News

On Monday, April 22, the Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO) is kicking off “Slow Down Tennessee,” a week-long campaign to help increase awareness and reduce speeding across Tennessee roadways. During this campaign, the THSO is offering yard signs free for public citizens to pick up at designated locations statewide. Signs will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. Supplies are limited. Click here to view the list of pick-up locations.

“We encourage everyone to pick up a ‘Slow Down Tennessee’ yard sign and help us spread awareness,” said Director Buddy Lewis of the THSO. “When we work together, we can make a difference in saving lives. Since the launch of this campaign in 2021, we’ve experienced a significant reduction in speed-related crashes statewide. Let’s keep up the good work.”

According to Tennessee’s Integrated Traffic Analysis Network (TITAN),

• In 2021, there were 11,758 crashes related to speeding, racing, reckless driving, or aggressive driving statewide.
• In 2022, there were 10,876 crashes related to speeding, racing, reckless driving, or aggressive driving statewide.
• In 2023, there were 9,965 crashes related to speeding, racing, reckless driving, or aggressive driving statewide.

“Despite acknowledging the dangers speed can have on roadway safety, drivers consistently report driving over the speed limit based on our research. That’s why reminders are so important,” said Tennessee Public Affairs Director Stephanie Milani of AAA – The Auto Club Group. “Speeding increases the severity of crashes when they do happen, and the dangers extend to everyone on the roadway – drivers, passengers, other vehicles, and pedestrians. Roadway safety is a shared responsibility, and we’re asking all Tennesseans to do their part to keep our roads safe.”

It’s time to Pick Tennessee Products and pick Tennessee strawberries. Strawberry season is underway. Most strawberry farms are planning to begin selling strawberries in mid-April.

In Cannon County, 6R Farms on Mankin Lane is listed as s strawberry producer.

Check out the list of local strawberry farms to find fresh berries near you.

With warm spring days in the forecast, Tennessee farms will quickly have fields turning red with juicy and sweet strawberries. If you are looking for the freshest berries, head straight to the farm.

“The strawberries are doing very well,” Shelby Vanatta of Cabin Hill Farm in Montgomery County said. “Our estimated date for opening is April 24.”

It’s always best to call a berry farm in advance to learn picking procedures and to determine availability. Depending on weather, the typical strawberry season lasts four to six weeks, so head to a farm now for the freshest, best tasting strawberries.

Support your local economy and buy fresh strawberries from your local farmer. Use the free Pick Tennessee mobile app or go to www.PickTNProducts.org to find a farm near you. Follow @PickTNProducts on Facebook, X, and Instagram to learn more about seasonal recipes, products, and activities.

In a release from the Governor’s Office

Today, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee joined five other governors in issuing the following joint statement opposing United Auto Workers (UAW)’s unionization campaign:

“We the Governors of Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas are highly concerned about the unionization campaign driven by misinformation and scare tactics that the UAW has brought into our states. As Governors, we have a responsibility to our constituents to speak up when we see special interests looking to come into our state and threaten our jobs and the values we live by. 

The reality is companies have choices when it comes to where to invest and bring jobs and opportunity. We have worked tirelessly on behalf of our constituents to bring good-paying jobs to our states. These jobs have become part of the fabric of the automotive manufacturing industry. Unionization would certainly put our states’ jobs in jeopardy – in fact, in this year already, all of the UAW automakers have announced layoffs. In America, we respect our workforce and we do not need to pay a third party to tell us who can pick up a box or flip a switch. No one wants to hear this, but it’s the ugly reality. We’ve seen it play out this way every single time a foreign automaker plant has been unionized; not one of those plants remains in operation. And we are seeing it in the fallout of the Detroit Three strike with those automakers rethinking investments and cutting jobs. Putting businesses in our states in that position is the last thing we want to do. 

The experience in our states is when employees have a direct relationship with their employers, that makes for a more positive working environment. They can advocate for themselves and what is important to them without outside influence. The UAW has come in making big promises to our constituents that they can’t deliver on. And we have serious reservations that the UAW leadership can represent our values. They proudly call themselves democratic socialists and seem more focused on helping President Biden get reelected than on the autoworker jobs being cut at plants they already represent. 

We want to keep good paying jobs and continue to grow the American auto manufacturing sector here. A successful unionization drive will stop this growth in its tracks, to the detriment of American workers.”

In addition to Gov. Lee, signatories include: Governor Kay Ivey (AL), Governor Brian Kemp (GA), Governor Tate Reeves (MS), Governor Henry McMaster (SC), and Governor Greg Abbott (TX).

The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) is joining states across the nation to ask motorists to Work with Us – move over and slow down for highway workers. TDOT will spread that message statewide during National Work Zone Awareness Week (April 15-19) to improve safety in Tennessee’s interstate and highway construction and maintenance work zones. This year’s theme is Work zones are temporary, your actions behind the wheel can last forever.

“We engineer our roads to be as safe as possible,” said Deputy Governor and TDOT Commissioner Butch Eley. “But there’s no amount of engineering that can change driver behavior. 113 TDOT workers have been killed while working on our roads. This is very personal for me. Everyone must slow down, move over, and pay attention every time they’re behind the wheel, especially in work zones.”

So far this year, there have been 29 incidents where drivers crashed into TDOT equipment and vehicles. The spring and summer months provide perfect weather for highway work. Work zones include everything from major interstate widening projects to repaving and Litter pickup. Motorists will encounter work zones across the state. Last year in Tennessee, 22 people died in work zone crashes.

TDOT launched the Work with Us – Move Over, Slow Down safety campaign in 2017 to help bring awareness to the importance of safety in work zones all year long. To learn more about the campaign, see the answers to many frequently asked questions about work zones, and take the Work with Us pledge, click on the Work with Us link below.

Two coaching positions have been announced at Cannon Middle School. Dr. Annie Reed announced this week Ashley Cantrell as Boys Head Basketball Coach and Alyssa Rankin as Head Volleyball Coach for the 2024-2025 School Year.

Ms. Cantrell is currently a teacher at Cannon County Elementary School. She played basketball for Cannon County High School, earning numerous awards, including the Daily News Journal All-Sports Award MVP, 2nd Team All-District, and 1st Team All-District. She continued her career as a 4-year college basketball athlete, where she tied a three-point record at Columbia State and graduated from Tennessee Wesleyan University with a bachelor’s degree in Behavioral Science, receiving the M.C Tipp Award and the Academic Achievement award. Ashley completed her Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction at Tennessee Tech University. She coached at Short Mountain from 2016-2022, receiving Coach of the Year twice during that time frame, and she coached and worked with Coach Jared Nave with the middle school program from 2017-2019. She has served as the middle school assistant coach this year.

Ms. Alyssa Rankin is currently a teacher at Cannon County Elementary School. An Ohio native, Coach Alyssa Rankin attended school in Marion, Ohio, where she was very involved with sports, playing softball, basketball, and volleyball. She coached middle school volleyball in Ohio and is excited to continue her coaching career at
Cannon County Middle School.

“April is National Child Abuse Prevention month, and I’m excited to kick off the month with the Cannon Runs for Children 5k and Fun Run” stated Karista Colwell, Cannon County Child Advocacy Center Development Coordinator. “This year’s race will feature several great community organizations like CASA and the Cannon County Substance Abuse Coalition, and we encourage everyone to come out and support child abuse and child sexual abuse prevention in Cannon County!”

Cannon Runs for Children will be held Saturday, April 6^th at the Arts Center of Cannon County, 1424 John Bragg Highway, Woodbury.  Registration will start at 6:45 a.m., speakers at 7:30 a.m., and the run/walk will begin at 8:00 a.m. Registration is $25 for adults, $15 for seniors (65+), $10 for students 13-18 and $5 for students 13 and under for the 5k and 1-mile Fun Run.  Register for the event and secure your t-shirt by visiting the website at cannoncac.org.

The Child Advocacy Center works as a team with the Department of Children’s Services, law enforcement and the District Attorney’s Office to investigate child abuse allegations, assist victims, and prosecute offenders.  In addition, the Cannon County Coordinator assists parents who have an addiction and want to stop the generational cycle of abusing alcohol and drugs in their families.

Christine O’Day, the Youth Services Officer states “The CAC is such a vital resource in our community, providing support and services for our children and families. I chose to be on the committee to show my support of the CAC and those they serve, as well as to bring more awareness of their services. A bonus is that the event is a fun time with a wonderful purpose!”

When you partner with the Child Advocacy Center, you are supporting child abuse intervention and prevention services for children and families.  For the last 14 years, the Cannon County Child Advocacy Center has worked to help children and families heal from the trauma of child abuse and child sexual abuse. 

Registration is online at cannoncac.org under the Cannon Runs for Children.  For more information about the race call the Cannon County Child Advocacy Center at 615-563-9915 or contact Amanda Hammond at ahammond@cannoncac.org or Karista Colwell at kcolwell@cacrutherford.org

Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett issued a new warning to businesses across the state today about a deceptive mail scam related to the filing of annual business renewals from a company known as Tennessee Business Filing Center. As part of this scheme, businesses receive an official-looking mailer from the company threatening additional fees and business dissolution if an entity does not file within 60 days of the April 1 deadline. “Our Division of Businesses and Charitable Organizations and I have recently received multiple complaints regarding a misleading mailer requesting hundreds of dollars in fees from businesses to complete their annual renewal process,” said Secretary Hargett. “We have seen similar situations in recent years targeting the good faith of our business community, and we want to remind all entities that our office provides these same services at substantially lower costs.” Businesses are required to complete their annual filings with the state by April 1 each year. These reports update or confirm an entity’s records with the Department of State, and they are required to maintain “active status” so a business can legally operate in the state. To file an annual report, please visit https://tnbear.tn.gov/Ecommerce/AnnualReportID.aspx. “All Tennessee business owners should be wary of any mailing they receive from third parties offering services provided by our office,” Secretary Hargett added. “These parties are not affiliated with us in any way, and we encourage businesses to report any suspicious activity related to this situation.” To report suspicious activity to the Division of Business and Charitable Organizations, email TNSOS.CERT@tn.gov. You can also call (615) 741-2286. To file a complaint with the Attorney General’s office, call (615) 741-3491 or visit Attorney General & Reporter.

The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) will suspend all interstate construction work on Easter weekend in anticipation of increased holiday travel.

TDOT crews and contractors will stop all road construction work that requires lane closures beginning Thursday, March 28, at 6:00 p.m. through Monday, April 1 at 6:00 a.m. This will provide maximum roadway capacity to motorists expected to travel across the state this upcoming holiday weekend.

Motorists will still encounter some long-term lane closures on construction projects that will remain in place. While lane closure activity will be stopped, some workers may be on-site in construction zones, and reduced speed limits will still be in effect. Motorists are urged to adhere to all posted speed limits, especially in work zones, for their safety. Slower speeds are necessary for work zones due to the temporary layout of the roadway and will be enforced.

Only three months into the year, there have already been 27 incidents involving drivers crashing into TDOT vehicles and equipment.

·       7 HELP Trucks

·       4 Attenuators

·       6 Other TDOT Equipment (dump trucks, message boards, etc.)

·       10 TDOT Passenger vehicles (pick-ups and sedans)

Do your part to keep yourself and TDOT road workers safe – check TDOT SmartWay in advance and Know BEFORE You Go, secure your phone in a Hands-Free device, and Work With Us by moving over and slowing down when you see vehicles with flashing lights.  

Pump price increases across the state gained momentum last week, rising nine cents on average. The Tennessee Gas Price average is now $3.18 which is 24 cents more expensive than one month ago and five cents more than one year ago.  

“There’s still plenty of upward pressure on gas prices right now in the market, and with last week’s crude oil price increases it’s likely Tennesseans will see another round of increases at the pump this week,” said Megan Cooper, spokeswoman for AAA – The Auto Club Group. “Any time we see big oil price gains like we saw last week, it typically takes a week or two before those adjustments move through the retail market.”

Quick Facts

• 69% of Tennessee gas stations have prices below $3.25 
• The lowest 10% of pump prices are $2.95 for regular unleaded 
• The highest 10% of pump prices are $3.47 for regular unleaded
• Tennessee is the 7th least expensive market in the nation

Tennessee Regional Prices 

• Most expensive metro markets – Nashville ($3.25), Clarksville ($3.22), Jackson ($3.22) 
• Least expensive metro markets – Morristown ($3.07), Knoxville ($3.08), Kingsport ($3.16) 

To reduce wildland fire risk, Tennesseans are reminded that a burn permit from the Tennessee Department of Agriculture Forestry Division is required through May 15 for all open burning where local restrictions do not apply.

“Fire prevention starts with each of us practicing safe burning and only burning when it’s safe. The burn permit process communicates to residents the safe locations and times for open burning,” State Forester Heather Slayton said. “During hazardous fire conditions like high winds or extreme drought, permit issuance pauses temporarily until safe conditions return. Our aim is to safeguard Tennessee’s people, communities, and natural resources. Together, we can conserve our state’s beauty and prevent wildland fires.”

Burn permits are free and can be obtained quickly and easily at www.BurnSafeTN.org or by using the MyTN mobile app. Online permits are issued 7 days a week, from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. in Eastern and Central time zones, depending on your location. Permits are available for burning leaf and/or brush piles and for prescribed fires, including broadcast burning for various purposes such as land clearing, forestry, and agricultural applications.

Individuals with limited internet access may obtain a permit by calling 877-350-BURN (2876). Foresters are available to assist callers Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Central, except for holidays.

Permits expire at midnight on the day on which they are obtained, so apply on the day you plan to burn. Fires should be fully extinguished by permit expiration.

The Forestry Division’s burn permits are for burning woody debris that exist naturally on the property where it’s burned. For information on proper disposal of other materials, including trash, rubber, metal, plastics, furniture, and building materials, please visit www.tn.gov/environment/air/open-burning.html.

Burning without a permit is a crime that carries penalties of up to 30 days in jail and/or a fine.

Always follow safety guidelines when conducting a burn:

Only burn when conditions are safe – avoid burning when it’s windy and humidity is low.

Check with local authorities to be sure there are no local restrictions in place, especially in cities and towns that have their own outdoor burning ordinances.

Obtain a permit from the Forestry Division at www.BurnSafeTN.org. Permits are required from October 15 to May 15 where local restrictions do not supersede.

Notify your neighbors and local fire department in advance.

Choose a location away from trees and utility lines.

Keep tools to control your fire on hand, including a water supply and hand tools (rakes, shovels, etc.).

Establish firebreaks by clearing a three- to five-foot perimeter down to the dirt, free of all flammable materials, around burn piles.

Be alert to changing weather conditions and be prepared to extinguish your fire if the situation becomes unsafe.

Your fire is your responsibility. Stay with your fire until it is completely out.

Please visit www.BurnSafeTN.org for additional tips to burn safely and protect your community from wildland fires. 

The Forestry Division protects and promotes the responsible use of forest resources in Tennessee. Focus areas include assisting landowners with a variety of services, providing quality tree seedlings, supporting forest health programs, collecting forest inventory data, assisting forest industries, and fighting wildland fires. Visit www.tn.gov/agriculture/forests for more information.