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Some of the high school students came from as far away as Pigeon Forge, Pikeville, Spencer, Baxter and McEwen, Tennessee. 
Others attending the first Raider Roundup Friday, Sept. 21, at Middle Tennessee State University were from Cannon County, and five other Middle Tennessee schools.
 
Sponsored by MT Engage, which is focused on enhancing MTSU student academic engagement, Raider Roundup brought nearly 300 students to campus to help prepare them for state Future Farmers of America competition.
 
From MTSU faculty, staff and students during a two-hour timeframe, they learned about agriculture mechanics, agronomy, dairy judging, equine science, veterinary science, floriculture and farm business management; and livestock, meats, poultry and soil evaluation.
 
“It has been incredible and exciting,” said Chaney Mosley, a first-year assistant professor in agricultural education for the School of Agriculture. “Our student volunteers and the level of engagement by our faculty made it all possible.”
About 60 MTSU students and the majority of agricultural faculty members assisted Mosley.
 
Department Director Jessica Carter and Bud Fischer, dean of the College of Basic and Applied Sciences, helped welcome the teenagers, who also took campus tours after lunch.
 
MTSU has more than 300 combined undergraduate and graduate programs.
 
 

The Historic Cannon County Chamber of Commerce had their annual fund raider scheduled for Saturday, however “Mother Nature” has determined which Saturday.  The National Weather Service is forecasting a sixty-percent chance of thunder storms in Middle Tennessee. The Color of Fall Car Show is always subject to the weather.  The show will now be held on the scheduled rain date of September 29th. 
Carolyn Motley, coordinator for the chamber said the following; “ If after all these years we’ve learned one thing above all others,  owners of show cars do not them to get dirty.  They will not take them out in the rain.”
 
All of the times have not changed, only the date. Registration for the show starts at 8:00am.  Judging of all registered vehicles will begin at Noon. Sixty-six trophies and six cash prizes will be awarded. For the first one-hundred to register, dash plaques and goody bags will be available. DTC (an underwriter of all chamber cruise in events during the year) will giveaway a 32 inch television.
 
If you have other questions about the car show contact Carolyn Motley at the Chamber, 615-563-2222.
 
 

 Education Commissioner Candice McQueen has announced the results from the third year of the Read to be Ready Summer Grant Program, which provides funding to educators to lead tuition-free, literacy-focused summer camps for students in need across the state. For the third year in a row, rising first, second, and third grade students who participated in the program showed gains in their reading comprehension and accuracy skills and increased their motivation to read.
 
 
Cannon County has written and received the grant for the past three years, providing a literacy based summer program for students. During the summer of 2018, six local educators served thirty of our students. Additionally, through the summer grant program, more than 500 high-quality books were sent home with our students, and each student, on average, received 21 new books for his or her home library. Our campers were able to take three field trips, as well as weekly walking trips to Adams Memorial Library. We had twelve guest speakers and community partners this summer.
 
 
“Once again, we have seen the powerful impact Read to be Ready summer camps can have on our students,” McQueen said. “The Read to be Ready Summer Grant program allows our students to develop the skills they need to become proficient readers, a skill that is essential for their lifelong success. By continuing this work together, we can continue this progress so every child is reading on grade-level by the time they leave third grade
 
 
Read to be Ready summer literacy camps are meant to help students enter the new school year excited and ready to learn without losing any valuable knowledge from the previous school year over the summer. To track success, the department required summer camps to conduct a pre- and post-survey and interview and a pre- and post-assessment on skills gained. The results show that on average, students’ ability to read accurately improved, which allowed students to spend less time analyzing words and pay more attention to meaning. As anticipated with an uptick in accuracy, students’ reading comprehension rate increased as well. This statistically significant increase in comprehension suggests that students were not sacrificing meaning and understanding of texts for the sake of increased accuracy. Additionally, students’ motivation to read also increased—this means students became more confident in their reading skills and began seeing themselves as readers.
 
 
 

Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today said that Tennessee is set to receive $30.8 million to combat the opioid crisis.“Our communities are on the front lines of fighting the opioid crisis,” Alexander said. “This funding will help health centers in Tennessee, from Chattanooga to Memphis, hire more staff and ensure they are equipped to fight the crisis; provide more medication-assisted treatment to patients; help our rural communities tackle opioid addiction; and support programs that prevent more Tennesseans from becoming addicted to opioids. These grants are funded by appropriations legislation passed by Congress in March—we have placed unprecedented amounts of federal dollars toward the opioid crisis.” 
 
Alexander added: “Yesterday, the Senate passed an appropriations bill for the coming year that provides another $3.8 billion to fight opioids nationwide. On Monday, the Senate passed ‘landmark legislation’ I sponsored to help Tennessee succeed in combatting the worst public health crisis our nation is facing.”
 
The $30.8 million in grants announced today by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services are part of the $4.7 billion included in the Fiscal Year 2018 Omnibus Appropriations Bill Congress passed in March to fight the opioid crisis, of which $1 billion was for grants to states. The grants include$18.5 million from the State Opioid Response Grant to expand access to medication-assisted treatment and fund programs to reduce opioid overdose deaths, $6.1 million for 23 Tennessee health centers, $800,000 to give rural communities more tools in their fight against opioid, and $5 million for Centers of Disease Control and Prevention programs that aim to prevent more people from becoming addicted to opioids.
 
On Tuesday, the Senate passed the Fiscal Year 2019 Health and Human Services Appropriations Bill, which includes $3.8 billion to help combat the opioid crisis. This would mean Congress has approved roughly $8.5 billion for the opioids crisis within a few months. According to Senator Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), the chairman of the Appropriations subcommittee responsible for this bill, federal funding to help combat the opioid crisis has increased by nearly 1,300 percent over the past 4 years.
 
On Monday, the Senate passed 99-1 the Opioid Crisis Response Act, which Alexander has been the lead sponsor on, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) called “landmark legislation.”
 

The Annual History Hayride at Edgar Evins State Park has stood the test of time. This will be its 13th year to delight audiences seated on hay wagons that will make several stops along a circuit in the park. At each stop there will be a costumed character to tell about a person or event that took place in the park or area. The cost is $15 per person and the proceeds from this fundraiser will help the park. It is a project of the all-volunteer Friends of Edgar Evins State Park with the help of park staff. 
Each year some popular characters return although new ones are added to keep it fresh and varied. This time we will go back decades to meet Charles T. Burton who lived on the Caney Fork River near Table Rock Island, which today is near the dam. He was almost 30 when he witnessed the 1872 hanging of 17-year-old John Presswood for the murder of Rachel Billings, an event that remained vivid in his mind for the rest of his life. This new role will be portrayed by Carl Halfacre, former park manager and resident of Baxter, who researched and wrote the script.
 
Reservations and information are at www.foeesp.com/history-hayride For assistance phone (615) 765-5357. Ten wagons will leave at approximately 30-minute intervals from the park office beginning at 1 P.M. to begin the approximately 2 ½ hour circuit. Reservations will be for a specific report time.
 
The park is located on Center Hill Lake between Smithville and Cookeville at 1630 Edgar Evins Park Rd., Silver Point.
 
 

The September meeting of the Cannon County Commission was recessed until last night. Numerous items faced the commissioners with the new term still in the first month. 
Commissioners approved the Financial Management Committee, Brent Bush, William Curtis, Wayne Hancock, Sterling Jim Bush, Russell Reed, Randy Gannon and Ronnie Mahaffey.
 
The Steering Committee was also approved consisting of; Jeannie Floyd, Corey Davenport, Greg Mitchell, Brent Brandon and Kim Davenport. The Steering Committee will select the members of the new zoning appeals board and review the recommendations of  21 other committees.
 
Commissioners have asked for the transfer trailers used for solid waste to be reviewed by the state for road worthiness. Sheriff Darryl Young made the arrangements for the free inspection during the meeting. Pending the outcome of the inspection, commissioners are expected to sell the trailers for scrap.
 
Several other items on the agenda were moved to the October meeting to allow time for commissioners to review the items.  The October meeting date has been changed from October 13th to October 6th at 10:00am.
 

The Tennessee State Fire Marshal’s Office is using the state’s annual Carbon Monoxide Awareness Day (September 18) to remind Tennesseans of the dangers associated with carbon monoxide, often called the “silent killer.” 
Carbon monoxide (CO) is an odorless, colorless gas created when fuels (like gasoline, coal, natural gas, propane, oil, methane or wood) burn incompletely. In the home, heating and cooking equipment that burn fuel, such as barbecue grills, fireplaces, and fuel-powered heaters are potential sources of carbon monoxide. Dangerous levels of carbon monoxide can also be produced by portable generators and vehicles.
 
“Carbon monoxide is especially worrisome since it is colorless and odorless,” said Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance (TDCI) Commissioner and State Fire Marshal Julie Mix McPeak. “We encourage every Tennessean to be aware of the dangers carbon monoxide presents. Installing and maintaining a working carbon monoxide alarm could prevent tragedy from striking.”
 
In 2015, legislation was signed by Governor Bill Haslam declaring September 18 of each calendar year as Carbon Monoxide Awareness Day in Tennessee. The legislation was sponsored in the House by Tennessee State Representative Joe Pitts (D-Clarksville) and in the Senate by Senator Mark Green (R-Clarksville).
 
The designation was made in honor of five friends killed as a result of CO poisoning on September 18, 2011, in Clarksville, Tennessee.  Jon and Kathryn Watson Over, Jim Wall, Tim Stone and Allison Bagwell-Wyatt lost their lives at a children’s charity fundraiser when carbon monoxide fumes from a generator seeped into their rented RV. The RV’s carbon monoxide detector, which could have prevented the deaths, was later discovered to have no batteries.
 
Christine Watson, who lost her daughter and son-in-law to the tragedy on September 18, 2011, has a powerful testimonial warning others to the dangers of carbon monoxide.
 
Since the 2011 tragedy, progress has been made to protect consumers and raise awareness of CO poisoning. Tennessee law now requires that rented RVs must have functioning carbon monoxide detectors before being leased for use. The law also holds RV rental companies responsible if they fail to document and test the CO detectors in their leased vehicles.
 
The SFMO offers the following tips to help Tennesseans reduce the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning:
 
·        Never use a gas generator inside your home, garage, carport basement, crawlspace or outside near a window, door or vent. A generator should only be used outdoors at least 15 feet away from buildings. It is dangerous to use a gas or kerosene heater inside a home or other building.
·        Never use a gas range or gas oven to heat your home. Do not use a gas or charcoal grill indoors, and do not burn charcoal in your fireplace.
·        Do not run a vehicle or other fueled engine or motor indoors, even if garage doors are open.
·        Do not use fuel-powered equipment in the garage.
·        Have fuel-burning heating equipment and chimneys inspected by a professional every year before cold weather sets in.
·        When using a fireplace, ensure the flue is open for adequate ventilation.
·        Common symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, shortness of breath and confusion. Many of these symptoms are similar to common colds or seasonal flu. Breathing high levels of carbon monoxide can cause loss of consciousness or even death.
·        If carbon monoxide poisoning is suspected, turn off possible sources of the gas.
·        Carbon monoxide detectors are important in protecting against CO poisoning, and are widely available at home and hardware stores. Carbon monoxide detectors can provide an early warning before the gas reaches a dangerous level.
·        CO alarms should be installed in a central location outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home or RV. For the best protection, interconnect all CO alarms so that when one sounds, they all sound. Choose an alarm that has the label of a recognized testing laboratory and always following the manufacturer’s instructions for installation.
·        If the CO alarm sounds, immediately move to a fresh air location outdoors or by an open window or door. Make sure everyone inside the structure is accounted for. Call for help from a fresh air location and stay there until emergency personnel arrive.
 
For more information and to download a free high-resolution calendar, visit tn.gov/fire.
 

As children race through the corn maze or rush to find the perfect pumpkin, more of Tennessee’s agritourism farms are now also featuring fall fun that’s just for grownups. Many farms offer elegant farm to table dinners that may include fresh and local foods, star chefs, live music, and even tastings of local wines, whiskeys, or beers. These events can provide a unique experience right in the field or in a beautiful barn with personal attention from the farmers, chefs, and artisans. Some farms host folk and square dancing with traditional live bands and callers. 
On-farm “glamping” in themed campers is also mostly focused on adults. Geared for girls weekends and other groups who want to get away together, some farms offer activities as diverse as fishing and canoeing to classes in traditional farm arts like yarn spinning, textile dyeing, and cheese making. 
Tennessee’s grape harvest is underway through mid-October, so autumn visitors get the most out of educational winery tours. In fall, visitors are likely to see farm-to-bottle activities including grape harvest, delivery, and crush. Participating in a tasting after touring allows for a better understanding of varietal flavors. Wineries host special events throughout the fall, ranging from live music and themed dinners to walks and races benefiting local organizations. 
As people think fall they will find items in Cannon County like; corn stalks, gourds, pumpkins and wreaths, at pleces like Humble Heritage Farms, Wild Christmas Tree Farms, 6R Farns and Flying S Farms and Bakery.
Find nearby agritourism farms, wineries, and all kinds of fall events here and with the Pick TN mobile app. Pick Tennessee is the service of the Tennessee Department of Agriculture to connect customers to local farm products. Follow Pick Tennessee on social media for seasonal updates and information about Tennessee foods, artisan farm products, and fun.
As people think fall they will find items in Cannon County like; corn stalks, gourds, pumpkins and wreaths, at pleces like Humble Heritage Farms, Wild Christmas Tree Farms, 6R Farns and Flying S Farms and Bakery.
 

A 33 year old Woodbury man is charged with burglary and theft at DeKalb West School last week and taking items worth $16.50. 
Robert Anthony Taylor is under a $6,500 bond and his court date is September 27.
 
According to the warrant, Taylor admitted to entering the school on Monday, September 10 and taking a bag of chips, sport drink, T-shirt, and $5.00. The total value of the items taken came to $16.50.
Source: WJLE
 

Over the weekend, members of the Cannon County Sheriff’s department was looking for Donald Ray Stacey, Stacey had threatened to shoot up the Police Dept , Sheriff’s Dept and Kingdom Hall on McMinnville Hwy. Warrants for his arrest for harassment and filing a false report and additional warrants were. Sheriff Darryl Young said Stacey made threats to shoot officers and was considered to be armed and dangerous towards law enforcement. He said he has a 22, a rifle and a shotgun with him and last seen to be traveling in a black Ford Explorer with a temp tag. 
Young has reported that Stacey was picked up by Van Buren Co. Officers and is in process of being brought back to Cannon County. According to reports a trooper in Van Buren County saw and spoke with Stacey earlier in the day who had asked him about camping at Fall Creek Falls State Park.  With his help and other officers there, they were able to take him into custody without incident.