The Tennessee House chamber last week passed legislation aimed at increasing public safety by making it a Class C misdemeanor offense for a person to solicit from the roadway, shoulder, berm, or the right-of-way of a controlled-access highway as well as entrances or exits of a highway. House Bill 978 makes camping on the shoulder of a state highway or under a bridge or overpass punishable by warning citation on the first offence and $50 fine and 20-40 hours of community service on subsequent offenses.  The Equal Access to Public Property Act of 2012 generally makes it a Class...

Tennessee gas prices saw upward momentum at the pump over last week, mainly due to rising crude oil prices. On average, pump prices across the state rose by two cents over last week. The Tennessee Gas Price average is now $2.70 which is the same price as one month ago and $1.10 more than one year ago.  The average price for a gallon of gas in Coffee County is $2.68, which is 2 cents below the state average and 19 cents below the national average at $2.87.“Refinery utilization is nearly back to pre-pandemic levels, and with gasoline stocks seeing builds in the last month amid...

The National Drug Take-Back day is set for Saturday, April 24. Coffee County Anti-Drug Coalition encourages everyone to round up unused prescriptions and bring them to the Walmart in Tullahoma – 2111 N. Jackson Street – to be disposed of safely. The Coffee County Anti Drug Coalition will join the Tullahoma Police Department in front of the Walmart from 10 a.m. until 2...

The state budget is the central focus in the last remaining weeks of the first session of the 112th General Assembly as committees begin to complete their business for year. Gov. Bill Lee this week announced his amendment to the proposed 2021-22 fiscal year budget which includes $580 million in available funds. These funds will be invested in strategic long-term projects that focus on a return to pre-pandemic priorities and deliver critical services while not growing government. The budget amendment also includes nearly $100 million for a two-week sales tax holiday on all grocery sales, purchases at restaurants, and...

By Elena Cawley Below is part 4 of a 7-part series written by Elena Cawley and published by Thunder Radio in an effort to bring awareness to child abuse awareness and prevention in our community. It’s extremely important to promote awareness by educating everyone on what signs to look for and how to report abuse, according to Leanne Eaton, director of Youth Services for Coffee County. Eaton has seen the effects of child abuse. She has seen children who became withdrawn or resistant to discuss their home life with her. Their grades would drop, or they would lose interest...

– The Manchester Police Department is partnering with the Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO) to promote “Slow Down Tennessee.” During April 16 – 30, The Manchester Police Department will increase education, awareness, and enforcement efforts to help reduce speeding-related crashes, injuries, and fatalities statewide. The Manchester Police Department enforces all traffic laws on each and every shift. We will also use funds from our THSO Grant to hold a Saturation during this period of time to focus on traffic offenses and DUI Enforcement. The State of Tennessee requires motorists to always exercise due care and maintain a safe speed...

In March, Tennessee employers had the most people on their payrolls since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic one year ago. Despite the increase in job creation during the month, the state did experience a slight increase in overall unemployment.According to newly released data from the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD), unemployment increased 0.1 of a percentage point to 5% in March.The new jobless rate continues to sit near pre-pandemic levels. Over the past year, Tennessee’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased from 4% in March 2020, to 5% this year.Tennessee employers added 15,400 employees to their...