Allen Lendley, Director of Coffee County Emergency Management, is urging citizens to take fire precautions for the upcoming Fourth of July holiday. The Tennessee Department of Agriculture Division of Forestry is asking the public to refrain from debris burning until significant precipitation is received. A burning ban is in effect for Tullahoma and...

The Tullahoma Airport is a step closer to the development of an industrial airpark at the facility. Last Tuesday afternoon the airport authority met and announced that they had received a check for $45,000 from the Momentum Foundation. Airport manager Jon Glass told the Tullahoma Airport Authority board members during a meeting this past week that the check will cover the local share of a $450,000 infrastructure grant,” The Momentum Foundation had told the board that if they obtained the grant then the firm would pay the local matching cost. The company currently operates its business of testing aircraft...

Amazon will begin accepting applications today (July 2) for their two Mid-State facilities scheduled to open later this year. The fulfillment centers, located in Lebanon and Murfreesboro are expected to begin operations this fall and are looking to hire 1,500 full-time employees. Job seekers must be at least 18-years-old, as well as have a high school diploma or equivalent, willing to work all shifts and overtime and pass a drug test and background check among other requirements. Pay is expected to start between $11 to $13 per hour. Applications for the fulfillment centers will be available at area career...

A measure to require drug testing as a condition for receiving welfare and the reduction of the sales tax on groceries are among new laws taking effect Sunday in Tennessee. The welfare legislation requires new welfare applicants to undergo a special screening process. If suspicion is raised after the screening, then the applicant will be drug tested. In the case of the sales tax on groceries, the measure that’s included in the governor’s spending plan will reduce the tax from 5.5% to 5.25% – with a goal to lower it to 5% in about two years. However, Democrats have...

The Tennessee Board of Regents has voted to increase tuition and fee rates for the six universities, 13 community colleges and 27 technology centers it governs. The rates of increase are lower this year than in previous years. TBR does not oversee the University of Tennessee, but they do oversee all other community colleges such as Motlow State Community College. The new mandatory and maintenance fee/tuition rates will result in price increases ranging from 3.4 percent at Austin Peay State University to 7.2 percent at East Tennessee State University. MTSU will go up by 6.8%. Students at the University...

Last year right at 10,000 people attended the Air Show and Fireworks at the Tullahoma Airport. This year only about 4,500. Why? The record heat that sent temps above 105 degrees. Despite the heat, the show was very entertaining, ending with the wowing of those who battled the heat with the Kiwanis Fireworks show. The estimated total cost of the event is $30,000-$35,000.  Donations are being accepted at the site www.kiwanisfireworks.com or via check to Tullahoma Kiwanis Club, P.O. Box 613, Tullahoma, Tenn....

Smoke could be seen all across Coffee County Thursday afternoon around 3:00pm. The cause was a grass fire that grew out of control and set an abandoned mobile home on fire at 2651 Boynton Valley Road. The smoke from the fire could be seen in Hillsboro. The North Coffee Fire Department was hampered by the lack of water and had to wait for mutual aid from Summitville and New Union. Coffee County EMS was on stand-by. The property belongs to Bobbie Sue...

Manchester Police are investigating the theft of purses from vehicles parked at the Manchester Recreation Center. According to Manchester Police Investigator Butch Stewart, this isn’t the first time the thieves have stolen purses from vehicles parked at the recreation center. He noted that the center does not have security cameras in place. Stewart said that the thefts are being committed by the Felony Lane Gang.  The gang has been operating in the Coffee County area for about a year now. He explained that the group is based out of Florida and they have been going all over the southeastern...