2016

A Cannon County woman is charged with TennCare fraud in nearby Rutherford County in a case involving prescription drugs.
The Office of Inspector General (OIG) earlier this week announced the arrest of April Smotherman, 43, of Woodbury. She is charged with five counts of TennCare fraud relating to doctor shopping, which involves going to multiple doctors in a short period of time to obtain prescription drugs. Smotherman is accused of doctor shopping for the painkiller the painkiller Hydrocodone.  She turned herself in to authorities at the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office.
“Unauthorized use of TennCare to obtain prescription drugs is a serious crime we are pursuing every day across the state,” Inspector General Manny Tyndall said. “The Office of Inspector General is committed to ensuring TennCare benefits are not abused in this manner so that we preserve the program.”
District Attorney General Jennings H. Jones is prosecuting. As of July 1, 2016, TennCare fraud was changed to a Class D felony punishable by up to four years in prison.
The OIG, which is separate from TennCare, began full operation in February 2005 and has investigated cases leading to more than $3 million being repaid to TennCare, with a total estimated cost avoidance of more than $163.6 million for TennCare, according to latest figures. To date, 2,739 people have been charged with TennCare fraud.
Anyone can report suspected TennCare fraud by calling 1-800-433-3982 toll-free from anywhere in Tennessee, or visit the website and follow prompts that read “Report TennCare Fraud.”

A free food giveaway will take place Saturday in the parking lot of the First Methodist Church 502 West High Street.  The giveaway will start no later than 10 in the morning.  Everyone is invited to come and take advantage of this giveaway.  This will be a drive thru distribution.  Cars should line up on High Street coming up the hill from College Street.  Each car will be directed through the parking lot of First Methodist and out through the First Baptist Church parking lot.  There will be a limit of food for two families for each car in order to ensure that those at the end of the line receive food.  For more information about the food giveaway contact the church office at 563-2135.

A Lascassas woman was arrested recently and charged with Driving Under The Influence.  According to Sheriff’s Department Reports, Deputies were dispatched out to Wood Church off of Short Mountain Road concerning a person driving recklessly and yelling out the window of her car.  Upon arrival the person had already left the premises heading in the direction of the Dekalb and Cannon County Line.  After Deputies caught up with her, the suspect 52 year old Ms.Christy Carlene Wimberly of Lascassas had blocked the roadway of Gunter Hollow Road.  Then once the deputy activated his blue lights, Wimberly put her vehicle in drive headed towards the county line.  Finally she stopped in a church parking lot.  As the deputy approached, Wimberly stuck a hat out of the window that showed a Navy emblem.  She made sure several times to point out that her father was in the Navy.  Wimberly failed the field sobriety tests and was arrested and charged with DUI 1st offense.  She will answer to the charge November 1st in Cannon County General Sessions Court.

Middle Tennessee Electric is celebrating National Cooperative Month in October, along with 40,000 other cooperative businesses serving more than 120 million people nationwide. Additionally, MTEMC is celebrating its 80th Anniversary of providing power to its members.
 
“National Cooperative Month is a time to specially celebrate the cooperative difference,” said Chris Jones, MTEMC president and CEO. “For the last 80 years, the members of our cooperative have reaped the benefits of owning their own, not-for-profit electric business — Middle Tennessee Electric. They not only enjoy rates 20 percent below the national average, they also have a voice in how their cooperative is run through their elected Board of Directors. And, of course, they have a team of dedicated, local employees who serve them 24/7.”
 
Throughout the month, MTEMC will be celebrating with events at the local offices, a membership-wide pumpkin carving contest, and the launch of the cooperatives new audio and video podcast and blog.
 
Middle Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation is a member-owned, not-for-profit cooperative providing electricity to more than 214,000 residential and business members in Williamson, Wilson, Rutherford and Cannon counties.
 

The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security announces the McMinnville Driver Services Center will re-open Monday, October 17 in the original location.
The driver services center is located at 594 Vervilla Road in McMinnville.
 
State and local officials cooperated to re-open the center.  After much discussion, city and county officials agreed to pay the rental building space cost for the center that had been removed from the department’s state budget. 
The state has agreed to provide personnel and the equipment to operate the center. 
 
Driver Services Assistant Commissioner Lori Bullard expressed her thanks and appreciation to both state and local leaders for collaborating to re-open the center. 
 
McMinnville is a full service driver services center open from 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (CDT), Monday through Friday.
This center offers driver licenses, identification card issuance, motor vehicle records, vision testing, knowledge and skills testing, and handgun permits.
 

Annual Health Fair will take place at the Cannon County Senior Center Wednesday from 8A-12 noon.  The community is invited to join the center for Flu and Shingles Shots, Balance Screenings, and Pain Screenings.  In addition there will be available blood sugar checks, blood pressure checks, bone density scans, vision tests, BMI, hearing screenings and much more.  Lunch will be provided and a drawing will be held for several door prizes.  For more information please call the Senior Center at 563-5304.

A Cannon County man who was caught bothering customers at the Murfreesboro Walmart over the weekend has been arrested and charged with Criminal Trespassing.  According to Murfreesboro Police Reports, an officer was dispatched to the South Rutherford Blvd Walmart.  Upon arrival the officer spoke with 56 year old Billy Estepp Jr, of Locke Creek Road Readyville, who was just in trouble 2 hours prior for harassing customers and loitering.  Allegedly, Estepp got in a motorized shopping cart and took a cruise around the store.  Police caught up with Estepp in the garden center where they arrested him for the trespassing offense.  Estepp will answer to the criminal trespassing charge in Rutherford County General Sessions Court December 6th.
 

A special called meeting of the Cannon County Commissioners will be held Friday afternoon at 5:00 at the Cannon County Courthouse.  Items to be discussed include the General Fund Balance and Solid Waste Budget.
 

Public hearing on two different ordinances highlight the agenda of the Woodbury Mayor and Board of Aldermen meeting Tuesday.  
Ordinance 482 and 483 are ordinances to amend the zoning map of the town of Woodbury to zone parcels shown on the Cannon County Tax Map to the R-2 residential zoning district.  After the public hearings on the ordinances the aldermen will move to consider the adoption of the ordinances on second and final reading.  
Other items on the agenda is to get an update from Mr. Neal Applebaum regarding the town’s insurance carrier approval for acceptance of an easement and placing an art sculpture on property at the corner of Water Street and Doolittle Road.
The Aldermen will be asked to approve the annual block party for the Woodbury Nursing Home to take place October 27th
Mayor Patrick will appoint JoAnn Davis to fill the unexpired term of William (Bill) Smith on the Woodbury Housing Authority
The meeting will take place Tuesday at 7:00 at the Nolan “Dude” Northcutt Building formerly known as City Hall.

A Cannon County government tractor was vandalized in the Gassaway community recently.  According to Sheriff Department reports, a Deputy was dispatched to Gassaway Market.  Kirk Davis explained to the deputy that it looked like someone had spun circles in the gravel parking lot beside the tractors and a rock flew and hit the window.  After looking at the driver door, the whole window was completely shattered.  Most of the parts of the glass was on the ground beside the window, and as well as inside the cab of the tractor.  Mr. Davis explained that the Cannon County Highway Department needed a report for vandalism for insurance purposes.