2016

The Tennessee Department of Education has grouped school districts across the state into regional CORE centers. Cannon County belongs to the Upper Cumberland Core Region, and local school officials work closely with CORE team members in efforts to improve teaching and learning in our district. One area of focus for this group is the development of early literacy skills. Cannon County, along with other districts in this region, have adopted the goal that 90% of our students will be reading on grade level by the end of third grade.  To support this effort, the Upper Cumberland Core Region has become a member of the Children’s Reading Foundation. The vision of the Children’s Reading Foundation is for every child to learn to read early and well, thereby reaching his or her full potential in school and in life. One step in reaching this vision is for the school systems to encourage and educate families about the role they play as the first educators of their child. In this effort, counties across our district will be offering READY! For Kindergarten Classes.  Parents who attend these classes will gain an understanding of what school readiness actually means and what activities they can do at home to help their child be prepared for school. Ready! For K classes are designed for parents of children ages 2-4. Be looking in the near future for more information about Cannon County’s Ready! For K Classes. These classes are made available by a $3,000 grant from the Upper Cumberland Core Center.
 

The Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) has arrested Michael Marks of Murfreesboro on charges of odometer fraud and criminal simulation.
On December 10, 2015, the THP’s Criminal Investigation Division received two complaints from victims regarding possible odometer fraud and approved an investigation. It was noted at that time the same person had sold the vehicles to the different victims. The victims stated they had purchased the vehicles from an ad on Craigslist.
The investigation revealed the odometers in the two vehicles had been rolled back. Investigators were able to identify a suspect, and the identity was confirmed by a victim. The THP’s Criminal investigation Division sought and obtained two felony warrants for criminal simulation as well as two misdemeanor warrants for odometer fraud against Marks.
On January 28, 2016, members of the Tennessee Highway Patrol Criminal Investigation Division with support from troopers from the Nashville District executed the arrest warrants for Marks. Prior to the execution of arrest warrants, Marks was observed driving a blue, Toyota Camry. The blue Toyota pulled into the driveway of 5530 North West Broad Street in Murfreesboro that was identified as his place of residence and business. Criminal simulation is a class E felony, and odometer fraud is a class A misdemeanor.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol Criminal Investigation Division is asking anyone who has conducted business with Michael Marks or anyone who may be associated with him who believes he/she is a victim of odometer fraud to contact the Tennessee Highway Patrol Criminal Investigation Division at 615-251-5185.

Cannon County Schools Are Closed
Other closings in the WBRY listening area include

Coffee, Dekalb, Rutherford, Wilson, Warren and Bedford County Schools are closed today.
Manchester City and Murfreesboro City Schools are closed today.
Franklin Road Christian School
Temple School in Manchester
Victory Baptist School of Shelbyville
Covenant Academy McMinnville

 
Middle Tennessee State University is open beginning at 9 this morning
 

With the weather not cooperating tonight’s games have been cancelled.  Van Buren game was called off earlier and attempts to replace it with the Livingston game scheduled for Tuesday were successful so the teams were going to travel to Livingston instead.  Now WBRY has received word that those games have been postponed and a makeup date will be announced soon.  No ballgames of any kind tonight.

Tonight the Lions and Lionettes were supposed to go to Spencer Tennessee for a set of games against Van Buren County.  This has been rescheduled twice because of weather related issues.  The games have been cancelled again, this time there will be no
rescheduling.  Instead of playing Van Buren County tonight, the two teams will travel to Livingston to face the Wildcats in a district matchup.  This will get the game out of the way just in case the threat of weather hits later tonight early tomorrow morning. WBRY AM-1540/FM 107.9 will have the live broadcast of the game.  The game will also be streamed live on wbry.com.  Tipoff is at 6:00 tonight
 

An arrest warrant for a Dickson Tennessee man has been issued on charges of fraud recently.  According to Cannon County Sheriff’s Department reports, Deputy Andrew Colwell spoke with Craig Floyd who advised that he hired James Branstetter out of Dickson to build a barn on his property in Auburntown.  Mr. Floyd stated that a contract was signed and agreed upon between them back in October.  In November Mr. Branstetter was given a check in the amount of $8,393.00 to order the metal for the building.  On December 12th Mr. Boyd confirmed with Quality Metals that the materials needed were not ordered.  Minimal contact was exchanged through January but no results of materials being delivered or paid for.  It is determined that since a check was collected and obligations went unfulfilled that a warrant has been issued for Bransetter’s arrest.

Coming off their first district win in 11 games so far this season back last Tuesday, the Cannon County Lions were eyeing their second district win with a rematch against the Upperman Bees.  The Lions lost on a last second shot in Baxter in January.  Upperman however had different thoughts, the Bees outscored the Lions 26-8 in the second quarter and used that momentum to score a 78-53 win over Cannon County Friday night in Woodbury.  Austin Martin and Briar Jakes each had 10.  

The Cannon County Lionettes were able to stay in the game against the Upperman Lady Bees in the first quarter as the lead changed seven times in the early period.  Upperman’s defense got going a little late in the quarter as Upperman ended it with a nine point lead.  Upperman would stretch the lead to 15 at half en route to winning the game 67-37.  Olivia Walkup led the Lionettes with 10 points. 

Weather permitting the basketball teams will close out their regular season this week with four scheduled games.  Monday night the Lions and Lionettes hit the road to Spencer Tennessee for a set of games against Van Buren County.  Monday night games will air on AM-1540/FM96.7 WBRY and streaming live on wbry.com.  Tipoff is at 6:00.

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN CANNON COUNTY SCHOOLS
 
February 8-March 4—Part I of the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) will be given.
                                        Contact your school for more details.
 
 February 9th—CCHS basketball games with Livingston at Livingston, 6:00 p.m.
 
February 9th—School Board meeting workshop at the Central Office, 6:30 p.m.
 
February 11th—New Teachers training, 3:00 p.m., Central Office
 
February 11th—CCHS basketball games with Dekalb Co. at CCHS, 6:00 p.m.
 
February 11th—School Board meeting, Woodbury Grammar Cafeteria, 6:30 p.m.
 
February 12th—CCHS basketball games with Page at CCHS, 6:00p.m.  This will be senior night.
 
February 15th—President’s Day—No school for students or teachers
 
February 16th—Progress Reports go home.
 
February 16th—TSBA Day on the Hill for School Board members
 
February 17th—Read to Be Ready literacy kick-off
 
February 24th—WBRY Spotlight—Woodbury Grammar is the school of focus.
 
March 1st—Election Day—No school for students or teachers
 
March 3rd-4th-5th—B-team Tournament at Auburn School
 

Remember this date: January 16, 2016. That is when President Obama, Secretary of State John Kerry, and the rest of this Administration compromised our national security by lifting upwards of $100 billion in sanctions against the Iranian regime, the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism, with implementation of their dangerous “Iran Deal.” 

Now that this nuclear agreement has been set in motion, Administration officials like Secretary Kerry are finally telling the truth about its real consequences and admitting what we’ve warned all along: that the money the United States has provided Iran through this deal will inevitably be funneled into the hands of terrorists (read his remarks here). We cannot allow this to stand. 

I first announced my opposition to the Iran Nuclear Agreement last August, and since that time the House has voted with my support to:

• Express the sense of the House that, by failing to send Congress the text of the so-called “side deals” attached to the nuclear agreement, President Obama did not comply with the law and, therefore, had no authority to lift sanctions. This passed with bipartisan support on September 10, 2015. 

   

• Vote down a resolution of approval that would have given Congress’s consent for the deal to move forward. This was defeated with bipartisan opposition on September 10, 2015. 

   

• Pass a measure to prohibit the easing of any sanctions against Iran until it pays back the $43 billion it owes to victims of its state sponsored terrorism. This passed with bipartisan support on October 1, 2015. 
   

While the House continues to use every tool at its disposal to stop, slow, and delay this dangerous agreement, the Senate has, thus far, lacked a filibuster proof majority to block further implementation of the deal.  But we cannot relent. That is why, this week, the House voted with my support to once again thwart the Iran Deal with passage of the Iran Terror Financing Transparency Act.

This bill would block the Obama Administration from offering sanctions relief to any individual or bank until they can certify that the recipient has not done business with terrorist organizations. The bill takes it a step further by naming names. Under this legislation, no money from sanctions relief could fall into the hands of Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad to name a few.  Now the bill awaits action in the U.S. Senate. 

I urge Mitch McConnell and Senate Republican leaders to take up this bill and put members on record. If Senate Democrats are so committed to this disastrous agreement that they would be willing to block a bill preventing sanctions relief from falling into the hands of terrorists, then they should be forced to cast that vote and defend it to their constituents. 

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, the Iran Deal isn’t much of a “deal” at all. It is a gift to the Ayatollah bought at the price of our national security and the security of our allies, such as Israel. We will continue to fight this disastrous agreement on every front.

As the calendar turns a new year, cattle producers need to consider how to help their herds weather the winter. Dr. Marc Caldwell, a Field Service Veterinarian with the University of Tennessee Veterinary Medical Center, responds to some common questions about best management practices.

Do cows nutritional needs differ in the colder months?
Dr. Caldwell: Cold weather increases the energy needs of cattle. It’s always important to test your hay and supplements, so you know exactly the quality of feed you’re providing. Cattle may be able to get by with poor quality hay in mild weather, but once the cold arrives they need energy dense, good quality feed. When cold fronts are predicted be sure to provide additional supplements (grain, protein mixes, and range cubes) a few days before and throughout the cold weather. Calves display malnutrition at the time of extreme weather. They get down, cold and die of exposure. Cold stress also has effects on the immune systems. Scours outbreaks often occur 1-2 weeks after a bad winter storm. Adult cattle experience malnutrition more maliciously. Adults display weight loss, poor pregnancy rates, and/or trouble delivering and raising calves. February and March are often the worst. By this time cattle have endured the long winter and don’t have large stores of energy to endure any more tough weather.
Is excess moisture a problem in the winter? If so, how should you deal with it?
Dr. Caldwell: The worst weather scenarios start with a cold rain and followed by precipitous temperatures that drop below freezing. If cattle hair coats get wet through and through they can’t maintain a core of insulation and heat seeps out of them at a faster rate. When wet coats freeze the situation gets dangerous. Snow alone is less of a problem because snow often does not penetrate down through the thicker layer of the coat. Cold rain is more dangerous. Unfortunately we get a lot of that in Tennessee.
Again, any form of shelter is key. Barns, sheds, dense trees or rows of hay bales.
 
Should you worry about calves born during the winter?
Dr. Caldwell: It’s not uncommon for calves to be born in January and February. Most years that doesn’t create a problem. Calves less than a month old are most susceptible to cold weather. Emergency shelters are important when storms are coming.

What other considerations should ranchers take into account?
Dr. Caldwell: You may have seen cattle eating snow during the winter. It’s tempting to think they get enough water through that and you don’t have to get out and bust up water troughs, but the snow does not provide enough water. If possible, try to keep water troughs open at all times so cattle have unlimited access to water. Nursing cows require a lot of water to make milk. Imagine every mouth full of water a cow doesn’t get means less milk and slower growing calves. Lighter calves mean lighter pay checks.

When is it dangerous for cattle to be out?
Dr. Caldwell: Winter rain followed by severe drops in temps are the worst scenario. Unfortunately, most cattlemen in Tennessee don’t have shelters large enough for their entire herds. And, such shelters may not be necessary. Though storms can be tough, they’re mercifully short. If your cattle are well fed and get out of the wind, they should get through the worst a Tennessee winter can throw at them.
 For more information about cattle management, visit the UT Extension publications website (extension.tennessee.edu/publications) and enter the search term “cattle” or contact your Cannon county UT Extension agent, Bruce Steelman at 615-563-2554.