On Saturday afternoon (August 11th, 2018) around 4pm Coffee County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Jerimiah Kirk conducted a traffic stop on Cornish Street in Tullahoma. While on the traffic stop Kirk observed a subject driving a motorcycle at an extremely high rate of speed and driving dangerously. The deputy attempted to stop the motorcycle and the driver attempted to evade the officer. According to Kirk’s report, the man later identified James Ray Hudgins age 37 of Glendale Place, Tullahoma pulled into a driveway, jumped off the motorcycle and began running. According to Kirk’s report, he was able to catch up...

Manchester Fire & Rescue responded to reported kitchen fire Sunday morning at around 6am at J&K Market on McMinnville Hwy. When crews arrived on scene, a person getting fuel for his vehicle acted quickly and extinguished the grease fire just prior to fire crews arriving on scene. His quick thinking most likely saved the establishment from any severe damage. Manchester Fire & Rescue ventilated the establishment, checked the area out, and advised the manager on duty what steps needed to be done to clean the area up and how to prevent this type of fire from occurring again. Manchester...

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam announced Tuesday the first-ever statewide assessment of school facilities and safety procedures will be fully completed by the end of August, with unprecedented school security funding now available to school districts to implement identified school security and safety needs. To date, 1,796 schools – or about 99 percent of Tennessee’s public schools – have completed the security assessment with the remaining 1 percent set for completion by August 31. Additionally, the Department of Safety and Homeland Security is working to secure a developer to complete a statewide school safety mobile application. The application will be...

On Saturday night (August 11, 2018) at 8:25pm, Sgt Dwayne Mullins and Corporal Keith Raney with the Coffee County Sheriff’s Department responded to a fire at 100 West First Street in Hillsboro. According to Mullins’ report, upon their arrival, the fire was contained to the far west end of the residence with fire coming out the windows and roof. While waiting on the fire department to arrive, the blaze traveled through the house until it was fully engulfed. The report went on to say that when then Hillsboro Volunteer Fire Department arrived, the roof had completely collapsed. While Hillsboro...

Gas prices in the southeastern U.S. moved in opposite directions during the past week. While pump prices climbed in Florida, they moved lower in Tennessee and Georgia. Gas prices in Tennessee declined 2 cents last week. The state average of $2.63 per gallon is the 9th lowest in the nation. Sunday’s state average is the same as last month, yet nearly 50 cents more than this time last year. AAA spokesman Mark Jenkins said traditionally, gas prices decline in the second half of the year, due to lower demand. However, oil analysts are forecasting significant volatility in the oil...

All Motlow State Community College campuses will be closed Thursday, Aug. 23, to permit faculty and staff to attend fall convocation. All campuses will reopen and resume normal business hours on Friday, Aug. 24. Faculty and staff from all Motlow campuses will meet on the Moore County campus for the annual assembly, when presentations are made for the fall semester, including recognition of faculty and staff accomplishments, presentation of service awards, and faculty discipline meetings. “We are excited about this opportunity to bring the entire Motlow family together for the convocation,” said Melody Edmonds, interim vice president for academic...

The Tennessee State Museum is scheduled to open to the public on Thursday, October 4, 2018 at its new location on the corner of Rosa Parks Blvd. and Jefferson Street at Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park. Grand opening events will take place throughout the weekend. The Museum hosted its final event in its former location in the James K. Polk building in early May. Throughout the summer, artifacts and exhibitions are being installed in the new location. For over 35 years, the Tennessee State Museum, one of the oldest and largest state museums in the nation, has been confined...

Coffee County officials say they are applying for a state grant to help with security at the Coffee County Justice Center. The court security grant is for $68,000 with 10% match from the county. If the grant is approved the money will be used to add concrete traffic barriers in front of the justice center and protective panels to some areas in courtrooms and court clerk’s offices. The justice center already has barriers protecting the main entrance, but they are temporary and on loan from the Tennessee Department of Transportation. Other new items expected at the justice center are...