News 2011

There’s no better place than home when a Lady Hurricane hits as Saturday night the Cannon County Lionettes hosted the East Hamilton Lady Hurricanes at home in Woodbury for a sectional contest. The visiting team from Chattanooga hung around for a quarter before the pressure defense from the Lionettes wore the Lady Hurricanes out and Cannon County coasted to a 73-41 win. Taylor King scored 16 points while Chelsea Payne added 15 in the win. The win moved the Cannon County Lionettes to their first state tournament appearance since 1992.Sunday afternoon at the Embassy Suites in Murfreesboro, the pairings were announced for the upcoming State Tournament. Cannon County will go from playing Hurricanes to opening the State Tournament against the Lady Cyclones of Elizabethton, Thursday morning at 11:30. Elizabethton enters the tournament sporting a 33-1 overall record winning both the District and Region 1-AA postseason tournaments.
The Cannon County Lions boys basketball team gets their opportunity to earn an invitation to the Boys State Basketball Tournament. The Lions travel to Chattanooga to battle against Chattanooga Howard School. The 22-6 Hustlin’ Tigers are coming off a four game winning streak. The Lions finished second in the regional tournament.
Tickets will not be presold for the game tonight and will be available at the door. Tipoff is at 6:00 CST. WBRY will have the live broadcast starting at 5:40pm.

It was a busy week in the Senate Judiciary Committee, which Beavers is the chairman, as several important bills received approval, including a bill that adds the substance methcathinone to the list of Schedule I drugs. Meanwhile, in other action this week, the full Senate heard on first reading a “No State Income Tax” constitutional amendment resolution.Beavers is a co-prime sponsor of Senate Joint Resolution 18 to clarify a prohibition in the Tennessee Constitution against an income tax and payroll tax. The resolution was approved in the Senate Finance Committee earlier this week before moving to the floor for a first reading before the full Senate.
Resolutions to amend Tennessee’s Constitution must be read aloud three times before the State Senate can cast a final vote on the measure. The proposal specifies that the legislature as well as Tennessee counties and cities shall be prohibited from passing either an income tax or payroll tax, which is a tax on employers measured by wages they pay their workers.
“Bath salts” / illegal drugs – The legislation to add six chemical derivatives of the substance methcathinone to the list of Schedule I drugs was approved unanimously by the Senate Judiciary Committee. Senate Bill 329 calls for violation to be subject to a Class B felony and fine of up to $100,000.
Law enforcement officials have reported a dramatic rise in the sale of the drug in some convenient stores, adult book stores and other specialty shops. It is often known by its street name of “bath salts” and has effects similar to meth or the drug Ecstacy. Hospitals are also seeing a dramatic increase in cases of this dangerous drug which can result in death. The bill now goes to the Senate Finance Committee for consideration of its fiscal impact.
Sex offenders – Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee gave approval to a bill that requires registered sexual offenders who reside in a halfway house or similar facility as an alternative to incarceration to register as sex offenders with the law enforcement agency that has jurisdiction over the facility. Present law does not specify with whom an offender who is a resident of a halfway house must register. Senate Bill 356 makes certain that all sex offenders are properly registered with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s Sex Offender Registry in the locality in which they are housed.
Bovine (cows) / Liability – The full Senate has approved Senate Bill 339 related to the liability of owners of cows. The bill is modeled after the Equine Limited Liability Law for horses which limits the liability of equine professionals and event organizers in case of injury or death resulting from the risks inherent in participating in equestrian activities. The legislation provides that in the event someone is injured on the bovine owner’s property as a result of that individual’s negligence or the unpredictable behavior of the cow, the owner is exempted from being held liable provided signs are posted regarding the limitation of liability.
Knowing exposure to hepatitis – The Senate Judiciary Committee has approved Senate Bill 52 that makes it an offense for a person with hepatitis B or C to fail to notify a person who they engage in intimate contact with, whereby Hepatitis could be transmitted. The bill also applies to those who knowingly expose another by donation of blood, tissue or other potentially infectious body fluids, or through use of needles or other drug paraphernalia.
Fallen heroes – Legislation was approved by the full Senate on Thursday calling for counties and cities to fly Tennessee’s flag at half-staff when the governor declares a day of mourning for armed services members who have died in the line of duty. The measure, Senate Bill 34, expands on Public Chapter 169 which was approved last year. That new law proclaims a day of mourning in honor of these fallen heroes and calls for their names to be recorded in the journal of the Senate and House of Representatives.

Barbara Dalton was named the final winner during the United Way Chase the Cars Give-Away on Thursday at Alexander Ford-Lincoln-Mercury in Murfreesboro. Dalton, who is employed by General Mills, was determined as the final winner through a reverse raffle, where each name of the 25 semi-finalists was drawn and the last person standing was declared the winner. Upon learning she was the winner, Dalton was given the choice of a Chevrolet Aveo, Toyota Yaris or a Ford Fiesta – she selected the Ford Fiesta. Individuals who contributed $300 or more during the 2010 United Way campaign became eligible to win their choice of one of the three vehicles. United Way reported that 1,514 donors were eligible this year, accounting for more than $454,200 of the funds raised as many of the eligible donors pledged more than the qualifying $300.00. The vehicle was donated by Don and Melanie Alexander of Alexander Automotive and the Chase the Cars promotion was co-sponsored by the DNJ Media Group.
The United Way of Rutherford and Cannon Counties closed its 2010 campaign on February 22, 2011. During the Community Celebration on February 22, which recognizes top-fundraisers and achievements from the campaign, the grand total was announced as $2,611,724.51 for the annual fundraising campaign.

Today, U.S. Representative Diane Black (R-TN), member of the Ways and Means Committee, hailed passage of H.R. 4, the repeal of 1099 tax reporting provisions of the health care law. The bill passed the House today by a vote of 314-112.“Passage of this 1099 repeal bill is a victory for common-sense and a sign that this Congress can get government working for the people again,” said Black. “1099 would have buried America’s small businesses in paperwork, taking away precious time and resources that should be used to hire and grow their business. Repealing this provision has been a priority of mine ever since ObamaCare was passed last spring. Serving on the Ways and Means Committee gave me the chance to join in crafting the solution from its beginnings in Committee to today’s passage.”
In order to pay for the health care law passed last spring, Democrats included additional tax reporting requirements for a majority of business payments over $600 per year. According to the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) this newly enacted reporting requirement will have a “direct negative impact on small businesses,” and more than 170 small business organizations throughout the employer community have called for its repeal. H.R. 4 would repeal this massive paperwork burden on small businesses, and is the first bill passed out of the Ways and Means Committee in the 112th Congress.
Multiple groups have come forward to support 1099 repeal, including Americans for Tax Reform and the National Federation of Independent Businesses.
“NFIB commends Congressman Black for standing up for small business and voting to repeal the 1099 provision in the healthcare law. Repealing the expanded 1099 reporting requirements is a must-do if we are to help save small businesses from this mountain of paperwork,” said Dan Danner, president and CEO of the National Federation of Independent Business.
“I’m thrilled that we were not only able to get this passed in the House so quickly, but that we were able to pay for the fix by eliminating waste and fraud in the health care law,” said Black. “Not only that, the bill we passed today is estimated to reduce the deficit by $166 million over the next ten years, while reducing federal spending by nearly $20billion over ten years. Passage of this bill is a huge victory for taxpayers and small businesses across the country, and it’s just the start. I remain committed to getting government out of the way, so businesses can grow our economy, and America can prosper again.”

Four Cannon County Lionettes scored in double figures as the Cannon County Lionettes advanced to the Championship game of the Region 4-AA basketball tournament at White County High School in Sparta TN. Chelsey Payne’s 16 points helped the Lionettes beat the Grundy County Lady Jackets 72-49.The win not only puts the Lionettes in the championship but also guarantees a game in the substate. The Region championship pits the Lionettes against the Livingston Academy Lady Wildcats. The Lady Cats swept the season series and beat the Lionettes in the district tournament championship last week. Game time will be Wednesday night at 7:00.
Although it’s been awhile since the Cannon County Lions have advanced to the semifinals of the Region 4-AA tournament, their opponent is very familiar. The Lions will take on their rival Dekalb County Tigers for the right to advance to the championship tonight at 6:00 at White County High School in Sparta. Coaches Corner will begin at 5:45 with the tipoff at 6 right here on WBRY FM 96.7 / AM 1540.

This is the time of the year we need to start getting ready to seed clovers in pastures andhayfields. When most people think about clovers, white clover is usually what comes to mind.
Don’t forget to include red clover in the seeding mix. There are advantages to using red clover.
1. Improved yield. Red clover will generally yield more than white clover. It has a more upright growth habit and is better able to compete with tall fescue and orchardgrass.
2. More summer production. Red clover will grow longer into the summer than white clover. It initially has a taproot, which allows the plant to get more subsoil moisture. It is better able to grow during limited rainfall conditions than is white clover. Expect red clover to grow until late June or early July.
There are several varieties available from which to choose. “Cinnamon Plus” is a standard variety that has been around for several years. “Renegade” is another variety that many people have not heard of, but has yielded well in UT variety trials. To see the full list of red clover varieties in our tests, go to “http://forages.tennessee.edu”. Click on the tab on left of the screen labeled “variety trials and research”.
To get the best stand of clovers, be sure to have the stubble height at 2 inches or less. Plant 2 lbs of white clover and 4 lbs of red clover per acre the last two weeks of February. You can broadcast or drill the seed. If you drill, pay attention to the seeding depth. The seed should be placed NO MORE than 1/4 inch deep. Be sure to calibrate the seeder you are using. This will prevent you from putting out too much seed per acre.
If you have sprayed 2,4-D or some other broadleaf herbicide within the last few weeks, you may need to delay seeding the clover due to herbicide residual. Be sure to contact Cannon County Extension Office at 563-2554 for more information about planting clovers into these situations. Clovers will improve the quality of the forage produced, as well as replace some of the nitrogen that we need to apply as fertilizer. They are a key part of any good forage program. Red and white clover are two of the best plants that you can have in your tall fescue pastures and
hayfields.

First Lady Crissy Haslam sat down with Mrs. Vicki Russell’s pre-kindergarten class at Hattie Cotton Elementary School to read a few books and to share her passion for children’s literacy. “Reading to children from the beginning will better prepare them for success in school and in the future,” Mrs. Haslam said. “Families can take an active role by reading at home, passing the gift of reading on to future generations.”
Read Me Week is sponsored by Book’em which is a Nashville nonprofit children’s literacy organization. In 1986, Read Me Day was started by a teacher at East Hickman Elementary School in Lyles, Tennessee by the name of Frankie DeWees. Book’em later expanded the event to Read Me Week to get more schools and volunteers involved.
“We all play a role in high quality education,” Mrs. Haslam added. “I firmly believe that reading to our children at a young age benefits us all, and I strongly encourage others to volunteer in your local schools to become reading role models to our state’s future leaders.”

The United Way of Rutherford and Cannon Counties has announced that $2,611,724.51 was secured in pledges during the 2010 fundraising campaign. The announcement was made at the annual Community Celebration, which recognizes the achievements of United Way volunteers and corporate partners. Nearly 500 people attended the event, which was sponsored by Regions Bank, Nissan, General Mills, Alexander Automotive, and Ben and Janice McCloud of Recognition Concepts.Individuals recognized during the Community Celebration included this year’s Loaned Executives, which are employees from various companies that are loaned to United Way for assistance during the fundraising campaign while the employer continues to pay salary and expenses. The 2010 Loaned Executives were:
The top ten campaigns in order of total funds raised were also announced during the event, which included:
10. Heritage Farms Dairy, Inc. – $44,373.84
9. MTSU – $60,283.98
8. Bridgestone LaVergne Plant/USW Local 1055 – $79,454.30
7. Ingram Content Group – $101,119.06
6. State Farm Insurance Company – $109,898.88
5. Yates Services – $114,347.31
4. Nissan North America, Inc. – $138,977.00
3. Rutherford County Government and Schools – $203,366.48
2. Publix Super Markets – $252,481.80
1. General Mills – $584,683.00
The Best Overall Campaign award recipient was General Mills. The local operation increased their overall employee gift by more than 17%, increased their overall campaign total by almost 5%, had an 106% increase in leadership donors, an increase of 61% in leadership donor dollars, a nearly 80% increase in average gift, and a 17% increase in employee per capita. General Mills also provided 20 volunteers for United Way’s 2010 Day of Action, partnered with United Way to sponsor three events in 2010, and provided two Loaned Executives for the 2010 campaign.
The event’s final award, which was new this year, was the Legacy Award. The Legacy Award was created to recognize a company or organization who has consistently exemplified the utmost commitment to United Way and the community. Characteristics of the ideal recipient include consistently conducting a well-rounded campaign, participating in United Way initiatives and events throughout the year, promoting volunteerism through United Way’s service opportunities, committees, Board of Directors, etc., and consistently advocating United Way’s mission and work in the community. The award’s first-year recipient was Heritage Farms Dairy, Inc. The company has maintained 100% participation from their employees in their annual United Way campaign for 30 years.
Following the Community Celebration, United Way will host its second annual 3 Point Play meet and greet with the MTSU Lady Raiders on March 1st from 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM at Toot’s at 860 NW Broad Street. A silent auction will be held to benefit United Way.
On March 3rd, the United Way will give away a brand new vehicle donated by Alexander Automotive. Any donor who pledged $300 or more during the 2010 campaign was automatically entered to win the promotion, and 25 semi-finalists have been selected and notified. A final winner will be announced by a reverse raffle at the give-away, which will be held at 5:00 PM at the Alexander Ford-Lincoln-Mercury dealership located at 1550 NW Broad Street.

Two men from Cannon County are charged with misusing the TennCare program, both involving prescription drugs.The Office of Inspector General (OIG) with the assistance of the Woodbury Police Department announced the arrest of Brandon M. Brown, 21, of Woodbury, and Adam McClure, 38, of Bradyville.
Mr. Brown is charged with five counts of fraudulently using TennCare to obtain a controlled substance by “doctor shopping.” Brown saw multiple physicians within a 30-day period, receiving prescriptions for the strong painkillers Hydrocodone, Ultram, Cyclobenzaprine and Oxycodone, without revealing to the physicians that he’d received other prescriptions for the drugs. The physician office visits and prescriptions were paid for by TennCare.
McClure is charged with one count of TennCare fraud, accused of using TennCare benefits to obtain a prescription for Hydrocodone while planning to sell or distribute a portion of the drugs.
“Healthcare providers, local law enforcement officials, and state agencies are no longer tolerating this kind of blatant abuse of TennCare, especially when it relates to addictive prescription painkillers,” Inspector General Deborah Y. Faulkner said. “We are intent on prosecuting every one of these cases to the fullest extent possible.”
The TennCare fraud charges could result in a two year sentence per charge, if convicted. District Attorney General William c. Whitesell, Jr., is prosecuting.
The OIG, which is separate from TennCare, began full operation in February 2005 and has investigated cases leading to over $2.5 million paid in restitution and recoupment to TennCare, with a total estimated cost avoidance of over $171 million for the TennCare program, according to latest figures. To date, over 1,300 people have been charged with TennCare fraud.
Through the OIG Cash for Tips Program established by the Legislature, Tennesseans can get cash rewards for TennCare fraud tips that lead to convictions. Anyone can report suspected TennCare fraud by calling 1-800-433-3982 toll-free from anywhere in Tennessee, or log on to www.tn.gov/tnoig and follow the prompts that read “Report TennCare Fraud.”

The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) and National Weather Service (NWS) will help families, individuals and businesses get ready for severe weather with a series of special programs and videos from Feb. 20, to Feb. 26, 2011, for Tennessee Severe Weather Awareness Week.”This time last year, no one could have predicted we would face the largest disaster in Tennessee’s history in just a couple of months,” said TEMA Director James Bassham. “If the May floods taught us anything, it is just how much preparedness is an individual responsibility. Our mission is to help people think about what they need to do to be prepared for severe weather, or any emergency.”
Throughout the week, NWS, TEMA and other supporting groups will conduct educational activities and drills to help people prevent injuries and deaths from tornadoes, damaging winds, flash floods, lightning, and hail.
NWS will use the week to focus on a specific type of severe weather, such as lightning and thunderstorms, and on the agency’s warnings and drill systems, and spotter training.
“Tornadoes and flooding will always be threats here in Tennessee,” said NWS Nashville Warning Coordination Meteorologist Tom Johnstone. “The key to survival is preparedness. Tennesseans need a way such as NOAA Weather Radio to receive National Weather Service warnings, and also need to have a plan for what to do when warnings are issued. During Severe Weather Awarenesses Week we will help Tennesseans prepare for all the types of severe weather which threaten.”
Jointly, NWS and TEMA plan to distribute the 2011 Severe Weather Awareness brochure to schools, businesses and individuals.
The brochure can be downloaded at www.tnema.org/public/documents/swx2011brochure.pdf.