News 2015

Mr. William “Bill” Smith, 97, a lifelong resident of Woodbury passed away on October 30, 2015.  He was born on June 10, 1918 to the late George Stanton Smith and Linda Brevard Smith.  He was also preceded in death by his wife, Dorothy Smith; brother, George Smith; sister, Minnie Smith; son, Mike Smith and great grandson, William Robert Patterson.He is survived by his son, Steve Smith of Woodbury; granddaughters, Lindsay (Joe) Patterson and Blaire Smith both of Woodbury; a great grandson, Gabriel Patterson and his devoted friend and caretaker, Christine Dillon.
Bill, as he was known to his family and friends, was born in the Edgefield community of Woodbury.  His parents owned a farm and taught him a great work ethic from childhood. They raised their own livestock and garden to support the family.  His father died when he was thirteen in the middle of the Great Depression.  It was during these difficult times that Bill’s character was formed.  He graduated from Central High School in the Class of 1937.  He was described in the yearbook as “always cheerful and plucky.” He always had a smile and a kind word for everyone.  He and Dot married and began their family in his beloved Edgefield community.  She died at a young age and he carried on raising their two sons, teaching them everything he could to be good citizens and honest hard working men.  Bill had to take jobs doing many different things as a young man.  He would haul loads of coal, cut wood and whatever else he could do to earn an honest living.  He was able to find work as a truck driver and drove for many years with McBroom Freight Lines, TCT and Super Service. 
Bill’s father had friendship with Dr. J. F. Adams before he died.  Dr. Adams took notice of Bill’s work ethic and offered him a job at the Bank of Commerce.  His time at the bank took him from being a teller all the way to being President of the bank with 55 years of service at the time of his retirement.  He earned a Banking Degree from LSU, while working at the bank.   During his time at the bank his creativity and entrepreneurial spirit came to be a great asset.  They grew from one branch in Woodbury to operating a branch at Edgefield and Auburntown.  Many of these students came to work with him at the bank and went on to college and other careers.  Some of them stayed at the bank to form a close knit core group of employees.  His most trusted friend and co-worker, Christine, worked closely with him on any project that came up.  One of those students that came to work and stayed was his son, Steve.  Bill enjoyed working with him and showing him all there was to know in the banking business.  He always took a hands on approach with customers, calling them by name and introducing them to the employees and showing them around.  Through the bank he was able to fund the construction of the pavilion at Dillon Park and donate the bank building at Auburntown which became the library.  He developed the idea for the Good Ole Days a community event that the bank sponsored for 25 years.  He also supported the county schools in any fund raising needs they had.  He loved going to basketball games and made a point to keep up and encourage players and students at every opportunity.  Bill was honored to be placed in the Banker’s Hall of Fame for Banking Excellence by the Tennessee Bankers Association a few years after retirement.
Bill was right there to help when his son, Mike, decided to open Smith Funeral Home.  He and Christine later became co-owners in the funeral home with Mike.  They enjoyed helping and working with the families they had known for a lifetime.  It seemed Bill never tired of working.  When he wasn’t working at the bank he farmed.  He raised Hereford cattle, walking horses and mules.  He cut, baled, hauled hay, planted a small crop of corn on the family farm to feed his livestock.  Bill’s love for mules kept him busy too.  He was an active member of the Middle Tennessee Mule Skinners Assoc.  He enjoyed working and showing his mules on the farm and at events like Mule Days at Columbia and the Woodbury Mule Show.  He and several of the members of the Mule Skinners built a Twenty Mule Team hitch and drove the mules through town.
Family time was important to Bill.  He always tried to include his sons in the work around the farm.  He loved to go on the Cannon County Walking Horse rides with them and go camping.  He was all about working hard and having fun.  They took some great trips out west and Bill got to meet and have lunch with John Wayne.  When his granddaughters, Lindsay and Blaire, were born nothing would suit him better than giving them a horse and showing them how to ride.  He took them on hayrides and held cookouts.  He would be at every game they played and got involved with their lives as much as possible.
Bill always prided himself on helping others and his community.  He became a member of the Lions Club.  He enjoyed helping with many of community projects they offered.  The Lions Club Horse Show and Christmas Home Tour were two of his favorites. Through the bank he helped sponsor the Bank of Commerce Cloggers.  The Cloggers took many trips to support the Tennessee Lions at the International Lions’ Parades.   He helped raise money for the Adams Memorial Library, Easter Seals and other worthwhile community projects.  He was closely involved in the development and promotion of the Cannon County Arts Center.  He donated the land for its construction and later additions of land.  He was a founding member of the Cannon County Historical Society.  He loved studying the history of Cannon County and sharing that love with other people.  He enjoyed visiting and supporting community events in Auburntown, Bradyville, Edgefield, Gassaway and Readyville.  He came up with the idea and started Red Apple Days, Corn Bread and Bean Days and other community based events.  Bill helped to spearhead several book projects through the Historical Society, Pictorial History of Cannon County, Cannon County History and Families and others.  In 1996 he was selected to be a torch bearer for the Olympic Games in Atlanta.  Bill was a member of the Woodbury Church of Christ.  Throughout his life he strived to exhibit a Christian example and encouraged his friends, family and co-workers to be active in church.
Visitation will be at the Woodbury Church of Christ on Monday, November 2, 2105 from 2-6 pm.  Funeral services will follow the visitation.  Interment will be in Riverside Cemetery.  In lieu of flowers memorial donations are requested to any of the following:  Woodbury Church of Christ, Billy Smith Preaching Scholarship, Boyd Christian School, Adams Memorial Library or Cannon County Walking Horse Association.  The contributions may be made by contacting Smith Funeral Home.  Share memories and condolences with the family at www.smithfuneralhomewoodbury.net   Smith Funeral Home, (615)563-5337

The Dekalb County Tigers football team quickly rediscovered their offense that was missing last week in their loss to Upperman as the Tigers went to the air often and scored on every Tiger offensive possession against the Cannon County Lions in the final regular season football contest .  The Lions didn’t help matters much as they fumbled the ball three times and was intercepted once in a 69-3 rout that ensured the Lions would suffer a 0-10 season.  Dekalb passed for four touchdowns and ran for 6 scores and collected 481 yards of total offense.  Lion Senior Jeremy Litchford picked up 157 of Cannon’s total 236 offensive yards.  The other lone bright spot of the game came right before the end of the third quarter when Livia Walker nailed a 28 yard field goal.  Livia would get a opportunity to kick a 35 yarder but missed it right before the end of the game.    

The Woodbury Grammar School Cheerleaders announce a All you can eat pancake for pom pom pancake breakfast to take place Saturday morning at the Woodbury Grammar School from 7-11AM.  Proceeds benefit the Woodbury Grammar School Cheerleading Team.   Pancakes, Sausage Links, Coffee, Juice or Milk
This will be a fun halloween atmosphere with servers in costumes
Cost is $5.00 if you buy pre sold tickets from any of the Woodbury Grammar School cheerleaders or $7.00 at the door.  Children 5 and under eat free

The Tennessee Department of Health has been awarded a Health and Human Services Health Infrastructure Investment Program grant totaling $750,000 to build a new community health center in Cannon County.    
“We are thrilled to receive this funding for the new building and appreciate the support of Cannon County Government in this endeavor,” said Cannon County Health Director Andrea Fox.
 
Fox worked with the Upper Cumberland Regional Health Department management team and Cannon County Executive Mike Gannon to apply for this federal grant.
 
“Cannon County is pleased to be a part of this important project,” said Gannon. ”Our Cannon County Health Department/Community Health Center is an integral part of the local medical community, and with this funding the county will have the opportunity to improve access to care for all residents regardless of their ability to pay.”
 
The county will contribute land being purchased on Alexander Drive next to the EMS building and Stones River Medical Center.  The new 5,000 square foot facility is expected to be completed in 2017.   
 

It’s Trick or Treat time as Halloween arrives on Saturday.  Cannon County has plenty of offerings for the little trick or treaters of all ages.  If haunted woods and haunted houses are your thing, Short Mountain Haunted Woods which is held at the Short Mountain Distillery  and the Auburntown Asylum might be worth checking out.  Tickets are $7 for the Short Mountain Haunted Woods with the proceeds benefiting the Short Mountain Fire Department and the Cannon County Rescue Squad.  A dinner buffet is available.  Gates open at 6pm Friday. The Asylum is located at the former home of the old Shirt Factory at 776 Poplar Bluff Road East in Auburntown.  Tickets are available and hours are 7 to midnight .  Open to people ages 11 and up
Saturday morning start Halloween with an all you can eat  Country Ham Breakfast at Eastside School from 7A to 10A Tickets are $7.00 and proceeds benefit the East Side Volunteer Fire Department.
Adams Memorial Library will be presenting Mr. Bond The Science Guy at 1:00 then at 4:00 it’s the Spook-A-Rama where the Library staff and volunteers will be passing out treats for all the trick or treaters.  The Woodbury Health and Rehab Center will be passing out candy and treats from 5 to 7:30.    The Woodbury Church of Christ is also having a family fall festival trunk or treat Saturday night from 6 to 8 pm

et an extra hour of sleep this weekend when you “fall back” for daylight saving time, but keep your peace of mind all year long by changing the batteries in your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. Tennesseans should turn their clocks backward one hour on Sunday, Nov. 1, 2015 at 2 a.m. “Even alarms that are hard-wired should have their batteries replaced regularly and should be tested monthly to ensure they are providing the proper protection,” State Fire Marshal and Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance (TDCI) Julie Mix McPeak said. “Use the extra hour we gain this weekend to make sure your home and family are fire-safe.”
Many fatal fires occur at night while the victims are sleeping. The smoke and toxic gases generated by a fire can cause people to sleep more deeply, which narrows the likelihood of surviving a fire. A working smoke alarm can double the chances of survival by increasing the amount of time a person has to escape a fire in their home.
To help ensure the safety of you and your loved ones, it is recommended that you replace the batteries regularly in your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. Twice a year is recommended. This reduces the chance of alarms chirping to indicate low batteries. All too often, a battery is removed and not replaced, putting a home’s occupants at risk. There’s no way to predict when a fire will occur, so even one night without an operational smoke alarm can be dangerous.
More helpful hints about smoke alarms:
Install at least one smoke alarm on every level of the home, including the basement. For best protection, smoke alarms should be installed inside and outside bedrooms. Make sure everyone can hear the alarm and knows what it sounds like.
For the best protection, equip your home with a combination of ionization and photoelectric smoke alarms or dual-sensor alarms.
Smoke alarms with nonreplaceable (long-life) batteries are available and are designed to remain effective for up to 10 years. If the alarm chirps on these units, warning that the battery is low, replace the entire smoke alarm right away.
Test alarms once a month using the test button. Replace the entire alarm if it’s more than 10 years old or doesn’t work properly when tested.
Devise a fire escape plan with two ways out of every room and a common meeting place. Share and practice the plan with all who live in the home, including children.
When a smoke alarm sounds, get out of the home immediately and go to your pre-planned meeting place to call 911.

A Woodbury Man who gave Murfreesboro Police a fake name during a traffic stop Tuesday was arrested on several charges.  According to Murfreesboro Police reports, Police pulled over 31 year old Mr. Jeffery Edwards of Woodbury for a registration violation.  After advising police that he lost his license over the weekend he gave them the name of “Ace Barrett”, dispatch came back and said that Barrett had an active warrant out for his arrest.  While notifying Edwards of the fact, Edwards then confessed he gave police the wrong information, and then proceeded to give the officer his real name and confessed that his driver’s license had been revoked.  The check came back on Edwards that he had been driving on revoked 5th offense and there was an attachment order for his arrest.  He was also charged with Criminal Impersonation.  

Seasonal influenza vaccine is now available at the Cannon County Health Department.  A flu vaccine clinic will be offered November 4th, 9th, 16th and 25th from 9A to 1P.  Also November 18th, 23rd, and 30th from 1 to 4P at the Cannon County Health Department. No appointment is needed to get a flu vaccine.  Flu shots will be provided during the vaccination clinic.  
Andrea Fox Cannon County Health Department Director says “It takes about two weeks to be protected after you get the flu vaccine, so it’s a good idea to get the vaccine as soon as possible so you’re protected before flu begins spreading in the area.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Cannon Couny Health Department recoomend everyone six months of age and older get their yearly flu vaccine as soon as it becomes available.”
Seasonal flu is a contagious illness that can be serious and even deadly.  Each year people experience an epidemic of flu during the fall or winter.  The timing, size and severity of these epidemics are unpredictable.  
No appointment is needed to get the flu vaccine.  The cost of the flu shot at the health department is $30.  Payment can be made in the form of cash, check or credit card.  For more information call 615-563-4243
 

A meeting of the DeKalb/Cannon County Amateur Radio Club will be held on Thursday, October 29th, 2015  – 6:30 PM at the Cannon County High
School, 1 Lion Drive – Room 115, Woodbury, TN 37190. All
local amateur radio operators and those interested in amateur radio
are invited to attend.  
Amateur radio operators also called “hams”
communicate with other operators in the local area, statewide,
nationally, and even worldwide.  Hams also aid during times of
emergencies with vital communication links.  The DeKalb/Cannon County
Amateur Radio Club is an affiliated club of the American Radio Relay
League.  Call 615-597-9563 for more information or check out the
club’s webpage at http://www.dccarc.org.
 

The Motlow College theatre department is eager to delight children with its production of “The Glass Slipper”  according to Jeannie Gallant, associate professor of communications at Motlow and director of the production. Performances are scheduled for Thursday and Friday, Oct. 28 – 30, at 9 a.m., 10:20 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. The play will conclude with November performances Wednesday through Friday, Nov. 4 – 6, at the same times. All performances will be held inside Powers Auditorium in Eoff Hall on Motlow’s Moore County campus.
While thousands of area children will come to Motlow to enjoy the production during the daytime performances, the public is invited to a reception on Nov. 6 at 6:30 p.m., followed by a final evening performance.
Tickets are free but reservations are recommended and can be made by calling Bobbie Underwood at 931-393-1700.