News

DeKalb County has agreed to a plan of action to keep certification of its jail in place. Under the agreement, the county will make regular reports to the Tennessee Corrections Institute (TCI) to remedy the issues with its facilities.

State prison regulators told DeKalb County officials to work toward a long-range plan to address several long-standing structural deficiencies – or risk losing certification.

The county has corrected several problems identified in an August report, but a follow-up visit this month showed DeKalb County has been unable to move forward on other major concerns.

One serious issue is the amount of square footage per inmate. State law requires a minimum of 35 square feet per person, if the inmate is confined more than 10 hours a day. DeKalb County currently has only 25 square feet allotted per person. Another major concern is the age of the main 1959 jail building, and that it lacks many of the features now required in jails, including a sprinkler system. Even the 2001 annex has its own concerns.

The County Technical Advisory Service (CTAS) will work with the county, as TCI’s Board of Control measures DeKalb County’s progress in updating its jail facilities.

Thanks to Media Partner WJLE

The Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services is joining schools across the state and nation to celebrate Red Ribbon Week, October 23-31. The celebration is a time for youth, educators, parents, and communities to learn about the dangers of drug use and prevent addiction.

Red Ribbon Week raises awareness of drug use and the problems related to drugs facing communities and encourages parents, educators, business owners, and other community organizations to promote drug-free lifestyles.

Unemployment rates in nearly every Tennessee county, including distressed counties, declined during September, according to data released this week by the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development.

Ninety counties experienced lower unemployment in September, while the rate remained the same in one county, and increased in four counties. The latest statistics show unemployment rates are less than 5 percent in 90 counties and 5 percent or greater in five counties.

Several of Tennessee’s distressed counties saw significant improvement in unemployment compared to their August statistics. Rates dropped in 12 of the state’s 15 distressed counties. 

Cannon County for September had an unemployment rate of 2.9, that was an improvement over August of 3.3.  Of the five counties surrounding Cannon, 2.9 rate placed the county in the middle of the pack with DeKalb and Warren with a 3.8 unemployment rate, Coffee with 3.1.  Performing better was Rutherford with 2.4 and Wilson with a rate of 2.5.

Once again, in September, Williamson and Sevier counties claim the lowest unemployment rates in the state. Both counties recorded a rate of 2.3 percent, which is 0.2 of a percentage point lower than their August rates.

Statewide, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropped to 3.4 percent in September, down 0.1 of a percentage point when compared to August.

Nationally, unemployment declined in September by 0.2 of a percentage point to 3.5 percent.

Job seekers can find more than 200,000 current openings from across the state on Tennessee’s workforce development website www.Jobs4TN.gov.

Many organizations are businesses have activities scheduled for this weekend. Because of the events, we wanted to make you aware of the following:

Special Weather Statement from National Weather Service Nashville

Heavy Rain Possible late Friday into Saturday…

A strong storm system is expected to bring widespread rain to Middle Tennessee Friday into Saturday. Light rain is forecast to spread northward across the mid state as the day on Friday progresses. Rain coverage across the mid state will increase as the day progresses also, becoming heavy at times Friday night into Saturday morning. Rain is expected to exit most of the area by late Saturday night. Some lingering light showers maybe possible across Cumberland Plateau Region through Sunday afternoon.

Rainfall totals Friday through Sunday afternoon are forecast to range from 2 to 4 inches across Middle Tennessee, with some areas across western portions of the mid state potentially seeing up to 5 inches. Due to the ongoing drought conditions, no significant flooding is currently anticipated but some localized flooding will be possible.

This statement is for Cannon and all surrounding counties.

This Saturday, (October 26^th) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Cannon County Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration will give the public its 18th opportunity in nine years to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs. Bring your pills for disposal to Woodbury Drug Center at 604 W Main Street. (Sites cannot accept liquids or needles or sharps, only pills or patches.) The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.

Last fall Americans turned in nearly 460 tons (more than 900,000 pounds) of prescription drugs at more than 5,800 sites operated by the DEA and almost 4,800 of its state and local law enforcement partners. Overall, in its 17 previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners have taken in almost 12 million pounds—nearly 5,500 tons—of pills.

This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health shows year after year that the majority of misused and abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including someone else’s medication being stolen from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, Americans are now advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines—flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash—both pose potential safety and health hazards.

Come by with all your old and unused prescription pills, and meet and support the folks of your local Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition. In our April Take Back event, over 21 pounds were turned in locally and passed along to the DEA for incineration. Those that drop off old & unused prescription drugs will receive a coupon for a personal prescription lock box, while supply last.

For more information about the disposal of prescription drugs or about the October 26^th Take Back Day event, go to www.DEATakeBack.com or visit our Facebook page at ‘cannoncoalition’.

Maria Vickers has been named as the Assistant Principal for Woodland School in Bradyville and West Side School in Readyville.  Vickers was selected following recommendations of Woodland School Principal Angela Cossey and West Side School Principal Karen King to Cannon County Director of Schools William F. Curtis.  She will serve at Woodland School on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and Tuesday and Thursday at West Side School.

Woodland School Principal Angela Cossey and West Side School Principal Karen King evaluated several very qualified individuals for the Assistant Principal position.  Woodland School Principal Cossey commented, “Mrs. Maria has served Woodland School for numerous years as the Assistant Principal/Kindergarten Teacher and has become an outstanding educator.  We are excited for her continuation at Woodland School in this expanded administrative role.” West Side School Principal King stated, “Mrs. Maria will be an excellent fit into the West Side School family.  She has much experience in the classroom that will aid her in this administrative position.  We welcome her to our faculty and look forward to her assisting our school.”   

Vickers is a veteran educator in Cannon County Schools where she has taught at Woodland Elementary for 18 years. She has taught fourth grade, second grade, first grade, and Kindergarten.  During her years at Woodland, Mrs. Vickers has served as part time assistant principal for 9 nine years.  She graduated from MTSU with an undergraduate degree in 2001.  She then went on to earn a Master’s in Administration and Supervision from Bethel University in 2013.  Mrs. Vickers is a native of Cannon County.  She is married to her husband Trent, and raises her four year old and seventeen year old daughters.  Maria volunteers with all of her girls’ activities and church events.  She has a great passion for helping students and plans to continue this venture as full time assistant principal of Woodland and West Side. 

Director of Schools Mr. William F. Curtis stated, “Woodland School Principal Mrs. Angela Cossey and West Side School Principal Mrs. Karen King recommended to me that Mrs. Maria Vickers be the new Assistant Principal for the schools after evaluating several excellent applicants.  I have accepted their recommendations, and Mrs. Vickers will began her new duties on this week.  She has excellent educational credentials, and experiences that will enhance her abilities as an administrator.  We wish her all the best as she begins her tenure in this unique position as Assistant Principal for two of our schools in Cannon County to assist them in accomplishing our MISSION to prepare all the Woodland School and West Side School students for their future by our VISION of engaging in excellence every day.”

The Tennessee Education Lottery Corporation announced this week its first-quarter (July 1 through Sept. 30, 2019) transfer to education of $96.8 million, bringing the total raised since inception to more than $5.16 billion since the Lottery began Jan. 20, 2004.

“We’re proud of these results,” said Rebecca Hargrove, President and CEO of the Tennessee Lottery. “The Lottery remains committed to the business strategies that have helped dreams become reality for so many.”

Additional highlights from the first quarter include a record for first quarter instant game sales of $351.6 million. The quarter also saw all-time record sales of $37.1 million for Tennessee-only drawing-style games.

Nearly 150,000 students benefited from Lottery-funded programs during the past academic year, and nearly 1.5 million scholarships and grants have been awarded since 2004. In addition to the educational beneficiaries, players have won more than $14.3 billion in prizes and Lottery retailers have earned more than $1.3 billion in retailer commissions since inception. 

The differing challenges faced by Tennessee’s urban and rural counties, as well as those that are shared, are explored in KIDS COUNT: The State of the Child in Tennessee, released today. This report, produced by the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth, the Annie E. Casey Foundation Tennessee KIDS COUNT® partner, is released in conjunction with county profiles for all 95 Tennessee counties. The profiles include substantial county-level data and county ranks in important areas affecting child development: economic well-being, education, health and family, and community. The profiles also list county measures on 38 indicators.

The report includes critical data on Tennessee children and families, what is helping them thrive and some of the biggest challenges they face. Data are organized into issue areas. Many issue areas include questions for policymakers and elected officials to consider as they make decisions affecting children’s lives and the future of our state.

Here is the Cannon County-specific information.

Cannon County

At 80th, Cannon County ranks near the bottom of Tennessee counties in child well-being. Some of the county’s strongest rankings include that there were no child and teen deaths in 2017, and the high median household income. The county’s biggest challenges are a high rate of pregnancy among girls age 15 to 17, and a low rate of proficiency among 3rd to 8th grade children on TNReady math and reading tests.

Additional strengths include a relatively low rate of substantiated cases of child abuse and neglect and a below average rate of children living in poverty. Though it is still a higher number than one would hope, Cannon County’s 22.7 percent child poverty rate is better than most counties in Tennessee.

Additional opportunities for improvement include high housing costs, a relatively high rate of children who are uninsured and a low high school graduation rate.

Policy/Practice/Program Options to Improve Outcomes

Many of these policies have multiple models for delivery, including public-private partnership and non-profit leadership.

• Comprehensive sex education classes that include both encouragement of abstinence and information on birth control have been shown to reduce the number of teen pregnancies.

• Pro-active housing policy that helps ensure affordable housing is available for people to live where they work can improve negative outcomes related to high housing costs.

• Increased access to pre-K can help both math and reading proficiency in later grades. Early assessment of reading skills coupled with appropriate interventions where needed can improve reading proficiency, while increasing STEM opportunities in elementary and middle schools can help improve 3rd to 8th grade math proficiency.

• Most uninsured children in Tennessee qualify for either TennCare or CoverKids, so high rates of uninsured children can be improved with outreach to make sure that families are aware of these insurance opportunities. According to Census Bureau estimates, Cannon County has over 100 children who qualify for these health insurance programs, but who nonetheless lack insurance.

• Making high school students aware of the community college and technical school benefits available to them through Tennessee Promise can encourage on-time high school graduation.

As the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s KIDS COUNT partner in Tennessee, TCCY supports data-driven advocacy for policies and programs that improve outcomes for Tennessee children and families. The report highlights several indicators that are available on the KIDS COUNT data center and encourages readers to explore the wealth of information available there on Tennessee children and families and how we compare to the nation.

KIDS COUNT: State of the Child in Tennessee is available online at https://www.tn.gov/content/tn/tccy/kc/tccy-kcsoc19.html or from a TCCY regional coordinator. County Profiles are available at https://www.tn.gov/content/tn/tccy/kc/tccy-kcsoc/county-profiles.html.

Two Auburntown men have been identified as the fatalities in a crash in Cannon County on Tuesday. Tennessee Highway Patrol investigators say Johnathan Holland and his passenger, Johnny Kennedy, both 21, were killed when Holland’s car crossed a center line into oncoming traffic. Holland was driving south on Highway 53 near East High Street when the crash occurred.

The vehicle Holland was driving, a Mazda 3, struck a Jeep Cherokee head-on.

Twenty-one-year-old Kendra Maynard of Readyville was driving the Jeep. Also injured was a second passenger in Holland’s vehicle, 19-year-old Brady Anderson of Cornelia, Georgia.

THP investigators say the Mazda stayed on the road in the right lane after the crash, while the Cherokee stopped near the right shoulder.

Horse owners are being advised to step up monitoring of their animals due to a confirmed case eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), a virus that can be fatal for horses and humans. The Tennessee departments of Agriculture and Health (TDA and TDH) are advising citizens to take precautions to protect themselves and their livestock.

The confirmed case of EEE was found in Gibson County, where a horse showed signs of illness. Testing confirmed the disease, and the horse was euthanized. The disease, which is transmitted by mosquitos, has a 95-percent mortality rate in horses

An infected horse cannot directly transmit the virus to other horses or humans through contact. However, mosquito-borne diseases do pose a public health risk. This recent equine case serves as a reminder that mosquito season is not over yet. Experts say mosquitoes can remain active in Tennessee until temperatures fall below freezing. People can best protect themselves by wearing insect repellent, long sleeves and long pants, draining standing water around homes and businesses, and avoiding peak times when mosquitoes bite at dusk and dawn.

Although there is no vaccine for humans, the EEE vaccine for equines is particularly effective to prevent infection in horses. Every horse owner should speak with their veterinarian to develop an appropriate vaccination plan.

Livestock owners should always monitor their animals and contact a veterinarian if an animal appears sick. Equine symptoms of EEE may include lethargy, weakness, loss of appetite, fever, and/or colic. To minimize risk of insect bites around your farm, use insect repellent for livestock and eliminate sources of standing water where insects congregate and breed.

The Tennessee Department of Health offers the following tips to protect people from mosquito bites:

Use repellants that contain DEET, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or IR3535, following all label recommendations for use.

Wear closed shoes with socks, along with long-sleeved, light-colored shirts and pants.

Avoid perfumes, colognes, and products with fragrances that might attract biting insects.

The Department of Health and the Department of Agriculture work closely together to help protect the health of animals and people as part of the Tennessee One Health Committee. One Health seeks to improve communication and encourage collaboration among veterinarians, physicians, environmental scientists, public health professionals, and others to find solutions to shared challenges such as emerging infectious diseases, antibiotic resistance, and emergency preparedness.