Dr. Joey Vaughn, Manchester City Schools director, has been named the Tennessee Coordinated School Health Director of the Year.  Vaughn said he was completely shocked and humbled to receive the award, and quickly pivoted to the importance of the coordinated school health program and its importance to education in local schools. “There is a lot of focus on the whole child,” explained Vaughn. “Not just educational, but their emotional and social needs. This is a focus of our school system and our team does a great job emphasizing that. “ Vaughn went on to explain that the coordinated...

 Tuesday is primary election day here in Tennessee. This is the presidential preference primary and the Coffee County primary. Polls will be open in Coffee County until 7 p.m. Anyone waiting in line by 7 p.m. will be allowed to complete their vote. In addition to the federal presidential preference primary, Coffee County voters will have assessor of property, general sessions judge, Coffee County Commissioner (District 8 only), and road commissioner seat 4, which serves districts 11 and 12 to vote for. If early voting is an indicator, Coffee County voters are turning out in heavier amounts than they...

March is the month when United States Census information will begin arriving in mailboxes across the country, including right here in Coffee County. Beginning March 12, households across Coffee County will begin receiving official Census Bureau mail that includes detailed information on how to respond to the 2020 Census either online, by phone or by mail. Responding is not a lengthy process. The Census is conducted every 10 years, in accordance with the United States Constitution. “This is a very important Census for Coffee County,” said Coffee County Mayor Gary Cordell. “It is of utmost important that everyone is...

Tennessee lawmakers plan this week to bring forward legislation to legalize medical marijuana in Tennessee. If the law were to pass, as written, marijuana products such as marijuana oils, tinctures,  pills and lotions would be available for sale as soon as the end of 2020. This law would not allow marijuana joints, vapes or edibles. Also, if passed in its current form, you would only be able to purchase marijuana products if issued a medical cannabis card by the clinical cannabis commission, which will be a new government commission. Being issued a card would be relegated to certain medical...

  Manchester closed out February with nearly 11 total inches of rain, this according to TVA Rain Gauge Data. Manchester received 10.93 inches of rain to be exact from Feb. 1 through Feb. 29. While that certainly made for a wet and sloppy month, and multiple school closures due to flooded roads, February of 2019 actually brought more rain, totaling 11.6 inches in the Manchester area, according to TVA, which was the wettest February on record. If you are hoping for a dryer month of March, that may not be in the cards. National Weather Service is predicting 4-6...

Tuesday, March 3 is primary election day in Tennessee. This is the presidential preference primary and the Coffee County primary. Polls will be open in Coffee County from 8 a.m. until 7 p.m. Anyone waiting in line by 7 p.m. will be allowed to complete their vote. In addition to the federal presidential preference primary, Coffee County voters will have assessor of property, general sessions judge, Coffee County Commissioner (district 8) and road commissioner seat 4, which serves districts 11 and 12 to vote for. If early voting is an indicator, Coffee County voters are turning out in heavier...

By Nadia Ramlagan, Tennessee Public News Service Tennessee is increasing the number of drop-off clinics that allow police officers to take people with mental-health and/or substance-abuse issues to a treatment provider instead of jail. Sejal West, senior vice president for operations of Volunteer Behavioral Healthcare System, says the jail diversion program is a close collaboration between local criminal-justice systems, law enforcement and treatment providers. “Just even the process of determining which crimes, which offenses would be appropriate for this, that was done collectively,” says West. “There are low-level misdemeanors, where there’s not a victim. Like trespassing and loitering, public intoxication. Those...

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced Thursday that he backs legislation to allow adult Tennesseans to carry handguns without a permit, training or background checks. During a news conference, Lee said: “The Second Amendment’s clear and concise and secures the uninfringed right of law-abiding citizens to keep and bear arms. Today, I’m announcing that we will be joining 16 other states in this nation by introducing a constitutional carry law in the state of Tennessee.” If passed, this measure would allow gun owners to carry firearms openly or concealed and take them everywhere that guns are allowed. Guns would continue...