News

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and Department of Labor and Workforce Development Commissioner Burns Phillips has  announced county unemployment rates decreased in all 95 counties across Tennessee in April and all counties are at or below 5 percent.“Our investments in education and workforce development are showing results in all corners of the state and to have such low unemployment rates in each county is great news for every Tennessean,” Haslam said. “Tennessee will lead in job recruitment because we are focused on developing a high quality workforce.”
In our region, Coffee County has an April rate of 2.5 percent, down from a March rate of 3.6 percent. DeKalb County is 3.4, down from 4.3. Rutherford County is 2.2, down from 2.6. Warren County 3.1 percent, down from 3.8 and Wilson County 2.2, down from 2.7. In Cannon County the April rate was 2.5 percent down from the March rate of 3.6 percent.  Cannon County’s workforce of 6,340 had 6,180 persons working. That reflects a total of 160 people looking for work.
All but one county recorded unemployment rates lower than five percent in April. Houston County’s unemployment posted at 5 percent, but that is a nearly one percentage point drop from 5.9 in March.
Williamson County continued to have Tennessee’s lowest level of unemployment with a rate of 2 percent in April. The new figure reflects a decrease of 0.4 of a percentage point from the previous month.
Davidson County had the second lowest unemployment rate in the state at 2.1 percent, down half a percentage point from March. The top 10 counties with the lowest unemployment in Tennessee each have a rate at or below 2.5 percent. Shelby County’s rate also dropped half a percentage point last month to 3.5 percent.
 “To see continued low unemployment in our metro areas is great,” Phillips said. “But the decreases we are seeing in our rural and distressed counties show there are new job opportunities statewide.”
For the third consecutive month, Tennessee’s statewide seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.4 percent. For the first time in six months, the national unemployment rate decreased in April when it dropped from 4.1 percent to 3.9 percent.
The statewide unemployment rate is seasonally adjusted, while county rates are not. Seasonal adjustment is a statistical technique that eliminates the influences of weather, holidays, the opening and closing of schools, and other recurring seasonal events from an economic time series.
A complete analysis of the April 2018 county unemployment rate data can be found here.
Additional information on Tennessee labor statistics can be found on the state’s workforce development website.
 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) encourages America’s farmers and ranchers to nominate candidates to lead, serve and represent their community on their local county committee. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) will accept nominations for county committee members beginning Friday, June 15, 2018. 
Producers across the country are already serving on committees where they play a critical role in the day-to-day operations of FSA, making important decisions on programs dealing with disaster and conservation, emergencies, commodity price loan support, county office employment and other agricultural issues.
 
“Our county committees make decisions about how federal farm programs are administered locally to best serve the needs of agriculture in their community,” said Acting FSA Administrator Steve Peterson. “We strongly encourage all eligible producers to visit their local FSA office today to find out how to get involved in their county’s election. There’s an increasing need for representation from underserved producers, which includes beginning, women and other minority farmers and ranchers.”
 
Nationwide, more than 7,700 dedicated farmers and ranchers serve on FSA county committees, which consist of three to 11 members and meet once a month, or as needed. Members serve three-year terms.
 
Producers can nominate themselves or others. Check your local USDA service center to see if your local administrative area is up for election this year.  Organizations, including those representing beginning, women and minority producers, may also nominate candidates to better serve their communities. To be eligible to serve on an FSA county committee, producers must participate or cooperate in an FSA program and reside in the area where the election is being held.
 
To be considered, a producer must sign an FSA-669A nomination form. The form and other information about FSA county committee elections are available at www.fsa.usda.gov/elections. All nomination forms for the 2018 election must be postmarked or received in the local FSA office by Aug. 1, 2018. Visit farmers.gov for more information.
 
Election ballots will be mailed to eligible voters beginning Nov. 5, 2018. Read more to learn about important election dates.
 

Memorial Day is a solemn day of remembrance for everyone who has died while serving in the Armed Forces of the United States of America.  Memorial Day falls on the last Monday of May each year.  This year Memorial Day falls on Monday the 28TH of May.Please join with the Hilton Stone American Legion Post 279 and the Scouts of Cannon County, Troop 1180 (boy, girls, and cub scouts).   They will place 144 American Flags around the Veterans Monument in front of our Courthouse on Friday evening May the 25th, and they will remain there until the evening of Monday evening the 28th which is the actual Memorial Day Observed.
Please remember those brave men and women who gave their lives for this great country and this wonderful freedom that we all enjoy today.   AND, especially remember the 61 men who’s names are engraved on our Veterans Monument.  These are our boys from Cannon County who gave their lives for our Country.  As Brother Tom Nichols always said, “These were young men, 18, 19, 20, years of age.  They never got to enjoy their families, their wives, their girlfriends, their children, or their grandchildren.”   Please give honor to our Boys and all of the men and women who gave their lives for their country.
AND, remember that our young men and women today serving in our military forces have all signed a blank check payable to the United States of America in the amount of up to including their lives, in order to protect our wonderful country and our wonderful freedom.  I encourage all of us remember those who gave their precious lives so that we can enjoy our freedom and this great country.
And, remember those men and women serving today, and especially those from Cannon County, and say THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.   God Bless you, Cannon County, the great State of Tennessee, and the United States of America.
AND, when you remember these great heroes,  also remember a famous saying from President John F. Kennedy, “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.”

The Tennessee Comptroller’s Office has released an investigation into the Upper Cumberland Human Resource Agency (UCHRA) based in Cookeville, Tennessee. The UCHRA is a multi-million-dollar operation that administers several programs and provides services to citizens.
Comptroller investigators noted two instances when the former executive director’s time sheets indicated he was working; however, social media posts indicated he was on trips out of state. The former executive director told investigators he used compensatory (comp) time for trips. Investigators believe he should have taken annual or sick leave when he was absent from work.

It’s important to note that on December 4, 2012, the UCHRA Board’s Personnel Committee approved a motion to allow the executive director to use comp time. Investigators reviewed the UCHRA Employee and Policy Handbook which establishes the “exempt” and “non-exempt” classification for all employees. Investigators believe, as an executive level employee, the former executive director was not entitled to earn comp time.

Investigators also found problems related to the former executive director’s travel claims. In three instances, the former executive director claimed he attended meetings in Nashville and Washington D.C., but documentation obtained by investigators did not support those claims. As a result, the former executive director was reimbursed $706.77 and charged $3,791.31 to his agency credit card for travel expenses when supporting agencies had no record of his attendance.

Additionally, investigators determined the former executive director entered into legally binding agreements on behalf of the UCHRA without prior board approval.

The UCHRA also paid travel expenses in advance for board members, board members’ families, employees and employees’ families. In some instances, the travel expenses were not related to UCHRA business. Although board members and employees were required to reimburse the agency for personal travel expenses, this practice should be eliminated.

On May 9, 2018, the former executive director was terminated by the UCHRA Board of Directors.

The Comptroller’s Office has reviewed its findings and recommendations with the district attorney general for the Thirteenth Judicial District.
“Our investigation found several weaknesses related to time reporting at UCHRA,” said Comptroller Justin P. Wilson. “At a minimum, the Board chairman should sign the executive director’s time sheets as evidence of review and approval, and time and leave policies should be followed.”

To view the investigation online, go to: http://www.comptroller.tn.gov/ia/

If you suspect fraud, waste or abuse of public money in Tennessee, call the Comptroller’s

Several groups and individuals are working to make sure the summer months can be a time of learning. Woodbury has a summer reading program / summer camp that is doing wonders for local children.  Last years’ participants came from a wide variety of backgrounds, and every one of them finished the summer at or above their reading level at the start of the summer, when most children slide backwards a few months on the scale in the summer.   This reading gap that results from the summer slide contributes to drop-outs later, as well as children not continuing their education past high school. In this day and time, children need all the help they can get to make it in the world.
Several local churches, civic organizations, and the Cannon County School system have partnered to help this project.  Project Transformation is a free summer day camp for children (K-6) to improve their reading and development. A few slots are available however you should sign up soon. You can register your children this Thursday, or next Tuesday or Thursday.  Camp Transformation runs from June 4th thru July 26th.

If you want to help read to students or volunteer in other ways, please contact the numbers below.  Currently the focus is making sure no spot gets left unused.  Please spread the word to your friends, family, and neighbors.  It is open to all who will be in grades K-6 this fall.  While it is being held in the same building that also houses the Woodbury Methodist Church, it is open to everyone (non-denominational), and the entire community is pulling together to make it happen.  Please don’t let any children fall behind.  Registration is today, next Tuesday and Thursday from 3 till 6pm at First United Methodist Church at 502 West High Street in Woodbury.

For more information, call 615-563-2135 days, 615-563-4900 evenings.

“Shake Rattle & Roll” is a tribute concert to rock and roll legends Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Elvis Presley, and Johnny Cash. This Special Memorial Day Weekend Event will include 28 songs from the four artists such as Get Rhythm, Heartbreak Hotel, Breathless, Sure to Fall, Don’t Be Cruel, Your True Love, Folsom Prison Blues, Great Balls of Fire, Love Me, and many more! Portraying the roles of the rock legends will be some familiar faces to the Arts Center of Cannon County. Daxton Patrick portrays Jerry Lee Lewis, the Killer. Patrick is a local to Cannon County graduating from Cannon County High School and a recent graduate of MTSU. He has a rock and roll connoisseur for the majority of his life winning a few competitions playing the sort of music you can hear from this show.
Jacob Miller will be playing as Carl Perkins, the King of Rockabilly. Miller brings Carl Perkins to live with his electrifying guitar playing. As a virtuoso, Jacob has mastered instruments such as piano, guitar, bass, and many more. Miller is also a local to the Cannon County area graduating valedictorian from Cannon County High School and recently receiving a bachelor’s degree at MTSU.
Stephen Hardy will be returning to portray the Man in Black, Johnny Cash. Hardy is from the South Carolina area graduating from Erskine College in 2016. He has since been traveling mostly around the southeast to play Johnny Cash in several theatres. You will be blown away by his likeness and musical ability to portray such a hard character as Johnny Cash.
With electrifying energy on stage, Justin Foster is returning as the King himself, Elvis Presley. Foster’s journey to Nashville is one of courage and inspiration. Taking the risk of homelessness, Foster moved to Nashville in hopes of becoming a musician. His charisma can be displayed through witty one-liners and jaw dropping dance moves. Foster is an uncanny resemblance to Elvis and his demeanor making you question if the King is reincarnated.
Come out Friday, May 25th to see these four young men in a concert that is a blast from the past. With 28 songs, 4 rock and roll legends, and 1 night only, you’ll want to get your tickets now.

Last week the Cannon County Sheriff’s Department and Woodbury Police Department assisted the Tennessee Highway Patrol with a sobriety checkpoint on Highway 96 in Auburntown at the Marshall Creek intersection. Officers conducted the checkpoint between 9pm and11pm. There were 21 officers present; 13 from the Sheriff’s Department, 5 from the Police Department, and 3 from the Highway Patrol.
During the checkpoint contact was made with 193 cars in the two-hour period. Seven vehicles during the period were detained and one vehicle was searched. There were also six citations and two warnings issued for minor traffic offenses.

Within a two mile stretch on Highway 96 there have been 6 fatalities this year to date, three in Cannon County and three in Rutherford County. The Cannon County Sheriff’s Department and the Tennessee Highway Patrol would like to remind everyone that we are working hard to combat the loss of life on our roadways.

The Tennessee Highway Patrol has indicated that they will also be giving this section of the highway additional attention over the Memorial Day weekend.

In effort to broaden the opportunity and impact of the industrial hemp program for farmers and industry, the Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA) is reopening the application period for industrial hemp grower and processor licenses through June 1, 2018.“This is a proactive effort to assist Tennessee farmers who are looking to diversify, and we want to make sure they have every opportunity to do so,” Agriculture Commissioner Jai Templeton said. “We are seeing more interest in particular from tobacco growers who recently learned the company that purchases their crops would no longer buy tobacco from the U.S. We look forward to expanding the pilot program by reopening our application period.”
Applicants wishing to participate in the pilot program must submit an application, license fees, and required documentation, including a signed memorandum of understanding. At the end of the growing season, program participants are required to submit an agronomic report regarding the industrial hemp produced.
TDA has approved 170 applications from producers, which is more than double the number of applications approved in 2017. Producers have the option to cultivate up to 3,416 acres of industrial hemp for research purposes in 2018.
“By collaborating with universities like MTSU, TSU, and UT, more information and options are becoming available to Tennessee hemp growers each year,” Templeton said. “As we also see an increase in processors, producers, and available hemp varieties, we expect this sector of Tennessee’s agriculture industry to continue to grow and develop.”
Of the approved applicants, 152 are focused on growing hemp for oil, 9 for fiber, 5 for seed production, and 1 each for tea, greens, protein powder, and health.
In 2017, 79 growers planted 130 acres ofhemp, 64 growers planted 225 acres in 2016, and 44 growers planted 660 acres in 2015.
There are currently 70 licensed processors, with more approvals expected in the coming months. With approximately 83% of hemp processors in Tennessee focusing on extraction oil and 6% focusing on fiber, the other 10% choose to process for educational research, animal feed, seed press, seed cleaning, juicing, or protein supplement.
In 2014, the Tennessee General Assembly enacted Public Chapter 916 tasking the department with development of a licensing and inspection program for the production of industrial hemp in Tennessee. As provided in Sec. 7606 of the 2014 Farm Bill, industrial hemp may only be grown as part of a research or pilot project.
You will find the industrial hemp grower application and more information about Tennessee’s hemp program by clicking here.

The last week of school is full of activities in all schools across the county;Auburn SchoolTuesday, May 22nd, 9 am-Awards, 12:45pm-Kindergarten Graduation, 6:00 pm-8th grade GraduationEast Side School
K and 8th grade graduation at ESS on Tuesday, May 22nd. @ 6:00 PM.Short Mountain School
May 22 @ 6:00 PM – K Graduation
May 22 @ 7:00 PM – 8th Grade Graduation
May 23 @ 9:00 AM – Awards Day Grades 1-7
 West Side School
Graduate parade Tues. May 22 at 1:00. Pre K graduation Tuesday May 22 at 6.
8th grade night May 22 at 6 pm
Awards Day Wed, May 23, Grades 1-3 8:30 Grades 4-7 10:30
 Woodbury Grammar:
May 22 – 8th Grade Recognition Program 7:00pm in Gym
May 23 – Pre K Graduation 8:30am, K Graduation 9:45am
 Woodland School
Tuesday, May 22 Pre-K Graduation 9:00 a.m, Awards Day 12:00 p.m. 1st-4th grade, 1:30 p.m. 5th-8th grade
Wednesday, May 23 8th grade recognition 9:00 a.m.
 Cannon County High School
May 24, 2018 Teacher Work Day, No Students
May 25, 2018 Abbreviated Day 7:40 AM – Report Cards; 9:00 AM – Graduation Practice
 9:15 AM Dismissal from CCHS – 9:45 AM Dismissal from Elementary Schools, CCHS Graduation – 7 PM 
 

Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bob Rolfe and Black Rifle Coffee Company (BRCC) officials announced Monday that the company will locate its new operations in Manchester. The coffee roaster and distributer will invest $6 million and create 52 new jobs over the next five years in Coffee County.“Tennessee prides itself on creating a business-friendly environment that makes our state the perfect location for companies looking to locate new operations,” Rolfe said. “I appreciate Black Rifle Coffee Company for choosing Coffee County for its new facility and for creating more than 50 new jobs in Manchester.”
Black Rifle Coffee Company is a veteran-owned and operated coffee company that specializes in roasting and distributing premium, small-batch, roast-to-order coffee to its customers around the globe. All Black Rifle Coffee Company blends are available in whole bean and ground varieties. The company also has many roasts for purchase in single-serve coffee rounds.
“As a veteran and general manager for Black Rifle Coffee Company, I am extremely proud to be part of BRCC’s team, its values and culture,” Black Rifle Coffee Company’s Amanda Higgins said. “It’s not every day that you can work alongside some of the most dedicated, hard-working people in America that embody the values that we stand for as a company. There is no other company I would rather work for and no better people we’d like to serve coffee to than the people of Coffee County and Tennessee. We’re so happy that we can call Coffee County home, and we look forward to building a strong relationship with the community.“
With this new location, BRCC will be better equipped to increase production capacity to keep up with growing demand. The company plans on producing roughly seven million pounds of coffee at the new facility.
“It’s great to announce that the Black Rifle Coffee Company will be locating its business in our Interstate Industrial Park. This is a veteran-owned company that will eventually employ up to fifty people over the next five years,” Coffee County Mayor Gary Cordell said. “We want to officially welcome them to Coffee County and wish them much success and growth in the future. Thank you so much for locating your business in Coffee County, Tennessee.”
“I’m excited that Black Rifle Coffee Company has chosen Manchester to expand its business and look forward to a long and successful partnership,” Manchester Mayor Lonnie Norman said. “I’m always pleased to welcome new industries to our community and are looking forward to working with this veteran-owned business to ensure its success.”
BRCC will be hosting a job fair on Thursday, May 24 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. CDT at the Tennessee of Applied Technology in McMinnville.
The Industrial Board of Coffee County also supported Black Rifle Coffee Company’s new location.