News 2011

Those looking to lose weight can participate in a 12 week Weight Watcher summer session here in Cannon County. Even though the first week begins June 16th money will be due by Thursday June 9th and instead of paying for all twelve weeks, participants only have to pay for ten. The Weight Watchers group has been meeting consistently for about three years and requires an enrollment of 15 paying members before a new session can start. New members can come to the June 9th meeting to enroll and stay for the entire meeting. The cost to join the groups is $120 for new members, $110 for continuing members and $100 for lifetime members more than 2 points over goal. Membership is free to lifetime members that maintain their goal weight. In the unlikely event that the enrollment goal is not met Weight Watchers will refund the money.The group meets on Thursdays with weigh-ins beginning by 4:45 followed by a short meeting. The meeting will be held in the community room in the basement of the UT Extension Office on Lehman Street across from the Senior Citizens Center. Written material will be furnished.

One World Many Stories is the theme of this year’s Summer Reading Program at the Adams Memorial and Auburntown Libraries. The programs being today with a performance by the local Cannon Art Dance Studio. This morning (Thursday) the group is scheduled to perform at the Auburntown Community Center at 10:00 in the morning and at the Senior Center at 1:00 in the afternoon. Everyone is welcome to come watch either performance as there’s no cost. The Summer Reading Program concludes with the Reading Party on June 23rd.

Jewelry designed by an artist for celebrities Eva Longoria, Madonna and Beyonce will be displayed during a preview party and fund raiser for the Rutherford and Cannon County Child Advocacy Center from 6 to 8 pm. Thursday June 2nd at Penny’s Closet in Murfreesboro. The well known fashion store features on display the contemporary jewelry by Claudia Lobao. Penny’s is located at 1602 West Northfield Blvd in Murfreesboro. To gain access to the party viewers must adopt one minimum duck for $5 for the upcoming Child Advocacy’s Duck Derby June 11th at the Sportsman’s Club on Medical Center Parkway. Some 10,000 ducks will glide down the river during the fundraiser. The person who adopted the fist duck to cross the finish line will win a $5,000 grand prize. All race proceeds go to the Child Advocacy Center. The Center’s staff has helped over 6000 children who suffered child abuse in Rutherford and Cannon Counties during the past 10 years.People who want to support the Child Advocacy may also adopt ducks at Penny’s Closet before the June 11th Race. There will be 14 prize packages given away during the June 11th event ranging from a week at Orange Beach, Alabama to a Gatlinburg Getaway.

The Tennessee Department of Health encourages Tennesseans who use tobacco to take part in World No Tobacco Day, May 31, by contacting the QuitLine to start their journey to a tobacco-free life. The Tennessee Tobacco QuitLine, 1-800-QUIT-NOW, provides free personalized, confidential counseling to help each caller set a plan for quitting use of cigarettes or other tobacco products. The same help to stop tobacco use is also now available to state residents online at www.tnquitline.com.“Too many Tennesseans die each year from preventable illnesses linked to tobacco use,” said Health Commissioner Susan R. Cooper, MSN, RN. “World No Tobacco Day is the perfect opportunity for Tennesseans to embrace a tobacco-free lifestyle, and contacting the QuitLine is a great way to make the transition with the help of an expert.”
According to the World Health Organization, tobacco use is the second leading cause of death worldwide, and is currently responsible for killing one in 10 adults around the globe. WHO says tobacco use is also responsible for the deaths of more than a half-million people who die from exposure to secondhand smoke; many of those deaths are among children. In Tennessee, heart disease is the leading cause of death, and cancer and stroke rank in the top five. Tobacco use is a contributing factor to all of these illnesses.
The Tennessee Tobacco QuitLine can help by connecting people who want to quit smoking or using other tobacco products with trained quit coaches to guide and support them through the quitting process. Individuals receive ongoing professional counseling via scheduled calls or online contact with a quit coach personally assigned to them. This confidential service is free and available to Tennesseans in both English and Spanish. The service is also available for the deaf and hard of hearing at TTY: 1-877-559-3816.
Research shows it takes most smokers at least seven attempts to successfully quit smoking. Many QuitLine clients say their quit coach was the key to their success.
“I have tried several times to quit,” said Molly S. of Maryville. “My health coach is the one who has helped me the most. I know that I am quit for life now.”
Molly celebrated her one year anniversary of quitting smoking on April 10, 2011, after having smoked for 50 years. She says her quit coach still calls her.
“She was so enthused about my progress, and she was right with me all the way,” says Beverly P. of Manchester about her coach. ”Even though I never met her, I feel like I know her so well, and I didn’t want to let her down. That was my motivation: I just didn’t want to disappoint her. And I know I’m doing it for myself, too.”
Really wanting to quit smoking or chewing tobacco is very important to the success you will have in quitting. Smokers who live after a heart attack are the most likely to quit for good; they’re very motivated. Find a reason for quitting, before you have no choice.
Those contacting the QuitLine have complimentary access to relapse prevention techniques, printed resource materials, information on nicotine replacement therapies and other services to aid in the quitting process.
Call the Tennessee Tobacco QuitLine today at 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669), or visit the website at www.tnquitline.com. The Tennessee Tobacco QuitLine is a statewide, toll-free tobacco cessation program made possible through the Tennessee Department of Health. There is no charge to callers for services and callers have unlimited access to a quit coach through the QuitLine. Hours are Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. until 10 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Central time.
Those with Internet access may join the QuitLine program online at www.tnquitline.com. Create your tobacco profile by answering a few questions, and trained coaches will create a quit program just for you based on your health, preferences and goals. Participants who enroll online will also work one-on-one with their quit coach on strategies for quitting tobacco for life.
Created by the World Health Assembly in 1987, World No Tobacco Day is an annual observance designed to draw global attention to the dangers of using tobacco and arm people with tools to claim their right to a healthy tobacco-free lifestyle.

Within the last 13 months, Middle Tennessee and West Tennessee suffered record flooding and East Tennessee battled deadly tornadoes. These natural disasters have given birth to a new state industry: disaster relief.Since Tennesseans have shown that they are still volunteers, ready to lend a hand when disaster strikes, new charities and organizations have formed to help meet the needs of victims. Now a new law, Public Chapter 232, will make it easier to see how the hard-earned money donated to organizations engaged in disaster relief is spent.
The Secretary of State’s Division of Charitable Solicitations and Gaming is in charge of registering charities that solicit contributions in the state. As part of the registration requirements, charities must submit annual financial reports. The new law increases financial reporting requirements for organizations which solicit contributions in Tennessee for disaster relief, providing greater transparency about how money is spent and hopefully deterring charities from misusing donations.
The new law requires groups that raise $25,000 or more annually for disaster relief to file quarterly reports with the division detailing how the money is being spent. Also, the law requires organizations that have raised disaster relief funds dating back to May 1, 2010 to file reports on how that money was spent. That includes fundraising activity that came in the wake of the flooding that hit Nashville and other parts of the state last year.
“People often feel compelled to give to charities after a major disaster and because they are eager, sometimes they forget to check with our office to see if a group is properly registered,” said Secretary of State Tre Hargett. “This new law increases transparency with charities, monitors their financial expenditures each quarter and makes that information available to potential donors.”
Reports with detailed information about how organizations spend their money are available on the Secretary of State’s web site at: http://tnsos.org/charitable/CharitableOrgReports.php.
The Division of Charitable Solicitations and Gaming also has authority to investigate and assess civil penalties against organizations that are required to register but fail to do so, and organizations that engage in fraudulent or misleading fundraising practices. To report suspicious activity about a charitable organization, contact one of the division’s investigators at (615) 741-2555.

A 17 year old Springfield boy drowned Sunday afternoon while swimming at the Floating Mill Recreation area on Center Hill Lake.TWRA Officer Mike Beaty told WJLE that the young Hispanic boy was at the lake with a group of family and friends enjoying a Memorial Day weekend outing when the tragic incident occurred.
According to Officer Beaty, the victim and another boy who were inside the designated swimming area, decided to swim the approximately 75 yard distance from the bank to the buoys on the far side. As the boys were swimming across, one of the them began screaming for help. Other swimmers in the area came to his rescue and pulled him to shore. While this boy was being tended to, the other youth who had not called out for help or shown any signs of distress, suddenly disappeared in the water.
Swimmers in the area frantically tried to find the boy. Kevin Salvilla, Center Hill Lake Resource Manager, who was off duty but present at the time, dove into the lake looking for the youth.
911 received the call at 1:33 p.m. and TWRA Officers, U.S. Army Corps of Engineer Rangers, members of the DeKalb County Rescue Squad, DeKalb EMS, and the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department all soon arrived on the scene.
Officer Beaty said TWRA officers used side scan sonar to pinpoint the location and the Rescue Squad pulled up the body after making only three passes over the area with a drag bar. The youth, who was found in about seven to eight feet of water, was pronounced dead by the medical examiner. The body was recovered at 2:20 p.m., less than an hour after he drowned.
Because he is a juvenile, Officer Beaty would not release the boy’s name.
Officer Beaty was joined by fellow TWRA Officers Tommy Stockling, Tommy Alexander, and Jason Miller. Corps Rangers on the scene included Chris Cantrell, Ben MacIntyre and Gary Bruce.
The boy’s death marks the first drowning of the year on Center Hill Lake.
(Story courtesy of our news partners at WJLE)

The Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development is making preparations to reinstate unemployment benefits for claimants in the Extended Benefit (EB) program. Tennessee triggered off of the federal extension of benefits in mid-April. On May 21, 2011, the General Assembly passed legislation to retroactively reinstate the Extended Benefit (EB) program back to April 16, 2011. The bill will become law upon signing by Governor Haslam.The passage of the bill allows those who were in the last 20 of 99 weeks available to resume benefits while looking for work. This does not establish additional weeks for those who have utilized all of the available federal extensions.
Eligible claimants will be instructed to use an Internet application to update their work status since the week of April 16th, certifying that they have not returned to work. It will take additional time to complete and test the computer programming necessary to release the application.
“It’s important for claimants to understand that we are working toward restarting benefits as soon as possible,” said Commissioner Karla Davis. “We know from experience this process will take a few weeks, so we ask claimants to be patient and expect guidance by mail or updates on our Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development homepage.”
There are several categories of unemployment insurance claimants who would be directly affected by this new legislation.
1. If you ceased receiving EB Benefits on April 16, 2011, had a balance in your account at that time, have not returned to work and remain eligible you will be allowed to receive the remainder of those benefits. If you have returned to work, you may be eligible for those weeks in which you were unemployed.
2. If you exhausted Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC08) Tier 4 benefits on or after April 16, 2011, and have not returned to work and remain eligible, you will be transitioned into EB once eligible claimants have updated their back-certification information. You will receive a written EB Monetary Entitlement notification. If you have returned to work, you may be eligible for those weeks in which you were unemployed.
3. If you exhaust EUC08 Tier 4 benefits after the effective date of the new law, you will automatically be transitioned into the EB program without delay. You will receive a written EB Monetary Entitlement notification.
Once eligible claimants have updated their back-certification information, a payment will be issued to retroactively cover the benefit weeks since April 16, 2011. Claimants will then resume their weekly benefit schedule of certification and receipt of benefits.
The Extended Benefits program is scheduled to conclude at the end of this year. The last payable week for all participants in the EB program is January 7, 2012.

The school year has just ended and basketball camps are just beginning. The Girls Basketball Camp for grades K-8th will start tomorrow at Cannon County High School. Lionette Head Basketball coach Michael Dodgen along with the current assistant coaching staff and current Lionette basketball players will be on hand to improve participants skills such as shooting, ball handling, rebounding and positioning. The camp opens daily from 8A-12 noon from May 31st to June 3rd. Fees are only $45,Participants can pay and register the first day of camp tomorrow at Cannon County High School.

Results are in from the recent 2011 Cannon County Farm Bureau Poster and Essay contest. The contest is conducted annually with all fourth graders in the county. From Auburn, winning 3rd place was Rachel Hale. Winning first place from Short Mountain is Erika Taylor. Camden Davis was the winner of the contest at West Side school. Placing 2nd in the County in the poster contest was Emily Nave from Woodbury Grammar School. Placing first in the essay contest was Hannah Nave, second Breanna Blasingame, and 3rd was Cede Loftis of the Woodbury Grammar School. Woodland School’s winner was Jonathan Frazier.

The sealed indictments returned by the Cannon County Grand Jury last Friday have been served and two men are in jail. James C. Emberton and Christopher Bryan each stand charged with rape offenses and are both being held in lieu of $100,000.00 bond at the Cannon County Jail.In Emberton’s case, he is charged with 8 counts of rape and 10 counts of sexual battery. Each are felonies which carry lengthy prison sentences. Former Cannon County Sheriff’s Detective Matt Goney investigated the crimes and presented the cases to the Grand Jury.
Bryan is charged with 5 counts of rape of a child. He is currently serving a sentence in the Cannon County Jail for another crime involving a child. That conviction is from Rutherford County. Just like Emberton, Bryan faces serious prison time if convicted. Detective Anthony Young investigated the incidents and presented the case to the Grand Jury.
Sheriff’s deputies arrested both men this past week. They will appear before Circuit Court Judge Don Ash for arraignment on June 10th.