IMAGINE LIFE is a car, and our goal is to make it from one side of the country to the other. The only way to do that is by having a full tank of gas. What is the gas in our lives, as humans, that...

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IMAGINE LIFE is a car, and our goal is to make it from one side of the country to the other. The only way to do that is by having a full tank of gas. What is the gas in our lives, as humans, that...
ROSES ARE red, violets are blue, treat your loved one to a treat that is made by you! Whether you’re celebrating the beginnings of a new relationship, or spending the day with your longtime...
I DON’T KNOW a stranger. Call it a hazard of my job as a writer, but I genuinely enjoy meeting people, and it is even better if I can turn them into friends. There’s a great quote by Maya Angelou...
EVERY COMMUNITY member deserves a safe and affordable place to live and raise a family. Your house becomes a home at the Manchester Housing Authority (MHA). It is an equal housing opportunity...
WE MAY have made it to the other side of the COVID-19 pandemic, but there is still a real epidemic today: drug overdose. McCall fell into drug dealing and usage at 11 years old. At 25 years old,...
READING TAKES us places. We journey to new worlds, gain new ideas, and learn as we read. Without solid reading skills, we stay in one place or go backward. We can become uncomfortable and unsure of...
STANDING TALL and regal amongst the background of downtown Manchester is the event venue, The Church @117. The building’s historic brick and architecture tell a story of rich history. Over the...
WE’VE ALL seen it in the movies or read about it in books—the romantic story of when a boy meets a girl, and an instant connection is made. Some might even call it love at first sight. The destined...
IT IS commonly believed among love experts that there are seven love languages: activity, appreciation, emotional, financial, intellectual, physical, and practical. For the happily married couple,...
AT WORK, Eddie Medley wears many hats: job coach, record keeper, counselor, facilitator, job developer, etc. But he said it all comes down to three important tasks: advocate, facilitate, and...
BRO, BUDDY, sidekick, comrade, sibling, big brother, and kidbrother— whatever you may call them, you can’t deny the unbreakable bond between brothers Daniel and Stephen Ray. A seven-year age...
STARTING THE new year off right, folks strapped on their walking boots and braved the cold for the annual First Day Hike at Old Stone Archeological Park. The hike was part of a series of First Day...
I AM IN the middle of my third decade of life, and within the last two years, I’ve discovered something I always ignored: music from the midcentury. Life does not seem to be slowing down. Our...
OUR COMMUNITY has a rich history. Businesses, people, and locations have created the foundation of who we are today. Each decade is a building block to our identity, creating a beautiful masterpiece...
FOR OVER 30 years, children’s television host Mister Rogers came into the homes of millions via our television sets and told each of us one of the most important things a person could say to us. “I...
THANKS TO cell phones, video games, and social media, there have never been more distractions for our youth. Although we are technically more connected than ever before, we can sometimes feel more...
TRANSFORMATION IS defined as a dramatic change in the form, appearance, or character. Human transformation is an internal shift that brings one in alignment with their highest potential. Helping...
ARTISTS ARE unique creatures. They see things in a way that most of us take for granted or don’t have the patience to see. Their minds wander; they imagine and solve invisible problems about making...
THE START of a new year means the gym will be packed. The possibilities seem endless when the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve. We’ve shrugged off an old year. Now, what will we do with the...
TWO WORDS strike fear and dread in our hearts. Cancer is number two. While number one is associated with it, it is no longer exclusive to it. Any number of conditions can lead to a call for it; the...
IT’S ONE of the oldest businesses in Manchester. A step inside the 94-year-old building, and you will be transported back in time— when mom-and-pop stores were in their heyday. Everyone knew...
EACH YEAR, hundreds of locals make their way down to the historic downtown square in Manchester for a day of traveling back in time, before cell phones and the internet existed. Games and activities...
PARKS CAN be magical places. They offer a sense of wonder and produce curiosity of a time long ago. Back to a time long before the internet, cars, indoor plumbing, or air conditioning—to a time when...
MAYBE IT’S superstitious. Perhaps it’s tradition. Or it’s possible that it’s because the food is just so darn good. Whatever the reason, Southerners cannot seem to get enough traditional New Year’s...
THE FOURTH annual Manchester Veterans Day parade was held on November 19. People lined the city streets in honor of those who have served. This year’s parade theme was “A Salute to Military Service...
ALL I want for Christmas iiiiiiis…yoooooOOooooOOoouuuUUUuuu.” Can you hear it already? It’s that time of year once again. A time of year when a heated blanket feels like a hug. Every inch of the...
As you put on your next new pair of shoes, hold that empty box a few minutes longer. Look inside at what it holds. What do you see? Packing paper? Cardboard? Look again. That empty box has the...
SOMETIMES THE holidays can seem all about the "more." More decorations, more gifts, more food, more events. But what if less was actually the more we were looking for? Tullahoma native Makayla...
THE SIMPLE act of sitting down to eat a meal with others has great significance. It conjures thoughts of historical meals, such as Jesus sharing the Last Supper with his disciples, Norman Rockwell’s...
There are two kinds of people in life, according to Manchester resident Jeffery Russo; those who return their shopping cart and those who do not. That simple act of kindness is something that Russo...
THE HOLIDAYS are a joyous time of the year for many. Days filled with family and friends coming together to celebrate and spend time with each other. But for many, it can often be a stressful and...
THE HOLIDAY season is a time for sharing. The sharing of a good meal, fellowship, and gifts. These gifts can be both in physical form and through acts of service. For Manchester native Jordan Winton...
THE CHRISTMAS Tree. It is one of the most popular and recognizable decorations of the holiday season. They come in all sorts of colors, materials, and sizes. They are adorned with everything from...
THERE ARE the famous ones such as the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York with its larger-than-life floats, and the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Chicago where they color the river bright...
TAKE A deep breath and smell the aroma of lunch cooking in the kitchen. It was a very important meal. Jesus and the 12 stopped in to visit the home of Martha and Mary, in Bethany. Through the...
WE DUST off the artificial pumpkin decorations and pull orange and purple wreaths from storage. We pull out rakes and sweaters as the weather drops like the leaves do. The weather feels therapeutic...
IF YOU stop and listen, you might hear computer keys clacking. Local author Janice Lynn has been busy crafting her latest manuscripts, “Celebrating all things Christmas,” “Sweet Romance,” and...
OVER THE years, Stacey Stone has worn many hats. She’s known as “the realtor who wears many hats.” She’s donned graduation caps from both Manchester Central High School and Middle Tennessee State...
"TIP OF the spear” is a phrase used by the United States Military to describe being stationed at the forefront of battle where the pendulum can swing from life to death with no warning. Retired...
THE CREATIVE souls of Manchester regularly enjoy wonderful, relaxing evenings at Manchester’s Board & Brush Creative Studio learning how to create signs as well as many other things from etched...
EVERY CITY has its history, and Coffee County has more than most with its historical sites and festivals. What people may not think about, however, is the history behind its athletics. Head football...
IT STARTED with the sauce. Take crushed tomatoes, add a splash of red wine, a whole lot of basil, and a few secret ingredients, and you get a hearty and authentic Italian red sauce that’s not too...
IF YOU’RE looking for classic comfort food or freshly baked goods, The Mercantile Cafe in downtown Manchester is the perfect spot. Their wide variety of easy-to-grab selections for lunch and dinner...
THE “ULTIMATE Oldies” traveling show brought the house down at the Manchester Arts Center during their Elvis Tribute in October. The group started in 2010 as a way for founder and director Jamie...
WHEN THE SMELL of warm caramel coffee lingers in the air of your vehicle on the way to work, you don’t have to think about watching your back. While not every driver on the road is aware of their...
COFFEE COUNTY is home to many incredible people who work every day to make their home a better place. One such person is Dr. Jill Johnson, Animal Health Veterinary Medical Officer and long-time...
SINCE 1857, the Coffee County Fair has been a staple of Middle Tennessee life. Now in its 165th year, there are tractor pulls, carnival rides, beauty pageants, and competitions in everything from...
MANCHESTER AND Coffee County are robust and thriving communities with a population that has been steadily growing for years. That population increase is reflected in the school system. Recently,...
FOR MANY years, sports fans of Coffee County have looked forward to the annual Coffee Pot game as Manchester and Tullahoma battle for bragging rights and the Coffee Pot trophy. It has been a...
NECESSITY MAY be the mother of invention, but the pandemic birthed many new creative ventures – directly and indirectly. Lona Bailey’s is the indirect variety. Many of us rediscovered old television...
GAS WAS 30 cents a gallon, and postage for a standard letter cost 2 cents. Prohibition was in effect, leaving many to find creative ways to manufacture and transport their goods. Women had been...
WHEN THE University of Tennessee Space Institute (UTSI) is brought up, most people think of aerospace engineers and complicated experiments. The reality, however, is that one of the largest and most...
A YOUNG BOY watched as firefighters attempted to save his grandmother’s home, the home where his mother and her siblings had grown up, and his Grandmother Taylor still lived. The hearts of those...
AT HOME on his day off he’s making pancakes for his children, calming his crying child after a tumble, and picking up around the house while his wife, a teacher, is at work. With quiet patience,...
MENTION “EMERGENCY,” and a child of the ‘70s may have a totally different mental image than a generation or two removed. Gage, DeSoto, and the crew at Station 51 of the Los Angeles County Fire...
WHEN TRAGEDY and hardship strike, we want to help. We demonstrate our love and care in various ways, but feeding those hit hard meets a basic need and fuels them to manage their situations. Few...
THE CALENDAR may seem to be winding down, but the Millennium Repertory Company isn’t. The footlights barely cool off before the switches are flipped for the next production. In August, the Teen...
MANY PEOPLE think that when veterans leave the military, they are done serving. In Manchester, they couldn’t be more wrong. This past year, VFW Post 10904 earned its fourth consecutive All-American...
THE SCHOOLS of Manchester have thriving athletic programs in many sports, but they are not the only organization that promotes physical welfare in the community. The Manchester Parks and Recreation...
FOR YEARS, the Manchester City School District has been looking for a service dog to work in their school system… and that wish has finally been granted in the form of the Bernedoodle puppy, Daisy....
WHILE IT may not be the first thing someone thinks when they think of ‘Coffee County,’ the University of Tennessee Space Institute (UTSI) has been a part of the community for nearly six decades. In...
THE COFFEE County Children’s Advocacy Center (CCCAC) recently unveiled a new recognition for those who work tirelessly advocating for children in Coffee County. According to the CCCAC director,...
THIS PRACTICE wasn’t like all the others. It was the last practice before the season opener; the official start of the season. You could feel the tension and excitement amongst the players. It was...
THE AFTERNOON SUN beats down, throwing its last few heated punches before it sets for the evening. The smell of hotdogs and popcorn waft through the air luring patrons to the concession stands....
THE CROWD is wild with excitement, chanting louder and louder. The band chimes in alongside the crowd, performing the jubilant number that welcomes their team onto the field. The cheerleaders wave...
WHEN WE tell the story of our lives, it is not solely about us. When we tell the story of our successes, our triumphs, and even our failures, it involves more than just ourselves. There are a whole...
IT’S QUIET. Which is very uncommon for a Friday night football game. The score is close, and one right or wrong play could decide the whole game. It’s almost as if the whole crowd knows this, and...
It’s finally here! Although the outside temperature argues for summer, your school spirit knows it’s fall. Tonight you’ve chosen shorts and flip-flops, but soon it will be flannel shirts, pants, and...
THE ELECTRIFYING atmosphere under Friday night lights is majorly fueled by loyal fans scattered across stadium seats. Young children with painted faces, parents with cushioned seats, and...
IT’S HOT. The humidity is as thick as honey on a fluffy buttermilk biscuit that has just come out of the oven. People sit in their camp chairs and fan themselves with whatever is in arm’s reach as...
THE CLASSROOM is like railroad tracks. Hard workers spent years, decades—centuries even—laying the groundwork for the trains to run smoothly from coast to coast. They’re strong. And they last for...
DEFINING THE meaning of teacher requires more than Merriam-Webster; it takes a deeper look and a second glance. More than a job with a summer-long vacation, teachers are motivated by their love for...
IT MIGHT be one of the most exciting yet stressful times of the year, rivaling that of Christmas. It requires preparation, planning, logistics, time, and money. I’m almost sure there are military...
SURROUNDED BY a sea of classmates, a student filled with potential may feel invisible or wish he could disappear. Another student’s highest aim might be to coast through school until graduation. One...
WITH THE first cup of steaming coffee in my hand and the stiffness still in my joints, I gently ease into my spot on the couch. A fresh, new day offers a blank page, although the to-do list in my...
SAFETY HAS always been a goal for the Manchester Public Works department. This is especially true now, as the department continues work on multiple sidewalks across Manchester. The project has been...
IN COFFEE County’s backyard sits one of the largest and most complex flight simulation facilities in the world – the Arnold Engineering Development Complex (AEDC). Within the complex are 58...
THE WORDS “back to school” can stir up many different emotions. Some young parents hear “school” and are instantly filled with dread and anxiety. Leaving their wide eyed babes for the first time can...
IN JANUARY of 2021, Tennessee began providing funds for public school districts to give summer learning opportunities to rising first through eighth grade students. Westwood Middle School has taken...
THE BEGINNING of the year marked a large change in the industrial community of Coffee County, as Cookeville native Stephen Crook was hired as the Coffee County Industrial Board executive director....
ALTHOUGH THE softball and baseball seasons are over, the Coffee County High School fields are not complete. In the off season, both sets of bleachers are being replaced by new aluminum seating that...
THERE ARE times in life when we become so busy wrapped up in our own world, that we forget to look around or reach out. This could look like being consumed with our own problems, or on the opposite...
THE BOND between a girl and her horse is one that cannot be broken. A horse can be broken, meaning it can undergo skillful training to become accustomed to carrying a rider. Similarly, a young...
ASHLEY NUTT began her college journey as a dance major at The University of Alabama. Dancing was not only a hobby of Nutt’s but had always been a lifelong passion. So when Nutt changed from a dance...
GENERALLY SPEAKING, one of the most dramatic periods of a person’s life happens during the adolescent years when the prefrontal cortex of the brain region (responsible for things like planning,...
WHETHER IT seems this way or not, students desire to be inspired. They want to see someone come alive before them with passionate and contagious energy. Students like to be included and involved....
DON’T LET the image of a roadside lemonade stand staffed with a child dreaming of a pony fool you. Lemonade Day is the real deal. Instead of a pony, the stands’ operators are dreaming of owning and...