News

The Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA) announces the application dates for this year’s Tennessee Agricultural Enhancement Program (TAEP) cost share program are Oct. 1-7, 2022. Producers fulfill requirements to defray the costs of strategic investments in their operations. The goal is to increase profitability and efficiency while promoting long-term investments in Tennessee’s agriculture.

“Agriculture plays a crucial role in Tennessee’s economy, and we’ve made strong investments to ensure the industry continues to thrive,” said Governor Bill Lee. “This program will benefit farmers across rural Tennessee, and I welcome every farm family to apply.”

TAEP has supported agricultural production projects through a cost share program for more than 17 years and has invested over $224 million in 74,619 producer projects. In their latest study, the University of Tennessee Agri-industry Modeling and Analysis Group estimates that each TAEP dollar generates $6.09 in local economies.

“This program promotes investment in long-term improvements on Tennessee producer operations,” Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher, D.V.M. said. “The success of TAEP can be attributed to Tennessee’s agricultural families who are committed to sustaining and expanding their businesses. TDA’s support from legislators, industry partners, and Governor Lee have kept the program going strong.”

Tennessee farmers who are applying for cost share assistance for the first time and have been farming fewer than ten years may be eligible for the Beginning Farmer option under Application A to improve their operation.

Producers may qualify for up to 50 percent cost share in a variety of programs. Application A covers livestock equipment, genetics, hay storage, herd health, livestock solutions, permanent working structures, dairy solutions, and row crop solutions. The hay storage program is available this year, alternating with hay equipment as an eligible program every other year.

Application B is for farmers with investments in agritourism, fruits and vegetables, honeybees, horticulture, organics, and value-added products. Application C is for commercial poultry growers.

Approval notifications will be mailed mid-December. Program purchases can be made starting Oct. 1, 2022 and must be completed by the program’s final reimbursement request deadline. Participants should make purchases and submit reimbursement requests in a timely manner to avoid processing delays.

Producers are encouraged to work with their local extension agent or a TDA representative to complete the application. For more information and program applications, visit www.TN.gov/taep or call1-800-342-8206.

STORY UPDATE:

Cannon County Sheriff’s Department reports that Devin Anthony Young is now in custody and lodged in the Cannon County Jail.

Local law enforcement personnel are asking the public to be on the lookout for a fugitive.

36 year old Devin Anthony Young has escaped custody while being placed under arrest. Devin is wanted for felony possession of meth, theft under a thousand-dollars, violation of probation, and resisting arrest.

Devin is a white male, 6’2”, 200lbs and was last seen shirtless, shoeless and handcuffed behind his back running down Bryson Street towards the dead end side in Auburntown.

If you or anyone you know sees him, use caution and call dispatch at (615) 563-9751.

The Tennessee Department of Transportation will halt all lane closure activity on interstates and state highways for the Labor Day holiday travel period.  Construction crews have stopped all lane closure activity until 6:00 a.m. on Tuesday, September 6^th. This will provide maximum roadway capacity for motorists traveling during the busy Labor Day holiday.

“The Labor Day holiday is typically a busy travel time,” said TDOT Commissioner Butch Eley. “We want to ensure that the thousands of travelers using Tennessee’s roadways during this period arrive at their destinations quickly and safely without being impeded by road construction delays.”

While lane closure activity will be stopped, workers will still be on-site in many construction zones, and drivers are urged to obey posted speed limits.  Drivers convicted of speeding in work zones where workers are present face a fine of $250 to $500, plus court fees and possibly increased insurance premiums.

Get the latest construction activity and live streaming SmartWay traffic cameras from your desktop or mobile device at www.TNSmartWay.com/Traffic. Travelers can also dial 511 from any landline or cellular phone for travel information or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/TN511 for statewide travel.  As always, drivers are reminded to use all motorist information tools wisely and Know Before You Go! by checking travel conditions before leaving for your destination.  Drivers should never tweet, text, or talk on a cell phone while behind the wheel.

Middle Tennessee Electric (MTE) leadership highlighted its current and future innovations, updated cooperative members about the status of the organization and answered questions during its livestreamed Annual Meeting Saturday, Aug. 27. In their report to the membership, Board Chairman Mike Woods and CEO Chris Jones discussed the great strides MTE made during 2021 to increase growth, provide better service to its members and fulfill its goal to be its members’ trusted energy professionals.   “Now more than ever, electricity is at the center of everyone’s daily life – home, work, education, travel, recreation, entertainment, healthcare – very little happens without a reliable source for electricity,” Woods said. “MTE has delivered on our mission of reliability for many years, and now we are investing in new solutions to meet today’s needs.”   In 2021, MTE partnered with TVA to pilot several renewable energy and community outreach programs. Its broadband subsidiary, United Communications, continued to expand its service area to unserved and underserved MTE members. As a strategic response to the surge of electric vehicles, MTE founded the first EV car club run by local electric cooperatives in the country. MTE continues to strengthen its infrastructure and incorporate SmartGrid technology to improve reliability and efficiency, allowing the co-op to provide power to its members at some of the lowest rates in the Tennessee Valley – 25 percent lower than the national residential average.   MTE leadership also emphasized the cooperative’s continued commitment to the communities it serves through a variety of programs, like its SharingChange foundation, which contributes thousands of dollars annually to charities and community causes. MTE also made its largest ad valorem tax payment in company history in 2021, directly benefitting the counties and cities it serves.   “Middle Tennessee is our home, too,” Jones said. “We were founded to serve our neighbors not only by providing safe, reliable and affordable electricity, but also by helping bring in jobs through economic development efforts and contributing however we can to make Middle Tennessee a wonderful place to call home.” Following this update from leadership, a Q&A session was conducted and questions from members were answered live. Members inquired about TVA’s Fuel Cost Adjustment, electric vehicles, renewable energy and broadband expansion across MTE’s service territory. Per the cooperative’s bylaws, the results of the election for four seats on the Board of Directors were announced during the Annual Meeting. Four members were re-elected: Gloria O’Steen – Williamson County, Mike Woods – Rutherford County, Charlie Bowman – Cannon County, and Vanessa Hickman – Wilson County.   MTE board members serve staggered three-year terms, and the Nominating Committee is responsible for nominating next year’s Board of Directors’ candidates.   The 2023 Nominating Committee election resulted in the appointment of Karen Paris and Juanita Patton from District 1 – Williamson County; Thomas “Teb” Batey, Jamey Faulkner, Danny Sapp and Richard Stone from District 2 – Rutherford County; Jeanne Melton from District 3 – Cannon County; and Zachary Butler, Ken Howell and Quintin Smith from  District 4 – Wilson County.   In an organizational meeting following the Annual Meeting, the board re-elected Mike Woods of Rutherford County as chairman, Steve Seger of Williamson County as vice chairman and Jim Mills of Wilson County as secretary-treasurer. To watch the Annual Meeting video, visit mte.com/AnnualMeeting.

Nearly every county in Tennessee experienced lower unemployment in July, according to new data provided by the Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD). Eighty-nine out of the state’s 95 counties saw their jobless numbers decrease during the month.   Unemployment increased slightly in five counties and remained the same in Robertson County.   Across the state, 73 counties recorded an unemployment rate lower than 5% in July. The remaining 22 counties had a rate of 5% or greater but less than 10%.   Williamson County had the state’s lowest rate in July at 2.6%. The latest figure is down 0.2 of a percentage point when compared to June’s rate. Cheatham County’s rate dropped from 3.2% to 2.8% to become the state’s next lowest rate for the month. Cannon County’s unemployment picture improved by three-tenths of a point moving from 3.8% in June to 3.5% in July. Perry County recorded the highest unemployment rate in the state. Its July number of 6.3% still accounted for a 0.5 of a percentage point decrease from June’s rate. Bledsoe County had the second-highest number for the month at 6.1%, which was also a 0.5 percentage point drop from the previous month.   Statewide, July’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate came in at 3.3%. This is the third consecutive month the state’s jobless number has been 0.1 of a percentage away from the all-time low unemployment rate of 3.2%.   Nationally, seasonally adjusted unemployment dropped slightly between June and July, down 0.1 of a percentage point to 3.5%.   County unemployment rates are not adjusted to take into account seasonal impacts on employment, such as school breaks and weather events.   TDLWD has prepared a complete analysis of the July 2022 unemployment data. That report is available here.   Tennesseans searching for employment can start at TNWorkReady.com. The site puts all of the Department’s job seeker services in one convenient location so they can find the in-person or online assistance they need.

Any purchase sight-unseen carries risk, and that’s especially true for livestock. Tennessee’s State Veterinarian is advising livestock buyers of best practices and legal requirements before purchasing animals for import into Tennessee.

“Emerging diseases and parasites have been introduced into Tennessee this year through infected livestock purchased without the buyer seeing the animals in advance,” State Veterinarian Dr. Samantha Beaty said. “I recommend buyers visualize animals in person before money changes hands to help minimize the risk of moving disease onto their farm or into their established herd. I discourage purchase of animals sight unseen from an online source where delivery is included. If it seems too good to be true, it likely is.“

Additionally, all animals moving into Tennessee are required by law to have a current health certificate issued within 30 days of movement and official identification where applicable by law. Buyers and shippers must adhere to all other state and federal import rules and regulations. These rules can be accessed at 0080-02-01.20210621.pdf (tnsosfiles.com).

If it isn’t possible for a buyer to see the animal or animals in-person before purchase, the buyer should consider having a licensed veterinarian conduct an examination. Having livestock checked by a veterinarian is the best way to detect disease before you spend money or introduce sick animals into your herd.

The Tennessee Department of Agriculture’s Animal Health Division is responsible for promoting animal health in Tennessee. The state veterinarian’s office seeks to prevent the spread of disease through import and movement requirements, livestock traceability, disaster mitigation, and the services of the C.E. Kord Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratory. The division collaborates with other health-related stakeholders, academic institutions, and extension services to support One Health, an initiative to improve health for people and animals.

“Please join the Cannon County Child Advocacy Center in welcoming our new Community Education Coordinator, Presley Hosford,” announced Cannon County Coordinator Amanda Hammond.

Hosford, a recent graduate of Middle Tennessee State University’s Child Development and Family Studies program, is a familiar face around the Child Advocacy Center. She interned for two semesters and discovered her passion for advocacy. “My experience at the Child Advocacy Center so far has been nothing short of wonderful,” said Hosford. “I take pride in the fact that we work hard every day to protect children and help their families.”

Hosford is a certified family life educator, and her experience and dedication to protecting children and families made her the perfect new fit for the Center’s small team. “I am so proud to work with a team that is dynamic and continuously growing. I want to make Cannon County a safer place for children,” she stated.

As the Community Education Coordinator, Hosford’s job is to train adults how to recognize the signs and symptoms of child sexual abuse using the Darkness to Light training curriculum. Education is the first step to preventing child sexual abuse, and Hosford is eager to start teaching adults in Cannon County what they can do to protect their children and grandchildren.

The Child Advocacy Center is a nonprofit agency that works as a Child Protective Investigative Team with the Department of Children’s Services, Woodbury Police Department, Cannon County Sheriff’s Department, and the District Attorney’s Office to respond to child abuse cases, aggressively prosecute offenders, and help child victims and their families heal from the trauma. Contact Presley Hosford at phosford@cannoncac.org or call (615) 563-9915 to bring the Darkness to Light child sexual abuse prevention training to your church, school, business, or civic group. For more information, visit the Darkness to Light website at www.d2l.org

Tennesseans are now finding the cheapest prices at the pump since early March. Gas prices across the state fell nearly 16 cents, on average, over last week, continuing an eight week trend of falling pump prices. The Tennessee Gas Price average is now $3.62 which is 81 cents less expensive than one month ago and 73 cents more than one year ago.  

“We’re still finding that fewer drivers are filling up, even despite gas prices falling eight weeks in a row,” said Megan Cooper, spokeswoman for AAA – The Auto Club Group. “Lower demand for gasoline coupled with oil prices that continue to trend lower are paving the way for plunging prices at the pump. This week, Tennesseans should expect another week of declining gas prices. However, it’s worth remembering that the fuel market has proven to be extremely volatile this year, and trends can change rather quickly if something reignites concerns about fuel supplies.” 

Quick Facts

• 72% of Tennessee gas stations have prices above $3.75 
• The lowest 10% of pump prices are $3.25 for regular unleaded 
• The highest 10% of pump prices are $4.03 for regular unleaded
• Tennessee is the 6th least expensive market in the nation

National Gas Prices

Despite steadily falling gas prices during the peak of the summer driving season, fewer drivers fueled up last week. It’s another sign that, for now, Americans are changing their driving habits to cope with higher pump prices. Meanwhile, the cost of oil has edged lower on fears of economic slowdowns elsewhere around the globe. Because of these factors, the national average for a gallon of gas fell to $4.05. 

Drivers can find current gas prices along their route using the AAA TripTik Travel planner.

Tennessee Regional Prices 

• Most expensive metro markets – Morristown ($3.86), Knoxville ($3.80), Memphis ($3.74)
• Least expensive metro markets – Clarksville ($3.37), Cleveland ($3.50), Chattanooga ($3.52)

Cannon County Elementary School (former Woodbury Grammar School) located at 530 West Adams Street, Woodbury and Cannon County Middle Schoollocated at 511 Annie Cox Drive, Woodbury would like to announce REVISED NEW Arrival and Dismissal Procedures for the 2022-2023 School Year.

Emily Hancock, Principal of Cannon County Elementary School and Cannon County Middle School stated, “As Principal at CCES/CCMS, I ask families to please be patient with the teachers and staff as we work through arrival and dismissal procedures with an increased number of students during the first few weeks of school. We will be working to make things flow as efficiently as possible. This will require flexibility and understanding from all parties involved. This includes sharing the message that Annie Cox Drive is NOW a ONE WAY Street from Lehman Street to West Adams Street, and being aware of increased traffic between 6:45 AM to 7:45 AM and 2:40 PM to 3:15 PM in the front of the school with buses entering onto West Adams Street. Also, Lehman Street will see an increase in Traffic. Please feel free to call 629-218-3201 or email emily.hancock@ccstn.net with questions, concerns or suggestions.”

The CCES/CCMS Arrival and Dismissal Procedures are as Follows:

Arrival & Dismissal Procedures: 

Important things to know about the upcoming 2022-2023 School Year is the traffic flow for parent pickup and drop off. Elementary & Middle School students will arrive & dismiss from the same locations, however, CCES Students will be in the cafeteria and CCMS Students will be in the gym until 7:30 AM.

Arrival: 

The doors by the CCES/CCMS Gym will be open from 6:55 AM – 7:45 AM to welcome students who are car riders. After 7:45 AM, students will have to be signed-in at the Middle School Office or Elementary School Office. During the 2022-2023 school year, construction will be happening on the east side of the building. Buses will be dropping off at the front of the building. If you have a Cannon County High School student riding the bus from Cannon County Elementary, please have them meet at the front of the building at 7:00 AM. 

Dismissal: 

At 2:40 PM, the back doors will open for parent pickup at the same doors as the morning. Two lines will form and students will be called as parents/guardians are pulled up to the loading locations. Buses will be called as they arrive and dismiss from the front doors of Cannon County Elementary School. Walkers will be released from the front doors of Cannon County Elementary at 2:40 PM.  

Annie Cox Drive is NOW a ONE WAY Street from Lehman Street to West Adams Street, and new signage is installed. Pre-K Students will arrive and depart via College Street access south of the big playground (See Diagram). Parents please use caution as construction will be occurring on the east portion of our campus.

With the 2022-23 school year beginning across the state, the Tennessee Department of Education has launched the “Know More, Learn More TN” campaign to encourage all Tennessee parents and families to log in to the redesigned TCAP Family Portal for on-demand access to their student’s TCAP assessment results.

This year, the Family Portal has been redesigned to improve user friendliness, offer clarity of the printed state score report, and provide more actionable resources for families and includes several new features—personalized student video reports in five languages, sample questions, questions for parents to engage with their student’s teacher about their scores, and historical data to track student achievement over time. 

“Thanks to the commitment of educators, parents, and district and school leaders, Tennessee students saw major academic improvements revealed in the 2021-22 TCAP results, bouncing back to pre-pandemic proficiency levels,” said Commissioner Penny Schwinn.“Now, parents and families can take the next step to log in to the TCAP Family Portal and continue partnering with their student’s teachers in essential discussions to support their student’s progress and how best to support their future success.” 

Parents and families can watch this short video, reference this graphic, or follow these three simple steps to access the TCAP Family Portal: 

1.       Find their student’s “unique access code” or “USID” on the bottom right-corner of the printed state score report.  

2.       Visit the Family Portal at KnowMoreLearnMoreTN.tnedu.gov. 

3.       Log in to find information on your student’s performance, a personalized video in your home language, questions to ask their teacher, and where they may need additional support. 

* To note: If a parent does not have a score report to reference, they should contact their school and ask for their student’s state ID number. They will add two zeroes in front of that seven-digit number to create an account.  
 

“This is a great way for parents to be able to look at each students’ specific data,” said Mrs. Emily Hancock, Principal, Cannon County Middle School, Cannon County Schools. “The TDOE has made this process easy and accessible for parents to support their student’s progress.”

“Cannon County Schools believe that all parents/guardians should have access to their student’s record of academic progress and performance.  By being a partner with their child’s school and teachers, this will provide a key to unlocking academic success.  The TCAP-EOC scores availability through the TCAP Family Portal is a major factor in supporting this partnership and empowers parents to advocate for their children’s academic needs immediately,” said Mr. William Freddy Curtis, Director of Schools, Cannon County Schools.“The TCAP Family Portal is a fantastic resource to assess the academic progress of students, and I would encourage our Cannon County families to take full advantage of this tool. This further assists parents to aid Cannon County Schools in OUR MISSION – “To Actively Engage in Academic and Instructional Excellence EVERY Day and in EVERY Way.” 

 “The family portal allows families to have direct access to the TCAP assessment results for their students,” said Dr. Marcia Melton, Supervisor of Instruction, Cannon County Schools. “Our schools will provide paper reports and will be happy to talk to families about how students are progressing and how we can support learning.” 

TCAP measures the mastery of grade level standards and includes summative assessments for English language arts, math, science, and social studies for grades 3-8, high school end-of-course (EOC) exams in English I and II, Algebra I and II, Geometry, Integrated Math I, II, and III; Biology, and U.S. History. 

The department will continue to update the Family Portal in the coming weeks. Later this summer, the department will add a Lexile measure to give parents more details about their student’s reading progress. 

Visit the department’s TCAP webpage for more information.