News

The Tennessee Department of Transportation is joining states across the nation to remind motorists that “Work zone safety is everybody’s responsibility” and to ask them to Work with Us – move over and slow down for highway workers. TDOT will spread that message statewide during National Work Zone Awareness Week (April 9-13) in an effort to improve safety in Tennessee’s interstate and highway construction and maintenance work zones.
 
“2016 was a tragic year for our TDOT family; three employees were struck and killed by passing motorists,” TDOT Commissioner John Schroer said. “We have hundreds of employees working on our highways each day. Safe driving is everybody’s responsibility and we need motorists to work with us by moving over and slowing down for TDOT workers or first responders working along our interstates and state routes. Please pay attention to signs, reduce your speed, and move over when possible.”
 
The spring and summer months provide perfect weather for highway work. Work zones include everything from major interstate widening projects to pothole patching and mowing. Motorists will encounter work zones across Tennessee in downtowns, along interstates and in rural areas. Last year in Tennessee, 13 people died in work zone crashes, including workers, drivers and passengers.
 

Early voting begins today in Cannon County. The County will hold a Republican Primary on May 1st. According to Matt Teply, Administrator of Elections, the only candidates that will appear on the ballot are those seeking the Republican nomination for their respective offices.  The Cannon County Democratic Party chose not to have a primary.  Independent candidates for local offices will appear on the ballot in the August General Election.
On the primary ballot; Circuit Court Judge, Division III, Nathan Nichols and Barry Tidwell. County Commission for District 2, Corey Davenport and Paul Morgan.  The ballot also has candidates in other local races, John House in the race for Sheriff and Brent Bush in the County Executive race.
Again, independent candidates for local offices will appear on the ballot in the August General Election.  
Early voting begins today, April 11th and continues through April 26th.    Early Voting Hours are Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10:00am to 1:00pm, Tuesday, Thursday from 4:00pm to 7:00pm and Saturday from 9:00am to NOON.
Last day to request absentee ballot is April 24, 2018. The election commission office is located at 301 West Main Street.
Many of your questions about this years ballots and voting may be answered by visiting the commission web site at www.CannonCountyElections.com
 

Every year during the second week of April, the telecommunications personnel in the public safety community, are honored. This week-long event, is a time to celebrate and thank those who dedicate their lives to serving the public. It is a week that should be set aside so everyone can be made aware of their hard work and dedication.
Roy Sullivan, Director Cannon County 911 Emergency Communications District had the following to say about this week;
“Cannon County 911 dispatchers are here serving the citizens of Cannon County 24/7, 365 days a week, rain or shine. The work in an environment that is very rarely seen by the public. They are ridiculed when a single mistake is made but very rarely praised for the day to day professionalism and personal sacrifices they often endure to serve the citizens of Cannon County.”
Sullivan invited the community to express their thanks in person if they wish. Any one that wishes to stop by the 911 Center located at 3798 Jim Cummings, is encouraged to do so and thank the dispatchers for their service to Cannon County.
NOTE: 
The second week in April is a popular week.  Over the next few days, WBRY will inform you of different groups who want you to have a better understanding of their people, interests and concerns.
 
 

The application process remains open, until April 15, for adults to enroll tuition-free this fall at a community or technical college through Tennessee Reconnect.
 
Following the first week of the application process being open, over 4,000 applications were submitted — a record start in helping adults who want to go back to school to advance their futures.
 
Tennessee Reconnect builds off the groundbreaking Tennessee Promise program — which provides high school graduates two years of tuition-free community or technical college — by establishing a last-dollar scholarship for adults to earn an associate degree or technical certificate free of tuition or mandatory fees.
 
Both Tennessee Reconnect and Tennessee Promise are programs under the Drive to 55, an initiative spearheaded by lawmakers to increase the number of Tennesseans with a postsecondary degree or certificate to 55 percent by 2025. Studies show that by 2025, at least half the jobs in Tennessee will require a college degree or certificate.
 
Early results of the Tennessee Promise program show that students participating in the program are succeeding at higher rates than their peers. Tennessee is the first state in the nation to offer all citizens, both high school graduates and adults, the chance to earn a postsecondary degree or certificate tuition-free.
 
Those interested in applying for Tennessee Reconnect can do so by following these 4 simple steps:
 

• Complete the application at TNReconnect.gov;

• Apply to a local community college or eligible Tennessee Reconnect institution;

• File the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) at http://FAFSA.ed.gov;

• And enroll in a degree or certificate program at least part-time.

 
To be eligible for Tennessee Reconnect, a student must not already hold an associate or bachelor’s degree, must be a Tennessee resident for at least one year, and be determined as an independent student on the FAFSA.
 
For additional information about how to get involved with Tennessee Reconnect, click here.
 
 

With the start of national Distracted Driving Awareness Month in April, the Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance (TDCI) urges Tennessee drivers to “Put It In Park” and commit to safer driving habits by putting away their smart phones, cellular devices, and any distraction that could take a driver’s attention away from the road.
 
While the use of technology behind the wheel is an increasingly common cause of distracted driving incidents across the country and Tennessee, distracted driving can be created by anything that diverts a driver’s attention away from the road and the inherently dangerous task of driving.  
 
“Drivers face distractions beyond texting on a smart phone,” said TDCI Commissioner Julie Mix McPeak. “Distractions can include looking after children or pets, eating, reading, applying makeup, or playing with the radio. By raising awareness about the larger dangers of distracted driving, I hope to prevent a potentially tragic accident from occurring.”
 
In addition to the tragic loss of life caused by distracted driving, distracted driving is contributing to the rise in auto insurance premiums. The higher the accident rate, the more claims insurers have to pay. In turn, insurers transfer these costs to customers in the form of higher premiums, often based on information about traffic violations and accidents from driving records. From 2004 to 2009, the national average expenditures for auto insurance rates went down every year (from $843 in 2004 to $787 in 2009), according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. As technology has become more prevalent, the average expenditures for auto insurance rates increased in 2010 – for the first time in five years. Since then, expenditures have gone up every year. Average expenses for auto insurance in 2015 were $889, up nearly 12 percent from 2007.
 
Tennessee has been affected as well. The cumulative average increase of the largest 10 carriers in Tennessee during 2010-2013 was 17.82 percent. But the cumulative average climbed to 24.44 percent from 2014-2017 which is likely attributable to the rise of distracted driving and drivers increased usage of technology.
 
As a reminder to drivers, the department is sharing the following tips that drivers should always remember before getting behind the wheel.

• Start sober. Don’t get behind the wheel while impaired — whether it’s due to exhaustion, medicine, alcohol or recreational drugs. Drunk/impaired drivers are responsible for approximately 10,000 fatalities a year.
• When you’re behind the wheel of a vehicle, don’t use your phone. That means no texts, no social media, no videos, no photos or anything – except driving.
• If using your phone’s navigation, plan a safe route before taking the car out of park.
• Pick your tunes, podcast, station or playlist, and set at a volume that allows you to focus on your driving.
• Parents, be a good example to your children. Put your phones away.
• Teens, speak up if your friends are driving distracted or unsafely in any way.
• Ask passengers to help you focus on the road and their safety.
• Obey speed limits, and keep your eyes on the road.

Cannon County native Matthew Daniel was announced this morning as Economics/Personal Finance Teacher and Head Football Coach at Cannon County High School for the 2018-2019 School Year.  Director of Schools William F. Curtis said, “Mathew is an outstanding and award-winning teacher, a person of excellent character, and a very good high school football coach.”
 
He transferred from CCHS in 2008 and coached in Georgia at three different winning programs and was nominated for Teacher of the Year.  We are truly blessed that he desired to return to his home county. Daniel met with players and parents prior to the announcement.
 
Cannon County High School Principal Mike Jones recommended Daniel to Curtis on April 4th and he accepted his recommendation. 
 

Rutherford and Cannon Counties’ former top crime fighter, District Attorney General Bill Whitesell, recently made his choice in the race for Circuit Court Judge.
Today, the former long-time and universally respected District Attorney publically endorsed Republican candidate for Circuit Court Judge Nathan Nichols. Nichols will be on the May 1, 2018 Republican Primary ballot.
Nichols served as a prosecutor in Whitesell’s office during his administration and, in making his endorsement, Whitesell said, “I selected Nathan Nichols as an assistant district attorney because of his dedication to the protection of our community. He genuinely cares about crime victims and their families and has always treated them with compassion and respect.”
While working for Whitesell, Nichols served as a felony prosecutor in Circuit Court and was previously appointed Rutherford County’s chief child sexual and physical abuse prosecutor. Whitesell said Nichols’ service as the County’s child abuse prosecutor, a position many consider to be the most difficult in the District Attorney’s Office, is a “testament to his love for this community and dedication to its safety.”
Whitesell served as an assistant district attorney general for almost 15 years before being named Rutherford and Cannon Counties’ District Attorney in 1995 by Republican Governor Don Sundquist. He was elected, without opposition, to the position in 1996 and was unopposed for re-election in 1998 and 2006. Whitesell retired in 2014 and also served as past president of the Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference and was also the agency’s Executive Director in 2015.
From our news partner, www.wgnsradio.com
 

Mostly routine business filled the April meeting of the Mayor and Board of Alderman for the Town of Woodbury. 
Bob DeWinter has been serving as interim Fire Chief for the past several months. He accepted the position as Fire Chief for the Town of Woodbury, the change occurred following a unanimous vote from the board.
Alderman got an update on the solid waste project from the Chairman of the Joint County-Town Committee Faye Northcutt-Knox.  The committee meet March 26th and heard from advisory representatives from the state.  Some members of the committee are reviewing other operations in similar size counties.  As of now, Knox reported that any further action would be contingent on the County Commission moving forward on the grants from the state.
The Town of Woodbury has considered working with Cannon County on a project to upgrade the Convenience Center. That action was tabled until the county decides what action it will take.
Chief of Police Lowell Womack give the board a report on work at the Police Department.  Some vehicles from the town’s impound lot have been sold through a government website. Members of the department continue to improve services to the public with additional training.  The department is working with the Tennessee Highway Safety Office new grants for local projects.
Public Works Director informed the board he is in the process of reviewing options for upgrading the town’s sewer system. His fact-finding mission will continue and may have another update by the May meeting.
Mayor and Board of Alderman finished the meeting in less than one hour. Next meeting is scheduled for May 8th.
 

Law enforcement personnel in Cannon County are lucky to be absent from a new statewide report. For the first time, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has released a comprehensive study detailing law enforcement-related deaths in the state.
The report, released in accordance to the requirements set forth in Tennessee Code Annotated § 38-10-102, uses established definitions and methodology and provides information on qualifying incidents submitted by the state’s law enforcement agencies. Data has been divided into three categories: Deadly Use-of-Force incidents, Arrest-Related Non-Forcible Deaths, and Deaths in Custody.
Among the report’s findings:
§  In 2017, 53 law enforcement agencies reported a total of 120 law enforcement-related deaths. Of those, 24 deaths met the reporting criteria, established in state law, of deadly use of force by a law enforcement officer.
§  The most predominate time frame for a deadly use-of-force incident in 2017 was between the hours of 6:00 PM and 11:59 PM.
§  Of the 24 reported deadly use-of-force incidents in 2017, Whites accounted 87.5% of decedents, compared to Black or African-American, at 12.5%. Data did not identify any other races in these reported incidents. Males accounted for 96.0% of those killed in these incidents.
§  Of the 120 law enforcement-related deaths reported in 2017, nine met the Arrest-Related Non-Forcible Death (ARNDF) reporting criteria. The 2017 data indicated six of these deaths were reported as Suicide.
§  In 2017, 87 deaths were reported in local jails or state prisons. 92.0% of these deaths were male and most were above the age of 55. Illness accounted for the leading cause of these deaths.
“I am very proud of the efforts of all participating law enforcement agencies in the state to provide the data necessary to produce this report,” said TBI Director Mark Gwyn. “Our combined efforts have resulted in a successful reporting program and the relationships necessary to produce a report of this nature.”
The full report can be found on the TBI’s website: www.tn.gov/tbi.
 

Final full month of the high school spring sports schedule finds the Cannon County Lionettes Softball opening the week in the first of three district games.  Today the Lionettes will host rival Dekalb County in a 4:30 start.  The Cannon County Lions boys baseball team travels to Gainesboro to meet Jackson County with the first pitch being thrown at 6:00.  Middle Grades Baseball team who last lost to Watertown in a run scoring affair 14-10 will meet Community School from Unionville on the Lions Field at the Cannon County Fairgrounds.  That game will start at 5:00. 
Cannon County Lionettes Middle Grades  Softball team will travel to Fayetteville for a second game against Riverside Christian Academy.  and the
High School Boys Soccer team takes their longest trip of the year to Jamestown for a 6:00 district matchup against York.