News 2011

State Fire Marshal Julie Mix McPeak wants to remind Tennesseans to keep safe and warm, as colder weather becomes more common across the state. But she urges residents to be cautious in the use of alternate heat sources.”The colder weather means many people will begin to heat their homes with fireplaces, woodstoves and space heaters,” said McPeak. “Cold weather months typically have a higher number of accidental fire injuries and deaths, due to the use of these alternative heat sources.”
“Tennessee occupies an undesirably hight spot in recurring rankings of states with fire deaths,” McPeak said. “One of the main causes remains falling asleep while smoking. If you smoke, please refrain from doing so in a bed or chair in which you tend to fall asleep.”
Following a few safety tips can greatly reduce the risk of fires. For more, visit the State Fire Marshal’s home safety checklist at http://ow.ly/7tpOU:

Make it a “house rule” to test your home’s smoke alarms, before using a space heater or fireplace. All smoke alarms should additionally be tested once a month. Doing so could save your life.

Space heaters need space. Never put a space heater within three feet of anything combustible, including furniture, bedding or aerosol cans. Make sure your space heater bears the mark of an independent testing lab such as UL or FM. Look for models with automatic shutoff features, when purchasing space heaters. Never use extension cords with space heaters.

Where independent lab logos are concerned, try to purchase surge protectors from established retailers. Some bargain retailers have unwittingly sold lower-quality surge protectors bearing counterfeit markings of independent testing labs. Some labs have begun using holographic labeling to combat the counterfeiting of their seals.

Before you use your fireplace, make sure the chimney has been professionally cleaned to remove the buildup of combustible materials that accumulate inside the flue. Be sure any kerosene-fueled heating device is installed with proper ventilation. A portable kerosene heater must be filled only in a well-ventilated area, free of flame and other heat sources, and only when the device has cooled completely. Use only the type of kerosene specified by the manufacturer, and never use gasoline in place of kerosene.

Never leave a fire, space heater or flame unattended, this includes decorative candles.

Additionally, make sure furniture, clothing or other combustible materials are not placed in front of permanently mounted heaters like those in walls or on baseboards. That way, if the vents blow warm air, there will be little worry of the items catching fire.
 

MTEMC members will see slightly lower rates when they get their bills inJanuary, as the Tennessee Valley Authority has decreased its Fuel Cost
Adjustment (FCA).
The FCA will move from December’s rate of 0.654 cents per kilowatt-hour to
0.416 cents per kilowatt-hour.
“The actual percentage change in members’ bills will differ depending on
the amount of energy members use,” MTEMC Communications Coordinator Todd
Palmer said. “It looks to be about a two and one-half percent decrease on
average.”
The Fuel Cost Adjustment is affected monthly by the fluctuating global
costs and demand of coal, natural gas, nuclear fuel and other fuels used
by the Tennessee Valley Authority to produce electricity.

Middle Tennessee State University will be closed until Tuesday, Jan. 3,2012, for the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, University officials
said.
All campus offices and departments will be closed during this time. The
closures will include the Cope Administration Building; James E. Walker
Library; Student Health, Wellness and Recreation Center; Keathley
University Center; MT Dining food service facilities; and James Union
Building.
MTSU offices will be open from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Jan. 3. Spring 2012
classes will begin on Thursday, Jan. 13.
Murphy Center will be open for MT Lady Raiders’ basketball games against
Kentucky on Wednesday, Dec. 28 (7 p.m. tipoff) and South Alabama on
Saturday, Dec. 31 (noon tipoff) and Blue Raiders’ home games against
Florida International on Thursday, Dec. 29 (7 p.m. tipoff) and South
Alabama on Dec. 31 (2:30 p.m. tipoff).
Blue Raider baseball will host winter camps Dec. 27-28 for ages 7 through
high-school seniors in the renovated Stephen B. Smith Training Facility
and Murphy Center auxiliary gym. Call 615-898-2961 for details.

With the holidays approaching, several organizations and offices will be observing special hours.  The town of Woodbury City Hall will be closed
today and Monday December 26th.  The Cannon County Courthouse will be
closed today, tomorrow and Monday.  The Cannon County Election Commission
Office will be closed today and Monday.  The Adams Memorial Library will
be closed Saturday, Sunday and Monday.  The Cannon County Extension Office
will be closed today and all week next week.

The Tennessee Highway Patrol is once again participating in the national holiday enforcement campaign, “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.” State Troopers will join local law enforcement agencies across the state to encourage safe driving habits and remove impaired drivers from Tennessee roadways this holiday season.  
The 2011 Christmas holiday period begins at 6 p.m. on Friday, December 23, and runs through 11:59 p.m. on Monday, December 26, while the New Year’s holiday period commences at 6 p.m., Friday, December 30, and concludes at 11:59 p.m., Monday, January 2, 2012.
 
“This is the time of year when many people are traveling to share the holiday with family and friends,” Department of Safety and Homeland Security Commissioner Bill Gibbons said. “Our goal is for motorists to reach their destinations safely. We take this responsibility seriously throughout the year, and especially during holiday seasons.”
 
The holiday season is one of the deadliest and most dangerous times of the year due to an increase in impaired driving. During the 2010 Christmas holiday period six people were killed in traffic crashes on Tennessee roadways. That represented one death every 13 hours. Alcohol was involved in 20 percent of those crashes and two of the five (40%) vehicle occupants killed were not wearing safety restraints. According to department records, the fewest number of people were killed during last year’s New Year’s holiday period with six vehicular fatalities. Nearly 17 percent (16.7%) of those fatalities occurred in alcohol-related crashes. 
 
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), nationwide impaired driving fatalities have dropped from 10,759 in 2009 to 10,228 in 2010, a 4.9 percent decline. In 2010, 283 people died in Tennessee traffic crashes involving a driver or motorcycle rider with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher. That’s a 5.4 percent decline from the 299 impaired driving deaths in 2009, and a 7.5 percent decline from the 306 impaired driving deaths in 2008.
 
“We are encouraged by the decline in impaired vehicular fatalities in Tennessee and nationwide,” THP Colonel Tracy Trott said. “Our agency has placed a greater emphasis on identifying and removing impaired drivers from state roadways, increasing the number of DUI arrests by 38 percent since last year. This holiday season will be no exception. If we catch you driving drunk, you will be arrested.” 
 
In 2010, there were 1,031 traffic fatalities in Tennessee, an increase of just over 4.5 percent from 986 fatalities in 2009. As of December 21, preliminary statistics indicate that 908 people have died on Tennessee roadways this year, a decrease of 109 deaths (10.7%) compared to 1,017 fatalities at this same time a year ago. 
 
The Tennessee Highway Patrol recommends these simple tips for a safe holiday season:
 
·         Plan ahead: Designate a sober driver before going out and give that person your keys.
·         If you’re impaired, call a taxi, use mass transit or call a sober friend or family member to get you home safely.
·         Wear a seat belt in a vehicle or protective gear on a motorcycle. It’s your best defense in a crash.
·         If you see a drunk driver on the road, contact your local law enforcement immediately;
·         And remember, “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over”. If you know someone who is about to drive or ride while impaired, take their keys and help them make other arrangements to get to where they are going safely.
 
State Troopers will utilize several enforcement tools over the Christmas and New Year’s holiday, such as saturation patrols, bar checks and driver license and sobriety checkpoints. A list of the checkpoints scheduled for the upcoming holidays is attached. 
 
Motorists can expect checkpoints on Chicken Pike in Rutherford County this afternoon, State
Route 146 near the 7 mile marker in Cannon County this morning,
Saturday’s enforcement will be in Dekalb County on State Route 146 near
the 6 mile marker Saturday morning and State Route 96 at Old Hwy 96 in the
afternoon.  In addition local law enforcement here in Cannon County will
conduct checkpoints on Hwy 70 South and Hwy 53 tonight
 

The Cannon County Lions played their best all around game of the year by far as the Lions thumped the Monterey Wildcats 77-41 Thursday night in the Silver Bracket Semifinal of the Sundrop Romp Christmas tournament at Boyd Christian School.  The Lions hit 25 of 49 including 5 of 13 from three point land.  Three players hit double figures led by Jarrett Melton’s 15 points.  Cory Henley added 11 and Matthew Turney turned in his best performance in a Lion uniform as the Senior scored 10 points including two three pointers.  Cannon County will participate in the Silver Bracket Final game Friday morning at 10:30 at Warren County High School The Oakland Lady Patriots went into the girls semifinal with one loss and after a wild classic showdown with the Cannon County Lionettes their loss record stayed in tact.  The two teams exchanged the lead 12 times and tied 5 times in the game.  The largest lead in the game was a short lived 7 points.  Cannon outshot Oakland connecting on 19 of 44 from the field while the opponents hit 16 of 36.  However it was opportunities at the free throw line that allowed Oakland to win.  The Lady Patriots shot 17 of 23 from the charity stripe while Cannon was only awarded 4 free throws connecting on three of them.  Oakland won the game 54 to 53 Abbey Sissom paced the Lionettes with 27 points and Joanna Young added 11.  Cannon fell to 11-3 on the year.  They will now play Warren County in the consolation game scheduled for today at 12:00 noon.
WBRY will broadcast the games live beginning at 10:15 this morning.

Judge Susan Melton Presided over General Sessions Court on Tuesday. Some of the results from the various cases that appeared on the docket included:Andrew Scott Asbury’s violation of probation was reset to 1/31/12.
Kimberly Ann Besner pled guilty to public intoxication. She was sentenced to 30 days in jail. That sentence was suspended upon equal time on probation, paying a $50.00 fine and the costs. In another case Besner’s charge of disorderly conduct was dismissed without costs.
Larry Ricky Blair, Jr. pled guilty to simple possession of schedule II drugs. He was sentenced to 11 months 29 days in jail. That sentence was suspended upon equal time on probation, paying a $750.00 fine and the costs. In another case Blair pled guilty to public intoxication. He was sentenced to 30 days in jail. That sentence was suspended upon equal time on probation and paying the costs. In another case Blair’s charge of possession of drug paraphernalia was dismissed without costs.
Michael Richard Blake’s charges of DUI, speeding, violation of registration law, and violation insurance law were reset to 1/24/12.
Clifford Wayne Brothers agreed to the violation of probation. He was ordered to serve 1 day and his probation was extended for 11 months 29 days.
A Capias was issued for Brandy Resha Campbell for failing to appear on the charges of harassment and contempt of court.
Shannon Kay Campbell pled guilty to criminal trespass. She was sentenced to 30 days in jail. That sentence was suspended upon equal time on probation, paying a $25.00 fine and the costs.
Mary Ellen Carmack agreed to the violation of probation. She was ordered to serve 5 days.
Daniel Jacob Carpenter’s charge of DUI was reset to 2/21/12.
Nathan Lewayne Davis agreed to the violation of probation. His probation was extended 11 months 29 days.
Paula Davis agreed to the violation of probation. Her probation was extended 11 months 29 days.
Steven Dwayne Davis’ charge of theft under $500.00 was reset to 3/20/12.
Jennifer Lee Deese pled guilty to driving without a license. She was sentenced to 30 days in jail. That sentence was suspended upon equal time on probation, paying a $25.00 fine and the costs.
Christine Ann Dilts’ charges of filing a false report and criminal impersonation was reset to 2/14/12.
William Elton Eisenmann’s charges of violation of probation, forgery X3, simple possession of schedule II drugs, theft over $1,000.00, aggravated burglary X2, and vandalism under $500.00 were reset to 1/10/12.
Anthony Quinn Epperson Jr. agreed to the violation of probation. He was ordered to serve 30 days and his probation was extended 10 months 29 days.
Melissa Fults’ charge of worthless check was dismissed upon the forfeiture of her bond.
Christopher Wayne Gilley’s violation of probation was reset to 1/31/12.
Sharon K. Golden agreed to the violation of probation. Her probation was extended 9 months 11 days.
Collin Lewis Hanson pled guilty to public intoxication. He was sentenced to 30 days in jail. That sentence was suspended upon equal time on probation, paying a $25.00 fine and the costs.
Noah Wesley Harris’ violation of probation was reset to 1/31/12.
Angel Faye Hernandez’s charge of hindering a secure creditor was reset to 2/7/12.
James Jessie Ingram pled guilty to reckless endangerment. He was sentenced to 11 months 29 days in jail. That sentence was partially suspended upon serving 15 days, 11 months 29 days on probation, paying a $525.00 fine and the costs.
Dillon Martin Jakes’ charge of possession of a legend drug was reset to 2/14/12.
Charlie James King pled guilty to driving on a suspended license. He was sentenced to 6 months in jail. That sentence was suspended upon equal time on probation, paying a $25.00 fine and the costs.
William David Labbe’s charge of possession of drug paraphernalia was reset to 2/21/12.
A Capias was issued for Christopher Paul Lafever for failing to appear on the charge of public intoxication.
James Lee McPeak’s charge of theft over $1,000.00 was reset to 1/3/12.
A show cause was issued for Mitchell Lee Medley for failure to appear on the charge of violating the 18-20 underage consumption law.
Nicole D. Muncey pled guilty to simple possession of schedule II drugs. She was sentenced to 11 months 29 days in jail. In another case Muncey agreed to the violation of probation. She was ordered to serve the original sentence of 11 months 29 days. Muncey’s other charges of possession of a legend drug, simple possession of a schedule IV drug, simple possession of a schedule VI drug, and possession of drug paraphernalia were dismissed without costs.
Michael A. Parker’s charge of driving on a suspended license was reset to 2/21/12.
James C. Pittard pled guilty to aggravated assault. He was sentenced to 11 months 29 days in jail. Pittard’s other charges of domestic assault X2, reckless endangerment, evading arrest, and vandalism were dismissed without costs.
Steven Ray Ratliff charge of violation of probation was reset to 2/14/12.
Stanley O. Reeves pled guilty to disorderly conduct. He was sentenced to 21 days in jail.
Benjamin Casey Roberts’ charges of DUI and driving on a suspended license were reset to 1/17/12.
Joseph P. Simmons agreed to the violation of probation. He was ordered to serve 29 days and his probation was extended 11 months 29 days.
Jeremy Dean Sissom pled guilty to simple possession of schedule VI drugs. He was sentenced to 11 months 29 days in jail. In another case Sissom pled guilty to DUI. He was sentenced to 11 months 29 days in jail and fined $350.00. In another case Sissom pled guilty to driving on a revoked license. He was sentence to 11 months 29 days in jail and fined $100.00. Sissom’s other charges of possession of schedule VI drugs, possession of drug paraphernalia, violation of the implied consent law, speeding, and violation of insurance law were dismissed without costs.
Tammy Renee Southers agreed to the violation of probation. She was ordered to serve 35 days and her probation was extended 9 months 24 days.
Brian Alan Stafford’s charge of possession of drug paraphernalia was retired for 11 months 29 days. He was ordered to pay the costs.
Leroy Carter Stingley, Jr. pled guilty to public intoxication. He was sentenced to 30 days in jail.
Samuel Christian M. Strang pled guilty to attempting to file a false police report. He was sentenced to 11months 29 days in jail. That sentence was suspended upon equal time on probation, paying a $100.00 fine and the costs.
Joseph Matthew Tayor’s charges of DUI and violation of the insurance law were reset to 1/24/12.
Bryan Christopher Tate pled guilty to driving on a suspended license. He was sentenced to 6 months in jail.
Cynthia Denise Thomas retirement review was reset to 3/20/12.
Michael Shane Thomas’ violation of probation was reset to 1/31/12.
Jessie Harold Vinson, III charges of DUI, simple possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, and violation of the implied consent law were reset to 1/24/12.
Wayne Irving Wentz’s charges of aggravated assault X3 and unlawful possession of a weapon were reset to 1/24/12.
Johnny Whittemore agreed to the violation of probation. His probation was extended 11 months 29 days.
Amanda Kay Wilson’s charges of public intoxication and possession of schedule II drugs was reset to 1/10/12.
Scotty Glenn Grizzle’s charges of driving on a suspended license, speeding, seatbelt law, registration violation, and violation of the insurance law were reset to 2/21/12.
 

Back to McMinnville to resume play in the 2nd annual Sundrop RompChristmas Tournament for the Cannon County Basketball teams. The 4 and 9
Cannon County Lions are coming off a 68-47 loss to Cumberland County.
They will play a 1 and 6 Monterey Wildcat Team. In the second game of the
late afternoon involving Cannon County teams the 11 and 2 Lionette team
will meet a Oakland Lady Patriot team who are off to one of their best
starts in recent history at 8-1. Both games will be broadcast on AM 1540
FM 96.7 WBRY starting at 3:45 with Coaches Corner and 4:00 with the boys
game, followed by the girls game around 5:30

Glenn Ferrell was recently named the Tennessee Department of Agriculture Division of Forestry’s Employee of the Year. The award is presented annually to a division employee who shows outstanding efforts and work accomplishments for a particular year.  
“Glenn has been a tremendous asset in the Cumberland District. The technical and professional staffs there, along with the citizens they serve, are fortunate to have such a dedicated individual working with them,” said State Forester Steven Scott.
 
Ferrell has served the division’s Cumberland District since 1982 – 13 years as a part-time wildland firefighter in Cannon County and the last 16 years working full-time as a Forestry Aide 2 in DeKalb County. He is charged with operating a dozer used in fighting wildfires and works in forest management activities along with Forestry Technician Joe Bryson.
 
“Glenn does a great job in fire control in a county that has a high percentage of extremely steep terrain,” said Bryson. “He takes his dozer where a goat couldn’t go and when it becomes impossible to plow safely any farther, he jumps off his dozer and grabs a (leaf) blower or rake and does the work of two men.”
 
Ferrell is a native of Cannon County where he grew up and went to school in the small community of Short Mountain.
 
“I always wanted to work in forestry,” said Ferrell. “You get to work outside and do different stuff every day. It’s not always the same job.”
 
Ferrell currently resides in DeKalb County with his wife Louise and has a step-daughter and two young grandchildren. In his spare time, Glenn enjoys watching dirt track racing and spending time with his grandchildren.
 

The Woodbury Police Department and the Cannon County Sheriff’s Departmentwill be conducting safety and sobriety checkpoints on Friday December
23rd. The checkpoints will be located on Highway 53 and Highway 70. The
checkpoints are being done in conjunction with the Governor’s Booze It and
Lose It campaign.
Officers working the checkpoints are paid from grant funds provided by the
Governor’s Highway Safety Office. It is the goals of the police
departments to keep the streets and highways of Woodbury and Cannon County
safe throughout the holidays.