News

The Tennessee Department of Health is recognizing National Birth Defects Awareness Month in January 2023 to encourage healthy choices and habits for prospective parents to help lower their risk of having babies born with birth defects.

Birth defects are structural changes that can affect almost any part of the body. In Tennessee, more than 3,000 babies are born with birth defects every year. Birth defects cause one in five infant deaths in the state and cause lifelong physical and intellectual challenges for others.

“There are resources to help people to be as healthy as possible, whether they are preparing for pregnancy, caring for a child with birth defects, or are individuals living with birth defects” said Dr. Tobi Amosun, Assistant Commissioner for the Department of Health and Director of Family Health and Wellness. “The Women, Infant, and Children (WIC) program is an important resource for nutrition and the Community Health Access and Navigation in Tennessee (CHANT) program is available in every county to assist with other needs for children, particularly those with special needs. We are working to make sure all Tennesseans receive the services and treatments they need, in the ways they need them. Supporting family and child health creates a better Tennessee.”

Adopting healthy behaviors even before becoming pregnant can increase the chances of having the best outcomes. These healthy behaviors include:

• Maintaining a healthy diet;
• Engaging in daily exercise;
• Taking 400mcg of folic acid daily;
• Starting prenatal care early;
• Staying current on vaccines;
• Managing chronic health conditions, such as diabetes and hypertension;
• Spacing healthy timeframes between pregnancies; and,
• Avoiding alcohol, nicotine products, and the misuse of substances.

Women of childbearing age are encouraged to ask their healthcare providers about ways to have the healthiest pregnancy possible. This is particulately important for women taking medication regularly.

For more information, visit the TDH Birth Defects website (www.tn.gov/health/BirthDefectsInfo) and the National Birth Defects Prevention Network (https://www.nbdpn.org/bdam.php).

Cannon County Schools take pleasure in honoring the school-level Teachers of the Yearfor the 2022-2023 School Year.  Each teacher was selected to represent their respective school in three categories:  PreK-4th Grade; 5th Grade – 8th Grade; 9th Grade – 12th Grade.  One Teacher in each category will be selected by a committee to represent Cannon County as the District Teacher of the Year in the Upper Cumberland CORE Region and will be announced during the Week of January 24th, 2022.  The following teachers were selected to represent their individual schools:

                   Teacher of the Year School Nominations 2022-2023

School	PreK-4	5 – 8	9-12
Cannon County Elementary School	Beth Todd	Bobbie Ford
Cannon North Elementary School	Alicia Barrett	Roger Haley
Cannon South Elementary School	Elleana Nave	Jordan Anderson
Cannon County Middle School		(6-8) Melissa Anderson
Cannon County High School			Lacy Eckart

Director of Cannon County Schools William Freddy Curtis stated, “We are tremendously proud of each one of these outstanding educators.  Teachers work incredibly hard to serve their students, communicate with parents/guardians, and strive to improve their craft every day of the school year.  They also work long hours after school and during the Summer months honing their skills and attending training sessions in their respective areas of responsibility.  Each one of these deserving teachers exemplify Cannon County Schools’ VISION – ‘Engaged in Excellence EVERY Day in EVERY Way!’ through our MISSION – ‘To Create an Environment of Excellence That Will Provide Opportunities for All Students to Reach Their Full Potential!’ These individuals live the VISION and MISSION every moment of every day, and we salute them for their distinguished

Cannon County Schools will be CLOSED on Friday, January 13th, 2023 due to potential inclement weather forecasted. Director of Cannon County Schools – William Freddy Curtis stated, “Cannon County Schools will be CLOSED on Friday, January 13th, 2023 due to the threat of potential winter precipitation forecast to move into Cannon County tomorrow.

Nearby counties are under a Winter Weather Advisory on January 13th, 2023 from 3:00 AM to 6:00 AM on Saturday, January 14th, 2023. The safety of our students and personnel is always our utmost priority. This will be our 2 nd Inclement Weather Day utilized in the 2022-2023 School Year.”

The Nashville office of the National Weather Service lists the following as the expected conditions for Cannon and surrounding counties;

Much colder air will move in with a good chance for snow showers beginning Friday morning and continuing off and on through Saturday morning. Total snowfall accumulations of 1-2 inches can be expected specifically across the higher elevations of the Cumberland Plateau.

Today, U.S. Representative John Rose released the following statement after being sworn in to serve as the U.S. Representative for Tennessee’s Sixth Congressional District in the 118^th Congress:

“It is an extreme honor to take the oath of office to continue serving the people of Tennessee’s Sixth Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. As Republicans are sworn into the majority in the U.S. House, I am optimistic about the opportunity to enact policies that encourage job growth, fight inflation, defend our borders, protect law enforcement, preserve our constitution, and hold Washington accountable to the American people,” said Rep. Rose. “I am also thrilled to welcome my new constituents from East Nashville, Van Buren County, and portions of Scott and Warren Counties. I thank you for again trusting me to represent your voice in Congress.”

Governor Bill Lee presented his administration’s strategic infrastructure plan to accommodate Tennessee’s record growth, address traffic congestion and meet transportation needs across rural and urban communities. In the coming weeks, the Lee administration will introduce the Transportation Modernization Act of 2023. 

Tennesseans are invited to view the full presentation here.

“As Tennessee continues to experience tremendous growth, we have an obligation to make strategic transportation investments that prepare our state for continued success – without raising taxes or going into debt,” said Lee. “Our infrastructure plan will prepare Tennessee communities, both rural and urban, for increased economic advantages and improved mobility in the years ahead. I look forward to partnering with members of the General Assembly to solve transportation challenges.”

Lee’s plan will ensure the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT), under the leadership of Commissioner Butch Eley, has the resources needed to solve the state’s current and future mobility challenges.

Proposed solutions include: 

·       Seeking the use of public-private partnerships to allow private investment in new urban roadway infrastructure, which will allow the state to reserve funds for more rural infrastructure priorities.

·       The plan for public-private partnerships will include exploring Choice Lanes, which are additional, optional lanes funded in partnership with the private sector on urban Tennessee interstates to decrease congestion and increase economic impact across the state

·       Expanding the alternative delivery model to save taxpayer dollars and deliver road projects more quickly

Additional information about the “Build with Us” plan can be found here. 

“Tennessee is facing a critical juncture when it comes to transportation and mobility,” said Commissioner Eley. “Our infrastructure investments will ensure that TDOT has the tools needed to quickly deliver and maintain quality roads so that Tennesseans and commerce can move across our state, all while saving taxpayer dollars.”

Cannon County High School Officials have learned of a perceived threat at Cannon County High School late in the day on Wednesday, January 4^th, 2023.  Cannon County Law Enforcement Officials were notified and an investigation was begun. Additional Law Enforcement Officers will be present at Cannon County High School on Thursday, January 5^th, 2023. 

Director of Cannon County Schools – William Freddy Curtis stated, “Every threat is taken seriously, even perceived ones. We appreciate the efforts of Principal Courtney Nichols and local Law Enforcement to investigate ANY threat.  Please know that we place a priority on school safety, and we investigate all reports of threats made against schools. We ask that parents please speak to their children about the importance of not spreading false information about threats. Doing so causes nothing but panic and disruption to the educational environment.  Any person that is found to make a threat regarding ANY of our schools will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Working together we desire to have the best possible learning environment and climate.”

Join the Department of Revenue on January 4 at 8:30 am Central time for a free webinar for new businesses.

Participants will learn about state tax obligations for new businesses in Tennessee and about other resources that may help their businesses. Each new business webinar, offered quarterly, covers topics such as tax registration, sales and use tax, business tax, franchise and excise taxes, and how to get help from the Department of Revenue as well as other relevant state agencies.

Register for the January 4 webinar here. You can find information about the new business webinar on our website here.

The Department of Revenue is responsible for the administration of state tax laws and motor vehicle title and registration laws and the collection of taxes and fees associated with those laws. The department collects about 87 percent of total state revenue. During the 2021 fiscal year, it collected $18.4 billion in state taxes and fees and more than $3.7 billion in taxes and fees for local governments.  To learn more about the department, visit www.tn.gov/revenue.

November’s unemployment numbers improved in a majority of Tennessee’s 95 counties, according to newly released data from the Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD).   Sixty-two counties experienced a drop in jobless rates during November when compared to the previous month. The rates remained the same in 25 counties and increased slightly in the remaining eight counties.   Nearly every county in Tennessee logged an unemployment rate below 5%. Only three counties marked rates exceeding 5% but under 10%.   Williamson, Moore, and Cheatham counties each had a rate of 2.5% in November, the lowest in the state.   With rates of 2.6%, Wilson, Rutherford, and Sumner counties had the next lowest November unemployment in Tennessee. Sumner County’s rate went down by 0.2 of a percentage point, Rutherford County’s rate dropped by 0.1 of a percentage point, and the number for Wilson County was unchanged. Cannon County had 193 residents looking for work, which translates into an unemployment rate of 2.8% for November.  That was an improvement of two tenths of a percent over October’s rate of 3%. Bledsoe County’s November unemployment rate of 5.3% was the highest in the state and mirrored its rate from October. Perry and Scott counties had the next highest rates for November. At 5%, Scott County’s figure declined by 0.2 of a percentage point and Perry County’s rate decreased by 0.1 of a percentage point for the month.   Tennessee’s statewide seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for November remained unchanged from October’s rate of 3.5%.   County unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted to account for different seasonal impacts on the workforce.   TDLWD has prepared an in-depth analysis of the state’s county unemployment data which is available here.   TNWorkReady.com has easy-to-access links to Tennessee’s reemployment services, including Adult Education, the Office of Reentry, Apprenticeship TN, and how to locate the American Job Center closest to you.

Following a months-long third-party review of lethal injection operations at the Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC), Tennessee Governor Bill Lee today announced several actions to ensure the department adheres to established protocol. Additionally, the Governor released the independent investigator’s third-party report to the public.

“I have thoroughly reviewed the findings in the independent investigator’s report and am directing several actions to ensure the Tennessee Department of Correction adheres to proper protocol,” said Gov. Lee. “We are proactively sharing both the third-party report and my administration’s next steps to ensure continued transparency for the people of Tennessee.”

On May 2, 2022, Tennessee retained former U.S. Attorney Ed Stanton to conduct an independent review and recommend corrective actions, following an oversight in adhering to the TDOC lethal injection protocol. After completing the independent investigation, Stanton delivered the third-party report to the Governor’s office on December 14, 2022. All legally-required redactions were applied by the independent investigator prior to the report’s delivery. The third-party report is publicly-available here.

After an internal assessment of the third-party report, Gov. Lee has directed several proactive steps to ensure TDOC adheres to established protocol, which will occur in the following sequence:

1. Make staffing changes at the department’s leadership level.
2. Hire and onboard a permanent TDOC commissioner in January 2023.
3. New department leadership will revise the state’s lethal injection protocol, in consultation with the Governor’s office and the Tennessee Attorney General’s office.
4. New department leadership will review all training associated with the revised protocol and make appropriate operational updates.

As previously planned, Interim Commissioner Lisa Helton will remain in the role until a permanent commissioner is announced in January 2023. At that time, Helton will continue serving the department as Assistant Commissioner for Community Supervision.

Gov. Lee added, “I commend Interim Commissioner Helton for her steady leadership, which has been particularly important during this time of change and transition at the department, and we are deeply grateful for her continued public service to our state.”

Upon launching the independent investigation in May, Lee issued temporary reprieves for five executions scheduled to take place in 2022. The Tennessee Supreme Court will be responsible for setting new execution dates after the Governor’s reprieves expire. Currently, Tennessee has no scheduled executions in 2023.

Congress passed legislation which will end the Medicaid continuous enrollment requirement related to the COVID-19 pandemic on April 1, 2023. At that time TennCare will be required to reverify the eligibility status of everyone receiving TennCare or CoverKids benefits. One of TennCare’s top priorities during this process is to make sure all eligible members do not risk a gap in health care coverage.

Per federal requirements, the ending of the continuous enrollment requirement will represent the first time in three years that Medicaid and CHIP members will go through the renewal process, and it will be one of the most substantial health coverage processes around the country. For Tennessee, the legislation means that more than 1.7 million Tennesseans will be impacted by this process. It is imperative that TennCare and CoverKids members update their contact information with TennCare and respond to all TennCare communication.

Over a twelve-month period, TennCare will review every member’s eligibility and, where approved by state or federal rules, use available data sources, such as Internal Revenue Service (IRS) income data and Supplementation Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) information, to automatically renew members. If TennCare cannot auto-renew a person’s coverage using available and approved data sources, the member will receive a pre-populated renewal packet by mail or a notification by email, depending on the selected preference. TennCare and its partner health plans will also use texts, email, and social media when available to enhance outreach efforts. A member will be able to complete the renewal packet through a variety of ways: Online, by phone, by mail, by fax, or at any county Department of Human Services (DHS) office.

For members no longer eligible for TennCare or CoverKids benefits, TennCare will send their information to the federal Health Care Marketplace, as required by CMS, where alternative health insurance options are available.

For nearly three years, TennCare has carefully planned for the end of the PHE and the resumption of renewals. The agency worked to improve TennCare Connect, the online portal where members can update their information and renew their coverage, as well as improved the mobile application for easier document submission.

TennCare has alsoworked to increase the number of members who can be approved through the auto-renewal process. TennCare initiated several campaigns to encourage members to update their contact information and worked closely with health plans, advocates and providers to ensure that members completed this important step. TennCare has created a public toolkit for stakeholders to continue to maximize awareness of the renewal process. The toolkit and other resources can be found here: https://www.tn.gov/tenncare/information-statistics/unwinding-the-phe-for-partners/phase-ii–educate.html.

TennCare has been and is committed to making the renewal process as easy and user-friendly as possible so that those eligible can continue to receive TennCare benefits, but it is a critical requirement for Tennesseans who receive these benefits to participate in the process by updating their contact information and responding to all TennCare communication. To prepare for the renewal process, TennCare members should verify that their address is up-to-date by logging in to TennCareConnect.tn.gov or by calling 855-259-0701. Information for members can be found at: www.tn.gov/tenncare/renewals