News

“You only have four days left to bid on the items in the Hometown Heroes Silent Auction,” announced Child Advocacy Center Development Coordinator Katie Enzor.  “The drop-dead deadline is Friday, April 29 at 12:00 noon!” 

The silent auction is hosted on the Child Advocacy Center’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/CACRutherford.  All proceeds from the Silent Auction and the Walk will help the Child Advocacy Center provide critically needed services for child abuse victims.  You do not have to participate in the walk to bid on the incredible silent auction items.   

“All donations in Cannon County support the Cannon County Child Advocacy Center and all donations in Rutherford County support the Child Advocacy Center of Rutherford County,” stated Cannon County Coordinator Amanda Hammond. 

Highlights of the silent auction include the Mural of Tennessee guitar designed by Jennifer Owens and donated by Fat Guy’s BBQ, Murfreesboro Ladies Sewing Group handmade pinwheel quilt, Staybridge Suites Night Away from the Kids, Chop House gift card with 2 bottles of wine, Cannon Power Shot camera, Texas Roadhouse dinner for two Basket with rib seasoning and steak sauce, Fred’s Flooring area rug with carpet cleaners, and Friendship Quilters Guild of Smyrna handmade quilt.   

During Child Abuse Prevention Month every April, the Child Protective Investigative Team hosts the Hometown Heroes Walk for Children to encourage local support for child abuse and child sexual abuse victims.   

For 22 years, the Child Advocacy Center has worked closely with the Department of Children’s Services, law enforcement, and the District Attorney’s Office to investigate and prosecute over 17,000 child abuse cases, assist over 27,000 individuals, and train over 13,000 people how to protect children.  

The Board of Parole (BOP), Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC), Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) and Tennessee Rehabilitative Initiative in Correction (TRICOR) are hosting local events next week to honor crime victims during National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (NCVRW), April 24-30. At each event, they’re also recognizing victim advocates for their work.  

The sponsoring agencies will host events in Nashville, Chattanooga and Memphis next week:

• Monday, April 25 – Tree planting ceremony in Nashville at 10 a.m. CDT at Tennessee State Library and Archives (1001 Rep. John Lewis Way North).
• Wednesday, April 27- Dove release in Chattanooga at 11 a.m. EDT at Chest Frost Park (2277 Gold Point North, Hixson, TN 37343).
• Friday, April 29 – Lantern release in Memphis at 2 p.m. CDT at Shelby County Office of Re-Entry (1362 Mississippi Blvd., Memphis, TN 38106).

“We look forward to hosting these events in person again to help raise awareness of local resources available to victims and renew our commitment to serve victims of crime,” said Parole Board Chairman Richard Montgomery.

TDOC Interim Commissioner added Lisa Helton, “The Tennessee Department of Correction is committed to ensuring a safer Tennessee for all families. Through recognized principles and evidence-based practices, our focus remains on reducing the risk of repeat criminal behavior, recidivism, and future victimization.”

The theme of this year’s NCVRW — Rights, access, equity, for all victims— underscores the importance of helping crime survivors find their justice by enforcing, victims’ rights, expanding access to services and ensuring equity and inclusion for all.

Learn more about National Crime Victims’ Rights Week at National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, April 24–30, 2022 (ojp.gov).

The state veterinarian confirms that a horse in Smith County has tested positive for West Nile Virus (WNV). The 22-year-old horse has been euthanized.

Mosquitoes transmit WNV and although humans can contract the virus, horses do not transmit the disease to humans or horses. Symptoms in horses may include fever, weakness, loss of appetite, or convulsions. There is no cure for WNV, and the illness can cause lasting effects and can be fatal.

“There are actions horse owners can take to prevent WNV,” State Veterinarian Dr. Samantha Beaty said. “Good preventative care includes control of mosquitoes and vaccination against WNV. Work with your veterinarian on a vaccination plan for your animals and manage the environment around your animals to deter mosquitos.”

Tips to prevent viruses include:

• Eliminate standing water sources and damp areas where insects could gather and breed.
• Manage manure and disposal.
• Keep barns clean and apply fly sprays and insect repellants as needed.
• Never share needles, dental, or surgical equipment among different animals.

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.

An Emergency Meeting of the Cannon County Board of Education has been scheduled for Friday, April 22^nd 2022 – 6:00 PM at the Cannon County Board of Education Central Office, Cannon County Adams Office Building Board Room, 301 West Main Street, Woodbury, TN 37190.  There are four items on the Agenda:  Roll Call, Approve Agenda, Acquisition of Hoover Property – Eminent Domain, and Adjourn.  A scheduled FY23 Budget WORKSHOP will be held immediately following the Emergency Meeting.

The public is invited to attend this Emergency Meeting and this Budget Workshop in regard to the FY2023 Budget of the Cannon County Board of Education which must be presented to the Cannon County Commission Budget Committee by May 15^th, 2022.

For media inquiries, please contact Mr. William F. Curtis, Director of Cannon County Schools at 629-201-4801 Extension 10101 or at williamf.curtis@ccstn.net for local Cannon County Schools information.

Cost share incentives for tree planting and forest stand improvement activities are currently offered in preparation for the May sign-up period. The Tennessee Department of Agriculture’s Division of Forestry (TDF) encourages family woodland owners to apply for technical and financial assistance to establish or enrich their forests. Loggers can apply to improve harvesting capacity and enhance protection of water quality.

“The Division of Forestry’s landowner assistance programs promote sustainable forest management on family-owned private woodlands for the multiple uses and benefits provided by forested landscapes,” State Forester David Arnold said. “The cost share model assists landowners and the loggers and sawmills who buy from them in implementing forest management practices that yield healthy, resilient, and productive forests.”

Financial assistance to landowners and loggers is available through numerous agencies and programs. Each program has different objectives, and TDF Area Foresters can help navigate options, eligibility rules, and sign-up periods. Most programs reimburse the recipient a share of the cost. Cost shares can range from covering 50 to 100 percent of costs, and most have a maximum of $15,000 per program, per recipient.

Forestry programs under the Tennessee Agricultural Enhancement Program (TAEP) promote long-term investments in Tennessee’s forests by providing cost share incentives to qualified landowners and loggers. The programs support sustainable forest management practices on forestland for timber, wildlife habitat, clean water, and soil protection by providing incentives to establish or manage hardwood or softwood forest stands. TAEP is also available for loggers and sawmills to avoid environmental and water quality impacts resulting from timber harvesting.

The Duck and Elk River Watershed Buffer Initiative cost share program was created five years ago by a coalition of Tennessee’s forest and wildlife conservation agencies and organizations. This program aims to improve riparian zones, address critical aquatic habitat, and improve overall forest health in Bedford, Coffee, Dickson, Franklin, Giles, Hickman, Humphreys, Lewis, Lincoln, Marshall, Maury, Moore, and Williamson Counties.

The Southern Pine Beetle Initiative (SPBI) encourages establishment of pine forest stands that are resistant to infestations and management of existing stands to make them more resilient. SPBI helps timber harvesters reduce operational costs associated with harvesting small acreages or hauling distance to a market. The USDA Forest Service provides funds for this initiative, and TDF administers the allocations.

Contact your local Area Forester to learn more about these and other financial assistance programs, determine eligibility, apply, and implement a plan. Learn more online at www.tn.gov/agriculture/forests/landowners/financial.html. For more information contact the Cumberland District Office in Cookeville at 931-526-9502.

Starting today, AAA – The Auto Club Group is encouraging Tennesseans to stop by their local AAA office to pick up a free “Slow Down Tennessee” yard sign. These visual reminders are AAA’s way of reinforcing safe driving messages in local communities as part of the “Slow Down Tennessee” campaign.

To find a AAA location near you, visit AAA.com/branches. For more information on the “Slow Down Tennessee” campaign, visit tntrafficsafety.org/speeding. 

“Our traffic safety research consistently reveals a strong ‘do as I say, not as I do’ attitude towards risky driving behaviors – including speeding. Drivers know speeding is dangerous, yet they continue to do it while behind the wheel,” said Tennessee Public Affairs Director, Stephanie Milani of AAA – The Auto Club Group. “We’re encouraging Tennesseans to stop by their local AAA office to pick up yard signage to display in their local neighborhoods to serve as a reminder for passing motorists to slow down and drive safely.”

Previous research done by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that the faster a driver is going before a crash, the less likely it is that they’ll be able to get down to a survivable speed even if they have a chance to brake before impact. Higher speed limits also have the potential to cancel out the benefits of vehicle safety systems.

A recent AAA Consumer Pulse^TM Survey of Tennesseans found that:

• While 64% of Tennesseans are very concerned about the danger speeding drivers pose in regards to roadway safety, the majority of Tennesseans had personally driven 5 miles per hour over the posted speed limit in the last 30 days.
• 70% of Tennesseans agreed that it is safe to travel over the speed limit if you’re keeping up with the flow of traffic
• Over a quarter of Tennessee drivers find it acceptable to drive 10 mph over the posted speed limit
• Only 1 in 10 residents felt that everyone should drive the posted speed limit

Attentive Drivers Will Spot Roadside Workers and First Responders

Speeding drivers also endanger the lives of AAA tow providers and other emergency responders. An average of 24 emergency responders are struck and killed by a vehicle – while working on the roadside – every year. An attentive driver is more likely to notice an emergency worker on the roadside and move over. Not only is that the law, but it saves lives.   

With one of the longest running summative assessment programs in the country, Tennessee’s 2021-22 Spring Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) testing window begins Monday, April 18th and will close on Friday, May 6th. Students in schools across the state will take state summative assessments in general education subject areas—including English language arts (ELA), math, science, and social studies— to collect valuable data to inform strategic decision-making on how to best support Tennessee students.  

During the 2020-21 school year, the state achieved a 95% participation rate in state summative assessments, which far exceeded the 80% goal established by Public Chapter 2, which was passed during the January 2021 Special Legislative Session. While state-level results from the 2020-21 Spring TCAP assessments show that pandemic-related disruptions to education led to expected declines in student academic proficiency across all subjects and grade bands, these declines were mitigated as a direct result of the hard work of Tennessee’s districts, schools and educators.

“Tennessee teachers, districts and schools consistently put the needs of their students first to ensure they are learning each and every day and are on pathway to success,” said Commissioner Penny Schwinn. “For parents and teachers especially, annual assessment data is a helpful measure of student progress that helps support learning and achievement year after year.” 

Annual TCAP assessments are an essential part of Tennessee’s public education system and serves multiple purposes for the state, including: 

• Provides feedback about students’ academic progress and how it aligns with grade-level expectations 
• Gives families and teachers a high-level perspective about how a student is progressing compared to peers across the district and state, including a student’s strengths and growth opportunities 
• Builds confidence and transparency about students’ readiness for postsecondary and the workforce among Tennessee colleges, universities, and employers 
• Helps educators strengthen instruction and reflect on their practice 
• Highlights exemplar districts and schools to learn from across the state 

Over the past two years, Tennessee has released hundreds of free and optional assessment resources to support educators with a statewide formative platform, Schoolnet. Additionally, the department is continuing to add enhancements to the TCAP Family Portal, which provides parents and caregivers with on-demand access to their students’ state test results. Enhancements will be available in the coming months and include easier to understand graphics and language, historical test information and progress over time, personalized videos of their students’ results, and connections to literacy resources. 

TCAP includes summative assessments for English language arts (ELA), 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. TCAP also includes the TCAP-Alternate Assessment for students with disabilities, and the optional TCAP Grade 2 Assessment in math and ELA. 

For more information on the state’s assessments, click here. To learn more about the TCAP Family Portal, score reports, and see sample test questions, visit Best for All Central’s Featured Family Resources. 

Tennessee marked a milestone in March when statewide unemployment dropped to its lowest rate in history. Data from the Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD) showed the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased to 3.2%, the lowest level ever recorded.   The decrease of 0.2 of a percentage point in March allowed the month to eclipse the previous all-time low rate of 3.3%, recorded in August 2019. The latest rate is 1.7 percentage points lower than it was this time last year.   Tennessee reached this historic low just 23 months after it marked its all-time highest unemployment rate of 15.9% in April 2020, during the height of pandemic-related business closures across the state. Also, setting high marks in March were Tennessee’s seasonally adjusted civilian workforce at 3,370,618 and the number of Tennesseans employed, which came in at 3,261,531.   Total nonfarm employment increased by 8,100 jobs between February and March. The education and health services sector created the most jobs during the month. The professional and business services and the leisure and hospitality sectors were responsible for the next highest gains in employment.   Tennessee employers added 124,800 jobs over the last year. The largest increases occurred in the leisure and hospitality sector, followed by the trade, transportation, and utilities sector, and then the professional and business services sector. Nationally, unemployment also dropped in March. The seasonally adjusted rate for the United States decreased by 0.2 of a percentage point to 3.6%. The rate is down 2.4 percentage points in a year-to-year comparison.   TDLWD has produced a complete analysis of the March 2022 seasonally adjusted unemployment data. That report is available here.   While the state’s unemployment rate is at a historic low, there are still Tennesseans searching for meaningful employment. Employers have tens of thousands of jobs they need to find the right person to fill. TDLWD has the resources available to match job seekers with companies that are hiring. The journey to better employment starts at www.TNWorkReady.com.

The Tennessee Department of Transportation is joining states across the nation to ask motorists to Work with Us – move over and slow down for highway workers. TDOT will spread that message statewide during National Work Zone Awareness Week (April 11-15) to improve safety in Tennessee’s interstate and highway construction and maintenance work zones.

“It’s been six years since our TDOT family lost three employees struck and killed by passing motorists, and it’s still fresh in our memories,” TDOT Interim Commissioner Joe Galbato said. “Hundreds of TDOT employees are working on our highways each day. We need motorists to work with us by moving over and slowing down for our workers and first responders along our interstates and state routes. We ask drivers to pay attention to signs, observe the hands-free law, reduce your speed, and move over when possible.”

The spring and summer months provide perfect weather for highway work. Work zones include everything from major interstate widening projects to pothole patching and mowing. Motorists will encounter work zones across the state. Last year in Tennessee, 26 people died in work zone crashes.

TDOT launched the Work with Us – Move Over, Slow Down safety campaign five years ago to help bring awareness to the importance of safety in work zones. To learn more about the campaign, see the answers to many frequently asked questions about work zones, and take the Work with Us pledge, click on the Work with Us link below.

 

TDOT’s overhead Dynamic Message Signs will display work zone safety messages on interstates in Memphis, Nashville, Chattanooga, and Knoxville. Prominent buildings and bridges will be lighted in orange, and “Work with Us – Move Over, Slow Down” signs are posted at work zones across the state, displaying this message at various locations statewide.

This Wednesday, April 13th, is “wear orange day”. Please show your support for National Work Zone Awareness by wearing orange. Throughout this week, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as TDOT will be posting photos, infographics, and videos to broaden awareness of the importance of driving safe and undistracted, especially through work zones.

In 2021, there were 4,034 crashes in work zones on Tennessee roads. Do your part to keep yourself and TDOT road workers safe – set your GPS in advance and Know BEFORE You Go, secure your phone in a Hands-free device, and Work With Us by moving over and slowing down when you see vehicles with flashing lights.  

Cannon County High School juniors Dustin Johnson and Lexie LaDuc were in Nashville March 21-23 for the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association’s annual Youth Leadership Summit. The juniors were selected and sponsored by Middle Tennessee Electric (MTE).

Delegates to the event receive a hands-on look at state government, learn networking and leadership skills and develop a better understanding of their local electric cooperatives.

Tre Hargett, Tennessee Secretary of State, welcomed the students to the Capitol where they visited with legislators, sat in on committee meetings and debated and voted on a mock bill.

“It was a great honor bestowed upon me to attend the 2022 Youth Leadership Summit in Nashville TN,” said Johnson. “I had such a good time learning more about how our state government operates. This has broadened my knowledge about electric co-ops and how they are tied to our state and local government, as well as our community. I also enjoyed meeting fellow Tennessee juniors, and I hope that the network connections I made there will follow me throughout my career.” 

In addition to meeting lawmakers and experiencing the state Capitol, students also developed their leadership and teambuilding skills at the Joe C. Davis YMCA Outdoor Center at Camp Widjiwagen, completed a leadership training course with leadership expert Amy Gallimore and met Trooper Shane Moore and K9 officer Sumo from the Tennessee Executive Protection Detail. Students also spent a morning at Middle Tennessee Electric in Murfreesboro for a behind-the-scenes look at an electric cooperative.

“I had such a great experience at the Youth Leadership Summit. I learned so much about the workings of our state capital and the electric co-ops that help our community,” said LaDuc. “I am so thankful to have been selected for this trip.”

Delegates to the Youth Leadership Summit are encouraged to be leaders and use their talents to improve rural Tennessee.

“The future is built on the investments we make today, and there is no greater investment that we can make than to prepare these young people to face the opportunities and challenges of tomorrow,” said Todd Blocker, vice president of member relations for the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association and director of the Youth Leadership Summit. “These students are selected by their local electric co-ops, school officials and guidance counselors, and they truly are the best and the brightest. The Youth Leadership Summit is an example of the many ways that electric co-ops are building a brighter Tennessee.”

“The future of our community depends on strong, well-prepared leaders,” says Chris Jones, president/CEO for MTE. “Leadership is a skill that can be improved with effort and learning, and programs like the Youth Leadership Summit are investments that will pay dividends long into the future. It is an honor for MTE to help prepare them for the opportunities that are ahead.”