News

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has opened two Disaster Loan Outreach Centers (DLOCs) in Tennessee  at the Maury County Fire Dept., Station 30, in Columbia and the Gallatin Public Utilities Facility in Gallatin.  The SBA is opening the centers to assist businesses and residents who were affected by the severe storms, tornadoes and flooding that occurred on May 8-9.

The disaster declaration covers Cannon, Giles, Maury, Sumner, and Warren counties in Tennessee.

“When disasters strike, our Disaster Loan Outreach Centers are key to helping business owners and residents get back on their feet,” said Francisco Sánchez, Jr., associate administrator for the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the Small Business Administration. “At these centers, people can connect directly with our specialists to apply for disaster loans and learn about the full range of programs available to rebuild and move forward in their recovery journey.”

Customer Service Representatives are available at the Centers to assist business owners and residents complete their disaster loan application, accept documents, and provide updates on an application’s status.

Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park will hold a captivating living history event about the state in a Tennessee Timeline on Saturday, Oct. 26, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Park visitors can follow stories of Tennesseans from events such as the Civil War, Prohibition, and more in the free, family-friendly program. The park, which sits in the shadow of the Tennessee State Capitol, is known for its 1,400-foot Pathway of History, and the path will come alive Saturday with costumed interpreters who will inform visitors about the state’s past.

The Tennessee Timeline can be part of a full day of activity in the area of the park, with the adjacent Nashville Farmers’ Market, the Tennessee State Museum, and the Tennessee State Library and Archives as additional attractions. The Southern Festival of Books will be at the park for the weekend, featuring author discussions and booksellers.

Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park is a monument to Tennessee’s Bicentennial Celebration on June 1, 1996. With just a simple walk in the 20-acre park visitors can experience many facets of the state’s history including a 200-foot granite map of the state, a World War II Memorial, a 95-bell carillon, and the Rivers of Tennessee Fountains.

The park is north of the Capitol between James Robertson Parkway and Jefferson Street between 6th and 7th avenues in downtown Nashville.

Do you have cattle, sheep, goats, or equine animals?  If so, you could be eligible to receive payment from the DeKalb/Cannon County Farm Service Agency. According to Donny Green, County Executive Director, signup for the Livestock Forage Program is now underway and will continue through January 30, 2025.

The Livestock Forage Assistance Program (LFP) has been approved for DeKalb and Cannon counties due to recent and extreme drought conditions that have affected livestock grazing during the 2024 normal grazing period.  LFP provides compensation to eligible livestock producers that have suffered grazing losses for covered livestock on land with permanent vegetative cover or planted specifically for grazing. 

According to the U. S. Drought Monitor, DeKalb and Cannon counties were designated as D3 (Extreme Drought intensity) counties on September 24, 2024.  This designation qualifies eligible livestock producers in the county for three monthly payments.

Livestock producers operating in DeKalb and Cannon counties are urged to call the Smithville USDA Service Center at 615-597-8225, Ext. 2 to schedule an appointment to complete the Livestock Forage Program application. Signup for the 2024 LFP will end on January 30, 2025.

Tennessee residents are invited to participate in a statewide white oak acorn collection project to aid in white oak restoration across the state. Called the Tennessee White Oak Initiative, it is a cooperative effort between the Tennessee Department of Agriculture Division of Forestry (TDF), TDF’s East Tennessee Nursery, the University of Tennessee Extension, and the Tennessee Forestry Association.

“White oaks are a critical element of Tennessee’s forests,” State Forester Heather Slayton said. “The roles they play in our ecosystems and economy are invaluable, which is why it is so distressing to see the dropping rates of white oak regrowth in our forests. This initiative is one part of a large-scale effort to address this challenge.”

Each year, TDF’s East Tennessee Nursery in Polk County grows a large crop of white oak seedlings, which are critical to white oak restoration efforts statewide. Unfortunately, over the last few years, seed suppliers have been unable to meet the nursery’s seed volume needs. Now in its fourth year, the white oak acorn collection program is designed to supplement the nursery’s seed supply to boost seedling production. This type of wild seed collection also tends to yield higher quality, larger, and stronger seedlings.

Individuals, civic organizations, forestry groups, landowners, and youth organizations that would like to participate should visit www.tnforestry.com/white-oak-acorn-collection to begin the process. This year’s collection program will open on October 15, 2024, and end on November 15, 2024.

Interested parties may reach out to their local TDF area forester for assistance in identifying the correct tree species and information on how to collect, store, and deliver acorns for inclusion in the program. Find your local TDF area forester at www.tn.gov/agriculture/forests/staff.html.

The Division of Forestry protects and promotes the responsible use of forest resources in Tennessee. Focus areas include assisting landowners with a variety of services, providing quality tree seedlings, supporting forest health programs, collecting forest inventory data, assisting forest industries, and fighting wildland fires. Visit www.tn.gov/agriculture/forests for more information.

 

Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett today reminded all eligible Tennessee residents that they must register to vote by 11:59 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 7, to be eligible to cast a ballot in the Nov. 5 State and Federal General Election.

“When you don’t vote, you turn over the keys of power to those that do vote. In Tennessee, we want every eligible Tennessean to vote, but first, you must register to vote,” said Secretary Hargett. “To make your voice heard in the upcoming election, Tennesseans must register or make sure their registration is current before the deadline.”

Registering to vote, updating, or checking your registration status is fast, easy, and secure with the Secretary of State’s online voter registration system, GoVoteTN.gov, or the GoVoteTN App.

Using a computer, phone, or tablet, citizens with a driver’s license or a photo ID issued by the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security can register in a matter of minutes.

Voters can also download a paper voter registration application at GoVoteTN.gov. Completed paper voter registration applications must be mailed to your local county election commission office or submitted in person. Mailed voter registrations must be postmarked by Oct. 7, and Election Day registration is not available in Tennessee.

Early voting for the Nov. 5 State and Federal General Election begins Wednesday, Oct. 16, and runs through Thursday, Oct. 31. For more information about early voting and other election information, visit your trusted source for election information, GoVoteTN.gov or download the free GoVoteTN App.

By Sarah Brazle, 4-H Youth Development Extension Agent

We are thrilled to congratulate all of our grillers who participated in the 2024 Central Region 4-H Grill Master Challenge at the Nashville Fairgrounds. Cannon County 4-H proudly took 15 competitors to the event, forming teams of 4 where each member was responsible for either chicken, beef, lamb, or pork. Additionally, we had 3 individual competitors showcasing their grilling skills.

Through 4-H projects and activities, students develop essential life skills such as leadership, responsibility, communication, and teamwork. The Grillmaster Challenge involves teams of four, each member selecting a different type of meat—beef, pork, poultry, or lamb—to prepare and present to the judges. Participants created their own recipes, adhered to proper food safety and handling practices, started their charcoal fires, and had a two-hour window to perfect their entries. When presenting to the judges, they also had to specify the doneness of their beef, lamb, and pork.

We are incredibly proud of their hard work and dedication over the past few months of practice. A huge thank you to the parents for their invaluable support at practices and beyond. These events wouldn’t be as successful without volunteers!

Out of 22 counties and 177 competitors, several of our participants made it into the top ten. Special shoutouts to:

    Brooklynn Conner for placing 4th in her Pork!

    Nola Manning for earning 5th with her Beef!

    Liam Perdue for earning 5th with his Lamb!

    Olivia Guffey for placing 6th with her Pork!

    Landon Perdue for placing 7th with his Lamb!

    Kennedi Elkins for placing 8th with her Chicken!

    Micheal Sizemore for placing 9th with his Pork!

We are so proud of every one of the Cannon County 4-H Members! The University of Tennessee Extension offers its programs to all eligible persons regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, religion, or veteran status, and is an Equal Opportunity Employer.  Not only did the participants do well at the contest, but several have reported grilling for their families after the contest using the life skills learned which will be beneficial for their future. Congratulations to all participants for their hard work and dedication to the Cannon County 4-H program! We are very proud of your strong efforts!

If you would like more information about the Cannon County 4-H Program, call 615-563-2554. 4-H News can be heard weekly on the Farm and Family edition of After 8 Tuesday mornings on WBRY.

On Halloween, Woodbury resident Cliff Swoape retires from a 37-year career at Middle Tennessee Natural Gas Utility District (MTNG) that included being the Service Technician for Cannon County from 1990-1995, and Safety & Training Manager for all MTNG personnel from 1997-2020. On November 1, Cliff will embark on the next phase of his natural gas career as the newly named Executive Director of the Tennessee Gas Association (TGA). Cliff said, “It is tough leaving a company that has provided for you and been a part of your family for nearly four decades, but I am excited for this opportunity and to serve all Tennessee natural gas utilities, pipelines, and their business partners, including MTNG.”

The TGA Selection Committee led a national search for the Association’s seventh Executive Director since its founding in 1962. After locating the best suited candidate for the position, they made their recommendation to the Executive Committee and Board of Directors, who unanimously approved. Cliff is a longtime active member of TGA, who has served on numerous TGA committees, and is well known as an instructor for TGA’s field operations training efforts.

Cliff is active in a variety of other industry organizations as well as in our community. He is a Charter member of the Cannon County Chamber of Commerce and joined the Woodbury Lions Club at the persistence of Dude Northcutt back in 1992, transferring to the MTSU Lions Club in 2020. In 2019 Cliff was a recipient of the TGA Silver Flame Award, TGA’s highest honor for distinguished service to the Tennessee gas industry. Cliff holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas, and a master’s degree in management with an emphasis in organizational leadership from Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro. He is a member of the Woodbury First United Methodist Church where he was married to his wife, Katherine Mangione, a Professor of Education at Middle Tennessee State University. Cliff and Katherine are the proud parents of three daughters and a son, and the proud grandparents of two grandchildren.

Swoape will assume duties as the new Tennessee Gas Association Executive Director effective November 1st.

A Flood Watch is in effect for Cannon and all surrounding counties until Saturday morning.

Flooding can be caused by excessive rainfall continues to be possible.  Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations. Flooding may occur in poor drainage and urban areas. Low-water crossings may be flooded.

Forecast rainfall amounts are 2 to 4 inches with some areas potentially receiving 4 to 5 inches.

Cannon County Schools will be closed on Friday, September 27, due to incoming inclement weather forecasted for the Cannon County area. This will be inclement weather day #1 for the 2024-2025 school year.

The Color of Fall Car Show scheduled for Saturday has been re-scheduled to the planned rain date of October 5^th.  Carolyn Motley with the Cannon County Chamber of Commerce made the announcement of the change Thursday.  Our decision to use the rain date is in respect to our participants and visitors.

The annual event is a fundraiser for the Chamber and is held on the courthouse square.

Cannon County Lions Football team’s game with Community High School was moved up twenty-four hours so fans could enjoy the game with a smaller chance of rain.  Cannon defeated Community 54-0. A replay of the game broadcast will air Saturday morning at 8:10.

Today, U.S. Representative John Rose (TN-06) voted ‘No’ on H.R. 9747, the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025, which would extend federal government funding until December 20^th at levels originally passed in two “minibus” funding bills, the first being on March 6^th, 2024 totaling $432 billion and the second on March 22^nd, 2024 totaling $1.2 trillion.

Rep. Rose has voted ‘No’ on every short-term government funding bill known as a Continuing Resolution, or CR, that has not included significant spending cuts or policies to secure the border or safeguard American elections.

Rep. Rose released the following statement:

“Tennesseans sent me to Washington to make difficult decisions on how to spend their hard-earned taxpayer dollars and not take the easy route by voting for a CR that extends inflationary spending into the lame duck session of Congress,” said Rep. Rose. “With the national debt well over $35 trillion and government deficits topping $1.7 trillion a year, I could not in good conscience support a continuation of the status quo. Washington must take after Tennessee and restore fiscal constraint or risk driving the future prosperity of our country off an insurmountable fiscal ledge.”