Latest Headlines
Household Hazardous Waste Collection set for April 13 in Manchester
The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) mobile household hazardous waste collection service will be in Coffee, Sevier and Weakley counties on Saturday, April 13. Tennesseans are encouraged to bring household hazardous waste – including cleaning fluids, pesticides, batteries and more – to a designated drop-off location. A person does not need to live in the county to participate. The drop-off location is: Coffee County – Solid Waste Department, 2180 Murfreesboro Hwy, Manchester, 8 a.m.-1 p.m. CDT. The local contact is Wannella Ingleburger at (931) 723-5139. Household hazardous waste materials are considered flammable, toxic, reactive and/or corrosive and...
Some High-Profile Proposals Stopped by State Lawmakers
A handful of high-profile proposals in Tennessee are being stopped as state lawmakers slowly inch closer to adjourning their legislative session for the year. On Tuesday, Republican members on a Senate panel rejected a resolution seeking to commemorate “Gun Violence Awareness Day” in Tennessee after little discussion. That same panel also agreed to push off debating a proposal that would make it easier for some felons to get their voting rights restored- effectively killing the issue for this year. Lawmakers could try again next year. Similarly, a House panel is putting off voting on a proposal that would have...
E-Verify Program for Small Businesses Passes in the State House
A bill that would require more Tennessee small businesses to use the E-Verify program to screen whether workers have legal immigration status to work in the U.S. has passed the state House. The House passed Rep. Bruce Griffey’s bill Monday. It still needs to pass multiple Senate hurdles. The legislation would decrease the number of employees that a business must have from 50 to 25 to face the E-Verify requirement. It also would extend the mandate to governmental entities. The changes would take effect for new hires starting in January 2020. Griffey has seen a slate of other immigration...
Fetal Heartbeat Legislation Stalls
Legislation banning abortion once a fetal heartbeat is detected stalled in Tennessee on Tuesday amid concerns that passing the measure would result in the state losing costly court battles. Instead, the Senate Judiciary Committee agreed to review the issue further over the summer and take it up next year after members spent nearly two hours rehashing past key abortion court battles, discussing pregnancy viability with medical officials and criticizing the history of Planned Parenthood. The committee’s 5-3 decision came after the same panel advanced a separate anti-abortion bill — known as the Human Life Protection Act — that would...
Exit 111 Festival Coming to Manchester
A new 3-day festival will take place on the Bonnaroo grounds in Manchester this fall. This is a joint effort between festival promotors AC Entertainment (Bonnaroo) and C3 Presents. The Tennessean reports that the Exit 111 Festival will be held at Great Stage Park in Manchester, Tennessee this October 11-13, 2019. Great Stage Park is the 18-year home of Bonnaroo. Details (but no lineup yet) were revealed Monday on the festival’s official site after classic rockers ZZ Top announced they’d be playing there as part of their 50th anniversary tour. The group said they will perform Oct. 12. The...
Update on Gas Prices
Tennessee gas prices continue to rise. Tennessee drivers are paying an average price of $2.52 per gallon for regular unleaded. Tuesday’s state average was five cents more than a week ago, 24 cents more than last month, and three cents higher than this time last year. The national gas price average stands at $2.74, which is an increase of a nickel over last week. As demand holds steady and inventories continue to tighten, motorists continue to see gas prices increase in every region of the country. On Tuesday afternoon the low price per gallon in Manchester was $2.45 and...
Man Heading to Trial for Bell Buckle Murder
A boyfriend accused of fatally shooting his girlfriend in March of 2017 will head to trial May 20, 2019. Rutherford County Sheriff’s Detective Steve Craig noted in 2017, “There had been domestic issues for years, leading to severe arguments that resulted in the death of Carly Hassett.” Jared Partin allegedly shot Carly Hassett at a home in Bell Buckle, TN. Rutherford County District Attorney Jennings Jones gave this statement… http://www.thunder1320.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Jennings-Jones-PARTONTRIAL.mp3 Partin remains behind bars unable to pay bond. (WGNS...
Gov. Lee’s Administration wanting Faith-Based and Community Initiatives Division
Republican Gov. Bill Lee’s administration would include a faith-based and community initiatives division under a proposal making its way through the Tennessee General Assembly. According to the bill, the office would partner with a nonprofit to carry out the bulk of the work on addressing public safety, reoffending and opioid addiction. The governor would select members of the board and the executive director of the nonprofit partner. However, no state tax dollars are budgeted for the new office. Instead, the nonprofit would also be tasked with soliciting private donations from the public. Lee has backed the idea of the...
