2016

A McMinnville woman was arrested last week and charged with DUI in Cannon County.  According to Cannon County Sheriff Department Reports,  Deputies noticed a small silver Honda Civic traveling 74 in a 55mph zone on Hwy 70 East in the Eastside Community.  The vehicle also failed to maintain its lane of travel.  A traffic stop was conducted east of the state park.  Tonya McClure of McMinnville, the driver of the car stated she was on her way home.  Deputies noticed she had glossy red eyes, an odor of an intoxicant and slurred speech.  McClure failed the sobriety tests and was charged with DUI.  She will answer to the charges June 7th in Cannon County General Sessions Court.  
 

May 10—Senior Awards night, 7:00 p.m., CCHS gymnasium
May 12—School Board meeting, 6:30 p.m., WGS Cafeteria
May 13—Farm Day for 4th graders
May 17—CCHS FFA Banquet
May 25—WBRY Spotlight—Bonnie Patterson, Coordinated School Health and Attendance
May 26—Teacher Work Day—no students
May 27—Report Card, 7:45 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
May 27—CCHS Graduation, 7:00 p.m., CCHS Football Field

Today I’m with my grandchildren enjoying some family time before heading back to Washington to vote on important bills related to the opioid abuse crisis, among other issues. But first I want to give you an update on the latest from this week in the district:
Small Businesses Making a Big Impact

Did you know that small businesses create two-thirds of the new jobs in our economy and employ 48 percent of all private sector workers? May 1st through 7th marks National Small Business Week and is as good a time as any to patronize some of the outstanding small businesses making a big impact in middle Tennessee. I marked the occasion with a visit to Lafayette, Tennessee, where I met with local small business owner at the Macon County Rotary Club and heard firsthand from them about the challenges and opportunities they face as they seek to grow their business in today’s economic climate. Later, I got a chance to visit a #TN06 favorite – Cathy’s Flowers & Gifts on the square in Lafayette. If you’re in the area, be sure to check out their arrangements and remember to “shop small” this week and throughout the year! 
You Can’t Make This Up
You won’t believe this—the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Office of Justice Programs decided to cease using the terms “felon” and “convict” in speeches and other materials because, in their view, the phrases could be damaging to criminals’ self-esteem and harmful to their reintegration into society. You can read the details here. I’m not buying their explanation and I have a feeling most Tennesseans won’t either. Our country is in real trouble and Washington bureaucracies are busy thinking up new, politically correct terms for criminals and illegal aliens. It defies comprehension and it doesn’t solve a single problem facing Americans’ daily lives. I shared more of my thoughts on this ridiculous change with CNS News, which you can read HERE.
Creativity Reigns at Hendersonville Christian Academy 

This week I had the honor of recognizing Hendersonville Christian Academy Senior Marian Silva as winner of the 2016 6th District Congressional Art Competition. Silva’s beautiful artwork, entitled “Iris” will hang in the halls of the U.S. Capitol over the course of the next year. I got a chance to personally deliver the news to Marian at school on Wednesday and her parents even showed up to celebrate with us! Join me in congratulating Marian and all of the talented young artists that participated in this year’s competition!                           

In observance of National Mental Health Month in May, the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services is encouraging Tennesseans during the month of May to consider the importance of good mental health.
“Conditions like depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder impact the lives of thousands of Tennesseans,” said E. Douglas Varney, Commissioner for the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. “When these disorders and others go undiagnosed or untreated, they frequently drain a person of their ability to thrive and enjoy life.”
In fiscal year 2015, more than 288,000 Tennesseans, children and adults, received publicly-funded behavioral health services. That same year the combined admissions to Tennessee’s four Regional Mental Health Institutes climbed to nearly 10,000.
More than 1million Tennesseans over the age of 18 are living with a mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder and, a quarter of a million are living with a serious mental illness.
“A recent study by the World Health Organization indicates that improving mental health treatment can quadruple returns on work productivity,” said Commissioner Varney. “It’s vitally important for not just our economy, for our livelihoods and for quality of life to look after our mental health as much as we do our physical health.”
“The good news is that more Tennesseans are aware and are acknowledging they may have a mental health condition and are seeking help,” said Commissioner Varney.
Taking a brief screening assessment online is a safe and easy way to find out if you are experiencing symptoms.
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness 1 in 5 Americans will be affected by a mental health condition in their lifetime and every American is affected or impacted by a family member, friend, or loved one who is struggling with a diagnosed condition.
“As awareness increases, more people are acknowledging the early symptoms of a mental health condition and are seeking help,” said Commissioner Varney. “A mental health issue, just like a physical ailment won’t go away on its own. There are a variety of remarkable therapies and treatments to get people back on track.”
For information about mental health services in Tennessee, call the Helpline 800-560-5767 FREE, Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CST.
If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health emergency, call 855-274-7471 FREE. Help is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
 

 The Tennessee Department of Health is observing National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month in communities across the state this May to raise awareness about the impact of teen pregnancy as well as education and prevention efforts. Special emphasis will be given on May 4, 2016 when TDH will join partners from across the country in celebrating the National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. This observance helps teens understand the consequences of unplanned pregnancy and think about how to best prepare for success in achieving their educational and vocational goals.
“Teen pregnancy has been declared as one of six ‘winnable battles’ by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and we are moving in the right direction in Tennessee,” said TDH Deputy Commissioner for Population Health Michael Warren, MD, MPH. “Consistent with national trends, Tennessee’s birth rates for adolescents aged 15-19 steadily declined from 53.8 in 2008 to 33.0 in 2014, and teen pregnancy rates declined from 64.7 to 37.9 per 1,000 teens. We are proud of this progress and continue our efforts to educate parents, teens, health professionals and other community partners about ways to further reduce pregnancies among young Tennesseans.”
The mission of the Tennessee Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Program is to prevent unplanned adolescent pregnancies through a comprehensive, community-wide, collaborative effort that promotes abstinence, self-respect, constructive life options and responsible decision-making about sexuality, healthy relationships and the future.
“Tennessee should be proud of its teens, families and communities for the positive choices they have made,” said TAPPP Program Director Kimothy Warren, MS, MCHES. “Age-appropriate conversations about healthy relationships should begin with both boys and girls early in a child’s life and continue through young adulthood. Studies show teens cite parents as having the most influence on their choices and behavior around sexual activity, and we are happy to work with parents to help equip them to have those conversations with their children.”
Despite successes, adolescent pregnancy remains a significant problem in Tennessee. Although Tennessee’s teen birth rate has consistently declined, it is still markedly higher than the national rate of 24.2. Adolescent births have serious consequences for the teenage mother and her baby. According to the National Campaign to Prevent Adolescent Pregnancy, adolescent parenthood is linked to many negative consequences for mothers, fathers and their children. Compared with those who delay childbearing, adolescent mothers are more likely to drop out of school, remain unmarried and live in poverty. Their children are more likely to be born at low birth weight, grow up poor, live in single-parent households, experience abuse and neglect and enter the child welfare system.
The Department of Health has adopted a broad-based approach to providing services to the community to reduce teen pregnancy. Primary areas of focus include implementing a wide variety of approved, evidence-based abstinence education programs; increasing high school graduation rates; reducing the rate of repeat pregnancies; reducing overall teen pregnancy rates; reducing adverse childhood experiences and improving and fostering self-sufficiency.
For more information about teen pregnancy programs and services, visit:
Tennessee Department of Health Adolescent Pregnancy Program
http://tn.gov/health/topic/MCH-TAPPP
The National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy
http://thenationalcampaign.org/event/national-day-2016     
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Teen Pregnancy and Childbearing www.hhs.gov/ash/oah/adolescent-health-topics/reproductive-health/pregnan…
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
www.cdc.gov/teenpregnancy/parent-guardian-resources/index.htm
 

The Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance’s (TDCI) Division of Consumer Affairs reminds consumers that scammers continue trying to trick consumers and businesses into providing information that leads to identity theft, drains bank accounts, and ruins credit reports. In fact, several BBBs recently reported scammers are once again weaving BBB’s trusted name into their ploy pitches because they know the public sees BBB as a trusted entity.
According to BBB, one woman said she received a call from “Chris Gabriel” who identified himself as a representative of the Better Business Bureau. To sound official, the caller gave her an ID number and said the call was about her Citibank card. She indicated the caller knew everything about her card, and because she trusts BBB, she gave him some information. Soon after, she realized she had made a mistake.  She immediately hung up, canceled her card and called BBB.
The scammers didn’t stop there. BBB then received a call from a business who shared a similar experience, but in this instance the caller claimed to be calling from BBB stating it was in regard to the company’s credit card processing machine.  The scammer requested bank account routing details and the owner’s social security number claiming it was to update payment and contact information. The unsuspecting business provided the requested information believing he really was talking to BBB.  Afterward, he realized BBB would not request this type of information, and is now taking necessary action to report identity theft.  BBB urges consumers and businesses to never give out personally identifiable information until you have confirmed who the requesting party is and why the information is necessary.  BBB would never ask for credit card machine processing information. The only time BBB would accept credit card information is upon receipt of an application for BBB accreditation status or other related accreditation services.  Even then, BBB welcomes and encourages all businesses to verify with whom they are speaking by calling BBB’s main phone number (615-242-4222) or visiting BBB’s website BBB.org/Nashville. (There is a “Contact Us” button on the top of the webpage.)
Did You Ask?
Before providing your personal or financial information, and before you buy or schedule services, be sure to get the following information and verify it:
The person’s full name (ask for a business card)
The business’ name
The street address for the business (no PO Boxes)
A call back number
Ask if they are listed with the BBB, and if so, what’s their rating.  If you expect to spend a lot of money, ask for their local banking name and location.  Now that you have gathered the information, check them out and make an informed decision by visiting GoBBB.org.
 

MTSU’s spring Class of 2016 undergraduates had a perfect day to start the rest of their lives Saturday, May 7th, armed with new university degrees and words of inspiration from Nashville Mayor Megan Barry and HBO executive Kary Antholis. Commencement created 2,034 new Blue Raider alumni.
“Your GPA is not a tattoo you’ll wear for the rest of your life,” Barry, the first woman and the first Metro Council member elected Nashville mayor, told the Class of 2016 morning graduates in Murphy Center. “It’s not the sum of who you are.
“As one MTSU graduate on my staff said, ‘You can never learn less; you can only learn more.’ Experience as much as you can. Read. Listen to music. Travel. Go to movies, plays and art galleries. Meet people. Stretch your imagination, and extend your sense of what’s possible.”
Antholis, president of HBO Miniseries and Cinemas Programming, reminded graduates at the afternoon ceremony that while they have many more accomplishments ahead, they should also keep in mind those who helped them reach their goals.
Explaining that his Oscar-winning documentary on Holocaust survivor Gerda Weissmann Klein, “One Survivor Remembers,” had its impetus in his own mother’s family’s horror in Greece at the hands of the Nazis, Antholis recalled Mrs. Klein’s beautiful, gracious words that night and their impact since. (You can see Mrs. Klein’s speech at http://youtu.be/5zn-fPM4KS0.)
“You do earn success with hard work and self-reliance, but you also will be served by remaining mindful of the people who’ve helped you along the way,” Antholis said.
“As you go forward and build your lives, enjoy success and endure setbacks, please know that you will always be well-served by honoring the voices, values and love of those who have supported you and made sacrifices for you.”
A total of 2,034 undergraduates received their degrees on the breezy spring Saturday. The morning event included students from the College of Basic and Applied Sciences, the Jones College of Business, the College of Education, and the College of Media and Entertainment. The afternoon ceremony featured students in the College of Behavioral and Health Sciences, College of Liberal Arts, and the University College.
Tennessee State Historian Carroll Van West, a longtime MTSU professor and director of the university’s Center for Historic Preservation, addressed the university’s first separate ceremony May 6, where 349 received their doctorate, master’s and education specialist degrees. You can learn more about that event at http://ow.ly/aSEX3000aDX.
New MTSU graduate Kara Lane’s aspirations don’t take her far from home or heart. The Beech Grove, Tennessee, resident, who grew up on a beef cattle farm, earned her bachelor’s degree in animal science with an eye toward becoming a veterinarian.
“I’ve just always had a love and passion for animals,” said Lane, who’s applying to the University of Tennessee, Mississippi State and the University of Virginia in her quest to open a practice for animals of all kinds.
“I’ve always been interested in animal surgery. When I was younger, one of my dogs got sick and I just … felt helpless. They say that (small animal practice) is where the money is, but it’s not about the money for me. It’s about helping the animals.”
MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee encouraged that sort of perspective in his address to the graduates.
“You’ll become part of the distinguished history of this institution,” he said. “We make up more than just an academic community; we are a family.”
New graduate Alison Todd, 21, of Murfreesboro represents the fourth generation of her family’s affiliation with MTSU. A cum laude graduate with a bachelor’s degree in anthropology and minors in French and Spanish from the College of Liberal Arts and the University Honors College, Todd played in the Band of Blue, was president of the Sigma Alpha Iota music fraternity and worked in multiple campus offices.
“This is a culmination of a lot of hard work and time teachers have given me. It is a big deal — everything I ever worked for,” said Todd, who will spend the summer at an archaeological field school in Romania, Greece and England, then take a year off in a volunteer reading/speaking English role before attending graduate school to study forensic anthropology.
You can see photos from the day’s events at http://facebook.com/mtsublueraiders. A PDF copy of the complete spring 2016 commencement program, which includes all the graduates’ names and degrees, is available at http://ow.ly/wjeI3000Nhm.
 

May is the month for when landscapers and homeowners are rewarded for their spring efforts with lush beauty and the promise of a glorious summer. Jason Reeves, curator of the University of Tennessee Gardens, Jackson, took some time from working in the Gardens to offer these tips for keeping your landscape and gardens beautiful and productive:

•  Plant butterfly weed (Asclepias), parsley, dill, rue and pipevine to encourage butterflies in your garden. The foliage of these plants provides food for the caterpillars. Aristolochia fimbriata is a lovely ground-cover-type of pipevine that is covered each year by the pipevine swallowtail caterpillar at the UT Gardens, Jackson. It may be a little hard to find for sale, but it is worth seeking out.

• Early May is a good time to cut back bushy woody perennials, like rosemary, rue, lavender, Santolina and Artemisia.

• If you haven’t done so already, prune spring-flowering shrubs (azaleas, flowering quince, Forsythia and Loropetalum), but only if they need it. To keep their forms more natural in appearance, as opposed to looking like a meatball, follow the taller branches down into the shrub and cut just above a joint.

• A good option for Loropetalums that have outgrown their space is to prune them into a tree-form. They easily can be limbed up by removing lower branches. Loropetalum ‘Crimson Fire’ is a dwarf form that has proven to be hard in all but the coldest part of Tennessee. As with all Loropetalums, they are best planted in spring or summer in insure proper establishment before the winter months. It will mature to 3-ft tall, and can be seen growing at the UT Gardens in both Knoxville and Jackson.

• Remove the flowering stalks on yucca as they begin to form if you dislike the look of the bloom. Cut them off down in the foliage at the source, and you won’t even know they were there.

• Old flower stems can be removed from lungwort so not to distract from the lovely foliage.

• Caladiums and vinca need warm soil. Caladium tubers will rot in cool soil, and vinca will be disease-prone, or exhibit stunted growth. Night temperatures should regularly be above 60 degrees F before planting them.

• You can still direct seed easy-to-grow flowering annuals and vegetables. Some easy flowers to grow from seed include marigold, zinnia, sunflowers and cosmos. Beans, peas, corn and okra are some easy direct sow vegetables, while dill, basil and cilantro are some easy direct-sow herbs. If you prefer to get your garden green quickly, gardening shops have plenty of young plants available for sale. Before shopping for annuals, you may want to consult the UT Gardens Annual Herbaceous Plant Trial Program data to see which cultivars of your favorite plant performed the best. Results for the garden in Knoxville and Jackson can be found at utgardens.tennessee.edu/annual_trials.html​.

•  Azaleas often show symptoms of lace bug and spider mite infestations during the hot months of summer. This damage can be prevented by a one-time, early application of the systemic insecticide imidacloprid. This insecticide should be poured in liquid form around the root system as the flowers fade, spreading the active ingredients throughout the plant tissue where it remains effective through the growing season. Bayer Advanced Tree and Shrub Insect Control is a common brand that contains this safe and effective insecticide. Always follow label directions when applying any pesticide.

For additional tips, visit the UT Extension website: extension.tennessee.edu and click on the menu link to “Publications.” Enter the term “landscaping” or “gardening” in the search engine.

The University of Tennessee Gardens include plant collections located in Knoxville, Crossville and Jackson. Designated as the official botanical garden for the State of Tennessee, the collections are part of the UT Institute of Agriculture. The Gardens’ mission is to foster appreciation, education and stewardship of plants through garden displays, educational programs and research trials. The Gardens are open during all seasons and free to the public. For more information, see the website: utgardens.tennessee.edu
 

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation released two studies, detailing the nature and extent of domestic violence and instances of law enforcement officers attacked while on duty.
In both studies, the TBI presents data submitted by the state’s law enforcement agencies through the Tennessee Incident Based Reporting System (TIBRS).
Among the findings in “Domestic Violence 2013-2015”:
A total of 232,031 domestic violence offenses were reported from 2013 to 2015.
Simple Assault was, by far, the most frequently reported offense, accounting for 68.1% of all offenses designated as having a domestic violence nexus.
From 2013 to 2015, victims were six times more likely to be abused by a Spouse than an Ex-Spouse in domestic offenses.
Among the findings in “Law Enforcement Officers Killed or Assaulted (LEOKA) 2015”:

The number of LEOKA victims increased slightly, by 1% year-to-year, with 1,757 victims reported in 2015.
In 2015, there was one Law Enforcement Officer reported as being feloniously killed in the line of duty.
T­he most frequently reported LEOKA offense was Simple Assault at 56.5%.
As with all of its crime publications, the TBI cautions against using the data provided in these reports to compare one jurisdiction to another. The factors impacting crime vary from community to community and accordingly, comparisons are considered neither fair nor accurate.

Both reports are currently available for review on the TBI’s website: www.tn.gov/tbi.
 

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