UPDATED, 3:00 PM, JUNE 21, 2021 The body discovered in the water at Fire Lake Bridge in Coffee County has been identified as James Damien Hodges, a white male, 31 years old from Manchester. The cause of death is still under investigation. UPDATED, 2:30 PM, JUNE 17, 2021 A dead body was discovered in the water at Fire Lake Bridge in Coffee County at approximately noon on Thursday, June 17. According to Coffee County Sheriff’s Department authorities, a group of four people arrived at the water near the bridge to swim when they discovered the body in the water....

The Tennessee gas price average fell three cents over last week – the largest week-over-week decrease so far this year. The Tennessee Gas Price average is now $2.85 which is four cents less than one month ago and 96 cents more than one year ago. The national gas price average is $3.07 and Coffee County’s average is $2.85 which makes Coffee County even with the state average, and 22 cents under the national average. “Despite the latest increase in demand, many motorists are not seeing significant pump price jumps due to increasing stock levels, which have significantly built over the last four weeks,” said Megan Cooper, spokeswoman, AAA – The...

IRS has begun sending letters to taxpayers eligible for the Advance Child Tax Credit. Monthly payments are scheduled to begin mid-July. Payment amounts will be based on the number of children claimed on the 2020 tax return and their ages. The payments are subject to an income phase-out. Here are the rules:– Children age 5 and younger – $300 per month (full credit on the 2021 return is $3,600)– Children age 6 to 17 – $250 per month (full credit on the 2021 return is $3,000) Taxpayers with Modified Adjusted Gross Income under the following amounts are eligible for...

In late May, United Way of Hwy 55’s Director and Allocations Committee interviewed 25 local nonprofits that applied for funding. The allocations committee met on June 1st to discuss and choose the new partner nonprofits for cycle year 2021-2022. Nonprofits from the area submitted applications and required documentation in early May, which their allocation committee reviews every year. The committee members are a diverse group consisted of Board members, community leaders, and donors in the 3 counties they serve – Coffee, Moore, and Warren. Through this process, they identify how organizations in the community can work together to provide...

VFW Post 10904 will receive the VFW National American Award. This will be the 3rd year in a row that this non-profit organization has been awarded this honor. This award is the highest award that any post can receive, and only 4 other posts in Tennessee have received this award.  “The award is well deserved, and I am very proud and honored to be a part of such a wonderful Post of veterans and family members,” said Kimberly King, Commander of VFE Post...

The Coffee County Children’s Advocacy Center offers free training to community members. The Coffee County CAC empowers adults to spot red flags and react responsibly to child abuse. The center’s authorized facilitators use Darkness to Light’s Stewards of Children program to fight child abuse through education and prevention.  The Coffee County CAC held a training session June 16 at the Coffee County Administrative Plaza. Participants included employees of the Coffee County Lannom Memorial Public Library, Tullahoma Housing Authority and other individuals who wanted to take the necessary steps to prevent child abuse. “Community members who participated in the Darkness to Light’s...

Tennessee’s statewide unemployment rate held steady at 5% between April and May 2021, according to newly released data from the Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD). While Tennessee’s unemployment rate did not change in the month-to-month comparison, it was 4.6 percentage points lower than the May 2020 rate. At that time, many of the state’s employers remained closed due to the COVID-19 health emergency. Just one month after the state recorded its highest unemployment rate in history, 15.8% in April 2020, the economy had already begun to show signs of improvement. The latest statistics show Tennessee employers added 5,000 jobs...

First Vision Bank recently welcomed Brad Goodwin as the Vice President in the Manchester office of the local community bank. “Brad is a seasoned and professional banker that will help us provide great customer service and lending expertise to our community,” said Jon Bell, Manchester Community President. “We are happy to have him on our team!” Goodwin compliments the First Vision team in Manchester that focuses on serving the community as Manchester’s local bank and meeting customers’ needs with a personal approach. In his new position, Goodwin will work to provide community banking services with loan and deposit products,...