News

Shortly after 5pm yesterday, Woodbury Fire and Police personal responded to a suspected house fire onWest Colonial Street in Woodbury.
According to Woodbury Police Chief Lowell Womack, the home was filled with smoke upon arrival of first responders. Early reports indicate the smoke was generally
centered around the electrical breaker box in the home. Residents and pets were cleared from the home while fire officials attempted to determine the origion fo the smoke.
No one was injuried. Sheriff’s department and county departments assisted in the effort.

Not everyone out Halloween night will be seeking treats. 
Tennessee Department of Correction officers will be keeping an eye on registered sex offenders to make sure they’re complying with rules that require them to stay away from children. Sue Siedentop, correctional administrator for TDOC, said the department enforces strict rules regarding sex offenders year round. But especially during Halloween, she said TDOC tries to provide an extra layer of accountability through “Operation Blackout.”
 
“Our officers do a great job ensuring that offenders adhere to the conditions of their supervision,” Siedentop said in a statement. “But during Halloween — when thousands of children are going to be going door to door — our officers will be out in the community to make sure that these kids have a safe night.” TDOC has about 3,300 registered sex offenders under its supervision. Rules to which they must agree on Halloween include:
 
TDOC officers will canvas the state, visiting offenders determined to be a high risk to make sure they’re in compliance.
 
In addition to the TDOC action, Siedentop recommends other tips for parents:
 
Being in their homes by 6 p.m.
 
Not having any Halloween decor
 
Keeping porch lights turned off
 
Not distributing any Halloween candy
 
Not attending any Halloween functions
 
Go with children when trick-or-treating
 
If children do go out alone, make sure you know where they will be trick-or-treating
 
Check the TBI Sex Offender Registry (https://www.tn.gov/tbi/general-information/redirect-tennessee-sex-offend…
registry-search.html) to know houses to avoid Contact local law enforcement if suspicious activity is spotted
If you see a known TDOC-supervised offender at a Halloween event or with decorations, call 1-844-TDC-FIND to report it.
 

With overnight temperatures dipping into the 30’s this week, UT Extension Agent BruceSteelman wants to remind area residents how temperatures can affect grasses.
The cool temperatures of fall are rapidly approaching. The cool weather is usually good
for grasses like tall fescue and orchardgrass. But sorghums used for forage can be toxic after a
frost. The frost causes the release of prussic acid, or cyanide. Small amounts of prussic acid can
be highly toxic to cattle. There are several things to know in order to prevent prussic acid
poisoning in your livestock.
Which species of grass have this problem? Forages in the Sorghum genus have this problem.
The three primary forages that we use in this genus are sorghum x sudangrass hybrids,
johnsongrass and forage sorghums. These are all warm-season grass species. Grasses like tall
fescue, orchardgrass, and annual ryegrass do not have the potential to produce prussic acid.
Other warm-season species such as bermudagrass, crabgrass, teffgrass and pearl millet also do
not have this problem.
What causes the problem? Leaves of these plants contain chemicals called glycosides
naturally occurring in the cells. When the plants are stressed, these chemicals break down to
release cyanide. Usually the stress we think of is frost, but it can also occur if the plants are
drought stressed.
Does prussic acid break down naturally? The prussic acid will break down over the course of
10 days to two weeks. Because of this, there is no danger of having prussic acid in sorghum x
sudangrass or johnsongrass if it has been dried enough to make hay. Waiting two week before
feeding will prevent any problem.
How can I avoid this problem? The best thing to do is avoid grazing sorghums when there is
the potential of frost. As we move into fall, it is best to cut these forage species for hay and
avoid any risk of prussic acid poisoning through grazing. If you decide to grazing, wait to graze
all of this forage until it is totally brown and dried.
What about tall fescue fields with patches of johnsongrass? This is often a difficult situation.
If there is plenty of tall fescue for cattle to eat, they will avoid consuming johnsongrass in the fall
because the tall fescue is much more palatable. Many fields across the southeast have small
patches of johnsongrass scattered throughout. But make sure there is plenty of tall fescue growth
for cattle to graze. If the johnsongrass begins to cover more than 25-30 percent of the ground,
you may want to stockpile this field and graze it after the johnsongrass is totally brown and dead.
This will prevent any prussic acid danger.

Registered voters have the opportunity to vote prior to the November general election. Theballot includes the governors race, a decision on in the United States Senate. Decisions also on
state senate and state house of representatives.
Early Voting begins today and continues through November 1st at the Election Office
(back of the old hospital, 301 West Main Street #244).
Early voting hours are Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday from 8am to 1pm /
Tuesday and Thursday 4:00pm to 7:00pm.
 

Dollar General’s newest store at 825 Poplar Bluff Road East in Auburntown is now open!Dollar General will celebrate the store’s official grand opening on Saturday, October 20 at 8 a.m. with free
prizes and special deals. Additionally, the first 50 adult shoppers at the store will receive a $10 Dollar
General gift card and the first 200 shoppers will receive a Dollar General tote bag with complimentary
product samples, among other giveaways.
Dollar General stores offer convenience and value to customers by providing a focused selection of
national name brands and private brands of food, housewares, seasonal items, cleaning supplies, basic
apparel and health/beauty products. The store’s fresh layout is designed to make shopping simple for
customers.
Traditional Dollar General stores employ approximately six to 10 people, depending on the need. Anyone
interested in joining the Dollar General team may visit the Career section at www.dollargeneral.com.
WBRY Area

Safety projects in local schools moved forward at this month’s meeting of the Cannon County Board ofEducation. The board approved a bid of $38,375.00 for locks in schools, the work will begin at the high
school and will cover every classroom in the building. McMinnville Fire Extinguishers was awarded the
system’s 2018-2019 contract.
The board voted to begin the process on addressing issues with the roofs on some of the schools in the
system. The board will advertise for bids to replace the roofs on the high school.
In other business on the meeting agenda, Pam Forrest and Emily Hancock addressed the board on
applying for a $4,000.00 grant from Lowe’s to continue work on the playground at Woodbury Grammar
School.
 

The 4-H Chick Chain project is designed to teach 4-H members recommended management practices for growing and raising chickens. Congratulations to the Black Sex-Link Grand Champion winner from Cannon County High School, Abigail Buchanan, and Red Sex-Link Grand Champion winner from Woodland Elementary School, Lukas Phillips. 
Congratulations also to the Black Sex-Link Reserve Champion from Short Mountain School, Lilly Nichols, and Red Sex-Link Reserve Grand Champion from Short Mountain School, Chloe Hill. This year there were 14 participants which raised the chickens from April until October.  Each member did an excellent job!  We appreciate Derek Fann implementing the auction and Michael Shirley judging the birds. Buyers were pleased with the two different breeds to bid on which increased the average sale price to $19.75 per bird.
 
The organization appreciates the community support for this project and all money raised from the auction benefits the 4-H Chick Chain Program next year. Cannon County Extension staff would like to thank the 4-H members, parents, volunteers, and buyers for making this year’s Chick Chain Show and Auction a huge success. If you would like to be added to the poultry buyer mailing list or for more information, call the UT Extension office at 615-563-2554.       
 
 
 

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam has appointed Darrell L. Scarlett of Murfreesboro as Circuit Court judge for the 16th Judicial District, which serves Rutherford and Cannon counties. The appointment fills a new trial court judgeship established this year by the Tennessee General Assembly. 
According to Governor Haslam, “We are fortunate to have someone with Darrell Scarlett’s experience in the 16th Judicial District. That experience prepares him well to serve in this newly created position.”
 
Scarlett has practiced law for 30 years in Middle Tennessee, most recently with the firm of Catron & Scarlett. He has focused on litigation regarding domestic relations and has served frequently as mediator in domestic relations cases. His recent practice has also involved business, personal injury, estate and real estate litigation.
 
“I greatly appreciate the confidence Governor Haslam has shown in me,” Scarlett said. “I look forward to serving the people of the 16th Judicial District, and I will do my best to uphold the faith placed in me by Governor Haslam.”
 
Scarlett practiced at Murfree, Cope & Moore from 1988-2009. In 2009, he began practicing with Bennett & Scarlett, which became Catron & Scarlett this January.
 
Scarlett has tried numerous jury and bench trials in both civil and criminal courts in Rutherford County and surrounding counties. He has argued many cases before the Tennessee Court of Appeals, Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals, and administrative bodies. Scarlett has also served as special judge in General Sessions and Juvenile courts in both Rutherford and Cannon counties.
 
Scarlett received his law degree from Samford University in 1988 and a bachelor’s degree from Tennessee Tech University in 1984. He is married to Becky Scarlett, and he has a daughter, Savannah.
 
 
 

The Tennessee Department of Agriculture Division of Forestry is observing National Fire Prevention Week (Oct. 7-13) by reminding citizens to follow simple safety practices to prevent wildfires. The official start of wildfire season in Tennessee is Oct. 15.  
“With the recent and forecasted rain, we expect favorable conditions for safe debris burning over the next couple of months,” State Forester David Arnold said. “However, we shouldn’t let our guard down. We encourage Tennesseans to remain vigilant and practice safe debris burning to prevent wildfires.” 
 
Obtaining a burn permit is free, fast, and simple. If you are burning a leaf or brush pile that is smaller than 8 feet by 8 feet in size, our online system provides a quick and efficient way to apply. For a larger burn, call your local Division of Forestry burn permit phone number Mon. through Fri., 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. The online system and burn permit phone numbers can be found here. 
 
More than 300,000 permits are issued each year, and they are only issued when conditions are conducive to safe burning. If you live inside city limits, there may be additional restrictions. Check with your municipality before you burn. 
 
For a list of materials that may not be burned, check the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation’s open burning guidelines here. 
 
Burning without a permit is a Class C misdemeanor punishable by up to 30 days in jail and/or a fine. Wildfires caused by arson are a class C felony punishable by 3 to 15 years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines. Anyone with information about suspected arson activity should call the state Fire Marshal’s Arson Hotline at 1-800-762-3017. The hotline is answered 24 hours a day, and you may remain anonymous when providing information. Cash awards are offered for information leading to an arrest or conviction. To report illegal burning, please call 1-888-891-TDEC. 
 
Click here for additional tips to burn safely and to protect your community. 
 
The Division of Forestry promotes the wise use of forest resources by assisting landowners, fighting wildfires, providing quality seedlings, monitoring insects and diseases, improving urban forests, managing state forests, protecting water quality, and collecting forest inventory data. The Division also works to promote primary and secondary forest industries to stimulate the state’s economy. Visit our website for more information. 
 

Mrs. Brenda Motley, Short Mountain School Educational Assistant and Interventionist, was named as “Employee of the Month” for October 2018 by Cannon County Schools. During the October Meeting of the Cannon County Board of Education on Thursday, October 11th, 2018, Mrs. Motley 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. 
Short Mountain School Principal Mr. Robert Pitts nominated Mrs. Motley for this honor and stated regarding this outstanding educator:
 
“Mrs. Brenda Motley is one of the most dedicated employees I have had the privilege to supervise.  She is always on time, coming in early and leaving late. I can’t remember a time when she missed school. Mrs. Brenda has been a teachers’ aide for the past 26 years. She was originally hired as an aide for grades k-3, with the additional duty of cafeteria supervisor, a job she continues to do today.”
 
“For the past several years, Mrs. Brenda has taken on a more important role as our school interventionist.  She helps students who are struggling in academics.  She worries about students who are behind in their studies.  She spends countless hours at home preparing materials to help her students by searching the internet for supplemental materials.  She says her husband’s main job is to keep the printer working.”
 
Mr. Pitts added, “Mrs. Brenda follows the established curriculum approved by the state.  She starts off with Sounds Sensible in Kindergarten and then follows with S.P.I.R.E. (Specialized Program Individualizing Reading Excellence), followed by Journeys for the upper grades. She prepares individual folders for each student with special work to meet their needs.”
 
“Teachers state that Mrs. Brenda always goes above and beyond her job description.  She takes pride in her work. She loves her students and they love her. Short Mountain School is so proud of Mrs. Brenda, and we want to thank her for her contributions to our school.  She is very deserving of this recognition.”
 
Director of Cannon County Schools, William F. Curtis stated, “Mrs. Brenda Motley personifies what every employee in Cannon County Schools should be – ‘committed to our Mission, caring for every student, dependable, and going the extra mile for all.’  She demonstrates what our Mission is ‘To Prepare All Students for their Future” through our Vision of being ‘Engaged in Excellence Every Day!’