News 2013

The start of what could very well be more than two meetings in the 2013-2014 basketball season gets underway tonight as two loaded talentwise teams meet at Robert A Harris Gymnasium.  The 9-0 Cannon County Lionettes will tip things off against the 6-0 Smith County Lady Owls.  The Owls teams have not played in a week since weather forced the postponements of two games over the weekend. They barely escaped Smyrna right before Thanksgiving but backed up the notion that they have a solid team by collecting a district win in Livingston by 10.  The Lionettes are 2-0 in district play and handed York Institute their worst loss in over a decade 80-15.  It will be a marquee matchup between two of the Midstate’s top players in Callie Hackett for Smith and Abbey Sissom for Cannon.  The Cannon County boys team is 2-0 in district play.  After getting a comfortable cushion against York Thursday night the boys raised their overall record to 8-1.  Smith County however is off to a slow start at 1-6.  Head Coach Richard Melton is not used to this type of situation as he is the former head coach of Livingston.  Game time starts at 6:00 WBRY AM-1540/FM96.7 will have the live broadcast beginning at 5:45.  You can also hear the game live streaming on our website at wbry.com and as always on the app TuneIn Radio on your Smart Phones and tablets at WBRY  

Georgia Career Institute will host a Red Cross blood drive at the school on Dec 12th from 10 AM – 2:30 PM. This is the time of year that blood demand goes up, yet donations go down.  This year will be especially hard since shortages were already being reported in September causing hospitals in some areas in the US to cancel elective surgeries.  In September the American Red Cross was reporting 36,000 units on hand daily in the US, far short of the 80,000 units it needs to have on hand.
The American Red Cross will provide light refreshments to donors, and Georgia Career Institute will have drawing that donors can enter.  GCI will also be accepting food donations for the food bank, and donations for the care of Ethel, the Sheriff’s dog that find missing children & people.
Georgia Career Institute I located at 1233 Delbridge St, next door to the Rutherford County CO-OP.  For more information you can contact Joyce Myers at (615) 896-0702
 

Tickets are still available for the 6th annual Christmas Gala to support the Cannon County Senior Center that will take place Friday December 13th.  The evening promises to be full of beauty, music and good food catered by the Blue Porch.  Traditional Christmas entertainment will be provided by Debbie Vaughn and guests.  There will be hostesses awaiting participants at an elegantly decorated table that will remind people of being Home for Crhistmas.  Festivities begin at 6:00 and are expected to close around 9 in the evening. Tickets are twenty-fiver dollars per seat and there will be an silent auction.  For more information and to purchase tickets call the Cannon County Senior Center at 563-5304  

A 20 year old Woodbury man was arrested and charged with underage alcohol consumption in Murfreesboro over the weekend.  According to Murfreesboro City Police reports, Mr. Brett Lee Markum of Peeler Hill Road was pulled over after police witnessed him squeal his tires and take off at a high rate of speed.  Radar indicated when Markum was pulled over that he was going 20 mph over the speed limit in Murfreesboro.  The report goes on to say that in plain view of the police, Markum had two open cans of beer.  Markum was charged with Reckless driving, underage consumption, open container and driving on a revoked drivers license  

Cannon County vs Smith County will go on as scheduled.  Ballgames begin at 6 tonight at Robert A Harris GymAdams Memorial Library will be closed on Tuesday, December 10th, due to
bad weather. All December 10th due dates will be extended and no fines
will be charged for the unplanned closure.
We will update this as we get word of other closings and postponements.

The Cannon County Homeland Security Committee will be conducting a disaster drill on December 13, 2013. This drill will involve various departments from Cannon County
Emergency Service Agencies. Other agencies involved in the drill will be Woodbury City
Emergency Service Agencies, Cannon County E911, Cannon County High School, and
Stones River Hospital.
The purpose of the drill is to train Hospital Staff and Emergency Responders in Cannon
County.
For questions regarding the 2013 disaster drill, or for questions regarding the Cannon County
Homeland Security Committee, please contact Chairman Tim Bell at 615.849.2730 or via e-mail attbell@cannoncountyrescue.com

2014 is right around the corner and the Cannon County Chamber of Commerce will be ushering the new year in with their annual Chamber of Commerce banquet January 16th.  Some of the current  board members terms are expiring. The  2014 Chamber officers and Board member nominations will be sent to the current members of the Chamber of Commerce and will include Board members whose 3 year terms are expiring this month and have agreed to serve another 3 years with their six year term expiring in 2016.  Those are Neal Applebaum, Tabitha Smith, Joann Tate and Gary Hancock.  New Board members to be voted on to replace Travis Hancock and Anita Parton who have both served 6 years on the board include Sue Conley CEO of Stones River Hospital, and Daryl Fisher County Maintenance Supervisor.  The officers for 2014 will be Ron Fryar, owner of the Cannon Courier as President, Connie Rigsby, Director of the Cannon County Senior Center as Vice President and Wanda Thompson, owner of Blue Porch Restaurant as Treasurer.

The Woodbury Lions Club has reported that 275 coats were given to the needy during the November Coats For Cannon Giveaway project.  During the month of October, local and area residents were encouraged to give their unwanted coats to the Woodbury Lions Club for the project and the community responded.  This year’s coat giveaway surpassed the mark of 204 coats that were given last year.  Sue Patrick, Lion Club member who spearheaded the campaign says that there are still many coats stored at her CPA office and anyone who needs a coat should arrange for them to come and select one.  Those who helped with this project were Lions Glenn Steakley, Lois Larimer, Gina Mitchell, Carolyn Motley, Nathan Sanders, Eva Woodlee and the Head Start employees, Carl Hirlston, Andy Jacobs, John Basinger, and Barbara Parker.  Also helping were Pam Steakley, Brenda Phillips, Teresa Farless, Susie Moodespaugh, the Lioness girls,  and Daryl Fisher and inmates.  

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency has received notification from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) that a period is underway for agricultural and non-industrial private forestland program to apply for technical and financial assistance. The assistance is available through two USDA conservation programs.With crop harvesting winding down and haying operations at a lull, now is a good time to plan future improvements to farm operations and wildlife habitat. Many land practices can improve farm efficiency, profitability, and wildlife habitat while benefiting water quality, reducing soil erosion, and improving soil health and forestlands.
The USDA and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), has set Friday Dec. 20, 2013 as the cutoff date for their first fiscal year evaluation and funding consideration for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP).   Funding is limited, and only projects that are “ready to implement” will be ranked for funding consideration.
The TWRA has four private lands biologists that work out of NRCS offices and will develop wildlife habitat plans for landowners and guide them through the USDA application process.  Once plans are accepted in programs, the biologists will also provide advice to help the participants successfully implement their habitat practices.  Their assistance is also available to landowners that do not desire to participate in USDA programs.
Contact information for the TWRA biologists, USDA offices, and information on USDA programs can be found at www.twraprivatelands.org , by contacting their local USDA Service Center, or by calling the TWRA Wildlife and Forestry Division at (615) 781-6610.

 Motlow College will close for the winter break on Dec. 23 and will reopen on Jan. 2, according to college officials. The closing applies to computer labs, libraries and other facilities at all Motlow College sites, including the Moore County campus and the Fayetteville, McMinnville and Smyrna centers.
Spring classes begin on Jan. 16, and the last day to register or add classes is Jan. 15. Students enrolled at Motlow this semester can register now for spring 2014 classes and are encouraged to do so, said Greer Alsup, director of admissions and records at the college.
“Registering now will increase students’ chances of getting their preferred classes and schedules,” she said. “We also encourage new and readmit students to submit applications for admission or readmission as soon as possible because they can’t register for classes until admission requirements have been met.”
New and readmit students must submit applications for admission or readmission by Jan. 8, with online applications accepted until midnight on that date. Online applications may be accessed from the “Apply Now” button on the college website.
Students interested in earning high school and college credits for courses in the Dual Enrollment Program and those enrolling in the ACE Program (Adult College Express) also are required to apply by Jan. 8.
For more information, call 931-393-1500 or 800-654-4877.