News 2015

Governor Bill Haslam has proclaimed May 2015 “Putting Investors First” Month as a way to recognize the importance the investment profession as foundation of a strong and growing state economy. The proclamation acknowledges the Chartered Financial Analysts (CFA) Societies in Tennessee for their commitment to excellence in the investment profession and for being champions for ethical behavior in investment markets. The CFA Society of Nashville is the leading association of local investment professionals.  Their mission is to enable members to be leaders in the middle Tennessee investment community by promoting the value of the CFA designation and facilitating the exchange of ideas and resources among members and with the public.
“Putting Investors First” Month is the beginning of the campaign by the CFA Society of Nashville to celebrate the independent member society’s 50 years in the city, culminating with the Future of Finance Celebration to be held in July. The theme of the celebration will be to highlight the importance of professionals and regulators working together to protect the interests of the individual investor.  As part of the celebration, the Society will be raising donations to support two important financial literacy organizations in Tennessee: Rock the Street, Wall Street™ and the Tennessee Financial Literacy Commission.
Rock The Street, Wall Street™ promotes careers in finance to high school girls. The Tennessee Financial Literacy Commission is a program of the Tennessee Treasury Department with a mission to equip Tennesseans with the knowledge to make sound financial decisions. These two organizations are focused on raising the next generation to be educated and informed investors.
“The CFA Society is working expand the future of financial professionals in Tennessee,” says Treasurer David H. Lillard, Jr. “Tennessee Treasury Department wants to hire the best and the brightest investors,” and we are proud to employ Chartered Financial Analysts in our Investment Division. We are always seeking CFAs to be a part of our team.”
For more interest in the CFA Society of Nashville, visit CFASociety.org/Nashville.

The Mrs. Annie M. Cox Memorial Scholarship Committee is proud to announce the awarding of a scholarship to Miss Allison Hope Tenpenny, Cannon County High School Senior – Class of 2015, who will graduate May 22nd, 2015.  This scholarship is in memory of longtime educator and beloved Cannon County citizen, Mrs. Annie Cox.  It has been established as an additional financial resource for a student intending to major in Elementary Education who has demonstrated achievement and based on need.Mrs. Cox was a very special person to all of Cannon County, and appropriately this scholarship honors her “Love for Education and Children, Character, Capability, and Need.”The scholarship personifies Mrs. Cox’s words, “I love to see children learn!  I just love it! And want to make a difference in the life of a child.” — Mrs. Annie Cox.  The Scholarship amount was $1,500.00 in which Hope will use toward her demonstrated need to attend Motlow State Community College and participating in the “2 for 2 Program for future Elementary School Educators.”  She is the daughter of Jason Tenpenny and Holly Lorance of Woodbury.  Hope stated in her essay which was a part of the scholarship application, “This scholarship would help me to achieve my dream of attending college, becoming an elementary school teacher, and making a difference in the lives of children.”The Mrs. Annie M. Cox Memorial Scholarship is awarded annually to a Cannon County High School Senior that is on track to graduate this year, have an application pending to or acceptance received from a state accredited two or four year college/university, recommendation of a CCHS faculty member, intending to major in Elementary Education, and write a 300 Word Essay entitled, “Why I deserve this scholarship, and why do I want to be an Elementary Teacher?”There will be various fundraising efforts by the committee to fund this scholarship including the Mrs. Annie M. Cox Memorial Scholarship Car Show held on Saturday, October 17th, 2015 at the Courthouse Square in Woodbury, Tennessee. Rain date will be the following Saturday, October 24th, 2015.  The Mrs. Annie M. Cox Scholarship Committee consists of former West Side School Principals, Mr. Ronald D. Basham – Chairman; Mr. Wm. Freddy Curtis – Secretary; Current West Side School Principal Karen King; West Side School Secretary Kathy Simon; and long-time West Side School Kindergarten Teacher Rita Jones.  Please support the efforts to help a graduate return to Cannon County and “touch the future” as Mrs. Cox said, “to become ‘a ray of sunshine’ and teacher of our students.”

‘Resurrection – A Journey Tribute’ took flight in 2014 with a stellar lineup of accomplished Nashville musicians and an enhanced live production designed to re-create the look and feel of those magical Journey tours from the 1980’s featuring Steve Perry.That being said, ‘Resurrection – A Journey Tribute’ is proud to feature the jaw-dropping vocal talents of Ryan Christopher as ‘The Voice’. If you have ever heard Ryan sing, then you know how convincingly he creates the illusion of listening to an actual Journey concert from the glory days of arena rock. To complete the illusion, Ryan is surrounded by an amazing band to reproduce the passion, power, and precision of a live Journey show in great detail. The current lineup of players in ‘Resurrection – A Journey Tribute’ has performed, written, or recorded with artists ranging from Kenny Loggins, Michael McDonald, John Fogerty, Toby Keith, Shania Twain, John Berry and Deana Carter, to even Steve Perry and Journey, itself! Whether you’re a hard-core Journey fan, a newly converted one, or just want to relive a special part of your life through a shared musical adventure, you will be captured by the moment listening to ‘Resurrection – A Journey Tribute’ and soaring from the experience long after the party’s over!  Resurrection A Journey Tribute will be at the Arts Center Of Cannon County Saturday Night at 7:00.  Tickets are available by logging on to the artscenterofcc.com or calling 615-563-2787
 

A Coffee County woman is charged with TennCare fraud involving doctor shopping or using TennCare to go to multiple doctors in a short time period to obtain prescriptions for controlled substances. So far in April, 36 people have been charged with TennCare fraud by the Office of Inspector General (OIG), more than any month since the agency began in 2005.
The OIG today announced the arrest of Terri L. Shearon, 42, of Hillsboro.  The Coffee County Sheriff’s Office assisted in this arrest.
Shearon is accused in a Coffee County indictment with three counts of doctor shopping for controlled substances, using TennCare as payment.  The drugs involved were the painkillers Percocet, Lortab, and Hydrocodone.  TennCare paid for either the clinical visits or the prescriptions.
“Doctor shopping in order to perpetuate the illegal use or distribution of prescription medication is a felony when TennCare benefits are used as a payment method,” Inspector General Manny Tyndall said. “We appreciate and value the hard work of the healthcare providers across the state and their efforts in helping us develop these cases.”
TennCare fraud is a Class E felony, carrying a sentence of up to two years in prison per charge. District Attorney General Craig Northcott is prosecuting.

Monday the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation released its 2014 ‘Crime in Tennessee’ report. The annual study compiles data reported from each law enforcement agency in the state, providing an updated and comprehensive picture of the successes and challenges facing communities across Tennessee.
In the report Woodbury had a 82 percent of arrests from crimes reported in 2013.  Out of 150 total offenses reported two years ago 124 of those were cleared.  37 arrests were for DUI, 20 for simple assault and 12 for trespassing.  Cannon County had a 50.42% clearance.  Out of 236 offenses reported 119 were cleared.  Total arrests in Cannon County reported were 397.  Most of the arrests were for DUI and Drug Offenses
Among the other findings for the state of Tennessee
Overall, reported incidents dropped in the Group A (counted by offenses) category by 2.4% and by 2.5% in the Group B (counted by arrestees) category.
Domestic Violence offenses made up 51% of all offenses in the category of ‘Crimes Against Persons.’
Reported murders increased by 9.9% in 2014.
Weapon Law Violations decreased by 2.5% in 2014.
Law enforcement departments arrested 26,810 for DUI in 2014, representing a 0.4% increase from the previous year.
“We’re extremely thankful for our dedicated law enforcement partners,” said TBI Director Mark Gwyn. “Together, they helped us compile a thorough snapshot of crime in Tennessee. We now hope every department takes this information and works to further address the key crime issues facing their communities and our state.”
 

A suspect accused of shooting his neighbor was charged with attempted murder Tuesday afternoon by a Rutherford County Sheriff’s detective, a supervisor said. Suspect Steve Leslie Smith, 42, of Cedar Bucket Road near Readyville, was charged with shooting neighbor Timothy Lonning, 44, of Cedar Bucket Road, said Detective Lt. Todd Sparks. Lonning suffered multiple gunshot wounds.
The shooting occurred about 6 a.m. Tuesday in the neighborhood located near the Rutherford-Cannon County line.
Lonning was flown by LifeFlight helicopter to Vanderbilt University Medical Center where he is expected to recover.
Deputies responding to the scene were unsure of Smith’s location. As a safety precaution, deputies evacuated neighbors. The Felony Arrest Search Tactical Team, the Special Operations Response Team, Emergency Medical Services and Emergency Management Agency responded
Patrol Lt. Rhett Rankin made contact with Smith and convinced him to surrender peacefully.
Sheriff Robert Arnold said Lt. Rankin and all the emergency responders did an “outstanding job.”
“We are glad there was a peaceful ending and everyone is safe,” Sheriff Arnold said.
Lt. Sparks said detectives interviewed Lonning and other witnesses.
“There was a recent history of problems between them,” Lt. Sparks said. “We are still trying to determine what happened.”
Detectives processed the scene, served a search warrant and collected evidence. They are still investigating.
Smith was booked into Rutherford County Adult Detention Center where he is being held on a $1 million bond. A hearing is set May 7 in General Sessions Court.
Booking records showed Smith was charged with four counts of aggravated assault Jan. 3.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and Economic and Community Development Commissioner Randy Boyd announced today the global manufacturer will expand current operations in Rutherford County. General Mills will invest $250 million to increase capacity at the Murfreesboro facility, creating 117 new jobs in Rutherford County. “We want to thank General Mills for choosing to expand in Tennessee and for creating these new jobs in Murfreesboro and Rutherford County,” Haslam said. “Companies have a choice in where they do business, and we know that the majority of new jobs created in our state come from businesses that are already located here. We work hard to help existing industries expand in Tennessee, and these new jobs support our goal of becoming the No. 1 location in the Southeast for high quality jobs.”
“I am really glad to see General Mills expanding in Tennessee,” Boyd said. “It’s always exciting when a company that already has a presence here can continue to grow and add more employees. I want to thank General Mills for their investment and the new jobs they’re creating in our community.”
“On behalf of our Murfreesboro employees, and General Mills, we’re excited for what’s to come and look forward to continued success in Murfreesboro,” General Mills Plant Manager Dave Tincher said.
The expansion will involve increasing production on existing lines, as well as installation of additional production equipment.
“It’s another exciting day for Rutherford County,” said Rutherford County Mayor Ernest Burgess. “It’s always rewarding when an existing company chooses to expand in our community and we congratulate General Mills on their decision to add over 100 jobs.”
“General Mills has been a longtime community partner by employing hundreds and donating countless volunteer hours and funds to aid local charitable organizations,” said Murfreesboro Mayor Shane McFarland. “We appreciate the impact they have made on our community and wish them many more years of continued success.”
 
“As important as it is to recruit new jobs to our community, it’s just as crucial to make sure we maintain a positive business climate that allows our existing industries to flourish,” said Destination Rutherford Chairman Bill Jones. “The decision for General Mills to expand is additional confirmation that our county is moving in the right direction.”
“TVA and Murfreesboro Electric Department congratulate General Mills on its decision to expand manufacturing and add more jobs in Rutherford County,” TVA Senior Vice President of Economic Development John Bradley said. “We are pleased to work with the state of Tennessee, the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce, city of Murfreesboro and Rutherford County officials to facilitate existing companies like General Mills in continuing successful operations.”
Murfreesboro and Rutherford County are represented by Sen. Bill Ketron (R – Murfreesboro), Sen. Jim Tracy (R – Shelbyville), Rep. Dawn White (R – Murfreesboro), Rep. Bryan Terry (R – Murfreesboro), Rep. Rick Womick (R – Rockvale) and Rep. Mike Sparks (R – Smyrna).

The Tennessee Department of Health is now accepting applications for the 2015 Animal Friendly Spay/Neuter Grant program. Grants provided through this initiative support low-cost spay and neuter programs for dogs and cats in Tennessee and are funded through sales of Animal Friendly license plates.“This program benefits human health as well as animal health by helping control the number of unwanted dogs and cats,” said TDH Environmental Health Director Hugh Atkins. “We encourage both nonprofit organizations and government agencies to consider participating in the program.”
To be eligible for funding, applicants must offer sterilization services provided by a veterinarian licensed in Tennessee and performed in a facility permitted by the Department of Health. Animals for which procedures are provided must be owned or adopted by individuals living in Tennessee.
Applications for the Animal Friendly Spay/Neuter Grants must be submitted by 2 p.m. Central time May 12, 2015. Application forms are available online at http://health.state.tn.us/vendors.htm.
TDH administers the Animal Friendly Spay/Neuter Grants as part of the Rabies Control program. Reducing the number of unwanted animals lowers the risk of rabies and other diseases in both humans and pets. Tennessee law requires all dogs and cats to be vaccinated against rabies. Vaccinating pets against this serious and fatal disease provides a barrier between wild and unvaccinated animals and humans, as pets are more likely than people are to come into direct contact with wildlife and stray animals that may carry rabies.
For more information about the Animal Friendly Spay/Neuter Grant application process, contact Melissa Painter at 615-741-0285 or Melissa.Painter@tn.gov.

This summer, high school and college students can win a scholarship by hosting an American Red Cross blood drive through the Leaders Save Lives program. Registration is now open to host a participating blood drive between June 1 and Aug. 31, 2015.  
The Leaders Save Lives program encourages community-minded 16- to 24-year-olds to host blood drives to help maintain the blood supply over the summer months. Students who participate as a blood drive coordinator are eligible to win a scholarship up to $2,500 for higher education and to earn a gift card.
 
“The Leaders Save Lives program is a great way for students to learn valuable leadership skills while helping hospital patients in need of lifesaving blood transfusions,” said Red Cross spokesperson, Regina Conway. “Summer can be a challenging time to maintain a sufficient blood supply. With this program, students are helping the community by recruiting their friends and family to donate during this crucial season.”
 
A total of 10 scholarships will be awarded via drawing to students who achieve 100 percent of their blood drive collections goal. All students who achieve the designated blood drive goal will receive an electronic gift card to giftcertificates.com
 
For more information and to register to host a Leaders Save Lives blood drive, visit redcrossblood.org/leaderssavelives.

“Ladies and gentlemen grab your Tenn-tucky Derby hats!  The 2015 ‘Duck Season’ will kick off with the Derby Party and Auction on May 2 from 2 p.m. until the horses’ race,” said Queen of the Quackers Coreen King.  
The party will be held at Sinking Creek Farm, located at 2473 Battleground Drive, Murfreesboro.  “Party guests will enjoy a derby style party complete with dancing, h’orderves, and our signature drink, the ‘Duck Julep,’” continued King.  “At 5:24 p.m., guests will have an opportunity to watch ‘the most exciting two minutes in sports’, as the Kentucky Derby is shown on the huge projector screen.”
 
The Derby Party will be a quackin’ good time and you will have an opportunity to “adopt” ducks for the upcoming May 16th Duck Derby.  You can adopt a 6-Quack for $25, a Quacker’s Dozen for $50, or a Flock of Ducks for $100.  There will be a Duck-tastic Silent Auction and an opportunity to “pick” the winning horse in the Kentucky Derby for a chance to win prizes. 
 
We need your help to make the Derby Party a huge success.  We are asking you to team up with the Child Advocacy Center to support this cause and show the Rutherford and Cannon County communities your commitment to our children. When you partner with the Child Advocacy Center you are supporting child abuse services for Rutherford and Cannon County children.  In the last 15 years, the Child Advocacy Center has worked 10,875 child abuse cases, assisted over 15,225 individuals, and trained over 4,750 parents, grandparents, and professionals how to protect children from child sexual abuse.
 
 
To become a sponsor, volunteer, adopt ducks, or for more information about the Tenn-tucky Derby Party visit the website at www.boroduckderby.com or contact the “Quack Team” at the Child Advocacy Center at 615-867-9000 or the Cannon County Child Advocacy Center at 615-563-9915.