News 2013

In receiving a National Future Farmers of America VIP citation this year, MTSU School of Agribusiness and Agriscience professor Cliff Ricketts did not have to drive more than 5,000 miles using only 2 gallons of gas. All Ricketts, who has achieved notoriety for his alternative fuels research, had to do was:
 
• Guide more than 300 agriculture education majors to teaching careers throughout the years;
• Author three editions of “Leadership, Personal Development and Career Success” and two editions of “Agribusiness: Fundamentals and Applications” for Delmar Language Publishers and write more than 25 agriculture education curriculum guides;
• Serve as a judge for the National Agriscience Fair and be an evaluator of American FFA Degree applications;
• Assist with the floriculture and nursery landscape career development events at National FFA conventions for a number of years;
• Help Tractor Supply Company with its FFA career show for 15 years; and
• Be a lifelong friend to FFA and its endeavors with young people in agriculture.
 
Ricketts received a VIP citation from the FFA, which recognizes his significant contributions and dedication to FFA and agricultural education. The award was presented Friday (Nov. 1) at the National FFA convention in Louisville, Ky.
 
“It means a lot to me and a great honor,” said Ricketts, a Mt. Juliet resident and 38-year MTSU faculty member. “It puts me in the top echelon of people in the National FFA.”
 
Emily Marshall, a Riverdale High School teacher and FFA adviser and member of the Tennessee FFA Association board of directors, nominated Ricketts for the award. Her husband, John, is an MTSU alumnus and one of Ricketts’ former students.
 
“He has worked a long time in ag education, and is known all across Tennessee and outside of Tennessee,” Emily Marshall said of Ricketts. “He’s one of the most courteous and friendly people I know. He’s the type of person who deserves this recognition.”
 
National FFA Organization CEO Dwight Armstrong said the VIP citation “recognizes the dedicated individuals who contribute to the FFA mission of student success through their hard work and cooperation.”
 
“Without such strong and outstanding commitment, FFA would not be able to help build strong character in its members, which in turn build strong families, communities and industries,” Armstrong added.
 
Nine other VIP citation recipients were honored along with Ricketts, said Duane Bordt, an FFA media relations manager.
 
The National FFA provides leadership, personal growth and career success training through agricultural education to 557,318 student members in grades seven through 12 and who belong to one of 7,498 local FFA chapters in the U.S., Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands.
 
In both 2012 and 2013, Ricketts-led teams drove coast-to-coast (Tybee Island, Ga., to Long Beach, Calif.) using only 2.15 gallons of gasoline. His trip this year used no gas. His fuel sources: the sun (solar) and hydrogen from water, all manufactured on the MTSU campus.
 

The first BRAVO Veterans Job Fair at MTSU will be held next week, with about 20 companies already on board to potentially jump-start careers through jobs or internships. 
The fair will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 7, in the Student Union Ballroom, said Malcolm Stallard, an MTSU sophomore and president of BRAVO — or Blue Raider American Veteran Organization.
 
The event is free to both attendees and company participants. It ushers in a full weekend of BRAVO and Salute to Armed Services-related activities.
 
Open to the veteran community and their family members, Stallard said the purpose of the job fair is to “get veterans in communication … with businesses.”
 
“We need to get the veterans to network and to form a relationship with different businesses for when they graduate,” Stallard said.
 
Including MTSU, veteran-friendly companies that have committed to participate — and Stallard said more are expected — include Amazon.com Inc., Rutherford County, Delek US, MorphoTrust USA, UPS, Ingram Barge Company, Tennessee Department of Labor, Dollar General, Select Staffing, Staff Management/SMX Staffing, Community Health Systems, 7 Up/Snapple, Emdeon and The Hinkle Group.
 
Stallard said he credits university registrar Ann Reaves, VetSuccess on Campus counselor Heather Conrad, BRAVO adviser Patrick Richey and Purple Heart and Bronze Star recipient Mike Jones of Hermitage, Tenn., co-founder of Vet6 and Not Alone, for playing key roles with the job fair.
 
Other BRAVO events planned include:
 
• A poetry reading from 6 to 8 p.m. Nov. 7 at Reville Joe Coffee Co., 113 N. Maple St.; and
 
• The 2013 Warrior Challenge 5K/10K Race, to be held at 8 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 10, near the MTSU Veterans Memorial next to the Tom H. Jackson Building. Entry fee is $25 for veterans, $30 for nonveterans. To register and learn more, go to http://warriorchallenge2013.com or register through Facebook by searching for “Warrior Challenge 2013.”
 
BRAVO has about 250 members, said Stallard, who served in the U.S. Army starting in 2008 and served in Iraq from 2009 to 2010.
 
For more information about both the job fair and Warrior Challenge, contact Stallard at 1-877-837-4635 or email mtsu@vet6.org. To learn more about Vet6, a Middle Tennessee advocacy organization that helps veterans secure good jobs, visit www.vet6.org.
 
The Saturday, Nov. 9, events include a memorial service, picnic, presentation of the Joe Nunley Sr. Award to retired U.S. Air Force Col. Edgar “Ed” Smith of Brentwood, Tenn., and the halftime musical tribute to each of the armed forces branches by the 337-member MTSU Band of Blue.
 

If you could take one simple step once a year that could prevent harm from coming to an infant, pregnant woman or elderly person, would you? You can by getting your annual flu vaccination. Influenza puts more than 200,000 Americans in the hospital each year, and for some, it is a life-threatening or even fatal illness. In Tennessee, it’s not uncommon for two to three children to die annually from flu.“We certainly need to get the flu vaccine to protect ourselves, but we also need to think about the health of others,” said TDH Commissioner John Dreyzehner, MD, MPH. “Inexpensive, safe flu vaccines are readily available in many locations across our state, and it only takes a few minutes for most people to get vaccinated. The vaccine is available by shot or nasal spray at county health departments, along with many pharmacies and doctors’ offices.”
“It takes about two weeks to be protected after you get the flu vaccine, so it’s best not to put off getting the vaccine,” said Kelly Moore, MD, MPH, director of the Tennessee Immunization Program. “November and December are when we typically begin to see increased numbers of flu cases, and people sick with the flu can spread the virus at family gatherings over the holidays and during their holiday travel. Nationally, thousands of people die from influenza each year.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Tennessee Department of Health recommend annual flu vaccination for everyone over the age of six months. It’s especially important for pregnant women to be vaccinated in order to protect their unborn children. One major challenge for health officials is combatting rumors and myths about flu immunizations. It is important to note:  It is not possible for the flu shot to give you the flu.
“The flu vaccine cannot give you the flu, but we hear this all the time,” said Moore. “It is true vaccinated people may still get the flu or a flu-like illness during the winter. Some of these folks actually have one of the many other, less serious winter viruses that the flu vaccine does not prevent. People who delay getting the vaccine may actually be exposed to the flu before the vaccine can protect them, and some who are vaccinated go on to catch the flu anyway, but their illness may be less serious than the illness of an unvaccinated person. What we know for certain is that people who are unvaccinated are always at a higher risk of catching a serious case of the flu than people who are vaccinated.”
“The flu vaccine is safe and successfully used by hundreds of millions of people,” Moore continued. “After vaccination, most people will have temporary soreness and redness at the injection site. Some may feel under the weather for a day or so as their body responds to the vaccine. It is rare that someone cannot be vaccinated as a result of a severe allergic reaction or Guillain-Barre syndrome following a past flu vaccination, and people who are unsure should talk to their healthcare provider. Flu shots are one of the great medical developments in history, saving lives and preventing much unnecessary pain and suffering.”
After your flu vaccination, it’s still important to practice good health habits to protect yourself from the flu and other winter viruses, and to prevent spreading them to others if you do get sick. Good health habits include frequent hand washing with soapy water or use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers, and covering coughs and sneezes with a sleeve or tissue. People who are sick should stay home if at all possible to recover to prevent spreading illness to coworkers, friends and others.

The Tennessee Historical Commission will begin accepting grant applications for historic preservation projects for the 2013-2014 fiscal year beginning November 1.The amount of funds available for grants in Tennessee is expected to be approximately $200,000. After review, applications will be rated and ranked. Funding decisions will be made when the exact amount of the federal allocation is known. This normally occurs by December but could be as late as August 2014.
The selection progress will emphasize projects such as architectural and archaeological surveys, design guidelines for historic districts and the rehabilitation of historic buildings that are listed in the National Register and have a public use. Priorities for grants include areas experiencing rapid growth and development, other threats to cultural resources, areas where there are gaps in knowledge regarding cultural resources and communities that participate in the Certified Local Government program. Surveys should identify and record historic districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects significant to Tennessee’s history and built before 1965. Surveys may be for a specific geographic area or for sites associated with themes or events significant in the state’s history, such as the development of railroads in the 19th century or the development of motor tourism in the 20th century.
Assistance is also available for other types of historic preservation projects. These may include preservation planning studies for towns, neighborhoods and historic districts; the preparation of nominations to the National Register of Historic Places; the rehabilitation of buildings and predevelopment work necessary to undertake rehabilitation. Rehabilitation and restoration of historic buildings must follow the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties.
The grants will pay up to 60 percent of the costs of approved project work. The grant recipient must provide the remaining 40 percent of the costs as matching funds.
Completed applications must be submitted by January 31, 2014.
Applications for grants will be available November 1, 2013 and are available from the Tennessee Historical Commission, 2941 Lebanon Road, Nashville, Tennessee 37243. Applications may also be downloaded from the Historical Commission’s website at http://www.tn.gov/environment/history/history_preservation-grants.shtml.   
For more information about the Tennessee Historical Commission, please visit http://www.tn.gov/environment/history/ or call 615-532-1550.

Military veterans looking for work can still find several job listings through the Jobs4TN.gov web site. As a follow-up to the successful Paychecks for Patriots hiring event held across the state on October 17th, Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development Commissioner Burns Phillips is urging veterans who could not attend the event to visit www.jobs4tn.gov to view the many career opportunities that are available. 
The Paychecks for Patriots initiative featured 13 hiring events across the state offering veterans jobs from 161 companiesrepresenting 253 work-sites.
 
Tennessee was the first state to launch Paychecks for Patriots last year, and this year Georgia and Florida held their own hiring events under the same name.
 
“It really is a source of pride to have other states come to us and ask about our best practices. Tennessee’s being the model state for Paychecks for Patriots is a real feather in our cap,” said Tennessee Department of Labor Commissioner Burns Phillips. “Veterans should take advantage of this opportunity that extends beyond the hiring fair heldlast week and apply for these jobs.”
 
Veterans interested in local jobs should visit the Internet site www.jobs4tn.gov and go to job seeker solutions, featured jobs, job search and then search by employer (there is an option to narrow the search by location as well). For example, searching Batesville Casket Company in Manchester will produce several Tool and Die Technician, Maintenance Associate, Quality Supervisor positions.
 Veteran friendly employers featured at Manchester’s hiring event:
 
AutoZone
Batesville Casket Company
Baxter Enterprises
Calsonic Kansei North America
Dollar General
NJW JSP
SMX Staff Management/Amazon
Titan Transfer, Inc.
Five Star Foods
Frito-Lay
Lowe’s Home Improvement
MAPCO
TN Department of Veterans Affairs
TN National Guard
Tyson Foods Inc.
 
“Veterans bring a tremendous amount of capability, skills, and experience to the workplace,” said Bob Ravener, Dollar General’s executive vice president and chief people officer. “I am a big believer in ‘hire the talent and train the skill.’ If you think about people in the military they can adapt to many situations. They bring leadership experiences, integrity, discipline, and teamwork. Those are all attributes employers are looking for.”
 
Information on participating employers throughout the state can be found at http://www.tn.gov/labor-wfd/Patriots/Paychecks.shtml.
 

Tennessee State Parks announced today its annual free state parks day for all Tennessee veterans offering one free night of camping and/or a complimentary round of golf with appropriate identification.  Veterans Day is Monday, Nov. 11.“On Veterans Day we honor the many brave men and women who have served our country,” Deputy Commissioner Brock Hill said.  “The state parks family invites all of Tennessee’s veterans to visit us on Nov. 11 and enjoy a day in one of our beautiful parks.” 
The free day on Nov. 11 is in addition to Tennessee State Parks’ current veterans’ policy, which includes a camping discount within the state parks system and is available annually beginning November 1 through March 31, offering a 25 percent reduction off the standard nightly base rates (depending on the type of site chosen). This camping discount is available to Tennessee residents showing proof of prior military duty.
A special state park discount also is in place for active duty military personnel and members of the Tennessee National Guard.  This year-round discount is given to all U.S. military – regardless of their branch of service or where they are stationed.   Disabled veterans also are eligible for the Tennessee State Parks year-round ADA discount that provides a 25 to 50 percent discount for campsites.
To receive the free state parks day benefits and extended discounts, veterans need to provide proof of residency with a Tennessee driver’s license; and proof of veteran’s status, with a Certificate of Discharge (DD214) or Veterans Administration benefit card.
Tennessee’s 54 state parks offer diverse natural, recreational and cultural experiences for individuals, families, or business and professional groups. State park features range from pristine natural areas to 18-hole championship golf courses. Celebrating its 75th Anniversary this past year, the Tennessee State Parks system was established through legislation in 1937. Today, there is a state park within an hour’s drive of just about anywhere in the state, with features such as pristine natural areas and a variety of lodging and dining choices. For more information about Tennessee State Parks, please visit www.tnstateparks.com or connect via Facebook or Twitter. For a free brochure about Tennessee State Parks, call 1-888-867-2757.

Better Business Bureau serving Middle Tennessee and Southern Kentucky will be activating its first-time ever, online auction to run November 1st through 30th, 2013.  Local businesses across the BBB’s service area have donated thousands of dollars in items and services to be auctioned online.  Proceeds from the auction will support BBB educational outreach programs for local businesses, high school students, senior groups and consumers. Items can be previewed online at www.gobbb.org/auction without having to officially register for the auction such as a Charlie Daniels autographed fiddle, exciting attraction/vacation packages, beautiful jewelry items, hard to find collectibles, sports tickets, home remodeling and maintenance services, gift cards/certificates from some of your favorite local businesses and more.  Registration is free but will be required to participate in the auction on a secured site.
For additional information contact Elizabeth Mefferd, at 615-815-8034 or emefferd@gobbb.org.

Organizations lose an estimated 5 percent of their annual revenues to fraud, according to a 2012 study by the ACFE. To help shine a spotlight on this global problem, the Tennessee Treasury Department is participating in International Fraud Awareness Week, Nov. 3-9, 2013, as an official supporter to promote anti-fraud awareness and prevention. 
During Fraud Week, official supporters will engage in various activities, including: hosting fraud awareness training for employees, conducting employee surveys to assess levels of fraud awareness within their organization, posting articles on company web sites and in newsletters, and teaming with local media to highlight the problem of fraud.
 
“Most fraud is avoidable if awareness of fraud in substantially increased,” Tennessee Treasurer David H. Lillard, Jr. said. “The Treasury Department manages and invests $50 billion each year for Tennesseans and all organizations and citizens should join us in combating fraud through self-education and awareness.”
 
In its 2012 Report to the Nations on Occupational Fraud and Abuse, the ACFE found that:
 

Fraud schemes are extremely costly. The median loss caused by the occupational fraud cases in the ACFE study was $140,000. More than one-fifth of the frauds involved losses of at least $1 million.
 

Schemes can continue for months or even years before they are detected. The frauds in the study lasted a median of 18 months before being caught.
 

Occupational fraud is a global problem. Though some findings differ slightly from region to region, most of the trends in fraud schemes, perpetrator characteristics and anti-fraud controls are similar regardless of where the fraud occurred.
 

Small businesses are especially vulnerable to occupational fraud. These organizations are typically lacking in anti-fraud controls compared to their larger counterparts, which makes them particularly vulnerable to fraud.
 

Tips are key in detecting fraud. Occupational frauds are much more likely to be detected by tip than by any other means. This finding reinforces the need for promoting awareness to foster an informed workforce.
 
The Treasury Department is one of three legislative agencies within state government. Its major functions include receiving and disbursing public funds; managing all state investments; administering major benefit programs (the Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System, the Deferred Compensation Program, and the Flexible Benefits Plans); operating the Unclaimed Property, College Savings (Section 529 Plans), and Small and Minority Owned Business programs; and overseeing the risk management program and handling and adjudicating all claims made against our state.
 
Visit the Tennessee Treasury Department web site for more information: http://www.treasury.state.tn.us/.
 
For more information about increasing awareness and reducing the risk of fraud during International Fraud Awareness Week, visit FraudWeek.com.

The Tennessee Department of Agriculture is now accepting grant proposals for projects that will help improve water quality and reduce or eliminate nonpoint source pollution. The deadline for submitting grant proposals is Dec. 1. Proposals will be evaluated based on program goals and objectives, performance evaluation criteria and applicable EPA nonpoint source grant guidelines.  “We’re able to make measurable improvements in water quality in watersheds across the state through the Nonpoint Source Pollution Program,” Agriculture Commissioner Julius Johnson said. “This is a great opportunity for local governments and other organizations to partner with us in addressing water quality issues in both our urban and rural communities.”
Local governments, regional agencies, public institutions, private nonprofit organizations and other state agencies are eligible to apply for federal dollars administered by TDA’s Water Resources office. Priority is given to projects that seek to make measurable improvements to waters known to be impaired by nonpoint source pollution.
Nonpoint source pollution is soil, urban runoff, fertilizers, chemicals and other contaminants that come from many different sources and degrades surface and groundwater quality. The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation assesses water quality and compiles a list of impaired waters. The list can be found online at http://www.state.tn.us/environment/water/water-quality_publications.shtml.
Other priorities for funding include water quality related educational programs, projects that implement an approved Total Maximum Daily Load in a watershed area and projects that reduce urban runoff.
The FY 2014 Request for Proposals can be found online at http://www.TN.gov/agriculture/water/nps.html, or for more information contact TDA’s Nonpoint Pollution Program at 615-837-5306 or Sam.Marshall@TN.gov.

Fire crews spent a large part of Friday night battling a fire which broke out in one business on the Woodbury Town Square and spread to three other businesses along the same strip.  The fire started at the Off The Hanger Consignment Shop which also houses Rannie’s Alterations, and Always Buying Gold.  The inside of the business was gutted as fire spread to the Antique store next door causing a complete loss to both business. Tangles Hair Salon suffered smoke and water damage .  The Bean Patch had smoke damage.   Fire spread to two outer storage buildings of which one housed a propane gas tank.  The tank exploded.  After the various fire departments got the fire under control, volunteers helped the Bean Patch owners carry stuff out of their building and load it into trucks to get it out of harm’s way.  Some of the various emergency agencies responding to the fire included Woodbury Police Department, Cannon County Sheriff’s Department, Woodbury Fire Department, Rutherford County Fire Rescue, Middle Tennessee Electric, Kittrell Vol Fire Department, Walter Hill Fire Department, Summittville Fire Department, Mooretown Vol Fire Department and Manchester Fire Department.  Fire crews continued to keep watch on the buildings in case of hot spots.  The origin of fire is expected to be electrical in nature.