We may be just over midway through the month of February, but the flu season is still in its peak. According to a new report from the CDC, flu activity is down nationally, but we are seeing an uptick in Tennessee. 26 states, including Tennessee, are experiencing high flu activity. Despite a milder season this year, the CDC says flu activity this past week was the highest it has been all season. If you haven’t gotten your flu shot yet, it’s not too late. The CDC says this year’s flu vaccine appears to be working. The vaccine has reduced...

If you’re looking for love online, AARP’s advice for people over 50 is make sure you guard your wallet and your heart. The Better Business Bureau of the Mid-South estimates there are 25,000 romance scammers on dating sites worldwide. Their victims could be any age, but women over 50 make up the largest demographic. Nancy Crawford, director of marketing and communications for the Better Business Bureau of the Mid-South, says the perception of loneliness, grieving the loss of a partner and having a nest egg all tend to make seniors scam targets. “You know, nobody wants to be single...

On Friday, February 15, 2019 the Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC) honored the next generation of Sergeants during a graduation ceremony at the Tennessee Correction Academy in Tullahoma. The ceremony celebrated the hard work of 21 officers currently serving the citizens of Tennessee by working in TDOC facilities and offices across the state. The keynote speaker for the event was John Fisher, Correctional Administrator. Fisher spoke to the class about challenging the status quo and the importance of doing your part within TDOC. “Remember to do your part and lift where you stand. You’ll make the department a better...

The City of Tullahoma stated in a press release on January 7, 2019 that the city has begun an internal investigation into the police department management. As a result of this investigation, Police Chief Paul Blackwell and Captain George Marsh were placed on administrative leave with pay until further notice. On Friday Marsh submitted his resignation to the City of Tullahoma. His resignation is effective immediately. City Administrator Jennifer Moody stated that, “His dedication and experience will be difficult to replace, and we are grateful to Captain Marsh for his contributions to the City and our citizens over the...

The driver of a pickup truck has been charged following a wreck last week on John Bragg Highway. Joshua Pearson, age 27 of Tullahoma, TN was driving a 2008 Chevy Silverado and was charged with failure to yield. According the Tennessee Highway Patrol report, the pickup was traveling north on Hollis Creek Road in Cannon County. A Freightliner Semi (owned by FedEx) and driven by Jimmy Hughes, Jr., age 61 of Shelbyville, was traveling west on US70S. The pickup crossed over US70S from Hollis Creek. While entering the intersection, the pickup failed to yield for the semi in the...

Doctors performing abortions on girls younger than 18 years old would be required to preserve a sample of the fetal tissue for law enforcement under a bill making its way through the Tennessee State house. Currently the threshold is age 13. The proposal is the latest abortion related legislation Republican state lawmakers have introduced following newly elected Gov. Bill Lee’s promise to support any bill that would reduce the number of abortions throughout the state. Most prominently, the governor says he’s supporting a proposal that would ban abortion once a fetal heartbeat is detected. However, other bills are also...

Newly released data detailing how ready Tennessee students are for college paints a grim picture of the state’s continued challenges in improving K-12 education. The data tallies college readiness across the state in math and reading down to the individual high school level. According to a report in the Tennessean, the data shows that while some public high schools prepare their students extraordinarily well for college, others have profound challenges and send many of their students on needing remedial education. Students who need remedial efforts have a lower chance of graduating from college, according to state data. Students are...

Coffee County Sheriff Chad Partin held a press conference Thursday afternoon over last week’s story about inmate Carl Dalton Williams being left at the Justice Center overnight February 7. After an internal investigation four officers are facing disciplinary actions. One transport officer responsible for clearing the area where Williams was being held will receive three days suspension without pay for failure to perform his duties and negligence that allowed a prisoner to escape. Additionally, those whose job is to do counts at the jail will receive reprimands and more. One officer will receive a write up in their file...