Latest Headlines
County-Wide Drug Takeback Day April 27
On Saturday, April 27th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the Coffee County Anti-Drug Coalition (CCADC), in cooperation with the semiannual Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) national DRUG TAKEBACK campaign, will be partnering with the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office and the Tullahoma Police Department to once again give the public an opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by providing a safe, convenient and reliable way to clean out medicine cabinets. Disposing of unneeded prescriptions can help keep potentially harmful medications out of the wrong hands. You can bring your unused or expired prescription and over-the-counter medications for disposal to...
Decherd Man Shot in the Face
A shooting took place earlier this week in Decherd. Tommy Wilkerson was shot in the face with a 20-gauge shotgun on Monday evening. The shooting suspect, Roger Dale Burgess, was arrested and charged with attempted first-degree murder, four counts of aggravated assault, possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, and domestic assault. Wilkerson was transported to Erlanger Medical Center in Chattanooga for treatment of his injuries. Burgess is being housed at the Franklin County Jail with no bond set. He is to appear in Franklin County General Sessions Court at 8 a.m. on July...
Former Grundy County Deputy Indicted for Using Excessive Force
A grand jury has indicted a former Grundy County deputy for using excessive force against a person he was arresting. Gregory Higgins is charged with one count of depriving someone of rights under color of law and one count of making false statements to the FBI. The indictment alleges that Higgins used unreasonable force by assaulting someone in handcuffs and then lied to the FBI about the incident: Specifically, regarding the incident on July 25, 2017, as set out in Count One, the defendant talked to an FBI Special Agent and falsely claimed that he handcuffed the arrestee and...
Lawmakers Fighting for so-called Katie Beckett Program
Tennessee House lawmakers say they’re fighting to secure funding in next year’s budget so that disabled children will be able to get Medicaid assistance. House members announced Wednesday they intend to fully fund the so-called Katie Beckett program – which helps parents care for severely disabled children at home – while approving Tennessee’s annual spending plan for the upcoming fiscal year. However, the House’s intention to fund the $27.3 million program hasn’t been adopted by the Senate. The program was named for an Iowa girl whose health plight led President Ronald Reagan to change Medicaid’s rules in 1981. It...
Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month begins May 1– Manchester man to speak at Skills and Training Competition
On Wednesday, May 1, the Tennessee Highway Safety Office joins the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) and Vanderbilt University Medical Center to kick off Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month. A press event will take place in conjunction with the Ninth Annual Music City Police Motorcycle Skills and Training Competition, hosted by the THP’s “Falcons” Motor Unit at Opry Mills. During the event, guest speaker Andrew Floied of Manchester, TN will discuss the 2013 motorcycle crash on Hwy 41 that changed his life forever. Last year, there were 2,701 motorcycle crashes in Tennessee. Of those crashes, 166 were...
Exit 111 Festival Lineup
The lineup for the three-day Exit 111 Festival on the grounds of Bonnaroo in Manchester has been announced and tickets are on sale now. The event is bringing rock and classic rock to Great Stage Park from October 11-13. Headliners of the three-day event include; Friday Lynyrd Skynyrd, Saturday Def Leppard, and Sunday Guns N’ Roses. Other performers include Slayer (last TN concert ever), Megadeth, ZZ Top, Cheap Trick, and many, many others. Tickets start at $189 for all 3 days. You can buy one day passes for $89. RV passes are also available. 3 day and single day...
House Members Clear Bill for Cameras on School Buses
A $13 million proposal to install cameras on school buses in order to catch drivers who properly fail to stop when students are being dropped off is advancing in Tennessee. House members cleared the bill on Monday allowing school districts to purchase, install and operate cameras on the exterior of school buses. The bill must now pass the Senate. Tennessee has an estimated 8,700 school buses. Installation costs are expected to be $1,500 per school bus. According to a fiscal review, more than 1,100 illegal passes were observed by roughly 2,750 Tennessee bus drivers in a single day during...
Weekly Gas Prices
Tennessee’s state average gas price is the tenth lowest in the country with an average of $2.62 per gallon for regular unleaded. Tuesday’s average was 21 cents more than this time last month, and 7 cents higher than this time a year ago. The national gas price average is $2.84, which is a penny more than a week ago and eight cents more than a year ago. Last week, 30 states saw pump price increases or decreases of three cents or less, which helped keep the national average relatively steady, but motorists shouldn’t get their hopes up just yet....
