News 2015

Thirteen employers are assembling in Tullahoma this Thursday, October 1, at the Tennessee Army National Guard for the fourth annual Paychecks for Patriots (P4P), a hiring event providing jobs to military veterans and their families To maximize meaningful job opportunities available at P4P, organizers required participating employers have only full-time positions (no self-employment, temporary, part time, or educational prospects). Paychecks for Patriots is an event coordinated by Dollar General, Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Tennessee Department of Military
and the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve.
“We have a very strict criteria for selecting these hiring employers,” said Burns Phillips, Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development. “These are employers who both respect the military community and understand the quality of work these employees are capable of accomplishing.”

The Arts Center of Cannon County has announced its 2016 season with tickets going on sale Friday.  Some of the features for the 2016 Season include Memphis-The Musical, Always Patsy Cline, Disney’s The Little Mermaid, The Odd Couple, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang The Young At Art Series and Rock of Ages Other productions announced for the 2016 include the Cat in the Hat and Elf The Musical Jr.  Season Tickets are just $60 for six shows.  

Nashville- SNAP benefits (formerly known as food stamps) will not be available for use by recipients if the federal government shuts down. The Tennessee Department of Human Services is over 90% federally funded and a federal government shutdown will impact operations. During the last federal government shutdown in 2013, federal SNAP benefits were not immediately affected.  Unlike the last federal government shutdown in 2013, DHS has been informed by our federal partners that USDA does not have the funding necessary for SNAP benefits to continue in October if a shutdown occurs. USDA has advised that SNAP benefits will not be available for use on October 1, 2015 or shortly thereafter, if there is a government shutdown resulting in a lapse of federal funding. This includes any SNAP benefit that is left on an EBT card from a prior month.
According to the USDA, they would have limited resources to finance October SNAP benefits nationwide and would be required by law to ensure that the USDA does not incur obligations for which funding is not available. This would require USDA to take steps, including the de-authorization of retailers in the first several days of the month to prevent SNAP benefits from being redeemed during an appropriations lapse.
Although the Department is optimistic that the shutdown will not occur, we are doing our due diligence to ensure we are prepared in the event a shutdown does occur. We do not have any information regarding TANF/Families’ First benefits at this time. These funds may or may not be impacted. Depending on the duration of a potential shutdown, SNAP benefits may or may not continue to be impacted after October. DHS is studying to what extent there may or not may be an impact on DHS staff if a federal government shutdown occurs.
The Tennessee Department of Human Services is continuing to monitor the situation closely and we will provide updates as soon as information is available. DHS will put updated information on our website at http://www.tn.gov/humanservices
– See more at: http://tn.gov/news/18160#sthash.yS3fLVBz.dpuf
SNAP benefits (formerly known as food stamps) will not be available for use by recipients if the federal government shuts down. The Tennessee Department of Human Services is over 90% federally funded and a federal government shutdown will impact operations.
During the last federal government shutdown in 2013, federal SNAP benefits were not immediately affected.  Unlike the last federal government shutdown in 2013, DHS has been informed by our federal partners that USDA does not have the funding necessary for SNAP benefits to continue in October if a shutdown occurs. USDA has advised that SNAP benefits will not be available for use on October 1, 2015 or shortly thereafter, if there is a government shutdown resulting in a lapse of federal funding. This includes any SNAP benefit that is left on an EBT card from a prior month.
According to the USDA, they would have limited resources to finance October SNAP benefits nationwide and would be required by law to ensure that the USDA does not incur obligations for which funding is not available. This would require USDA to take steps, including the de-authorization of retailers in the first several days of the month to prevent SNAP benefits from being redeemed during an appropriations lapse.
Although the Department is optimistic that the shutdown will not occur, we are doing our due diligence to ensure we are prepared in the event a shutdown does occur. We do not have any information regarding TANF/Families’ First benefits at this time. These funds may or may not be impacted. Depending on the duration of a potential shutdown, SNAP benefits may or may not continue to be impacted after October. DHS is studying to what extent there may or not may be an impact on DHS staff if a federal government shutdown occurs.
The Tennessee Department of Human Services is continuing to monitor the situation closely and we will provide updates as soon as information is available. DHS will put updated information on our website at http://www.tn.gov/humanservices
– See more at: http://tn.gov/news/18160#sthash.yS3fLVBz.dpuf

Motlow College’s McMinnville Center will open up its computer labs from 10 a.m. – noon on Saturday, Oct. 3, for area high school seniors to sign up for Tennessee Promise and fill out their Motlow applications. The event is designed to encourage students to enroll in Tennessee Promise, Governor Bill Haslam’s program to provide two years of community college or technical school tuition. Tennessee Promise is part of the Drive to 55 initiative to increase the number of Tennesseans with some form of post-secondary credential, such as a college degree or technical certificate.
During Scholarship Saturday, students may come to the McMinnville Center and use the college’s computers to sign up online.
Tennessee Promise Director Mike Krause said he hoped many Tennessee students would participate and complete their application. “Tennessee Promise has changed the conversation about going to college in our state, and I hope we can encourage students to sign up early,” Krause said.
The Motlow McMinnville Center is located at 225 Cadillac Lane. For further information about Scholarship Saturday, contact Sally Pack, assistant director of student success, at 931-668-7010 or spack@mscc.edu.
 

A Cannon County woman is charged for the third time with doctor shopping for prescription drugs, using TennCare benefits as payment. The Office of Inspector General (OIG), with the assistance of the Cannon County Sheriff’s Office, today announced the arrest of Taylor R. Cantrell, 24, of Readyville. She is charged in a Cannon County indictment with using TennCare to visit multiple physicians in a short period of time in order to obtain controlled substances, with TennCare paying for either the clinical visit or the prescriptions.
Cantrell was arrested in May after she was indicted by a Coffee County Grand Jury and charged with two counts of fraudulently obtaining a controlled substance by doctor shopping. And just two months before that, in March, she was indicted in Warren County on four counts of using TennCare to obtain controlled substances by doctor shopping.
In all three incidents, Cantrell sought the treatment of several medical providers at various facilities in order to gain prescriptions for painkillers, including Oxycodone, Hydrocodone and Tramadol and used TennCare as payment.
“The abuse of TennCare benefits, especially to obtain pain medications, is one of our many priorities,” Inspector General Manny Tyndall said.  “Local law enforcement, providers and the healthcare community are with us in the effort to weed this problem out of the TennCare program.”
TennCare fraud is a Class E felony carrying a sentence of up to two years in prison per charge.  District Attorney General Jennings H. Jones is prosecuting the Cannon County case.
The OIG, which is separate from TennCare, began full operation in February 2005 and has investigated cases leading to more than $3 million being repaid to TennCare, with a total estimated cost avoidance of more than $163.6 million for TennCare, according to latest figures. To date, 2,451 people have been charged with TennCare fraud.
Through the OIG Cash for Tips Program established by the Legislature, Tennesseans can get cash rewards for TennCare fraud tips that lead to convictions.  Anyone can report suspected TennCare fraud by calling 1-800-433-3982 toll-free from anywhere in Tennessee, or go to http://www.tn.gov/finance/topic/fa-oig.
– See more at: http://tn.gov/news/18103#sthash.MhZNUOi1.dpuf
A Cannon County woman is charged for the third time with doctor shopping for prescription drugs, using TennCare benefits as payment.
The Office of Inspector General (OIG), with the assistance of the Cannon County Sheriff’s Office, today announced the arrest of Taylor R. Cantrell, 24, of Readyville. She is charged in a Cannon County indictment with using TennCare to visit multiple physicians in a short period of time in order to obtain controlled substances, with TennCare paying for either the clinical visit or the prescriptions.
Cantrell was arrested in May after she was indicted by a Coffee County Grand Jury and charged with two counts of fraudulently obtaining a controlled substance by doctor shopping. And just two months before that, in March, she was indicted in Warren County on four counts of using TennCare to obtain controlled substances by doctor shopping.
In all three incidents, Cantrell sought the treatment of several medical providers at various facilities in order to gain prescriptions for painkillers, including Oxycodone, Hydrocodone and Tramadol and used TennCare as payment.
“The abuse of TennCare benefits, especially to obtain pain medications, is one of our many priorities,” Inspector General Manny Tyndall said.  “Local law enforcement, providers and the healthcare community are with us in the effort to weed this problem out of the TennCare program.”
TennCare fraud is a Class E felony carrying a sentence of up to two years in prison per charge.  District Attorney General Jennings H. Jones is prosecuting the Cannon County case.
The OIG, which is separate from TennCare, began full operation in February 2005 and has investigated cases leading to more than $3 million being repaid to TennCare, with a total estimated cost avoidance of more than $163.6 million for TennCare, according to latest figures. To date, 2,451 people have been charged with TennCare fraud.
Through the OIG Cash for Tips Program established by the Legislature, Tennesseans can get cash rewards for TennCare fraud tips that lead to convictions.  Anyone can report suspected TennCare fraud by calling 1-800-433-3982 toll-free from anywhere in Tennessee, or go to http://www.tn.gov/finance/topic/fa-oig.

Dear Friends,It has been an eventful week in Washington as Congress passed important reforms to streamline the government permitting process, continued efforts to hold Planned Parenthood accountable, and heard an historic address from His Holiness Pope Francis. Here are a few highlights that I wanted to share with you: Tennessee Students Hear From Pope Francis
This week His Holiness Pope Francis made history as the first Pope to address a joint session of Congress. I was grateful for the Pope’s strong words in defense of the unborn, reminding Congress of its responsibility to “protect and defend human life at every stage of its development.” While in our nation’s Capital, Pope Francis also met with the Little Sisters of the Poor – a Catholic charitable organization suing the Obama Administration over its coercive abortion-pill mandate (also known as the HHS mandate) that violates religious freedom. Every Member of Congress received an allotment of tickets to watch Pope Francis’s address to Congress from the Capitol lawn. I was happy to give my tickets to the Diocese of Nashville’s Catholic Youth Office so that high school students from across the mid-state could witness this special event.Passing the RAPID Act to Cut Through Bureaucratic Red Tape
For too long, government hurdles have stood in the way of important infrastructure projects and energy developments that we need to keep our country competitive and to create good American jobs. Perhaps the most infamous example of this botched system is the Administration’s failure to approve the Keystone Pipeline, a project that would create over 40,000 jobs and promote energy security. To that end, the House of Representatives voted this week with my support to pass the RAPID Act – legislation that would streamline the permitting process for infrastructure, energy and other federally-funded construction projects. The RAPID Act would place a hard three-year deadline on federal agencies authorized to review the environmental impact of these initiatives, eliminate the requirement for unnecessary duplicative studies, and prohibit agencies from including faulty, politically-motivated science in their cost-benefit analysis. This bill passed today with a bipartisan vote of 226 – 170 and will be sent to the U.S. Senate for further consideration. It’s Academy Season in #TN06!
Each year, Members of Congress may nominate a limited number of students to four of the country’s five military service academies. This past Saturday, I held my annual Academy Day in Lebanon to provide high school students from our district with information on how to continue their education at one of these institutions. I appreciate the students, parents, academy officers, and admissions staff who came out to join us. If you or your child is interested in attending a U.S. military academy but did not get a chance to attend, you can still apply for a nomination from my office until October 15th.Update on the Fight Against Planned Parenthood
This past Wednesday, I had an opportunity to participate in a panel discussion on the pro-life movement hosted by the Southern Baptist Church’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC). I shared about my House-passed bill to freeze all federal funding for Planned Parenthood and discussed the next steps forward. Regrettably, the U.S. Senate defeated a Continuing Resolution just yesterday that contained the provisions of my bill. That doesn’t mean we give up the fight. Just as we fought for over a decade to pass SJR 127 – later known as Amendment One – to restore pro-life protections in Tennessee state law, we must also be engaged in the effort against Planned Parenthood for the long-haul in Congress.  Meanwhile, the House will continue its investigations with an Oversight Committee hearing on Tuesday featuring testimony from Planned Parenthood Cecile Richards.

Tennesseans can expect plentiful pumpkins, gourds and winter squash this year. Round, bright orange Jack-o-Lantern pumpkins are still popular for Halloween carving, but increasing numbers of colorful heirloom pumpkins, which are also edible, may be stealing the show.
Traditional cooking pumpkin varieties like the blue Australian or Jarrahdale pumpkin, the neon orange Cinderella pumpkin and the pinkish Long Island cheese pumpkin tend to be relatively flat. Their bold, unusual colors also make them trendy favorites for stacking on doorsteps in autumn tableaus, making them a smart choice no matter how they’re displayed.
Tennessee pumpkin growers weathered a challenging growing season with cool, wet conditions, but ended with ideal harvest conditions for the 2015 crop. About 2,000 acres across the state are dedicated to pumpkins, colorful gourds and other hard squash. Loads of colorful orbs have been making their ways to area farmers markets, garden centers and retail outlets since the first week of September.
A popular way to celebrate the season’s pumpkins and other gorgeous décor is to make pumpkin picking an autumn adventure at local fun farms and orchards that also offer corn mazes, wagon rides, farm animal petting zoos and creative, farm-themed playgrounds.
The free Pick Tennessee Mobile App from the Tennessee Department of Agriculture allows users to find local farms and farmers markets, then map the way from the user’s location. Find pumpkin patches and all sorts of autumn decor, including gourds, squash, Indian corn, straw bales and chrysanthemums for doorsteps, pies and table arrangements with the Pick Tennessee Website and mobile app.
 

Rain and the threat of rain postponed the 17th annual Cannon County Chamber of Commerce’s Color Of Fall Car and Truck Show from this past Saturday to this coming Saturday October 3rd.  The event presented by O’Reilly Auto Parts, will take place at the Cannon County Courthouse Square.  All makes and models of cars, trucks and unique vehicles welcome.  Trophies will be awarded to the best of, plus top 40 and 7 cash awards. Goody Bags and Dash Plaques will be given to the first 100 entries.  There will be music, door prizes, trivia contests, a 50/50 drawing vendors and more.  Registration fee is $20 per vehicle and will begin at 8A until 12 noon.  Judging on all cars that enter before 12 noon will begin at 9:00 Saturday morning.  For more information about Saturday’s event please call Carolyn Motley at the Cannon County Chamber of Commerce at 615-563-2222

The Arts Center of Cannon County has announced auditions for the local production of A Christmas Tuna will be held Saturday October 10th at 10AM and Sunday October 11th at 4P Director Vickie Bailey is seeking two men ages 25-55 whom are strong, high-energy comedic actors.
No appointment necessary. Contact Vickie at Vickie.Bailey@mnps.org with any questions.
 

Representative Mark Pody discussed the topic of seventh grade world history and discussions of Islam in his latest newsletter Friday.  Representative Pody’s office has been fielding several calls about this issue and says  It is important to clarify the role of your State Board of Education in this process.The state board establishes the standards for K-12 education for the entire state. The current content of the social studies standards was created by a committee of Tennessee teachers and was available for the public to review and provide feedback before its adoption in July 2013. Standards are the sets of grade — specific goals that define what all students are expected to know and what they should be able to do by the end of the grade or course.
Local districts determine the curriculum and instruction, adapting what classroom instruction looks like for the students and teachers.
There are no State Board of Education requirements regarding the length of time to be devoted to any topic or guidelines on how that topic is taught in the classroom.
The focus on each religion depends on the context and influence of the relevant time period.
This year the Tennessee General Assembly, building on the governor’s standards review process and in coordination with the State Board of Education, passed HB 1035, which set out a remarkably transparent and ground-breaking process of ongoing standards review and revision.
The social studies standards review website will be launched in January, and we encourage all Tennesseans to utilize this opportunity to provide critical feedback.  For more information please visit: https://tn.gov/education/article/social-studies-standards