News

The Tennessee Department of Health is urging all Tennesseans who have not yet received a flu vaccine this flu season to get one as soon as possible. For the fourth consecutive year, Tennessee county health departments hold special “Fight Flu TN” flu vaccine events in every county on November 9 to increase the number of people vaccinated against influenza across Tennessee.

All Tennessee county health departments are holding Fight Flu TN clinics on November 9. No appointments are needed to receive a flu vaccine during these events. Event hours and details will vary from county to county. Find a map of Fight Flu TN locations and contact information online at www.tn.gov/health/fightflu.

TDH and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend a yearly flu vaccine for everyone ages six months and older. Pregnant women, infants, the elderly, and people with certain medical conditions are at the highest risk of severe complications from the flu. Typical flu symptoms include fever, cough, congestion, and body aches, and they will recover on their own after about a week. If you suspect you or someone in your family has the flu, call your health care provider for advice.

“This flu season, I encourage all eligible Tennesseans to make it a priority to get their flu vaccine,” said Tennessee Department of Health Commissioner Lisa Piercey, MD, MBA, FAAP.

“As we prepare to gather together for the holidays, I hope all Tennesseans are considering vaccinations to protect themselves and their family from serious illness, whether that is flu or COVID-19.”

The flu virus is highly contagious. To prevent the spread of the flu virus to others, ensure you follow recommended precautions such as proper hygiene, including handwashing, covering your coughs or sneezes with a tissue or your elbow, and staying at home if you are sick.

Individuals may receive both the flu vaccine and the COVID-19 vaccine at the same time. For more information on seasonal flu and COVID-19, visit https://www.cdc.gov/flu/season/faq-fluseason-2021-2022.htm.

Learn more about preventing seasonal flu at www.cdc.gov/flu/consumer/index.html.

The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) mobile household hazardous waste collection service will be in Rutherford county on Saturday, Nov. 6.

Tennesseans are encouraged to bring household hazardous waste – including cleaning fluids, pesticides, batteries and more – to a designated drop-off location. A person does not need to live in the county to participate.

The drop-off location is:

Rutherford County – Murfreesboro Solid Waste Department, 4765 Florence Rd., Murfreesboro, 8 a.m.-noon. The contact is Mac Nolen at (615) 898-7739.

“This is an excellent opportunity in these areas for citizens to dispose of household hazard waste properly,” David Salyers, commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Environmental Conservation, said. “The COVID pandemic affected collections last year, and we are eager to provide the service again at sites across the state.”

Since the program’s inception in 1993, more than 360,000 Tennessee households have properly disposed of more than 23 million pounds of material. There have been over 1,400 one-day collection events.

Household hazardous waste materials are considered flammable, toxic, reactive and/or corrosive and should not be placed with regular garbage. Typical items to dispose of include cleaning fluids, pesticides, mercury thermometers and thermostats, fluorescent lamps, lithium and button batteries, aerosols, adhesives, medications, brake fluid, swimming pool chemicals, paint thinner and used needles in sturdy containers. Items not accepted include ammunition, explosives, alkaline batteries, paint, electronics, and any empty containers that should be disposed in normal trash. There is no cost or appointment necessary for household hazardous waste collection.

While household waste may be disposed for free, there is a cost for disposal of Conditionally Exempt Small Quantity Generator Waste (i.e. wastes from non-household sources such as businesses, schools, farms, churches, etc.)  An appointment is also necessary. Call (615) 643-3170 to request a price quote and schedule an appointment.

Many counties and municipalities meet the needs of local residents by providing collection of batteries, oil, paint, antifreeze and electronic scrap – or BOPAE, as it is sometimes called. When handled correctly, these BOPAE materials are minimally hazardous, but inappropriate for collection at household hazardous waste events. Tennesseans are encouraged to contact their local city or county solid waste department to find BOPAE collection sites in their area.

When transporting materials to the site, place containers in sturdy boxes lined with newspaper to prevent spills and cross-contamination in the trunk of a car or back of a truck. Be sure to keep materials away from children and pets.

For more information on the household hazardous waste mobile collection service, please call 800-287-9013 or visit this TDEC link.

The United Way of Rutherford and Cannon Counties recently welcomed its newest team member, Haley Adams, Director of Marketing and Communications. “I’m looking forward to marrying two of my passions – communication and serving others – with my new role at United Way,” shared Haley.

Prior to joining United Way, Haley served as the Marketing Coordinator for Murfreesboro Medical Clinic and the Director of Fund Development for the Tennessee Breast Cancer Coalition. She is a lifetime Rutherford County resident and a True Blue MTSU Graduate, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Organizational Communication. Haley is an active member of Rutherford Cable, serves as a tnAchieves mentor, and has served as a member of the Special Kids Race Committee.

United Way President and CEO, Meagan Flippin, stated, “We are thrilled to add Haley to the UWRCC team. Haley’s experience in fund development and healthcare marketing will be a great asset to United Way. Additionally, Haley possesses a strong work ethic and drive that will benefit our mission. I am confident she will be incredibly impactful in her new role.” Visit yourlocaluw.org to view the full staff listing and to learn more about United Way of Rutherford and Cannon Counties

This week, U.S. Representative John Rose (TN-6) led the Tennessee Congressional delegation to introduce a bipartisan resolution recognizing the 100^th anniversary of the Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation (TFBF), celebrating their long history of representing farmers across the state. This legislation is cosponsored by Representatives Diana Harshbarger (TN-1), Tim Burchett (TN-2), Chuck Fleischmann (TN-3), Scott DesJarlais (TN-4), Jim Cooper (TN-5), Mark Green (TN-7), David Kustoff (TN-8), and Steve Cohen (TN-9).

“I could not be more proud to be a farmer and voting member of the 100-year-old Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation,” said Rep. Rose. “TFBF is the largest Farm Bureau in America and is the collective voice for farmers in Nashville and Washington. Every member of the Tennessee Congressional delegation relies on TFBF to one extent or another to stay tuned into what challenges and opportunities exist for 21^st century farmers. The importance of Farm Bureau for agriculture cannot be overstated.”

“We are honored Congressman Rose and the Tennessee House Delegation are recognizing Tennessee Farm Bureau’s 100^th anniversary,” said TFBF President Jeff Aiken. “We appreciate the resolution and thank them for their support of our century-year old organization, and even more so, their support of the farmers and rural people we have served for the past 100 years. As we step into the next 100 years, we look forward to working together to ensure the voice of agriculture remains strong in Tennessee.”

Woodbury Grammar School was reportedly to have been full of “smoke” according to a passerby who called 911 that “smoke” was seen in the foyer of the school.  Woodbury Fire Department was dispatched to the scene, as well as school officials. The “smoke” was actually a fog released for pest control at the school during Fall Break when students were not present. 

The Cannon County Board of Education voted at its October 14^th, 2021 to contract with Cook’s Pest Control for Brown Recluse Spider eradication to take place during Fall Break, October 18^th – 22nd.   On Wednesday, October 20^th Cooks’ Pest Control personnel sett off multiple foggers in the school.  The Fire Alarm was set not to go off for the fogging situation and the security monitoring company was notified.  However, a passerby saw the “smoke” in the lobby and called 911 regarding the “smoke.”  Woodbury Fire Department Officials came to the scene, as well as, school officials.  The “all clear” was given and no actual fire or smoke was detected.

Director of Cannon County Schools, William Freddy Curtis stated, “We are appreciative of the Cannon County Board of Education for voting to have a persistent problem at Woodbury Grammar School to be addressed.  However, the unintended consequence of this pest control treatment was to alarm community members with a belief that this pest control fog was “smoke.”  Proper precautions were made with our Fire Alarm Service, but notification was not passed on to local emergency officials.  Cannon County Schools apologizes for the inconvenience to the community for this ‘false alarm.’  Other schools were and are being treated also, and thus far was not a problem for those schools.  We appreciate all the concern about Woodbury Grammar School, so hopefully this pest control situation will be worth all the difficulty and inconvenience.”  

Curtis continued, “We look forward to our students being back in our buildings and learning to resume on Monday, October 25^th after Fall Break!  This situation is indeed a ‘teachable moment’ for our Cannon County School Officials, Cannon County Emergency Officials, and the Town of Woodbury Emergency Officials.” 

October 18th to 22nd is Charity Fraud Awareness Week, and Secretary of State Tre Hargett is reminding Tennesseans of resources available from his office to help avoid scams.

“Tennesseans are incredibly generous and want to support each other and the causes we believe in through charitable giving,” said Secretary Hargett. “Unfortunately, there are people that will take advantage of that spirit of giving. That’s why it’s important to make sure you are giving to a legitimate organization and we have resources that can help.”

The Wise Giving Tips are:

• If a nonprofit asks you for a contribution, check to see if it’s registered online sos.tn.gov/charitable or by calling 615-741-2555.

• Take your time. Resist pressure to give on the spot.

• Ask Questions. If an organization has a specific mission, ask how and who will benefit from your donation.

• If you are asked for a donation via text or email, verify the request is directly from the charity or nonprofit.

• Do your own research and don’t assume a social media or blog recommendation has been approved by the nonprofit.

• If you give through an app or website, ask if it is going directly to the organization.

• Avoid giving cash. Always ask for a receipt and if your contribution is tax deductible.

• Pay close attention to the name of the nonprofit organization, as there are many with similar names.

• Don’t forget there are many ways to give, such as volunteering your time.

• If a paid fundraiser asks you for a donation, ask how much is kept by the fundraiser and how much goes to the nonprofit.

Any charity that raises over $50,000 a year must register with the State of Tennessee. To see if a charity is registered visit, sos.tn.gov/charitable or call 615-741-2555.

As Tennessee’s charity officials, please report any false, misleading or deceptive fundraising activity to the Division of Charitable Solicitations and Gaming at 615-741-2555.

To help avoid charity fraud and maximize the impact of Tennessean’s donations, the Secretary of State’s Division of Charitable Solicitations and Gaming created a Wise Giving Tips video available on sos.tn.gov.

The Tennessee State Veterinarian issued an order allowing the distribution of a newly released vaccine to protect again Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease. Because this vaccine is under emergency use authorization, Tennessee will be approving veterinarians individually until emergency approval status is lifted by the Center for Veterinary Biologics. Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus 2 (RHDV2) is a highly contagious and often fatal foreign animal disease that affects domestic rabbits, wild hares, and pika.

In a statement, the state vet’s office emphasized that the authorization is not intended to restrict access, but is being used as a precaution due to the fact that the vaccine is not fully licensed. The vaccine has been authorized conditionally, with an Emergency Use Authorization, there are specific steps and documentation required to distribute the vaccine. Only licensed veterinarians are currently allowed to administer the vaccinations, and the State Veterinarian’s office is working with Medgene to track distribution and use of this new product. We do this with other conditional use biologics and vaccines.

TDA would like to be able to monitor distribution and also trace animals that may enter the food chain until the emergency approval status is lifted.  Rabbit owners need to work directly with a veterinarian for the vaccination. Veterinarians may contact Medgene to order vaccine and the company will reach out to the State Vet’s office for approval. Additional questions should go to the State Vet’s office at 615-837-5120.

Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce has organized a Job & Resource Expo for today — Wednesday, October 13, at the Manchester Coffee County Conference Center, located at 147 Hospitality Blvd. This is a multi – county, employer, and resource event. More than 20 different employers with a variety of jobs will be on hand.

Multiple employers will be on hand, as well as colleges and technical career centers. Priority service will be given to eligible veterans. The fair and expo is from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.  Black Rifle Coffee Company will be on hand serving coffee, a food truck will be on site and water will be provided.

Recent figures show there were more than 69,000 domestic violence incidents reported in Tennessee in 2020. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s Domestic Violence Report for 2020 also shows that domestic violence accounted for 90 murders in the state.

Governor Bill Lee has proclaimed October as Domestic Violence Awareness month, following the national observance. During Domestic Violence Action Week, the state capitol will be lit in purple to represent those who are and have been impacted by domestic violence.

“Communities across Tennessee have worked to help victims of domestic violence by opening full-service Family Justice Centers at 13 locations in the state,” Office of Criminal Justice Programs (OCJP) Director Jennifer Brinkman said. “These centers help victims plan for their safety, meet with police or prosecutors, get medical care, find shelter, get help with transportation or childcare, all in one place to make it easier for people to safety plan or leave dangerous situations. The centers help people find their path out of abusive situations.”

Since the Tennessee Family Justice Center Initiative started in 2012, federal funding from OCJP has totaled more than $15 million. The centers are in Anderson, Claiborne, Davidson, Hamilton, Haywood, Knox, Madison, Overton, Putnam, Scott, Shelby, Sullivan and Washington counties.

If you are a victim of domestic violence or you know someone who is, help is available 24/7/365 at 800-356-6767.

Providing a safe and supportive learning environment where students are able to focus on skills needed for a successful future is the top priority of the Cannon County School district.   Bullying and internet safety prevention are part of Cannon County Schools’ School-Wide Positive Behavior Support program.  The school system has developed the following strategy statement regarding bullying behaviors:

We recognize bullying as the deliberate use of any word, look, sign, or act that hurts a person’s body, feelings, or things. We also recognize bullying as a type of violence that occurs when someone uses his or her power unfairly and repeatedly to hurt someone else.  

To make our school violence-free and safe from bullying, we pledge

·        not to tolerate bullying

·        to intervene in incidents of bullying and strictly enforce rules against bullying

·        to empower students to report bullying behavior and to treat one another with respect

As a part of the Bullying Prevention Program, students as well as all staff, participate in lessons designed to help him/her

·        define bullying and understand what behaviors are considered bullying

·        understand the effect of bullying behaviors and develop empathy for targeted students

·        learn ways to respond to bullying behavior

·        learn when and how to report bullying

·        learn the consequences the school has established for engaging in bullying behavior

The overall goal of the Bullying Prevention program is to empower students to report bullying behaviors and to give school staff the tools to recognize, intervene, and issue consequences for bullying behaviors they witness or hear about from students. Students who bully receive appropriate consequences to help them realize that bullying behavior isn’t appropriate and won’t be tolerated at school. 

Additionally, all students participate in lessons concerning internet safety.  Parents may also continue this conversation by using the “NetSmartz® Workshop” which may be found on the Cannon County School District’s homepage or “Stop Bullying.gov”.  “NetSmartz Workshop” is an interactive, educational program of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children® (NCMEC) that provides age-appropriate resources to help teach children how to be safer on- and offline. The program is designed for children ages 5-17, parents and guardians, educators, and law enforcement. With resources such as videos, games, activity cards, and presentations, NetSmartz entertains while it educates provides information to parents on how to keep students cyber-safe.  You may access this information at www.ccstn.net  under “Departments-Coordinated School Health- Bullying Prevention”.  

Cannon County Schools also encourage the public to use the SafeTN platform which is a secure open-door platform where anyone can send in timps and access useful resources to help keep your school and community safe.  SafeTN is a secure, open door communications platform.  The anonymous reporting system allows students, faculty, parents, and the public to easily and confidentially report their concerns to help prevent violence in our schools and our communities. Tips can be submitted 24/7 through the mobile app from any compatible device. The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security will review, assess, and then send all submissions to law enforcement, mental health crisis response teams, and/or school administrators for intervention based on the information received.

With SafeTN, you can anonymously report suspicious or criminal behavior and other safety concerns. You can do this by reporting observed threats, behaviors, or actions. Here is an example of some of the common behaviors and incidents to report:

• Assault
• Sexual misconduct
• Bragging about an upcoming planned attack
• Violence or planned violence
• Physical injury or harm to self or others
• Threats of violence

 SafeTN is free. Students, staff, parents, and the community need only to download the free mobile app on a compatible device.  You can find more information by visiting our district webpage. 

For questions regarding the Bullying Prevention program and how it is implemented, parents may contact their child’s school principal, school counselor, or Mrs. Bonnie Patterson, Coordinator of School Health at 629-201-4801 Extension 10125 or bonnie.patterson@ccstn.net.