Man in wig poses as sister for Rx

JACKSON — A former West Tennessee public high school teacher and coach will be eligible for release from jail Monday after a plea bargain in a child sex case.

Chanda Franks entered the plea deal Jan. 11 in Madison County Circuit Court, admitting she had sex with a 14-year- old girl, according to The Jackson Sun which cited a statement by Jackson Police Chief Gill Kendrick.

The plea bargain gave the 35-year- old Franks two years each on three counts of aggravated statutory rape and the same term for witness coercion. However, the deal approved by the prosecutor and the girl’s family allowed six years of probation, meaning Franks can be freed Monday, after nine months in jail.

Franks was formerly a gym teacher and softball coach at Haywood High School in Brownsville. Tennessee Blue Book is being delivered to the state Capitol.

Secretary of State Tre Hargett said Friday the state has ordered 54,600 copies of the official guide to Tennessee government and history.

The 2011-2012 edition features new graphics highlighting lawmakers’ districts and shaded tabs for easier browsing of the nearly 800-page book.

ATHENS — A man has been arrested on charges of wearing a wig and makeup to pick up his dead sister’s Xanax and hydrocodone prescriptions.

Athens police said charges against 36-year- old Douglas Gregory Nichols of Athens include prescription fraud.

Police told the Daily PostAthenian that Nichols twice tried to disguise himself to pick up prescriptions that belonged to his deceased sister. The first time was shortly after she died.

Sgt. Detective Heith Willis said investigators are “assuming he was doing that to look more like the relative.”

Nichols was being held on a bond of more than $500,000.