News 2016

Cannon Co.High School will be open Monday March 14 for its regular hours. To ensure
safety, extra police presence will be on campus.

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN CANNON COUNTY SCHOOLS
March 15—TN Promise mandatory student meeting, 3:00 p.m., CCHS Cafeteria
March 15—K-8 Parent/Teacher Conferences, 3:00-6:00 p.m., various schools
March 15—CCHS Tennis match with Dekalb Co. at home, 3:30 p.m.
March 17—CPAC meeting at the Central Office, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
March 17—CCHS Parent/Teacher Conferences, 3:00-6:00 p.m.
March 17—CCHS Softball game at Central Magnet, 4:30 p.m.
March 17—CCHS Tennis match at Watertown
March 18—CCHS Baseball game at Cannon Co. with Boyd Christian, 5:00 p.m.
March 18 – CCHS Tennis match with Coffee Co. at home, 3:30 p.m.
March 18 &19 – CCHS Softball games at Gordonsville, Time TBA
March 21—CCHS Baseball game at Livingston, 6:00 p.m.
March 21—CCHS Tennis match with Macon Co. at home, 3:30 p.m.
March 22—CCHS Tennis match with Webb School at home, 3:30 p.m.
March 22—CCHS Soccer match at Watertown, 6:00 p.m.
March 22—CCHS Baseball game with Livingston at home, 5:00 p.m.
March 22—CCHS Softball game at Smith Co.
March 24—CCHS Soccer match at Sequatchie Co., 6:00 p.m.
March 24—CCHS Tennis match with Livingston at home, 3:30 p.m.
March 24—CCHS Softball game with Macon Co. at home, 5:00 p.m.
March 24—CCHS Baseball games with Eagleville at home, 4:30 JV, 6:30 Varsity
March 25—CCHS Soccer match with Goodpasture at home, 6:00 p.m.
March 26—CCHS Baseball game at Fayetteville City (DH), 1:00 p.m.
March 28—CCHS Baseball game with Macon Co. at home, 5:00 p.m.
March 29—CCHS Baseball game at Macon Co., 6:00 p.m.
March 29—CCHS Softball game at Upperman
March 29—CCHS Soccer match with Macon Co. at home, 5:00 p.m.
March 31—CCHS Softball game with Dekalb Co. at home, 4:30 p.m.

On March 8, 2016, the Tennessee School Board Association (TSBA)  hosted the 2016 Student Congress on Policies in Education (SCOPE) conference, which brings together 9th-12th grade students from across the state to discuss current topics in education. The event was held on the campus of Middle Tennessee State University – Student Union Building in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
Participants explored education issues through mock school board meetings, group discussions, and debates with their peers. These events were designed to give students an understanding of how school boards operate.  Students were encouraged to bring their electronic devices (cell phone, ipad, laptop, etc.) to the meeting to utilize them throughout the conference.
At the end of the day, participants met as a congress and debated four selected topics.  These topics this year included,  1. Teachers shall incorporate smart phones into classroom instruction; 2. All students shall be required to participate in at least one extracurricular activity per year; 3. Prior to graduation, students shall be required to complete 48 hours of community service during their junior/senior years; and 4. The school calendar shall be increased from 180 to 200 days of instruction.  Students then expressed their opinions by voting on their electronic devices regarding the debated topics.  2017 SCOPE officers were elected and announced at the close of the congress.
Those selected to attend SCOPE representing the Cannon County Board of Education were Cannon County High School Seniors Emory Larson and Kellie Payne. They were accompanied by CCHS US Government Teacher Mr. William Freddy Curtis.
 

Saturday March 19th the Cannon County UT Extension Office along with the Extension offices of Coffee and Warren County will offer a Soundness exam at the Middle Tennessee Vet Services in Morrison TN.  The exam will include vaccinations, deworming, physical examination by Dr. Mandy Willis Large Animal Vet.  The event is sponsored by Pfizer, Cannon County Farmer’s Co-op, Woodbury Livestock Market, Cannon County Cattlemen’s Association.  The entire exam will be performed minimal cost per bull.
If you are interested in taking advantage of this opportunity, please call Dr. Willis to schedule an appointment at 931-409-3178
 

The Arts Center of Cannon County Announces Auditions for Rock of Ages
Performances run August 12-27.  Directed by Brittany Goodwin, Music Direction by Tiffany Sweeley  The auditions will take place Saturday, April 2nd 10am-2pm by appointment only
Roles are available for all people, ages 16+. Students under the age of 18 must have signed permission from a parent or guardian. All roles are available.
Rock of Ages is rated PG-13 due to some adult content. All those auditioning should be familiar with the show and the music.
To audition, prepare 16-24 bars of a ROCK or POP song from the show or in the style of the show. Absolutely no musical theatre! Each performer auditioning must bring piano sheet music in the correct key, an accompanist will be provided. No tracks or a cappella will be accepted. We are looking for raw, rocking voices- show us your range and personality.
For more information, a list of roles, and to schedule an appointment check out the website at artscenterofcc.com
 

Filing early will net you a quicker tax refund.  Anyone expecting a check will likely want to submit their return as quickly as possible.  But preventing identity theft is another good reason not to delay.  The IRS says most scammers try to get the jump on taxpayers by filing a phony Form 1040 early in the season, then pocketing the money before anyone is aware of the crime.
Filing early may also help avoid the need for an extension.  People who wait until the last minute to file increase the chances of an error or may even discover they owe taxes.  The IRS charges interest and penalties on any outstanding tax debt until it is paid in full.  Filing an extension does not buy any extra time to pay any balance due.
The IRS says electronic filing was up nearly two-and-a-half percent in 2015 with more than 86 million refunds paid through direct deposit.  It can shave weeks off the paper process and “freefile” tax preparation software is available to anyone earning less than 62-thousand dollars a year.  The IRS will be accepting returns through April 18th.
 

Former Cannon County Lionette basketball standout was instrumental Saturday in leading the Middle Tennessee State Lady Blue Raiders to the Conference USA tournament championship.  Sissom scored 11 points as second seeded MTSU beat Old Dominion 70-54.  Sissom’s defense shut down Old Dominion’s best player en route to the second Conference USA Championship in three years in the league.  Middle Tennessee became only the second school in C-USA history to have its men’s and women’s teams win the championship in the same year after the men claimed their title earlier in the day. Cincinnati did it in 2002. It also marked just the second time in program history that both teams claimed tournament titles in the same season. The other time was 1985.
Middle Tennessee won its 15th conference tournament title overall and the seventh under Head Coach Rick Insell, who improved to 7-2 in conference tournament championship games. The Blue Raiders will be making their 18th NCAA Tournament appearance and ninth under Insell’s guidance.
The Lady Raiders will learn their NCAA Tournament destination during the NCAA Selection Show Monday.

State Fire Marshal Julie Mix McPeak reminds Tennesseans to check their smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors this weekend when they set their clocks Saturday night for daylight saving time. She also urges everyone to consider the age of their smoke alarms.
“It’s proven that smoke alarms can save lives in the event of a fire – but only if they are working,” McPeak said. “Know the type of alarm you have and how to maintain it. Some alarms now come with 10-year, sealed batteries designed to last the life of the unit.  Traditional alarms with 9 volt batteries, however, should have new batteries at least once a year. All alarms should be tested monthly. It’s also important to note that any smoke alarm 10 years old or older should be replaced entirely.”
Smoke alarms more than 10 years old no longer offer a reliable level of safety and are often the source for nuisance alarms. The State Fire Marshal’s Office urges all residents to determine how old their smoke alarms are (the date of manufacture is located on the back of the alarm). If they’re 10 years old or older, they should be replaced immediately! This includes smoke alarms that use 10-year batteries and/or are hard-wired.
State statistics indicate that a home without adequate smoke alarm coverage is a dangerous place to live: Nearly 80 percent of Tennessee’s 2015 fire deaths took place in homes where no smoke alarm was known to have been present.
Many fatal fires occur at night while the victims are sleeping. The smoke and toxic gases generated by a fire can cause people to sleep more deeply, narrowing the chances of surviving a fire. A working smoke alarm can double the chances of survival by increasing the amount of time a person has to escape a fire in their home.
“Tennesseans must be diligent in installing and maintaining their smoke alarms,” McPeak said. “All too often an alarm or its battery is removed and not replaced, putting a home’s occupants at risk. There’s no way to predict when a fire will occur, so even one night without an operational smoke alarm can be hazardous.”                                                        
Here are some additional guidelines on residential smoke alarms:
 Install at least one smoke alarm on every level of the home, including the basement. For best protection, smoke alarms should be installed inside and outside sleeping rooms. Make sure everyone can hear the alarm and knows what it sounds like.
Install smoke alarms away from the kitchen to prevent nuisance alarms. Generally, they should be at least 10 feet from a cooking appliance.
For the best protection, equip your home with a combination of ionization and photoelectric smoke alarms or dual-sensor alarms. Interconnect the alarms so that when one sounds, they all sound.
Smoke alarms with non-replaceable (long-life) batteries are available and are designed to remain effective for up to 10 years. If the alarm chirps on these units, warning that the battery is low, replace the entire smoke alarm right away.
For smoke alarms with any other type of battery, replace batteries at least once a year (preferably twice a year during daylight saving time). If that alarm chirps, replace only the battery.
Remember, even alarms that are hard-wired into your home electrical system need to have their battery back-ups maintained in case of electrical power outage.
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning to keep smoke alarms working well. The instructions are included in the package or can be found on the internet.
Test alarms once a month using the test button. Replace the entire alarm if it’s more than 10 years old or fails to sound when tested.
Devise a fire escape plan with two ways out of every room and a designated outside meeting place. Share and practice the plan with all who live in the home, including children.
When a smoke alarm sounds, get out of the home immediately and go to your pre-planned meeting place to call 911.

 Tennessee Department of Transportation Commissioner John Schroer joined state and local officials Friday to celebrate the official completion the U.S. 70 (State Route 26) bridge over the Caney Fork and Sligo Road, known as the Sligo Bridge, in DeKalb County.
Friday’s ribbon cutting marked the end of a nearly three-year project, which began in May 2013 and included replacement of the original 1948 truss-style structure. The new concrete and steel bridge covers 0.8 miles and is nearly double the width of the old bridge at 45 feet wide. Work also included construction of three retaining walls.  The $38.9 million project was designed with a wider substructure for potential future expansion of the bridge, a feature that is not possible on a truss bridge.
“We are very pleased to be here today to celebrate the completion of this important project with our state and local partners and the citizens of DeKalb County,” said Commissioner Schroer. “This bridge is very important to the region, and it will also make this area much safer and will benefit all motorists and area residents.”
The new bridge is 101 feet over the water, and the bridge depth below the water is 167 feet. Over 11,000 cubic yards of concrete and two million pounds of steel reinforcement were used on the bridge.  A major milestone occurred in August 2015 when traffic was shifted onto the newly-constructed bridge. This allowed the contractor to begin demolition of the old truss bridge, a task that took over a month.
Massman Construction Co., Inc. of Kansas City, Missouri, was prime contractor for the project, and completed the work several months ahead of the original June 30, 2016, completion date.
Senator Mae Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet) and Representative Terry Lynn Weaver (R-Lancaster) represent DeKalb County in the Tennessee General Assembly.

The investigation continues today Cannon County High School after a threat against students was made by a juvenile during a conversation with a licensed professional and a call was made to the Cannon County Sheriff’s Department Wednesday night to alert them of the possibility of violence at the school.  The Sheriff’s Department and other local law enforcement authorities showed up before school started to interview other juveniles that were named during the conversation to determine was directly or indirectly involved with the threat. Cannon County High School is closed today while the investigation is continuing.  More information and details will be released soon.