News 2015

The Cannon County Homeland Security Committee will be conducting a County wide disaster drill on September 14, 2015. This drill is a collaborative effort between Homeland Security and the St. Thomas Stones River Hospital. Disaster drills are a way to prepare emergency responders and hospital staff for future disasters.
 If you have questions, please feel free to contact Chairman Tim Bell at 615-849-2730 or by email at tbell@cannoncountyrescue.com 

The Cannon County Library System announces the 2nd Annual Book Battle Reading Challenge. The competition pits the six county elementary schools against each other in a friendly, educational competition to see which school can read the most books. The program aims at promoting literacy in Cannon County and encouraging students to check out what their local library has to offer them. The program begins September 14 and will end on October 16. The results are tallied by taking the total number of books read by each school and dividing it by the total number of students, thereby making the program fair. Prizes include a pizza party sponsored by the Cannon County Library System for the class in the winning school that reads the most books and trophies for the winning and runner up schools. For more information, you may call the Dr. and Mrs. J.F. Adams Memorial Library at 615-563-5861 or the Auburntown Public Library on Wednesdays at 615-464-2622. Good luck to all Cannon County Students!

The American Legion Post has announced in observance of POW/MIA recognition day September 18th, Cannon County has one POW/MIA Louis E. Hillis that will be honored during the November 2015 Veterans Day Program.  Mr. Hillis survived being a prisoner of war during the Korean War.  Mr. Hills joined the Army and was assigned to an infantry company of 169 men.  His unit was sent to Korea during the war.  Of the 169 men, only 6 returned home.  Mr. Hillis was captured, received harsh treatment, and lost a lot of weight.  He said that the North Korean soldiers made them bury the dead U.S. soldiers and one of the most unforgettable experiences was when he was made to bury 19 United States Soldiers all in one large trench.   Remember Mr. Hillis when it comes to this special day on September 18th.  He has been named the POW/MIA Vice Grand Marshall for the November Veterans Day Parade.  
There are still, TODAY, 83,126 military men and womenunaccounted for.  World War II – 73,315;  Korean War – 7,852;  Vietnam War – 1,627;  Cold War – 126;  Iraq/Afghanistan, Other
Conflicts – 6.   Not included in the  figures is 7,470 unaccounted for from World War I.  

Several thefts last week were reported to the Cannon County Sheriff’s Department. A go cart was stolen from a home on Arthur Hollis Lane.  The cart is described as red wit hone sheet and 4 wheeler style tires.  On Howard Youree Road there was an ignition for a Massey Ferguson tractor that was stolen.  Tools, radios and a drill press were taken after a break in at a home on Short Mountain Road.  Also a man reported that three tires were cut on his automobile while it was parked on Main Street in Auburntown.  Investigators are still looking into all these thefts and vandalism.  If you have any information please call the Sheriff’s Department at 615-563-4322

The Comptroller’s Offices of Research and Education Accountability (OREA) has released a report that highlights how high school credit recovery programs operate in Tennessee, based on a survey conducted in partnership with the State Board of Education. Credit recovery is a strategy that permits high school students who have failed courses to recover course credits, allowing them to graduate.
Approximately 71 percent of the state’s school districts with high schools responded to the survey earlier this year.  Among the findings:
 Most districts with high schools provide a credit recovery option for students in the high school grades.
 Students are eligible for credit recovery after failing one or more high school courses that are required for graduation.
Districts that reported data for the survey served more than 7,600 students in credit recovery during the 2014-15 school year. Because some districts that provide credit recovery did not supply data, the actual total number of students in credit recovery was certainly higher.
 Most districts’ online credit recovery courses focus on areas of student deficiencies rather than requiring students to re-take entire courses. Some districts require all students to re-take complete courses.
Districts have different methods for grading students in credit recovery.
Critics have raised some concerns about credit recovery programs, citing a lack of basic statistical information about states’ uses of credit recovery and a lack of evaluative research about the effectiveness of credit recovery programs. Other concerns include the potential for fraudulent use of credit recovery programs to impact district graduation rates, and little teacher involvement paired with greater student autonomy in some online programs.
In Tennessee, as in most states, credit recovery programs are designed and implemented at the district and school levels, with a modicum of oversight by state education officials.
In an effort to provide more clarity around the administration of credit recovery courses, the State Board of Education is actively working to consider what additional policies or guidance may be needed concerning credit recovery.

The Cannon County Historical Society will meet tonight at the Cannon County Senior Center 609 Lehman Street in the small dining area.  Tonight’s featured speakers will be Bobby Dutton, president and Mary Hughes, past president of the Auburntown Historical Society.  The Topic will be “researching a forgotten place” a study of the Auburntown area in preparation to the publication of a “History of Auburntown”  The meeting will start at 6:30 for refreshments and snacks and the program will begin at 7:00.  

MTSU’s Todd Art Gallery is inviting art lovers to immerse themselves in a new exhibit maybe even get a little intoxicated with enjoyment of an element of Southern life considered both popular and practical as well as prohibited. “Still Life The Art Of Moonshine” is open now through Thursday.  It spans the main Todd Gallery as well as the new TAG/West Gallery featuring a juried collection that includes pieces by Brian Harnetty and Elias Hansen as well as work from professionals and students from MTSU and across the country.  
The MTSU Arts exhibit “explores the far reaching and ongoing history. stereotypes, methods and mythos of an iconic American symbol, moonshine as depicted through the interpretive eye of the contemporary fine artist.” Todd Gallery Director Eric Snyder said.
“Still Life: The Art of Moonshine” will be on display during the Todd Gallery’s regular hours of 8:30 in the morning to 4:30 in the afternoon.
 

A very sophisticated large indoor marijuana grow operation that spanned three counties was discovered in Cannon County and arrests were made last week.  According to Cannon County Sheriff’s Reports, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation contacted the Cannon County Sheriff’s Department to let them know about a large operation they were investigating in Bedford and Giles County.  The investigation started over a year ago and during the execution of one of the search warrants, documentation found during the search indicated that the suspects also had two more locations in Cannon County that they were currently manufacturing marijuana from.  Investigators went to the locations on Tassey Road in Readyville and Pawnee Drive in Bradyville.  After a day of surveillance, investigators gathered enough evidence to execute a search warrant of both properties.  After conducting the search, Sheriff’s Department investigators and deputies, witnessed just how big the grow operation was at the Tassey Road location.  When they first walked in the door, there was a large water tank with potting soil and watering items. Moving to the next room they found an entire room of lights and marijuana plants in large black pots unlike anything they had ever encountered.  The room was set up with irrigation, air ducts, water pump, heat lamps, fans and an electrical board.  Another room produced piles of stalks roughly estimated to be 400 or 500 processed piled in the floor.  89 small marijuana plants were found in plastic cups and another 45 plants were found in black pots.  Middle Tennessee Electric was called to the scene to shut the electricity off so that the items could be taken out safely.  However after the electricity was shut down, the power to the building continued to run.  Members of the drug operation had spliced into the power supply and was stealing electricty.  Rolando Morales and Ivan Morales were both charged with manufacturing, selling and deliver of schedule 6 drugs, possession of drug paraphernalia,maintaining a dwelling to use keep or sell narcotics and theft over $10,000.  Both are set to appear in Court October 6th. The sheriff’s department then went to the Pawnee Drive location and seized $4809.00 in money, two trucks, 5 cell phones and one 4×8 trailer and paperwork regarding the operation.

The United Way of Rutherford and Cannon Counties is partnering with Murfreesboro City, Rutherford County and Cannon County Schools to refurbish playgrounds and common areas on September 25, 2015. Companies and organizations are asked to adopt a playground by sponsoring materials and providing volunteers for the project.  
The event aligns directly with two of United Way’s priority issues in health: healthy eating and physical activity, and supporting healthy choices.  According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, regular physical activity in childhood and adolescence promotes psychological well-being and can improve students’ academic performance, such as concentration and attentiveness in the classroom.
 
This year’s Hometown Huddle event is in memory of Carl Quakenbush, who passed away following a bicycle accident in August. Quakenbush served on the United Way Board of Directors, and as a volunteer, was vital to the success of many United Way initiatives. Quakenbush served countless hours during the 2015 United Way Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, where he provided tax preparation assistance for qualifying individuals.
 
“The theme of this year’s Hometown Huddle was developed from a quote Carl Quakenbush recently gave while being honored as United Way’s Volunteer of the Month: ‘Do Simple Things that Deliver Big Things to Others.’ We are grateful to Carl. His volunteerism had far reaching effects for people in our community,” said Lisbeth Couser, Director of Community Engagement for United Way, “his efforts will continue to impact those in Rutherford and Cannon Counties for years to come.”
 
Hometown Huddle sponsors include Parks, Guaranty Trust, Regions Bank, City Auto, Advance Financial Foundation and La Vergne Smiles Family Dentistry.
 
To volunteer for Hometown Huddle and for a full list of projects, visit www.unitedwayvolunteer.org.

With Tennessee rated the 49th worst state for physical activity and 47th for obesity, one cannot argue about the need for improved health. Tennessee Department of Health Commissioner John Dreyzehner, MD, MPH, believes those ratings can change if state and city leaders increase efforts to make bicycling and walking safer and more convenient. “We applaud the Tennessee Department of Transportation and city governments across the state for their leadership in seeking ways to improve biking and walking for all Tennesseans,” Dreyzehner said. “Biking and walking are transportation. If we all walked and biked more we could reduce traffic congestion, pollution, heart attacks, cancer and diabetes. More of us would live longer, healthier lives and the burden of health care costs we all share could decrease.”
 Among the top 10 leading causes of death in Tennessee in 2014, obesity and a lack of exercise are contributing factors in five, including:                                                                            
Heart disease – 15,197 dead                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
 Cancer – 14,153 dead
 Chronic lower respiratory disease – 3,967 dead
 Cerebrovascular disease – 3,322 dead
 Diabetes – 1,724 dead
 “Bicycling and walking are among the best forms of exercise,” said TDH Family and Health and Wellness Director Michael D. Warren, MD, MPH. “Both provide excellent benefits for the heart, burn calories and increase  muscle development, and contribute to improved mental health. Walking or biking can be a great ‘prescription’ to help restore the health of many who have been diagnosed with diseases that may otherwise lead to poor quality of life or early death.”
  “I rediscovered the sheer joy of bicycling a few years ago and it’s now become my favorite way to exercise and enjoy the outdoors,” said TDH Assistant Commissioner for Legislative Affairs Valerie Nagoshiner. “With the  number of greenways, bike lanes and sidewalks in our communities, I see more and more people out enjoying a walk, bike ride or run. Many people are riding their bikes to the store or walking to lunch. Walking and  bicycling are great ways to get where you need to go and have fun with family and friends.”