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Beginning this Saturday, July 10, the Tennessee State Library & Archives is hosting Second Saturday tours of their new facility at 1001 Rep. John Lewis Way N. on the northeast corner of Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park in Nashville. Through October, Second Saturdays at the Library & Archives will feature free, family-friendly guided tours every hour, on the hour, starting at 10 a.m. with the last tour beginning at 3 p.m. Reservations are not required. “These Second Saturday tours give visitors a behind-the-scenes look at the Library & Archives and their extensive collections,” said Secretary of State Tre Hargett. “Ranging from the records of state government to newspapers to collections from Tennessee families, churches and organizations, the Library & Archives has something for anyone interested in Tennessee history and culture.” The Library & Archives, a division of the Department of State, collects and preserves books, records and other documents of historical and reference value, focusing on items about Tennessee and Tennesseans. To preserve Tennessee’s history for current and future generations, the Library & Archives houses the archives of state government, documents and recordings from legislative proceedings, records from every Tennessee courthouse, copies of all surviving Tennessee newspapers and records from families, businesses, religious and civic organizations. The Library & Archives is home to many irreplaceable historical documents, including Tennessee’s Constitutions, letters from Tennessee’s three presidents, Civil War diaries, records from 55 former Tennessee governors, maps, photographs and original records of the State of Franklin. “The Second Saturday tours allow us to share this beautiful new state-of-the-art facility with more Tennesseans. It is gratifying to demonstrate the new technologies that give guests easier access to our collections,” said Chuck Sherrill, Tennessee State Librarian and Archivist. At the Library & Archives, visitors can experience Tennessee’s story through interactive exhibits highlighting the state’s most precious historical documents. The exhibit lobby is open to the public Monday through Saturday, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CT. The library, microfilm and manuscripts reading rooms are open for research Tuesday through Saturday, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CT. For the latest information from the Library and Archives, follow their social media channels: Facebook: Tennessee State Library and Archives and Instagram: @tnlibarchives and the Secretary of State’s Twitter account: @SecTreHargett. For more information about the Library and Archives or Second Saturdays call 615-741-2764, email ask@tsla.libanswers.com or visit sos.tn.gov/tsla/plan-your-visit.

The Manchester Police Department was able to wrap up a case involving a man who reportedly went on the run in an attempt to avoid capture.

Mike Prentice was wanted for Especially Aggravated Kidnapping, Aggravated Assault, Aggravated Burglary, Theft of Vehicle (Vehicle has been recovered), and Violation of Order of Protection.

Authorities confirmed that Prentice was located and arrested in neighboring Cannon County. The arrest took place on Saturday night just 5-minutes before midnight. Reports indicate he was hiding out in a tent that was tucked away in a tree-line.

Manchester Police Detectives, a K9 Officer, Coffee County Sheriff Deputies and Cannon County Sheriff Deputies worked together to make the capture. Prentice is now being held in Coffee County.

Source- Media Partner WMSR

As the strawberry season ends, Tennessee has plenty of blueberries and blackberries available for picking during summer months.

“Our berry plants are loaded with fruit this season,” Connie Massey of Circle S Farms in Lebanon said. “Our blueberries are in full swing with lots of ripe berries for picking. We expect blackberries to ripen around the first week of July.”

Farmers in some areas of the state say blackberries and blueberries are coming into season later this year. Visitors should call ahead to check availability and to find out if the farm allows you to pick berries or picks for you. Visitors who pick their own should bring water to stay hydrated since blueberries and blackberries can take time to pick. Berries do not ripen after picking, so select berries that are fully ripe and pull free easily.

“We expect to have blueberries the first or second week of July,” Chris Plemons of Sweet River Berry Farm in Charleston said. “Be sure to watch our Facebook page for updates on berry availability.”

Berries are easy to freeze and use later. Many delicious recipes incorporate frozen fruits, allowing you to enjoy your harvest well past peak growing season. Fresh or frozen, the Pick Tennessee Products website features recipes for berries. Two favorites can be found here:  www.picktnproducts.org/find-products/recipes/desserts/desserts/blackberry-cheesecake-ice-cream.html and www.picktnproducts.org/find-products/recipes/desserts/desserts/lemon-blueberry-pie.html.

When friends and relatives come to visit this summer, consider on-farm activities like sunflower festivals, making soap, or taking an art class to create great memories in a relaxed setting. Many agritourism farms have shelters for picnics, playgrounds, and areas for all ages to explore. Each season brings something new to Tennessee’s farms. Visit throughout the year to experience all our farms have to offer.

Find fresh produce and fun on farms near you at www.PickTNProducts.org or on the free Pick Tennessee mobile app. Follow @PickTNProducts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for highlights on products, local farms, and activities.

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency will be participating in Operation Dry Water, July 2-4. Operation Dry Water is a weekend of education and enforcement about the dangers of impaired boating throughout the state.

The July 4^th holiday means an increase in boater activity on the water and there is also an increase in the number on incidents during this time. The TWRA is teaming with the U.S. Coast Guard and the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA). Operation Dry Water was started by the NASBLA in 2009. It has been a highly successful campaign drawing public attention to the dangers of boating under the influence (BUI).

The TWRA will be on heightened alert for boating under the influence infractions. Over the course of the July 4^th holiday, law enforcement officers will also be working to increase public awareness of the dangers of boating under the influence of alcohol or drugs, for both operators and passengers. Boaters will notice an overall increase in officer patrols on the water. The combined efforts of the participating law enforcement agencies will result in the removal of impaired operators from our state’s waterways, providing a safe and enjoyable experience for boaters.

“Each year, our state suffers boating incidents and tragedies that could have been avoided if it weren’t for the presence of drugs or alcohol. Our job is to protect those in the communities we serve and to ensure that recreational boaters, paddlers, fishermen, and others who visit our waters are able to enjoy their time with family and friends safely,” said Cpt. Matt Majors, TWRA Boating Investigator. “Our Agency is joining all states and U.S. territories to do our part in keeping boaters safe and preventing incidents caused by boating under the influence.”

 In 2020 during Operation Dry Water, there were eight serious injury boating-related incidents. There were 11 boating under the BUI arrests made across Tennessee.  

Operating a boat with a Blood Alcohol Content of .08 percent or higher is illegal in Tennessee, the same as operating a motor vehicle. Penalties may include fines, jail, boat impoundment and the loss of boat driving privileges.

Alcohol use is the leading contributing factor in recreational boater deaths. Sun, wind, noise, vibration and motion intensify the effects of alcohol, drugs and some medications.

For more information on Operation Dry Water, visit www.operationdrywater.org.

Needy families may benefit from a new program in the state, the TANF Opportunity Act by the Tennessee General Assembly. This legislation is the result of more than a year of collaboration with the legislature’s TANF Working Group to modernize Tennessee’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program.

The TANF program is a federal workforce development and employment program emphasizing work, training, and personal responsibility. It is a temporary benefit focused on gaining self-sufficiency through employment.

Key components include:

· Increasing the monthly average cash assistance families receive under Tennessee’s TANF funded Families First Program from $277 to $387.

· Creating a two-year Educational Opportunity Pilot Program for qualifying families seeking a degree, certification, or other educational advancement.

· Establishing the Tennessee Opportunity Pilot Program to invest $180 million in providing comprehensive support to families as they move from crisis to career pathways.

· Providing $50 million in Families First Community Grants to smaller non-profits across the state.

· Establishing a 21-member TANF Advisory Board to provide input on the direction of the TANF program and select partners to conduct program research.

· Implementing a $191 million TANF reserve cap so that beginning in Federal Fiscal Year 2022, unspent funds beyond that cap will be used to fund Families First Community Grants.

· Protecting the integrity of the TANF program by increasing civil penalties for individuals who try to secure benefits with a false identity.

For more information on TANF, visit: https://www.tn.gov/humanservices/tanf-opportunity-act.html.

Members of the Cannon County Commission have approved a budget for the coming fiscal year, which begins tomorrow.

After two hours of discussion concerning topics ranging from establishment of a pay structure dealing with the support staff of elected officials to non-certified employees of the school system and how it compares to pay for employees at fast food restaurants, the board accepted the allocations placed before the commission by the budget committee.

The budget was approved using the same tax rate as last year.  The property tax rate will remain at $2.46, with $1.47 and a half cents allocated to the general purpose fund. Five cents of the taxes will go to solid waste. The ambulance service will receive 14-cents, schools get 69 and a half cents. Two cents will go to general debt service, and capital projects will receive eight cents.

Previously, the budget allocated 68.5-cents as the minimum amount the state will accept from the county for schools.  A last minute amendment moved one-cent from general debt service to schools.  During their meeting Monday night, the school board agreed that any amount from the county over the minimum funding would be allocated to non-certified employees.

The vote to approve fell over the traditional 7-3 split.

Outlook among Tennessee consumers has improved heading into the summer months, but the improvement was the result of two offsetting trends, according to the latest statewide survey by Middle Tennessee State University.

The Tennessee Consumer Outlook Index continued its rise into positive territory in June with a score of 20, up from one in March and well above the -58 score in December 2020, according to MTSU’s Office of Consumer Research.

Despite improved optimism over the economic situation, views regarding making large purchases declined. These declines were most noticeable among consumers in West Tennessee.

MTSU economists say this suggests that even though consumers believe the economy has improved as it recovers from the pandemic, concerns about potential rising taxes and inflation might prompt consumers from increasing spending. However, they also say expanding vaccination rates across the state (36%) and country (46%) as of June 28 have given Tennessee consumers greater resolve when resuming shopping, travel and vacation plans.

The current online survey of 610 Tennessee consumers was conducted between June 7-27 and has an error margin of 4%. To see the full report and previous reports, go to https://www.mtsu.edu/consumer/tnoutlookreports.php.

The Consumer Outlook Index scores are based on consumers’ responses to 11 questions measuring their perceptions of the current economy, the future economy, jobs, personal finances, and whether now is a good time to make large purchases. The index, which includes three subindices, is computed by adding the percentage of favorable responses to each question and subtracting the percentage of negative responses to each question.

For more information, visit www.mtsu.edu/consumer.

The institution known as Smith Funeral Home is changing its name to reflect an ownership change. It is now Gentry-Smith Funeral Home. New owner Tim Gentry was hired in 2000 was hired as an embalmer and funeral director.

Mike Smith founded Smith Funeral Home in 1971 to offer compassionate service based on trust and support of the community’s families from a loving neighbor. In 1999, Mike’s father, Bill Smith, and Christine Dillon, joined him in a partnership to continue those traditions and moved Smith Funeral Home to its present location.

It is a tradition within the funeral industry for licensed partners’ names to be included. Therefore, the former Smith Funeral Home has been renamed Gentry-Smith Funeral Home. Tim Gentry gratefully and humbly acknowledges the opportunities and trust placed in him by the Smiths, and Miss Dillon, and the support and encouragement of numerous family and friends. Gentry says the compassionate support to families in the area remains unchanged because every life has a story.

The whereabouts of six-year-old Kinzleigh Ray Reeder, who has been missing since May 26, are still unknown. However, authorities believe she may be with her non-custodial father, 34 year old Nicholas Ray Reeder.  Anyone who sees the child or her father is encouraged to alert authorities.

The child was removed from the custody of Reeder’s custody after they were found camped out under a bridge in rising creek water on the cold rainy night of March 18 at Dry Creek and Pea Ridge Road. Authorities learned that Reeder had driven his Nissan Rogue off the roadway into the creek bed where it got stuck during heavy rain and creek flooding. Kinzleigh was with Reeder at the time.

Reeder was later charged with child abuse and neglect and Kinzleigh was placed into the temporary custody of a family member by the Department of Children’s Services. After Reeder’s release from jail, DCS gave Reeder approval to live in the same home where Kenzleigh was staying.

On Monday, June 21, the Department of Children Services contacted the Sheriff’s Department seeking to file a missing child report. Under a court order signed June 16, the Department of Children Services was granted custody of Kinzleigh but DCS has not been able to locate her since May 26, when they say she was seen by a family member.

Murfreesboro will soon have a facility that does open heart surgery. The Tennessee Health Services and Development Agency has granted Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford approval of its Certificate of Need application to add adult open heart surgery to its well-established cardiac program. Hospital officials say the new unit will fill a gap and make heart surgery more available between Nashville and Chattanooga.

The application was heavily supported by the local community as well as by civic and business organizations, including physician groups, MTSU, BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, Maury Regional Medical Center, Unity Medical Center and local and state government officials. The physician recruitment phase of the program will begin later this year.

Ascension Saint Thomas will invest more than $5.6 million in its Rutherford hospital to establish the open heart surgery program. Existing cardiac surgery clinical pathways and protocols in place in Nashville will be used to develop a high-quality program at Rutherford.

Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford is currently accredited with the Joint Commission and will continue to comply with the standards of the American College of Cardiology, the American Hospital Association and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons.