Murfreesboro Police responded recently to 2563 Choctaw Trace in reference to an ongoing narcotics investigation where officers arrested a 56 year old retired man. Richard H. Hodge was taken into custody at his home when authorities showed up with a warrant in hand. During a search of his home, police found a marijuana grow operation located inside a custom built garage cabinet. Detectives also found a THC Extraction Kit used to make what are called marijuana “Dabs” or “Honey Oil.” In an outbuilding on Hodge’s property, police located two boxes of marijuana plants that appeared to be laid out...

This past Friday Coffee County Deputy Joey Ricco responded to a structure fire at 75 3rd Street in Summitville. Upon arriving Ricco spoke with Jeffrey Smith who stated that he was the owner of the property and he was next door at his ex-wife’s house. While they were talking she noticed that his residence was on fire. There was also a truck on fire close to residence. Summitville Fire Department arrived on the scene and was able to get control of the fire and extinguish it. Smith advised the property was valued at $20,000 for the mobile home and...

On Saturday (Christmas Eve), a male subject was the operator of a vehicle that was stopped for reckless and erratic driving on Highway 41 in Coffee County by Tennessee Highway Patrolman Joseph Jones. This occurred after authorities received numerous complaints of reckless driving eastbound on Interstate 24. According to the arrest warrant, Juan Francisco Gonzalez age 39 of High St Manchester admitted to drinking and had the strong odor of an intoxicant about his person, his speech was slurred, his eyes were bloodshot and he was unsteady on his feet. The man was administered only one field sobriety test...

At approximately 11:45am last Thursday the Grundy County Sheriff’s Office along with other local emergency personnel responded to a crash near the intersection of Hwy. 56 and Sanders Crossing involving a Grundy County Sheriff’s Office Tahoe. Upon arrival, deputies found a 2013 Ford Mustang and the 2013 Chevy Tahoe had collided. Chad Fultz (36) of Tracy City was airlifted to Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga and was last listed in critical condition. Sgt. Josh King (36) was taken to a nearby hospital. The Tennessee Highway Patrol is investigating the...

Tennessee has the second highest rate of opioid prescriptions per person, according to the state Department of Mental Health, and a simple, new technology offers a way to help curb abuse. It’s a bottle cap that fits most prescription bottles sold by drug store chains, with a built-in timer that automatically keeps track of the time that has passed between doses. Larry Twersky, CEO of TimerCap, says he developed the company after growing up with a family member who became addicted to pain medicine. “We can avoid some unintentional abusers going down the wrong path,” he states. “And since...

Deer hunting season is nearing its conclusion in Tennessee. The gun season for deer concludes on Jan. 8 while the second Young Sportsman Hunt for 2016-17 is Jan. 14-15. For the Young Sportsman Hunt, youth, 6-16 years of age are allowed to participate. The young sportsmen must be accompanied by a non-hunting adult at least 21 years of age who must remain in a position to take control of the hunting device. The accompanying adult must comply with fluorescent orange regulations, as specified for legal hunters. Multiple youth may be accompanied by a single qualifying adult. The first youth...

Rebecca French, general manager of the Manchester-Coffee County Conference Center is asking the county for insurance for some of her employees. French is requesting benefits for all full-time employees of the center. 32 people work at the Manchester-Coffee County Conference Center, seven of which are full-time, with only four of them receiving benefits. Offering benefits to all full-time employees would mean an increase in the amount paid by the county and City of Manchester because the two share the cost of operating the center. If approved this would mean an extra $24,000 needed for the...