News

The work of over 75 craft artisans will be available for purchase as The White Oak Crafts Fair returns for its 29th year, offering something of interest for everybody who delights in items and products that are individually designed and hand crafted. Saturday, September 8th and Sunday, September 9th, 2018, the Arts Center of Cannon County will host the top craft artisans from throughout the region who will offer for sale their original textiles, jewelry, woodcarving, metalwork, pottery, photography, chairs, baskets, ironwork, stained glass and much more.  The White Oak Craft Fair takes place along the banks of the East Fork Stones River just down from the Arts Center. 
 
More than 75 artisans will present an enormous variety of work, all of which is chosen for it excellence and integrity by a highly respected selection panel. In an age when mass production makes so many things widely available, the White Oak Crafts Fair celebrates the inspiration and skill of the individual maker as well as being an opportunity to appreciate uniqueness. This is an event, whose reputation has spread to attract new attendees from across the region as well as appealing, year after year, to regular visitors. 
 
 
In association with White Oak Tennessee, Inc., The Arts Center of Cannon County has developed and coordinated this event for the past 29 years. Although a high percentage of the participants in the show are typically perennial favorites, new exhibitors join the show each year, so there is always something new and fresh for visitors to look forward to.   Admission to this event is free with a $3 donation for supervised parking to benefit The Woodbury Lions Club and The Arts Center of Cannon County.
 
 
So make your plans now to visit the White Oak Crafts Fair, but be sure that you give The 29th Annual White Oak Crafts Fair will be held this weekend just down from The Arts Center of Cannon County, 1424 John Bragg Highway, just west of the town of Woodbury.
 
Hours of operation for the Crafts Fair is Saturday from 9 till 5 and Sunday from 10am – 4:00pm.
 

Solid Waste and the plan to handle it filled a large portion of the Thursday night meeting of the Cannon County Commission.  For the second time in a week, an elected governing body filled the evening in discussion of a topic that was absent from the agenda. 
Following the breakdown of the county compactor and entering the month without a hauling agreement in place, County Executive Brent Bush took action to handle solid waste dropped off at the center with a plan that did not require a compactor.
 
A freight box (the type that can be closed and carried on a truck was purchased (at a cost of $3,500.00).  Citizens who drop off household trash and place the bags inside the freight box.  When the box is filled, it can be carried away to MidPoint Landfill.  A second freight box may be acquired in a few days.
 
The absence of a compactor removes the ability of the center to fulfill some duties as a transfer station.  The use of a compactor does two things.  Creates the opportunity of hauling larger loads (reducing the county’s costs) and removes the ability for the Town of Woodbury from unloading their sanitation trucks.  For the Town of Woodbury to empty their collection trucks, a trip to MidPoint Landfill in Rutherford County is required.
 
During this past week, the Town of Woodbury has sent their sanitation trucks directly to MidPoint and Mayor Duggin sent the bill for the tipping fees to the county.
 
State regulations requires county government to accept household trash from their citizens.  It does not require them to accept commercial or construction trash. Currently the Town of Woodbury does make routine stops at commercial locations. Since the ability of separating the contents of the trucks and the ability to transfer the contents into a compactor is no longer available, Cannon County is refusing the trucks into the convenience center.
 
Citizens of the Town of Woodbury are also citizens of the 5th County District. In last night’s meeting of the County Commission, the commission voted to refuse to pay the tipping fees covering the town deliveries of the past week.  The vote was 9-1 with only Commissioner Karen Ashford voting for the payment, citing citizens of Woodbury are also citizens of the county.
 
Experts in the field of solid waste were in attendance from the Upper Cumberland Development District and State of Tennessee Department of Enviorment and Conservation and answered various questions.  They indicated that the Convenience Center (with the grants recently awarded) was in a stage of re-birth as a convenience center only.  Over a few years and the desire of local citizens it could be more.
 
Many persons in attendance spoke of a desire for the county and town to work together on the project.
 
No additional action was taken.
 
 
In action not dealing with trash, the following happened;
 
With the start of a new term of the Cannon County Commission, a few changes occurred.  The commissioners elected County Executive Brent Bush to serve as chairman and Ronnie McHaffey, Jr. to serve a chairman pro-tem.
Several items on the agenda including the creation of a financial management committee, entering into an agreement with a Murfreesboro firm to assist the county into securing money that the county might have overlooked that is available was postponed until next month as new commissioners get up to speed on many of the items facing the board.
Commissioners approved numerous budget amendments for the Sheriff’s Department. The most notable ones were maintance and repair of vehicles, the purchase of four new vehicles and new surveillance cameras for the jail.  All items are being funded without cost to the taxpayers.  Fund for the projects were generated by the Sheriff’s Department Drug Fund.
 

Discussion on gasification is over, the town grows and fireworks end. Those are a few of the items on this week’s meeting of the Woodbury Mayor and Board of Alderman. 
For over thirty minutes, the board heard from their attorney, persons in the audience and almost everyone on the board voiced an opinion of gasification.  For several months, 360 Recycling has lobbied to construct a recycling/gasification plant in Woodbury.  City Attorney Matt Cowan told the board that in it’s current form, he could not advise the city to enter into an agreement with the firm.  Mayor Duggin said that the city had reached the end of the discussion period with the company.  The topic was dropped, without a vote.
 
Member heard the first reading of Ordinance No. 497, the ordinance restricted the use of fireworks inside the corporate limits of Woodbury.  A resident of McCrary Street reported that fireworks could be heard for a 15 day period around the 4th of July. The first reading passed with all members in agreement. The only limitation is the 4th of July Fireworks celebration will still be conducted.
 
Two other items before the board was adoption of Resolution 2018-02 and Resolution 2018-03. Those actions pertained to three parcels owned by Jimmy Lester on Tanglewood Drive.  Both resolutions passed and the lots will be up for a discussion at a public hearing to review the extensions of services and adding the parcels into the city limits.
 
In other action, the alderman approved a contract from Preston Brothers Construction to repair area leading to the city fire hall.
 

 “We are celebrating the end of the summer with the party of the season, Light Up the Night,” said Child Advocacy Center director Sharon De Boer.  
The 2nd Annual Light Up the Night party will be held at Oaklands Mansion in Murfreesboro on Friday, September 7, 2018 from 6:30 p.m. until 9:30 p.m. Dance under the stars, mix and mingle, and enjoy an evening that will benefit a great cause, the Child Advocacy Centers in Rutherford and Cannon Counties.
 
“We are asking guests to wear white to help Light up the Night!” continued De Boer.  Grab your dancing shoes because the band Zone Status will have you dancing the night away with your favorite dance partner.
 
Puckett’s is providing the food and Old Fort Liquor is providing two complimentary drinks per patron.  The signature White Sangria will be served, along with beer and wine.   Photographer Frank Capterton will capture the night in photos. 
 
Proceeds from the event will support crisis intervention services for child abuse victims and their non-offending parents and grandparents.  The Child Advocacy Center works as a team with Department of Children’s Services, law enforcement and the District Attorney’s Office to investigate child abuse cases, aggressively prosecute offenders, and help child victims and their families heal from the trauma.  In the last 18 years, the Center has assisted over 21,185 people and trained over 9,485 adults how to protect children from child sexual abuse and what do if a child reports abuse to them.
 
“Child sexual abuse and other crimes against children often occur in the dark.  This event is bringing light to the serious issue of child sexual abuse,” concluded De Boer.  “Come out and support the youngest and most vulnerable crime victims in our community—child sexual abuse victims.”
 
Tickets are $60 an individual or $110 per couple and are available to purchase at www.cacrutherford.org or at the event.  For questions, call the Child Advocacy Center in Rutherford County at 615-867-9000 or in Cannon County at 615-563-9915.
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The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) is recognizing September 2018 as National Preparedness Month and reminding Tennesseans to learn how to be ready now before disasters happen.“Just one year ago, TEMA was coordinating the deployment of emergency personnel to help with the hurricane response in Texas, Florida, and the Caribbean,” said TEMA Director Patrick Sheehan. “Tennesseans should not wait for the next disaster to strike and then hope for help to come. Most likely, neighbors and friends will be the first help at the disaster scene before the first responders arrive. So, it’s important to prepare in advance in order to help yourself, your family, and your
community.” Gracia Szczech, the regional administrator for FEMA Region IV, pointed out that preparedness is a shared responsibility. “While government plays a role, individuals, organizations, and businesses have important things to do to be ready for the unexpected,” she said. “National Preparedness Month is a
reminder that we all must take action to prepare, now and throughout the year, for the types of emergencies that could affect us where we live, work and visit. Disasters don’t plan ahead, but you can. ”Disaster planning will be the key theme of National Preparedness Month with different topics, such as life-saving skills and disaster costs, highlighted each week in September. The planning topics include:
Week 1, Sept. 1 to Sept. 8: Manage and Practice Your Plan
Week 2, Sept. 9 to Sept. 15: Learn Life Saving Skills
Week 3, Sept. 16 to Sept. 22: Check Your Insurance Coverage
Week 4, Sept. 23 to Sept. 29: Save for an Emergency
National EAS and WEA Test
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), will conduct a nationwide test of the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) on Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018.
The national IPAWS test will include both a Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) message, sent to mobile devices, at 1:18 p.m., Central, and an Emergency Alert System (EAS) message, to bebroadcast on radio and television, at 1:20 p.m., Central. The WEA message will display on mobile devices as a Presidential Alert and will read: THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.
FEMA will send only one WEA message to mobile devices and because the WEA message is a Presidential Alert, users will not be able to opt out of receiving the message, even if users have deactivated alert notifications in their mobile devices. Only wireless providers who have chosen to participate in the national WEA test will deliver the WEA message to their customers’ mobile devices. The EAS portion of the test is expected to last one minute and will allow FEMA to verify the delivery
and broadcast of a national test message and assess the infrastructure for its distribution. FEMA has selected Oct. 3, 2018 as the alternate national test date should anything interrupt the primary national test date of Sept. 20, 2018.
This is the fourth time FEMA has conducted a national EAS test and is the first time for a national WEA test.
Prepare for Emergencies
National Preparedness Month is designed to raise awareness and encourage Americans to take steps to prepare for emergencies in their homes, schools, organizations, businesses, and places of worship.
“Preparedness starts with each of us. For ourselves, our families and other loved ones having a plan and a kit are key because it is obvious emergency responders can’t always take care of everyone in a short amount of time,” said Tennessee Department of Health Commissioner John Dreyzehner, MD, MDH. “We should talk about, or better, write down our household emergency plans and our kits should include easy to carry food, water and medication to sustain us and our
loved ones, including pets, for at least three days along with important documents. Make it portable in case you have to move quickly to get to a safe place.”
The first step in emergency preparedness is to create a written emergency plan for you and your family.
Basic emergency plans include information such as:
    The evacuation procedure for your home, in case of fire or flood, so everyone will know which exits to take during a home emergency;
 How family members should contact each other if they are separated in a disaster;
 Where family members should meet after evacuating their home, or if your neighborhood is being evacuated; and,
 The important contact phone numbers for work locations, medical providers, and insurance carriers. Also, check the emergency plans and preparations for places      where you and your family spend time such as schools, day cares, sports facilities, and faith organizations. It is also important to have an emergency kit in every        automobile your family uses.
Finally, make sure you exercise your plans with your family. Practice a family fire drill or try out your communication plan on a day when you know family members will be separated.
Emergency Kit Basics
The contents of a well-stocked disaster kit vary depending on household needs. There are certain essentials for any kit:
 Water – at least a gallon per person per day, for three to five days
 Nonperishable food (such as dried fruit or peanut butter) – enough per person for three to five days
 Pet supplies
 Pet food and water
 Baby supplies (formula, diapers)
 Weather radio (battery-powered or hand-crank) and extra batteries
 First-aid kit
 Prescription medications and glasses
 Flashlight and extra batteries
 Dust mask (to filter contaminated air)
 Plastic sheeting and duct tape (to shelter in place)
 Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties (for personal sanitation)
 Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
 Cellphone (with charger, inverter or solar charger)
 Matches in a waterproof container
 Toothbrush, toothpaste, soap
 Paper plates, plastic cups and utensils, paper towels
 Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person
 Whistle (to call for help)
 Can opener (manual)
 Local maps
 Extra batteries
More information on emergency plans and preparedness can be found at www.ready.gov, with sections that include family emergency communication plans and emergency plans for kids.
About the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency: TEMA’s mission is to coordinate preparedness, response and recovery from man-made, natural and technological hazards in a rofessional and efficient manner in concert with our stakeholders. Follow TEMA on Facebook, LikedIn, and Twitter, and, at www.tn.gov/tema.
About National Preparedness Month: National Preparedness Month is an opportunity to share emrgency preparedness information to help Americans understand what it truly means to be eady. For more information, visit www.ready.gov/september.

As day four of the great garbage saga continues… this is what we know. 
County Executive Brent Bush after conferring with County Attorney Mike Corley has confirmed the county must provide trash service.  The question now is what will that trash service be?  According to visiting members of the County Commission at last night’s meeting of the Mayor and Board of Alderman the service may be self-service for city residents.
 
Woodbury Mayor Andy Duggin reached out to County Executive Brent Bush on Tuesday and informed Bush (pending Alderman approval) the city could be open to repairing the county compactor.  The offer was turned down by the County Executive.
 
Commissioners Jim Bush and Ronnie Mchaffey, Jr. told Woodbury Board of Alderman that a new plan for the convenience center will have it operating without a compactor. Without a compactor, the city trash trucks will be forced to deliver directly to the landfill in Rutherford County.
 
Public Works Director for the Town of Woodbury announced yesterday that the trash route in the town is on regular schedule and the trucks will be picking up in town and delivering directly to the MidPoint Landfill.
 
When asked, Cannon Commissioner for District 5 Kim Davenport has the following to say,
“I would like to see representatives from the city and the county come together and work out any issues, along with Lisa Luck, Solid Waste Planner for the Upper Cumberland Development District, Kim Raia, CTAS Environmental Management Consultant and Thea Prince, our own expert. I hope we will set up a county solid waste committee quickly to stay on top of the issues we are currently experiencing and to assist with the grant. It is no secret that a lot of the equipment there is aging and rusted, and obviously not working, I saw that first hand. I spoke with the hydraulic mechanic who stated the hydraulic pump would cost between $4k-5k to repair. We have currently have a matching grant that the county has been awarded, I am reading through it now. It is time-sensitive, and there are strict mandates we must meet to receive it. Several of the commissioners, myself included, are trying our best to get up to speed on this and several other challenging issues, but working together as a team for the county, I feel we can get the job done.”
 
 The next stop on the great garbage saga is the County Commission meeting Thursday afternoon. 
 
 

Several topics are on the agenda tonight for the Woodbury Mayor and Board of Alderman.  Approval of several items from the Planning Commission dealing with commercial and residential actions and a continued review on the question of gasification. One topic that may receive the most attention is not on the agenda.Woodbury Mayor Andy Duggin reported that he was contacted by newly-elected County Brent Bush.  Bush indicated the county would no longer be responsible for the town’s tipping fees (or cost) of dropping off waste at the Rutherford County landfill.  The area is the county district five. 
County Executive Brent Bush informed WBRY that he is currently reviewing the county’s legal options on the issue.
Earlier this year, discussions were held on a joint effort between the Town of Woodbury and the County. A committee  of representatives from county and town was formed however no serious discussions occurred.
 

The Town of Woodbury is continuing regular trash picks.  Public Works Director Shane Gannon reports, “we may be a little late, but we are running our normal schedule.”

County Executive Brent Bush has announced the following:The Solid Waste facility will reopen tomorrow and will accept household trash only. No commercial or industrial trash accepted. Bagged household trash. The Trash compactor inoperable. We will address the solid waste issue daily and keep the public informed. 
 

Officials say a new program allowing adults to attend community college or technical schools tuition-free in Tennessee has received thousands more applications than anticipated. 
Tennessee Reconnect is in its first year and roughly 31-thousand adults have applied. State Higher Education Commission Executive Director Mike Krause says the program has surpassed officials’ expectations as they had hoped for eight-to-10-thousand applications.
 
Governor Haslam had promoted the program that provides grants for students 25 and older to earn an associate degree or technical certificate free of tuition or fees. It was approved by the Legislature last year and the application period opened in February.
Education commission data says around 22-thousand women applied for Tennessee Reconnect along with nearly nine-thousand men.