The Tennessee Department of Health has been advised by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that reports of influenza are increasing across the country. TDH officials are asking all Tennesseans who have not yet had their annual flu vaccine to do so immediately, helping to protect themselves and to prevent the spread of the illness to others. CDC and TDH also urge persons with flu-like illnesses who are at risk of severe illness with influenza due to some health conditions to seek care promptly to determine if treatment with influenza antiviral medications are needed. These health conditions include:...

The average smoker in Tennessee will spend $93,000 dollars on his or her habit over a lifetime, according to new data from the personal-finance website WalletHub. Lifetime health-care costs are even higher, at $113,000, and tobacco-addiction specialist Donna Borowski said finding the motivation to quit comes down to very personal reasons. “One of my most favorite tools to use when coaching patients is get them to think about why it would even be important,” she said. “What they’re wanting for themselves around their health, around their future. It begins to gel a little bit more.” While lifetime costs of...

The Tennessee Supreme Court has ruled that parents have a constitutional right to be treated fairly during court proceedings in which they face losing their children but they cannot appeal termination orders on the grounds that their appointed attorneys were ineffective. In criminal cases, defendants have a right to a competent attorney. The court, in its opinion last week, said adopting the same standard in parental termination cases has the potential to drag out court cases for years and cause serious harm to children. Children cannot be adopted until the litigation is over. In its ruling, the court added...

A deadly fire was reported just before midnight on Tuesday evening Jan 26, 2016 on Lloyd Boynton Road in the northern part of Coffee County. Authorities have now released the names of the deceased, 65 year-old Brenda Joyce Clark and 62 year-old Evalardo “Joe” Ortiz. You can read funeral arrangements on our website. All local volunteer fire departments were summoned to scene because when the emergency workers arrived on the scene the mobile home was fully engulfed. The home and a vehicle were a total loss. Coffee County Sheriff’s Department Investigator Billy Marcom says that authorities have not been...

A Tullahoma resident was arrested Jan. 27 on a charge of criminal simulation or counterfeiting. Stacey Baker, 39, of Freeman Street was arrested after a fake $20 bill was passed at Krystal on North Jackson Street. In a warrant obtained by Tullahoma Police Detective Johnny Gore states that information was gathered that she was the one who had been producing the bills. The warrant alleges that she admitted to producing the bills and gave officers copies of the bills that had been produced. The warrant stated that Baker had produced several bills that have been passed recently in the...

Honor Flight began about 10 years ago with the goal of getting as many World War II veterans to see their memorial via free trips to Washington DC. Many Honor Flight Hubs have closed down as the number of WW2 veterans declined—most notably Music City and Huntsville in our area. Honor Flight of Middle Tennessee began in 2008 and has conducted 15 flights. Several years ago they began including Korean War veterans as the number of WW2 vets declined rather than closing down. Adding Vietnam veterans is the next evolution and structure has been set to continue as long...