News 2015

The weekend of spotlighting and honoring Veterans Of Cannon County begins tomorrow with the annual Veteran’s Day Program which takes place at the Cannon County High School.  The event starts at 8:30 in the morning.  Some of the highlights of the program will include patriotic songs from the Cannon County High School Band as well as the Cannon County High School Chorus.  LTC Retired Brent Bush will be a special guest speaker.  The Drone Pilot Chris Grininger will be involved with the program.  Gregory Cutcliff will perform with his Scottish bag pipes.  There will also be a special presentation that the Cannon County Student Council will host.  As always after the program, guests are invited to walk through the school to see the decorations various art work and photography.  Outside displays include a hummer, military vehicles and Black Hawk Helicopter. WBRY will broadcast the Veteran’s Day Program live from the Cannon County High School beginning at 8:30 Friday morning
 

Throughout the past two weeks, WBRY has honored the Veterans of Cannon County by spotlighting the various Grand Marshalls of the Cannon County Veterans Parade which will take place Saturday afternoon.  Today’s spotlight is on the United States Coast Guard Grand Marshall.  Chief Petty Officer  the late Robert Virgil Young Virgil as he is known in Cannon County was born to Joe and Margarette Todd Young.  He graduated from the Woodbury Central High School in 1954. Virgil went to Norfork, Va. and worked at a boat dock.  While in Virginia
he joined the Coast Guard and took his boot camp in New Jersey.  In 1955
he married Grace Frazier.  They are the proud parents of four children.  Grace is the sister to Della Frazier Young who
is married to Virgil’s brother Nile.
 Virgil was stationed in many places during his 20 year career in the
Coast Guard.  First he was stationed at the Belle Isle Life Boat Station,
which is a search and rescue station.  His second duty station was Fort
Huron Michigan where he served aboard the Huron Light Ship.  Then Virgil
was assigned to the Coast Guard Base in New Orleans, and from there, a
small station in DuLac, Louisiana.  His fifth duty station took him out of
the warm south and put him in Alaska on the Cutter Clover.  Then again
down south to Virginia on the Cutter Mo Hicken.  He served on the Cutter
Courageous in Puerto Rico.  His eight assignment was Buffalo, NY. on the
Cutter Ojibiwa. His ninth and last duty station was Captain of the Port
in Nashville, Tennessee where he retired in 1974. He moved back to Cannon
County where he lived since retirement.  Some of the education that he
received while in the service of his country was a course for Enginemen
Chiefs at the Coast Guard Institute in 1965.  He satisfactorily completed
instrumentation at ALCO Engineering School in 1968: nuclear, biological
and chemical defense a shipboard course in March of 1968; and Marine
Transmission School in January 1970.
     Virgil received the Coast Guard Commendation Medal, the Coast Guard
Commendation Ribbon, and the Fourth Award of the Coast Guard Good
Conduct Award in 1973.
     Virgil left us a great memory and a message.  He invited everyone to
share in the Veterans Day Celebration and to remember our sons and
daughters who are serving our nation in all parts of this world.
The Cannon County Veterans Day Parade will take place at 1:00 Saturday
 

Today, we pause to celebrate the men and women who have worn the uniform of our country and who have defended her honor in times of war and peace. I will be traveling across our district attending Veterans Day events where I’m looking forward to personally greeting our 6th District veterans and thanking them for their service.In a culture that often idolizes the silly and the extreme, today is a day that pays tribute to the real heroes. It is a time for quiet reflection on the sacrifices made to purchase we freedoms we enjoy and, in many ways, it is a time for stories. Stories that celebrate the veterans in each of our lives – and give them the honor they so richly deserve. 
I want to tell you about one of people in my life: my son Steve. Steve is a great Dad and he gave me a wonderful daughter-in-law in his wife, Tracy. But before he did any of that, he was my firstborn child; the person who made me a Mom. 
About 25 years ago, Steve answered the same call to serve that many of you did. Growing up, he heard his Dad’s stories of his time in Vietnam. They were frightening, they were saddening, but they also inspired him and stirred within him a sense of duty to his country. So the day came when Steve told us he had joined the Navy and would be serving aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise in Operation Desert Storm. Suddenly, my child was very grown up and would be in a place where we could not protect him, because he would be protecting us.
Of course I was proud of Steve’s willingness to serve his country but, like any mother, I 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 13 months later, joining the ranks of more than 500,000 Tennesseans as a proud military veteran.
I know many of you have stories of your own family and friends whom you honor on this day. If you’re like me, you want them to know that their sacrifices will be accounted for and reflected in the decisions made in Washington. That is one of the reasons why I’m serving in Congress.
We must recognize that the care of our military, both on the battlefield and once they return home, speaks to the character of our country. We have a moral obligation to ensure that our government keeps its promises to the few who have sacrificed for the many.
Every year at Veterans Day, I always think back to a famous quote from our nation’s 40th President, Ronald Reagan. When I first came to Congress, one of my constituents affixed this quote to a wooden placard and gave it to me as a gift – it has hung in my office ever since. It says this:“Freedom is never more than one generation away  from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.”
Our nation’s veterans have heeded that call and some paid the ultimate sacrifice in the process. To our 6th District veterans reading this message today, know this:
We are grateful for your service, we are inspired by your example, and we pledge to keep telling your story – so that our children and grandchildren will know that freedom was bought with a price.
From my family to yours, Happy Veterans Day!

Paul Curless, Chief Master Sergeant E-9, born in Bluff City,Illinois, entered the service in 1961 after high school. After an
assignment in Korea he was stationed in Ellsworth, AFB, SD, with B-52
Strategic Bomber and 150 Minute Man Missiles. Paul retrained into the
career field of Civil Engineering Production Control. Paul
served in Tehran, for 2 years. After Iran he served with the 68th Bomb
Squadron at Seymour Johnson AFB, NC. He was then assigned to Turkey,
where he manned a Radar Site watching the Russians. Paul was promoted
early to Master Sergeant with only 18 years of service. He was assigned
to Clark AFB, Philippines, as Deputy Operations Civil Engineering, where
he supervised more that 500 personnel, through 9 first level supervisors
and 21 shop foreman.
After Clark AFB he was assigned to Anderson AFB, Guam, as Chief of
. Paul’s last assignment was at AFB, California,
as Chief of Production Control, Civil Engineering.
During his last ten years in the Air Force he preached and taught
classes as a member of the Church of Christ, in Turkey,
Philippines, Guam, and state side. He retired after 22 years of
service. He is currently a full time minister with the
Murfreesboro Church of Christ. Paul also is serving with the
Cannon County Sheriff’s Department as the Deputy Sheriff-Court
Officer. Paul is married to Betty (Trail) Curless. They have
four children, Kevin and Kelly. Paul loved the Air Force and
recommends it to all young men and women. Chief Curless received
numerous awards including the Meritorious Service Medal. He was
also NCO of the month, NCO of the Quarter, America’s Ten
Outstanding Young Men in 1976, and as Twelve Outstanding Airman
of the Year in 1976.

On November 3, 2015, approximately 170 Cannon County 8th grade students, teachers, and chaperones attended the 1st annual Rutherford County Career and Education Exploration Day held at Miller Coliseum in Murfreesboro.    Students were able to discuss future career and educational opportunities with approximately 30 different industry and college representatives. Vendors included Siemens, TDOT, MTSU, Motlow, Nissan, Murfreesboro Fire Dept. and many more. Students were provided questions to ask the vendors to make the experience more valuable,  and door prizes were awarded.All adults and students enjoyed a delicious home-packed or school-made sack lunch at the Miller Coliseum before returning.

The 2015 muzzleloader/archery season for deer opens in Tennessee on Saturday, Nov. 7 and continues through Friday, Nov. 20 in all three of  Tennessee’s deer hunting units, according to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. The opening of muzzleloader season in the state has a permanent opening date of the third Saturday before Thanksgiving.
Muzzleloading firearms are defined as those firearms which are incapable of being loaded from the breech. Muzzleloading firearms of .36 caliber minimum plus long bows, compound bows and crossbows are legal hunting equipment for this season. Hunters are also reminded that they must meet the blaze orange requirements while hunting.
The statewide bag limit for antlered bucks is two. No more than one antlered deer may be taken per day.  Hunters are allowed the following antlerless bag limits: Unit A -4 antlerless deer; Unit L-3 antlerless deer per day and Unit B-1 antlerless deer.
For the exact boundaries of the different deer units, hunters can refer to the 2015-16 Tennessee Hunting and Trapping Guide, available where hunting and fishing licenses are sold and at all TWRA offices. A list of the state’s permanent annual opening hunting dates is on page 14 of the guide. The guide can also be viewed at TWRA’s website at www.tnwildlife.org.
Resident hunters, ages 16 through 64 must possess in addition to other appropriate licenses, an annual big game license for the equipment used.  Lifetime Sportsman license, Junior Hunt/Trap/Fish, Adult Sportsman license and Permanent Senior Citizens license holders are not required to purchase supplemental big game licenses.
In addition to private lands, including public hunting areas, several wildlife management areas (WMAs) will be open to hunters during this muzzleloader season.  Hunters need to refer to the 2015-16 Hunting and Trapping Guide for a listing of these WMAs or go to TWRA’s website.
Tennessee’s gun season for deer opens on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. This year’s date is Nov. 21. The season for gun/muzzleloader/archery will then continue through Jan. 3, 2016.  Archery equipment is legal during muzzleloader and gun seasons. Muzzleloaders are legal during gun season.
 

It’s a fact:  Americans love to spend money during the holidays, even risking substantial financial debt to do so. This year, consumers are projected to spend significantly more money than previous years.  According to the National Retail Federation’s Holiday Consumer Spending Survey conducted by Prosper Insights and Analytics, sales in November and December (excluding autos, gas and restaurants) are expected to increase 3.7 percent to $630.7 billion — significantly higher than the 10-year average of 2.5 percent. Online sales are forecast to increase between 6 and 8 percent to as much as $105 billion. Click here to read more. If you accumulate holiday debt this year, the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance’s (TDCI) Consumer Affairs Division encourages consumers to be wary of unscrupulous and illegal practices of debt collection agencies. Consult the One-Stop Licensing App to ensure the debt collections agency is licensed with the State of Tennessee. File a complaint if a debt collector commits any of these violations:
Harassment. Debt collectors may not harass, oppress, or abuse you or any third parties they contact. For example, they may not:
Use threats of violence or harm.
Publish a list of names of people who refuse to pay their debts (but they can give this information to the credit reporting companies).
Use obscene or profane language.
Repeatedly use phone communication to annoy you.
Contact you at inconvenient or unusual time periods (Between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. is considered acceptable).
Contact you at work if the collector knows, or has reason to know, the employer prohibits such communication.
Contact you after you provided a notice in writing that you wish the communication to cease.
False statements. Debt collectors may not lie when they are trying to collect a debt. For example, they may not:
Falsely claim that they are attorneys or government representatives.
Falsely claim that you have committed a crime.
Falsely represent that they operate or work for a credit reporting company.
Misrepresent the amount you owe.
Indicate that papers they send you are legal forms if they aren’t.
Indicate that papers they send to you aren’t legal forms if they are.
Debt collectors also are prohibited from saying that:
You will be arrested if you don’t pay your debt.
They’ll seize, garnish, attach, or sell your property or wages unless they are permitted by law to take the action and intend to do so.
Legal action will be taken against you, if doing so would be illegal or if they don’t intend to take the action.
Unfair practices. Debt collectors may not engage in unfair practices when they try to collect a debt. For example, they may not:
Try to collect any interest, fee, or other charge on top of the amount you owe unless the contract that created your debt – or state law – allows the charge.
Deposit a post-dated check early.
Take or threaten to take your property unless it can be done legally.
Contact you by postcard.
For more consumer tips, visit www.tn.gov/consumer.

Louis E. Hillis left the United States headed for Korea. HisInfantry Company of 108 men arrived in Korea to fight the war. Only 9 of
them returned. Hillis was taken prisoner. During his capture he lost 63
pounds. He said they would move their position often. During these moves
if an American soldier got so weak that he would fall along the trail, the
North Koreans would just shot him. They even went on death marches where
a lot of American soldiers died. He said the captured American soldiers
had to bury the dead American
soldiers. Louis said that his most horrible experience was the day he had
to bury 19 dead American soldiers in one large trench. When you see Louis
Hillis shake his hand and thank him for his service and sacrifices for
this great nation.
Today! Yes today, there are still over 87,000 military men and women
missing and still unaccounted for. Over 7000 from World War I, over
70,000 from World War II, 8000 from the Korean War, 2000 from the
Vietnam War, 169 from the Cold War, and 6 from the
Iran/Iraq/Afghanistan Wars. These are our young men and women who never
returned home. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is a symbol of honor and
memory of the soldiers who died and could not be
identified.

Centerstone, one of the nation’s largest not-for-profit providers of community-based behavioral health care, prevention and addictions services, is among 19 agencies in Rutherford and Cannon Counties participating in the fifth annual “19 Days of Activism for the Prevention of Abuse and Violence against Children and Youth.” This worldwide awareness event is held every year November 1-19 and sponsored by the Women’s World Summit Foundation. It presents an opportunity for like-minded organizations in Rutherford and Cannon Counties to collaborate on spreading the word about the importance of preventing family violence and highlighting the services available to children and families. Centerstone joined the “19 Days” awareness effort as a leading supporter of child behavioral health care and prevention efforts in Middle Tennessee. Some of the services offered by Centerstone for children and families in this area include:

Intensive In-Home Treatment for children 3 to 18 and their families, providing high-intensity, time-limited therapeutic services for those at high risk for out-of-home placement due to a serious emotional disturbance, including treatment for trauma related to family violence.

Therapeutic Intervention, Education and Skills (TIES) for families of children 18 and younger at imminent risk of being placed outside the home or about to return home due to a parent’s or caregiver’s substance use, with intensive intervention provided free of charge to those who qualify.
 

Case Management Services, designed to assess child and family needs, facilitate access to key services, manage crises and promote skill-building.
 

Mobile Therapy for ages 5 and older, providing individual and family treatment services in homes and other community-based settings for those who have a barrier to reaching office-based therapy services.
 
The main awareness theme for the 19 Days campaign in 2015 is bullying. Centerstone, through its Prevention Services, continues to offer help combating violence and bullying locally, throughout Tennessee and nationwide from its youth-oriented website WhoYouWant2Be.org. Centerstone will soon be releasing its second original comic book this winter titled, “Smokescreen: No Time For Bullies,” which will be distributed locally and available online.
 
“Centerstone is proud to share the 19 Days of Activism message,” said Beth Hail, Centerstone Regional Vice President. “Providing behavioral health, prevention, and addictions services to at-risk youth and their families is such a big part of what Centerstone does. We hope this initiative raises awareness for this critical issue in Rutherford and Cannon Counties and across Middle Tennessee.”
 

As a nurse, a mom, and a grandmother, I’ve seen the miracle of childbirth many times and each experience was as joyous and special as the last. I’ve also encountered parents who could not fulfill their hopes of child-bearing on their own, and would turn to adoption to complete their family. And I’ve met with courageous birthmothers who did not yet feel equipped to raise children of their own, but who nonetheless carried their child to term and would entrust that precious life to a loving set of adoptive parents. Those experiences motivated me to take up the cause of adoptive families upon arriving in Congress, where I now serve as Co-Chairman of the Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth. This November, as we celebrate, National Adoption Month, I wanted to share with you about a bipartisan effort on Capitol Hill to match more children with forever families. 
The facts about adoption and foster care are sobering: Today, there are more than 415,000 children in the foster care system. But what’s even more tragic is the knowledge that there are families across this country today who have room in their hearts to adopt, but simply do not have room in their budget. In fact, almost half of all children adopted from foster care live in households with incomes at or below 200 percent of the poverty line. 
We can’t change the high cost of adoption overnight, but we can ensure that our tax laws provides some help to offset that expense. The federal government offers an adoption tax credit (ATC), but it is not fully refundable. That means it offers no benefit whatsoever to a family making less than $35,000 a year. 
That is where my legislation, the Adoption Tax Credit Refundability Act, comes in. This simple, one-page bill would make the ATC fully refundable so that every family, regardless of income, could access this vital tool. With this bill, we will make certain that the tax code works for families who are willing to open up their homes to adoption, not against them.
Just this week, my office held a briefing for lawmakers and their staffs so they could learn more about this legislation and, hopefully, cosponsor the bill to increase its likelihood of a vote on the House floor. We also brought in some inspiring adoptive families who shared how adoption has changed their world for the better, and how adoption could be made more financially realistic for other families like theirs if the ATC were fully refundable. I was proud to be joined at the briefing by Rep. Danny Davis (D-IL) in a strong showing of bipartisan support – because at the end of the day, this bill isn’t about politics, it’s about families.  
You can learn more about the Adoption Tax Credit Refundability Act here. I’m excited about the momentum that we are building for this legislation and am hopeful that, with growing bipartisan support and help from inspiring families like these, we will carry it across the finish line.