Shelbyville police have arrested 26-year-old Robert J. Bransford, a man wanted for questioning regarding two attempted child abductions. Bransford was arrested Saturday night and charged with one count of attempted kidnapping, according to police. He was taken to the Bedford County Jail and booked in. No other details were immediately available. (Courtesy of...

Tennessee judges are praising two new state laws they say will help protect domestic violence victims. According to a state Supreme Court news release Thursday, one law lets judges order cellphone providers to grant domestic violence victims control over their cellphone numbers if they are on an account held by an alleged abuser. The second law says a judge will issue a “no contact order” if a court finds probable cause that an alleged perpetrator caused serious bodily injury or used or displayed a weapon. The “no contact order” will be a mandatory condition of the perpetrator’s bond and...

The race for a key U.S. Senate seat is taking shape in Tennessee, where Republican Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn continues to tout a recent visit by President Donald Trump on her behalf and former Democratic Governor Phil Bredesen is opposing Trump’s moves on tariffs. Bredesen instead has aligned himself with the Republican he wants to replace, U.S. Sen. Bob Corker, who has endorsed Blackburn but says he won’t campaign against...

MANCHESTER BOARD OF EDUCATION REGULAR MEETING ADMINISTRATIVE BUILDING – BOARD ROOM JUNE 11, 2018 – 5:00 P. M. 1. MEETING CALLED TO ORDER 1.1 Recognition of Visitors 1.2 Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance 2. APPROVAL OF CONSENT ITEMS 2.1 April 30 and May 2 Minutes 2.2 Additions/Deletions and Acceptance of Agenda 2.3 Tennessee Risk Management Trust The purpose of the Trust is to provide self-insurance and risk management products of various kinds, including but not limited to casualty and property indemnification and to administer some or all insurance coverage and self- insurance protections. 2.4 Contractual Agreement with Manchester City...

Coffee County Director of Schools Dr Ladonna McFall has announced that Jeff Johnson has been hired as the new Principal of the Koss Center. Johnson began his career in Coffee County and is coming back from the Tennessee College of Applied Technology Center in McMinnville where he served as the Supervisor of Student Services. Johnson has several years in school administration including a period of time in the Manchester City School system. “He has an exciting vision for our alternative education program,” said Dr. McFall. Johnson replaces retiring Koss Center Alternative School Principal Major...

Wednesday afternoon at approximately 5:45pm Manchester Fire-Rescue was notified of a fire at Kirchhoff Automotive Manufacturing in the Coffee County Industrial Park. Fire units arrived on scene and reported a large fire in the rear of the facility in a container storage area. Command requested a response from AEDC Fire, Tullahoma Fire, Hillsboro, Hickerson Station, Summitville and New Union volunteer fire departments for manpower and water supply. Manchester Fire units attacked the fire from both sides of the facility. Responding mutual aid departments began arriving on scene and providing more manpower and suppression assistance. The main body of the...

A one-year contract between Axis Nation, LLC, conducting business as Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, and Coffee County was signed last week. This is an agreement regarding the 2018 festival only. The parties signed the deal last week in which festival organizers will make a one-time donation of $205,000. Part of the $205,000 Axis donation will be directed toward purchasing an ambulance for $155,000. Additionally, the Coffee County Lannom Memorial Public Library in Tullahoma will see the parking lot repaved, new flooring and security lights installed for $31,130. The Coffee County Manchester Public Library will also have its parking...

The Grundy County school board recently selected an interim school director. The board voted to make Glenda Dykes the interim school director during the special meeting. Dykes was the principal of Tracy City Elementary and has more than 30 years of experience working in education. Dykes was selected after the school board decided to buy out the contract of former school director Jessie Kinsey. In other Grundy County school news, Mayor Michael Brady has confirmed Grundy County School Board member Amanda “Kasey” Anderson has submitted her resignation. Since the vacancy created by Anderson’s resignation occurred within 120 days of...