News 2016

Burglars accused of stealing about $150,000 worth of stolen property face burglary charges in four counties, a Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office detective said Thursday.
The investigation was launched when detectives from Rutherford, Williamson, Bedford and Coffee counties determined the burglaries were linked to several suspects, said Detective Steve Brown. Detectives gathered evidence and conducted surveillance.
“It was determined that the group needed to be apprehended immediately in order to stop the many burglaries that they had been suspected of committing and in hopes of recovering stolen property,” Detective Brown said.
Through the investigation, detectives cleared two burglaries in Rutherford County, 10 to 15 burglaries in Coffee and Bedford counties and burglaries in Williamson County and Shelbyville.
Rutherford County Sheriff’s Felony Arrest Search Tactical Team members, directed by Lt. Chris Kauffman and Cpl. Troy Hooker, conducted a search of the suspects’ room at the Rodeway Inn and Suites in Smyrna.
Several suspects were apprehended in the room. One of the suspects was there with her 1-year-old daughter.
Once the suspects were apprehended Wednesday, detectives interviewed them and learned where the stolen property was located, Detective Brown said. Detectives from different agencies teamed up and recovered stolen property including rifles and pistols, tools, electronics and jewelry. Detectives are working with victims to identify the property.
Suspects either charged or facing charges are Brittany King, John Paul Williams, Steven Reed, Jonathan Victory and Danny Phillips.
 Victory, 20, of Creekmont Drive near Murfreesboro, was charged with aggravated burglary. He is being held on $10,000 bond in Rutherford County Adult Detention Center. Reed, 23, of Joe Brown Road near Murfreesboro is being held on $14,000 bond. Hearings are set next week in General Sessions Court.

The Cannon County Board Of Education will hold their monthly meeting Thursday night at the Woodbury Grammar School Cafeteria.  On the agenda will be to approve the copier lease agreement for East Side School.  Approve textbook adoption. Bryan Cofer will address the Board concerning the internet contract for the E-Rate application.  The Board will also hear an appeal concerning a student disciplinary case.  Also on the agenda was to consider the approval of bids for the Short Mountain security vestibule and replacement windows for Short Mountain, Woodland and West Side.  The meeting starts  at 6:30.
 

35 hens were stolen from a Cannon County residence recently.  According to Sheriff’s Department reports the complainant stated he left his residence for about 7 hours and when he returned he discovered someone had trespassed on his property and took without his consent 35 hens valued at $200 each.  He also stated that 6 roosters valued at $800 each were stolen.  A duck of the owner’s was also found dead.  Total Loss is estimated at $11,820.00.    The owner put out a reward in the neighborhood in the amount of $500.00 and some neighbors came forward to the Sheriff’s Department to state that 2 people allegedly were seen in the area and had bragged about having them.  One of the neighbors stated that a solid gray hen was seen at the residence but when deputies drove by after taking the report, they did not see any.  The matter has been turned over to the Cannon County Investigators for further investigation.

The Tennessee Department of Transportation is joining states across the nation to remind motorists “Don’t be THAT driver: Work on safety. Get home safely. Every day.” TDOT will spread that message statewide during National Work Zone Awareness Week (April 11-15) in an effort to improve safety in Tennessee’s interstate and highway construction and maintenance work zones.
“Work zones include everything from major interstate widening projects to pothole patching and mowing, and conditions in those areas can change quickly,” said TDOT Commissioner John Schroer. “We want everyone to get home safely, so don’t be that distracted or aggressive driver in work zones. Please pay attention to signs, reduce your speed, and move over when possible.”
The spring and summer months provide perfect weather for highway work, and motorists will encounter work zones across Tennessee in downtowns, along interstates and in rural areas. Last year in Tennessee, 18 people died in work zone crashes, including workers, drivers and passengers.
Work zone safety messages will be displayed on TDOT’s overhead Dynamic Message Signs on interstates in Memphis, Nashville, Chattanooga and Knoxville. There will also be special displays across the state to honor the 109 TDOT workers lost in the line of duty since 1948.
 

Motlow State Community College theatre students will present a musical comedy, “Once Upon a Mattress”, beginning Thurs., Apr. 14, in Powers Auditorium inside Eoff Hall on the Moore County campus.
The play is an adaptation of Hans Christian Anderson’s fairy tale, “The Princess and the Pea”, and will run Apr. 14, 15, and 16, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $8.
“Once Upon a Mattress” was first written as a shorter play, and later was expanded for the Broadway stage. The original production first opened on May 11, 1959, as an off-Broadway play and then later had an extended run in Broadway theaters. It marked the Broadway debut of later stage and TV personality Carol Burnett, who originated the role of Princess Winnifred.
The show will be performed with permission from the Rogers and Hammerstein Organization, with music by Mary Rodgers, lyrics by Marshall Barer, and book by Jay Thompson, Dean Fuller and Marshall Barer.
For reserved seating and additional information, contact Bobbie Underwood at bunderwood@mscc.edu, or 931-393-1700.

One driver was charged with DUI during a sobriety checkpoint Friday held in memory of a Boy Scout killed by a drugged motorist, Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office reported Tuesday.
The checkpoint was conducted to remember Clifton Braunwalder, 13, of Lascassas, who was struck and killed by a drugged driver while changing the tire on the family car April 10, 2014 on Interstate 24 near Sam Ridley Parkway.
Sheriff’s deputies were joined by Smyrna Police with assistance by the Tennessee Highway Patrol in the two-hour checkpoint on U.S. Highway 231 North (Lebanon Highway) on the Walter Hill Bridge.
Cpl. Mark Mack, who coordinated the checkpoint, said two impaired drivers were stopped from driving and one driver was cited for alcohol violations. Six drivers were cited for not wearing seat belts and two drivers were charged with driving on revoked or suspended licenses. Eight drivers were cited for other traffic violation.
“We got the word out and it has deterred people from driving impaired, maybe causing them to think more responsibly,” Cpl. Mack said.
Sheriff Robert Arnold, who participated in the checkpoint, said he hopes impaired drivers will not drive.
“We urge drinking or drugged drivers to have a designated driver, call a friend for a ride or take a cab,” Sheriff Arnold said. “Don’t drive impaired.”
Members of the Sheriff’s Citizens Academy Alumni Association helped by counting the 385 cars stopped during the checkpoint.
 

Former Middle Tennessee Electric President Jim Baker passed away at his home in Lascassas on April 11 at the age of 77, following a brief illness. Baker retired in 2003, having served the members of the Murfreesboro-based cooperative for 43 years, including 23 years as president.
“It is a sad day for Team MTEMC,” MTEMC President and CEO Chris Jones, said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with Mr. Baker’s daughter, Connie; his son, Mark; and all of the family.
“Mr. Baker’s leadership helped build one of the nation’s strongest electric systems to serve the members of Middle Tennessee Electric, and our cooperative continues to benefit as a result. His reputation in the electric industry was at a national level, and that was highlighted by his service as President of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) Board from 1997-98.”
An engineering graduate of Vanderbilt University, Baker started his career at MTEMC as an electrical engineer in 1960. In addition to his involvement with NRECA, he was also active in the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association, the Tennessee Valley Public Power Association, and the Middle Tennessee Industrial Development Association.
Baker also served locally as chairman of the Rutherford County Industrial Development Board, where he remained involved until his passing.
Visitation will be today from 3-8 p.m. at North Boulevard Church of Christ in Murfreesboro. The funeral service will be at 11 a.m., Thursday, with burial services following at Woodlawn Memorial Cemetery in Nashville.
 

The Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD) announced Tuesday the introduction of a new online system where businesses can apply for Work Opportunity Tax Credits and be approved in most cases in 24 hours. Previously, the approval process for these types of tax credits took up to one year.
A Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) provides business credits of anywhere from $1,500-$9,600 for hiring an individual from a qualifying target group.  The Department’s WOTC unit issues about 700 tax credits weekly, providing an estimated $1.2 million in tax credits each week to Tennessee employers.
In 2014, Tennessee approved $54 million in Work Opportunity Tax Credits for employers across the state.
The new system dramatically increases the speed in which the Department approves these tax credits.
“In the past, with the combination of long time periods lacking Congressional authorization of the tax credits and a manual review process, the approval time for a tax credit ranged from six months, to a year,” the unit’s director, Nicholas Bishop said.
The TDLWD system is now connected with interfaces from other agencies and databases, allowing for a 24-hour decision on WOTC applications.
Employers can now manage all their records and applications online, letting them track the status of their application in real-time, with instant updates and communications.
It is estimated only about 25 percent of Tennessee’s employers currently utilize the WOTC. Department leaders are hopeful the introduction of the new online application system will allow more businesses to take advantage of the tax credits.
“States now have the ability to approve these tax credits through 2019 without any additional Congressional authorization.  Employers have until June 30, 2016 to submit a WOTC application for all qualifying new hires made from January 1, 2015 through May 29, 2016,” Bishop said.
The new system is not only more efficient but also saves tax dollars and benefits the environment.  Since the application process is now done electronically, the state will use 700,000 fewer pieces of paper each year.
To see if applicants qualify for a WOTC or to learn more about the new system, visit https://www.tn.gov/workforce/topic/apply-for-hiring-incentives or the WOTC Portal, https://wfs.tdlwd.tn.gov/eWOTC. Contact the TDLWD at 844-216-8495 or WOTC.INFO@tn.gov.

A devious lottery scam involving the promise of cash prizes to winners in exchange for “small” payments threatens to make losers out of unsuspecting Tennessee senior citizens.
The Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance (TDCI) has commenced an investigation into the alleged wrongdoing and is warning senior citizens, their families, and caretakers about the lottery scam. The incident in question occurred in the Clarksville area but may also be occurring elsewhere in Tennessee.
“The information that we have uncovered thus far reveals a potential web of scoundrels, preying on unsuspecting and innocent people,” said TDCI Commissioner Julie Mix McPeak. “We have alerted criminal authorities and will pursue any legal avenues available to this Department to chase down this fraud and warn the general public.”
In an alleged fraud being investigated by TDCI, a senior citizen living in an assisted living facility received a cold-call from a person(s) impersonating a lottery official and congratulating him on his lottery winnings. After establishing a relationship with the senior citizen, this person(s) allegedly sought to help him liquidate certain financial holdings to help him pay for “identity bonds,” taxes, and/or processing fees on his winnings.  
“Unfortunately, in many cases, it seems that once a person is pegged as a target, his/her information may be shared with other criminals seeking to take advantage,” said TDCI Assistant Commissioner Michael Humphreys. “The fraud may morph into related or entirely new frauds designed to continue to steal money away from the target. That appears to be the case in our investigation.”
In addition to posing as representatives of this fake lottery, the swindlers have also impersonated federal government employees and major financial institutions
Identifying a potential fraud can sometimes be tricky, but the following tips may help consumers detect whether an offer may be fraudulent:
No or limited contact information.  Official correspondence generally includes contact information at the bottom of the correspondence, including a name, sometimes a signature, affiliation, and phone number and/or e-mail address.
High pressure tactics.  If the person soliciting information or an investment used high pressure tactics, such as “You must act now,” it might be a fraud.
Misspellings.  If an “official” letter is sloppy and misspells words or otherwise uses poor grammar, it may be a fake.
Fake letterhead.  A fraudulent letter may have the appearance of being an “official” document because it has a regulatory or financial institution’s letterhead, but if it looks as though the letterhead or seal is fake, it may be a fake. Criminals have been known to copy and paste images from websites to give the appearance of official correspondence
 Fake excitement.  Official correspondence will typically read more “matter of fact” than full of excitement.  The following sentence was taken directly from an alleged fraud: “We apprehended the individual that you had made these payments to and we are elated that we could have solved this heinous crime.” (emphasis added).
Fraud Warning.  Official correspondence will generally not include a fraud disclaimer or a warning against using the correspondence.  The following sentence was taken directly from an alleged fraud: “This document belongs to the FBI and should not be used in any fraudulent manner.”
If an offer is too good to be true, it is usually false or fraudulent.
Tennesseans are encouraged to reach out to the TDCI if they have any questions or concerns about a potential fraud. Call us at (615) 741-4737 or 800-342-8385 FREE.

Hometown heroes are supporting child abuse victims through the “Hometown Heroes Walk for Children.” Our own hometown heroes supporting the event include Boston Red Sox pitcher David Price, Drs. Russ and Sherry Galloway, Retired District Attorney General Bill Whitesell, Waldron Fann & Parsley Attorneys at Law, Phillip Smith of Smith’s Painting, Dempsey Vantrease & Follis, Deirdre Lackey of Department of Children’s Services, Larry Bugg Construction, and Family & Cosmetic Dentistry of Smyrna. The Child Advocacy Center will celebrate Child Abuse Awareness Month with the “Hometown Heroes Walk for Children” on Friday afternoon, April 29, 2016 at the Murfreesboro Civic Plaza, downtown on the square. Registration will begin at 12:00 noon, speakers at 12:45 p.m., and the Walk will begin at 1:00 p.m. The event will conclude with a reception at the Child Advocacy Center, located at 1040 Samsonite Blvd. In 1983, Congress declared April to be National Child Abuse Prevention Month. Since then, communities across our nation and here in Rutherford and Cannon Counties have taken this opportunity to raise community awareness about child abuse, child sexual abuse, and drug endangered children. The Child Advocacy Center is encouraging our community to lace up their tennis shoes and join your friends and neighbors as we walk together to support child abuse victims! To become a “Hometown Hero” by sponsoring the event or participating in the walk contact the Child Advocacy Center at 615-867-9000 or jessicawauchek@bellsouth.net.