News 2016

Greenhouse Ministries is hosting the annual Game Day Tailgating Event on Sept 12th at 315 South Academy Street.  You can help by inviting seven of your friends to sit with you and enjoy food, fun and fellowship.  The event will raise funds for Greenhouse to help reach the goal of $2.5 million which will go toward building facility and expanding offerings.  Email Julie Young at julie.young@greenhousemin.org if you would like to be a table host.  You can also call 615-494-0499.
 

 White County is the latest in Tennessee to be quarantined for an invasive pest targeting ash trees.

Officials have detected Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) in the eastern section of White County. An adult EAB beetle was recently captured in a trap near Old Railroad Grade Road. With this discovery, White County joins 48 other counties in quarantine with a prohibition on the movement of ash trees and ash tree products.

EAB is a destructive forest pest that was introduced from Asia into the United States in the 1990s. It was first detected in Tennessee in July 2010. EAB beetles can kill an ash tree within three years of the initial infestation.

Humans tend to contribute to the spread of EAB, unknowingly transporting the insects through infected nursery stock, firewood, unprocessed saw logs, and other ash products.

Citizens should report any symptomatic ash trees to TDA and follow these simple rules:

– Don’t transport any firewood, even within the state.

– Use firewood from local sources near where it will be burned.

– If you purchase firewood, make sure that it is labeled and certified to be pest free.

– Watch for signs of infestation in your ash trees.

Click here for a symptoms checklist and a map of quarantined counties.

TDA’s Division of Forestry estimates that there are 261 million ash trees on public and private land in Tennessee, potentially valued as high as $9 billion.
 

A Murfreesboro woman who had active warrants for her arrest in Cannon County was arrested over the weekend in Murfreesboro.  According to Murfreesboro Police Reports, Police were dispatched to a Murfreesboro residence for a welfare check on 27 year old Ashley Elizabeth Lee.  Upon arrival, they found Lee and ran a check on Lee.  Murfreesboro dispatch advised Lee had two warrants out of Cannon County for fraud and impersonation.  Lee was placed under arrest and transferred to Rutherford County Jail to be held for Cannon County.

Singer-songwriter Darryl Worley presents Hitmakers and Harleys tonight at Bumpus Harley Davidson 2250 NW Broad Street in Murfreesboro.  
The Concert will feature Worley along with fellow songwriters Rob Crosby, Casey Beathard and Phil O’Donnell for a night of music.  Funds raised will benefit the Darryl Worley Foundation with its currents and upcoming projects.
The concert starts tonight at 6:30.
 

The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) today announced that nine development districts will receive grants totaling more than $450,000 to support solid waste management activities in Tennessee communities.

“The support provided by Tennessee development district offices has been instrumental in the planning and implementation of the Solid Waste Management Act,” said TDEC Commissioner Bob Martineau. “We’re pleased to be able to continue our support of this important work.”

The grants include:

East Tennessee Development District                             $65,358
First Tennessee Development District                             $71,690
Greater Nashville Regional Council                                  $48,390
Memphis Area Association of Government                   $34,872
Northwest Tennessee Development District                 $54,609
South Central Tennessee Development District           $56,046
Southeast Tennessee Development District                  $47,753
Southwest Tennessee Development District                 $41,337
Upper Cumberland Development District                     $40,738

Development districts are important partners in TDEC’s implementation of its 2015-2025 Solid Waste and Materials Management Plan. The grant supports development districts in preparing valuable solid waste planning functions including compiling information about landfills, source reduction, composting and recycling for each of the 66 solid waste region’s annual progress report. The report is a planning and reporting tool required by the Solid Waste Management Act of 1991, which was the first comprehensive solid waste planning legislation in Tennessee history. The data is used to determine each region’s progress towards Tennessee’s goal to achieve 25 percent waste reduction in Class I landfill solid waste.

Local governments also receive technical assistance from development districts in designing, implementing, upgrading and maintaining solid waste programs, systems and facilities, including landfills, convenience centers and recycling centers.

Development District Grants were authorized by the Solid Waste Management Act of 1991 and are supported from the Tennessee Solid Waste Management Fund administered by TDEC. The Tennessee Solid Waste Management Fund receives its revenues from a tipping fee surcharge on each ton of solid waste disposed of in Class I landfills and from a pre-disposal fee on new tires sold in the state.

Camp Read to be Ready provides students with a total reading experience where books take life in relation to our community. Students are given the opportunity to read, think, talk, and write about various texts in relation to our focus of learning. The first session of Camp Read to be Readyallows students to experience Camp Reading Rangers. Twenty four students have spent their second week of camp as backyard naturalists. Students are learning about and discussing animals, insects, and plants in their native habitat. We have dug deep into the following books: Who Pooped in the Park? Great Smoky Mountains written by Steve Kemp, Flashlight written by Lizi Boyd, andBig Tracks, Little Tracks written by Millicent E. Selsam.
The ultimate goal for Camp Read to be Readyis to make books come to life for our students. Co-directors Melisha Simmons and MaryBeth Young as well as Troop Leaders Lori Christensen, Kathy Gannon, Emily Hughes, and Joy Pope are working toward this goal by creating movements, songs, and art that relate to our books. Campers have created their own sun catchers and examined the life cycles of insects. Troop leaders have allowed campers to evaluate animal tracks in order to determine the animal to which the tracks belong. Campers became scatologists in order to study and compare animal scat of herbivores, omnivores, insectivores, and carnivores. Campers also experimented with mold to see the rate at which mold grows and the animals that eat mold and other fungi.
To culminate the Camp Reading Ranger experience, campers traveled to Edgar Evins State Park in Silver Point, TN. Campers began their park experience with a half mile hike on the Evins Ridge Nature Trail. This hike was led by Tennessee’s State Naturalist, Randy Hedgepath. While Ranger Hedgepath is stationed in Montgomery Bell State Park, he traveled to Edgar Evins to ensure Cannon County studentsbecame backyard naturalists.
Campers also experienced a longhunter demonstration led by Park Ranger Brad Halfacre. During this experience, Ranger Halfacre taught campers about the differences between life in Tennessee today and during the early settlement of our state.  We looked at weapons longhunters used in their daily life and how they traded to meet the needs of their families.
Ranger Hedgepath and Ranger Halfacre took campers on a pontoon boat ride to emphasis the importance of water safety. Both rangers explained how Center Hill Lake was formed and the history of the area. Campers were also able to learn about the difference between poisonous and non-poisonous snakes in our area. Many campers were brave enough to pet a King Snake who lives at Edgar Evins. Thanks to Edgar Evans State Park and Tennessee Park Rangers, the books we have been reading came to life for all of the campers at Camp Read to be Ready.
There are some things you can do at home to help your child during the summer months. The single most important thing you can do to help your child succeed is to read with them for twenty minutes each day! Remember, the conversations you have with children about what they have read or heard are essential to their comprehension. There are some important things we can learn in our own backyards. Take time with your child to explore the outdoors near your home!

The Cannon County Budget Committee worked hard over the past three months to bring a 2016-2017 fiscal year budget proposal to the full Cannon County Commission that would not only show the Commission but also the State that it is improving it’s General Fund Balance and getting it closer to where it needs to be according to State Standards.  Saturday, the Committee presented their recommendations to the Commission at the Commission’s regular monthly meeting at the Cannon County Courthouse.  
The recommendation at first showed an unbalanced ending budget for the fiscal year 2016-2017.  Ending fund balance at the end of this fiscal year was $280,746.00 while the projected ending fund balance for 2016-2017 showed $269,766.00 which was a difference of $10,980.00.
This means the budget is estimated to fund the various departments $10,000 more dollars than what the revenues will bring in.  However before the end of the meeting the commissioners decided to take that $10,000 off the insurance line item of the Sheriff’s department to balance the budget out.  The main additions to the budget this year will be $90,000 to fund the purchase of four newer fire trucks from Rutherford County.  $70,000 will be used to help buy a newer truck for the Rescue Squad.  The purchase of the fire trucks is a priority as they will replace four fire trucks from the 70s including a totalled fire truck of the Gassaway Volunteer Fire Department.  Motion was made by Commissioner Mark Barker to accept the appropriations as updated and won by a 6-3 vote.  Commissioners voting against the appropriations recommendation were Russell Reed, Glenn Steakley and Karen Ashford.
Absent from the meeting was Commissioner James Holloway
After the appropriations passed, it was time to approve the tax levy to fund the appropriations.  The Budget Committee recommended raising the property tax 7 cents to fund the appropriations of the budget.  The breakdown of the $2.75 recommendation was as follows:
General Fund-$1.40
Solid Waste-$.15
General Purpose School Fund-$.85
General Debt Service-$.18
Ambulance Service-$.17
It is noted that a penny brings in approximately $20,000 of revenue to the county
Each department except the General Debt Service department saw a decrease in their property tax appropriation.  The committee took 3 cents off last years rate of the Ambulance Service, and Schools, 1 cent away from Solid Waste and 2 cents off of the General Fund.
The motion was made and passed by a 6-3 vote.  Voting against the recommendation and motion was Todd Hollandsworth, Karen Ashford and Glenn Steakley.

The Woodbury Police Department has made the following arrests recently:
Krystal Kay Fier-DUI, Violation of Implied Consent
Patricia C. House-Possession of Schedule IV Drug, DUI 3rd offense
Tiffany Ann Carpenter-Driving on Revoked License 6th offense and
Melinda C. Barrett-Public Intoxication

With the country’s recent developments of the increase of racial tension and concern for law enforcement’s safety in anticipation of possible retaliation acts, one Cannon County citizen has stepped forward to help the Cannon County Sheriff’s Department with a modest donation to help purchase some form of protective equipment for the Sheriff’s Department Deputies.  Earlier this week an unnamed citizen presented the check along with a letter which stated that Thursday July 7th was a sad day for America and for our law enforcement families.  The event in Dallas Texas which took the lives of five brave officers and wounded seven others, etched in our minds the realization that life is precious and that each of us have responsibility for promoting and supporting the wellbeing of our first responders.  
The letter when on to say that the protection and support of our law enforcement officers can no longer be counted upon only by our government.  It is the responsibility of each and every citizen in our country to first acknowledge our responsibility to respect all our government service providers and to support them to the best of our abilities.  
My family has discussed this tragic event and our role of being good, responsible citizens and what we can do to help protect those service responders that put their lives on the line each day to protect us.  
While we are retired and live on a fixed income, we still want to make a modest donation for the Sheriff’s Department to purchase some form of protective equipment for your deputies.  Please accept this check as a token of our appreciation for those who risk their lives to serve us.
The letter ends with A civilized society respects and supports one another, particularly those in its community.  My family is challenging others in our Cannon County community to stop for a moment and thing of our first responders and their families and make a contribution to a department of their choice for safety equipment so these dedicated wonderful people can go home to their families at the end of their shifts safely.
The Cannon County Sheriff’s Department would like to publicly thank this individual for the kind donation and support.

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN CANNON COUNTY SCHOOLS
 
 
July 11-21—Camp Read to Be Ready, WGS, 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
 
July 31—We Care Cannon distribution at WGS, 2:00 P.M.
 
August 2—District-wide Teacher in-service—Arts Center, 7:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
 
August 3—Teacher in-service at various schools, 7:30 a.m. -3:00 p.m.
 
August 4—Teacher in-service at various schools, 7:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
 
August 5—Student’s first day of school (Half day)
 
Summer Feeding Schedule (Meals will be served at Woodbury Grammar Cafeteria):
July 18-21—Monday through Thursday
8:00 a.m.-8:30 a.m. Breakfast
11:30 a.m.-12:00 noon Lunch
Free to all students 18 and under
 
Cannon County School System is currently looking for applicants for the following positions:
 
Auburn 5th -8th grade ELA teacher
CCHS Agriculture Ed. teacher
CCHS Credit Recovery teacher
CCHS Spanish teacher
CCHS Special Ed. Assistant
CCHS Receptionist
CCHS School Counselor
CCHS English teacher
West Side 7th-8th grade ELA teacher
WGS Special Ed. Assistant
WGS 6th grade ELA teacher
WGS Kindergarten teacher
WGS Title I teacher
WGS Pre-K Teacher Assistant
Woodland 6th grade teacher
Woodland Custodian
West Side/Auburn Art teacher
Elementary School Counselor