News 2011

Judge Susan Melton presided over Cannon County General Sessions Court on Tuesday. Some of the results from the various cases which appeared on the docket included:Dustin Scott St. John was bound over to the May, 2011 term of the Cannon County Grand Jury. He is charged with simple possession of Schedule II drugs, promotion of methamphetamine manufacture, criminal impersonation and evading arrest.
David W. Seiber, Jr. was bound over to the May, 2011 term of the Cannon County Grand Jury. He is charged with driving on a revoked license and driving while being declared habitual motor vehicle offender.
Haylie K. Schwartz was bound over to the May, 2011 term of the Cannon County Grand Jury. She is charged with initiating the process of methamphetamine manufacture and possession of schedule II drugs.
Michael Anthony Dorris, Jr. pled guilty to possession of synthetic marijuana. He was sentenced to 11 months, 29 days in the county jail. That sentence was suspended upon an equal amount of time on probation, paying the court costs, paying a $250.00 fine and submitting to drug screens for 90 days. Dorris also pled guilty to the charge of possession of drug paraphernalia. He was sentenced to 11 months, 29 days in the county jail. That sentence was suspended upon an equal amount of time on probation, paying a $150.00 fine and paying the court costs.
Wiley D. Thomas pled guilty to the charge of simple possession of a schedule drug. He was sentenced to 11 months, 29 days in the county jail. That sentence was partially suspended upon an equal amount of time on probation, serving 8 days in jail, paying a $250.00 fine and paying the court costs. In another case, Thomas pled guilty to evading arrest. He received a 6 month jail sentence which was suspended upon an equal amount of time on probation and paying the court costs.
Marlin Christopher Prater pled guilty to the charge of violation of probation. His probation was extended and he was ordered to serve 90 days in jail. In another case, Prater pled guilty to the charge of driving on a revoked license. He was sentenced to 6 months in the county jail. That sentence was partially suspended upon serving 48 hours in jail, paying a $50.00 fine and paying the court costs. His license was also revoked for 1 year.
Michael Kelly Campbell pled guilty to the charge of DUI 2nd offense. He was sentenced to 11 months, 29 days in the county jail. That sentence was partially suspended upon an equal amount of time on probation, serving 45 days in jail, paying the court costs and paying a $600.00 fine. His driver’s license was also revoked for 2 years.
Michael Anthony Dorris, Sr. pled guilty to the charge of possession of drug paraphernalia. He was sentenced to 11 months, 29 days in the county jail. That sentence was suspended upon an equal amount of time on probation, paying a $150.00 fine and paying the court costs.
Brian Wayne Freeman pled guilty to the charge of violation of probation. His probation extended and he was ordered to pay the court costs.

The Cannon County Courthouse Square Revitalization Project received a Rebuild Tennessee Award from the Tennessee Development District Association at the Development Association’s Annual Meeting on April 20, 20011. The project was recognized for its beautification and enhancement of downtown Woodbury. The award was one of only nine awarded across the state.Accepting the award are: Michael Nesbitt, Tennessee Development District Association President; Woodbury Mayor Harold Patrick; Randy Williams, Upper Cumberland Development District; Cannon County Mayor Mike Gannon and Wendy Askins, Executive Director, Upper Cumberland Development District.

Judge Susan Melton presided over Cannon County General Sessions Court. Some of the results from the various cases which appeared on the docket included:Ronica Arnold was bound over to the May, 2011 term of the Cannon County Grand Jury. She is charged with maintaining a dwelling to keep, use or sell narcotics and manufacture of methamphetamine.
Ashley Meeks was bound over to the May, 2011 term of the Cannon County Grand Jury. She is charged with simple possession of schedule drugs and promotion of methamphetamine manufacture.
Marcus Tenpenny was bound over to the May, 2011 term of the Cannon County Grand Jury. He is charged with evading arrest and aggravated assault.
Jennifer Hernandez pled guilty to driving while license suspended. She was sentenced to 6 months in the county jail. That sentence was suspended upon an equal amount of time on probation, paying the court costs and paying a $50.00 fine.
Cassie Morton pled guilty to driving without a license. She was sentenced to 30 days in jail. That sentence was suspended upon an equal amount of time on probation, paying a $2.00 fine and paying the court costs.
Shane West pled guilty to the charge of driving under the influence. He was sentenced to 11 months, 29 days in the county jail and ordered to serve his entire sentence. He was also fined $350.00 and lost his driver’s license for 1 year. West also pled guilty to the charge of driving while license revoked 4th offense. He was sentenced to 11 months, 29 days in the county jail and ordered to serve his entire sentence.
Melinda Carol Barrett pled guilty to criminal attempt to commit the offense of forgery. She was sentenced to 11 months, 29 days in jail. That sentence was suspended upon an equal amount of time on probation, paying the court costs and paying restitution to the victim.
Calvin Conley pled guilty to violation of probation. His probation was extended and he was ordered to serve 30 days in jail.
Trevor Lanphere was ordered back to jail to serve 23 days. He was mistakenly released from jail 23 days early.
Misty Hollars pled guilty to the charge of violation of probation. Her probation was extended and she was ordered to pay the court costs.
Johnny Wade Stephens pled guilty to reckless endangerment. He was sentenced to 11 months, 29 days in the county jail. That sentence was partially suspended upon an equal amount of time on probation, serving 10 days in jail, paying a $350.00 fine and paying the court costs. Stephens also pled guilty to violation of the implied consent law. His license was revoked for 1 year.
Joseph Knoff pled guilty to driving without a license. He was sentenced to 30 days in jail. That sentence was suspended upon an equal amount of time on probation, paying a $2.00 fine and paying the court costs.

A crowd of supporters packed the Old Supreme Court Chambers today as Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam signed his tenure reform bill into law, marking his first legislative victory and helping solidify Tennessee at the forefront of education reform in the country.This historic legislation marks a major education reform milestone in a process that began last year with the bipartisan First to the Top legislation.
“If Tennessee is going to become the No. 1 location in the Southeast for high quality jobs, then it is critical that we improve education because businesses are looking to compete with employees educated for the 21st Century workplace,” Haslam said.
“We cannot remain toward the bottom of the pack if we are going to compete for those jobs, and nothing makes as much of a difference in a child’s education as the quality of the teacher at the head of the classroom,” he added.
The legislation, SB 1528/HB 2012, changes a teacher’s probationary period before becoming eligible for tenure from three to five years as well as links tenure status to performance evaluations, utilizing Tennessee’s extensive student data that is the envy of states around the nation.
The legislation also gives principals the flexibility to keep an non-tenured teacher after the five year period. Previously a teacher would either receive tenure or be fired after three years.
“Our goal in education is to grow the number of college graduates and provide a better educated work force to attract employers, so our effort begins with making sure every child in every classroom learns from a great teacher,” Haslam said. “We have many great teachers in Tennessee, and we can have even more.”
“True tenure reform has been a dream of Republican legislators for as long as I can remember,” said Lieutenant Governor Ron Ramsey. “I am proud and honored to stand with our Republican governor as we usher in the beginning of a new era in education in Tennessee where the interests of children come first and our focus remains on creating the most qualified teachers in the nation.”
“Our goal is to make sure our teachers are equipped with the best tools possible to educate Tennessee students,” said state House Speaker Beth Harwell. “We want an effective teacher in front of every classroom, and we want those who are excelling to be rewarded. This proposal is absolutely key to education reform.”
“This is the next step in the continuum of education reform,” said Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris, R-Collierville. “Last year, Tennessee made great strides in First to the Top in beginning to address the unacceptably low educational attainment in our state. In step two of these efforts, we once again have the opportunity to lead the nation in education reform by developing a system that treats teachers as professionals and recognizes the critical impact of their work. Effectiveness must be the core criteria for gaining and retaining teacher tenure.”
“Study after study shows when our students have the highest quality teachers leading them, they will reach their full potential,” said state House Majority Leader Gerald McCormick, R-Chattanooga. “I’m proud to support the Governor’s efforts to identify and protect the best educators in our schools. Ultimately, this law ensures our next generation will be better equipped to enter the workforce and make Tennessee a better place to live and raise a family.”
“The Governor laid out a clear vision for remaking education in Tennessee,” said state Rep. Bill Dunn, R-Knoxville. “He believes we can raise student achievement by recognizing teachers who are distinguishing themselves as high-performing educators in the classroom. I believe he is correct and this law helps us attain this important objective.”
Other education initiatives for Haslam include an expansion of charter schools in the state as well as allowing HOPE Scholarship recipients to use the money for summer classes.

A fire claimed a small outbuilding and about an acre and a half of land surrounding in Woodbury. Monday morning around 10:30 the Woodbury Fire Department was dispatched to an area behind the Crane Interior building on Alexander Drive to battle the blaze. Other fire departments responding to the scene included the Eastside, Westside, Short Mountain, Midway and Mooretown Volunteer Fire Departments. The Tennessee Division of Forestry was quickly called to the scene so a path could be bulldozed as the trucks were having difficulty getting to the fire. The building was part of the Cannon County Convenience Center and housed plastics. No cause on the fire was known as of yet. The Woodbury Fire Department was called back to the scene on two different occasions throughout the day to monitor the fire.
Woodbury Fire Chief Bill Johnston would like to thank all of the volunteer fire departments for their help in putting out the blaze. He noted that the Woodbury Fire Department would not have been able to put out the fire by themselves.

Judge Susan Melton presided over Cannon County General Sessions Court on Tuesday. Some of the results from the various cases which appeared on the docket included:Jeremy Dean Sissom was bound over to the May, 2011 term of the Cannon County Grand Jury. He is charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a weapon by a convicted felon.
Jackie J. Cox pled guilty to the charge of public intoxication. She was sentenced to 30 days in the county jail. That sentence was suspended upon an equal amount of time on probation, paying a $50.00 fine and paying the court costs.
Michelle Culwell pled guilty to the charge of driving without a license. She was sentenced to 30 days in the county jail. That sentence was suspended upon an equal amount of time on supervised probation, paying the court costs and paying a fine.
Hope A. Dennis pled guilty to the charge of criminal attempt to commit the offense of failure to appear. She was sentenced to 11 months, 29 days in the county jail. That sentence was suspended upon an equal amount of time on probation and paying the court costs. Dennis also pled guilty to the charge of violation of probation. Her probation was extended and she was ordered to serve 100 days in jail.
Thomas K. Doherty pled guilty to the charge of driving without a license. He was sentenced to 30 days in the county jail. That sentence was suspended upon an equal amount of time on supervised probation, paying the court costs and paying a fine.
Troy Dale Gipson pled guilty to the charge of driving under the influence. He was sentenced to 11 months, 29 days in the county jail. That sentence was suspended upon an equal amount of time on probation, serving 7 days in jail, paying a $350.00 fine and paying the court costs. His license was also revoked for 1 year. In another case, Gipson pled guilty to the charge of driving while license revoked 1st offense. He was sentenced to 6 months in jail. That sentence was suspended upon an equal amount of time on probation, paying the court costs and paying a $50.00 fine.
Ronnie E. Gilley pled guilty to the charge of assault. He was sentenced to 11 months, 29 days in the county jail and ordered to serve his entire sentence. In another case, Gilley pled guilty to joyriding. He was sentenced to 11 months, 29 days and ordered to serve his entire sentence. He also pled guilty to domestic assault. He received an 11 month, 29 day sentence and was ordered to serve his sentence.
Robert W. Griffin pled guilty to the charge of reckless endangerment. He was sentenced to 11 months, 29 days in the county jail. That sentence was partially suspended upon an equal amount of time on probation, serving 5 days in jail, paying a $350.00 fine and paying the court costs.
Roy A. Haley pled guilty to the charge of violation of probation. His probation was revoked and he was ordered to serve his entire sentence.
Michael Shane Hoover pled guilty to the charge of driving under the influence 2nd offense. He was sentenced to 11 months, 29 days in the county jail. That sentence was suspended partially upon serving75 days in jail, paying a $600.00 fine and paying the court costs. His license was also revoked for 2 years. In another case, Hoover pled guilty to the charge of driving while license revoked. He was sentenced to 6 months in the county jail. That sentence was partially suspended upon an equal amount of time on probation, serving 48 hours in jail, paying the court costs and paying a $50.00 fine.
Pamela LaFever pled guilty to the charge of theft under $500.00. She was sentenced to 11 months, 29 days in the county jail. That sentence was partially suspended upon an equal amount of time on probation, serving 21 days in jail and paying the court costs.
Robert Lundregan pled guilty to the charge of driving without a license. He was sentenced to 30 days in the county jail. That sentence was suspended upon an equal amount of time on supervised probation, paying the court costs and paying a fine.
Eddie S. Markum pled guilty to the charge of driving while license revoked. He was sentenced to 6 months in the county jail. That sentence was partially suspended upon an equal amount of time on probation, serving 48 hours in jail, paying the court costs and paying a $50.00 fine.
Jeromie Mashburn was found guilty of violation of probation. His probation was revoked and he was ordered to serve his entire sentence.
Patrick J. McCullough pled guilty to the charge of driving under the influence 3rd offense. He was sentenced to 11 months, 29 days in the county jail and ordered to serve his entire sentence. His driver’s license was also revoked for 1 year. He also pled guilty to the charge of joyriding. He was sentenced to 11 months, 29 days in the county jail and ordered to serve his entire sentence.
Bransen Chase McLauglin pled guilty to the charge of possession of drug paraphernalia. He was sentenced to 11 months, 29 days in the county jail. That sentence was suspended upon an equal amount of time on probation, paying a $150.00 fine and submitting to drug screens for 60 days.
Amanda Nichol pled guilty to the charge of driving without a license. She was sentenced to 30 days in the county jail. That sentence was suspended upon an equal amount of time on supervised probation, paying the court costs and paying a fine.
Jeremy Russell Powers pled guilty to the charge of theft under $500.00. He was sentenced to 11 months, 29 days in the county jail and ordered to serve his entire sentence.
Sarah Quill pled guilty to the charge of driving without a license. She was sentenced to 30 days in the county jail. That sentence was suspended upon an equal amount of time on supervised probation, paying the court costs and paying a fine.
Janice Somers pled guilty to driving while license revoked. She was sentenced to 6 months in the county jail. That sentence was suspended upon an equal amount of time on probation, paying the court costs and paying a $50.00 fine.
Angela Ward pled guilty to the charge of driving without a license. She was sentenced to 30 days in the county jail. That sentence was suspended upon an equal amount of time on supervised probation, paying the court costs and paying a fine.

A pregnant inmate at the Cannon County Jail has been granted a furlough after being denied one earlier this week for failing a court-ordered drug screen. Angela Hodge appeared before General Sessions Judge Susan Melton this week to request a furlough from the jail due to her pregnancy. Jail staff testified that Hodge is a high-risk pregnancy and that, should she remain in jail, her C-section would cost over $19,000.00. That expense would have to be borne by the County since she is an inmate. Before granting Hodge’s request, Judge Melton ordered her to take a drug screen. Hodge failed two court administered tests for methamphetamine. Stating that she had no other alternative, Judge Melton denied Hodge’s request based on the failed drug screens. However, Judge Melton said she would reconsider Hodge’s request if she passed a blood test.Hodge was taken back to the jail and administered a blood test. Friday, the results of that test came back negative for any drugs. Based on the new results, Judge Melton released Hodge on a furlough Friday evening.
Hodge’s furlough is for 90 days and she is required to turn herself back into jail on July 1st. While on furlough, Hodge is to maintain good and lawful conduct, stay away from drugs, have no association with felons and attend all doctor’s appointments.

April is Child Abuse Awareness MonthThe Month of April is Child Abuse Awareness Month. Friday afternoon on the Rutherford County Courthouse Lawn, the Rutherford County Coalition against Child Abuse along with their community partners kicked off the month with a Pinwheels for Prevention event. Several blue colored pinwheels decorated the courthouse lawn pinwheel as the new symbol for child abuse and neglect prevention nationwide.
The pinwheel represents efforts to change the way people think about prevention, focusing on community activities and public policies that prioritize prevention right from the start to make sure child abuse and neglect never occur.
Representatives from organizations such as Monroe Harding Foster Care and Adoption Services, Exchange Club Family Center, and the Guidance Center along with other programs set up booths. City Of Murfreesboro Police Chief Glenn Chrisman presented the very first William C. Whitesell Award for Service to Children of Rutherford County Award to Rutherford County District Attorney Bill Whitesell. Whitesell, the namesake of the award, has dedicated his career to prosecuting child abuse offenders to the fullest of the law. He has been a key person in putting together and organizing Child Advocacy Centers in Rutherford and Cannon Counties. Whitesell currently serves on the Rutherford and Cannon Counties Child Protective Investigative Team

With the severe weather season in Middle Tennessee, The area will see several traveling repair crews descending on residents offering emergency repair services to homeowners and businesses.If you are one of the many homeowners or businesses affected, you may need major home repairs as well as clean up jobs from falling tree limbs or other damage as a result of the recent storms. You should be on the watch for traveling, fly-by-night repair crews that will hit storm-damaged areas within hours. These repair crews know demand for service will be high and that local, well-established home repair and roofing companies will be working their crews around the clock. Many homeowners don’t want to wait for estimates on repairs…so when there is a knock on the door from a home repair crew, good consumer business practices are all but forgotten.
Checking with the Better Business Bureau on the reliability of any company can provide valuable information on its marketplace reliability including whether the company is a BBB Accredited Business, a listing of its principal officers, business start date, number of complaints, and what to do if you experience a problem.

Tennessee’s unemployment figures for the month of February were released last week. The state’s unemployment rate was up two tenths of a percent from 9.4 in January to 9.6 in February. Cannon County rate decreased 1.4 percent from 11.5 percent in January to 10.1 percent.Cannon County has an estimated workforce of 6,640 of which an estimated 5,970 people are employed with 640 people unemployed. Last year at this time figures showed the county having a unemployment rate of 10.3%
The state’s lowest unemployment rate is in Lincoln County who reports a unemployment rate at 6.6 percent. Highest unemployment rate percentage belonged to Scott County at 22.7 percent.