News

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.

Outlook among Tennessee business leaders has fallen sharply in recent months, according to the latest Tennessee Business Barometer by MTSU’s Jones College of Business. Results of the quarterly statewide online survey showed the index dropped to 211 from 428 in July. The index is based on the percentage of positive and negative responses from survey participants to a series of economic questions.

The results show that although Tennessee business leaders remain relatively positive about the current economy, expectations for the future economy and their individual firms have declined. MTSU researchers who conducted the study say the general decline seems to result from growing concerns regarding economic and political uncertainty, especially with continuing uncertainty around a China trade agreement as well as tariff impacts.

Researchers also say the decline in outlook by Tennessee business leaders mirrors the drop in the Conference Board’s national measure of confidence among CEOs. “Their Measure of CEO Confidence™ has fallen to its lowest level since 2009. The Conference Board is a nonpartisan think tank that surveys U.S. consumers each month to produce a Consumer Confidence Index.

A bright spot in the survey is that consumer outlook remains strong. Since consumer spending accounts for two-thirds of overall U.S. economic activity, the researchers say such spending could help keep the economy growing.

The current online survey of 65 business leaders from across Tennessee was conducted in partnership with the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce and Industry Oct. 3-9. The sample of respondents includes business owners (32%), vice presidents (8%), senior managers (23%), and managers/others (37%) at firms of various sizes. Find the full survey report and previous reports at http://www.mtsu.edu/consumer/reportsbarometer.php.

Director of Cannon County Schools William F. Curtis, Cannon County High School Principal Courtney Nichols, CCHS Athletic Director Matt Cagle, and CCHS Girls Basketball Coach Jonathan Odom announce that on Tuesday, October 22nd, 2019 in the Cannon County High School Gymnasium Lobby at 8:45 AM, CCHS Senior Girls Basketball Player Kristen Fann will sign with Bryan College to continue her basketball career.  Kristen is the second CCHS Lionette Basketball Senior Player to sign with the Bryan College Lady Lions, as CCHS Senior Taylor Meeks signed in August 2019.

William Jennings Bryan University was chartered in 1930 and admitted its first class in the fall of that year. Its stated purpose was, and is, to provide “for the higher education of men and women under auspices distinctly Christian and spiritual.” In 1958 its name was changed to William Jennings Bryan College and in 1993 was shortened to Bryan College.  The College seeks to assist in the personal growth and development of qualified students by providing an education based upon an integrated understanding of the Bible and the liberal arts.  Located in Dayton, Tennessee, Bryan has a total enrollment of 1,000 students.  As a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA-I), Bryan College women’s basketball participates at the highest level of competition while striving to seek excellence both on-and-off the court.  Our conference affiliation is the prestigious Appalachian Athletic Conference consisting of schools from Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, and Virginia. 

Head Coach of Women’s Basketball Jason Smith will enter into his eighth season this fall to continue his reign as the winningest coach in program history with a 172-80 record. Coach Smith and the Lady Lions have high expectations this upcoming year as they are coming off the programs best season to date. In the 2018-19 season the Lady Lions held an undefeated 26-0 regular-season record, which was the best mark ever recorded in AAC women’s basketball history, and finished the season with a final record of 31-2. The Lady Lions became back-to-back regular season conference champions, three-peated as conference tournament champions, and made their third straight appearance at the NAIA Div. II Women’s Basketball National Championship. Coach Smith was awarded top honors with the AAC Coach of the Year title, and the Lady Lions team was presented with a plethora of awards and honors. Among the long list of accomplishments one Lady Lion won AAC Defensive Player of the Year, All-Defensive Team, and All-Conference Second team, two players won All-Conference First Team, two more Lions were on the All-freshman team, and five were awarded with All-Academic honors.

TDOT’s Adopt-A-Highway program is celebrating 30 years of beautifying Tennessee roadsides. The program began statewide in 1989 as a means for individuals, community groups and civic organizations to clean-up their communities and receive roadside recognition. The completely free program has grown over time, removing more than 12 million pounds of litter from Tennessee roadsides. Today, more than 550 miles of roadside across the state have been adopted.

“Adopt-A-Highway is a win for everyone involved,” explained Commissioner Clay Bright. “This program allows for our department to directly connect to those who care about their community’s appearance. Volunteers receive recognition and TDOT saves money on picking up litter.”

According to 2016 litter research (Baselice & Associates, April 2016), over 100 million pieces of litter exist on Tennessee rights-of-ways at any given time. That number has decreased by 53 percent since 2006, largely due to volunteer efforts through the Adopt-a-Highway Program. Still, TDOT spends more than $15 million annually on litter pickup and prevention education. 

Adopt-A-Highway is a free program for the public to volunteer to clean up a 2 mile stretch of local state highway. Clean-ups are conducted quarterly and reported to TDOT. Local department staff provides safety equipment, trash grabbers and bags. For the effort, TDOT installs free roadside recognition panels along every adopted area, naming the adoptive individual, group, or organization. For help getting started, program resources are available electronically on the TDOT website.

For more information about TDOT’s Adopt-A-Highway program, visit: https://www.tn.gov/tdot/environmental-home/environmental-highway-beautification-office/adopt-a-highway.html. For more information about TDOT’s Nobody Trashes Tennessee statewide litter prevention campaign, visit: www.nobodytrashestennessee.com.

The 4-H Chick Chain project is designed to teach 4-H members recommended management practices for growing and raising chickens.

Congratulations to the Black Sex-Link Grand Champion winner from Woodland Elementary, John Daniel, and Red Sex-Link Grand Champion winner Kendall Hedrick, Homeschool. Congratulations also to the Black Sex-Link Reserve Champion from Homeschool, Toby Tucker and Red Sex-Link Reserve Grand Champion Jayden Shannon from West Side Elementary.

This year there were 19 participants which raised the chickens from April until October.  Each member did an excellent job!  We appreciate TJ Daniels implementing the auction and Dr. Kevin Downs with MTSU judging the birds. We appreciate the community support for this project and all money raised from the auction benefits the 4-H Chick Chain Program next year.

Cannon County Extension staff would like to thank the 4-H members, parents, volunteers, and buyers for making this year’s Chick Chain Show and Auction a huge success. If you would like to be added to the poultry buyer mailing list or for more information, call the UT Extension office at 615-563-2554.        

Mitzie Bush, Special Education Teacher and Interventionist at Woodland School was named as “Employee of the Month” for September 2019 by Cannon County Schools. During the October Meeting of the Cannon County Board of Education, Bush was recognized at the meeting and was presented a certificate at Woodland School the following day by Cannon County Schools Director William F. Curtis for her service to the Cannon County School System.  Employees are nominated by School Principals or School District Supervisors and are voted on during monthly Principal and Supervisor meetings regarding individuals who exemplify the Mission and Vision of Cannon County Schools.

Woodland Principal, Angela Cossey stated regarding her excellent employee, “Mrs. Mitzie Bush is an exemplary teacher at Woodland School. Her passion for teaching and learning is contagious! Mrs. Mitzie has a demonstrated record of commitment and enthusiasm for teaching and leading within her classroom and outside of her classroom walls. She goes above and beyond every day for our students and makes sure students are getting what they need to be successful. She always greets students, parents, and colleagues with a smile and makes connections with her students that will last a lifetime. The teachers, staff, students, and parents of Woodland School appreciate her dedication and service in helping make our school a great place to learn.”

Supervisor of Special Education for Cannon County Schools, Audrey James, nominated Mitzie stating, “Mrs. Mitzie Bush has been teaching for many years here in Cannon County. She exhibits a growth mindset to all of our teachers, faculty and staff. Mitzie cares for her students and their needs deeply. She comes to work early and stays late many days to prepare to meet the students’ needs. She strives to meet the whole student’s needs in addition to academic needs. Her dedication and love for her students are exhibited daily in her efforts. She goes out of her way to meet parents, staff and students where they are. She is greatly appreciated. ”

Director of Cannon County Schools, Mr. William F. Curtis, commented “I met Mrs. Mitzie Bush in 1986 as a colleague at West Side Elementary School.  As colleagues, Mrs. Mitzie taught Third Grade and assisted me greatly as I began my journey teaching students.  She later transferred to Woodland School and became an outstanding Special Education Interventionist with the students.  She has exemplified what a true professional is through her influence with her students and being a powerful advocate in their lives.  Her love for students and their learning has been demonstrated in the hundreds of students she has taught.  I believe Mrs. Mitzie Bush greatly personifies our Mission of Cannon County Schools of ‘Preparing All Students for their Future’ by most assuredly being ‘The New E3 – Engaged in Excellence Every Day.’  Congratulations to Mrs. Mitzie Bush for being an impactful ‘Team Player’ in our Cannon County Schools family.”

The Tennessee Department of Health has received reports of 49 cases of serious lung injury among people who use electronic cigarettes or other vaping devices. This is an immediate public health concern with potentially severe consequences.

At this time, no single product or substance has been linked to all the lung injury cases and the specific chemical or ingredient causing lung injuries associated with e-cigarette use or vaping remains unknown. 

While this investigation is ongoing, TDH and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend Tennesseans consider refraining from using e-cigarette or vaping products. 

Regardless of the ongoing investigation, youth should not use e-cigarette or vaping products, and adults who do not currently use tobacco products should not start. TDH also advises that women who are pregnant should not use e-cigarette or vaping products. Adults who used ecigarettes to quit cigarette smoking are advised not to return to smoking cigarettes.

TDH in partnership with CDC and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is investigating these cases as part of a nationwide outbreak of severe pulmonary disease among people who use ecigarettes or vape, with nearly 1,300 cases reported to date in 49 states.

TDH is providing information about this investigation and the number of Tennessee patients associated with this outbreak online at www.tn.gov/health/cedep/vaping-illness.html. 

Electronic cigarettes and other vaping devices are not approved by the FDA for smoking cessation. Smokers attempting to quit should use evidence-based treatments including counseling and FDA-approved medications. If you need help quitting tobacco products including e-cigarettes, contact your health care provider, your local health department or the Tennessee Tobacco QuitLine at 1-800-QUIT-NOW or www.tnquitline.org/. 

The mission of the Tennessee Department of Health is to protect, promote and improve the health and prosperity of people in Tennessee. Learn more about TDH services and programs at www.tn.gov/health.

The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security has developed a reporting app that will allow users to anonymously report safety concerns. The Homeland Security office will review, assess, and then forward reports to law enforcement, mental health crisis teams, and/or school administrators based on the information received.  The attached FAQ provides additional detail on the app and the notification process.  The attached handout from the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security is a helpful tool that Cannon County Schools are sharing with our school communities. The information is also on our website at http://www.ccstn.net for use in our school district.  The handout addresses how the app works, what to report, and where the app can be downloaded.  The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security has delivered posters about the SafeTN app to Cannon County Schools. 

Director of Cannon County Schools, Mr. William F. Curtis stated, “Keeping OUR Students safe is Cannon County Schools top priority.  We know some situations alarm parents/guardians, but we want to thank them and our students for continuing to be vigilant and for reporting any suspicious activity you see. The SafeTN app is one way to anonymously do so. I ask parents/guardians to please talk with your children and please tell school officials (Teacher, Principal, Counselor, etc.) regarding any suspicious activity.  Doing so is one of the best ways to assist us with maintaining our safe campuses which aids us in fulfilling our MISSION of “Preparing All Students for Their Future!”