News 2012

Another vehicle accident in Cannon County involving a motorcycle resulted in a fatality Monday Afternoon.  According to Tennessee Highway Patrol reports filed by officers Tommy Cooper and Billy Prater, Mr. Raymond K. Knox Jr age 28 of Greenbriar Street was traveling west on John Bragg Highway on a 2005 Suzuki GSX motorcycle when James P. Hedge of Murfreesboro came to a stop at Lassiter Road and was in the process of crossing the Highway when Knox’s motorcycle hit the 2010 Chevrolet Tahoe SUV that Hedge was driving and caught under the front bumper.  Both vehicles caught on fire.  Mr. Knox was pronounced dead at the scene.  This is the second motorcycle fatality involving Woodbury residents in the last three months.

Eastside School was named one of the 2011-2012 Reward Schools by Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam and State Education Commissioner Kevin Huffman Monday afternoon.  The Cannon County K-8 School was one of 169 schools state wide that was named for being in the top 5 percent of schools in the state for annual growth and academic achievement   Performance and Progress Tennessee has set out to become the fastest-improving educational system in the country by raising student performance each year. For the first time, the state has recognized Tennessee schools that have shown the most progress year-over-year alongside the schools with the highest achievement scores on statewide tests.
Nearly a quarter of the 169 schools on the Reward School list including Eastside actually earned both designations, rising to the top 5 percent for annual value-added growth while also ranking in the state’s top 5 percent for overall achievement, according to a new accountability system adopted through Tennessee’s No Child Left Behind waiver.
The 2011-12 Reward Schools made these impressive accomplishments during a year when Tennessee saw unprecedented gains on the statewide Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program, or TCAP. As schools across the state made improvements and reached higher levels of proficiency, the 169 Reward Schools led the way.
 

AGENDA FOR CANNON COUNTY IDBWHERE:         Crane Interiors, Inc.–200 ALEXANDER DRIVE, WOODBURY, TNTIME:              6:00 PMDate:               Tuesday          September 4th, 20121. CALL TO ORDER
2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF LAST MEETING
3. TREASURERS REPORT / STATUS OF TENANTSOLD BUSINESS:

CRANE INTERIORS: MODIFICATION TO R&M TRANSACTIONS

RANDALL REID CO-SIGN IDB CHECKS UPDATE

THC SELECT & PC DISPOSAL STATUS (COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS UPDATE)
NEW BUSINESS:
1. COUNTY EXECUTIVE MIKE GANNON REQUESTING TIME BEFORE THE BOARD
2. CRANE INTERIORS BUILDING REPAIR / MAINTENANCE / ROOF REPAIR
3. IDB BUDGET APPROVAL UPDATE
4. PHONE / MAIL BOX / OFFICE SPACE / BROCHURE / CENSUS SUMMARY DISCUSSIONNEXT MEETING: OCTOBER 2nd, 2012 AT CANNON COUNTY COURTHOUSE 6:00 PM

This fall, Cannon County schools cafeterias are meeting tough new federal nutrition standards for schools meals, ensuring that meals are healthy and well balanced and provide students all the nutrition they need to succeed at schools. Improving child nutrition is the focal point of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. The legislation authorizes funding and sets policy for USDA’s core nutrition programs. This includes the National School Lunch Program. The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act allows USDA the opportunity to make real reforms to the school lunch program.Now that the new federal standards for school nutrition have been announced, more students are piling their lunch trays with healthy fruits and vegetables, hearty whole grains, and better-for-you versions of their favorite meals. School meals offer students milk, fruit, vegetables, proteins and grains.  Meals meet strict limits on saturated fats and portion size.  Starting in school year 2012-2013, school lunches will meet additional standards requiring, age appropriate calorie limits.  Larger servings of vegetables and fruits will be offered to students daily.  Students will be encouraged to take at least one serving of fruit or vegetable. A wider variety of vegetables will also be offered, including dark green and red/orange vegetables and legumes (dried beans).  Lastly more whole grains will be offered to students.
August 27-31st is Local Foods for Local Schools week. Schools are encouraged to menu at least one local produce item during this week. Cannon County School Nutrition has accepted this challenge; with the help of the local UT Extension Agent we have contacted a local farmer to provide fresh local grown tomatoes in selected schools during  this week. Students at Woodbury Grammar, West Side School and Cannon County High School will enjoy local grown tomatoes on their salads, hamburgers and sandwiches. We plan to serve other local grown produce at the counties 4 other schools in upcoming weeks.  Now is a great time to encourage your kids to choose school lunch!

Game 1:  Warren County vs. Cannon County  Set 1:  Warren County 25 – Cannon County 17
 Set 2:  Warren County 25 – Cannon County  9
 
Aces:  Emily Sissom 1, Abbey Spry 1, Ariana Kailiponi 2; 
Kills:  Abbey Spry 2;
Digs:  Hannah Faulkner 1, Ariana Kailiponi 4, Marion Wallace 2;
Tips:  Marion Wallace 1, Emily Sissom 3, Abbey Spry 1;
Blocks:  Ariana Kailiponi 2, Abbey Spry 2
 
Game 2:  Cannon County vs. Van Buren County
 Set 1:  Cannon County 25 – Van Buren County 11
 Set 2:  Cannon County 25 – Van Buren County 17
 
Aces:  Emily Sissom 5, Hannah Faulkner 1, Abbey Spry 8, Ariana Kailiponi 1;
Kills:  Marion Wallace 1, Ariana Kailiponi 1
Digs:  Ariana Kailiponi 1, Abbey Spry 2, Cheyenne Fann 2;
Tips:  Emily Sissom 5, Ariana Kailiponi 1
Blocks:  Ariana Kailiponi 1

Department of Safety and Homeland Security Commissioner Bill Gibbons announced today the formation of a new investigative unit to combat the increase in identity theft and related crimes in Tennessee. The newly formed Identity Crimes Unit is comprised of employees from three divisions of the department: Tennessee Highway Patrol, Office of Homeland Security, and Driver Services Division.Additionally, the Identity Crimes Unit is receiving support from federal partners.  The United States Secret Service Nashville and Memphis field offices; Homeland Security Investigations, under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security; and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Memphis division, are supporting the Identity Crimes Unit in investigations with possible federal violations.
The new unit is the direct outgrowth of the department’s top-to-bottom review requested last year by Governor Bill Haslam.
“As part of the top-to-bottom review, we focused on the needs of our citizens and the law enforcement community, as well as ways we could maximize the effective use of the resources we have,” Gibbons said.
According to the Consumer Sentinel Network, a date base used by law enforcement to collect consumer complaints, in 2011 there were 4,275 complaints of identity theft filed in Tennessee, compared to 4,175 filed in 2010.  Nationwide, in 2011 there were 279,156 complaints of identity theft filed, compared to 258,854 filed in 2010.
“Identity crimes are a growing part of our crime problem, and many local law enforcement agencies struggle with investigating these cases. In addition, the Highway Patrol has specific authority under state law to investigate identity theft, there are obvious homeland security concerns with such crimes, and many identity crimes relate to driver licenses. So, we see it as a great opportunity for all three divisions of the department—our state troopers, homeland security agents, and driver license examiners—to work together as a team,” Gibbons noted.
The Identity Crimes Unit provides support to local law enforcement upon request, but will consider several factors to determine the level of involvement. Some of these factors include fraudulent use of a driver license; a nexus to homeland security issues; cooperation of victims; violation of Tennessee’s felony theft law; the number, financial amount, and frequency of transactions; and referral from a federal agency. Investigators and staff assigned to the Identity Crimes Unit have been training for months to increase skills in the area of identity crimes and collect best practices for this type of investigating from other states.
The unit has created a resource kit for identity theft victims and has linked it to www.tn.gov/safety. Investigators will also participate in programs and events to encourage identity theft awareness, distribute educational materials to safeguard against identity crimes, and encourage the public to take proactive steps to reduce the debilitating impacts of identity crimes.

Go to the Arts Center of Cannon County on Friday, Aug. 31 for an evening exploring the intersection of Celtic and Appalachian Music through guitar, banjo, fiddle and vocal harmony as Bruce Nemerov and Amy Macy perform songs and tunes that are regarded as deep-rooted southern American folk music but often have little-known ancestors in England, Scotland and Ireland. For example, the jubilant Civil War song When Johnny Comes Marching Home (Hurrah, Hurrah), was written by an Irish immigrant to Massachusetts who formed a brass band and enlisted in the Union army.
Patrick Gilmore recalled an Irish anti-war ballad from his childhood, appropriated the melody and changed the melancholy lyrics to the ebullient flag waver America knows today. Amy and Bruce play the Irish original, Johnnie I Hardly Knew Ye, in concert.
Amy Macy is a superb old-time banjo player, fiddler and singer. She has performed locally at the Ryman and toured internationally.
Bruce Nemerov is a Grammy-winning guitarist and music historian.
Ticket prices are $15 for adults and $12 for seniors, students or groups and may be purchased by call the Arts Center box office at 615-563-2787 or 1-800-235-9073.
The Arts Center is located at 1424 John Bragg Highway, just west of the town of Woodbury, approximately 20 minutes from Murfreesboro, Manchester, and McMinnville and one hour southeast of Nashville. Office hours are 10:00a.m. to 4:00p.m., Monday through Saturday.

The Tennessee Rehabilitation Center in Smyrna, Tenn., will honor more than 75 graduates – students whose disabilities include traumatic brain injury, mental retardation and blindness. Graduates have chosen specific occupational paths and put forth much hard work and effort to become more self-sufficient and career ready. Through classroom and hands on training ranging from auto maintenance to business education and from food service to building maintenance, graduates have learned skills to prepare them for success in the workforce. The commencement program will be held on Friday, August 31.Cherrell Campbell-Street, Assistant Commissioner of Rehabilitation Services will deliver the TRC commencement address. A student speaker, Richard Marker will share the podium during the graduation program which begins at 10 a.m. in the center’s gymnasium.
“We are proud of each of these graduates for the accomplishments they have made to reach this milestone in their lives,” said Department of Human Services Deputy Commissioner Shalonda Cawthon. “They have successfully overcome many barriers and did not accept them as permanent obstacles to their success.  We wish the graduates well as they continue to be productive citizens and a true asset to the State of Tennessee.”    
The Tennessee Rehabilitation Center is a state-operated comprehensive rehabilitation facility and is one of eight such centers in the nation. TRC provided Vocational Rehabilitation services to nearly 1100 students in FY 2012 and has an employment rate of 94% since 2011. Since opening its doors in 1977, the TRC has provided life and job skills training to more than 32,000 Tennesseans living with disabilities.
Services are provided on campus and the majority of students live in residential units on campus while receiving services. The TRC is located at 460 9th Ave., Smyrna, just east of the Smyrna Airport near Sam Ridley Parkway.   For more information on the center, please visit http://tn.gov/humanserv/rehab/trc.html or call (615) 459-6811.
 

Things are moving right along with the new library addition!  Please come and take a look.  We are still open for regular business with a couple of modifications.  First, the historical research and genealogy collection has been moved to temporary quarters at 213 W High Street in Woodbury.  It is available on Mondays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.  The Preschool Story time is also held at 10:30 a.m. on Thursdays at this address.  
We are beginning to pack the main floor materials in anticipation of our need to vacate it entirely so that the asbestos under the old tile can be safely removed.  We will begin providing minimal services from the newly remodeled meeting room area on the lower level on or about October 3rd.  These minimal services will include:  public use computers, new books, DVDs, faxing, and photocopying.  If you need to browse larger collections of books, we suggest that you investigate the materials at the Auburntown Branch Library.  We will also be glad to take requests for particular materials from the Auburntown Branch and will be fetching these requests several times a week.
 
We hope to be in our beautiful new “digs” around the first of the year.  Thanks for your patience with the noise and parking problems during this exciting time.
 
 

Beginning September 1, 2012, the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development will begin implementation of the Unemployment Insurance Accountability Act of 2012 requiring all unemployment claimants in Tennessee to demonstrate valid work search activity and maintain a work search log. Failure to comply with the new law will result in a loss of benefits.Notices will be mailed next week to all claimants receiving Tennessee Unemployment Compensation informing them of the new requirements to continue receiving benefits. Those receiving federal extended unemployment benefits are already required to document work search activity.
“The Accountability Act is aptly named as it raises the bar of accountability for those receiving unemployment benefits,” said Labor Commissioner Karla Davis. “Documenting three work searches each week will require a small effort, but the consequences of not doing them are very serious.” 
Labor and Workforce Development will conduct random audits of 1,000 claimants’ work search documentation each week to verify work search activity. If work search claims are found to be fraudulent, the department will stop a claimant’s benefits immediately and can suspend payments for eight weeks.  
Claimants are required to conduct three work searches each week. A valid work search activity is considered any of the following:

Registering at www.jobs4tn.gov and applying for jobs online
Completing a job application in person or online
Mailing a job application and/or resume, as instructed in a public notice
Making in-person visits with employers who may have job openings
Sending job applications to employers
Interviewing with potential employers in person or by telephone
Registering for work with private employment agencies, placement services or hiring unions
Using the employment resources available at Tennessee Career Centers that may lead directly to a job
Attending job search seminars, career networking meetings, job fairs or employment-related workshops that offer instruction in improving individual skills for obtaining employment
Claimants who don’t receive guidance and work search logs in the mail can find information both on the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development’s Internet site at www.tn.gov/labor-wfd or at the nearest Tennessee Career Center. For Career Center locations visit http://www.tn.gov/labor-wfd/cc/cccounty.shtml.