The whereabouts of six-year-old Kinzleigh Ray Reeder, who has been missing since May 26, are still unknown. However, authorities believe she may be with her non-custodial father, 34 year old Nicholas Ray Reeder.  Anyone who sees the child or her father is encouraged to alert authorities.

The child was removed from the custody of Reeder’s custody after they were found camped out under a bridge in rising creek water on the cold rainy night of March 18 at Dry Creek and Pea Ridge Road. Authorities learned that Reeder had driven his Nissan Rogue off the roadway into the creek bed where it got stuck during heavy rain and creek flooding. Kinzleigh was with Reeder at the time.

Reeder was later charged with child abuse and neglect and Kinzleigh was placed into the temporary custody of a family member by the Department of Children’s Services. After Reeder’s release from jail, DCS gave Reeder approval to live in the same home where Kenzleigh was staying.

On Monday, June 21, the Department of Children Services contacted the Sheriff’s Department seeking to file a missing child report. Under a court order signed June 16, the Department of Children Services was granted custody of Kinzleigh but DCS has not been able to locate her since May 26, when they say she was seen by a family member.

Murfreesboro will soon have a facility that does open heart surgery. The Tennessee Health Services and Development Agency has granted Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford approval of its Certificate of Need application to add adult open heart surgery to its well-established cardiac program. Hospital officials say the new unit will fill a gap and make heart surgery more available between Nashville and Chattanooga.

The application was heavily supported by the local community as well as by civic and business organizations, including physician groups, MTSU, BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, Maury Regional Medical Center, Unity Medical Center and local and state government officials. The physician recruitment phase of the program will begin later this year.

Ascension Saint Thomas will invest more than $5.6 million in its Rutherford hospital to establish the open heart surgery program. Existing cardiac surgery clinical pathways and protocols in place in Nashville will be used to develop a high-quality program at Rutherford.

Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford is currently accredited with the Joint Commission and will continue to comply with the standards of the American College of Cardiology, the American Hospital Association and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons.

The Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC) has launched Victim Information and Notification Everyday (VINE), a free service that provides crime victims, their families and concerned citizens with reliable information about custody status changes and criminal case information for offenders who are currently in the custody of TDOC.

The VINE system allows individuals to opt-in to receiving electronic notifications, have more control over the type of notifications received, and choose the method in which they are notified. Additionally, because many county jails already use the VINE system, TDOC hopes this addition will help to streamline victim notifications. VINE will be used in conjunction with TDOC’s current victim notification system, which provides written notice of offender’s location, transfer, sentence expiration, release, and parole eligibility.

Anyone wishing to receive updates via VINE should log on to VINELink.com, select Tennessee from the dropdown menu, and search for the offender by name or offender ID. Once located, register to receive notifications by phone, email, TTY, and text message. Live operators are also available to provide support 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 888-868-4631.

TDOC’s Victim Services Unit serves all victims of crime and provides not only notification services to keep victims informed but also offers crisis intervention and advocacy, community education and referrals to other state and community resources.

If you are a victim of crime and have questions about notifications, resources or services available to you, please email victim.notification@tn.gov.

TDOC Introduces New Victim Notification Service

The Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC) has launched Victim Information and Notification Everyday (VINE), a free service that provides crime victims, their families and concerned citizens with reliable information about custody status changes and criminal case information for offenders who are currently in the custody of TDOC.

The VINE system allows individuals to opt-in to receiving electronic notifications, have more control over the type of notifications received, and choose the method in which they are notified. Additionally, because many county jails already use the VINE system, TDOC hopes this addition will help to streamline victim notifications. VINE will be used in conjunction with TDOC’s current victim notification system, which provides written notice of offender’s location, transfer, sentence expiration, release, and parole eligibility.

Anyone wishing to receive updates via VINE should log on to VINELink.com, select Tennessee from the dropdown menu, and search for the offender by name or offender ID. Once located, register to receive notifications by phone, email, TTY, and text message. Live operators are also available to provide support 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 888-868-4631.

TDOC’s Victim Services Unit serves all victims of crime and provides not only notification services to keep victims informed but also offers crisis intervention and advocacy, community education and referrals to other state and community resources.

If you are a victim of crime and have questions about notifications, resources or services available to you, please email victim.notification@tn.gov.

Cannon County Schools is pleased to announce Ashley Patrick as Physical Education-Wellness Teacher and Head Girls Basketball Coach at Cannon County High School beginning with the 2021-2022 School Year. 

Patrick has taught most recently at Woodland School in 2019-2020 and 2020-2021, previously at Murfreesboro City Schools 2018-2019 and part of 2019-2020 (before transferring to Cannon County Schools), and Rutherford County Schools in 2016-2017 and 2017-2018. 

Coach Patrick met with CCHS Girls Basketball Players on Wednesday, June 16^th, 2021 and will be conducting Girls Basketball Tryouts on Saturday, June 19^th, 2021 from 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM for Freshman – Seniors.  She will be meeting with Girls Basketball Parents and Boosters at a later date and will be taking the Lionettes to Summer Basketball Camps.  

Upon being named CCHS Girls Basketball Head Coach Mrs. Ashley Patrick commented, “I am very thankful for the opportunity to lead the Lionettes program. I am especially eager to get to work and hope to see everyone come out and support your Lionettes this upcoming season!”

Cannon County High School Principal Courtney Nichols commented, “I am extremely excited to welcome Mrs. Patrick to the faculty as Cannon County High School as both Physical Education teacher and head coach of the Lionettes basketball program! It is always a joy when we have alumni of our school return to be a part of our family at CCHS. Ashley brings youth, energy, and passion to our school. I know that she will make a tremendous impact on our students that she works with in the classroom not only in the lessons she teaches but in the example she sets for living a healthy and active life. She will also be an exceptional leader for our basketball program and a role model our girls can look up to and emulate. We are excited and looking forward to all that she will lead the Lionettes to accomplish both on the basketball court and off!”

New Cannon County Athletic Director Jeran Tenpenny stated, “I am thrilled to have Coach Patrick as our new girls basketball coach. Ashley is a Lionette herself who played during a period of tremendous success for the program. She is excited and looking forward to bringing that level of excitement and energy back to the team. Ashley has a passion and dedication not only to Lionettes’ basketball but also to Cannon County as a whole, as it is the place she has always called home. We are joyful to have that kind of vested interest in our basketball team, school, and community. Beyond what she will lead the Lionettes to accomplish as basketball players, I know she will help mold them into women who are prepared to be successful in all facets of life, beyond just basketball. We are looking forward to a bright season and future for the program and invite all Cannon Countians and Lions and Lionettes fans to help us in welcoming “one of our own” home to continue to the historic tradition and pride that is Lionettes Basketball!”

Director of Cannon County Schools William Curtis commented, “I am glad to have Ashley Patrick in Cannon County Schools as an outstanding Physical Education – Wellness Educator at Cannon County High School.  She did outstanding work at Woodland Elementary School the past year and half and will bring excitement and energy to the Lionettes Basketball program!  I believe her pride and school spirit as a former team member of the Lionettes will be a great motivator for our CCHS Girls Basketball Team and Program, and will instill our VISION and MISSION of Cannon County Schools – VISION – ‘Engaged in Excellence EVERY Day in EVERY Way!’ through OUR MISSION – ‘To Create a Unified Environment That Will Provide Opportunities for All Students to Reach Their Full Potential!’ in our student athletes!”

U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency Executive Director Donny Green reminds producers to report planted, prevented planted, and failed acres to establish or retain FSA program eligibility. For planted crops, the following acreage reporting deadlines are applicable for Cannon and DeKalb Counties for the 2021 crop year:

July 15:  Corn, soybeans, cucumbers, okra, peppers, potatoes, pumpkins, squash, strawberries, tomatoes, watermelons, cantaloupes, peas, and perennial forage (hay and pasture).

July 31:  Hemp

Aug. 15:  Green beans

Dec.  15:  Fall-seeded small grains (wheat)

The following exceptions apply to the above acreage reporting dates:

•             If the crop has not been planted by the above acreage reporting date, the acreage must be reported no later than 15 calendar days after planting is completed.

•             If a producer acquires additional acreage after the above acreage reporting date, the acreage must be reported no later than 30 calendars days after purchase or acquiring the lease. Appropriate documentation must be provided to the county office.

•             If a perennial forage crop is reported with the intended use of “cover only,” “green manure,” “left standing” or “seed,” the acreage must be reported by July 15, 2021.

Producers must report crop acreage they intended to plant but, due to natural disaster, were prevented from planting. Prevented planting acreage must be reported on form FSA-576, Notice of Loss, no later than 15 calendar days after the final planting date, as established by FSA and the Risk Management Agency. According to Green, the final planting date for corn was May 20, 2021 and the final planting date for soybeans was June 15, 2021.

Producers with failed acres should also use form FSA-576, Notice of Loss, to report failed acres. For losses on crops covered by the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program and crop insurance, producers must file a Notice of Loss within 15 days of the occurrence of the disaster or when losses become apparent. Producers must timely file a Notice of Loss for failed acres on all crops including grasses.

Contact the DeKalb/Cannon County FSA office at 615-597-8225 to schedule an appointment to file your crop year 2021 crop acreage report. To find your local FSA office, visit www.farmers.gov.

Javin Fann, who is in his second term as a member of the Cannon County School Board, and has been serving as chairman for two years has submitted his resignation from the panel. 

Fann’s brief letter detailed frustration with challenges faced by the board in doing its work.

He said, “I have given Cannon County Schools five years of my life, giving it with open mind and spirit.  Going into it I truly thought that I could make positive changes to help the students of Cannon County.  Having said that I realize that it is truly to no avail.” He continued, “The powers that be do not truly want what is best for the Children of Cannon County.  I am not going into details about specifics, but my opinion and concerns are of no value.  Due to my time that has been sacrificed and ignored for the most part I hereby am turning in my resignation.”

Fann was elected in 2016, and again in 2020, to represent District 4.

Cannon County Schools Director Freddy Curtis expressed sadness, and said, “We sincerely appreciate the service of  Javin Fann of District 4 for the past five years on the Board and as Chairman of the Cannon County Board of Education for the past nearly two years.” Curtis noted that Fann has been instrumental in developing both VISION and MISSION of Cannon County Schools – VISION – ‘Engaged in Excellence EVERY Day in EVERY Way!’ through OUR MISSION – ‘To Create a Unified Environment That Will Provide Opportunities for All Students to Reach Their Full Potential! He also wished Fann the best.

Curtis has informed other school board members and county officials of Fann’s resignation.  To fill the position on an interim basis, the vacancy has been placed on the agenda for the next monthly meeting of the county commission on Saturday, July 10th, at 10:00 a.m. at the courthouse. Individuals interested in serving on the school board on an interim basis must live in District 4 and discuss their interest with their county commissioner.  The full commission will vote for this open position, and the individual approved will serve until the General Special Election is held next year.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is warning the public about a reported phone scheme involving a man presenting himself as a representative of a human trafficking task force.

The scheme reportedly uses the phone number of the Tennessee Human Trafficking Hotline, as well as a number associated with the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. The caller, who reportedly identifies himself as “Ryan McClain,” states he represents the “Nashville Human Trafficking Task Force” and informs the individual their phone number has been identified as being on the phone of a human trafficking victim, and if they want to have their name “cleared,” they need to pay a large sum of money.

Anyone who receives a similar phone call should ignore the caller’s message and report it to the TBI at 1-800-TBI-FIND or online at www.ic3.gov.

A long time Cannon County educator has been named principal of Short Mountain Elementary School. Director of Schools Freddy Curtis has named Candice Prater Lewis to the post.

The new principal has lived in Cannon County most of her life. She graduated from Short Mountain Elementary School and Cannon County High School. She is a graduate of Motlow State Community College and earned a Master in Instructional Leadership from Tennessee Technological University.

After teaching 12 years, Lewis says she is looking forward to becoming the principal at Short Mountain Elementary School.  She said, “I encourage an environment where all stakeholders are involved in education by cultivating relationships with parents and students, which has proven effective in the 12 years I have taught.  It is my aspiration to use my experience and knowledge to make a difference as principal!”

Curtis said he was excited to make the appointment. “[Mrs. Lewis] is a proven veteran educator and is very well respected among her colleagues. I am extremely appreciative of her willingness to be the leader of the team to achieve our VISION and MISSION of Cannon County Schools and specifically Short Mountain Elementary School – VISION – ‘Engaged in Excellence EVERY Day in EVERY Way!’ through OUR MISSION – ‘To Create a Unified Environment That Will Provide Opportunities for All Students to Reach Their Full Potential!”

The principal’s position became available when former Principal Stephanie Alexander accepted the job as Cannon County Schools ESSER 3.0 Monitor/Academic Data Analyst position. Principal Lewis is married to Jared Lewis, and they reside in the Short Mountain Community. Their son, Landen, is a student at Short Mountain Elementary School.

The Tennessee Department of Agriculture’s Consumer and Industry Services Division (CIS) is alerting consumers to a recall of chocolate chip cookies.

An undeclared allergen was discovered during routine sampling and testing of food products at a Kroger store in Sevierville, Tenn. The product, Simple Truth Plant-Based Chocolate Chip Cookies, tested positive for the presence of dairy. Dairy is an allergen and was not declared on the product packaging.

The Simple Truth Plant-Based Chocolate Chip Cookies 6-ounce package was distributed by Too Good Gourmet. of Lorenzo, Calif. and is identified with the best by date of Nov. 17, 2021 and UPC 11110-05278.

Random food sample collection by CIS inspectors and analysis by lab technicians is a primary way the Department of Agriculture protects consumer health. Since July 1, 2020, CIS staff have inspected 11,649 retail food stores statewide. Laboratory staff performed approximately 1,100 tests for pathogens, allergens, and other contaminants on 550 human food samples during that same period.

The CIS Technical Services Lab increased its scope of accreditation with their annual International Organization for Standardization (ISO)17025 assessment in 2020, demonstrating the laboratory’s commitment to the highest standards, technical competence, and continual improvement. The successful accreditation, along with the partnership with the nationally integrated food safety network developed through the FDA, positions Tennessee as a leader in food safety.

So far, TDA has not received reports that the plant-based chocolate chip cookies have caused illness but wants consumers to be aware of the dairy allergen. FDA works with food manufacturers to recall their products from the marketplace when the products are mislabeled or when the food may present a health hazard.

For some time the Mayor and Board of Alderman for the Town of Woodbury has approved several actions concerning their water utility district. Construction of a new water tower, service work on another storage facility and addition of new equipment are just a few of the items underway.

At this week’s meeting of the Mayor and Board of Alderman, the group took an additional step.