News 2013

Are you ready to do some Christmas shopping?  Friday and Saturday November 22nd and 23rd, many merchants of Woodbury are joining together to bring to the Cannon County Community the Cannon Country Christmas Merchants Open House Event.  Every day from here until the time of activities next week WBRY News will spotlight the businesses that will be participating.   Our first business spotlight  is the Old Feed Store, Antique Mall and Gathering Place Cafe housed under one big roof at 310 West Water Street.  The Feed Store provides feed for just about any farm animal you can think of, even llamas said owner Mike Vaughn.  Mike’s wife Debbie runs the Antique Store which features two floors, several consignors and 50 dealers.  Both businesses are open seven days a week.  There is space available for other dealers and consignors.  In addition to the two businesses.  Debbie Vaughn has also put on the chef’s hat and opened a light lunch, soup, salad and sandwich shop, The Gathering Place Cafe open Thursday through Saturday 10:30A-2:30P.  Debbie says that the most popular sandwich on the menu is the Chicken Salad croissant.  She continues that if she ever took that sandwich off the menu that she would never hear the end of it.  Take out orders are available by calling 563-FOOD (3663)Everyone is invited to come visit the Old Feed Store and Antique Mall and the Gathering Place Cafe during the  Cannon County Country Christmas Merchants Open House Friday and Saturday November 22nd and 23rd.

Boys and girls are silently bearing the burden of child sexual abuse alone because only 10 percent of children report the abuse to a trusted adult, said Sharon De Boer, executive director of the Cannon County Child Advocacy Center. Experts estimate that one in 10 children will be sexually abused by their 18th birthday. Ninety percent of child sexual abuse victims never report the abuse.   
“This means in school classrooms, daycares, churches, Sunday schools, sports teams, choirs, marching bands, cheerleading squads, dance teams, and homes—everywhere you see children in our community, there are boys and girls who are silently bearing the burden of child sexual abuse alone,” said De Boer. 
Child abuse statistics show adults do not adequately protect children from child sexual abuse.  There are lots of reasons why, but the main reason is that they do not know how.  Parents and grandparents are unaware of the steps they can take to protect their children and grandchildren from child sexual abuse.  They do not know how to recognize the signs of child sexual abuse and they do not know what to do if their child tells them it is happening.  
“As professionals in the field of child abuse, we have taught children to protect themselves from child sexual abuse,” De Boer said. “That is important for them to learn, but it is no substitute for adult responsibility.  The reality is that teaching children to protect themselves has not worked.” 
To change this culture, the Child Advocacy Center trained professionals from the community to be Darkness to Light facilitators beginning last summer. “Darkness to Light” is a new nationwide initiative designed to teach adults how to protect children by teaching them the 7 Steps to Protecting Children from Sexual Abuse. The Child Advocacy Center has 19 certified Darkness to Light trainers available to conduct trainings in Cannon County. 
“A child’s safety is an adult’s responsibility,” De Boer said. “We make our children wear seat belts. We ask our teenagers where they are going and who they will be with—all to keep our children safe.  Protecting children from child sexual abuse is also an adult responsibility.”  
The Child Advocacy Center has trained 24 individuals from the following Cannon County organizations how to protect children from child sexual abuse and what to do if a child reports abuse to them:  Woodbury Police Department, Cannon County Child Protective Investigative Team, and Cannon County REACH.  
You can support the Darkness to Light Project by bringing the training to your church, business, school, PTO, or civic group, and by learning everything you can do to prevent your own children and grandchildren from being sexually abused. 
For more information, please contact Ryan Wallace or Amanda Pruitt at the Cannon County Child Advocacy Center at (616) 563-9915.

If the opening day is any indication of what kind of basketball season this season will bring to the Cannon County teams, it should be an indication that the Lions and Lionettes programs are in great shape.  Tuesday the teams participated in the opening day Hall of Fame Games at Robert A Harris Gymnasium.  The Cannon County Lionettes got off to a slow start in their opener against Rhea County.  But after opening up a sizeable lead in the third quarter coasted to a 52-38 win with Abbey Sissom scoring 19 points.  That was the warmup game.  The second contest of the evening, the Lionettes poured it on with everybody getting into the action in their game against Grundy County.  Abbey Sissom led all scoring with 20 points as the Lionettes routed the Lady Jackets 90-33.  The Cannon County Lions boys team finished the night 2-0 as well.  The Lions used Cory Henley’s 12 points and 11 other Lions players scored baskets as Cannon shut down Grundy County 66-18.  Cannon’s defense and rebounding only allowed Grundy County to score 4 points in each quarter and only 6 points in the final quarter for the win.  The Lions then boarded a bus and traveled to Boyd Christian for a contest in McMinnville for their second game of the Classic.  The final score of that contest was 69-33.  Cannon County.  Hall of Fame Game Action continues Friday at Van Buren County High School  

The Cannon County Lions and Lionettes high school basketball teams will kick off the 2013-2014 season today at Robert A Harris Gymnasium with a marathon of basketball games.  Both teams have high expectations this year.  First the Cannon County Lionettes led by two time Miss Basketball finalist Abbey Sissom will start the afternoon off at 1:30 against the Rhea County Lady Golden Eagles.  The Lionettes saw the first round of the State Tournament last year and not only will be counting on Sissom but also post player Rebekah Faulkner and defensive specialist Madison Walkup to get them back to Murfreesboro again this season.  Rhea County finished 19-9 but unfortunately that ninth loss was in the first round of the district tournament which ended their successful season prematurely.  The Lionettes will also play Boyd Christian School tonight at 6:00.  The Cannon County Lions return a nucleus of talent around the perimeter and the inside game of Tanner Larson.  The Lions are picked to finish in the top 3 teams in the district according the the District 8-AA coaches.  Look for field goal shooting to be much improved from last season.  The Lions return a deep team featuring several talented freshmen and sophomores to go along with the experienced talent returning to the squad.  They will play a Rhea County boys basketball team who won 11 games last season.  Tipoff of the game will start at 4:30.  The Boys will also play Boyd Christian School to wind up the Hall Of Fame Classic games Tuesday night at 7:30.  WBRY AM-1540/FM96.7 will have the live broadcasts of the games starting at 12:45 this afternoon.  You can also catch the games live streaming on the internet at wbry.com or on your android or i-phone based smartphone by downloading the app TuneIn Radio and once downloaded type in WBRY in the search engine  

The Cannon County Commissioners will attempt once again to appoint a commissioner to serve out the remainder of the term of the late Bob Stoetzel when they meet tonight at the Cannon County Courthouse.  The item was on the agenda of the October meeting but had to be moved to the November meeting because public notice was not given 7 days prior to the October meeting.  Two candidates were present at last month’s meeting and a public notice called for more possible applicants.  Some other items on the agenda include Wes Hughen director of project development for the Tennessee Department of Transportation will address the Commission regarding the new highway project.  The Cannon County Dixie Youth Association will also be on hand to address the Commissioners in regards to a notice they received from Middle Tennessee Electric concerning the importance of installing new lights and poles on all the baseball fields at the Fairgrounds.  The meeting starts tonight at 5:00.

Keith Pruitt of Old Hickory Tennessee and Author of the book “Sharpshooter: The Life and Times of Tillman Manus will be the featured speaker of tonight’s Cannon County Historical Society meeting.  Tillman Manus was born in Cannon County and relocated to Illinois.  He fought in the Civil War under Ulysses S. Grant. Mr. Pruitt is an educator who by teaching History, had students that connected to their family history.  It was during that pursuit that he first became acquainted with Tillman Manus, his grandmother’s cousin.  Mr. Pruitt will have copies of his book for sale and signing.  The Society will meet at 6:30 p.m. for snacks and refreshments in the small dining area of the Cannon County Senior Center located at 609 Lehman Street in Woodbury.  Mr. Pruitt’s presentation will begin at 7:00  

Halloween is over.  But, not at your libraries!  Please stop by and get a treat bag courtesy of your Friends of the Library!  The bad weather kept us from being out to distribute goodies as we had planned and kept many of you home, too.  We have goodies to give away.  Yumm!  Speaking of your Friends of the Library group, don’t forget to check out the items on sale at their ongoing used book sale.  Recently, folks spent as little as $15 and had to make two trips to their car with the haul.  Paperbacks are 25 cent each or 4 for $1 and hardbacks are $1 each.We often meet library patrons and visitors who think that the Adams Memorial Library is funded by an endowment from the Adams family.   Although that would be very nice, it is not the case.  The building is owned by the Dr. and Mrs. J.F. Adams Memorial Library Association.  It is named to honor them, but was not built with money donated by them.  The Association is a private one which raised the funds to pay for the original building, and more recently the addition and remodeling, and also pays for building maintenance and repair.  They generously allow the Cannon County Library to reside there rent free.  The equipment, materials, and staffing are paid by your tax dollars appropriated by the County Commission and supplemented by income from copy fees, fax fees, fines, grants, and donations.  Please know that any time you say “keep the change”, it goes back into the budget to help pay for library materials and programs.  You have every reason to be proud of the libraries you have helped to build and grow.

I will never forget the day that I watched my first born son, Steve, leave home to serve aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise in Operation Desert Storm. I was fiercely proud of his willingness to serve his country but, like any mother, anxiously awaited his return and prayed each night for safety while he remained in harm’s way. Thankfully, our prayers were answered when Steve returned to us thirteen months later, joining the ranks of my husband, my father, my brother, and more than 525,000 Tennesseans as a proud military veteran.On Monday, we will honor these brave Americans with the celebration of Veterans Day. For many of us, this may mean a day off from school or work—perhaps spent at a local parade or gathering with family and friends; but I hope wherever we are, we will pause to collectively give thanks for the men and women who have boldly answered the call to serve the country that they love and secure the blessings of liberty for future generations.  
Last month, I had the opportunity to meet 13 World War II veterans from Tennessee’s 6thdistrict on an “honor flight” visit to Washington D.C. These men traveled long distances to visit the nation’s capital city, some for the first time. Many arrived in wheelchairs and walkers—a reminder of the time that has passed since the allied victory nearly 70 years ago—but each of their eyes lit up at the sight  of the memorials built in their honor. Before the end of our time together, I was able to speak individually with each one of them, give them a hug, and thank them for their patriotism, promising that their sacrifices would not soon be forgotten.
In Congress, I am striving to make good on that promise by supporting legislation to provide veterans with education benefits and jobs training, helping to restore military pay and funding for survivor benefits during the recent government shutdown, and, most recently, voting to pass bipartisan legislation to finally address the Veterans Administration’s unacceptable disability claims backlog. Knowing that the best way to get answers is to go straight to the top, I also asked Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki to work with my office in a more efficient manner to serve veterans in our community.
America’s veterans have given our country the very best they have to offer and they deserve the same in return. The care of our veterans is not a Republican value or a Democrat value, it is an American value—one that must always rise above politics and partisanship. This Veterans Day, join me in thanking our veterans for their service, in praying for those who continue fighting to protect the freedoms we hold dear, and in teaching our children and grandchildren to do the same, lest we ever forget.
 

The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security today announced a partnership with Appriss, Inc., to provide citizens with a more efficient method to access traffic crash reports from law enforcement agencies across the state. Effective immediately, the public may retrieve collision reports online through the secure website www.tnbuycrash.com 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  Tennessee is one of five states to join Appriss, Inc., in offering this crash report service. Florida, Georgia, Indiana and Kentucky are also making crash reports available to the public online.   
“One of our goals is to provide the best customer service to the citizens of Tennessee and to those who travel through our state. The implementation of this online service will provide the public with a fast, convenient option to obtain crash reports and enhance the efficiency of law enforcement agencies across the state. We look forward to working with Appriss to offer individuals another choice to access crash reports,” Commissioner Bill Gibbons said.
The Tennessee Integrated Traffic Analysis Network (TITAN) is a database developed for the electronic collection, submission, and management of all traffic safety related data in Tennessee. TITAN is the repository for all vehicle crash reports submitted to the Department of Safety & Homeland Security. Crashes investigated by the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP), as well as local police and sheriff departments, should be available online within seven days of the crash. The cost of an online collision report is $10.
Citizens may continue to visit any local THP district office or law enforcement agency to purchase crash reports or request a copied be sent through U.S. mail. The fee for these options remains $4.
The additional cost for the online crash reports are based on convenience fees which support the TITAN technology. The addition fee for this service was approved by the Tennessee General Assembly.
“State troopers will begin to distribute information about the online crash report system to the parties involved at the crash scene,” THP Colonel Tracy Trott said. “While this option benefits the citizen, it will also allow troopers and police officers to spend less time at crash scenes and enhance the safety and service of law enforcement officials across the state.”  
Citizens may access online crash reports by visiting www.tn.gov/safety or www.tnbuycrash.com.

The Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development has launched a network of social media sites dedicated to quickly informing job seekers of local jobs, workshops, and job fairs. In a constant search for new avenues to inform Tennesseans about new job opportunities, the department joins the conversation 140 characters at a time to disseminate new jobs directly and instantly via Twitter.“The vision of the Department of Labor and Workforce Development is to have the most employable workforce for business and industry in the nation,” said Dustin Swayne, Labor Deputy Commissioner. “Social media provides an efficient and effective way of distributing information back to our customers.”
Social media is all about sharing information. With features like Retweet and Favorite, the broad-reaching capabilities of Twitter can easily inform the Twitter community about new local jobs. Job seekers on Twitter can easily discover their next job because of a tweet that was shared directly on a Twitter feed. Since Twitter is accessible from either a computer or smartphone, the free service Twitter provides can land a job seeker employment faster than ever before.
Multiple Twitter accounts were launched to direct job tweets to specific regions of the state. For example, a new job post located near Memphis does not affect residents in Cookeville. The Memphis job opportunity will appear on the @TNCCMemphis handle in order to focus job announcements in that area. Each handle is named ‘TNCC’ followed by the name of the city. Nashville’s Twitter account is @TNCCNashville and Dyersburg’s handle is listed as @TNCCDyersburg.
Visit the index of all 13 regional accounts at http://tn.gov/labor-wfd/Social_Media.shtml to view jobs nearest you.
Chattanooga   @TNCCChattanoogahttps://twitter.com/TNCCChattanooga
Clarksville        @TNCCClarksvillehttps://twitter.com/TNCCClarksville
Columbia         @TNCCColumbiahttps://twitter.com/TNCCColumbia
Cookeville        @TNCCCookevillehttps://twitter.com/TNCCCookeville
Crossville        @TNCCCrossvillehttps://twitter.com/TNCCCrossville
Dyersburg       @TNCCDyersburghttps://twitter.com/TNCCDyersburg
Jackson           @TNCCJacksonhttps://twitter.com/TNCCJackson
Johnson City   @TNCCJohnsonCityhttps://twitter.com/TNCCJohnsonCity
Knoxville          @TNCCKnoxvillehttps://twitter.com/TNCCKnoxville
Memphis         @TNCCMemphishttps://twitter.com/TNCCMemphis
Nashville          @TNCCNashvillehttps://twitter.com/TNCCNashville
Talbott @TNCCTalbotthttps://twitter.com/TNCCTalbott
Tullahoma       @TNCCTullahomahttps://twitter.com/TNCCTullahoma