News 2013

Senator Mae Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet) announced today she will introduce legislation to prohibit state and local police agencies from accessing or retrieving the location data of residents by surveillance of an electronic device without a court warrant.  Beavers said the bill will help ensure government does not take advantage of technological advances in cell phones, laptops and other electronic devices to spy without appropriate judicial oversight. 
“Government and law enforcement agencies should not be able to tap into your cell phone location or gain access to electronically stored data without a warrant approved by a judge,” said Senator Beavers.  “We cannot let technological advances sidestep the Fourth Amendment.  This protection is a very important part of the checks and balances put into place by our forefathers to keep government from overstepping its boundaries.”
 
Law enforcement made 1.1 million requests to wireless carriers for cellphone data information in 2012 according to a report delivered to Congress earlier this month.  The three largest wireless companies, AT&T, Sprint and Verizon reported they have received 56,400 “emergency” requests from police departments which did not have a warrant or court order.  One company reported their requests from police have doubled in the past five years. 
 
In addition, public records obtained by USA Today and Gannett reveal that about one in four law enforcement agencies in the U.S. have used “tower dumps.”  This is a surveillance tactic which covers multiple towers and wireless providers to give police a multitude of electronic data about a targeted cell phone user.  The digital dragnets also capture information on other persons using wireless devices in the area who are not suspected of wrongdoing. 
 
Beavers said her electronic privacy bill will be modeled after one passed in Montana which allows exceptions only in order to respond to a possible life-threatening situation, an emergency call by the user or when a device is reported as stolen, unless there is informed consent by the owner. 
 
“Citizens must be protected from unreasonable government surveillance,” added Beavers.  “This legislation is a big step forward in securing our Constitutional freedoms.”
 
Senator Beavers represents Cannon, Clay, DeKalb, Macon, Smith and Wilson Counties in District 17 in the Tennessee Senate.
 

The Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce Development is alerting more than 18,000 Tennesseans currently receiving federally extended unemployment insurance that those payments will soon end. The federal legislation that extended Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) expires at the end of 2013 in the absence of congressional action. 
“We don’t want people who are presently receiving EUC to be caught unaware, expecting their EUC benefits to continue into 2014,” said Labor Commissioner Burns Phillips. “We also want workers to know that the Tennessee unemployment insurance program that provides the first 26 weeks of benefits is not affected by the expiration of the federal EUC extension.”
 
After December 28, 2013, Tennessee will return to the system in which an approved new claim can have a maximum of 26 weeks of Tennessee Unemployment Compensation (TUC) benefits.
 

The last week for which EUC will be paid is the week ending December 28, 2013.

If claimants certify for that week in a timely manner, they will receive their final EUC payment during the week ending January 4, 2014.

All EUC payments stop at that time, regardless of the number of weeks claimants were initially notified they would receive.
 
The latest date for which claimants must have received their final regular state payment in order to transition to EUC federal benefits is the week ending December 21, 2013; in those cases claimants will receive EUC for one week only.
 
Only individual

The game that had been postponed due to weather November 26th against Warren County will take place tonight at the Robert A Harris Gymnasium in Woodbury.  Game time is at 6:00.  WBRY AM-1540/FM96.7 will have live coverage beginning at 5:45.  You can also hear the game streaming through the internet at wbry.com and through your smart phones and tablets via TuneIn Radio.  Also check out the WBRY Facebook this evening for pictures.

If you ask Cannon County Lionette Head Basketball Coach Michael Dodgen if he would love to have Abbey Sissom stick around and score another 2000 points for the Lionettes basketball program, he wouldn’t waste a second in answering yes.  Saturday night Abbey poured in 32 points and scored point number 2000 in her high school career as the Cannon County Lionettes swept the season series against non district opponent Coffee County with a 68-36 win.  Madison Walkup continued her hot shooting as well scoring 13 points and Autumn King came off the bench to provide 7.  The Lionettes ran their overall record to 11-1 and will participate in the Rhea County Classic in Evensville TN right outside of Dayton.   The Cannon County Lions will take an 11-1 record into this coming weekend’s road trip to Maryville.  The Lions picked up a win in Manchester Saturday night 59-48 over the Coffee County Red Raiders.  The game was much closer than it could have been as Cannon got out to a 19 point lead in the third quarter only to have Coffee County reel off an 8-0 run to eventually pull within 8.  Cannon got 25 points from Cory Henley and 10 points from Tanner Larson and Josh Ruehlan.  Cannon will participate in the Heritage Classic starting Thursday in Maryville.
 

A Bradyville man found passed out in his car in Murfreesboro was arrested Thursday night and charged with multiple charges.  According to Murfreesboro Police reports, police were dispatched to a vehicle found on Lascassas Pike, when they got there they found 34 year old Scotty Bowman passed out in the drivers side of the car. After Bowman got out of the car, he was allegedly unsteady on his feet, had blood shot eyes and his speech was slurred.  Officers also found a used syringe on the floorboard of the car as well as two Red Bull cans that contained drug residue.  A search of the car produced oxycotin tablets that he had in his possession without a prescription.  Bowman was placed under arrest and charged with public intoxication, possession of drug paraphernaila and possession of schedule 2 drugs.    

The library is “looking forward” to 2014 with great anticipation as we host a visit from representatives of the Tennessee State Library and Archives and the Tennessee State Museum on January 24th in the Jennings Community Room of the Adams Memorial Library in Woodbury.  They will record and digitize Civil War memorabilia owned by residents of Cannon and DeKalb counties, some of which will be included in an exhibit titled, “Looking Back:  The Civil War in Tennessee”.  You can bring in original photographs, documents, and other artifacts that day. The visit is scheduled with appointments available between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on that day. The archivists will not actually take possession of the items and you will be able to take them home with you that day along with tips on how to preserve the objects.  If you are interested, you can get an appointment reservation form online at http://tn.gov/tsla/cwtn/events.htm.  If you need more information or help getting the form, please call Library Director, Rita Allen, at 563-5861.There are still lots of amazing bargains that you can score at the Friends of the Library Book Sale.  Come in and scrounge around.  We saw a crafty shopper score a clean copy of Baldacci’s 2013 fiction best seller, “The Hit”, this week for just $1!!!!!  You never know what you might find.  New materials are added almost every day. 

Every year, Girl Scouts exercise and hone their business skills to sell approximately 200 million boxes of Girl Scout Cookies. To achieve this extraordinary level of accomplishment, many girls design business cards, posters, newsletters and press kits to support their cookie program goals; they even make formal presentations to local businesses such as banks and local retailers. 
The Girl Scouts of Middle Tennessee (GSMT) will sell Girl Scout Cookies from January 1 – March 2. This is the twelfth year that GSMT will sell cookies for $3.50 a package.
 
All participating girls build fundamental business and economic literacy skills. From making change to tracking revenue, girls practice the basics of money management, learning how to sync spending with earnings and stay on budget.
 
“The Girl Scout Cookie Program is truly a girl –led business,” said Cathy Ratliff, Director of Product Programs at the Girl Scouts of Middle Tennessee. “Our girls set their own goals, learn the skills needed to sell cookies and determine how to spend their proceeds. Many of our troops plan to use the money earned to go on a trip, go to summer camp or participate in a fun activity.”
 
In terms of skill building, statistics show the Girl Scout Cookie Program works. According to a survey from the Girl Scout Research Institute, 85 percent of Girl Scout “cookie entrepreneurs” learn money management through developing budgets, taking cookie orders and handling customers’ money. Furthermore, 83 percent build business ethics, 80 percent learn goal setting, 77 percent improve in the decision-making arena and 75 percent develop their people skills.
 
Notably, all of the revenue earned from Girl Scout cookie activities—every penny after paying the bakers—stays with the local Girl Scout council sponsoring the sale. Councils use cookie revenue to supply essential services to troops, groups, and individual girls, providing program resources and communication support, training adult volunteers and conducting events. And as part of their experience in any Girl Scout product activity, girls at every Girl Scout level can earn official Girl Scout awards, including cookie and financial literacy badges and an annually awarded Cookie Activity pin.
 
The Girl Scout Cookie Program launched in 1917 in Muskogee, Oklahoma, where the Mistletoe Troop baked and sold cookies in its high school cafeteria as a service project. In 1922, The American Girl magazine published by Girl Scout national headquarters featured a cookie recipe together with estimated costs and suggested pricing. In 1936, Girl Scouts of the USA began licensing a commercial baker, and in 1937 more than 125 Girl Scout councils took part in the cookie program. Thin Mints—the most popular Girl Scout cookie variety—made their debut in 1951 as “Chocolate Mints.”
 

Colonel Tracy Trott announced today that the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) has partnered with Mother Against Drunk Driving (MADD) to help raise awareness about the importance of designating a non-drinking driver during holiday celebrations.Colonel Trott was joined by representatives from MADD to announce the patrol’s participation in the “Tie One On For Safety” red ribbon campaign, which is the organization’s signature nationwide public awareness program.
Troopers statewide will display the “Tie One On For Safety” red ribbons on all patrol cars. Now in its 27th year, the campaign urges drivers across the country to display MADD red ribbons on their vehicles as a reminder to plan ahead and designate a non-drinking driver before they go out. 
“We hope as motorists travel across Tennessee this holiday season, they will see the red ribbons on THP patrol cars and be reminded of our continuous efforts to reduce the number of impaired drivers on our roads,” Trott said.  “Though we want to encourage this practice every day of the year, we’re here today because drunk driving deaths typically rise over the holidays.”
Between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve in 2011 (the most recent year for which we have national data), 931 people were killed in drunk driving crashes nationwide, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. That number includes the 28 people who were killed in Tennessee in alcohol-impaired crashes during the 2011 holiday time period.
Preliminary data show that 198 people have died in alcohol-impaired crashes in Tennessee this year through December 9. In 2012, a total of 295 people lost their lives in alcohol-impaired crashes; and in 2011 that number was 259.
A recent national survey released last month by MADD shows that 73.4 percent of people asked said they had been at an event and witnessed someone try to drive home after drinking too much.
The “Tie One On For Safety” red ribbons also signify support for law enforcement officers, who will be out in force as part of the national “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign.
Citizens who would like red ribbons may contact MADD Tennessee at www.maddtn.org.

The winter holiday season should be a joyous time of year. However, certain types of fires and injuries associated with decorating are all too common and can put a damper on holiday celebrations.“Nearly half of holiday decoration fires happen because decorations are placed too close to a heat source,” says State Fire Marshal and Commerce & Insurance Commissioner Julie Mix McPeak. “To decrease your risk for a home fire, keep fire safety in mind as you deck the halls this season.”
Candles are widely used in homes throughout the holidays, and December is the peak month for home candle fires. The National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) statistics show that two of every five home decoration fires are started by candles.
The State Fire Marshal’s Office encourages Tennesseans to consider using flameless candles, which look and smell like real candles. However, if you do use traditional candles, keep them at least 12” away from anything that can burn, and remember to blow them out when you leave the room or go to bed. Avoid using candles in the bedroom where one-third of U.S. candle fires begin or other areas where people may fall asleep.
Holiday lights and other decorative lighting with line voltage were involved in an estimated average of 150 home structure fires per year for the past five years in the United States. These fires caused an average of nine civilian deaths, 16 civilian injuries, and $8.4 million in direct property damage per year. Two out of five (40%) occurred in December and 12% were in January. Electrical failures or malfunctions were factors in nearly two-thirds (64%) of the fires involving holiday or decorative lights.
Consider the tips below when you bring out the holiday decorations this year. And remember, as in every season, have working smoke alarms installed on every level of your home, test them monthly and keep them equipped with fresh batteries at all times. Don’t forget to practice your home escape plan!
•         Maintain Your Holiday Lights. Inspect holiday lights each year for frayed wires, bare spots, gaps in the insulation, broken or cracked sockets, and excessive kinking or wear before putting them up. Not all holiday lights are made equal so be sure that you know whether yours are for indoor or outdoor use and use only lighting listed by an approved testing laboratory. Use clips, not nails, to hang lights to keep cords from getting damaged.
•         Do Not Overload Electrical Outlets. Do not link more than three light strands, unless the directions indicate it is safe. Connect strings of lights to an extension cord before plugging the cord into the outlet. Make sure to periodically check the wires – they should not be warm to the touch.
 
•         Do Not Leave Holiday Lights on Unattended. Turn them off when you leave the house or go to bed.
•         Use Only Nonflammable Decorations. All decorations should be flame resistant or flame retardant and placed away from heat vents and other heat sources.
•         Never Put Wrapping Paper in a Fireplace. It can result in a very large fire, throwing off dangerous sparks and embers and may result in a chimney fire.
•         Artificial Christmas Trees. If you are using a metallic or artificial tree make sure it is flame retardant.
•         Avoid Using Lit Candles to Decorate. If you do use them, make sure they are in stable holders and place them where they cannot be easily knocked down. Never put lit candles on a tree. Blow out lit candles when you leave the room or go to bed. Never leave a child alone in a room with a lit candle.
•         Keep Escape Routes Clear. Do not block exit routes with trees or decorations.

The winter holiday season should be a joyous time of year. However, certain types of fires and injuries associated with decorating are all too common and can put a damper on holiday celebrations.“Nearly half of holiday decoration fires happen because decorations are placed too close to a heat source,” says State Fire Marshal and Commerce & Insurance Commissioner Julie Mix McPeak. “To decrease your risk for a home fire, keep fire safety in mind as you deck the halls this season.”
Candles are widely used in homes throughout the holidays, and December is the peak month for home candle fires. The National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) statistics show that two of every five home decoration fires are started by candles.
The State Fire Marshal’s Office encourages Tennesseans to consider using flameless candles, which look and smell like real candles. However, if you do use traditional candles, keep them at least 12” away from anything that can burn, and remember to blow them out when you leave the room or go to bed. Avoid using candles in the bedroom where one-third of U.S. candle fires begin or other areas where people may fall asleep.
Holiday lights and other decorative lighting with line voltage were involved in an estimated average of 150 home structure fires per year for the past five years in the United States. These fires caused an average of nine civilian deaths, 16 civilian injuries, and $8.4 million in direct property damage per year. Two out of five (40%) occurred in December and 12% were in January. Electrical failures or malfunctions were factors in nearly two-thirds (64%) of the fires involving holiday or decorative lights.
Consider the tips below when you bring out the holiday decorations this year. And remember, as in every season, have working smoke alarms installed on every level of your home, test them monthly and keep them equipped with fresh batteries at all times. Don’t forget to practice your home escape plan!
•         Maintain Your Holiday Lights. Inspect holiday lights each year for frayed wires, bare spots, gaps in the insulation, broken or cracked sockets, and excessive kinking or wear before putting them up. Not all holiday lights are made equal so be sure that you know whether yours are for indoor or outdoor use and use only lighting listed by an approved testing laboratory. Use clips, not nails, to hang lights to keep cords from getting damaged.
•         Do Not Overload Electrical Outlets. Do not link more than three light strands, unless the directions indicate it is safe. Connect strings of lights to an extension cord before plugging the cord into the outlet. Make sure to periodically check the wires – they should not be warm to the touch.
 
•         Do Not Leave Holiday Lights on Unattended. Turn them off when you leave the house or go to bed.
•         Use Only Nonflammable Decorations. All decorations should be flame resistant or flame retardant and placed away from heat vents and other heat sources.
•         Never Put Wrapping Paper in a Fireplace. It can result in a very large fire, throwing off dangerous sparks and embers and may result in a chimney fire.
•         Artificial Christmas Trees. If you are using a metallic or artificial tree make sure it is flame retardant.
•         Avoid Using Lit Candles to Decorate. If you do use them, make sure they are in stable holders and place them where they cannot be easily knocked down. Never put lit candles on a tree. Blow out lit candles when you leave the room or go to bed. Never leave a child alone in a room with a lit candle.
•         Keep Escape Routes Clear. Do not block exit routes with trees or decorations.