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An investigation by Special Agents with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has resulted in the indictment and arrest of a Watertown man, who is charged with statutory rape and multiple counts of soliciting sexual exploitation of a minor.
At the request of 15th District Attorney General Tom Thompson, on June 12th, Special Agents began an investigation into allegations of statutory rape and solicitation of a minor by James Hall of Watertown.  During the course of the investigation, Agents developed information that from March through May of this year, Hall had engaged in multiple offenses of soliciting sexual exploitation of a minor and especially aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor, and one offense of statutory rape.

On Monday, the Wilson County Grand Jury returned indictments charging James Wade Hall (DOB 04/18/1996) with one count of Statutory Rape, ten counts of Soliciting Sexual Exploitation of a Minor by Electronic Means (B felony), four counts of Soliciting Sexual Exploitation of a Minor by Electronic Means (E felony), and ten counts of Especially Aggravated Sexual Exploitation of a Minor. Late Wednesday night, Wall turned himself in to authorities and was arrested. He was booked into the Wilson County Jail with a $100,000 bond.

Two Community Development Block Grants totaling more than $1 million dollars for water system upgrades in Woodbury and Cannon County were announced today by State Representative Clark Boyd and State Senator Mark Pody. 
The funding will assist with the purchase of new water tanks and was allocated under a procedure authorized by the Tennessee General Assembly based on priorities set at local levels where community needs are best known.
 
 
“This investment made by the Tennessee Department of Economic & Community Development will have a tremendous impact on the people of Woodbury and Cannon County,” said Representative Boyd. “There is a critical need for new water tanks in these areas, and I am very excited to see these projects get funded. It was a privilege to work with Senator Pody and many others from Tennessee Dept of Economic and Community Development to secure these grant dollars.”
 
 
“Quality and sound infrastructure is essential to our community as we work to create an environment in our area that is attractive for new businesses to locate here,” said Senator Pody. “These grants serve a vital role in the economic development of rural areas across Tennessee and I am grateful for the state’s commitment to seeing ­­­­ Cannon ­­­­County and Woodbury succeed.”
 
 
The Community Development Block Grant program is administered by the Department of Economic and Community Development. For more information please visit: https://www.tn.gov/ecd
 
 
 

May sales tax collections are compiled and counties for a whole reflected a loss from the previous month across the Upper Cumberland region; falling 2.8 percent, or a loss of more than $624,000 in collections.While many Upper Cumberland counties reported a dip compared to April’s collections, a handful of counties reported an increase over the previous month.
Pickett, Jackson and Overton Counties reported gains in collections.
Cannon down 3.1 percent and DeKalb dropped 1.0 percent below April’s reported sales tax collections.
Overall, the state reported a small increase of four-tenths of a percentage point. 
 

Any parents/legal guardians who intend to conduct an Independent Home School, grades K-12, during the 2018-2019 school year must provide annual notice to  their local public school Director’s office each new school year.  This requirement applies to previous home school parents and new ones alike. 
Home School registration forms for the 2018-2019 school year are available at the Cannon County School Director’s office and online at the Cannon County Schools page (http://www.ccstn.net/ under the homeschool department tab) or the Tennessee State Department of Education Home School page (http://www.tn.gov/education/schools/homeschool.shtml). Upon completion, forms should be returned to the Director of School’s office at 301 West Main Street, Woodbury, TN 37190 by August 1, 2018. 
Any parent/legal guardian wishing to conduct an Independent Home School for grades K-12 must provide 1) proof of legal custody or guardianship by a copy of child’s birth certificate or court order, and 2) copy of a high school diploma or GED, and 3) the student’s immunization record.
If you have any questions regarding home schools, please call 563-5752 or 563-5029 between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.
 

The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation has recognized two individuals and four entities at the Governor’s Environmental Stewardship Awards held.
According to Governor Haslam, “These awards highlight what’s being done in Tennessee to preserve our natural resources, protect public health and the environment, and enhance our quality of life.  I applaud all of the 2018 winners for their continued work to make their respective industries and passions more sustainable.”
Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC, Warren Plant – Pursuit of Excellence Winner
Established in 1990, the Morrison, TN plant employs more than 1,000 people and gives back to the community through the Bridgestone Environmental Education Classroom & Habitat (BEECH) program. The BEECH program provides a hands-on classroom for students in pre-K through fifth grade on the Plant’s 680-acre native landscape. Since 2008, nearly 20,000 students have visited the grounds from Warren and neighboring counties.

Others being honored included;
Dr. Larry W. Moore, of the University of Memphis, and Mary Priestley, a volunteer at South Cumberland State Park, were both presented with the Robert Sparks Walker Lifetime Achievement Award. Three other organizations received the Pursuit of Excellence Award: the Electric Power Board of Chattanooga; Memphis Light, Gas and Water; and Sevier Solid Waste, Inc. The Pursuit of Excellence category is reserved for past award winners who have continued to take exemplary environmental actions.

For a full list of the 2018 Governor’s Environmental Stewardship Award winners, visit https://www.tn.gov/environment/program-areas/opsp-policy-and-sustainable-practices/opsp-sustainable-practices/governor-s-environmental-stewardship-awards/sp-gesa-winners.html

The Coffee County Sheriff’s Department says a utility lineman is dead following an accident on the job.  Authorities say Ray Batey was killed Monday while working to repair a line for Duck River Electric.  Officials say his bucket caught fire and they believe Batey may have jumped to escape. A team of electric industry partners are assisting DREMC staff with investigating the fatal accident, including Tennessee’s Job Training & Safety, the Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and representatives from the service truck manufacturer.
Batey, 58 of Manchester, began working as a lineman for DREMC in May 1999.
We would like to thank our newsparter WMSR for contributing to this story