News

Gov. Bill Lee, Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Stuart C. McWhorter and Unitech North America, LLC officials announced today the company will invest $30 million to locate its first U.S. facility in Tennessee. 

In phase one of the project, Unitech will create 75 new jobs in Warren County with plans to grow through future expansions. 

The Morrison location will specialize in the production of thermal adhesives and battery compression pads for electric vehicle battery manufacturers across the Southeast as well as industrial adhesives and sealers for its automotive customers. 

Unitech North America, LLC is a subsidiary of Unitech Co., Ltd., which is headquartered in Ansan, South Korea, and is a leading manufacturer of adhesives and sealants. The expansion to Tennessee represents Unitech’s first location in the U.S. and will join the company’s other operations in Europe and Asia.

Since 2019, TNECD has supported nearly 30 economic development projects in the Upper Cumberland region, resulting in approximately 2,700 job commitments and $840 million in capital investment. 

The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) can assure motorists it is stocked and ready to clear roadways of ice and snow. Salt supplies have been replenished in all 95 counties in preparation for the winter season, and crews have readied snowplows and brine trucks.

“Roads are our number one responsibility, and we prepare for winter weather months in advance,” said Deputy Governor and TDOT Commissioner Butch Eley. “Our salt bins and our brine are fully stocked, and our employees are ready to mobilize in the event of inclement weather. Clearing our roadways as soon as we can is vital to keeping motorists safe and traffic moving in Tennessee.”

TDOT’s statewide 2023/2024 winter weather budget is $26.6 million and includes salt, salt brine, overtime for employees, and equipment maintenance. The department has three salt vendors to refill salt bins as needed in all 95 Tennessee counties.

TDOT currently has 244,000 tons of salt and more than 1.6 million gallons of salt brine ready for use.  Salt brine is a salt/water mixture used for pre-treating roads before a winter storm or to melt snow on roadways when temperatures are hovering around the freezing mark. Salt is applied to roads once snow accumulates.

When snow hits Tennessee, TDOT ice and snow removal teams focus first on clearing interstates and heavily traveled state routes specifically targeting areas vulnerable to freezing, such as hills, curves, ramps, bridges, and interchanges. During prolonged weather events, crews may have to clear roadways repeatedly.

For winter weather tips, travel information, and a regional breakdown of TDOT winter weather supplies and equipment, visit the TDOT website https://www.tn.gov/tdot/inclement-weather/ice-snow.html.

Cannon County Schools has announced Andrew Bartsch as Head Football Coach/Teacher at Cannon County High School beginning with the 2024-2025 School Year. Coach Bartsch will conduct spring workouts and practice with the team. His teaching duties will begin in the fall.

Bartsch has earned multiple teaching endorsements throughout his 20-year career
as an educator and has experience as both a Head Coach and Assistant Coach, most recently at Shelbyville Central High School and Smyrna High School. He also served as Cannon County High School’s head football coach from 2008 to 2009.

Coach Bartsch has experience in all facets of player development, including Offensive and Defensive Coordinator positions.

Cannon County High School Principal Courtney Nichols said, “I was impressed with Coach Bartsch’s extensive resume both on the field and in the classroom. I am excited about the energy and enthusiasm he will bring to Cannon County High School Football and the whole school community.”

Cannon County High School Athletic Director Lydia Garrett said, “Coach Bartsch fulfilled the criteria we were looking for in a Head Coach. He has valuable experience at successful programs, and I believe he will quickly build relationships with the players to provide a smooth transition.”

Bonnie Patterson, director of Cannon County Schools, said, “We welcome Coach Bartsch to Cannon County Schools. His work as an assistant coach at Shelbyville and Smyrna High School over the past few years, and as an effective classroom teacher, will help our young men excel both on and off the field.”

Cannon County Schools welcomes Andrew Bartsch as CCHS Head Football Coach and looks forward to excellence at Cannon County High School, both in the classroom and in athletics.

The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security’s Murfreesboro Driver Services Center, located at 1035 Samsonite Boulevard, which closed for a planned remodel in September, will reopen to the public on Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024. 

The newly refurbished full-service center has fresh paint, updated flooring, a larger waiting area and additional counter space to serve Tennesseans. This center provides driver license and identification card issuance; vision, knowledge and skills testing; motor vehicle records; handgun permit applications; voter registration and organ donor registration during regular business hours, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central.

The holidays are a festive time. But binge drinking alcohol can place you and others in harm’s way. What is binge drinking:

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) defines binge drinking as a pattern of drinking alcohol that brings blood alcohol concentration (BAC) to 0.08%—or 0.08 grams of alcohol per deciliter—or more. This typically happens if a woman has four or more drinks, or a man has five or more drinks, within about 2 hours. Research shows that fewer drinks in the same time frame result in the same BAC in youth: only three drinks for girls and three to five drinks for boys, depending on their age and size.

Need help? You’re not alone! Call/Text TN REDLINE 800-889-9789

According to the 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), about 60 million, or 21.5%, of people in the United States ages 12 and older reported binge drinking during the past month.^2,3 Although binge drinking is a concern among all age groups, there are important trends in the following groups.

• Preteens and Teens: Rates of binge drinking among young people have been steadily decreasing in the last decade. Still, according to 2022 data from the Monitoring the Future survey, 2.2% of 8th graders, 5.9% of 10th graders, and 12.6% of 12th graders reported binge drinking in the past 2 weeks.
• Young Adults: Rates of binge drinking among people ages 18 to 22 have been decreasing in the past decade, but remain high. According to the 2021 NSDUH, 49.3% of full-time college students ages 18 to 22 drank alcohol in the past month, and about 27.4% of students engaged in binge drinking during that same time frame.
• Older Adults: Binge drinking is on the rise among older adults—more than 11.4% of adults ages 65 and older reported binge drinking in the past month, and the prevalence is increasing. The increase in this group is of particular concern because many older adults use medications that can interact with alcohol, have health conditions that can be exacerbated by alcohol, and may be more susceptible to alcohol-related falls and other accidental injuries.
• Women: Studies show that among U.S. women who drink, approximately 1 in 4 have engaged in binge drinking in the last month, averaging about three binge episodes per month and five drinks per binge episode. These trends are concerning because women are at increased risk for health problems related to alcohol misuse.

Although drinking any amount of alcohol can carry certain risks, crossing the binge threshold increases the risk of acute harm, such as blackouts and overdoses. Binge drinking also increases the likelihood of unsafe sexual behavior and the risk of sexually transmitted infections and unintentional pregnancy. These risks are greater at higher peak levels of consumption. Because of the impairments it produces, binge drinking also increases the likelihood of a host of potentially deadly consequences, including falls, burns, drownings, and car crashes.

Alcohol affects virtually all tissues in the body. Data suggest that even one episode of binge drinking can compromise function of the immune system and lead to acute pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas) in individuals with underlying pancreatic damage. Over time, alcohol misuse, including repeated episodes of binge drinking, contributes to liver and other chronic diseases as well as increases the risk of several types of cancer, including head and neck, esophageal, liver, breast, and colorectal cancers. Binge drinking can be deadly. Approximately 140,000 deaths resulted from alcohol misuse annually in the United States between 2015 and 2019, and almost half of those were associated with binge drinking. Binge drinking is also costly. Researchers estimated that binge drinking accounted for 77% of the $249 billion (i.e., $191.1 billion) economic cost of alcohol misuse in 2010.

Gov. Bill Lee and Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Stuart C. McWhorter recently approved $36.6 million in Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) including Cannon County, which will assist communities with infrastructure improvements, housing rehabilitations and health and safety initiatives.

“Congratulations to the 78 communities receiving funding through the latest round of Community Development Block Grants,” said Lee. “What happens in rural Tennessee matters to all Tennesseans, and these infrastructure improvements will be key in preparing communities for future economic development opportunities and continued growth. 

The allocation of CDBG funds is based on priorities set through the public meeting process at the local community level. The CDBG program is funded through Housing and Urban Development and administered in Tennessee by the Department of Economic and Community Development. Funds are available for water and sewer improvements, housing rehabilitation, health and safety projects and other improvements to enhance the quality of life in Tennessee’s rural communities.

In addition to traditional community improvement and safety projects, funding was also made available for community development projects, such as sidewalk and walking trail improvements, street paving and community centers. 

“Recruiting companies to Tennessee and supporting our state’s existing business is a small part of our role at TNECD. Before we can land a new project, celebrate an expansion or provide support to small businesses, we have to ensure that our communities have the infrastructure and quality of life to support and attract these economic development opportunities,” said McWhorter. “The latest round of Community Development Block Grants is assisting 78 of Tennessee’s communities with needed updates that will boost their quality of life for years to come.” 

Grants coming to Cannon and surrounding counties include; 

Applicant	Project Title	Award Amount
Cannon County	Fire Protection	$420,000
DeKalb County	Ambulance Service	$352,497
McMinnville	Sewer System Enhancements	$630,000

Each application was supported by the community’s senator and representatives in the Tennessee General Assembly.

An investigation by special agents with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Medicaid Fraud Control Division has resulted in the arrest of a McMinnville woman, charged with theft and financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult.

As the result of a referral from Adult Protective Services, TBI agents, working with the Murfreesboro Police Department, began investigating an allegation of theft from a home care patient by a paid caregiver in Murfreesboro. During the course of the investigation, agents developed information that Tashius Pleasant, who was employed by a home healthcare company, used the victim’s funds to make personal purchases totaling more than $20,000 during a period from 2022 to 2023.

On November 9^th, the Rutherford County Grand Jury returned indictments charging Tashius Tarese Pleasant with one count of Financial Exploitation of an Elderly/ Vulnerable Adult and one count of Theft over $10,000. Pleasant was booked at the Rutherford County Jail, on a bond of $52,000.

AAA projects 2.7 million Tennesseans will travel 50 miles or more during the upcoming year-end holiday travel period*, spanning from December 23^rd to January 1^st. This year’s total number of travelers is a 3% increase over last year and the second highest year-end travel forecast volume since 2000 when AAA began tracking holiday travel. 2019 remains the busiest Christmas and New Year’s travel period on record in Tennessee, with 2.8 million travelers.

TENNESSEE	Total	Auto	Air	Other
2023 (forecast)	2.7 million	2.5 million	74,668	107,569
2022	2.6 million	2.4 million	71,238	98,170
2021	2.5 million	2.4 million	60,932	80,389
2019	2.8 million	2.6 million	73,949	97,493

“AAA has seen steady year-over-year growth in travel demand, culminating with what is expected to be the second-busiest year-end holiday travel season both in Tennessee and nationwide,” said Debbie Haas, Vice President of Travel for AAA – The Auto Club Group. “Despite various inflationary pressures, Americans are still willing to budget for travel. With a record number of travelers, the roads, airports and cruise lines will be more crowded than normal. So, finalize your travel plans now, anticipate longer lines, and give yourself extra time to get to your destination.”

Bonnie Patterson, the director of Cannon County Schools, and the bus transportation supervisor, Lisa Black, would like to release the following information concerning weather-related closings.

The determination of School Closings or Delays is based on various factors.

• Actual Road Conditions – Winter weather often arrives overnight or early in the morning.
  When this occurs, Cannon County Schools Transportation Director, Mrs. Lisa Black, will
  contact the Cannon County E-911 Central Dispatch for road conditions. Cannon County
  E-911 information is based on information from Sheriff Deputies, the Tennessee
  Highway Patrol, and the Cannon County Road Department. Bus drivers and Spotters in
  all parts of the county are also contacted for information. Additionally, the director and
  bus transportation supervisor can check road conditions but will rely heavily on the above
  professionals for accurate information concerning all roadways in the county. When the
  call is made to close or delay schools, a Cannon County Schools Bright Arrow message
  will be sent to all who have signed up to receive alerts. (See additional information at the
  end of this press release concerning Bright Arrow messages), local Cannon County media
  are informed, and then the Nashville TV Stations.
• Forecast for the Day. – Cannon County School personnel use the National Weather
  Service Forecast for the day to determine if any weather is forecasted to move in and
  during the school day. The NWS – Nashville Office website is
  https://www.weather.gov/ohx/. Cannon County School bus drivers are NWS Storm
  Spotter trained. This helps during severe weather events, particularly in the spring.
  Remember severe weather can occur any time of the year. Cannon County School
  personnel constantly check the forecast for any weather that could change during school
  hours and each school is equipped with a weather radio that receives severe weather
  alerts.
• Surrounding Counties. Cannon County Schools also rely on information concerning
  weather that is received from surrounding counties. The director is in touch with fellow
  Directors of Schools in surrounding counties regarding weather conditions that could
  spread into Cannon County.
  Closings and Delays.
  When inclement weather is determined, the following information will sent out by Bright
  Arrow, local Cannon County media, Nashville TV stations, and social media.
• Cannon County Schools Closed – All school activities are canceled. A Cannon County
  Schools Bright Arrow message will be issued to all who have signed up to receive alerts,
  and local Cannon County media and Nashville TV stations will be notified. Also, posts
  will be made to the district and schools’ social media accounts. High School, Middle
  School, and Elementary Schools Sports game cancellations are determined on a case-bycase basis, depending on main road conditions. The Director makes the cancellation of
  sporting events of Cannon County Schools in consultation with the CCHS Principal,
  CCHS Athletic Director, CCMS Principal, CCMS Athletic Director, and Elementary
  School Principals.
• 2 Hours Late – Sometimes Cannon County Schools personnel need more time to
  determine whether to close or to see if road conditions will improve. When this occurs,
  school will be delayed by 2 hours. Here are a few examples of how this would affect the
  school day. If your school doors open regularly at 7 AM, they will open at 9 AM. If a
  bus usually picks up your child at 6:45 AM, the bus will pick up the student at 8:45 AM.
  If the school bell usually rings at 7:30 AM, it will ring at 9:30 AM. If a teacher has bus
  duty and typically reports at 6:55 AM, the teacher would report at 8:55 AM. You simply
  move everything up 2 hours. Cannon County Schools could possibly close if weather
  conditions worsen. If this occurs, an additional Cannon County Schools Bright Arrow
  message will be sent to all who have signed up to receive the alerts, along with a
  notification to local Cannon County media, Nashville TV stations, and social media.
• 1-Hour Delay – This is rarely used in our school system. If Cannon County Schools are
  going to be delayed, it will almost always be for 2 Hours Late.
• Other Weather-Related Delays: Sometimes weather events such as tornados and severe
  thunderstorm warnings could delay school dismissal or close early due to impending
  severe weather. This is handled on a case-by-case basis, and a Cannon County Schools
  Bright Arrow message to all who have signed up to receive the alerts will be sent along
  with a notification to local Cannon County media and Nashville TV stations along with
  social media.
  The Cannon County School District hopes this information will help parents, guardians,
  grandparents, and community members understand how decisions and determinations are made
  regarding weather events. Cannon County Director of Schools, Mrs. Bonnie Patterson,
  commented, “Our number one priority is to keep our students and staff safe, and we pledge to
  always “err on the side of caution” when making weather-related decisions.”
  How to sign up for Cannon County Schools Bright Arrow Alerts:

1. Go to http://www.ccstn.net/
2. Go to News & Announcements
3. Click on Bright Arrow – Sign Up for School Closure Information
4. Click To sign up for school closure information notices, click here for Bright Arrow SelfSignup.
5. Fill in your information – Email Address and Enter a password
6. Fill in your First Name, Last Name, Login Password, Login Password verification, Cell
   Phone Company, Email, and Hit Apply, OK., or Test. You will then get a Complete Page,
   depending on what you selected.
7. Now you will get the first alerts the Director of Schools will send out regarding school
   closures for weather and other important Cannon County Schools information!!
8. To Unsubscribe, log back in using your password and Unsubscribe!
   If a person has already signed up for Cannon County Schools Bright Arrow Alerts and has
   NOT been receiving Cannon County Schools Bright Arrow Alerts, they may have been
   “opted out.” To reinstate Cannon County Schools Bright Arrow Alerts, “Text the word
   ‘Yes’ to 87569.” This will “opt” the person back “in” to the Cannon County Schools Bright
   Arrow Alerts. If the person continues NOT to receive the Cannon County Schools Bright
   Arrow Alerts, go back to Step 1 and create a new account.

Bragging Rights for a good cause!

In the first ever Border Battle of high school alumni basketball between the two counties, Cannon County High School swept both men’s and women’s games Saturday night against DeKalb County in Smithville. Proceeds from the event are going to Project Graduation.

Featuring basketball stars from the past, the Cannon County Lions beat the DeKalb County Tigers 66 to 46 while the Cannon County Lionettes prevailed over the DeKalb County Lady Tigers 39 to 33. The DeKalb Tigers Alumni team was coached by Former educator and coach Mike Braswell while former Lady Tiger basketball star MaryAnn Puckett coached the Lady Tigers.

In the men’s alumni game, Cannon County led 17 to 8 after the 1st period, 34 to 20 at halftime, and 48 to 34 after the 3rd period before claiming a 66 to 46 victory over the DeKalb County Alumni team.

For DeKalb County, Trey Jones scored 9, Lucas Phillips 8, Ethan Roller 6, Justin Bone, Tanner Poss, Hayden Thomas, and Brayden Antoniak each with 4, Zackary Vincent 3, and Jordan Young and Colter Norris each with 2.

Cannon County only had six players in their lineup, and they were led in scoring by Brady Cunningham with 23 points followed by Lane Willis 13, Jacob Nave 12, Austin Brock with 11 and Trey Fann 7.

In the women’s game, Cannon County led 14 to 7 after the 1st period, 26 to 14 at halftime, and 32 to 17 after the 3rd period before defeating the Lady Tigers Alumni team 39 to 33.

For DeKalb County, Kelly Parkerson Pyburn scored 10, Casey Bogle Agee 6, Mallori Hart 4, Hannah Panter Bone 3, and Tonya George Lee, Stephanie Hart Williams, Danielle Tyson Horton, Jailyn Bolding, and Gracie Griffin each with 2.

Cannon County was led in scoring by Macy Clements and Amber Burnett each with 10, Erin Fann 9, Hope Young-8, and Dani Young 2.

The DCHS Alumni men’s roster included the following and their year of graduation:

Jacob Rankhorn-2004, Lucas Phillips-2013, Zackary Vincent-2013, Ethan Roller- 2014, Justin Bone-2015, Trey Jones-2018, Noah Martin-2019, Colter Norris-2019, Tanner Poss-2019, Hayden Thomas-2019, Brayden Antoniak-2022, Nathaniel Crook-2022, and Jordan Young-2022.

The DCHS Alumni women’s roster included the following and their year of graduation:

Tonya George Lee-1992, Casey Bogle Agee-1999, Kelly Parkerson Pyburn-1999, Stephanie Hart Williams- 2003, Brooke Hutchings-2012, Abbey Roller-2013, Danielle Tyson Horton-2014, Jailyn Bolding-2016, Hannah Panter Bone- 2017, Lydia Brown- 2019, Megan Cantrell- 2021, Gracie Griffin- 2021, and Mallori Hart- 2021.

The Cannon County High School Alumni men’s roster included the following and their year of graduation:

Josh Rhulen-2011, Jacob Nave-2015, Marshal McReynolds-2015, Austin Brock-2016, Trey Fann-2018, and Lane Willis-2018.

The Cannon County High School Alumni women’s roster included the following and their year of graduation.

Brandi Burnett-2005, Hope Young-2005, Amber Burnett-2007, Eden Fann-2007, Erin Fann-2010, Jordan Hollis- 2013, and Macy Clements-2014.

Special thanks to Media Partner, WJLE