News 2015

The U.S. Senate on Tuesday unanimously passed a resolution offered by Senators Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) and Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) condemning the deadly attack last week in Chattanooga and honoring the five service members who lost their lives. The resolution was cosponsored by all 100 members of the Senate. Yesterday, Corker and Alexander honored the victims on the Senate floor.RESOLUTIONCondemning the attacks of July 16, 2015, in Chattanooga, Tennessee, honoring the members of the Armed Forces who lost their lives, and expressing support and prayers for all those affected.Whereas on July 16, 2015, an Armed Forces Recruitment Center and the Navy Operational Support Center in Chattanooga, Tennessee, were attacked, killing 5 members of the Armed Forces;
Whereas Gunnery Sergeant Thomas Sullivan, of Massachusetts, served his country with honor and distinction, including during 2 deployments to Iraq, and was twice awarded the Purple Heart;
Whereas Staff Sergeant David Wyatt, of North Carolina, served his country with honor and distinction, including during 2 deployments to Iraq;
Whereas Sergeant Carson Holmquist, of Wisconsin, served his country with honor and distinction, including during 2 deployments to Afghanistan;
Whereas Lance Corporal Squire K. Wells, of Georgia, served his country with honor and distinction, having recently completed basic training;
Whereas Petty Officer Second Class Randall Smith, of Ohio, served his country with honor and distinction, had recently re-enlisted in the Navy, and survived for almost 2 days before succumbing to catastrophic injuries;
Whereas Chattanooga police officer Sergeant Dennis Pedigo, Jr. was seriously wounded in the course of his duties;
Whereas the swift and courageous response by law enforcement officers and first responders prevented additional loss of life; and
Whereas the people of the United States stand united around the community of Chattanooga and the families of the victims to support all those affected and pray for healing and peace: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, that the Senate—
(1) condemns the attacks of July 16, 2015, in Chattanooga, Tennessee;
(2) honors the sacrifice and memory of the 5 members of the Armed Forces who lost their lives;
(3) recognizes the skill and heroism of the law enforcement officers, members of the Armed Forces, and first responders who came to the aid of others;
(4) commends the efforts of those who are working to care for the injured and investigate this horrific incident;
(5) extends its heartfelt condolences and prayers to the families of the fallen, and to all those affected in the community of Chattanooga and in the United States; and
(6) pledges to continue to work together to prevent future attacks.
 
 

If the Cannon County Commission passes the 2015-2016 fiscal year budget proposal during their August meeting, they will have to pass the recommendation made by the Cannon County Budget Committee on how to fund the county general portion of the budget in two separate regular meetings.  The Cannon County Budget Committee met again Tuesday night and discussed the various taxes needed to fund the expenditures of the proposed budget.  Over the past couple of months worth of meetings the Budget Committee cut a lot of the budget requests from the various County departments which is always much more than most of those departments spent during the last fiscal year.  Then step two was to go back through the budget and make more cuts comparing what each department was budgeted during the 2014-2015 fiscal year and what they spent.  Many departments during the last fiscal year spent less money overall in their department than what was in their approved budget which was passed in 2014.  Only a handful of departments were approved by the budget committee for increases.  A majority of the increases were because costs of employee insurance increased or state mandated salary increases.  After cutting as much as possible, the committee then had the task of trying to figure out how to fund the budget. The Committee wanted to steer away from increasing property tax, so they took a look at increasing the wheel tax and earmarking it for the County General Fund.  With each $10 increase bringing in $130,000 and the budget needing the funding of a little under $200,000 to come out in the positive, it was decided on to make a recommendation to the full Cannon County Commission to increase the Wheel tax $20 bringing an estimated $260,000 based on the number of cars that belong to Cannon County residents.  If the Cannon County Commission passes the wheel tax to help fund the budget, they will have to do it again on second and final reading in September.  This would raise the wheel tax from $74.25 to $94.25.  This only pulls the County even in their budgeted numbers and does not give any type of cushion to the General Fund Balance.

There’s only one more week of summer reading, but there’s still time to sign up.  Come in today so you don’t miss out on our summer program.  If you have signed up and you are reading, bring in those reading slips.  Many prizes remain to be won.  This year for children birth to 4 years and children 4 to 12 years the subject is Every Hero Has a Story.  For Teens, ages 12 to 17, the theme is Unmask.  Thetopic for adults, ages 18 and up, is Escape the Ordinary.  Believe me, we have something for everyone. 
Through June and July there will be NO story time at Adams Memorial Library, however story time is continuing at the Auburntown Branch.  Story Time will resume in August at Adams Memorial.  Until then you can attend the Auburntown story time and join the Summer Reading Program with your children.
 
July 21 we have our seventhsummer movie of the season.  We have a great crowd coming in for the weekly movie but we still have plenty of space for YOU!  Come out and enjoy a movie in the cool with popcorn and juice. 
All free and all for you.  Can’t wait until movie day to know what we’re showing?Come by or call the library to find out.  Due to licensing considerations, we can’t print the title in the paper, but you’ll love it.
 
 
Thursday, July 23, we have a very special puppet performance.  Kathleen Lynam, a puppeteer and teaching artist, is coming to Adams Memorial for a can’t miss event.  Join her and her puppet friends for an afternoon of fun.  Everyone is welcome to attend.
 
Don’t forget our ongoing program One Thousand Books before Kindergartenthat continues all year.  If you have a child of pre-kindergarten age, stop by the circulation desk and sign up.  You’ll get a packet of materials to keep a record of your child’s progress as well as games and activities.  This will be a wonderful addition to your child’s memory book.  Someday your child will be astonished at all the books she read when she was little and too young to remember reading.
 
Next week is the last week of summer reading and the second to last full week of summer vacation from school.  Come to the library and let the pages of a book take you places you’ve never been before.  There’s a lot to see in do and the library is your gateway to adventure.  Let us show you how to get there.

Beesley Animal Clinic is a non-profit wellness center that offers preventive medical care for dogs and cats at reduced rates.  We are in need of a front desk person to work 3 full days a week, from 8 am to 6 pm, with the possibility of an extra day or two per month.Responsibilities include but not limited to; answering the phones, dealing with the public, working with veterinary software, performing transactions, and helping with the animals.
We are a busy clinic and it can get quite hectic at the front desk, so the right person would need to have excellent interpersonal skills, a strong work ethic and a sense of humor.  Experience in the veterinary field is a big plus!
If you would like to talk to us about the position, please call Dr. Kathryn McPherson at 615-896-9524, or Amanda Oliver, Executive Director at 615-217-1030.

The Walking Horse Owners’ Association (WHOA) isset to host its International Pleasure and Colt Grand Championship Horse Show July
26 – August 1 at the Miller Coliseum in Murfreesboro, Tenn. The Tennessee Walking
Horse industry’s largest and most prestigious pleasure horse show, the International
offers something for just about everyone.
Competition at this year’s show will be hot as talented contenders vie for top
honors in numerous disciplines including rail, model, and colt classes, driving
classes, and versatility events such as dressage, reining, jumping, and barrel
racing. Additionally, this year’s show will welcome a selection of Paso Fino classes
and on Saturday, August 1, there will be a Service Horse Competition sure to attract
several of the region’s most accomplished mounted patrol teams.
For those interested in learning more about the Tennessee Walking Horse, or for
those simply interested in a fun day with horses, the International will feature a
free field day and open house on Friday, July 31, starting a 10 a.m. During this
time visitors will be able to enjoy a variety of family-friendly activities
including Tennessee Walking Horse test rides, a complimentary ice cream social, and
a horse equipment consignment sale.
For more information visit www.walkinghorseowners.com or call (615) 494-8822.

A Rutherford County man who had active warrants in Cannon County was caught this weekend when he committed a simple traffic safety infraction.  According to Murfreesboro City Police reports, Police observed 28 year old Travis Lowe of Flat Rock Road pass another vehicle on Ransom Drive in Murfreesboro on the shoulder of the road.  After conducting a traffic stop and conducting a warrant check, it was discovered that Lowe had four outstanding violation of probation warrants out of Cannon County in addition to the three he has in Rutherford County.  Lowe was immediately placed under arrest and transported to the Rutherford County Jail.  Court dates for the violations will be announced later.

Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam Monday issued a directive to Adjutant General Max Haston to review security policies and procedures at National Guard armories, storefront recruiting facilities, and other installations and take appropriate steps to ensure the safety of Guardsmen, citizens, and property. He also instructed Department of Safety and Homeland Security Commissioner Bill Gibbons to assess the process for issuing handgun carry permits to trained members of the military and to look for ways to streamline it. Governor Haslam directed General Haston to do the following:
Review current Guard personnel who are authorized to be armed in the performance of their duties, and identify and arm additional Guardsmen where necessary to protect themselves, citizens, and Guard facilities;
Immediately examine the security of Guard storefront recruiting centers and work with the U.S. Department of Defense to pursue any available opportunities to enhance the safety of those operations within current federal law and regulations.
All stateside U.S. military bases and stations are currently at a force protection status of “Bravo,” and General Haston will review with the U.S. Department of Defense all means within this status and the confines of current federal laws and regulations to ensure that facilities in Tennessee are secure. Governor Haslam will also work with the Tennessee congressional delegation on appropriate solutions at the federal level to secure military buildings.
In addition to the Adjutant General’s review, Governor Haslam directed Commissioner Gibbons to evaluate the process for obtaining handgun carry permits for members of the military who have received appropriate training. At present, members of the military may forgo taking a state training course with possession of a military ID and documentation of handgun training through their service. However, in light of the shootings in Chattanooga and threats to service members, Governor Haslam has asked that alternatives be considered to make the process quicker and easier for military personnel to obtain permits.
Governor Haslam traveled to Chattanooga on Thursday and Friday in the wake of the shootings that resulted in the tragic deaths of four U.S. Marines and a Navy sailor. He has visited with the families of the victims and will continue to work closely with state, local, and federal law enforcement officials.
 

The Tennessee Highway Patrol will be conducting a Seat Belt checkpoint in Cannon County July 31, 2015 on State Highway 53. Recognizing that an alarmingly high number of vehicle occupants killed in fatal crashes were unrestrained, the Tennessee Highway Patrol has elected to create an enforcement campaign aimed at drastically reducing the number of unrestrained drivers and occupants.Troopers will also be on active patrol observing for unrestrained drivers and occupants of motor vehicles.The Tennessee Highway Patrol has found seat belt checkpoints to be an effective means of enforcing seat belt and child restraint laws of Tennessee while ensuring the protection of all motorists.

The Cannon County Budget Committee made a motion and approved to send a recommendation to the full Cannon County Commission concerning a property tax freeze for qualifying elderly people.  The Cannon County Commission has put that matter on hold however during their regular monthly meeting this past Saturday  while gathering more information about it.  The item didn’t make the official agenda on time but was included in on other business.  Commissioner Brent Bush who also serves on the Budget Committee and spearheaded the effort brought it up during this past Saturday’s meeting .  County Executive and Commission Chairman Mike Gannon informed the Commissioners that he found out some other information including the fact that if the tax freeze program were voted on during the meeting, it would not effect 2015 property taxes.  The freeze would go into effect if passed effecting the 2016 property taxes.  Chairman Gannon also said that he has asked Ben Rogers with CTAS to meet with the Commissioners and tell the pros and cons.  Commissioner Bush wanted to move forward with the full Commission vote to see if they can get this passed.  He cited a concern to possibly get this lost in the shuffle after receiving such a big vote of confidence from the Budget Committee of which many are County Commissioners as well.  Commissioner Jim Bush agreed with moving forward and voting.  Commissioner Glenn Steakley spoke and said that he didn’t have the time to get all the information he needed to make an informed decision and when it was brought up in the budget committee he is all for looking into it but he was unaware about actually voting on it during the Saturday meeting.  He said they need to find out the actual impact of this potential freeze and the administrative costs of implementing it such as paperwork and documents people will need in order to see if they qualify for it.  After a little more discussion, the Commissioners decided to have Ben Rogers with CTAS come to the August meeting to discuss the issue and inform the Commissioners of the pros and cons. In other items on the agenda
The Commissioners approved 8 to 1 the appointing of Stan Hollandsworth to the 9-1-1 Board.   Commissioner Brent Bush voted against it as he explained before the vote he had someone contact him about the possibility of serving on the board and wanted to know what the procedure was.  They also approved the appointing of James Adkins to the County Beer Board.  Both men replace former Woodbury Police Chief Kevin Mooneyham.  Current Woodbury Police Chief Lowell Womack has been appointed to the Homeland Security Committee.  
The resolution to opt out of statewide building code standards failed due to a lack of two thirds vote.  6 commissioners voted to opt out while 3 voted to stay in.  With the issue needing 7 votes to opt out, the State will come in to inspect any new housing and they check wiring and the foundation of a home at a minimal cost which is not funded by the County.
The Commissioners also voted to approve the continuing study of the Planning Commission regarding zoning.  The Cannon County Planning Commission will now continue their in depth studies on possible zoning regulations which will result in bringing a proposal to the full Cannon County Commission in the future.

 Tennessee Labor & Workforce Development Commissioner Burns Phillips announced Thursday the Tennessee preliminary unemployment rate for June was 5.7 percent, one-tenth of one percentage point lower than the May revised rate of 5.8 percent. The U.S. preliminary rate for June was 5.3 percent, two-tenths of one percentage point lower than the prior month. Economic Summary
Over the past year, Tennessee’s unemployment rate decreased from 6.6% to 5.7 percent, while the national rate declined from 6.1 percent to 5.3 percent.
Fifth Consecutive Monthly Decline
Total nonfarm employment increased 5,500 jobs from May to June. The largest increases occurred in professional/business services, health care/social assistance, and durable goods manufacturing.
Over the year, nonfarm employment increased 61,100 jobs. The largest increases occurred in trade/transportation/utilities, professional/business services, and education/health services.