Latest Headlines
Bonnaroo Works Fund Grants Awarded
Bonnaroo Works Fund, the charitable arm of Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival has announced its annual grant distributions of more than $225,000 to over 30 organizations with an emphasis on Tennessee-based nonprofits. “This year’s Bonnaroo Works Fund recipients are vital organizations, projects, programs and events that make communities stronger and healthier,” said Nina Miller, BWF executive director. “It’s extremely gratifying to help these amazing organizations continue their invaluable contributions.” The Bonnaroo Works Fund is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that supports organizations that advance the arts, education and environmental sustainability, with a focus on local reinvestment and asset building in...
Crash Sends Two Children to the Hospital and One Adult to Jail
A resident of Manchester was arrested after being involved in a single vehicle crash. Susan Marie Mowery, 31, of 16th Model Road, Manchester was charged with two counts of reckless endangerment, two counts of vehicular assault and DUI. According to a warrant obtained by Coffee County Sheriff’s Deputy Shaun Greene, on Oct. 8 he was dispatched to a single vehicle crash in which an 11-year-old had been ejected from the vehicle. Upon arrival the officer saw a vehicle sitting in the road with severe damage and several people nearby. The officer observed the 11-year-old and a 3-year-old who were...
ACT Scores Showing Record Results
Education Department Commissioner Candice McQueen has announced that Tennessee public school students have crossed a new threshold, earning an average composite score of 20.1 on the ACT. Tennessee public high school students improved from the 2016 average of 19.9, with more than 3,500 additional students taking the exam this year. The results also show that about 1,800 more Tennessee public school graduates became eligible for the HOPE scholarship by earning composite score of 21 or higher. Additionally, public school students improved in every section of the ACT by increasing their average score in English, reading, math, and science. The...
Gas Prices are Falling
Tennessee gas prices have been on a steep slide for the last three weeks and should drift even lower this week. The state average declined for the 28th consecutive day on Sunday, dropping a total of 20 cents during that time. Tennessee motorists are paying an average of $2.39 at the pump, an 8-cent discount from last week. Despite the recent decline at the pump, regular unleaded remains 25 cents more than this time last year, as prices recover from supply and demand issues related to recent hurricanes. The national average price for a gallon of regular unleaded is...
Tennessee Supreme Court Looking to Help Poor People with Legal Needs
Tennessee’s Supreme Court is suggesting changes to help poor people get proper legal representation. A court news release recommends a bump from a $40 or $50 hourly pay rate for appointed lawyers to a $65 hourly rate. It would be the first increase in two decades. Additionally, the court seeks a $500 boost to today’s $1,500 lawyer pay cap in indigent cases. The court suggests new public defender appellate and conflicts divisions, the latter to ensure public defenders are used instead of private attorneys. Judges would have to explain public defender conflicts before appointing private attorneys. A new state...
New Tennessee State Museum continues to Receive Donations
The new Tennessee State Museum project has yielded more than $25 million in donations by corporations, foundations and individuals. In a news release this week, museum officials said the money committed during the initial “silent phase” puts the campaign more than halfway toward its $40 million fundraising goal. Some notable companies that contributed include CoreCivic, HCA Healthcare, Bridgestone Americas Trust Fund, FedEx, AT&T, Verizon Foundation and Nissan North America, Inc. Well-known political names and their families who donated include Gov. Bill Haslam, House Speaker Beth Harwell, U.S. Rep. Diane Black and former U.S. Sen. Bill Frist. Haslam and lawmakers...
City of Tullahoma Receives Budget Presentation and Financial Reporting Awards
The City of Tullahoma has been notified by the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) that it has received both the GFOA’s Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for its FY2016-2017 budget and the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for its comprehensive annual financial report (CAFR) for the Fiscal Year ending July 2016. These awards represent a significant achievement by the City, reflecting the commitment of the Board of Mayor and Alderman and staff to meeting the highest principles of governmental budgeting, accounting and financial reporting. Only fifteen municipalities in the State of...
Horse Owners Taking Precautions because of Sick Horses
Officials are advising horse owners in Tennessee to take precautions after three horses tested positive for viruses that infect the blood. State veterinarian Charles Hatcher said in a news release Friday that a horse in Davidson County and a horse in Knox County recently contracted West Nile virus. Also, a horse in Bedford County tested positive for equine infectious anemia. Sick horses cannot directly infect humans with either disease. Both illnesses are transmitted to horses through biting insects. Equine infectious anemia also can be transmitted by using needles, dental, or surgical equipment on different animals. Hatcher says horse owners...
