The Coffee County Election Commission will meet on Thursday Nov. 16, 2017 at 4pm in the Election Commission office in the Administrative Plaza, 1329 McArthur St., Suite 6 in Manchester. The purpose of the meeting will be to call for Republican and Democrat County primaries, May 1, 2018. Registration forms will also be audited. For more information contact Coffee County Administrator of Elections, Vernita Davis at her office or call...

Tennessee State Sen. Jim Tracy has resigned after accepting an appointment from President Donald Trump. Over the weekend, Trump appointed the Republican state senator as Tennessee rural development director for the U.S. Agriculture Department. Tracy submitted his resignation letter Monday morning. Tracy, who is from Shelbyville, has served in the state Senate since 2004. Tracy this year was a major proponent of Republican Gov. Bill Haslam’s transportation funding program that included a 6-cent gas tax hike to tackle a backlog of road projects. A Special Election will be held to fill the seat. Audio from WGNS Radio:...

The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office would like to announce the initiation of its church safety and security training. The Sheriff’s Office would like to offer this training to any and all churches in Franklin County. The program provides three phases of training. Phase 1 is a security assessment of the building and grounds as well as planning and tactical considerations regarding security. Phase 2 of the training consist of actual response to active shooter for unarmed civilians to include planning pre and post incident. Phase 3 of the training consist of actual tactical response to active shooters by armed...

The Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) cautions motorists to watch out for deer on or near the roadways. An increase in deer related crashes is more likely during November-December due to deer mating and hunting season. Stats show November is typically the worst month for deer-related crashes. It is important for motorists to exercise caution, slow down and remain alert in areas where deer are present. In Tennessee from 2012 and 2016, 6.4 percent of deer related crashes occurred on state highways. In 2016, there were 7,219 deer related crashes including 330 that involved injuries and one that was fatal....

The Coffee County Sheriff’s Department issued a missing child alert last week. 16 year-old Dakota Dunn was last seen approximately October 22, 2017 in Hillsboro, but was located safely on Thursday night November 2. On Friday morning Dunn went missing again after being dropped off at Coffee County High School and was then considered a runaway. Late Saturday night, Deputy Blake Simmons from the Coffee County Sheriff’s Department located Dunn, who was...

Westwood Middle School was placed on a hard lockdown on Friday November 3, 2017 due to the discovery of a bathroom wall message with a gun reference. According to Director of Schools Lee Wilkerson, school cameras were used by the school administration and the Manchester Police Department to quickly identify the student. Westwood Middle School Principal Julie Green met with the faculty and staff following dismissal on Friday afternoon to review the situation and receive input on safety procedures. No other information was...

Christopher Kyle Anderson age 31 of Gruetli-Laager in Grundy County was arrested on Wednesday by Manchester Police Officer Dustan Foster after he responded to a call of possible drug activity in the parking lot of Whispering Pines Shopping Center on the Hillsboro Blvd. Upon arrival the person who witnessed the activity said that the man crossed Hwy 41 towards a restaurant. Anderson was spotted walking through a convenience store parking lot and upon approaching the man he allegedly ran off and officers pursued Anderson and they were finally able to get him stopped. A search of the man allegedly...

The Bedford County Sheriff’s Office needs your help identifying a male subject. Please look carefully. The Bedford County Sheriff’s Office is investigating an attempted burglary and vandalism of Whiteside Market that occurred on October 21, 2017 during the early morning hours. If you know who this man is, please contact the Bedford County Sheriff’s Office at 931-684-3232 and ask for Detective John...