News 2013

A Cannon County man has been charged with several offenses after breaking into a residence recently.  According to Cannon County Sheriff Department Reports, Charles Thomas Grizzle has been arrested and charged with Vandalism, Theft Over $500, Evading Arrest, Burglary Possession of Burglary Tools, Burglary, Simple Possession of Schedule II drugs, and Drug Paraphernalia.  Deputy Tommy Miller arrested Grizzle after Grizzle allegedly used a hammer to knock the door handle off a garage door of a Center Hill Road residence.  This caused damage to the garage door which eventually led to damage of the back door after Grizzle used a metal bird feeder handle to break through the door. Grizzle took a tool bag and miscellaneous tools with the value being over $500.  Grizzle broke away from Miller and led Miller on a short chase through a field before being captured.  After being arrested Miller found a clear plastic bag that contained a white powder substance which tested positive for methamphetamine.  Grizzle has made bond and will answer to the charges on Tuesday March 5th in General Sessions Court  

The Cannon County Lionettes are looking to take their frustrations on the Cascade Lady Champions after getting upset by the Smith County Lady Owls in their own building. The Lionettes enter tonight’s game 18-2 against a Cascade team that has gone 9-3 since their loss to Cannon County earlier this year.  The Lady Champs have won four in a row including a game against Moore County.  The new AP poll comes out today and with the loss Friday night Cannon is in danger of falling from the top spot.  After the Lions found their shooting touch in a home game Friday, they will now have to go back out on the road to Wartrace tonight to take on a Cascade team that beat the Lions earlier this season 69-49.  Cascade is 11-5 with two of those losses on their home floor.  The broadcast coverage tonight will start at 5:45 with the Coaches Corner.  6:00 will have the tipoff.  You can hear the entire game coverage on AM-1540/FM96.7 WBRY
 

Tonight’s meeting of the Cannon County Election Commission appears to be relatively simple according to the agenda.  The Commissioners will discuss and act upon tabled matters from previous meetings, review and act upon any new voter registrations.  The commission will also discuss the Tennessee Association of County Election Officials Seminar that was held last month and give out the dates and locations for the seminar in 2013.  They are also scheduled to address any matters regarding the pending lawsuit against the Commission filed by former Cannon County Election Administrator Stan Dobson.  The meeting will be held this afternoon at 5:30 at the Cannon County Courthouse  

 2012 CROP PRODUCTION RESULTS NOW FINALIZED It was a tough year for Tennessee farmers, especially for corn growers. The bright spots were the soybean and cotton crops that exceeded earlier expectations and finished with above average per acre yields. In fact, the average cotton yield for the state closely approached the record high set in 2006. Disappointment loomed all season for the prospects of a decent corn crop and final results indicate average output per acre worse than previously forecast. Dark tobacco types yielded respectable while Burley yields ended slightly below the 10-year average. Hay yields, thanks to late summer moisture, were about average. State Director Debra Kenerson noted, “Extremely dry, hot weather into early July just devastated the corn crop. After that point, the weather became more seasonal and rainfall was adequate in most areas the remainder of the crop season. Harvest conditions were excellent.” The final yield estimates for 2012 revealed the following: Corn, 85 bushels per acre, down 46 bushels from 2011’s yield of 131 bushels; Cotton, 934 pounds per acre, up 138 pounds from the previous year; Soybeans, 38 bushels per acre, up 6 bushels from 2011; Burley tobacco, 1,810 pounds per acre, up 200 pounds from a year earlier.
COTTON YIELD SECOND HIGHEST ON RECORD
Tennessee’s cotton production was estimated at 730,000 bales, down 83,000 bales from 2011. The State’s final average yield averaged 934 pounds of lint per acre, up 138 pounds from the previous year and second only to 2006’s record yield of 945 pounds. Harvested area was 375,000 acres, down 115,000 acres from 2011. Timely, late summer and fall rains were vital to the cotton crop development. Production was down due to decreased acreage.
2012 CORN YIELD WORST SINCE THE DROUGHT OF 1993
Corn for grain production was estimated at 81.6 million bushels. The final yield, at 85 bushels per acre, was down 46 bushels from a year earlier and down 4 bushels from the final November forecast. This was the lowest yielding crop in almost twenty years. Conversely, growers planted 250,000 more acres in 2012, the most since 1961. Tennessee corn producers harvested 960,000 acres for grain, an increase of 225,000 acres over 2011. The 2012 corn drought resulted in producers abandoning about 35,000 acres. Also, acres harvested for silage increased to 45,000, in part due to some of the acreage intended for grain was cut for silage. The silage yield, at 12 tons per acre, was down 5 tons from the previous year. Silage production totaled 540,000 tons. Corn harvest was virtually complete by mid-October, about three weeks ahead of the normal pace.
SOYBEAN PRODUCTION A BRIGHT SPOT IN 2012
Soybean production was estimated at 46.7 million bushels, up 16 percent from the previous year. The State’s final soybean yield was estimated at 38 bushels per acre, up 6 bushels from 2011. Producers harvested 1.23 million acres for beans, down 30,000 acres from the previous year. Excellent harvesting conditions allowed growers to gather the crop by mid-November. Soybean yields were better than average due to plentiful late summer and fall rain.
HIGHEST BURLEY PRODUCTION SINCE 2006
Burley producers increased production to 29 million pounds, up 28 percent from 2011 and the highest since 2006. The State’s final burley yields averaged 1,810 pounds per acre, up 200 pounds from a year earlier. Growers harvested 16,000 acres, up 2,000 from the previous year. Tennessee’s dark fire-cured tobacco yields were estimated at 3,100 pounds per acre, up 210 pounds from 2011. Dark air-cured yields reached 2,650 pounds per acre, up 30 pounds from a year earlier. Burley tobacco yields improved over the past two seasons’ dismal ones, but were still less than expected in late summer. Scarce labor supplies challenged growers in some areas, causing harvest delays. Curing conditions to date have been acceptable.
MOST WINTER WHEAT SEEDINGS SINCE 2008
Total winter wheat acreage for the 2013 season is estimated at the highest level since 2008 at 540,000 acres, up 120,000 acres from 2012. Mild autumn weather with adequate moisture across Tennessee allowed for timely seeding. Winter wheat seeding started in late September and continued at a normal pace through mid-November. Weather conditions during December, including above normal temperatures and near normal precipitation, have been beneficial for the winter wheat crop. As of the week ending November 18, virtually all of the state’s wheat acreage had been seeded with over two-thirds emerged. The crop is currently rated in good-to-excellent condition.
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2012 HAY PRODUCTION DOWN SHARPLY DUE TO DECREASED ACREAGE
Hay production, at 3.55 million tons, was down 11 percent from the 2011 crop. Acreage, at 1.765 million acres, was down 115,000 acres from a year earlier. Hay yields averaged 2.01 tons per acre. Alfalfa production totaled 51,000 tons. Alfalfa producers harvested 15,000 acres down 5,000 from a year earlier. Alfalfa yields averaged 3.40 tons per acre, down 3 percent from the previous year. Growers seeded 2,000 acres of alfalfa during 2012, down 3,000 acres from 2011. Pastures and hay fields suffered from the combination of above average temperatures and severe drought during late spring and summer. Fall weather was moderate, with ample rainfall and cooler temperatures. This helped pastures and hay fields recover. As a result, some farmers were able to get a second cutting that had not been anticipated. Hay stocks on Tennessee farms totaled 2.7 million tons on December 1, 2012, down 13 percent from 2011. Stocks represented 76 percent of this year’s production, compared with 78 percent on December 1, 2011. Lower hay production in combination with early feeding resulted in decreased on-farm hay stocks as of December 1, 2012.
 
CROP ESTIMATES: TENNESSEE AND UNITED STATES, 2012, WITH COMPARISONS        
Crop     Units     Harvested Acres     Yield Per Acre     Production        
2011     2012     2011     2012     2011     2012        
Thousands     Number of Units     Thousands        
TENNESSEE        
Apples1     lb.     —     —     —     —     8,500     7,500        
Corn for grain     bu.     735     960     131     85     96,285     81,600        
Corn for silage     ton     38     45     17     12     646     540        
Cotton2     lb.     490     375     796     934     813     730        
Cottonseed     ton     —     —     —     —     272.0     243.0        
Hay, All     ton     1,880     1,765     2.11     2.01     3,976     3,551        
Other     ton     1,860     1,750     2.10     2.00     3,906     3,500        
Alfalfa     ton     20     15     3.50     3.40     70     51        
Soybeans     bu.     1,260     1,230     32.0     38.0     40,320     46,740        
Tobacco, All     lb.     22.0     23.9     2,062     2,218     45,363     53,000        
Dark fire-cured     lb.     6.9     6.9     2,890     3,100     19,941     21,390        
Burley     lb.     14.0     16.0     1,610     1,810     22,540     28,960        
Dark air-cured     lb.     1.1     1.0     2,620     2,650     2,882     2,650        
Winter Wheat     bu.     310     340     69.0     63.0     21,390     21,420        
UNITED STATES        
Apples1     lb.     —     —     —     —     9,429,900        
Corn for grain     bu.     83,989     87,375     147.2     123.4     12,359,612     10,780,296        
Corn for silage     ton     5,935     7,379     18.4     15.4     109,094     113,450        
Cotton2     lb.     9,460.9     9,426.8     790     866     15,573.2     17,009.9        
Cottonseed     ton     —     —     —     —     5,370.0     5,759.0        
Hay, All     ton     55,653     56,260     2.36     2.13     131,216     119,878        
Other     ton     36,440     38,968     1.81     1.74     65,884     67,829        
Alfalfa     bu.     19,213     17,292     3.40     3.01     65,332     52,049        
Soybeans     lb.     73,776     76,104     41.9     39.6     3,093,524     3,014,998        
Tobacco, All     lb.     325.0     336.2     1,841     2,268     598,252     762,441        
Dark fire-cured     lb.     16.4     16.3     3,154     3,302     51,721     53,764        
Burley     lb.     88.9     101.4     1,938     2,021     172,265     204,880        
Dark air-cured     bu.     5.5     5.2     2,924     2,933     16,082     15,250        
Winter Wheat     bu.     32,314     34,834     46.2     47.2     1,493,677     1,645,202        
 

There is still time to sign up and attend the Cannon County Chamber of Commerce’s 2013 Banquet but those interested must reserve their place by Monday.  The banquet will be held at the Blue Porch Restaurant at the Arts Center Thursday January 17th at 6:30 p.m.  The cost is $15.00 per person.  The event is for current members of the Chamber of Commerce as well as open to any business, or organization’s staff and personel regardless of being a member or not.  The staff of the Chamber invites everyone out for a great meal and networking opportunity.  The Chamber will be sharing their vision of economic and civic development through the growth of local businesses here in Cannon County.  The banquet will also serve as the election of new board members.  Nominees include Rachel Parker. Cannon County Artist, Cindy Pitts First National Bank, Wanda Thompson Blue Porch Restaurant and Gary Hancock of DTC Communications.  Call 563-2222 for more information  

After surviving two close games in the past week, the Cannon County Lionettes couldn’t overcome a third one.  The Smith County Lady Owls came into Woodbury Friday night ready to take on the Cannon County Lionettes and mix up the district race a little bit.  Neither team could run away from the other one even though Smith led at the end of all four quarters in the game.  The game saw 8 lead changes and five ties.  The Lady Owls was able to gain an 8 point cushion in the fourth quarter and after taking off precious time by stalling the ball toward the end of the game were able to notch a 64-58 upset of the Lionettes  Abbey Sissom led all Lionette scorers with 23 and Abby Jakes added 10 in the loss.  The Lionettes are still on top of the district race with a 4-1 record, second place Livingston survived an overtime game against Central Magnet 47-45 to improve their district record to 4-1 but are in second place due to Cannon winning at Livingston last week.  The Cannon County Lions found there’s no place like home though.  After dropping 8 of their last 9 games on the road, the Lions mired in a shooting slump came back home and made it look easy against a Smith County team looking for their fifth overall win.  Cannon got out to a 5 point end of first quarter lead.  That lead grew by as many as 14 several times in the game en route to a 60-48 win over the Owls.  Cory Henley scored 14 to lead the Lions while Tanner Larson ended up with 10.  The 18-2 Lionettes and 9-10 Lions will travel to Wartrace Monday to meet Cascade High School in a non district game.

The Smith County Lady Owlettes roll into Woodbury sporting a 14-6 overall record.  The Girls team has won 3 in a row and have some impressive district wins on this year’s resume including wins against Upperman and York.  They lost by 5 to Livingston earlier in the season and are coming off a 7 point victory against their cross county rival Gordonsville 59-52.  Tonight’s contest will be the second since the Lionettes were named at the top of the AP Prep AA Girls Basketball poll.  The 18-1 Cannon County team survived a tough contest against Coffee County in Manchester Monday night.  The Cannon County Lions try to break a 5 game slide that has seen their overall record drop to 8-10.  However this district contest is a crucial must have for the Lions to keep them in the thick of the district race.  Right now the Lions are 2-3 while the Smith County Owls haven’t been much better in a season with high expectations.  Smith County has only won 4 games this season combined with 14 losses.  The Owls beat Gordonsville a week ago to start the 2013 year off with a win.  The games will be broadcast on AM-1540/FM 96.7 WBRY starting at 5:45 with the tipoff at 6:00. The games will also be streamed live online through our website wbry.com The night will also serve as a fundraiser for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.  Both Lions and Lionettes will be collecting monetary donations for the foundation tonight at the game.

The Trivia Team from New York is coming back Saturday, the team from Auburntown will be back to defend their title as the Cannon County Senior Center’s popular fundraising Trivia Night takes place Saturday night starting at 4:00.  The tickets are $10 each person 6 players to a team.  The evening include a barbecue dinner and games of trivia.  Tickets are still available to the Trivia Night and can be obtained by calling 615-563-5304  

Judge Susan Melton presided over General Sessions Court on Tuesday. Some of the results of the various cases that appeared on the docket included: 
Alicia Nicolee Avans 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 $2.00 fine and the costs.
Todd Andrew Baxter’s charge of animals at large was retired for 6 months.
Ashley Ann Bost’s charges of simple possession, driving on a suspended license and speeding were bound over to the January term of the Grand Jury.
Sammy Allen Howell pled guilty to DUI. He was sentenced to 11 months 29 days in jail. That sentence was partially suspended upon serving 48 hours, equal time on probation, losing his license for 1 year, 24 hours of litter removal, paying a $350.00 fine and the costs.
Danny Hugh Kennedy, III pled guilty to violation of an order of protection. He was sentenced to 11 months 29 days in jail. That sentence was partially suspended upon serving 10 days, equal time on probation and paying the costs.
Larry Dean Leftwich pled guilty to driving on a suspended license. He was sentenced to 6 months in jail.
Andrea Nathalia Leon-Abraham 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 $2.00 fine and the costs.
Kevin Michael Shovan 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 $150.00 fine and the costs.
Joseph Matthew Taylor agreed to the violation of his probation. He was ordered to serve 14 days and his probation was extended 23 months 26 days.
Paul Emerson Walker agreed to the violation of his probation. He was ordered to serve 30 days and his probation was extended 10 months 23 days. In another case pled guilty to driving on a suspended license 2nd offense. He was sentenced to 6 months in jail. That sentence was suspended upon equal time on probation, paying a $50.00 fine and the costs.
Bradley S. Sanders agreed to the violation of probation. His probation was extended 6 months.
 
 
 

Package Liquor stores within the town of Woodbury will be coming soon now that the Woodbury Aldermen voted Tuesday night to approve an ordinance to establish liquor store regulations.  A public hearing on the matter was held to open the meeting.  Since no one from the audience spoke up, a motion was made and approved on second and final reading to set the regulations.  The Aldermen also gave the green light for Mayor Harold Patrick to apply for a 2013 Community Development Block Grant in the amount of $500,000 for the purpose of water system rehabilitation and to provide $75,000.00 local matching funds from the Woodbury Water and Sewer Fund.  The money will be used for water line replacements in the Short Mountain Area.  Mayor Patrick was also given the approval to work out a deal with Mr. Charles Brandon on the purchase a a vacant lot on Water Street.  Mr. Brandon owns several lots around that piece of property and would like to buy it from the town in order to offer the entire lot as a package deal.  Mayor Patrick announced to the Aldermen that he appointed Dotty Duggin to serve on the Woodbury Planning Commission and also appointed Woodbury Fire Chief Bill Johnston, Woodbury Public Works Director Alan Paschal and Woodbury Police Chief Kevin Mooneyham to serve on the Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee.  Cannon County received a grant which includes Auburntown and Woodbury to help better prepare for disasters.  The forming of the committee is one of the stipulations in receiving that grant