News 2011

Judge Susan Melton presided over Cannon County General Sessions Court on Tuesday.  Some of the results from the various cases that appeared on the docket included: Christopher Anthony Adams’ charges of aggravated burglary and theft under $500.00 were bound over to the September term of the Grand Jury.
Shannon L. Anderson pled guilty to joyriding.  She was sentenced to 11 months 29 days in jail.  That sentence was suspended upon equal time on probation and paying the costs.
Steven J. Ballard agreed to the violation of probation.  He was ordered to serve 21 days and his probation was extended 5 months 28 days.
Justin Tyler Barrett pled guilty to driving on a suspended license 3rd offense.  He was sentenced to 11 months 29 days in jail.  That sentence was suspended upon equal time on probation and paying the costs.  In another case Barrett pled guilty under judicial diversion to simple possession of marijuana.  He was sentenced to 11 months 29 days in jail.  That sentence was suspended upon equal time on probation, paying a $250.00 fine and the costs.  In another case Barrett pled guilty under judicial diversion to possession of drug paraphernalia.  He was sentenced to 11 months 29 days in jail.  That sentence was suspended upon equal time on probation paying a $150.00 fine and the costs.
Ronnie Bedwell Jr. agreed to the violation of probation.  He was given credit for time served and his probation was extended 8 months 15 days.
Tiffanie Earnesta Burress’ charge of driving without a license was retired for 6 months.  She was ordered to pay the litigation tax.
Nicholas James Butcher’s charge of public intoxication was retired for 6 months. He was ordered to pay the litigation tax.
Brady Gordon Cunningham’s charge of DUI 1st offense was bound over to the September term of the Grand Jury.
Courtne Grayson Elrod’s charge of criminal trespass was retired for 4 months.
Shannon Carl Fitts’ charge of aggravated assault was retired for 12 months.  Fitts was ordered to pay the costs.
Robert Blake Foster pled guilty to domestic assault.  He was sentenced to 11 months 29 days in jail.  That sentence was suspended upon equal time on probation and paying the costs.
Michael Gayle Gann pled guilty to DUI 2nd offense.  He was sentenced to 11 months 29 days in jail.  That sentence was partially suspended upon serving 45 days in jail, 11 months 29 days on probation, losing his license for 2 years, paying a $600.00 fine and the costs.
Timmy Harvey Geroge agreed to the violation of probation.  He was ordered to serve 60 days in jail, his probation was extended 14 months 12 days, and pay the costs.
Shiney Topaz Gibbs pled guilty to driving without a license.  She was sentenced to 30 days in jail.  That sentence was suspended upon equal time on probation, paying a $2.00 fine and the costs.
Kayla Bree Hickey pled guilty to driving on a suspended license.  She was sentenced to 6 months in jail.  That sentence was suspended upon equal time on probation, paying a $50.00 fine and the costs.  In another case Hickey pled guilty to simple possession of a schedule II drug.  She was sentenced to 11 months 29 days in jail.  That sentence was suspended upon equal time on probation, paying a $750.00 fine and the costs.
James A. Hodges’ charge of disorderly conduct was retired for 6 months.  He was ordered to pay the litigation tax.
Jeffery Michael Hodges charges of aggravated burglary and theft under $500.00 were bound over to the September term of the Grand Jury.
Kalena Elizabeth Kestner’s charge of disorderly conduct was retired for 6 months.  She was ordered to pay the litigation tax.
Charlie James King’s charge so drug paraphernalia and manufacturing of marijuana were bound over to the September term of the Grand Jury.
Robert Michael Mason’s charges of DUI, violation of implied consent law and criminal trespass were bound over to the September term of the Grand Jury.
David Andrew Nettles’ charges of aggravated burglary and theft over $1,000.00 were bound over to the September term of the Grand Jury.
Terry W. Pelham’s charge of domestic assault was retired for 12 months.  He was ordered to pay the litigation tax.
Leonard A. Reynolds pled guilty to driving without a license.  He was sentenced to 30 days in jail.  That sentence was suspended upon equal time on probation, paying a $2.00 fine and the costs.
Golden Arnold Roberson agreed to the violation of probation.  He was ordered to serve 21 days, his probation was extended 10 months 19 days, and pay the costs.
Benjamin Casey Roberts pled guilty to fishing without a license.  He was ordered to pay a $10.00 fine and the costs.
Ricky R. Rodgers pled guilty to driving on a suspend license.  He was sentenced to 6 months in jail. That sentence was suspended upon equal time on probation and paying the costs.
Randy Glen Ross’ charge of domestic assault was retired for 6 months.  He was ordered to pay the litigation tax.
Ian Simpson pled guilty to driving on a suspend license.  He was sentenced to 6 months in jail.  That sentence was suspended upon equal time on probation, paying a $50.00 fine and the costs.
Jeremy Tenpenny agreed to the violation of probation.  He was ordered to serve his original sentence and his probation was extended 11 months 29 days.
Joseph Weldon Warren’s charge of domestic assault was retired for 12 months.  He was ordered to pay the litigation tax.
Lori Ann Watson pled guilty to DUI 1st offense.  She was sentenced to 11 months 29 days in jail.  That sentence was partially suspended upon equal time on probation, serving 48 hours in jail, paying a $350.00 fine and the costs.

The Auburntown City Council met Tuesday, September 6, 2011 at 6:00 PM for their regular monthly meeting.  The Mayor and all councilpersons were
present.
     The City Recorder presented a copy of the previous month’s business
meeting for approval.  After a brief review the minutes were approved
as presented.
     The financial statement ending August 31, 2011 was passed out for
review and approval.  The report was approved without change or
question.
     The recent Red Apple Day activities were discussed.  A very favorable
report was given.  However, the financial report has not been
completed but should be ready for the next council meeting.
     No new information on the closing of the Auburntown Post Office.  In
the meantime, the trouble encountered by the US Post Office is even
more troubling.  Post Office officials have inquired regarding a
meeting place should a public hearing be needed.
      Fund raising by the Volunteer Fire Dept. was discussed at length.
They have decided that with the last August Fish Fry, they will no
longer be conducting the monthly event.  However, plans are being
made to go in another direction in conducting fund-raising
activities for the Dept.
     Matthew Thomas and Mark Thomas, students at CCHS Civic Class,
attended and monitored this session.
 

Tuesday night the Cannon County Lionettes Volleyball team went to Warren County High School and came back with a win in two matches.
The Lionettes won their first set of matches against Van Buren County in a
two game sweep 25-19 and 25-22.  Warren County would take the second set
of matches 25-12 and 25-21 over Cannon County.
Tonight the team will be in action at Robert A Harris Gymnasium against
Smith County in a District Contest which starts at 5:00
 

The Veterans And Concerned Citizens for the Veterans of Cannon County will meet tonight, at the Senior Citizens Center in Woodbury, at 6:30 p.m.
This meeting will focus on our plan  for the Veterans Day Program at
Cannon County High School on Friday, November 11, 2011; and our Veterans
Day Parade to Honor our Veterans on Saturday, November 12, 2011.  There
will also be a Special Ceremony in Front of the Court House at 11:00 a.m.,
on the 12th.
We will be accepting nominations for our 2011 Grand Marshal, and our
Service Marshals, for all Service Branches, POW and Civilian, for our
Veterans Day Parade.
 

A private use vehicle policy is one of the many items on the agenda for tonight’s Cannon County Board Of Education’s meeting at the County
Courthouse.  Cannon County High School Athletic Director Michael Dodgen
introduced the guidelines of catastrophic insurance during a workshop
Tuesday night that would allow for some revision of the policy to where
everything would still be covered properly in case of an accident.  Some
of the other items on the agenda include an Audit Bid that will be up for
approval as well as the Board will make decisions on a gran tfor the
Cannon County High School Amateur Radio Club.  The board will be addressed
on items concerning trees at the Woodbury Grammar School and Gravel at
Woodland School.
The meeting starts tonight at 6:00
 

Several roadblocks were approved during the town of Woodbury Mayor and Board Of Aldermen meeting Tuesday night at City Hall.  Tracy Bell
representing the Cannon County High School Baseball Program recieved
permission to conduct a roadblock on Friday September 16th from 4:30-8:00
and Saturday September 24th from 8A-3P
Ms. Korey Aycock was given the green light for a roadblock on Saturday
October 1st to raise money for Juvenile Diabetes.
Ms. Laura Simmons got the go ahead for roadblocks on Friday September 30th
and Friday October 28th to raise money for the Cannon County High School
Future Business Leaders of America for their competition trips.
In other business before the Mayor and Board of Aldermen,
The board approved permission for the yearly Cannon Blast 5K run that is
set to take place Saturday September 17th.  This is the  third year for
the race and the course starts and finishes at the Cannon County Arts
Center.  The  proceeds go to the Cannon County Youth Dream Excellence in
Education Program which provides classroom mini-grants to our teachers and
college scholarships.  The race will be assisted by the Woodbury Police
Department and Cannon County Sheriff’s Department to help with traffic
control and ensure safety.
Mayor Harold Patrick announced that he reappointed Mr. Joe Hawkins to the
Woodbury Planning Commission and Board Of Zoning Appeals for a five year
term.
Mayor Patrick also mentioned that a new manufacturing firm is considering
bringing their operations to old Valdor Building.  Cobb Manufacturing
makes decor lighting and panels and employs nearly 20 people.  No set date
has been set on the deal but the Town is working with the County and the
State to bring this manufacturing firm to Woodbury.
The Board Of Aldermen will look at a updated drug and alcohol test policy
in an updated city of Woodbury employee handbook which was handed out at
the meeting.  The Board will bring up the matter next month and vote.
The meeting wrapped up with the item of an appeal hearing requested by
Jeremy B. Cope regarding his termination of employment with the Town of
Woodbury.  City Attorney Dale Peterson explained the process of appeals a
employee can make when being terminated.  First is a private meeting
between the supervisor of the employee’s department, the city recorder and
the Mayor.  From there the former employee has the opportunity to bring it
before the Aldermen on appeal.  Mr. Cope declined to attend the appeal
based on the fact that the Aldermen would have a chance to ask questions
that might be considered confidential information.  Details of the
termination were not made as public record.  Mr. Cope had been terminated
due to multiple policy infractions over a 3 year period.  The Alderman
upheld the termination after a 6-1 vote with the Alderman Dotty Duggin
voted against the termination as she had questions to ask about the
termination.  Cope had been an employee at the Woodbury Water Treatment
Plant and was terminated on August 18th.
The next meeting of the Mayor and Board Of Aldermen will be Tuesday
October 4th

One hundred and thirty-eight and counting. That’s how many combined years the Roach sisters of Woodbury have worked at MTSU. Youngest sister Betty Roach Smithson is the only sister still working on campus. Entering her 46th year in the Office of Student Affairs, Smithson has worked closely since 1965 with student groups, fraternities, cheerleaders and student government work¬ers.
Eldest sister Martha Roach Turner began the sisters’ streak in 1958, taking a secretarial position in the Field Services Depart¬ment. She’d later become director of placement for the University, growing the office to a staff of 10 before retiring in 2007 after 48 years of service.
When Turner took a brief sabbatical from MTSU in 1960, she referred her sister Frances Roach Rich to be her replacement. That began Rich’s 45-year run at MTSU, mostly spent in student affairs, but ending in MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee’s office in 2010.
Asked what’s changed about MTSU in the past half century, the sisters point to the University’s growth in physical size and academic offerings.
What hasn’t changed? “Us,” Turner says.
The story of the Roach sisters’ service to MTSU appears in the August edition of MTSU Magazine.
MTSU Magazine is distributed twice annually to more than 96,000 alumni readers. Additional copies of the alumni-and-friends publication are distributed to interested stakeholders, including MTSU faculty and staff, state lawmakers and members of the Tennessee Board of Regents. The magazine also is available online at www.mtsumagazine.com.
The magazine, re-launched in April, is part of a recent reformatting of MTSU communications’ efforts. MTSU supporters are encouraged to visit the new digital information site, www.mtsunews.com, for real-time delivery of news, video and other multimedia features about the University.
 

If you missed the auditions for the live stage production of Annie Get Your Gun last night, there will be another round of auditions Thursday
night starting at 6:00 at the Cannon County Arts Center
“Annie Get Your Gun” is directed by Nancy Stewart. All those auditioning
should be prepared to sing 16-32 bars of an Irvin Berlin song or a song in
the style of the show. An accompanist will be provided. For songs not in
the show, you must provide sheet music for the accompanist. Come prepared
for dance auditions and cold readings from the script. Please come
prepared to list any scheduling conflicts you might have.
Roles available for adults – all ages, 2 girls ages 10-13 and 1 boy ages
8-10.Production dates are November 4-19  with rehearsals beginning
September 12th.
 

The campaign to educate the public about photo id requirement for voting has picked up ground.
The requirement will go into effect for elections held after January 1st
of 2012.  After that date, people who wish to vote will be required to
show photo identification when they arrive at the polls.  Accepted forms
of ID include any photo ID issued by the State of Tennessee, including
drivers licenses and photo IDs issued by other states or the federal
government including US passports, government employees id cards and
military ID cards.
The law, a safeguard against voter fraud allows people who forget to bring
their photo ID’s to the polls to cast provisional ballots and provide
election officials with proof of identity within two business days after
an election.  People who vote absentee are not required to show photo ID’s
and people who have religious objections to being photographed may sign
oaths acknowledging their identities.
People who can’t afford other forms of photo id may get a state issued id
free of charge at drivers license offices around the state.

Governments across Tennessee have four more months to develop or revise their debt management policies to conform with standards issued by the
State Funding Board.
Last year, the Funding Board agreed to require governments that wish to
borrow money to adopt policies no later than Dec. 31, 2011. The
requirement applies not only to city and county governments, but other
public entities that issue debt, including industrial development boards,
utility districts and quasi-governmental agencies.
Comptroller Justin P. Wilson sent letters to local government leaders
reminding them of the deadline.
The standards designed by the Funding Board are intended to give local
governments discretion in crafting their debt management policies,
provided they follow four guiding principles. Those principles are:
1)      Debt transactions should be clearly understood by those involved
in making the decisions about them
2)      Citizens should be able to get clear explanations about the
transactions
3)      Steps should be taken to avoid conflicts of interest among the
parties involved in the transactions
4)      Costs and risks association with the transactions should be
clearly disclosed
Many organizations, including the University of Tennessee’s Municipal
Technical Advisory Service (MTAS) and the County Technical Advisory
Service (CTAS), are providing assistance to local governments in
developing or refining their debt management policies. Local governments
may also seek the help of professionals such as financial advisors or bond
lawyers.