News 2016

Statistics released by the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD) show the average hourly wage earned by Tennesseans in May increased from the same time period in 2015.  The finding is part of the TDLWD Labor Market Information Unit’s recent annual occupational wage and employment survey.
   “We are pleased to report that the average wage for all occupations in Tennessee increased $0.30 per hour from $19.55 to $19.85 hourly,” Commissioner Burns Phillips said.
   The increase in the state’s average hourly wage represents a yearly income of $41,296.  The latest wage and employment estimates show average hourly wages ranging from $9.60 in food preparation and serving occupations to $44.85 in legal occupations.
   Tennessee’s largest occupational group consists of office and administrative support with over 460,000 employees who make an average hourly wage of $16.10.  Sales and related occupations have the next highest percentage of total employment in Tennessee with 278,610 positions and an annual mean wage of $34,406, or $16.55 per hour.  The state’s transportation and material moving occupations had 272,860 in total employment and hourly wages averaging $15.40.
   Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations are two of the fastest growing occupations in Tennessee and statistics show the fields have over 180,000 workers who earn an average hourly wage of $31.75.
   The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics worked with the TDLWD Labor Market Information Unit to produce these wage statistics.
   Occupational employment and wage data are available for over 800 occupations statewide and 14 sub-state areas

Last Sunday, a deranged terrorist with evil in his heart and the poison of radical Islam in his mind opened fire at a gay Orlando night club, killing 49 innocents and injuring dozens of others. Families were ripped apart, a sense of security was stolen, and Americans were left to sort through the headlines and try to make sense of a hatred that can never be understood – only defeated.

These acts of violence break the hearts of all people of conscience, regardless of religious faith or political ideology, yet, sadly, some voices in our culture chose to use this tragedy to further divide; taking responsibility away from the gunman and laying it at the feet of just about anyone else.

Instead of grieving together in unity, as we did after September 11, 2001, we have devolved to this:

A CNN contributor used the tragedy to denounce “right wing Christians.”

An ACLU lawyer blamed the attack on legislation related to marriage and religious liberty.

A cable television host shamed those who call for prayer in the wake of such tragedies, dismissing it as “talking to nobody.”

And Congressional Democrats walked out during a moment of silence to honor the Orlando victims.

These actions do not bring back a single life that was lost and they do nothing to help heal a wounded nation.

When we equate loving disagreements between Christians and our LGBT neighbors with acts of terror that kill and destroy, when we rebuke sincere prayers because they are not accompanied by a particular political agenda, and when we diminish a spiritual act that so many – myself included –  believe has transforming power to lift up a hurting world, we delay the healing process.

When we tell Americans that their deeply held beliefs on sexual orientation, the 2ndAmendment, or any other topic preclude them from sharing in our mourning and grieving the loss of these 49 precious souls the same way anyone else would, we impose a chilling effect on the freedom to believe that has guided and defined our country since its inception.

Beyond that, this talk ignores the facts of the tragedy and diminishes the role of personal responsibility in such acts of violence. We know that the carnage in Orlando was not the result of a pastor’s sermon, a Congressman’s bill, or even a manufacturer’s gun. It was the result of a choice made by the person who pulled the trigger. The killer was a terrorist influenced not by “right wing Christians” but rather by a radical Islamic ideology that doesn’t just condone the persecution of gay people, women, and others – it compels it with the promise of eternal reward.

This evil cannot be legislated away with a background check or a weapons ban; it must be extinguished at the source.

As our country emerges from the thick fog of this terrorist act, may we be clear eyed in recognizing the enemy we face, may we identify radical Islam for the threat that it is, may we reject the temptation to use tragedy for political gain, and – above all else – may we continue to pray.

Earlier this year, The Tennessee Department of Education launched a statewide Read to be Ready Campaign. Read to be Ready is a coordinated approach to move third grade reading proficiency in Tennessee to 75 percent by 2025. The campaign seeks to raise awareness about the importance of reading, unite efforts to address the reading gap, highlight best practices, and build partnerships.  Along with this campaign, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation donated one million dollars to the department for summer reading programs. The department received over two hundred proposals from across the state in April. From these proposals, only 12 programs from were originally chosen to receive funding. Cannon County Schools had the only proposal in the Upper Cumberland Region that was originally selected. Camp Read to be Ready was created and designed by Cannon County teachers. This grant is designed to support our students even after the last day of school.
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. Throughout the program, we will partner with many community agencies to provide experiences aimed at broadening horizons, closing skill gaps, and eliminating the summer slide. The ultimate goal for Camp Read to be Ready is to make books come to life for our students. We want these incredible children to read and write daily in a fun way related to what they are formulating in their mind.  
The first session of Camp Read to be Ready allows students to experience Camp Reading Rangers. Twenty four students are becoming backyard naturalists. Students are learning about and discussing animals, insects, and plants in their native habitat.  This is all occurring under the guidance of Co-directors Melisha Simmons and MaryBeth Young. Campers are also being instructed by Troop Leaders Lori Christensen, Kathy Gannon, Emily Hughes, and Joy Pope. This team of teachers is working diligently to ensure Cannon County students make the most of their summer.
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! Ask your child to give you a verbal summary of what they have heard or read and ask them specific questions about the text. The conversations you have around a story can make a profound impact on your children.

For many Tennesseans, summertime weather signals the start of outdoor recreation and travel, including camping trips. While camping can create many wonderful memories, it can also result in devastating wildfires or serious burn injuries if fire-safe practices are not used.

“Enjoy all the beauty that Tennessee landscapes offer, but remember that carelessness with fire can produce tragic consequences,” said State Fire Marshal and Commerce & Insurance Commissioner Julie Mix McPeak. “Protect your family, your property, and our state’s forests and wildlife by brushing up on campfire safety before setting up camp.”

Injuries from stepping or falling on burning coals pose a threat to children and adults alike. Hot coals just below the surface of soil or sand can retain intense heat for up to 24 hours, severely burning anyone who walks or falls on them. These coals are especially dangerous for small children, whose skin is thinner and more easily damaged than the skin of adults. However, these types of painful injuries can be prevented.

The State Fire Marshal’s Office offers the following safety tips to all campers and outdoor enthusiasts enjoying Tennessee terrain this summer.

Before leaving home

    Check with authorities at your camping location for outdoor burning restrictions. During especially dry seasons even recreational and cooking fires can be restricted. For more information on burn bans, visit the state Department of Agriculture here.
    Check the weather forecast. Be aware of any unsafe weather conditions, such as high winds.
    Talk to your group about the importance of fire safety. Make sure everyone knows to stop, drop, cover their face and roll should their clothes catch on fire.
    Set family boundaries. Only designated adults should light the campfire, add wood or put out the fire. Never let children use matches or light a fire.

Preparing and managing your campsite

    If possible, use an existing fire pit or fire ring at the campsite.
    If there is not an existing fire pit, and pits are allowed, look for a site that is at least 15 feet away from tent walls, shrubs, trees, or other flammable objects. Avoid areas with overhanging branches, steep slopes or dry grasses. Clear the area of all debris, down to bare soil.
    Construct a fire ring from rocks and keep the ring under four feet in diameter with a ten foot clearance around the perimeter.
    Fill the pit with small pieces of dry wood; never rip or cut branches from living trees.
    Stack any extra wood upwind away from the fire.
    Have a bucket of water and shovel nearby to put out the fire. Never leave a fire unattended.
    Do not use flammable liquids to start a campfire.
    Never use matches or lighters inside tents. Never burn charcoal, or use portable camping eaters, lanterns or stoves inside tents, campers or vehicles.
    Never burn aerosol cans, pressurized containers, glass, or aluminum cans.
    Set and enforce a safety zone around the campfire where all can sit and relax around the fire. Stress to children the importance of staying out of the safety zone. Always supervise children when a campfire or hot coals are burning.

Putting the fire out

    Allow the wood to burn completely to ash, if possible.
    Pour lots of water on the fire; drown all embers, not just the red ones.
    Pour until hissing sound stops.
    Stir the campfire ashes and embers with a shovel.
    Scrape the sticks and logs to remove any embers.
    Stir and make sure everything is wet and cold to the touch.
    If you do not have water, use dirt. Mix enough dirt or sand with the embers. Continue adding and stirring until all material is cool. REMEMBER: do NOT bury the fire as the fire will continue to smolder and could catch roots on fire that will eventually get to the surface and start a wildfire. If it is too hot to touch, it’s too hot to leave.

For more outdoor fire safety tips, visit the Tennessee Department of Agriculture’s website and burnsafetn.org.

Don’t forget to practice fire safety indoors as well. Download and print the State Fire Marshal’s home fire safety checklist for information on making your home fire-safe.

Eleven linemen from Middle Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation participated in the 2016 Tennessee Valley Lineman Rodeo June 10-11 in Paris Landing, Tenn. The annual event draws teams from utilities across the Tennessee Valley to compete in a variety of events.
 
This year, Bobby Buttrey, Danny Crawford, Chris Gossett, James Hazelwood, Brad Kincaid, Nathan Neal, Rusty George, Jeff pulley, Jonathan Fitzpatrick, Jimmy Grant and B.J. Bobo represented MTEMC in four categories; apprentice, team, journeyman and senior.
 
“Linemen work very hard every day, building and repairing lines, ensuring the overall reliability of the electrical grid,” said MTEMC President Chris Jones. “They stand at the ready to respond to outages caused by storms, accidents or anything else that may knock out the power. They are the ones who, through their tireless efforts, help ensure system reliability of member-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperatives.”
 
The events linemen competed in are areas they have experience performing in day-to-day duties. Jumper replacement, phase swap, transformer change, and Hurtman rescue are just a few of the timed events teams and individuals competed in this year.
 
Team MTEMC brought home 10 awards including a first individual journeyman overall win by Danny Crawford.
 
In the lineman events, Team MTEMC brought home the following awards:
Danny Crawford – 1st Individual Journeyman Overall, 2nd Fuse Replacement, 2nd Dual Voltage Transformer Change out, 3rd Transformer Arrestor Change out
Nathan Neal – 2nd Transformer Arrestor Change out
Chris Gossett – 2nd Hurtman Rescue
 
In the apprentice events, Team MTEMC brought home the following awards:
 
Brad Kincaid – 1st Pole Top Pin Insulator Change out                      
Jimmy Grant – 2nd Hurtman Rescue
Jonathan Fitzpatrick – 3rd Hurtman Rescue, 3rd Pole Top Pin Insulator Change out
 
More information on the 2016 rodeo can be found at www.tnrodeo.com.
 
MTEMC linemen work hard in all types of weather, performing daily maintenance and also quickly responding to outages 24-hours a day, seven days a week.
 
Middle Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation is a member-owned, not-for-profit cooperative providing electricity to more than 210,000 residential and business members in Williamson, Wilson, Rutherford and Cannon counties.
 

Cannon County Sheriff’s Office assisted in an big drug operation sting that netted 320 marijuana plants valued at more than $500,000.00, 15 pounds of finished product several weapons and more than $140,000 in cash.  According to WSMV Channel 4 the drug operation expanded over seven counties including Cannon and Dekalb and was run by Cubans living in Nashville.  
The Metro Nashville Police Department, the TBI, the DEA, U.S. Homeland Security, the Bedford County Sheriff’s Office, the Cannon County Sheriff’s Office, the Governor’s Task Force on Marijuana Eradication and the Nashville District Attorney’s Office all assisted in the investigation.
The Drug Task Forces from the 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th, 21st and 22nd Judicial Districts also took part in the investigation.  No one from Cannon County was arrested in the operation Tuesday however 44 marijuana plants were seized in Dekalb County.  More information from the official Sheriff’s Department Reports is expected to be released soon.
 

The United Way of Rutherford and Cannon Counties recently hosted its Community Celebration, an annual meeting recognizing the organization’s impact and accomplishments over the most previous fiscal year. With a record-breaking fundraising year, the United Way announced its plans to invest in 63 local services impacting the areas of education and youth success, health and financial stability.
In alignment with United Way’s community impact model, the organization’s investment strategy focuses on systematically addressing community needs. The United Way continues to partner with local agencies to align programs within priority issues that will produce lasting, sustainable change.
The United Way also announced that more than $600,000 was saved by Rutherford and Cannon county residents through United Way’s partnership with the FamilyWize prescription discount program, $1,219,228 was returned into Rutherford and Cannon counties through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program.
Additionally, the United Way plans to invest $784,000 into the community through programs and services including 2-1-1 and Books from Birth.
Kathy Jones, 2016-17 United Way Board Chair, said, “I look forward to carrying out the mission of United Way as board chair this year. The organization is positively impacting our community in a multitude of ways, which was reflected at today’s annual meeting. Our local United Way is committed to community needs and sustainable change.”
The Volunteer of the Year award for the United Way of Rutherford and Cannon Counties was named in memory of and awarded to former board member, Carl Quakenbush. Additional recognition included Saint Thomas Rutherford Hospital as recipient of the Community Impact Award. The Community Impact Award is awarded based on partnerships that advance the mission of United Way. The City of Murfreesboro received the Innovation Award for their creative engagement with United Way, and Middle Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation received the Engagement Award for their outstanding participation in United Way volunteer events.
 The 2016-2017 incoming members for the United Way Board of Directors were also announced. Those new board members include:
Dr. Susan Andrews
Family Practice Partners
Gerald Coggin
NHC
I’Ashea Myles Dihigo
The Hagan Law Group
Vicki Eastham
Middle Tennessee State University
Chase Salas
Liberty Mutual
Terry Schneider
Fastsigns
Tim Slate
Nissan North America
For a full listing of United Way’s Board of Directors, please visit www.yourlocaluw.org/board-directors.
Investors contributing $10,000 or more annually to the United Way were recognized for their Alexis de Tocqueville Society membership. New members include Dr. Liz Rhea and David Lori Tincher.
The Community Celebration also recognized individuals who have made a planned gift to the United Way through their will or estate plan. Those individuals include:
Billy Bruce
Drs. Russ and Sherry Galloway
Brian and Pat Hercules
The Salas Family
Dr. Liz Rhea
Carolyn Tumbleson
Don and Hanna Witherspoon
Andy and Cherry Womack
Community Celebration event sponsors include Publix Super Markets Charities, City Auto and Regions Bank. For more information about the United Way, visit www.yourlocaluw.org.
 

The week long International FolkFest wraps up tonight and tomorrow.  Throughout the week international groups have performed for area schools, youth and senior citizen organizations and civic clubs.  
The festival, which began in 1982, was responsible for bringing musical and dance groups from over 50 countries to Rutherford County. Some of the countries that have visited the community are Austria, Brazil, Czechoslovakia, England, Germany, Greece, India, Ireland, Israel, Luxembourg, Mexico, Russia, Scotland, Sicily, Thailand and Yugoslavia. After the festival ended in 1997, there was an increasing interest in reviving this celebration of international heritage and music. The festival was reintroduced to downtown Murfreesboro in 2004, with groups from Finland, France and Mexico performing. The Folkfest will bring dance groups from around the world to the East Side of the Courthouse Square Saturday from 8:30 in the morning to 12:30 in the afternoon  For more information check out the website http://www.mboro-international-folkfest.org/
 

With Father’s Day coming up this weekend, if your father is looking for a decorative paper weight for his desk, the Adams Memorial Library is the place to be Thursday afternoon as the second installment of the Summer Reading Program takes place.  Thursday’s program includes the story Blue Bug Goes to the Library and a craft of painting a ladybug rock perfect for a Father’s Day gift.  Participants can choose to paint ladybug rocks to look like a real ladybug or whatever they would like it to look like.  The program begins at 1:00 Thursday afternoon.

Chloe K Fann of Woodbury was named to the Dean’s List at the University of Memphis for the spring 2016 semester.  The Dean’s List is composed of students who have earned 12 or more hours in either the fall or spring semester with a minimum grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale for that semester.  The University of Memphis is a learner centered metropolitan research university providing high quality educational experiences while pursuing new knowledge through research, artistic expression, and interdisciplinary and engaged scholarship.