With this year’s warm temperatures arriving early, people are going to the lake sooner than normal and that meant this past weekend they saw officers of the Tennessee Wildlife Agency on the lakes. The TWRA officers stopped a number of boats to check and make sure there were enough floatation devices on board for all of the occupants of the boats as well as make sure each boat had a fire extinguisher. The Wildlife officers say that if people will just use common sense and wear the floatation devices their time on the water will be a lot safer....

Tennessee is among a few other states that have enacted or are proposing legislation that aims to push parents to get more involved in the children’s school performance. One bill advancing in the Legislature would encourage school districts to develop a parental involvement contract, while another proposes what are commonly referred to as parent report cards. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, the contract legislation is similar to a proposal passed in Michigan in 2001, and Louisiana is currently considering legislation to grade parent participation. Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam, who has implemented tougher education policies since taking...

The Tennessee Department of Agriculture is hosting a series of listening sessions across the state in April and May for farmers, forest landowners and agribusinesses. The purpose of the meetings is to hear stakeholder concerns about current issues and to explore opportunities for developing our rural economy and increasing farm and forest income. “We want to be available to our producers, landowners and agribusinesses to hear their concerns and to get their input on how to enhance our rural communities and economy,” Agriculture Commissioner Julius Johnson said. “This is also about ongoing efforts to look at how we, as...

Soles4Souls, a charity that gives used shoes to people in need, is currently taking place in Coffee County now through April-13. Every pair of shoes brought in can change one person’s life! Boxes are available at Coffee County Central High School and local churches for you to drop off your unwanted shoes. ANY KIND OF SHOE IS ACCEPTED. Please tie the laces together or rubberband them if they do not have laces. The school wants to collect at least 15,000 pairs. Even if you can only donate one pair that is fine! Ask around and see how many you...

The year 2011 saw numerous improvements and growth in the City of Manchester.  We can see the strength of the fabric of our community.  Our population is increasing because we are a desirable place to live.  Our industrial base is strong and committed not only to their workplace but also to this community.  Our tax rate has not been raised in four years.  Manchester has a dedicated and professional public safety department that keeps our citizens safe.  Our citizens give back to this community through participation in civic clubs and non-profit organizations.  And our community of faith ministers to...

Three Coffee County residents are facing sentences in Ohio for their part in the distribution of steroids in that state. Jason Sherrill, 31, and Stephanie Sherrill, 27, both of Tullahoma and Kenneth Freeman, 44, of Manchester were all arrested last November on charges of purchasing drugs in powder form from China and mixing the substance into injectable form to sell. The three are accused of engaging in corrupt activity and trafficking in drugs in Ohio. The three were indicted by a Warren County Ohio grand jury along 30 other in the operation to distribute steroid in Ohio. The Ohio...

A newly released report ranks the health of the residents in Tennessee’s 95 counties, and the scores for four area counties are all over the chart. Coffee County ranks 48th overall on the list of the healthiest counties in the state, according to the 2012 County Health Rankings and Roadmaps. Moore County ranked fifth, Franklin County came in 20th, and Grundy County came in dead last, ranked at 95th. The rankings consider factors that affect people’s health within four categories: health behavior, clinical care, social and economic factors, and physical environment. This year’s Rankings include several new measures, such...

To keep up with technologically changing times and to save money, the Tullahoma Board of Education is looking into what it would take to provide the school system’s students with electronic textbooks. The board recently discussed the idea during a meeting. But Dr. Dan Lawson, Tullahoma City Schools director, said students actually using electronic textbooks by computer companies, such as Apple’s iPad and Google Inc.’s Chromebook, is at least two years away. But the board is looking into possibilities in the meantime regarding what it would take to make the computer-age move. Lawson said the electronic devices can cost...