Your Local News
Early Voting continues in Coffee County
Early voting continues until Tuesday, February 23. Early Voting Hours: Manchester: Coffee County Administrative Plaza 1329 McArthur Street, Suite 6, Monday-Friday 8:00AM-4:30PM and Saturday 8:30-12:00 PM. In Tullahoma: C.D. Stamps Community Center 810 South Jackson Street, Monday-Friday 9:00AM-4:30 PM and Saturday 9:00-12:00 PM. Tennesseans must bring valid state or federal photo identification with them to the polls. On the ballot; Presidential preference primary for presidential candidates and the following offices will be on the March County Primary ballot: Public Defender (unexpired six (6) year term), Assessor of Property, Constable – Seat 4 – Dist. 3, 14 & 16 (unexpired...
Enough Probable Cause continues case against Ooltewah Officials
A judge has ruled there’s enough probable cause to proceed with charges against three Tennessee high school officials facing allegations they failed to report the sexual abuse of school basketball players by teammates. Ooltewah High School basketball coach Andre Montgomery, assistant coach Karl Williams and athletic director Allard Nayadley each pleaded not guilty Monday. Hamilton County Juvenile Court Judge Robert Philyaw issued his ruling at the end of a preliminary hearing that revealed more details about the Dec. 22 incident. The case now goes before a grand jury. The Hamilton County District Attorney’s Office filed an affidavit last month...
Money for Local Housing Authorities
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro has announced HUD is allocating $47,711,062 to public housing authorities in Tennessee to make needed capital improvements in their properties. Manchester Housing Authority will receive $82,543 and the Tullahoma Housing Authority will get $313,112. For more than 75 years, the federal government has been investing billions of dollars in developing and maintaining public housing – including providing critical support through the Capital Fund grants. Nonetheless, there has been a net loss of over 135,000 public housing units since fiscal year 2000, representing an average loss of approximately 9,000 units...
Coffee Countians Help Hill Family
Coffee County came together as a family to help a family on Saturday night in Hillsboro. A benefit/auction was held at Hillsboro Elementary School for Aaron and Lynetta Hill. The couple lost their twin boys, James and John, in a car accident in Winchester on New Year’s Eve. Lynetta was able to attend Saturday’s fundraiser while her husband continues to recover from his injuries. Around 700 people bought BBQ meals before food ran out with around 1,000 residents attending the auction. $76,000 was raised for the Hill family, a record amount for any fundraiser sponsored or co-sponsored by the...
Tullahoma Woman Arrested for TennCare Fraud
A woman from Coffee County has been charged with TennCare fraud involving prescription drugs. The Office of Inspector General (OIG) announced the arrest of Vicki L. Hargrove, 33, of Tullahoma, she is charged with TennCare fraud for fraudulently obtaining Hydrocodone and Oxycodone by doctor shopping, using TennCare as payment. “Prescription drug abuse hurts individuals, families and communities, and we’re intent on finding and prosecuting these cases when TennCare is involved,” Inspector General Manny Tyndall said. TennCare fraud is a Class E felony carrying a sentence of up to two years in prison per charge. District Attorney General Craig Northcott...
Investigation into Conference Center Spending
The Coffee County Public Building Authority (PBA) could have avoided a state investigation into fraudulent spending, as well as several negative audit findings, if members had reviewed any number of “alarming” bank statements, according to Delanna Rhoton, CPA, with the accounting firm Bean, Rhoton and Kelley. Rhoton met with PBA members Friday to discuss audit results of the Manchester-Coffee County Conference Center, which has operated at a deficit since its construction in 2003. The conference center saw an operating loss of $301,329.01 in the 2014-15 fiscal year, one of the worst losses to date. A special investigation is being...
MTSU Raises $105 Million
Middle Tennessee State University officials say the school surpassed $100 million during a recent fundraising effort. The Tennessean reports that the more than $105 million raised during the six-year Centennial Campaign was a record-setting total for the school. The amount eclipsed MTSU’s previous fundraising record by more than $70 million. School officials said Friday the record-setting amount marks a turning point in the public school’s approach to funding its priorities. Money from the fundraising campaign has gone toward an array of campus initiatives, including scholarships, professor positions and new books for the library. About $7 million went toward the...
Governor’s Books from Birth Foundation continues to Grow
Tennessee’s Department of Human Services says it has enrolled more than 300 Tennessee children in a program that aims to improve child literacy. The department says The Governor’s Books from Birth Foundation, together with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, is available to children from birth to 5 years old in Tennessee. Once a child is enrolled, a new book is mailed every month at no cost until the child turns 5. More than 240,000 Tennessee children are receiving books. The program allows parents to read to their children and engage in learning opportunities. Books are age appropriate and include reading...
