News

COVID-19 is on the rise in Cannon County according to the latest numbers from the State of Tennessee Department of Health.

The case count in Cannon County for the past 7 days is 215, for the past 14 days is 386. For the past 7days the department has averaged 51.9 tests per day and the average positive rate for COVID-19 is now 50.1%.

In Cannon County, 32.85% of the population has had at least one dose of vaccine. Only 29.88% of the county’s population is fully vaccinated.

The Cannon County Health Department is distributing the vaccine and welcomes “walk ins.”

Woodbury Grammar School located at 530 West Adams Street, Woodbury will cease On-Campus Learning on Friday, January 28^th, 2022 and Monday, January 31^st, 2022.  Students may return to On-Campus Learning on Tuesday, February 1^st, 2022. ALL Woodbury Grammar Students will be participating in Distance Learning during this time with specific details issued through the school and classroom teachers.  The Woodbury Grammar School Basketball Games scheduled for Thursday, January 27^th, 2022 – 6:00 PM with Auburn Elementary School at Woodbury Grammar School will be rescheduled.

Director of Cannon County Schools, William Freddy Curtis stated, “There has been a recent up-tick in the number of positive cases of COVID-19 with students and staff at Woodbury Grammar School this past week.  The following Statistics as of Thursday, January 27, 2022 indicate: 

Students – Total Woodbury Grammar School Students = 326

Total Positive Cases and Contacts = 80 Students or 25% of Total Students

Staff – Total 59 Staff Full and Part-Time

Total Positive Cases and Contacts = 20 or 33.8%.”  

Curtis continued, “We have been in consultation with the Tennessee Department of Education and have been approved for a COVID-19 Relief Waiver by Tennessee Education Commissioner Dr. Penny Schwinn to allow for Virtual Learning to take place on Friday, January 28^th, 2022 and Monday, January 31^st, 2022 for Woodbury Grammar School. These days will allow our custodial staff for additional deep cleaning and allowing time for these possible exposures and cases to diminish. Our Woodbury Grammar School Students will transition to ‘Distance Learning’ on Friday, January 28^th, 2022 and Monday, January 31^st, 2022.  Woodbury Grammar School Students may return to “On-Campus” learning on Tuesday, February 1^st, 2022.  Cannon County High School Students living in the Woodbury area will still have School Bus Service, departing from Woodbury Grammar School at the regular time, and the same occurring in the afternoon. Parents of Woodbury Grammar School have been contacted by School Officials via multiple means, and we sincerely appreciate their cooperation in these unprecedented times.  Thank you for your understanding.  Cannon County Schools appreciates the hard work of Woodbury Grammar School Principal Mrs. Emily Hancock, Teachers, Staff Members, School Nurses Mrs. Leslie Pelham and Emily Gilley, and Coordinator of School Health Mrs. Bonnie Patterson to continue the education of the children of the Woodbury Grammar School Community during this pandemic event. Please contact Woodbury Grammar School at 629-218-3201 for any additional needed information.” 

The Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance (TDCI) advises Tennessee consumers they may be eligible for their health insurance to cover over-the-counter (OTC) COVID-19 tests.

Recently, health insurers began to offer coverage for OTC COVID-19 tests. Under federal guidelines, these tests are either 1) at low or no cost at the point of sale, or 2) are reimbursed at low to no cost to the consumer.

Insurance companies will provide instructions to consumers for at-home OTC COVID-19 test reimbursement. These instructions may include lists of stores, pharmacies, and online retailers that members may use to obtain tests cost-free. Your insurer will reimburse for OTC COVID-19 tests regardless of purchase location.

“At-home COVID-19 tests help keep consumers safe through early detection,” said TDCI Assistant Commissioner Bill Huddleston. “Tennessee consumers should contact our team if they have any questions related to insurance coverage for COVID-19 testing.”

If Tennessee consumers purchase an OTC COVID-19 test from a pharmacy, store, or online retailer and are charged for the test, TDCI reminds consumers to ask for a receipt and submit a claim to their insurance company through the insurer’s website. If a consumer buys a pack of tests, the plan or insurer will reimburse the consumer. 

For additional guidance on OTC COVID-19 testing, visit the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services website for a list of frequently asked questions. 

If you have questions about this or other insurance matters, please contact TDCI’s Consumer insurance Services Division at 615-741-2218 or 1-800-342-4029 or visit TDCI’s website.

Commodity loans are currently available for producers of corn, wheat, and soybeans who have
crop year 2021 commodities in storage. Applicants must meet all eligibility requirements before
receiving these USDA benefits.

To be eligible, a producer must maintain continual beneficial interest in the crop from harvest through the earlier of the date the loan is repaid or CCC takes title to the commodity. Beneficial interest means retaining the ability to make decisions about the commodity; responsibility for loss or damage to the commodity; and title to the commodity.

Once beneficial interest in a commodity is lost, the commodity is ineligible for loan – even if the
producer regains beneficial interest.

These loans provide producers with immediate financing on their stored commodities held as
loan collateral. Instead of selling the crop immediately after harvest, these loans allow the
producer to store the crop for a maximum of 9 months to allow for market gains in the event of a
depressed market at the time of harvest. Applicants should allow 3-4 workdays for processing
and disbursing the loan proceeds.

Loans can be approved beginning at harvest and until March 31 for wheat and, until May 31 for
corn and soybeans. The 2021 crop year commodity loans rates for DeKalb and Cannon Counties
are as follows:

Corn—$2.31 / bu.
Soybeans—$6.35/ bu.
Wheat—$3.62/ bu.

The CCC interest rate for marketing assistance loans changes each month. For January 2022,
the interest rate is 1.250%.

Violating provisions of a marketing assistance loan may trigger administrative actions, such as
assessing liquidated damages, calling the loan and denial of future farm-stored loans.

For more information, call the DeKalb/Cannon County Farm Service Agency at 615-597-8225,
extension 2.

Three suspects are in custody after an attempted robbery of the Cash Express in Woodbury Tuesday (Jan. 25th) and a lengthy police pursuit that ended in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee.

According to reports, there was an attempted robbery of Cash Express in Woodbury Tuesday morning. Doors were locked and subjects were unable to complete the robbery. Because of this, witnesses were able to contact police and a pursuit was initiated. The pursuit ended in Wilson County when spike strips were deployed on Interstate 40 and the vehicle caught fire.

Three suspects fled on foot and carjacked an individual shortly after. Suspects were later apprehended when they fled on foot once they traveled to the end of a dead-end road.

Arrested were; Jaquan Brown, 21, Marques Newsom, 21, Quenterius Anton Lewis, 21, all of Nashville. 

Coffee County authorities believe the suspects involved in the Woodbury attempted robbery and pursuit are the same ones who committed armed robbery at Manchester Cash Express on January 18th. Police also believe the suspects are tied to an armed robbery at a Cash Express in White Bluff, Tennessee on January 10th.

The Nashville of the Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms bureau will be handling the investigation.

On National Poll Worker Recruitment Day, Secretary of State Tre Hargett launched a new statewide campaign, Be an Election Hero. Become a Poll Worker., to encourage Tennesseans to serve their community as poll workers for the 2022 election cycle. “We cannot run elections in Tennessee without poll workers. They are the most fundamental piece of the process,” said Secretary Hargett. “That is why we are encouraging Tennesseans, especially young adults, to step up to serve their community as poll workers and be the next generation of election heroes for our great state.” During early voting and on Election Day, poll workers help polling sites in their community run smoothly by conducting various tasks, including greeting voters, answering questions, explaining how to cast a ballot, and counting votes. Poll workers are paid for working during early voting and on Election Day, as well as for attending required training sessions. Most Tennesseans are eligible to work as poll workers, regardless of political affiliation. The minimum age to work as a poll worker is 16 years old. Anyone over 18 must be a registered voter in the county they are serving in. Qualifications to Be a Tennessee Poll Worker: – Be at least 16 years old – Be a registered voter in the county if 18 or older – Be able to read and write in the English language – Not be a candidate or close relative of a candidate – Not be supervised by a county or municipal elected worker on the ballot Government Employees Who Can Serve as Poll Workers: – All City, County and Metro employees (unless working directly under the supervision of an elected worker on the ballot) – State of Tennessee employees – Federal employees – consult your Human Resources Department to ensure eligibility “It takes thousands of poll workers to help Tennessee’s 95 county election commissions run elections so that voters can confidently cast their ballot and know the election results are secure,” said Coordinator of Elections Mark Goins. Established by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, National Poll Worker Recruitment Day aims to raise awareness about the important role poll workers play in elections. For the latest information about becoming a poll worker or upcoming Tennessee elections, follow the Secretary of State’s social media channels Twitter: @SecTreHargett, Facebook: Tennessee Secretary of State and Instagram: @tnsecofstate. To step up to serve your community as a poll worker, apply now at GoVoteTN.gov.

After last year’s virtual audible, the annual Middle Tennessee Grain Conference is back in-person on Tuesday, February 1st at the University of Tennessee Space Institute, located at 411 B.H. Goethert Pkwy in Tullahoma, TN. Building on 16 years of success, this exceptional conference offers farmers some of the most practical insights and real life solutions to emerging crop production issues to date.

Registration is $10 at the door with pre-registration also available for your convenience through your local UT-TSU Extension county offices. Registration fees cover the cost of program materials, refreshments, lunch, resource thumb drive, and a conference toboggan (one per person).

Once again, the Middle Tennessee Grain Conference will not only feature practical research-based education, but also one of the area’s largest trade shows with dozens of vendors on hand to showcase what’s new, efficient, and effective in our industry. The conference will begin at 8:30 a.m. with a welcome from a cast of statewide agricultural leaders followed by a slate of hand-picked informative speakers covering topics such as “Grass & Vine Control in Corn”, “Grain Storage Economics: Bins vs. Bags”, “Farm Transition Planning”, “Implementation of TN Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy”, and many more.

Lunch will be provided by “The View” Dining Hall and is again graciously sponsored by GreenPoint Ag. Following the scenic meal, our keynote speaker, Shannon Norwood, Precision Agriculture Manager with Tri-Green Equipment, will present on “Futuristic Farming Technologies”.

At adjournment, participants will need to turn in completed evaluations to receive their *new* conference toboggan and thumb drive loaded with pesticide manuals, budgets, and other valuable resources. Immediately following will be a recertification opportunity for producers planning to use Dicamba and Paraquat chemistry in 2022 (Gramoxone). Cost of this training is an additional $25 per person to be paid on-site at the time of training.

For complete details on conference topics and to pre-register, contact your local UT-TSU Extension Office. The Middle Tennessee Grain Conference is open to all eligible persons regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, disability or veteran status.

This spring, there will be two opportunities to receive or renew your Master Beef Certification. The UT Extension Office is happy to announce that you will have the opportunity to participate in a “live” class or a virtual class that will be offered via zoom. Both classes cost $75.00 and covers all materials, access to videos, etc.

The dates of the virtual class are Jan 25^th, Feb. 1^st, 8^th, 15^th, and 22^nd, and March 1^st, 8^th, 15^th, and 22^nd. All classes will be a lunch time webinar from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM CST. Prior to the first class, you will be sent a link to register for each individual class. Then you will receive an e-mail with a zoom link prior to each meeting. This link will also serve to take you to the recording of the meeting in case you missed the original.

The live classes will be held March 24^th and 31^st and April 5^th and 7^th. All classes will be held at the Centertown Community Center located at 92 Gilbert Street and will begin at 6:00 PM. To register please come by the Cannon County Extension Office.

January 23^rd – 29^th, 2022, is School Board Appreciation Week in Tennessee. Cannon County Schools is joining public school districts from across the state to celebrate School Board Appreciation Week and honor local board members for their commitment to Cannon County and its children. The theme “Building the Future” reminds us to celebrate the unique role school boards play in building a future for their students, championing and advocating for quality education, and governing their local public schools. As the elected/appointed representatives of the people in their local communities, they represent their local communities’ voice and vision for the future of their public schools. “It takes strong schools to build a strong community, and these men and women devote countless hours to making sure our schools are helping every child learn at a higher level,” Director of Cannon County Schools William Freddy Curtis said.

The school board’s main goal is to support student achievement, Curtis added. To achieve that goal, the board focuses on the following needs:

• Creating a vision for what the community wants the school district to be and for making student achievement the top priority;

• Setting the direction of the school district to achieve the highest student performance;

• Ensuring progress is measured to be sure the district’s goals are achieved and students are learning at expected levels;

• Supporting a healthy and safe school district culture in which to work and to learn;

• Forming partnerships with others in the community to solve common problems; and

• Focusing on continuous improvement by questioning, examining, revising, refining, and revisiting issues related to student achievement.

Even though we are making a special effort during the last week of January to show appreciation for our school board members, we recognize their contributions reflect a year-round effort on their part,” Curtis said.

“Our local school board impacts every student every day in Cannon County by influencing the high-quality of education that our children and youth receive. The Cannon County Board of Education shows its commitment to educational excellence and equity–and for that we are very grateful for their attitude of service.  Our deepest appreciation is extended to the dedicated men and women who make it possible for local citizens to participate in education. We salute the public servants of the Cannon County Board of Education whose commitment and civic responsibility make local control of public schools in our community possible.  They have committed to hundreds of hours in research and meetings this past year to refine and amplify the Districts’ Vision, Mission and Goals. Which are:  Vision – ‘To Actively Engage in Excellence EVERY Day in EVERY Way!’ Mission Statement – ‘To Create a Unified Environment That Will Provide Opportunities for All Students to Succeed and Reach Their Full Potential.’ Goals: ‘Cannon County Schools will: Provide a safe and supportive learning environment in a unified community; Creating a ‘Culture of Excellence’ through high expectations in all areas; Engage families and the community as partners in the learning process; Develop and implement a long-range facilities plan that provides opportunities and resources for all Students, Faculties, and Staffs.’ Recently the Cannon County Board of Education adopted a historic measure for Modernization and Restructuring of Cannon County Schools with Submission of the 5-Year Plan for Cannon County Schools to actualize Goal 4 – Develop and Implement a long-range facilities plan that provides opportunities and resources for ALL students, facilities, and staff.’ The implementation of this 5 Year Plan will be intense in the up-coming weeks and months and will involve great change and hard work on ALL staff in Cannon County Schools.  This is the first step in a series of many steps on a journey that will impact succeeding generations of students in Cannon County.” 

This month’s back-to-back winter storms have created an abundance of potholes along interstates and state highways. TDOT is using all available staffing to repair the damaged areas as quickly as possible.

As the weather allows, multiple crews will be patching potholes over the coming days and weeks. Cold mix asphalt is currently being used for repairs. Asphalt plants may open during the day and allow crews to use hot mix for more permanent repairs in some areas. However, it may be spring or early summer before more permanent repairs are made throughout the state. Full-scale paving may be necessary to repair more severe locations fully. Dedicated crews will be assigned to interstates, while smaller groups will focus on state routes.

Please note – inclement weather, other emergency repairs, or incidents may disrupt daily repair schedules. TDOT does not count individual potholes, keep a tally of how many potholes have been repaired or the cost of repairs per pothole. These repairs are part of normal highway maintenance operations. Below is what we’ve spent so far this year and what we’ve spent in past years.

Statewide Expenditures for pothole patching

• FY2022 (thru 1/19/22) – $3.32M ($9.16M budget)
• FY2021 – $7.23M ($8.91M budget)
• FY2020 – $8.11M ($8.60M budget)
• FY2019 – $8.79M ($7.17M budget)

Motorists should be prepared for short-term traffic delays during these repair operations. While every effort will be made to perform repairs during off-peak travel times (9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. weekdays), some lane closures may extend into the late afternoon, evening, and weekends. We ask drivers to be patient and watch out for TDOT crews on interstates and state highways. Work with Us – move over, slow down.

Motorists can alert TDOT to potholes using this form: https://www.tn.gov/tdot/maintenance/maintenance-request.html