News 2016

The Motlow State Community College art department will present an exhibit of new work by Murfreesboro artist Glenn Merchant, now to 24 at the Eoff Hall Gallery on the Moore County campus.
Eoff Hall Gallery hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday.
Merchant is an alumnus of Middle Tennessee State University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting and Drawing. His studio is located in downtown Murfreesboro.
“I paint and draw my immediate surroundings; taking note of the commonplace and celebrating it,” said Merchant. “It’s through the painting’s internal light and environment that I hope to find a certain emotional climate. I fix a subject in mind and set the light in the painting first. During the process the work is in constant flux until it finds resolution with surprise.”
For additional information about the reception or exhibit, please contact Bobbie Underwood at 931-393-1700 or bunderwood@mscc.edu.
 

March 19th will be the 15th year the Friends of Edgar Evins State Park have sponsored the popular day trip to various area waterfalls with lunch at a restaurant along the way. It usually sells out early so it is best to make reservations without delay.
After signing in at Edgar Evins State Park’s Visitors Center at 8 a.m. we will ride a school bus to the falls at Old Stone Fort State Park, Cascade Hollow Falls, near the George Dickel Distillery and Rutledge Falls. We will eat lunch at the Farmers Market Family Buffet in Manchester and return to the park about 3:30 p.m. Expect short walks on uneven ground. Cost is $15 per person, plus lunch. Reservations required.
On-line reservations may be made at www.tnvacation.com/events/10382.    If help is needed making reservations please phone the park office, (931) 858-2114 or (800) 250-8619, for contact information for Fount Bertram, President of Friends of Edgar Evins. Fount or Mrs. Bertram will be happy to assist you. See us on Facebook at  friendsofeesp  Friends of Edgar Evins State Park is a non-profit organization of volunteers with the sole purpose of helping the park.
The park is located at 1630 Edgar Evins Park Road, Silver Point, TN 38582. It is in DeKalb County on Center Hill Lake between Smithville and Cookeville.
 

The majority of Cannon County that turned up to vote in the 2016 Presidential Preference Primary said no to any tax increases Tuesday after the results came in.  Out of an estimated 8000 registered Cannon County voters, 3083 voters took part in the election.  The sales tax referendum was defeated by a vote of 2085 to 839 meaning that 71.31% of the voters voted against the sales tax.    The Wheel Tax Referendum was defeated by a vote of 2341 to 621 as almost 80% of the voters participating voted against the Wheel Tax increase.  In the Democratic Presidential Candidate Preference Primary, Hillary Clinton received 439 votes to win the Cannon County vote in the Democratic category.  218 Cannon County voters cast their ballot for Bernie Sanders at 32 percent.  Martin O’Malley had 10 votes and 14 votes were tabbed uncommitted.
On the Republican Side of the ballot. Donald Trump  won the majority of votes with 1244 votes while Ted Cruz came in second with 657 votes.  Marco Rubio took third with 195 votes while Ben Carson came in 4th with 159 votes.  John Kasich received 50 votes, 17 voted for Jeb Bush, 8 for Chris Christie, 4 for Mike Huckabee, 3 for Carly Fiorina, 2 for Rand Paul and 2 for Rick Santorum.  8 were uncommitted and there was one write in which was not identified.

Registered Cannon County Voters are urged to come out and participate in Super Tuesday as  people in 12 states will be voting today between the various candidates running for the Republican nomination as President as well as the various candidates running for the Democratic nomination.  The day is also known as the “SEC primary” this year, after several Southern states that have ties to Southeastern Conference sports teams moved their primaries to this day, bolstering an already important day for candidates.   Local polls will be open from 7 in the morning until 7 in the evening.  According to the Cannon County Election office, 753 registered voters took part in the Early Voting process.  There are around 8500 registered voters in Cannon County at this time.  The office reminds everyone to bring a photo ID State or Federal issued.  Also if a voter has changed their name recently or have moved to a new residency, their information needs to be update.  Anyone that has changed their name or address will need to bring proof of residency for example a water bill or electricity bill with them when they vote.  WBRY will have the result of the election including the local tax referendum issue results on wbry.com and on Facebook later tonight.

West Side Community and School announces a Benefit Soup Dinner for Drew Corley taking place at the West Side School on Saturday March 19th from 2 to 6P  $7.00 for soup, side item, drink and dessert.  Drew is a junior at Cannon County High School.  The son of Donald and Rose Mary Corley and is battling cancer at this time and currently receiving radiation treatments.  For more information call Bobbi or Kathy at West Side School at 563-4482.  The School is located at 3714 Murfreesboro Road in Readyville.
 

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam has declared Feb. 28. to Mar. 5, 2016, as Severe Weather Awareness Week to encourage all Tennesseans to make planning and preparing for severe weather a priority. To coincide with this awareness event, the Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance (TDCI) is reminding consumers to plan ahead for emergencies that may result from the harsh weather that often occurs in the spring months.

“The transition from winter to spring can bring unpredictable weather patterns with potential to put lives and property at risk,” TDCI Commissioner Julie Mix McPeak said. “TDCI is joining other government agencies and private sector partners in support of Severe Weather Awareness Week by urging Tennesseans to plan ahead. Greater preparedness can lead to increased safety not only for consumers, but for our dedicated first responders working during times of crisis. ”

TDCI shares these emergency planning tips from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC):

    Make sure you have bottled water, a first aid kit, flashlights, a battery-powered radio, non-perishable food items, blankets, clothing, prescription drugs, eyeglasses, personal hygiene supplies, a cell phone charger or solar charge, and a small amount of cash or traveler’s checks.
    For personal safety, identify what storm shelter is available to your family and prepare an evacuation plan. Choose two meeting places: one right outside your home in case of a sudden emergency, such as a fire; and one outside your neighborhood in case you can’t return home.
    If you need to evacuate your home, turn off all utilities and disconnect appliances to reduce the chance of additional damage and electrical shock when utilities are restored.
    Keep a readily available list of 24-hour contact information for your insurance agent and insurance company. Make a list that includes your policy numbers (both home and auto), your insurance company and insurance agent’s phone numbers, website addresses and mailing addresses. Also, check to see if the company or your agent has set up an emergency information hotline, in case of storm damage. It is a good idea to store this information, and a home inventory, in a waterproof/fireproof safe or a safe deposit box. Also consider sending an electronic copy to someone you trust. If you have to evacuate your home, you want this information to be easily available to you.
    A home inventory can be invaluable when deciding how much insurance your life situation requires to adequately insure your home in the path of a natural disaster. Digital tools such as NAIC’s MyHome Scr.APP.book lets you quickly capture images and descriptions of your belongings to help determine how much insurance you need and for filing a claim. For those without a smart phone, the NAIC offers a downloadable home inventory checklist and tips for effectively cataloguing your possessions. Both are available at http://home.insureuonline.org.
 

A Cannon County woman was arrested in Murfreesboro for DUI after Murfreesboro Police pulled her over for speeding.  According to Murfreesboro Police reports, Police pulled over Alexandra Kay Knox of Woodbury on East Main Street after they clocked her going 45 in a 30 mph zone.  Upon approaching the car they smelled an odor of intoxicant coming from Knox.  Knox also had bloodshot eyes, slurred speech and unsteady on her feet when she exited the vehicle.  Knox admitted consuming alcohol prior to getting in the vehicle.  Knox failed the sobriety tests she was given.  She was arrested and charged with DUI 1st offense and is scheduled to answer to the charges April 19th in Rutherford County General Session Court.
 

A 44-year-old Shelbyville man has been arrested for two counts of attempted child rape and two counts of solicitation of a minor.
William “Gregg” Maupin was arrested during an undercover operation last week following a lengthy investigation.
According to a release, Maupin’s arrest came after investigators learned of a suspicious posting on Craigslist via an online tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Maupin remains jailed on a $300,000 bond and is due in court March 9.
The Shelbyville and Winchester police departments, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation all assisted in the investigation and sting operation.
Maupin had worked in radio in Shelbyville
He has fought health problems over the years, receiving liver and kidney transplants.
(Newspartner WMSR)
 

 The Tennessee Department of Agriculture will celebrate Weights and Measures week March 1-7, 2016. The responsibilities of weights and measures inspectors have expanded beyond the simple scales and meters and now include much more than meets the eye.
“The technology in today’s marketplace is constantly changing,” Commissioner Julius Johnson said. “Our inspectors are highly trained professionals who work to protect consumers and safeguard fair competition among businesses.”
In addition to testing gas pumps and grocery store scales, weights and measures officials are responsible for regulating a sophisticated, fast-moving marketplace. They check signage, advertisements and price computations to make sure consumers are not misled. Inspectors also verify that the fuel being sold to drivers meets quality standards.
“If a discrepancy is found, our inspectors work with the business’s management to help them understand the rules,” Weights and Measures administrator Bob Williams said. “Inspectors provide guidance, allow a short time for the retailer to fix the problem, and then return to re-inspect.”
From July 1, 2014 to June 30, 2015, Tennessee inspected 93,094 fuel pumps, 18,216 scales, 767 bulk meters, and 526 liquefied petroleum gas meters. In addition, 61,533 commodity items were scanned for accurate pricing and 1,108 commodity lots were checked for accurate weights.
The Tennessee Weights and Measures laboratory maintains and houses the primary standards of mass, volume and length for the state. In spring of 2016, ground will be broken on a new metrology lab, which will include the most current equipment and testing capabilities.
Weights and Measures Week is celebrated each year to commemorate John Adams signing the first U.S. weights and measures law on March 2, 1799. Tennessee is a member of the National Conference on Weights and Measures. NCWM has developed national weights and measures standards since 1905. The organization works hard to keep pace with innovative advancements in the marketplace.
 

March 1st—Election Day—No school for students or teachers
 
March 3rd-4th-5th—B-team Tournament at Auburn School Gymnasium
 
March 3—Leadership Academy, 3:00 p.m., Central Office
March 4—End of grading period
March 7—Special Ed. Legal Conference, Jackson, TN
March 8—Report cards go home
March 8—New Teachers’ meeting, 3:00 p.m., Central Office
March 8—School Board meeting workshop, 6:30 p.m., Central Office
March 10—School Board meeting, WGS cafeteria, 6:30 p.m.