January is Thyroid Awareness Month, and according to the American Thyroid Association, nearly 60 million Americans, mostly women, have some type of thyroid problem. Dr. Elizabeth Pearce, president of the American Thyroid Association, says hypothyroidism is the most common disorder, which means the thyroid – a gland located at the bottom of the neck – produces too few hormones. And thyroid disorders particularly affect women as they age. “The vast majority of thyroid disease is in women,” she states. “Hypothyroidism, which is 7 to 8 times more frequent in women than in men.” A blood test measuring TSH levels...

Tennessee State Parks and elected officials broke ground this week for a new inn, restaurant and conference center at Fall Creek Falls State Park, part of a broader $200 million investment in state parks over the last eight years by Gov. Bill Haslam’s administration and the Tennessee General Assembly. The facility at Fall Creek Falls is part of over $175 million in capital projects appropriated for state parks since 2011. Fall Creek Falls State Park has seen the renovation of 20 cabins and the refurbishment of an additional 10. At Fall Creek Falls, the new inn and restaurant are...

The Manchester Board of Education voted to offer Dr. Joey Vaughn the job of Manchester city schools director on Monday evening. Vaughn is the former principal at Coffee County High School and is now the current Deputy Director of Coffee County Schools. He was also a District Supervisor for Manchester City Schools for 6 years. Manchester Board of Education Chairman Travis Hillis claims Vaughn is interested in taking on the offer. http://www.thunder1320.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Hillis-Vaughn.mp3 Last week we reported the Manchester Board of Education is not renewing current Director Lee Wilkerson’s contract. His term ends in June. Vaughn was contacted by the...

Duck River Electric Membership Corporation (DREMC) members should be on guard for an electric payment scam that has hit DREMC members over the weekend, taking advantage of a Bedford County business that fell victim to the scammers. The people behind this fraud sound professional as they instruct DREMC members to pay a specific amount due or electric service will be disconnected. The scammers have reportedly spoofed the DREMC Shelbyville district phone number, 931-684-4621, so the call appears official. Upon talking to the scammer, the local business employee was told that the business had failed to pay a $1,000 deposit...

At approximately 10:00am Tuesday morning authorities received a call of a bomb threat at North Middle School in Decherd. The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, Decherd Police Dept., Decherd Fire Dept. and AEDC K-9 unit all responded. The gym was cleared, and students were evacuated to the gym while the rest of the building was cleared and deemed safe to return the students to class. The all clear was given by Director of Franklin County schools, Stanley Bean around 11am. According to reports, a student found evidence of a bomb threat made in one of the bathrooms and reported it...

16th District State Senator Janice Bowling (R-Tullahoma) has been reappointed as Deputy Speaker, a key leadership role in the Tennessee Senate. The appointment was made by Lt. Gov. Randy McNally on Saturday. The Deputy Speaker is appointed to a two-year term and serves at the pleasure of the Speaker of the Senate. Principle duties of the position include assisting the Speaker in regard to committee appointments and the assignment of bills to standing committees. The Deputy Speaker often presides over the Senate and assists the Speaker on special...

Tennessee is seeking federal approval to require about 56,000 low-income adults to work, volunteer, or take classes – or risk losing their government-funded Medicaid health coverage, known as TennCare. Tennessee is following the call of President Donald Trump, who wants to require able-bodied adults on Medicaid to work. The state has asked Trump’s administration to approve a plan that would require TennCare recipients to average 20 hours of work a week for four months during six-month periods. Violators could have their benefits suspended. The requirement would not apply to pregnant women, elderly, disabled, one primary caregiver per household with...

State Senator Janice Bowling of Tullahoma and Rep. Ron Travis say they will introduce comprehensive legislation to regulate access to medical cannabis. The proposal would allow qualified patients to obtain medical cards if they are diagnosed with specific medical conditions and purchase products from companies that are licensed by Tennessee and owned by Tennesseans to cultivate, process and dispense cannabis. Since 1973 when the first state voted to de-criminalize cannabis, 33 states have approved medical cannabis programs. Around two-thirds of Americans now have access to medical programs and no state has repealed a medical program. The Tennessee Medical Cannabis...