Thursday night (July 13, 2012) the Manchester Political Forum was held at Coffee Co. High School. The event was sponsored by Thunder Radio and the Manchester Times. The event gave the citizens of Manchester a chance to hear from candidates about issues that concern them. Questions were submitted by listeners and readers that were read by the moderators. Aldermanic candidates that attended last night were Ryan French, Mark Messick, Joshua Jackson Moore, Brent Bates, Michelle Simmons and Gary Trail. All mayoral candidates were at last night’s event: Betty Superstein, Lonnie Norman, Claude Morse and Stella McWhorter. Alderman candidates Donnie...

Early voting starts today (Friday July 13, 2012) and continues through July 28. Those voting in Manchester can do so at the Coffee County Election Commission office.  Those who want to vote in Tullahoma can vote at C D Stamps Center. Saturday hours are 8:30 to noon in Manchester and 9 to noon in Tullahoma.  Weekday hours are 8 to 4:30  in Manchester and 9 to 4:30 at C D Stamps Center. Don’t foget to bring a your photo...

As investigators from the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department and the TBI continue to investigate the murder of 24-year-old Megan Sharpton, her family is establishing a reward for the arrest of the person or persons who killed her. Meagan’s sister, Leah Sharpton, says a benefit car wash is planned for this weekend.  Auto Pride number two (located between A-1 Pawn and Lyndsey’s Boutique on Jackson Street) will host the fundraiser Saturday from 10:00 – 2:00.  T-shirts will also be sold.  All money raised will go to the reward fund.  Anyone wanting to contribute to the reward fund may do so...

Residents in Coffee County were treated to the bizarre scene of a train antique box car off the track tearing down phone and power lines. Pulling over a 40,000 pound antique was a first for Coffee County Deputy Jim O’Neil. According to News Channel 5, O’Neil said that when he stopped the tractor trailer carrying the box car, it looked like it might fall off the back. The big rig was hauling the box 1983 model railroad car from Carthage and it was Lee Flippo’s job to get it to the railroad museum in Cowan, Tennessee. Flippo took a...

Coffee County Ambulance director John Cathey and Ambulance Authority chairman Jimmie Bradford recently revised an agreement with the Tullahoma Fire Department by adding another category of medical emergencies for which the fire department’s first response team will be dispatched with the ambulance. While city officials were grateful for the change and unanimously accepted it, some feel that the addition is somewhat overdue, as well as inadequate. Tullahoma Fire Chief Richard Shasteen said this still leaves 20 other medical categories that EMS and the Ambulance Authority still will not include in the agreement. If the first responders are dispatched immediately...

Tennessee general fund revenues have beaten projections by more than a half-billion dollars with one month left in the budget year. State Finance Commissioner announced this week that collections came in at $130 million above estimates in June, which reflects economic activity from the previous month. Sales tax collections, which make up about two out of 3 tax dollars collected by the state, beat projections by $26.6 million in the month, while corporate franchise and excise came in at $98 million above estimates. The June revenues brought the year-to-date surplus to $540 million. Gov. Bill Haslam included about $210...

Nashville sports talk show host George Plaster will return to radio this month after being off the air for almost a year. Plaster will join Thunder Radio beginning July 23 and host “Sports Night” from 3 to 6 p.m. George has been a mainstay in sports radio for nearly 20 years. Thunder Radio provides great sports programming like Coffee County High School athletics and Friday Night Thunder (a pre-game and post-game show heard on at least 10 other stations, but produced live in our studio.) WMSR also broadcasts nearly 20 college football games per season, along with Titans football...

Two people were flown to Vanderbilt Medical Center after a two-vehicle crash Tuesday afternoon on Riley Creek Road. According to a report by Tennessee Highway Patrolman Duane Stevens, a 2007 Ford Taurus operated by Christopher Tucker, 19, of Shelbyville collided with a 2005 Nissan Quest van operated by Tracy Barfield, 41, of Tullahoma. According to the trooper, Tucker was traveling on Frank Halin Road and failed to stop at a traffic stop and pulled in front of the van on Riley Creek Road. According to the Trooper Stevens, Amber Merlo, 19, and, Joshua Lloyd, 20, were flown to Vanderbilt...