The Tennessee Department of Agriculture Division of Forestry is observing National Fire Prevention Week through Saturday by reminding citizens to follow simple safety practices to prevent wildfires. The official start of wildfire season in Tennessee is Oct. 15. Obtaining a burn permit is free, fast, and simple. If you are burning a leaf or brush pile that is smaller than 8 feet by 8 feet in size, their online system provides a quick and efficient way to apply. For a larger burn, call your local Division of Forestry burn permit phone number Mon. through Fri., 8 a.m. – 4:30...

Believe or not flu cases have already been confirmed in Tennessee. Dr. William Schaffner, an Infectious Disease Specialist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, said it is still tough to predict what kind of flu season it will be. Regardless, he said his recommendations stay the same. He advises anyone six months of age and older to get a flu shot and to do it before the end of October. Dr. Schaffner said the vaccine is the best defense against the flu. While it isn’t perfect, it still protects against several strains of the virus and makes an individual less...

Motlow State Community College will observe Fall Break Oct. 12 – 16, according to college officials. Offices will remain open on their regular schedule, but no classes will be held during the break. This applies to the Moore County, Fayetteville, McMinnville and Smyrna campuses as well as the Sparta site. The libraries on the Moore County and McMinnville campuses will be open 7:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 12, Monday, Oct. 15, and Tuesday, Oct. 16. The library on the Smyrna campus will be open 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 12, Monday, Oct. 15...

There was a fatal accident early Monday morning on Hwy. 55 near Coffee County High School. The two-vehicle crash took place around 5:30am. Manchester Police Assistant Chief Adam Floied says that Shawn Robert Austin age 41 of Tullahoma was on his way to work when his Pontiac car was hit head-on by a pick-up traveling in the opposite direction. Floied says that the female driver of the truck saw something in the road, swerved and crossed over the median, crashing into Austin’s car. http://www.thunder1320.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Adam.mp3 Austin died from the injuries he received. The female was not seriously injured. Traffic was...

Early Friday morning (October 5, 2018) in Monteagle a man was arrested for allegedly stealing items from the Monteagle Church of Christ and Monteagle Flea Market. A man who says he is not from Monteagle was found walking through the town carrying a bag with several old coins inside. Monteagle Police reports that after an investigation they discovered the church and storage building and cabin at the flea market had been broken into. Jeffery Tittle was arrested and charged with three counts of burglary, three counts of vandalism, and three counts of...

Last week in Bell Buckle, Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam, Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance Commissioner Julie Mix McPeak and Tennessee fire service members and supporters broke ground on a new $5.7 million conference center at the Tennessee Fire Service and Codes Enforcement Academy. The Academy helps train and educate over 15,000 fire and codes students each year and is a nationally recognized leader in fire service and codes enforcement education. When complete, the 19,000 square foot conference center will provide additional meeting space to hold large classes, conferences and graduations. The new conference center will allow Tennessee to...