Micro Craft, Inc. has created an Apprentice Machinist Award Program. This program has been designed to support the local community surrounding its manufacturing facility in Tullahoma. The award program is for area high school students in Bedford, Coffee, Franklin, Lincoln and Moore counties who plan to pursue a technical career in machining. The program promotes Micro Craft’s commitment in developing a highly skilled manufacturing workforce to address the current skills gap in the manufacturing industry. Each year, Micro Craft, Inc. will select one candidate from the surrounding counties for its Apprentice Machinist Award Program. The program works in conjunction...

A 2016 federal case involving the burglaries of numerous pharmacies throughout the southeast is continuing. Kenneth Britton, 40, of Whitwell, Tennessee, and Christopher Land, 57, of Monteagle, Tennessee, were sentenced to prison last week. Britton had pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute Oxycodone. According to the plea agreement, Britton participated in multiple burglaries and then worked with other defendants to sell the pills that contained controlled substances, including Oxycodone, that were obtained in the burglaries. Britton was sentenced to 8 years in prison. Land had pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to distribute Oxycodone, and two...

State expungement fees could soon be eliminated because of a bill that’s passed both houses of the legislature. Currently, it costs $450 in many cases for someone to have their criminal record cleared. State Representative William Lamberth said the new bill would use general fund money to cover the costs of processing expungements. According to officials, many are unable to pay the large fines. The idea is part of Governor Bill Lee’s focus on criminal justice reform. Now that the bill has passed through the legislature, he’s expected to sign it into...

The Katie Beckett Waiver will help to assist children in Tennessee with severe disabilities that are ineligible for Medicaid due to family household income. State Representative Tim Rudd from Murfreesboro stated: http://www.thunder1320.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Tim-Rudd.mp3 The money helps to pay for home-based medical services for children nineteen and under. If signed by the governor, a new Katie Beckett program to utilize the funds will be designed with the help of the Commissioner for the Department of Intellectual and Developmental...

Motlow State Community College recently welcomed Dr. Marvin Thompson as Chief of Staff. Prior to coming to Motlow, Dr. Thompson was a consultant to the Delaware Department of Education, developing statewide needs assessment and school improvement policies and procedures to meet federal requirements in addressing the needs of all students. “Dr. Thompson has long been an advocate for students’ success, and has already started to identify opportunities, connections, and visions for Motlow,” said Michael Torrence, Motlow President. He added, “His work will assist in leveraging obvious partnerships to support our students, faculty, staff, and administrators while strengthening our communities.”...

The Manchester Police Department has received numerous reports indicating that residents are being contacted via telephone regarding fines of criminal cases. The complaint has been that a male subject is the caller and identifies himself as Bobby Johnson, an officer with the Manchester Police Department. The caller is stating that he is calling to collect fines owed on pending criminal cases. The Manchester Police Department City Court only deals with citations issued for traffic violations and citations issued for violation of city ordinances. Furthermore, those citations that are issued by the Manchester Police Department are assigned a court date...

Fred’s Inc. says it will close 159 underperforming and unprofitable stores in 13 states by the end of May. The Memphis-based company said in a news release Thursday that a liquidation sale at those stores began Thursday. The company’s 398 other discount stores will remain open. CEO Joseph Anto said in the release the company will work to move employees to other stores if possible. The company said it is continuing to pursue the sale of its remaining pharmacy assets. The list of stores being closed includes 31 in Mississippi, 25 in Georgia, 23 in Tennessee, 19 each in...