News

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced the leadership of the Tennessee Criminal Justice Investment Task Force as established by Executive Order 6. 
“We are committed to addressing all aspects of the criminal justice system to improve public safety and reentry in our state,” said Gov. Lee. “Our task force represents multiple perspectives including law enforcement, state agencies, crime victims and families, community leaders and formerly incarcerated individuals.”
 
The task force steering committee includes:
 

Brandon Gibson (Chair), Office of the Governor

Bill Gibbons, University of Memphis

Decosta Jenkins, Nashville Electric

Torry Johnson, Belmont University

Josh Smith, Master Dry

The task force also includes appointees who will oversee key areas for study. These appointments include:
 

Division VI Criminal Court Judge John Campbell, Criminal Code and Sentencing Examination

Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security Commissioner Jeff Long, Violent Crime

Executive Director of Men of Valor Raul Lopez, Education, Workforce Development and Re-Entry

Deputy Counsel to the Governor Clark Milner, Juvenile Justice Implementation Council

Tennessee Department of Children’s Services Commissioner Jennifer Nichols, Drivers of Crime

Tennessee Department of Correction Commissioner Tony Parker, Probation/Parole

Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services Commissioner Marie Williams, Mental Health and Substance Use

 
Over the next two legislative sessions, the task force will develop legislative and budgetary recommendations regarding the following public safety and reentry issues:
 

Crime prevention and recidivism reduction

Punishing violent crime promptly and effectively

Supporting crime victims and their families

Addressing mental health and substance abuse issues that lead to and impact incarceration

Revising sentencing guidelines and parole/probation standards

Addressing the rising fiscal and social costs of incarceration

Preparing inmates to re-enter society and find pathways outside of crime through education and technical job training

Equipping families and communities with tools to help returning citizens become productive members of society

 
During the 111th General Assembly, the Lee Administration passed measures to crack down on fentanyl traffickers, increase pay for corrections officers, increase the training pay supplement for first responders and law enforcement, reduce expungement fees and increase educational opportunities for incarcerated individuals.
 
 

Authorities have arrested a second suspect in the shooting death of Dennis Carter in Warren County. Authorities say Timothy Baer of Murfreesboro has been taken into custody and charged with criminal homicide. It comes one day after the arrest of 27 year-old Kate Pritchard on the same charge.Carter, who is from Grundy County was shot Saturday night during an altercation with a fellow member of the Rebel motorcycle club at the building that houses the club on Pike Hill Road. He died a few hours later after being airlifted to Erlanger Hospital from McMinnville.
 
Media Partner: WMSR
 

The Cannon County Child Advocacy Center is inviting children and youth under age 18 to run or walk for FREE at Cannon Runs for Children.  Lace up your tennis shoes, bring your parents and grandparents, and be at Dillon Park this Saturday.
The 3rd Annual Cannon Runs for Children registration starts at 6:45 a.m., welcome and instructions at 7:15 a.m., and the race begins at 7:30 a.m.  The entry fees are $20 for adults and $15 for senior citizens.  The entry free price includes a t-shirt designed by local artist Chad Davis.  Event t-shirts will also be available for $15.

According to Race Course Designer and Cross County Coach Brian Elrod, “You can run, jog, walk or crawl to support kids.  As long as you’re out there doing it, you’re a runner. Anything you can do to help a child, you do it. It’s that simple.”

All contributions to Cannon Runs for Children will be used to provide services to Cannon County child abuse victims, child sexual abuse victims, drug endangered children and their non-offending parents and family members. 

Runners and walkers are encouraged to pre-register online at cannoncac.org or through runsignup.com by searching Cannon Runs.  You may also register by contacting the Child Advocacy Center at (615) 563-9915 and requesting a registration form be emailed to you.

Tennessee horse owners now have a new resource to protect the health of their livestock. The Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA) is offering the Extended Equine Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (EECVI), which provides real-time tracking and better disease traceability for horses being transported across state lines. 
“As we work to keep Tennessee horses safe and healthy, it is important that we are aware of the equines entering and exiting our state,” Interim State Veterinarian Doug Balthaser, D.V.M. said. “The EECVI will be available to owners 24 hours a day and will be accepted in more states than our current permit. Additionally, if the worst happens and there is a disease outbreak, real-time tracking will enable state animal health officials to notify horse owners much more quickly.”
 
In order to transport a horse, mule, donkey, pony, zebra, or other equine across state lines, a certificate of veterinary inspection (CVI) and negative test for Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA) is required. The CVI shows that a veterinarian has inspected each equine for signs of disease to ensure that it appears healthy for movement.
 
The EECVI extends the CVI date of expiration from 30 days to 6 months, and it eases travel to multiple states with different requirements. The EECVI offers travel itineraries in a digital format that horse owners complete and upload to the online system prior to the time of transport.
 
The current movement permit offered, the Tennessee Equine Interstate Event Permit (Equine Passport), will no longer be available through TDA starting June 30, 2019. TDA partnered with other states more than a decade ago to provide the Equine Passport program. However, all of the original partner states have decided to stop using the Equine Passport program and to transition to EECVI.
 
For more information about the Extended Equine Certificate of Veterinary Inspection, contact the State Veterinarian’s office at (615) 837-5120 or visit www.tn.gov/agriculture/businesses/animals/animal-health/equine-passport.html.
 
 

The Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA) is announcing rule changes for the state’s hemp program to better serve hemp producers.
“Farmers have been growing and researching this crop in Tennessee since the program began in 2015 as a pilot program,” Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher, D.V.M. said. “The hemp industry and federal laws have changed in recent years, and we’re updating our program rules to be more consistent with how other crop programs are managed.”

The application period for a license to grow hemp is now open year-round. Grower applications can be found online at http://www.tn.gov/agriculture/farms/hemp-industry.html. Licenses will expire June 30 of each year, and all grower licenses issued in 2019 will expire June, 2020.

Other program changes include:

Hemp processors will no longer be required to register through TDA.

The hemp program will no longer issue licenses for certified seed breeders. However, anyone manufacturing, distributing, or labeling seed should be licensed through TDA’s Ag Inputs section.

Growers will still need movement permits when transporting rooted plants and are now required to be permitted when moving harvested hemp from their growing site.

TDA has licensed more than 2,900 hemp growers in 2019. In 2018, TDA approved 226 hemp producer applications.

Federal and state laws require Tennessee hemp growers be licensed through TDA’s hemp program. While the 2018 Farm Bill removes hemp from the list of federally controlled substances, it remains illegal to grow hemp without a license through an approved state program.

The Tennessee General Assembly enacted Public Chapter 916 in 2014, tasking the department with development of a licensing and inspection program for the production of hemp in Tennessee. You will find more information about Tennessee’s hemp program at www.tn.gov/agriculture/farms/hemp-industry.html.

The Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA) is announcing rule changes for the state’s hemp program to better serve hemp producers.

“Farmers have been growing and researching this crop in Tennessee since the program began in 2015 as a pilot program,” Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher, D.V.M. said. “The hemp industry and federal laws have changed in recent years, and we’re updating our program rules to be more consistent with how other crop programs are managed.”

The application period for a license to grow hemp is now open year-round. Grower applications can be found here. Licenses will expire June 30 of each year, and all grower licenses issued in 2019 will expire June, 2020.

Other program changes include:

Hemp processors will no longer be required to register through TDA.

The hemp program will no longer issue licenses for certified seed breeders. However, anyone manufacturing, distributing, or labeling seed should be licensed through TDA’s Ag Inputs section.

Growers will still need movement permits when transporting rooted plants and are now required to be permitted when moving harvested hemp from their growing site.

TDA has licensed more than 2,900 hemp growers in 2019. In 2018, TDA approved 226 hemp producer applications.

Federal and state laws require Tennessee hemp growers be licensed through TDA’s hemp program. While the 2018 Farm Bill removes hemp from the list of federally controlled substances, it remains illegal to grow hemp without a license through an approved state program.

The Tennessee General Assembly enacted Public Chapter 916 in 2014, tasking the department with development of a licensing and inspection program for the production of hemp in Tennessee. You will find more information about Tennessee’s hemp program here.

A small earthquake took place in Manchester on Saturday afternoon.The United States Geographical Survey based in Memphis, TN reported the 2.6 magnitude earthquake occurred Saturday afternoon around 1:45 pm.
 
The earthquake’s center of activity was reported as being near Kimberly Lane and the Bonnaroo property. According to the United States Geographical Survey website, the intensity of the 2.6 ‘quake is listed as weak and no damage was reported.
 

The Deputies from the Cannon County Sheriff’s Department and the Woodbury Fire Department responded to a fire just off of Auburntown Road Saturday afternoon. Smoke from the fire was reported to 911.  Upon arrival of emergency responders, they learned the fire was a controlled burn by the property owners.
 

Nearly 400 teens from communities across Tennessee will gather at the Embassy Suites in Murfreesboro Sunday thru Tuesday for the Tennessee Department of Health’s TNSTRONG Youth Summit, a statewide tobacco prevention conference.
TNSTRONG stands for “Tennessee Stop Tobacco and Revolutionize our New Generation” and is Tennessee’s youth-led movement to promote tobacco-free lifestyles. TNSTRONG Youth Summit participants receive training from national-level experts to empower them to serve as peer influencers and advocates for preventing tobacco and nicotine addiction in their communities.

Tennessee State Parks will celebrate National Trails Day with free guided hikes at all 56 state parks tomorrow. 
This will be the third of the state parks’ signature hikes this year, following First Day Hikes in January and Spring Hikes in March. Thus far, 4,787 park visitors have participated in the hikes.
 
The American Hiking Society designates the first Saturday in June as National Trails Day as a day of public events aimed at advocacy and trail service. Last year, 108,947 people participated in 1,203 events across 50 states.
 
Tennessee State Parks are offering a variety of ranger led hikes, night hikes, history hikes, nature hikes or trail clean-up hikes. With more than 1,000 miles of trails, ranging from easy paved trails to rugged backcountry trails to scenic waterways, the state parks have something for everyone.  
 
At Cannon County’s closest state park, Edgar Evins, Children and caregivers are invited to join  a party for the ribbon cutting on a new book for the ½ mile Hillside Storybook Trail. This free event will include party favors, craft making for the children sponsored by the public libraries of Cannon, DeKalb, Putnam, Smith, and the Cookeville Childrens Museum and Smithville Girl Scout Troop 3094.
 
Bob Tarter of Animology will present an assortment of wild animals at 11:30 A.M. The book this year will be Anybody Home?  It is about Polly Possum looking for a home among the forest creatures where she can raise her expected babies.
 
Hotdogs, chips, lemonade and cake will be served about 12:30 P.M.  The trail has large color reproductions of pages from the book on signs that are mounted at child height about every 60 yards along the trail.  There will be guided and unguided hikes on the trail after the ribbon is cut .
 
Everything will be free unless purchased from a vendor or the on-site gift store where the book will be available.