Hundreds gathered at Manchester’s Rotary Amphitheater Sunday afternoon to pay their respects to Manchester Mayor Lonnie Norman, with hundreds more listening on Thunder Radio and watching on Facebook. Norman passed away in the early morning hours of Monday, Oct. 12, just a little more a month after beginning his third consecutive term (fourth overall) as Manchester Mayor. He was 79-years old. There were many speakers on hand, including senator Janice Bowling and former Nashville Mayor Megan Barry. Manchester Attorney Shawn Trail delivered a powerful message: “I see older generations, I see younger generations. Different races, politicians, working class, republicans,...

Newly released data from the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD) showed the state’s economic recovery continued in September. The jobless rate for the month dropped significantly when compared to the previous month. The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for September 2020 is 6.3%, a decrease of 2.3 percentage points from the revised August rate of 8.6%. The latest rate is 9.2 percentage points lower than the April 2020 rate of 15.5%. That is Tennessee’s all-time highest unemployment rate and was recorded during the peak of COVID-19 business closures. Tennessee’s unemployment rate is moving closer to pre-pandemic levels....

Early voting numbers have been strong across the state of Tennessee, and that includes right here in Coffee County. According to administrator of elections Andy Farrar, there were a total of 2,060 early votes cast on the first day of early voting, Wednesday, Oct. 14. Of these, 1,371 were cast in person and 689 were absentee votes. Early voting continues Monday through Saturday until Oct....

Manchester Police Department Captain Chris Patterson was found dead Friday afternoon. Patterson was found near his truck, dead of a single gunshot wound. Patterson was a longtime veteran of the Manchester Police Department. Coffee County District Attorney General Craig Northcott said the Coffee County Sheriff’s Department and Coffee County District Attorney’s office are investigating. “The body was sent for an autopsy. I’m told that may take place Monday, so we may have a preliminary report by Monday,” said Northcott. (Pictured, MPD Captain Chris Patterson with the late Manchester Mayor Lonnie Norman)...

The Manchester Recreation Complex has announced that it will be closed on Sunday, Oct. 28, for Mayor Lonnie Norman’s funeral service. Services will be held Sunday at 1 p.m. at Rotary Amphitheater, which is located next to the rec center at 557 N. Woodland St. If you cannot attend Mayor Norman’s funeral services, Thunder Radio will be broadcasting the service live on the radio at AM 1320 and 107.9 FM. You can also listen on the Manchester Go app and at www.thunder1320.com. For those wishing to watch, Thunder Radio will video stream the service on our Facebook page. Mayor...

Motlow State’s Dual Enrollment (DE) program, already featuring the highest enrollment of any community college in the state, set another milestone in May. The number of students who graduated from Motlow the same semester as they graduated high school grew a phenomenal 800%. Partnerships with secondary schools are at the forefront of Motlow’s mission to serve the community, and as a result, Motlow leads the state in dual enrollment headcount. Dual enrollment partnerships allow high school students to take college courses in their junior and senior year to get a jumpstart on their college education. “Motlow continues to create...

The City of Manchester has announced that there will be a special called meeting on Monday, Oct. 19 at 7:30 p.m. at Manchester City Hall – located at 200 W. Fort St. The only item on the agenda is to address the vacancy in the Manchester Mayor’s office, as required by article IV, section 4 of the Manchester Charter. Currently, vice mayor Marilyn Howard is serving as city mayor after the passing of Mayor Lonnie Norman on...

Thunder Radio feature story by Susan Campbell Across the country, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) work to support children who have suffered from abuse or neglect, with the goal of providing safe, permanent homes and the opportunity to thrive. Locally, CASA Works advocates for children in Coffee, Bedford and Franklin counties as they make their way through the foster care system. With a staff of three, much of the nonprofit’s work relies on the 46 dedicated volunteers in the three counties who work with the children. In 2019, CASA Works volunteers and staff advocated for 532 children, according to...