News

The Federal Emergency Management Agency in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission, will conduct a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System and Wireless Emergency Alerts on Wednesday, October 3, 2018. The Wireless Emergency Alert portion of the test, which will be sent to consumer cell phones, will begin at 1:18 p.m. The Emergency Alert System  portion of the test, which will be sent to radio and television, will follow at 1:20 p.m. This will be the fourth nationwide EAS test and the first nationwide WEA test. In light of the upcoming test, the agencies share the following key informational points: 
 
THE BASICS
 
• WHY: The purpose of the test is to ensure that EAS and WEA are both effective
means of warning the public about emergencies, particularly those on the national
level.
 
• HOW: The EAS and WEA test messages will be sent using FEMA’s Integrated Public
Alert and Warning System (IPAWS), a centralized Internet-based system administered
by FEMA that enables authorities to send authenticated emergency messages to the
public through multiple communications networks.
 
• WHO: FEMA will administer the test, in cooperation with the FCC and the National
Weather Service, and with the participation of the communications industry.
 
• WHEN: October 3, 2018, beginning at 1:18 p.m. on cell phones and 2:20 p.m.
on TV and radio. (This is the test back-up date; the test was previously postponed
due to response efforts to Hurricane Florence.)
 
The WEA test message will appear on consumers’ phones and read, “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless
Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.” Phones will display this national test using the header “Presidential Alert.” These nationwide alerts, established pursuant to the WARN Act of 2006, are meant for use in a national emergency and are the only type of alert that can be sent simultaneously nationwide by FEMA.
 

Education Commissioner Candice McQueen announced that the 2017-18 high school graduation rate held steady at 89.1 percent, which is the highest graduation rate on record for Tennessee. This year, more than 56 percent of districts with high schools saw their graduation rates improve when compared to last year’s rates. 
According to Commissioner McQueen, “Our schools and districts should be proud that once again we have hit our state’s highest graduation rate on record while still holding our students to high expectations. By continuing to raise the expectations, we are signaling that Tennessee students are leaving high school with the knowledge and skills to be successful in college and the workforce. This graduation rate is a testament to the work being done by teachers and students in schools across the state.”
 
 
Under the Haslam administration, Tennessee has set high expectations for both students and educators, and students have made significant gains as a result. As part of this work, the state transitioned to a more rigorous calculation for graduation rates in 2011, and even under the new criteria, rates have continued to rise.
 
Additionally, the state raised the bar for graduation expectations when the State Board of Education included participation in the ACT or SAT as a graduation requirement for Tennessee students.  This year’s results are the first to reflect this change in accountability.
 
Cannon County Director of Schools William F. Curtis stated, “Cannon County High School’s Graduation Rate is 89.8%.  We are above the 89.1% – the average of all high schools, which is the highest graduation rate on record for Tennessee. Many of our subgroups were over 90%, but we have much work to be done to get to the ultimate goal of 100%.  We set as a goal each year to be over 90%, but our goal is for EVERY student that starts as a Freshman at Cannon County High School to graduate and be prepared for their future though post-secondary opportunities. We desire to be ‘Engaged in Excellence Every Day.’  Excellence would be 100% of all students would graduate and go onto other post-secondary educational opportunities.  That is our goal to have all our students as TN Ready Graduates.”
 

Tennesseans are protected every day by public health workers dedicated to preventing the spread of rabies. Tennessee rabies prevention efforts include state laws requiring vaccination of cats and dogs, oral vaccination campaigns for wild raccoons, testing of potentially rabid animals and evaluation of possible rabies exposures in people and domestic animals. The Tennessee Department of Health is observing World Rabies Day reminding residents how to protect themselves, their families and their pets from rabies.According to Tennessee Department of Health Commissioner John Dreyzehner “In the early 1900s, more than 100 people died from rabies in the U.S. each year. By the 1990s, only one or two human rabies deaths were reported in   our country annually, thanks to modern preventive treatment and an effective vaccine. This triumph is due to the work of public health and the veterinary community in promoting and providing this life-saving preventive treatment and working to support laws and policies for its widespread and continued use.”
Rabies is a virus that infects the brain and spiral cord. It is spread through the saliva of an infected animal. Once disease develops, rabies is almost always fatal; however, rabies is 100 percent preventable if treated promptly before symptoms develop. Rabies preventive treatment is a series of shots called rabies post-exposure prophylaxis, or PEP.
In the United States, rabies in humans is very rare, but human exposures to animals that could carry rabies are relatively common. Every year approximately 40,000 – 50,000 people in the U.S. receive rabies preventive treatment after being exposed to a potentially rabid animal. Wild animals are the most common carriers of rabies in the U.S. In Tennessee, the most commonly identified rabid animals are bats, skunks and raccoons. Other wildlife and domestic animals can get rabies if they are bitten by an infected animal. If a person or pet is bitten by or exposed to another wild or domestic animal that could be rabid, do the following: • Immediately wash the wound with soap and water • See a health care provider for evaluation of any wounds • Contact your local health department to determine the risk of rabies and necessary follow-up
The mission of the Tennessee Department of Health is to protect, promote and improve the health and prosperity of people in Tennessee. TDH has facilities in all 95 counties and provides direct services for more than one in five Tennesseans annually as well as indirect services for everyone in the state, including emergency response to health threats, licensure of health professionals, regulation of health care facilities and inspection of food service establishments. Learn more about TDH services and programs at www.tn.gov/health.
 

A Bedford County man wanted by authorities and listed as one of Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s Top 10 Most Wanted suspects was arrested by Murfreesboro Police on Saturday night.Jesse Ray Laurin, 32, was wanted by Shelbyville Police on a charge of second-degree murder of a Cannon County man in a fatal stabbing on September 26th, according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
Officers responded to the scene on Choctaw Drive just after 12:30 a.m. Wednesday. They attempted to perform life-saving measures on the victim, 25 year-old William Prater, but he later died from his injuries.
Funeral services for Prater were held Saturday.
 
 

A great old building in rural Rutherford County that is more than 100 years old, was some form of a country store located in the tiny hamlet of Milton, Tennessee, just off Highway 96 in Rutherford County – close to Lascassas has returned to life. 
 
Phillip and Alanna Vaught bought the community landmark in late February of the year at an auction.  Although it had stood empty for nearly a decade, the couple that lives nearby on a farm in Auburntown, Tennessee looked through the dirt, dust and cobwebs and saw a place that still had a soul and a story to tell. 
 
 
They knew it was where the community gathered through the years — for a soft drink, bottle of milk and to learn the latest news.  With that in mind, Alanna wanted it to be a place where people would continue to gather and make memories in Milton.
 
 
Alanna teaches in the School of Agriculture at Middle Tennessee State University and Phillip is an entrepreneur involved in a variety of businesses.
 
 
They have poured months of renovation, repair and plans into the building this year and plan to celebrate its opening on, Saturday, Oct. 13 with a day-long Fall Market and Craft Fair — more than 50 booths will be located in the building and outside on a lot next door. Additionally, there will be food trucks, homemade sweet treats, children’s activities, including a petting zoo and live music.
 
 
Starting in early November the building, which can accommodate up to 99 people, will be available for people to rent for events.
 

On Monday, September 24, the Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO) joined the Tennessee Department of Health, the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP), local law enforcement, local officials, and community advocates for a special event at the Rutherford County Health Department in Murfreesboro to kick off National Child Passenger Safety Week. 
This celebratory event honored Dr. Robert Sanders, the Murfreesboro pediatrician known as “Dr. Seat Belt” due to his extraordinary role in the passage of Tennessee’s Child Passenger Protection Act in 1977. A historical marker was unveiled to commemorate Dr. Sanders and the implementation of this legislation 40 years ago. Installation of the marker was initiated by Dr. Charles E. Goodman, Jr., and sponsored by the Tennessee Medical Association.
 
According to Tennessee Highway Safety Office Director Vic Donoho, “It is an honor for our office to participate in this commemoration by supporting Dr. Charles Goodman and Mrs. Pat Sanders. The work of Dr. Robert Sanders paved the way for agencies like the Tn Highway Safety Office to educate local communities and further prevent child injuries and fatalities. Currently our supports over 100 fitting stations across the state. These fitting stations conduct over 200 community events throughout the year.”
 
Dr. Sanders was born in middle Tennessee and received his education from Vanderbilt University Medical School. He served as director of the Rutherford County Health Department for 25 years. He and his wife, Pat, lobbied the Tennessee General Assembly for several years to pass a mandatory child restraint law. At the time, car seat use was less than 15 percent, and car crashes were the leading cause of death for young children.
 
During the event, Tennessee Department of Health Deputy Commissioner Dr. Michael Waren said, “Forty years ago, Dr. Sanders, a public health pediatrician, helped Tennessee to lead the nation in saving children’s lives. We are proud to continue his legacy today and want to see every child in the right seat for every ride in any vehicle.”
 
 

Tennessee Department of Education Names 2018 Reward, Priority Schools 
 
Education Commissioner Candice McQueen announced today the 2018 Reward and Priority schools, which are two key designations under Tennessee’s school accountability system. This was the first year Tennessee implemented its new school accountability model, which was developed with educators and stakeholders across the state and which looks at multiple measures of success.
 
 
Reward status is the top distinction a school can earn in Tennessee. Reward schools are those that are improving overall student academic achievement and student growth for all students and for student groups, and they are identified annually. In 2018, 318 schools in 85 school districts – about 20 percent of schools in the state – earned Reward status.
 
 
Priority schools are identified at least every three years, and they are the schools most in need of support and improvement. Priority schools fall into the bottom 5 percent of schools in the state test scores over the past three years and have low graduation rates. Following legislation passed this spring, 2017-18 TNReady data was not used to identify Priority schools. The 2018 Priority list includes 82 schools across eight districts, and these schools are now eligible for additional funding and will be supported by the department, in coordination with their districts, in developing a plan to improve.
 
 
“In this first year with our new system, it is incredibly encouraging to see more than 300 of our schools are earning Reward status for how they are supporting our students’ academic achievement and growth,” Commissioner McQueen said. “At the same time, we see a number of places where we need to improve. Our new school improvement model takes a student-focused, evidence-based approach to tailor interventions for our Priority schools, and we will be working closely with these schools and their districts over the coming year to improve academic outcomes and strengthen whole-child services that support student success.”   
 
 
Tennessee’s new school accountability system was developed through a 16-month process of gathering feedback and hearing input from students, parents, teachers, administrators, and community members. Tennessee has designated Reward and Priority schools since 2012, but this was the first year with an updated methodology as required by the federal Every Student Succeeds Act. As part of federal requirements, the plan was submitted to and approved by the U.S. Department of Education.
 
 
The new accountability framework is based on principles that all schools can be successful and all Tennessee students must be served well. It includes a variety of measures, including chronic absenteeism and discipline, ACT performance, and TNReady scores, to make a determination. All schools are rated both on how they serve the full student population and how they are specifically serving student groups that have historically been underserved: students with disabilities, English learners, economically disadvantaged students, and black, Hispanic, and Native American students. This fall, the department will publish more information about how all schools perform on these measures as part of a new school dashboard that will be posted online to offer additional information to parents, educators, elected officials, and community leaders.
 
 
As part of Tennessee’s new accountability plan, all Priority schools will move into an evidence-based school improvement model, ranging from district-led plans to intervention by the state’s Achievement School District. To better support Tennessee’s lowest performing schools, the state has invested $20 million into school improvement over the last two years. This funding is specifically devoted for Priority schools.
 
 
To view the full list of 2018 Reward and Priority schools, visit the department’s website (here).
 
 
Director of Cannon County Schools Mr. William F. Curtis stated, “Cannon County Schools are not on any state list.  The Accountability Determinations of Cannon County Schools are:
  
Achievement Status:  Satisfactory
Subgroup Status:       Advancing
Final Determination:   Satisfactory
 
Our goal for every Cannon County School is to be ‘Exemplary,’ and to have ALL our schools be a ‘Reward School.’  We will continue with our mission to “Prepare ALL Our Students for Their Future” through our vision, the New E3 = ‘Engaged in Excellence Every Day!’ Our performance and growth on TNReady Assessments and other measures of progress in non-academic areas are extremely important to our school system.  Our focus is to become better in all aspects of achievement and growth and become one of the highest performing systems in the state of Tennessee!”
 

Tennessee Department of Education Names 2018 Reward, Priority Schools 
 
Education Commissioner Candice McQueen announced today the 2018 Reward and Priority schools, which are two key designations under Tennessee’s school accountability system. This was the first year Tennessee implemented its new school accountability model, which was developed with educators and stakeholders across the state and which looks at multiple measures of success.
 
 
Reward status is the top distinction a school can earn in Tennessee. Reward schools are those that are improving overall student academic achievement and student growth for all students and for student groups, and they are identified annually. In 2018, 318 schools in 85 school districts – about 20 percent of schools in the state – earned Reward status.
 
 
Priority schools are identified at least every three years, and they are the schools most in need of support and improvement. Priority schools fall into the bottom 5 percent of schools in the state test scores over the past three years and have low graduation rates. Following legislation passed this spring, 2017-18 TNReady data was not used to identify Priority schools. The 2018 Priority list includes 82 schools across eight districts, and these schools are now eligible for additional funding and will be supported by the department, in coordination with their districts, in developing a plan to improve.
 
 
“In this first year with our new system, it is incredibly encouraging to see more than 300 of our schools are earning Reward status for how they are supporting our students’ academic achievement and growth,” Commissioner McQueen said. “At the same time, we see a number of places where we need to improve. Our new school improvement model takes a student-focused, evidence-based approach to tailor interventions for our Priority schools, and we will be working closely with these schools and their districts over the coming year to improve academic outcomes and strengthen whole-child services that support student success.”   
 
 
Tennessee’s new school accountability system was developed through a 16-month process of gathering feedback and hearing input from students, parents, teachers, administrators, and community members. Tennessee has designated Reward and Priority schools since 2012, but this was the first year with an updated methodology as required by the federal Every Student Succeeds Act. As part of federal requirements, the plan was submitted to and approved by the U.S. Department of Education.
 
 
The new accountability framework is based on principles that all schools can be successful and all Tennessee students must be served well. It includes a variety of measures, including chronic absenteeism and discipline, ACT performance, and TNReady scores, to make a determination. All schools are rated both on how they serve the full student population and how they are specifically serving student groups that have historically been underserved: students with disabilities, English learners, economically disadvantaged students, and black, Hispanic, and Native American students. This fall, the department will publish more information about how all schools perform on these measures as part of a new school dashboard that will be posted online to offer additional information to parents, educators, elected officials, and community leaders.
 
 
As part of Tennessee’s new accountability plan, all Priority schools will move into an evidence-based school improvement model, ranging from district-led plans to intervention by the state’s Achievement School District. To better support Tennessee’s lowest performing schools, the state has invested $20 million into school improvement over the last two years. This funding is specifically devoted for Priority schools.
 
 
To view the full list of 2018 Reward and Priority schools, visit the department’s website (here).
 
 
Director of Cannon County Schools Mr. William F. Curtis stated, “Cannon County Schools are not on any state list.  The Accountability Determinations of Cannon County Schools are:
  
Achievement Status:  Satisfactory
Subgroup Status:       Advancing
Final Determination:   Satisfactory
 
Our goal for every Cannon County School is to be ‘Exemplary,’ and to have ALL our schools be a ‘Reward School.’  We will continue with our mission to “Prepare ALL Our Students for Their Future” through our vision, the New E3 = ‘Engaged in Excellence Every Day!’ Our performance and growth on TNReady Assessments and other measures of progress in non-academic areas are extremely important to our school system.  Our focus is to become better in all aspects of achievement and growth and become one of the highest performing systems in the state of Tennessee!”
 

The National Weather Service and several emergency officials will be in the Bradyville area Tuesday, examining storm damage in order to determine whether damage to multiple homes in Cannon County was caused by a tornado. 
Several homes were damaged by what may have been a tornado. People spent most of the evening starting clean-up. At least four homes and a barn along Bradyville Road were damaged. Several trees were damaged, and some power lines were brought down by the wind.
 
Some of the part of the roofs are missing. EMA Director Roy Sullivan said the rescue squad was doing a good job of helping people get their roofs covered.
 
Director of Schools William Curtis issued the following statement concerning reports of a stranded school bus in the area.
A small tornado touched down in the Bradyville Area of Cannon County around 4:30 PM this afternoon.  Initial reports from E-911 stated that a “School Bus” was in the vicinity and power lines and trees had the bus blocked.  Cannon County Schools Transportation Supervisor Lisa Black immediately called the bus drivers that drive in that area, and all bus drivers were accounted for.  Supervisor Black then went to the scene and discovered it was a RUTHERFORD COUNTY School Bus.  Fortunately, all students and the driver were safe, and were stranded in the area due to tress and power lines blocking the road.
 
There were NO Tornado Warnings from the National Weather Service.  So, it simply pays to be “weather aware” even if there are no warnings in a thunderstorm situation.  Cannon County Schools are currently working on being “Storm Ready” certified by the NOAA/National Weather Service.
 

The National Weather Service and several emergency officials will be in the Bradyville area Tuesday, examining storm damage in order to determine whether damage to multiple homes in Cannon County was caused by a tornado. 
Several homes were damaged by what may have been a tornado. People spent most of the evening starting clean-up. At least four homes and a barn along Bradyville Road were damaged. Several trees were damaged, and some power lines were brought down by the wind.
 
Some of the part of the roofs are missing. EMA Director Roy Sullivan said the rescue squad was doing a good job of helping people get their roofs covered.
 
Director of Schools William Curtis issued the following statement concerning reports of a stranded school bus in the area.
A small tornado touched down in the Bradyville Area of Cannon County around 4:30 PM this afternoon.  Initial reports from E-911 stated that a “School Bus” was in the vicinity and power lines and trees had the bus blocked.  Cannon County Schools Transportation Supervisor Lisa Black immediately called the bus drivers that drive in that area, and all bus drivers were accounted for.  Supervisor Black then went to the scene and discovered it was a RUTHERFORD COUNTY School Bus.  Fortunately, all students and the driver were safe, and were stranded in the area due to tress and power lines blocking the road.
 
There were NO Tornado Warnings from the National Weather Service.  So, it simply pays to be “weather aware” even if there are no warnings in a thunderstorm situation.  Cannon County Schools are currently working on being “Storm Ready” certified by the NOAA/National Weather Service.