News

Middle Tennessee Boy Scouts Council announced their selection for the 2022 Cannon County Good Scout Award this week.

Teddy Taylor was named the recipient of this year’s honor. Taylor was inducted into the Cannon County Sports Hall of Fame in 2013.  The Tennessee Secondary Schools Athletic Association (TSSAA) honored him with their Athletic Director’s Contributor of the Year Award.

Taylor’s contributions include his work with numerous sports events from his work with the Junior Pro Basketball league to driving the bus delivering the teams to their contests.  He recently wrapped up a successful season as coach of one of Westside Elementary School’s basketball teams.

For the past several years, WBRY AM-FM has depended on Taylor’s talent as the lead sportscaster for coverage of Cannon County Lions and Lionettes Basketball.

Director of Schools William F. Curtis presented the 2022 Cannon County Good Scout Award at this week’s luncheon.

Attorney General Herbert H. Slatery III, along with New York Attorney General Letitia James, announced today they have secured $141 million from the owner of TurboTax, Intuit Inc. (Intuit), for deceiving consumers into paying for tax services that should have been free. All 50 states and the District of Columbia have signed onto the agreement. In Tennessee, approximately 111,000 consumers will be eligible to receive payments of about $30 for each year during tax years 2016-2018 they used a paid TurboTax product when they qualified to file free through the IRS program.

“The last thing anybody needs at tax time is more confusion and complexity over filing,” said General Slatery. “I appreciate working with New York Attorney General Letitia James and coordinating with our fellow attorneys general on this settlement.”

An investigation into Intuit began after ProPublica reported that the company was using deceptive digital tactics to steer low-income consumers toward its commercial products and away from federally-supported free tax services.

Intuit has offered two free versions of TurboTax. One was through its participation in the IRS Free File Program, a public-private partnership with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), which allows taxpayers earning roughly $34,000 and members of the military to file their taxes for free. In exchange for participating in the program, the IRS agreed not to compete with Intuit and other tax-prep companies by providing its own electronic tax preparation and filing services to American taxpayers.

In addition, Intuit offers a commercial product called “TurboTax Free Edition,” which is only free for taxpayers with “simple returns” as defined by Intuit. However, this TurboTax “freemium” product is only free for approximately one-third of US taxpayers. In contrast, the IRS Free File product was free for 70 percent of taxpayers.

The multistate investigation found that Intuit engaged in several deceptive and unfair trade practices that limited consumers’ participation in the IRS Free File Program. The company created confusion by using similar names for both its IRS Free File product and its commercial “freemium” product. Intuit bid on paid search advertisements to direct consumers who were looking for the IRS Free File product to the TurboTax “freemium” product instead. Intuit also purposefully blocked its IRS Free File landing page from search engine results during the 2019 tax filing season, effectively shutting out eligible taxpayers from filing their taxes for free. Moreover, TurboTax’s website included a “Products and Pricing” page that stated it would “recommend the right tax solution,” but never displayed or recommended the IRS Free File program, even when consumers were ineligible for the “freemium” product.

Intuit will pay $141 million in restitution, of which roughly $2.5 million will be used for administrative fund costs.

Under the agreement, Intuit will provide restitution to millions of consumers who started using TurboTax’s Free Edition for tax years 2016 through 2018 and were told that they had to pay to file even though they were eligible to file free using the version of TurboTax that Intuit offered as part of the IRS Free File program. Consumers are expected to receive a direct payment of approximately $30 for each year that they were deceived into paying for filing services. Impacted consumers will automatically receive notices and a check by mail.

Intuit has also agreed to reform its business practices, including:

• Refraining from making misrepresentations in connection with promoting or offering any online tax preparation products;
• Enhancing disclosures in its advertising and marketing of free products;
• Designing its products to better inform users whether they will be eligible to file their taxes free; and
• Refraining from requiring consumers to start their tax filing over if they exit one of Intuit’s paid products to use a free product instead.

Intuit withdrew from the IRS Free File program in July 2021.

New York and Tennessee led the multistate investigation with support from the attorneys general of Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Washington. All 50 states and the District of Columbia joined this agreement. The states wish to think the Federal Trade Commission for its assistance in the investigation.

To access the settlement, click here: https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/attorneygeneral/documents/pr/2022/pr22-14-avc.pdf

Attorney Matthew Cowan will be the next General Sessions Judge for Cannon County. A margin of 111 votes separated Cowan and Attorney Tony Cain. Current General Sessions Judge Susan Melton decided to not run for re-election.

Cowan told WBRY News he was grateful to the voters for the confidence they placed in him.

A total of 1,709 persons voted in the May Primary. In early voting, 696 voted, 38 were absentee and mail ballot, 38. On election day, 975 persons voted.

Cowan had 898 votes or 53%, Cain 787 had votes or 46%.

The Big Payback is an annual 24-hour, online giving celebration raising money and awareness for more than 1,000 area nonprofits, schools and faith-based organizations.

Together, since 2014, Middle Tennesseans have cumulatively raised more than $25 million, with a total of 180,583 donations from around the globe benefiting area organizations.

Organizations in Cannon County participating in the Big Payback include:

Arts Center of Cannon County

Cannon County Community for Animals

Cannon County Rescue Squad

Cannon County Senior Center

Cannon County Substance Abuse Coalition

CASA of Cannon County

Spay It Forward of Cannon County

The Big Payback goes online at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, May 4 through 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 5. You can learn more at the website of Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee.

Today, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee marked the close of the 2022 legislative session, which includes the passage of his $52.8 billion budget and full agenda as outlined during his State of the State address in February.

“Tennessee is America at Its Best, and we’ve made strategic investments to cut taxes, strengthen infrastructure and invest in education at every level to prepare our state for future growth,” said Gov. Lee. “I thank Leader Johnson and Leader Lamberth for carrying key legislation, and commend the General Assembly for passing measures that will benefit Tennesseans and continue our state’s reputation for conservative fiscal management.”

Lee’s agenda included the most substantive reform to education funding in more than 30 years, the Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement (TISA). The student-centered plan dedicates an historic $1 billion in additional recurring funding to improve public education for every child in Tennessee, including a modernized approach that funds each student based on their individual needs.

The slate of budget and legislative priorities also included significant investments in higher education, proven crime prevention and improving transportation infrastructure. Notably, Lee led a 30-day grocery tax suspension proposal that will provide direct financial relief to Tennesseans this August amid surging inflation nationwide.

Highlights from Gov. Lee’s agenda include the following:

K-12 Education

• $1 billion investment in new, annual recurring education funding
• Through the Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement (TISA), replaced the 30-year-old BEP funding formula with a student-centered approach to public education
• $500 million to make CTE improvements in all middle and high schools
• Ensures parents know what materials are available to students in their libraries
• Makes computer science and coding available to every high school student in Tennessee
• $124.7 million to provide a well-deserved increase into the teacher salary pool
• $16 million recurring and $16 million nonrecurring to the Charter Schools Facility Fund to support the operation of high-quality charter schools

Higher Education

• $88.6 million in dedicated lottery funds to increase the 4-year HOPE Award to $4,500—5,700 per student, per year, and the 2-year HOPE Award to $3,200 per student, per year
• $90 million to fully fund the higher education outcomes-based formula
• $200 million for TCAT infrastructure investments to help double the skilled workforce by 2026
• $6 million to establish the Institute of American Civics at the University of Tennessee

Safe and Secure Tennessee

• Adds 100 Highway Patrol Troopers 100% funded by the state
• Creation of a Multi-Agency Law Enforcement Training Academy
• Creation of a $100 million Violent Crime Intervention Fund for law enforcement agencies across the state to invest in evidence-based programming and resources
• Expansion of state funding for law enforcement basic training and increasing the frequency of training for new recruits
• Directs the Department of Safety and Homeland Security to create a plan so every house of worship in Tennessee can receive high-quality safety training
• Strengthens laws around human trafficking

Supporting Tennessee Families

• Expanding funding for relative caregiver placements for children in foster care
• Establishing a childcare support program for all foster families, regardless of their DHS eligibility
• Expanding TennCare’s Health Starts Initiative to support maternal health and holistic care for mothers and children

Modernizing Tennessee Infrastructure

• Additional $100 million for the IMPROVE Act to ensure progress on key projects
• $519 million toward road infrastructure projects to support economic development projects, as well as mobility in our fastest-growing counties.

Good Government

• Rainy-Day Fund increased to $1.8 billion, up from $1.55 billion
• 30-day suspension of state and local grocery sales tax to provide direct financial relief to Tennesseans
• Cuts CDL licensing red tape to ease supply chain and transportation challenges

Rural Tennessee

• $83 million to reimburse public hospitals for uncompensated care, primarily in rural communities
• $55 million to increase access to home and community-based services via the Medicaid Pathways to Independence program

Healthy Tennessee

• $25.5 million to provide adult dental benefits for 610,000 Tennesseans eligible for TennCare
• $11.8 million toward a multiyear commitment to recruit and retain dental providers, as well as provide much-needed dental care for prosthodontic services
• $10 million toward the goal of attracting over 150 new primary care residents
• $7 million for substance abuse clinical treatment and addiction recovery programs

Beautiful Tennessee

• $40 million to invest in environmental cleanup, including National Priority List sites
• $28 million to eliminate the deferred maintenance backlog at State Parks
• $25 million for West TN River Basin projects

Asset Management

• $2.541 billion for higher education and general government capital improvements over the next several years
• $214.8 million for capital maintenance, ensuring deferred maintenance is addressed within current capital assets

Today, the Tennessee Department of Education released a statement on the passage of the Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement (TISA) Act (SB2396/HB2143) by the Tennessee General Assembly: 

“Tennessee students deserve every opportunity to grow, learn and achieve. Our elected officials have made clear their commitment to the success of our children and the success of our state by approving the Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement, bringing $1 billion in new, recurring dollars for Tennessee’s students, the largest recurring investment for public education in our state’s history. 
 
“We thank Governor Bill Lee and the Tennessee General Assembly for recognizing the time is now to invest in all students, and as a department, we are dedicated to accelerating student achievement for the benefit of all students and our state. For kids in our state, this means a lot.” 

To learn more about student-based funding and the Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement (TISA) Act, visit the department’s website.  

Spring cleaning season is here, and people across Tennessee are preparing to clean out their medicine cabinets and safely and securely dispose of medications that are expired or no longer needed during National Prescription Drug Take Back Day.  Take Back Day is this Saturday, April 30 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

During the October 2021 Take Back Day, Tennesseans safely and securely disposed of nearly 17,000 pounds of medications at 112 sites across the state.  In the decade that the Drug Enforcement Agency has organized Take Back Day, Tennesseans have safely and securely disposed of more than 330,000 pounds of medications.

In Cannon County the drop off location is Woodbury Drug Center, 604 West Main Street. The hours will match the national campaign of 10:00am to 2:00pm.

Find a Take Back Day event or permanent prescription drop box at this link

The bi-annual medication collection event comes as authorities from the DEA to the TBI are warning of the danger of counterfeit prescription pills that are laced with fentanyl.  The DEA estimates that four out of every 10 counterfeit pills bought on the street or over the internet or social media apps contain a lethal dose of fentanyl.

That’s having deadly consequences across the country, but the effects are most strongly felt among young adults and teens.  Overdose deaths among American teens nearly doubled from 2019 to 2020, and researchers estimate the 2021 numbers will show another 20% increase in overdose deaths.  Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show fentanyl overdose deaths among teens increased by nearly 170% in just one year.

Safely disposing of unwanted pharmaceuticals at drop-off locations across the state helps ensure medicines are not misused or accidentally taken by someone they were unintended for.

“We have an incredible opportunity to prevent drug misuse by removing prescription medications from our homes, but we also have a real chance to save lives by talking to our young people about the dangers of prescription drug misuse.  Pills purchased through a social media app or passed around at a party could have life-changing consequences, and parents can influence their child’s decisions just by having a conversation,” said Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services Commissioner Marie Williams, LCSW.

“Take back events provide an opportunity to educate individuals and families on the unintended consequences of not properly disposing of unused prescription drugs,” said Tennessee Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Lisa Piercey, MD, MBA, FAAP.  “While we continue to see an increase in illicit drugs in our communities, we must remain diligent in preventing prescription drug misuse.  While one pill can kill, one pill can also be the beginning of misuse, abuse, and addiction.”

“We want everyone to realize that disposing of prescription drugs by flushing them down the toilet can affect our drinking water,“ David Salyers, commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, said.  “This program is an important and responsible way to address the problem, and we appreciate the partnership with the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services in this effort.”

In addition to collecting prescription medications, Tennessee’s Substance Abuse Prevention Coalitions are holding informational events to share information about overdose reversal, strategies for parents, and details on connecting to addiction treatment.  You can connect with the coalition that serves your area at this link.