tennessee Highway Patrol this past week. Arrested and charged with theft, felony possession of cocaine, possession of marijuana, and driving on a revoked license was 27-year old Courtney Skinner. The computers that were located in the trunk of Skinner’s car were apparently stolen from two separate Wal-Mart stores. One computer was said to be stolen from the Wal-Mart in Tullahoma, and the second was allegedly taken from a Wal-Mart in Springfield....

An employee of one of the Nissan suppliers was involved in an accident Tuesday at the Decherd Powertrain Assembly Plant, resulting in the loss of life. Emergency response authorities are working to confirm details. The company will provide any support needed in the investigation, and Nissan will do everything possible to support those affected in the aftermath of this heartbreaking event. Nissan officials have declined to provide further comments on what led to the death of the employee or his...

Tennessee public high school graduates improved their performance on the ACT test in 2012, earning an average score of 19.2 out of 36, up from 19.0 the year before, according to state-by-state results released by ACT this week. Tennessee is one of only nine states to mandate that all high school students take the ACT test, so statewide scores help the Tennessee Department of Education measure the state’s progress towards its goal of greater college and career readiness for all students. The percentage test-takers meeting all of the ACT’s college readiness benchmarks rose from 13 percent to 14 percent...

Health officials are urging Tennesseans to be extra careful around mosquitoes this summer. Five cases of the West Nile Virus have been reported in Tennessee, and that number could jump soon. Doctors are reporting 11,000 cases of the virus this summer; almost triple the amount usually seen at this point of the year. They say this could be due to this year’s mild winter and early spring. So how does one avoid West Nile Virus? The CDC says the most important thing is to use insect repellant such as bug spray. They also advise to wear long-sleeved shirts and...

Tuesday afternoon Coffee County Middle School PBS hosted a “Welcome to Middle School” event for sixth grade students and their parents. The sixth grade teachers and the administrative staff were on hand to meet parents and answer any questions. Everyone ate hot dogs cooked on the grill, got to know each other a little better, and learned a couple of cheers before going to the football game. This event also served as a Positive Behavior Support celebration. Students at Coffee County Middle School participate in PBS which stands for Positive Behavior Support. The premise of PBS is to set...

A new mayor and three new aldermen were sworn into office last night in Manchester. Lonnie Norman replaces Betty Superstein as mayor. Incumbent aldermen Ryan French and Roxanne Patton were also sworn in. They are joined by newcomers Russell Bryan, Tim Pauley, and Cheryl Swann. Alderman Donnie Parsley remains on the board; his seat was the only one not up for election on Aug. 2. During the meeting Mark Yother was named police chief, and Charlie Taylor was named the new fire chief. Ross Simmons, who was serving as the safety commissioner in charge of both departments, announced his...

Customers of Tullahoma’s Mike Thompson Ford have been getting an unpleasant surprise in the mail—a letter from a lawyer warning them their newly purchased vehicles are being repossessed. Several individuals have reportedly received the letters saying that the dealership owned Citizens Tri County Bank money on the cars. The bank has since promised several individuals that they would be getting an apology letter for the threat. Monday night more problems hit the car dealership as Citizens Tri County Bank repossessed the cars on the dealership’s lot and parked them in a parking lot located behind the North Jackson Street...