It’s a new year and that means new laws, among the new laws is a test. Starting this year high school students will have to take a civics exam before graduating. Legislators hope the requirement will encourage Tennessee students to become active and productive citizens. Students will have to answer several questions from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service. Under the bill a passing grade is considered 70%, but educators can pick the questions and how it’s graded. Students can also take the test as many times as possible. Though you don’t have to pass, the Tennessee Department of...

With just over three weeks remaining until he presents his annual Tennessee spending plan to lawmakers, Gov. Bill Haslam is still trying to find what he calls a “comfort level” with lawmakers on his efforts to boost transportation funding in the state. Haslam argues that the state doesn’t bring in enough money to meet its road building and maintenance needs through its 21.4-cent gas tax. The governor says there’s a $6 billion backlog in state road projects awaiting funding. But lawmakers are wary about voting for hiking the gas tax for the first time since 1989 despite arguments that...

Motlow State Community College will be closed on Monday, Jan. 16, in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, according to college officials. The closing includes all college facilities, including libraries and computer labs, on the Moore County, Fayetteville, McMinnville, and Smyrna campuses. Regular business hours for all sites will resume on Jan. 17. Spring semester classes begin on Jan. 17 at all locations. Students can register for classes through Jan. 16, although the deadline to fill out a Motlow College application for admission is Jan. 11. For more information, visit the Motlow website at mscc.edu or call 931-393-1500...

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) is investigating an officer shooting in the Franklin County portion of Monteagle. According to Chris Guess spokesperson for the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department, two officers from the sheriff’s department, a Sewanee Police Officer and an officer from the Monteagle Police Department answered a 911 call Thursday afternoon to the Deep Woods subdivision in the Monteagle city limits. According to Guess when the officers arrived they encountered a man who was armed. According to Franklin County Sheriff Tim Fuller the man had called 911 and “said that he was going to kill himself or...

Tickets to this summer’s Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Manchester go on sale next week. The tickets go on sale Jan. 11, about five months ahead of the annual music fest that draws in tens of thousands of music lovers. A payment plan is available for fans. Tickets are $299.50 plus a $35.90 fee which includes a $6.00 facility fee, $3.00 contribution to Coffee County, $2.00 charity donation, and other applicable fees. After the $299.50 tier one tickets are sold out the price per ticket will rise to $324.50 and then when tier two tickets are sold the...

Blood Assurance is currently in critical need for blood donations of all types, most urgently O negative and O positive. In the event of a crisis situation, the low blood supply would not adequately meet the demand for blood from patients in need. This low blood supply is attributed to the increased usage from local hospitals as well as the low number of donations over the holidays. Blood Assurance is asking the community to please help replenish the low blood supply as soon as possible. The organization thanks all community members who choose to give the gift of life...

All Motlow State Community College campuses – Moore County, Fayetteville, McMinnville and Smyrna – will be closed part of the day on Jan. 12, to permit faculty and staff to attend spring assembly. All campuses will open at 1:30 p.m. Faculty and staff from all Motlow campuses will meet on the Moore County campus for the annual assembly, during which preparations are made for the spring semester. The assembly agenda includes welcoming remarks by Dr. Anthony Kinkel, president of the college, introduction of new employees, updates on college programs, recognition of faculty and staff accomplishments, and divisional meetings. The...