News 2012

The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security announced the results from the state’s first-ever “No Refusal” DUI enforcement effort which took place in five counties over the July Fourth holiday period. The campaign was a coordinated effort by the Tennessee Highway Patrol, the Governor’s Highway Safety Office (GHSO), local district attorneys, and various local and state law enforcement agencies.The “No Refusal” enforcement period started at 6 p.m., Tuesday, July 3, and ran through midnight, Sunday, July 8. This special enforcement was effective in selected counties where impaired driving and fatal crashes have increased this year, specifically, Anderson, Bradley, Davidson, Maury and Warren Counties.  State and local officials conducted sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols in those counties as well as in other parts of the state.
The “No Refusal” law, enacted this year by the General Assembly, allows law enforcement officials to seek search warrants for blood samples in cases involving suspected impaired drivers. Previously, a suspected impaired driver could refuse a blood alcohol content test and face charges of violating the implied consent law. This new law enables law enforcement to legally obtain blood samples by working with prosecutors and judges throughout the state during the warrant acquisition process. 
The results for the “No Refusal” enforcement effort in each of the five counties are listed below:Anderson County
DUI arrests:                                            4
Refusal to take BAC test/
Search warrants obtained for blood samples:      1
 Bradley County
DUI arrests:                                            8
Refusal to take BAC test/
Search warrants obtained for blood samples:      0
 Davidson County
DUI Arrests:                                            11                                            
Refusal to take BAC test/
Search warrants obtained for blood samples:      1
 Maury County
DUI Arrests:                                            17                                            
Refusal to take BAC test/
Search warrants obtained for blood samples:      6
 Warren County
DUI Arrests:                                            8                                              
Refusal to take BAC test/
Search warrants obtained for blood samples:      0

The American Red Cross recently issued a national blood appeal, but the severe storms in the Midwest and mid-Atlantic areas may severely impact the ability to build the blood inventory back up to sufficient levels in many locations. Power outages, fallen trees and other storm impacts mean that blood donors have been unable to get to blood donation centers and blood drives. Dozens of Red Cross blood drives have been cancelled, resulting in the shortfall of nearly 1,700 units of blood and platelets.
The Red Cross is calling on all eligible blood donors – now more than ever – to roll up a sleeve and give as soon as possible. All blood types are needed, but especially O positive, O negative, B negative and A negative in order to meet patient demand this summer.
The next local blood donation opportunity is July 19 from 12 noon until 6 p.m. at the Lions Club Building on West Adams St. in Woodbury.
Thousands of blood donations are needed each and every day to meet the needs of hospital patients. Blood and platelets are needed for many different reasons, including accident and burn victims, heart surgery patients, organ transplant patients, premature babies – when there are complications during childbirth – and for patients receiving treatment for leukemia, cancer or sickle cell disease.
“Every day, the Tennessee Valley Blood Services Region must collect approximately 600 pints for patients at about 60 hospitals and transfusion centers across the region,” said Tim Ryerson chief executive officer of the American Red Cross Tennessee Valley Blood Services Region. “We need donors to make appointments in the coming days and weeks to help us ensure that all patient blood needs can be met. Each pint of whole blood can help save more than one life.”
“The American Red Cross continues to operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to best meet hospital patients’ needs,” Ryerson added. “We are closely monitoring inventory levels at all distribution sites, and working with hospitals to triage and transfer products as needed to ensure patient needs are met.”
Call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit redcrossblood.org to make an appointment or for more information. A blood donor card or driver’s license, or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental permission in some states), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam today called together post-secondary education leaders from across the state along with statewide business organizations to discuss the importance of a comprehensive and coordinated focus on the issues of affordability, the quality of our Tennessee colleges, universities and technology centers, and how to do a better job of matching the skills state institutions are teaching with the needs of employers.  The meeting included members of the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC), Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR), University of Tennessee Board of Trustees and Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation (TSAC) along with leaders from the Tennessee Independent Colleges and Universities Association (TICUA), Tennessee Business Roundtable, Tennessee Chamber of Commerce and Industry and legislative leadership from the House and Senate.
 
“Tennessee is leading the way in K-12 education reform on a national level, and we are committed to continuing that momentum,” Haslam said.  “We’ve also made significant progress with post-secondary education, and the time is right to take that work to the next level.
 
“The status quo is not good enough for our students.  We need to examine the financial structure, the quality of the programs at our state institutions, and whether we are keeping up with the dynamic training needs of employers who want to put Tennesseans to work.  It is going to take all of us working together to tackle these issues, and with the good work already happening in post-secondary education, we have a solid foundation to build on.”
 
The meeting included perspectives on the importance of post-secondary education, meeting the intellectual capital needs of the Tennessee economy and financing higher education.  Presenters included:

Bill Tucker, deputy director of policy development with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation;

Nicole Smith, research professor and senior economist at the Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce;

and Bill Zumeta, co-author of Financing Higher Education in the Era of Globalization.
Later this month, the governor will begin a series of candid conversations across the state with businesses and post-secondary institutions to learn about collaborations that are working in communities and areas where we need to improve matching the skills our students are learning with the needs of employers.
 
As chairman of the Southern Growth Policies Board, Haslam held a regional meeting in Chattanooga in late June to focus on workforce preparation issues that highlighted Tennessee companies from across the state.
 
“If we are going to be a state that attracts companies to locate and grow here; a state that keeps its best and brightest graduates here with good-paying, high-quality jobs, there is nothing more important we can do than to focus on education,” Haslam said.  “There is a lot of consensus around K-12 education reform efforts, and I think we have the opportunity to become a national model in approaching post-secondary education as well.”
 
The governor serves as chairman of the board of directors for the TBR and UT systems.
 

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam today announced an executive order in response to drought conditions and extreme heat impacting Tennessee farmers that allows haulers of hay to carry larger loads as long as they observe other safety requirements.The order allows for an increase in gross vehicle weight to 95,000 pounds, not exceeding 20,000 pounds per axle load, for semi-truck/trailers. The order also increases the height of trailer loads to 13 feet, 6 inches and the width to a maximum of 14 feet during daylight hours. The increase in width allows haulers to transport standard six- to seven-foot round hay bales side by side, increasing the capacity being hauled per truck without a permit.
The order is valid for 60 days and expires on September 8, 2012. A copy of Executive Order No. 14 is attached.
“What started out as a very promising year has quickly turned devastating for many farmers, who are facing a short supply of hay due to the drought,” Haslam said. “This order will help ensure that hay can be shipped safely and without delay across the state as needed.”
 
Tennessee is a major producer of hay, which is used to support the state’s $1.3 billion livestock industry. In 2011, Tennessee farmers produced an estimated 3.9 million tons of hay valued at more than $332 million. Hay cutting began earlier than normal this year due to the warm spring, but many farmers have reported reduced hay yields in areas where rainfall has been inadequate.
“With hay stocks low and spring cuttings below normal, many farmers are heading into the fall with less than half the hay they’ll need for the winter,” state Agriculture Commissioner Julius Johnson said. “The governor’s order will help farmers move hay to where it’s needed at a time when they are already feeding hay because of dried up pastures.”

An interim administrator of elections was named last night during the emergency meeting of the Cannon County Election Commission, but now the search will be on for a deputy administrator.  All members of the Election Commission were present.  The meeting got off to a heated debate when Chairman Lindbergh Dennis asking for the rest of the commission to reinstate Stan Dobson because he felt that it wasn’t done legally in the first place. The Commission voted 3-2 to terminate him at the regular July meeting and the controversy surrounds the issue of whether or not the item was properly noted in the agenda.  There wasn’t an item on the July agenda that dealt with the possible termination.  Dennis intended to reinstate Dobson, run a public notice ad about the issue and call another special meeting in which another vote would be taken.  Commissioner Matt Studd made the motion and the motion failed with Commissioners Jackie Gannon, Louise Mayo and Sue Patrick voting against the motion. With the termination standing, the Commission went about naming an interim that will handle the August and November Elections.  During this process applications will be taken for the permanent Administrator of Elections.  Gannon made a motion to appoint former administrator of elections Mary Lynn Bush as interim.  Sue Patrick seconded the motion and the motion carried as Commissioner Matt Studd was against the motion.  Studd had mentioned Assistant Administrator Dorinda Mankin’s name but it was never made into a motion.  Once the vote naming Bush the interim, Mankin said that she felt she wasn’t given an equal opportunity.  She then got up from the table, submitted her time sheet and cleaned out her personal stuff from the office, turned in her keys and left.  The early voting period for the August 2nd Election begins Friday

The controversy continues tonight as the Cannon County Election Commission has called an emergency meeting to select an interim Administrator of Elections to replace Stan Dobson who was fired last Monday night.  The selection was scheduled to happen last Thursday however the state rules are that the meeting needed to be moved so more public notice could be made.  other items on the agenda include reviewing the list of poll workers.  Early Voting for the Republican and Democratic Primaries and Cannon County General Election starts this Friday.  The meeting tonight will take place at the election offices at 5:30.In other government meetings,  The Cannon County Industrial Board will meet at the Cannon County Courthouse tonight at 6:00.  The Homeland Security Committee will also meet tonight at 6:00 in the Courthouse
 

The Cannon County Historical Society will meet Tuesday, July 10, 2012, at 6:30 p.m. at the Cannon County Senior Center at 609 Lehman Street, in the small dining room. Please enter under the “awning.” The featured speaker will be Jean Helton (Mrs. Millard) Young. She will be making a Genealogical presentation on the Helton Family of Cannon and Rutherford Counties. Jean has been researching and compiling information on the Helton Family for over 25 years. She has put together a book which is in the Genealogy Room at Adams Library.
Her ancestor is William Helton. She has traced the family back 10 generations. She has an extensive amount of information which she will share.
Young will talk about the Wilson Hill Baptist Church. The Helton Family was among the founders of this old historical church. She will also relate about the Jamison Cemetery near the church on the Wilson Hill Road in Rutherford County, near the border with Cannon County.
Young will share her research materials and will also display her “Family Ancestral Quilt.” This will be a highly informative and interesting program.
“Snacks and refreshments” will begin at 6:30. Please bring your favorites and enjoy the fellowship. The program will begin at 7 p.m.

– The 2012 Tennessee Hay Directory is now available to help livestock producers source locally grown forages. The directory is produced through a partnership between the Tennessee Department of Agriculture and the Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation and provides a listing of hay available for sale by county.“With record temperatures and drought conditions, many Tennessee livestock producers are feeding hay at a time when they are normally cutting it for winter use,” state Agriculture Commissioner Julius Johnson said. “Although this is a service that we provide every year, it will be particularly helpful to farmers this year who are looking to buy or sell hay.”
The directory is available by visiting the Farm Bureau’s website at www.tnfarmbureau.org.
The directory provides information on hay quantity, variety and bale type. Growers listed in the directory may also list hay quality, including percent of dry matter, protein and other nutritional values as tested through the University of Tennessee Extension.
Johnson says the Tennessee Agricultural Enhancement Program is helping Tennessee farmers better manage through weather extremes. “Many Tennessee producers are in a better position today to manage through drought and extreme weather because of the thousands of farm projects that have been funded across the state. This further underscores the importance of this investment in our rural economy.”
Since 2005, the department has helped farmers increase their hay and feed capacity and improve operations by providing cost share funding for nearly 5,000 hay barns, 12,000 hay rings, 200 commodity sheds, 600 feed bins and 1,150 specialty farm projects that include irrigation systems, greenhouses and other management practices.
“Farmers are already involved in feeding this spring’s cutting of hay and with the weather outlook still remaining very dry, hay is becoming in short supply,” Tennessee Farm Bureau president Lacy Upchurch said. “We urge any farmers with hay to sell to please download an application on the Tennessee Hay Directory site or call the Tennessee Farm Bureau now. The drought is starting to take its toll on hay supplies for our livestock producers.”
Farmers with hay available for sale may place information in the Tennessee Hay Directory by downloading an application or by calling the Tennessee Farm Bureau at 931-388-7872 Ext. 2220.
Tennessee is a major producer of hay, which is used to support the state’s $1.3 billion livestock industry. In 2011, Tennessee farmers produced an estimated 3.9 million tons of hay valued at more than $332 million. Hay cutting began earlier than normal this year due to the warm spring, but many farmers have reported reduced hay yields in areas where rainfall has been inadequate.
UT Extension has launched a website that provides information and resources for farmers to help them manage through the historic and unseasonably hot and dry weather. The website at https://utextension.tennessee.edu/drought/ also includes links to Tennessee’s as well as other states’ hay directories and resources.
More information and a link to the hay directory can also be found on TDA’s website at www.tn.gov/agriculture.
 

After a very successful 74th Annual Woodbury Lions Club Horse Show this past Saturday, the Horse Show season takes a break this weekend but returns to the Cannon County Fairgrounds Saturday night July 21st with the National Spotted Saddle Horse Association Show to benefit the Cannon County S.A.V.E. The show will feature 33 classes in all kinds of categories. Some of the Rules and Regulations of this show include Horses do not have to be registered to show at this show.  All horses must have negative coggins, and Blue Ribbon Wins at this show can be calculated toward National Supreme Champion Awards.  Contact NSSHA for forms.  The show starts at 6:00 in the evening.  Sponsors are still needed and for more information call 563-6690.  

University of Tennessee Extension has launched a new effort to assist the state’s farmers and ranchers as they respond to the historic and unseasonably hot and dry weather – weather that is causing crops to wither and turning pastures to dust plots. The impacts are already far-reaching, with estimated drastic reductions in harvests, especially in feed available for livestock this fall.Through a public website, farmers have direct access online to information that can help them make the critical and sometimes heart-wrenching decisions necessary to keep their operations and families financially viable. Information specific to Tennessee production systems has been collected and cross-linked on the website: https://utextension.tennessee.edu/drought/ which will be available to the public free of charge on a 24-hour basis. 
Dr. Justin Rhinehart, UT Extension beef cattle specialist, is coordinating the effort, which includes livestock specialists, plant and pest specialists, veterinarians, family science experts, environmental engineers, horticulturists, and forestry and wildlife experts from across the state.
Rhinehart says the webpage is a collection of resources that were already available to the state’s producers. “The information is collected in one handy, comprehensive website,” he said. “The majority of the listed publications have been developed by UT Institute of Agriculture faculty and staff specifically to help Tennessee farmers and families cope with the immediate negative consequences of drought and high temperature.” Additional links are provided to resources available from the Tennessee Department of Agriculture, including a hay directory for producers struggling to provide feed for livestock. 
“The record temperatures coupled with the lack of rainfall is really having an impact on farmers, who are seeing their crops wilt and their pastures and water sources dry up,” state Agriculture Commissioner Julius Johnson said. “We want to join with UT Extension and our other partners in being a resource and providing assistance wherever we can to ensure farmers get through this difficult time.”
The information collected on the pages is also relevant for everyday citizens and homeowners. “Some of the linked information includes tips on reducing power usage during extreme heat and lawn and garden management during drought,” Rhinehart said. “There are even links relevant to working with kids and heat stress in the elderly.” 
UT Extension is also coordinating a series of livestock producer meetings to assist with the increasing dire situation of the state’s forage and pastures. Two meetings will be held in each grand division of the state:*Middle Tennessee July 17, 5:30-9:00 p.m., Tennessee Farm Bureau Bldg., ColumbiaJuly 19, 5:30-9:00 p.m., Wilson County Fairgrounds, Lebanon *West Tennessee July 27, 5:30-9:00 p.m., UT Extension Western Region Office, JacksonJuly 28, 9:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Brehm Hall, UT Martin*East Tennessee August 2, 5:30-9:00 p.m., East Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center, GreenevilleAugust 3, 9:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m., UT Extension Eastern Region Office, Knoxville 
The drought response website will be an ongoing project and materials and links will be continually updated and added, said Rhinehart. He also reminds folks that they have direct, personal access to experts with the University of Tennessee in every county. “Your UT County Extension Agent is available to work with you on your unique situation,” he said. “Contact your county agent through the government pages in your phone book or look up the number online through the drought webpage. Click the left-hand link to “County Offices.”
UT Extension provides a gateway to the University of Tennessee as the outreach unit of the UT Institute of Agriculture. With an office in every Tennessee county, UT Extension delivers educational programs and research-based information to citizens throughout the state. In cooperation with Tennessee State University, UT Extension works with farmers, families, youth and communities to improve lives by addressing problems and issues at the local, state and national levels.