According to data released by the Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce, there were 19,461 new claims for unemployment filed in Tennessee for the week ending July 25. This was down over 6,000 from the prior week. There have now been 759,584 total claims for unemployment filed in Tennessee since COVID-19 pandemic began in March. Meanwhile, continued claims fell for the 11th consecutive week, but only slightly. There were 242,397 continued claims for unemployment, down only 1,000 from the previous week. In Coffee County, there were 167 total initial claims filed last week, and 1,762 continued...

Written by Susan Campbell, Thunder Radio Since ancient times, honey bees have been seen as symbols of wealth, good luck and prosperity. Considered magnificent and highly productive insects, honey bees are vital for stable, healthy food supplies and play a vital role in nature’s ecosystems. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), pollinators such as honey bees are a vital part of agricultural production. Unfortunately, honey bees are rapidly disappearing due to climate change and pesticides, with the number of honey bee hives in the U.S. dropping from 6 million in the 1940s to about 2.5 million today....

The Teen Actors Guild reopens the Millennium Repertory Company’s 2020 season at the Manchester Arts Center with *War of the Worlds: The Panic Broadcast, *beginning August 7. In 1948, the WBFR radio ensemble recreates the colorful events surrounding Orson Welles’s 1938 radio adaptation of the science-fiction classic, including the full original broadcast. Complete with commercials and live sound effects, this radio-play-within-a-radio-play is a thrilling homage to the golden age of radio and a timely reminder of what fear can do to a society. Directed by Landon Spangler, the cast includes Carter Cantrell, Ethan Cusick, Nik Dunavant, Karisha Glover, Madelyn...

The Coffee County Fair Association has announced that the 2020 fair will continue forward this year on its original dates: Sept. 19-26. The board met late into the night Tuesday, July 28, and agreed to continue with the fair despite other fairs in the area cancelling, including Warren County. “We met until about midnight last night getting this all worked out,” said Stewart Little with the fair board.  In a Facebook post, the fair said: “This year’s fair will look a little different, but we wanted to try to bring back some normalcy to our community.” Little said that...

The Tullahoma Police Department is asking for the public’s help identifying a person of interest who was allegedly involved in an incident back in March. According to TPD, the individual in question was allegedly observed damaging property and taking several items from a local business. This incident took place on March 17. This suspect is a black male. You can see photos below.  If you have information, contact TPD detective Johnny Gore at 931-455-0530 ext. 131 or email jgore@tullahomatn.gov....

The first of two sales-tax holiday weekends will begin Friday in Tennessee. For 2020 only, the Tennessee General Assembly has approved two separate sales tax holiday weekends. During these weekends, certain goods may be purchased tax free. The first tax-free holiday weekend focuses on clothing and other back-to-school items. It begins at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, July 31 and ends Sunday, August 2 at 11:59 p.m. During this time, clothing, school supplies, and computers and other qualifying electronic devices may be purchased tax-free. Certain price restrictions apply. Exempt items sold online are also eligible. Items must be purchased for...

As of 2 p.m. Wednesday, there are now 172 active cases of COVID-19 in Coffee County. This is out of approximately 57,000 residents. Since testing began in March, there have been a total of 333 cases in Coffee County with 161 recoveries. There have been no COVID-19 related deaths in Coffee County. Meanwhile, across the state there are a total of 36,591 active cases. There have been 983 confirmed deaths and 4,482...