News

Cannon County farmers looking to expand their markets and increase food safety by becoming Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) certified now have the opportunity to receive financial assistance from the Tennessee Department of Agriculture. 
 
Good Agricultural Practices certification allows producers to sell directly to more businesses and institutions with stringent food safety requirements, such as grocery stores or hospitals. These new opportunities allow producers to increase their income, and the certification helps to ensure food is safe and wholesome for specialty crops throughout Tennessee.
 
 
According to Agriculture Jay Templeton, “We continue to look for ways to provide new opportunities to farmers. Mitigating the cost of Good Agricultural Practices audits may help enable more producers to become certified. Tennessee farmers provide safe, reliable food. An increase in certified producers in the state will reinforce our reliability to businesses and consumers.”
 
 
The application period closes Aug. 31, 2019. Qualified producers will have the opportunity to offset the cost of a Good Agricultural Practice Certification inspection by being reimbursed 75% of the inspection cost up to $750.
 
 
Funds are available on a first come, first served basis. Grant funds are available to producers only; warehouses and distributors may not apply.
 
 
You will find more information and the cost share application at www.tn.gov/agriculture/farms/produce-nursery/gap.html or by emailing Grant Pulse at grant.pulse@tn.gov.
 
 

The partial shutdown of the United States government currently impacts more than 25,000 Tennesseans. Many of these furloughed federal workers are not on the job, while others continue to work without pay.The Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development manages the federally funded unemployment insurance program. The state received its appropriation for the program before the government shutdown and unemployed Tennesseans continue to receive benefits.
Depending on the length of the shutdown, many Tennesseans who work for the federal government may qualify to collect unemployment benefits.
The United States Department of Labor has strict requirements claimants must meet to receive benefits, one of which is an unemployed person must be willing and able to work. A furloughed federal worker meets this requirement because they are free to work.
Federal workers required to remain on the job without pay are not eligible for unemployment benefits because they are not able to work.
If the state approves an application for benefits, unemployment claimants must certify online each week they are available to work. The state also requires they conduct online job searches in order to receive benefits.
 
 
 
It is important to keep in mind, the first week a person files for benefits is considered their waiting week and the claimant will not receive money. They will receive their first payment after two weeks of filing. The state pays the waiting week after a claimant completes four consecutive weeks of certifying for benefits.
During the application process, the state must verify wages with the employer. Since these are federal employees, the shutdown could cause a delay in the verification process. The state has up to 21 days to approve or deny a claim for unemployment benefits.
The maximum weekly benefit in Tennessee is $275, which is subject to federal income taxes.
Once the shutdown ends, and if the federal government provides workers with back pay for the time they were furloughed, per United States Department Of Labor guidelines, the worker will be responsible for paying the state of Tennessee for any unemployment benefits they received.
As of Jan. 10, 2019, the state of Tennessee has received applications for unemployment benefits from 400 federal workers since the shutdown began.
Federal employees can apply for unemployment benefits through the state’s workforce development website, www.Jobs4TN.gov. This is also the website where claimants complete their weekly job search certifications.
Anyone with questions can call Tennessee Department Of Labor and Workforce Development at 844-224-5818 or use the live chat function at www.tn.gov/workfoce Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
 

Cheyrel Pursell, Secretary for Auburn School was named as “Employee of the Month” for January 2019 by Cannon County Schools.  During the January Meeting of the Cannon County Board of Education, Mrs. Pursell was recognized and presented a certificate by Cannon County Schools Director William F. Curtis for her service to her school and the Cannon County School System.  Employees are nominated by School Principals or School District Supervisors and are voted on during monthly Principal and Supervisor meetings regarding individuals who exemplify the Mission and Vision of Cannon County Schools. 
Auburn School Principal Melinda Crook nominated Mrs. Pursell for this honor and stated regarding this outstanding educator: “Mrs. Cheyrel always goes the extra mile for our students, parents, teachers, and staff. She has been here for 29 years, and has had perfect attendance for many of those years. She is always willing to do whatever is asked of her, usually before it is even asked.”
 
Director of Cannon County Schools, Mr. William F. Curtis stated, “Mrs. Cheyrel Pursell is an outstanding employee that goes beyond her secretarial duties. She is a very special person who does “Whatever it Takes” for the students, parents, and staff as a great encourager! I believe Mrs. Cheyrel  personifies our Mission of Cannon County Schools of ‘Preparing All Students for their Future’ by most assuredly being ‘E3 – Engaged in Excellence Every Day.’  Congratulations to Mrs. Pursell for being an impactful ‘Team Player’ in our Cannon County Schools family for all Cannon County Students.”
 

Tennessee House Speaker Glen Casada has named State Representative Clark Boyd Chairman of the House Consumer & Human Resources Committee, making Representative Boyd the most junior member of the House of Representatives to chair a full committee. 
 The 12-person committee will be responsible for all consumer and human resource-related issues, as well as matters pertaining to Tennessee’s workforce.  
 
According to Speaker Casada, “Representative Boyd has done an incredible job building strong partnerships with our local leaders throughout Tennessee, which has played a critical role in helping our General Assembly identify and create innovative solutions to better address the unique needs of our citizens. I know he will be an effective leader of the House Consumer & Human Resources Committee, and I appreciate his dedication to our state and his service.” 
 
“I am honored that Speaker Casada has appointed me to serve as Chairman of the House Consumer & Human Resources Committee,” said Representative Boyd. “My colleagues and I are committed to protecting our consumers and ensuring that our employers and workforce operate in a business friendly environment that Tennessee has become known for.”
 
Additionally, Representative Boyd will serve on the House Commerce and Calendar & Rules Committees, as well as the Consumer, Employee Affairs, and Utilities Subcommittees. Boyd lives in Lebanon and represents House District 46, which includes Cannon, and parts of Wilson and Dekalb Counties.
 

A traffic crash in front of Woodland Elementary School yesterday slowed vehicles for several hours. At  11:15am, a two vehicle occurred on State Route 53 (Manchester Highway). 
According to reports from the Tennessee Highway Patrol, vehicle number 1, a 2010 Toyota Corella driving by Monica Edmonson, 51 of Bradyville. The Edmonson vehicle was traveling South on Highway 53 and slowed in order to make a left turn into Woodland School.
 
 
Vehicle number two, a 2013 Ford F150 Pickup driven by 21 year old Bradyville resident Collin Anderson was traveling South on Highway 53 and failed to stop.  Vehicle 2 (Ford Pickup) collided with the rear end of vehicle 1. Vehicle 1 (Toyota) overturned off the right side of the roadway. Vehicle 2 ran off the right side of the roadway south of the school building.
 
 
Both drivers and passengers were injuried. Edmonson and an 11 year old minor were transported by life flight to Vanderbilt Medical Center. Two other passengers in vehicle one, Elvira Beck, 72 and Calvin Edmonson, 30, both of Bradyville were transported by Emergency Medical Service to Saint Thomas-Rutherford in Murfreesboro.
 
 
 
No charges for Edmonson in vehicle one, charges are pending against Anderson in vehicle two.   
Trooper Andrew Collier was the investigator of the crash. The crash scene was cleared before dismissal of the students at the end of the school day.
 

The Cannon County High School Baseball Team will have a facility for the 2019 Baseball Season after all, thanks to a very generous donation received by the Baseball Team, Cannon County High School, and Cannon County Schools.  At a Press Conference held at Cannon County High School on Thursday, January 10th, 2019, Director of Cannon County Schools, William F. Curtis announced a recent development in the six month process regarding the facility. 
 
 
Curtis stated, “It is my esteemed honor and privilege to announce that Mr. Justin Davis of Woodbury, Tennessee has literally ‘stepped up to the plate’ and hit the baseball ‘out of the park!’ Mr. Davis has donated $40,000.00 to the CCHS Baseball Program to ensure that the dream for a Baseball Facility will be fulfilled for the 2019 Baseball season.  He has stepped up when the local county government would not and other potential donors backed out.  I think of it being like a baseball game complete with strikeouts, foul balls, balks, and have a walk-off homerun at the bottom of the ninth inning!  I sincerely appreciate Mr. Davis’s generous donation which has been facilitated by Mr. Tim Spry and Mrs. Jeanne Melton of First National Bank of Woodbury.”
 
 
Justin Davis has lived in Cannon County most of his life since 1988. He played Dixie Youth Baseball in Woodbury then moved up to Babe Ruth. He played Baseball at Cannon County High School all 4 years in High School along with Football and graduated in 1995. He went to MTSU for a few years then a semester at ETSU for surveying. In 2000, his father moved a fiberglass shop to Woodbury and Justin decided to work for him full time. He took over the family business in 2007 and renamed the business, Composite Solutions. The business had some up and down years, but in 2011 things picked up and the business has grown ever since. With the help of our employees along with the Cannon County Industrial Development Board, Composite Solutions was able to move to their current facility in April of 2018. Located at 225 Alexander Drive, the larger and more modern building has allowed their company to take on more business.
 
 
Mr. Davis stated, “In December 2018, former Industrial Development Board President and current County Commissioner Corey Davenport, informed me about the CCHS Baseball not getting funded for a new training/locker room. I felt this would be a good opportunity to give back to the community that has been so giving to my family. Corey got me Coach Colin Jones’s contact info, and we set up a meeting. Once I confirmed with Director of Schools William F. Curtis that everything was ready except funding, I knew it was time to stop talking about it and pull the trigger. I enjoyed playing Baseball for CCHS but never believed the program was taken as serious as it deserved. I had four different coaches in four years. We always competed because we had been playing since Dixie Youth and some even longer. There were guys that should have played high school baseball, but for whatever reasons didn’t. Maybe it was due to the program not getting the backing like the other sports. Perhaps, if we had a locker room with batting cages and pitching areas, this would have allowed us to not just compete, but win the district. I have either been playing on that field or driving by it for 30 years. By looking at the improvements made to the field the past few years, it shows that someone wants to take the team to a different level. I believe this new facility will assist in that endeavor.”
 
 
Director Curtis stated, “Many others have also contributed to this endeavor including many private donors. The Cannon County Board of Education voted at the August 2018 School Board meeting to give $14,400.00 for concrete work on the facility from the School Capital Outlay fund.  The Cannon County Commission voted later in the month to lease the Baseball field area at the County Sports Complex to the Cannon County Board of Education.  We are appreciative to all involved in the process and specifically Cannon County Board of Education, CCHS Principal Courtney Nichols, CCHS Athletic Director Matt Cagle, in particular CCHS Baseball Coach Colin Jones and the CCHS Baseball Players, Parents, and Boosters.  Coach Jones initiated this project and worked diligently during the entire process for his team and players.  He will continue to oversee the construction phase of the project which will begin immediately.”
 
Upon construction, the facility will be named the “Davis CCHS Baseball Fieldhouse Facility” in honor of our benefactor, Mr. Justin Davis, for the use of  the CCHS and Middle School Baseball Teams.  He will also be throwing out the first pitch of the 2019 Baseball season during CCHS Baseball’s first home game on March 11th, 2019 – 5:00 PM versus Cascade, and his Jersey #44 will be retired in his honor.
 
 
This facility will aid the CCHS Baseball program tremendously to be competitive in our district and region.  The Mission of Cannon County Schools is “Preparing All Students for their Future,” and this facility will help to prepare our CCHS Scholar Athletes through our Vision, the New E3 = Engaged in Excellence Every Day. Excellence on the baseball field and in the classroom.
 

The Tennessee Beef Promotion Board will meet Jan. 24th at 2 p.m. at the Tennessee Beef Industry Council located  in Murfreesboro.The agenda includes a review and approval of minutes, a review of board finances, and a quarterly program update.
 
The meeting is open to the public. Individuals interested in addressing the board should plan to arrive early in order to be placed on the agenda.
 
The Tennessee Beef Promotion Board was created in 2012 by state law to oversee the collection and use of assessments paid by producers for the purpose of promoting beef and beef products in-state. The Board comprises representatives from the Tennessee Livestock Market Association, Tennessee Cattlemen’s Association, Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation, Tennessee Dairy Association and Tennessee Beef Cattle Improvement Initiative.
 
For more information, contact the Tennessee Department of Agriculture at 615-837-5160.  
 

State Representative Clark Boyd has officially been sworn in to office as the 111th General Assembly convened to organize this week.   
 
Representative Boyd serves the men, women, and families of Cannon County, as well as parts of Wilson and Dekalb Counties. He is eager to continue the remarkable progress Tennessee has made in recent years.   
 
 
“I am thankful for the opportunity to continue to serve, and I look forward to tackling the meaningful issues for the people of District 46 during the 2019 legislative session,” said Representative Boyd. “Together with my constituents, our local leaders, and our General Assembly members, I know we will ensure that our communities and our state continue to thrive.”
 
 
Throughout the 111th General Assembly, Representative Boyd will fight to further reduce taxes, eliminate burdensome regulations and red tape, and support additional job creation. Boyd and Republican leaders will also focus on continuing the improvements made to the state’s education system, securing our school facilities, and increasing access to work-based learning, vocational instruction, as well as technical training opportunities.
 
 
He will also work on criminal justice reform, and enhancing access to and the quality of health care services available to Tennesseans while lowering patient costs. The opioid crisis, as well as the allocation of new resources to better address mental health and substance abuse issues are also important priorities for Boyd and the General Assembly in the days, weeks, and months ahead.
 

State Senator Mark Pody (R-Lebanon) took the oath of office on Tuesday in Nashville as the 111th General Assembly was gaveled into session.  The oath was administered by the Honorable Mark Norris, U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Tennessee, during the first day of the legislature’s organizational session. 
 
“I am humbled by the confidence placed in me by the citizens of Cannon, Clay, DeKalb, Macon, Smith and Wilson Counties,” said Senator Pody.  “My pledge is to work every day to maintain that trust and make them proud of my service as their state senator.
 
 
Other organizational tasks that will be taken up this week include the election of the state’s constitutional officers on Wednesday.  The organizational session will conclude after the inauguration of Governor-elect Bill Lee, which is scheduled for Saturday, January 19 at 11:00 am on Legislative Plaza. 
 
 
 
 

Ordinances moved forward, officials reviewed equipment improvements for the fire department and the first workshop was scheduled to assist town leaders with policies filled the agenda of the Mayor and Board of Alderman meeting for January. 
Public hearings were held for tow ordinances number 498 and 499. The ordinances dealt with the rezoning of a parcel at 213 East Main Street from high residential to central commercial zoning and three parcels located off of Tanglewood Drive to low density residential.  Both ordinances were accepted on second and final readings.
 
Engine number six of the Woodbury Fire Department fleet was on display for alderman could see the recent renovations made by members of the department in order to better organize equipment for that vehicle.
 
Mayor Duggin informed Alderman that several policies for the Town of Woodbury should be reviewed and revised in order to be in better alignment with recent changes.  He suggested that the group starts conducting workshops to deal with the policies.  The first workshop is scheduled for January 29th with a time of 4:30pm.
 
Prior to the Alderman meeting, the beer board met.  Approval was granted for an “on premise” consumption for DJ’s Restaurant at 805 West Main Street. The permit was requested due to a recent ownership change for the business.