News 2015

Tennessee Labor & Workforce Development Commissioner Burns Phillips announced last week the Tennessee preliminary unemployment rate for August was 5.7 percent, unchanged from the July revised rate. The U.S. preliminary rate for August was 5.1 percent, two tenths of one percentage point lower than the prior month. Economic Summary
Tennessee’s August unemployment rate remained at 5.7 percent for the third consecutive month. The U.S. rate declined to 5.1 percent.
Over the past year, Tennessee’s unemployment rate decreased from 6.6 percent to 5.7 percent while the national rate declined from 6.1 percent to 5.1 percent.
Total nonfarm employment increased 6,700 jobs from July to August. The largest increases occurred in trade/transportation/utilities, government, and leisure/hospitality.
Over the year, nonfarm employment increased 52,500 jobs. The largest increases occurred in trade/transportation/utilities, leisure/hospitality, and durable goods manufacturing.
 

Cannon County’s eventful homecoming evening started with the crowning of Senior standout athlete Livia Walker as homecoming queen.  Then it ended with Walker kicking an extra point in the first quarter to put Cannon County ahead in their region matchup against York 7-6.  From there the winless Dragons got fired up and behind a huge second quarter put the game away before halftime winning by a final score of 49-7.   Cannon suffered the loss despite having possession of the football 31 of the 48 minutes of the entire game.  The Lions defense couldn’t make tackles giving up 451 yards of total offense to the Dragons.  Cannon falls to 0-5 midway through the season while York goes 1-4 finding themselves back in the race for a possible playoff spot with a 1-2 region record.  Cannon hosts another region opponent in Upperman next Friday with gametime at 7:00.

Homecoming has been the theme all this week at Cannon County High School.  After two lengthy consecutive Friday night road trips, the Cannon County Lions High School Football team is glad to get back to Fred Schwartz field as they host their homecoming game against the York Institute Purple Dragons.  Both teams come into this regional battle looking for their first win of the year.  Cannon fell short last week to Red Boiling Springs, while York lost to what looked to be the front runner of the region this year in Sequatchie County.  Both teams are 0-4 and while Cannon is 0-1 in Region play, York on the other side is 0-2  Football Friday starts off today with Tailgate in it’s new time slot at 5:00.  We then check in with prep football grur Murphy Fair and Murphy’s Matchups followed by live on field reports from football games throughout the midstate on Friday Night Thunder at 6:00.  The Tailgate pregame show will start at 6:45 followed by the kickoff of the football matchup between York and Cannon County at 7:00.  Friday Night Football can be heard live over the airwaves on Shine 107.9FM WBRY AM 1540, streaming online at wbry.com or through the smart phones and tablets by using the Tune In Radio app.  

The Cannon County Gospel Jamboree is set for tonight beginning at 6:00 and tomorrow starting at 2:00 with several local gospel groups and solo acts.  Food will be available The 10th annual event which is becoming more popular every year will take place at the Justin M. Pemberton Memorial Arena If you’d like more information please call Johnny Duggin at 615-278-8512 DTC Annual Meeting takes place on Saturday at the Dekalb County Fairgrounds in Alexandra.  Gates open at 11:45 in the morning.  Business meeting begins at 4:00 or after the last person in line at 4 p.m. has voted.  There will be BBQ available at the meeting for those interested in attending call 615-529-2955 for more information

Three Cannon County Schools are now participating in after-school walking club programs.  With the help of grant funding and volunteer efforts, Woodbury Grammar School, Eastside Elementary, and Westside Elementary are encouraging students to be more active through participation in their respective clubs.  Students not only benefit from the additional exercise but are also provided a healthy nutritious snack after each meeting.  The clubs usually meet once or twice a week for a nine week period each semester.  Students are encouraged to set goals for the year, and are awarded incentives for miles walked.  Volunteers help to make this project successful.  If you are interested in helping with this program, or you have any questions concerning after-school walking programs, contact your building principal or Bonnie Patterson, Director of Coordinated School Health Services for Cannon County Schools at 615-563-5752.       

Let’s Dance!7:30pm Lesson, 8:30pm Dance with a live band! September 19
7:30pm
$15 Adults*   $13 Seniors & Students*  *Pre-Payment Required
                                               
All attendees will enjoy the opportunity to start out with an hour-long beginner’s swing dance lesson with national award-winning instructors from The National Dance Clubs of Murfreesboro, followed by a night of dancing to the swingin’ sounds of Eight O’Five Jive!  And, you can also sign up for a *COMPLIMENTARY PRIVATE LESSON* courtesy of The National Dance Clubs of Murfreesboro! 
EIGHT O’FIVE JIVE Eight O’ Five Jive has enough energy to power a small fleet of ’57 Cadillacs, with more than adequate fuel to ignite any stage on fire with their driving sound of swingin’ jump blues, a little bit of jazz, and very early rock ‘n roll!
Winners of the 2014 Nashville Industry Music Award for ‘Best Live Blues Performers’, they are currently nominated for FOUR  NIMA AWARDS this year, as well as a Blues Blast Magazine nomination for
‘Best New Artist Debut’.
For ticket information call the Box Office at 615-563-2787 or purchase through their website artscenterofcc.com

Cannon County High School Student, Caitlin Miller, placed 1st in the Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) contest Toys that Teach at the Tennessee State Fair. Toys That Teach, an individual event, recognizes members for their ability to design, build, and demonstrate an original homemade toy which provides learning and play for either an individual child or a small group of children. The toy is to be constructed of common, everyday household items, meet safety guidelines, and be easy to carry and use. Caitlin created and presented a learning toy, ABC Stick To Me.  It is designed to help children recognize upper and lower case letter and match the letters to objects that start with that letter.

The Comptroller’s Offices of Research and Education Accountability (OREA) has released a report that reviews how the laws concerning maintenance of effort for education funding impact the state’s school districts.Maintenance of effort laws ensure that local funds budgeted for schools do not decrease as state funding for schools increases.
County commissions, city councils, and special school districts must budget at least the same total dollars for schools that they did the previous year to comply with maintenance of effort laws. If student enrollment declines, the funding bodies must budget at least the same dollars per student as the previous year. Dollars budgeted for capital projects and debt service are not included in maintenance of effort calculations.
The Tennessee Department of Education is responsible for ensuring that local budgets meet maintenance of effort requirements and may withhold state Basic Education Program (BEP) funds from a school district until its funding body passes a budget in compliance with the laws. The department does not track the number of districts that initially fail to meet maintenance of effort each budget cycle but estimates that each year a handful of districts have to revise their budgets in order to comply. All districts that have initially failed to comply with maintenance of effort requirements have ultimately come into compliance because no local funding body has allowed its school district to operate without BEP state funding for an extended period of time.
Due to their status as new school districts, the six new municipal districts in Shelby County, as well as Shelby County Schools, are all exempt from maintenance of effort compliance until school year 2016-17.
Maintenance of effort laws are often linked to a provision within the BEP known as “required local match.” This provision requires local governments to appropriate funds sufficient to fund the local share of the BEP after accounting for the county’s fiscal capacity.
For the majority of districts, total local funding levels exceed their BEP local match. In fiscal year 2015, the average rate of local dollars budgeted above the required local match for all districts statewide was 50 percent.

The American Red Cross encourages eligible donors to help their communities prepare emergencies by giving blood during National Preparedness Month this September.
Becoming a regular blood donor is one way to help ensure communities are prepared for any emergency, including those where blood transfusions are needed. The Red Cross also encourages the public to get prepared by making a disaster plan for their homes or work places.
A sufficient blood supply is central to ensuring hospitals are prepared to meet patient needs in times of disaster, including the very personal ones that can happen any day. Because blood takes about 48 hours to be tested, processed and made available for patients, it’s the blood already on the shelves that can help save the day when emergencies occur.
Every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood, and volunteer donors are the only source of blood for patients needing transfusions. The Red Cross needs blood donors of all types – especially those with types AB, O negative, B negative and A negative – to give blood regularly.
To make an appointment to give blood, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). For information on planning for emergencies and preparedness training, visit redcross.org/prepare.  The Cannon Community Blood Drive will take place this Thursday from noon until 6 at the Woodbury Lions Club Building 540 West Adams Street.
 

Cannon County Sheriff’s Department received a $14,991.37 grant to help combat drunk driving as  Tennessee Department of Transportation Commissioner John Schroer and Governor’s Highway Safety Office Director Kendell Poole announced the Tennessee agencies that received grant awards totaling $17.8 million to support highway traffic safety efforts. There are multiple elements that contribute to a safe roadway system, including an accurate traffic safety data collection and analysis system, well-trained and well-equipped law enforcement personnel, and effective emergency medical and trauma systems.  A major part of roadway safety is educating motorists about laws and good driving behaviors.
“These grants help fund a variety of enforcement, legal, and educational initiatives across the state,” Schroer said. “All of these efforts, from DUI prosecution, to speed enforcement, to child passenger safety training, support the mission of saving lives and reducing injuries on our roads through partnership with numerous public and private organizations.”
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration provides the funding to GHSO.  The grants, totaling 437 for the 2015-2016 funding cycle, were awarded to 376 agencies that successfully applied for funding based on a defined problem and statistical need.  Each year, GHSO accepts applications from agencies across the state for available highway safety funds.  Applications are reviewed and scored by GHSO and external highway safety advocates. The agencies that meet funding criteria received awards.