News

 

Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett today reminded all eligible Tennessee residents that they must register to vote by 11:59 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 7, to be eligible to cast a ballot in the Nov. 5 State and Federal General Election.

“When you don’t vote, you turn over the keys of power to those that do vote. In Tennessee, we want every eligible Tennessean to vote, but first, you must register to vote,” said Secretary Hargett. “To make your voice heard in the upcoming election, Tennesseans must register or make sure their registration is current before the deadline.”

Registering to vote, updating, or checking your registration status is fast, easy, and secure with the Secretary of State’s online voter registration system, GoVoteTN.gov, or the GoVoteTN App.

Using a computer, phone, or tablet, citizens with a driver’s license or a photo ID issued by the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security can register in a matter of minutes.

Voters can also download a paper voter registration application at GoVoteTN.gov. Completed paper voter registration applications must be mailed to your local county election commission office or submitted in person. Mailed voter registrations must be postmarked by Oct. 7, and Election Day registration is not available in Tennessee.

Early voting for the Nov. 5 State and Federal General Election begins Wednesday, Oct. 16, and runs through Thursday, Oct. 31. For more information about early voting and other election information, visit your trusted source for election information, GoVoteTN.gov or download the free GoVoteTN App.

By Sarah Brazle, 4-H Youth Development Extension Agent

We are thrilled to congratulate all of our grillers who participated in the 2024 Central Region 4-H Grill Master Challenge at the Nashville Fairgrounds. Cannon County 4-H proudly took 15 competitors to the event, forming teams of 4 where each member was responsible for either chicken, beef, lamb, or pork. Additionally, we had 3 individual competitors showcasing their grilling skills.

Through 4-H projects and activities, students develop essential life skills such as leadership, responsibility, communication, and teamwork. The Grillmaster Challenge involves teams of four, each member selecting a different type of meat—beef, pork, poultry, or lamb—to prepare and present to the judges. Participants created their own recipes, adhered to proper food safety and handling practices, started their charcoal fires, and had a two-hour window to perfect their entries. When presenting to the judges, they also had to specify the doneness of their beef, lamb, and pork.

We are incredibly proud of their hard work and dedication over the past few months of practice. A huge thank you to the parents for their invaluable support at practices and beyond. These events wouldn’t be as successful without volunteers!

Out of 22 counties and 177 competitors, several of our participants made it into the top ten. Special shoutouts to:

    Brooklynn Conner for placing 4th in her Pork!

    Nola Manning for earning 5th with her Beef!

    Liam Perdue for earning 5th with his Lamb!

    Olivia Guffey for placing 6th with her Pork!

    Landon Perdue for placing 7th with his Lamb!

    Kennedi Elkins for placing 8th with her Chicken!

    Micheal Sizemore for placing 9th with his Pork!

We are so proud of every one of the Cannon County 4-H Members! The University of Tennessee Extension offers its programs to all eligible persons regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, religion, or veteran status, and is an Equal Opportunity Employer.  Not only did the participants do well at the contest, but several have reported grilling for their families after the contest using the life skills learned which will be beneficial for their future. Congratulations to all participants for their hard work and dedication to the Cannon County 4-H program! We are very proud of your strong efforts!

If you would like more information about the Cannon County 4-H Program, call 615-563-2554. 4-H News can be heard weekly on the Farm and Family edition of After 8 Tuesday mornings on WBRY.

On Halloween, Woodbury resident Cliff Swoape retires from a 37-year career at Middle Tennessee Natural Gas Utility District (MTNG) that included being the Service Technician for Cannon County from 1990-1995, and Safety & Training Manager for all MTNG personnel from 1997-2020. On November 1, Cliff will embark on the next phase of his natural gas career as the newly named Executive Director of the Tennessee Gas Association (TGA). Cliff said, “It is tough leaving a company that has provided for you and been a part of your family for nearly four decades, but I am excited for this opportunity and to serve all Tennessee natural gas utilities, pipelines, and their business partners, including MTNG.”

The TGA Selection Committee led a national search for the Association’s seventh Executive Director since its founding in 1962. After locating the best suited candidate for the position, they made their recommendation to the Executive Committee and Board of Directors, who unanimously approved. Cliff is a longtime active member of TGA, who has served on numerous TGA committees, and is well known as an instructor for TGA’s field operations training efforts.

Cliff is active in a variety of other industry organizations as well as in our community. He is a Charter member of the Cannon County Chamber of Commerce and joined the Woodbury Lions Club at the persistence of Dude Northcutt back in 1992, transferring to the MTSU Lions Club in 2020. In 2019 Cliff was a recipient of the TGA Silver Flame Award, TGA’s highest honor for distinguished service to the Tennessee gas industry. Cliff holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas, and a master’s degree in management with an emphasis in organizational leadership from Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro. He is a member of the Woodbury First United Methodist Church where he was married to his wife, Katherine Mangione, a Professor of Education at Middle Tennessee State University. Cliff and Katherine are the proud parents of three daughters and a son, and the proud grandparents of two grandchildren.

Swoape will assume duties as the new Tennessee Gas Association Executive Director effective November 1st.

A Flood Watch is in effect for Cannon and all surrounding counties until Saturday morning.

Flooding can be caused by excessive rainfall continues to be possible.  Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations. Flooding may occur in poor drainage and urban areas. Low-water crossings may be flooded.

Forecast rainfall amounts are 2 to 4 inches with some areas potentially receiving 4 to 5 inches.

Cannon County Schools will be closed on Friday, September 27, due to incoming inclement weather forecasted for the Cannon County area. This will be inclement weather day #1 for the 2024-2025 school year.

The Color of Fall Car Show scheduled for Saturday has been re-scheduled to the planned rain date of October 5^th.  Carolyn Motley with the Cannon County Chamber of Commerce made the announcement of the change Thursday.  Our decision to use the rain date is in respect to our participants and visitors.

The annual event is a fundraiser for the Chamber and is held on the courthouse square.

Cannon County Lions Football team’s game with Community High School was moved up twenty-four hours so fans could enjoy the game with a smaller chance of rain.  Cannon defeated Community 54-0. A replay of the game broadcast will air Saturday morning at 8:10.

The Tennessee Department of Education, in partnership with Belmont University, announced 57 school leaders selected for the 2024-25 cohort of the Tennessee Rural Principals Network (TRPN), which is a comprehensive approach to improve the preparation, retention, and development of principals in rural communities across Tennessee.

“With Tennessee hosting the fifth-largest number of rural students nationwide, this initiative is crucial in fostering educational leadership in communities across our state,” said Lizzette Reynolds, Commissioner of Education. “We are excited to partner with Belmont University for the next cohort of the Tennessee Rural Principals Network to provide these school leaders with professional development opportunities to further the important work of setting all our students up for future success.

” The Tennessee Rural Principals Network launched in 2018, giving rural principals an opportunity to learn and grow together through in-person and online learning sessions, focusing on leadership coaching and job-embedded activities. During this cohort, over the next three years, participants will explore the unique challenges and opportunities in rural school leadership, learn strategies to ensure high-quality instruction and the recruitment, retention, and support of rural educators, build relationships among other rural district leaders, and access effective resources in the rural context.

Cannon County Elementary School Principal Emily Hancock Layne was selected as one of the 57 participants. Director of Schools, Ms. Bonnie Patterson, stated, “We are very proud of the selection of Ms. Emily Layne to be a part of the Tennessee Rural Principals Network. Mrs. Emily is an extraordinary leader and can gain valuable insight from other administrators across the state while sharing her wealth of knowledge. ” Marcia Melton, Supervisor of Instruction, stated, “Rural schools encounter distinct challenges that differ from urban and suburban schools. We are pleased to announce that Emily Hancock will represent Cannon County Schools and Cannon County Elementary School. Her participation will enable her to gather valuable insights and information to benefit all our educational leaders.”

“The Tennessee Rural Principals Network is a tremendous professional growth and capacity-building mechanism for rural school leaders, positively impacting the students, families, and communities they serve,” said Dr. Jim McIntyre, Dean of the College of Education and Assistant Provost, Belmont University. “For the next three years, the state of Tennessee has increased the investment in this important effort, enabling the TRPN team to serve and support even more rural principals across the state.”

Today, U.S. Representative John Rose (TN-06) voted ‘No’ on H.R. 9747, the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025, which would extend federal government funding until December 20^th at levels originally passed in two “minibus” funding bills, the first being on March 6^th, 2024 totaling $432 billion and the second on March 22^nd, 2024 totaling $1.2 trillion.

Rep. Rose has voted ‘No’ on every short-term government funding bill known as a Continuing Resolution, or CR, that has not included significant spending cuts or policies to secure the border or safeguard American elections.

Rep. Rose released the following statement:

“Tennesseans sent me to Washington to make difficult decisions on how to spend their hard-earned taxpayer dollars and not take the easy route by voting for a CR that extends inflationary spending into the lame duck session of Congress,” said Rep. Rose. “With the national debt well over $35 trillion and government deficits topping $1.7 trillion a year, I could not in good conscience support a continuation of the status quo. Washington must take after Tennessee and restore fiscal constraint or risk driving the future prosperity of our country off an insurmountable fiscal ledge.”

In Middle Tennessee, the Department of Safety and Homeland Security’s Cookeville, McMinnville, Dickson, Fayetteville, Columbia and Shelbyville Driver Services Centers and 12 Driver Services partner locations will close next week for a one-day installation of new credentialing equipment and new self-service kiosks.

Locations Closing Monday, Sept. 23

• City of Clarksville North Service Center – 111 Cunningham Lane, Clarksville   
• City of Clarksville – 1 Public Square, First Floor, Clarksville
• Cookeville Driver Services Center – 4600 South Jefferson Avenue, Cookeville
• McMinnville Driver Services Center – 594 Vervilla Road, McMinnville

Locations Closing Tuesday, Sept. 24

• Dickson Driver Services Center – 114 West Christi Drive, Dickson
• Fayetteville Driver Services Center – 4110 Thornton Taylor Pkwy., Fayetteville
• Giles County Clerk – 223 West Madison Street Room 204, Pulaski
• City of Lawrenceburg Municipal Complex – 25 Public Square, Lawrenceburg

Locations Closing Wednesday, Sept. 25

• Cheatham County Clerk – 354 Frey Street, Suite F, Ashland City
• Columbia Driver Services Center – 1701 Hampshire Pike, Columbia
• Wayne County Clerk – 100 Court Circle, Suite 200, Waynesboro

Locations Closing Thursday, Sept. 26

• Shelbyville Driver Services Center – 200 Dover Street, Suite 108, Shelbyville
• Marshall County Clerk – 1107 Courthouse Annex, Lewisburg
• Wilson County Clerk – 129 South College St., Lebanon
• Cannon County Clerk – 200 West Main Street, Woodbury

Locations Closing Friday, Sept. 27

• Perry County Clerk – 121 E Main St., Linden
• Lewis County Clerk – 110 N. Park, Room 105, Hohenwald
• Clay County Clerk – 145 Cordell Hull Drive, Celina

The Covington Driver Services Center in Tipton County will also close for an equipment upgrade on Friday, Sept. 27, and will reopen on Monday, Sept. 30.

The new self-service kiosks can be used to complete many Driver Services transactions including renewing or replacing a duplicate Driver License or ID Card, changing an address, updating emergency contact information, advancing a Teen/Graduated Driver License, paying reinstatement fees, and requesting a license reissue after reinstatement requirements are met. The new kiosks can take photos and process payments with Apple Pay, Google Pay, or a credit or debit card.

Tennessee’s Opioid Abatement Council (OAC) today released its second Announcement of Funding for Community Grants.  This offering will add $20 million dollars for approved opioid remediation activities to the tens of millions of dollars that are already flowing to provide services across the state.

The funding available through this grant application process comes from hundreds of millions of dollars in proceeds from lawsuits against opioid manufacturers, distributors, and pharmacies negotiated by the Tennessee Attorney General’s Office.  According to legislation passed by the Tennessee General Assembly, these proceeds are first split with 15% going to the state and 15% going to county governments and 70% going to the Opioid Abatement Trust Fund.  The dollars in the trust fund are split again with 35% going directly to the counties for approved opioid abatement activities and 65% going to the Opioid Abatement Council for community grant applications.  This last, largest percentage is made available through a competitive grant application process.

The Announcement of Funding outlines the process for application including criteria for constructing grant applications, designing programs, building partnerships, and reporting outcomes.  Proposers must design programs that impact opioid use disorder their communities using methods contained in the approved remediation list including: Primary Prevention, Harm Reduction, Treatment, Recovery Support, Education/Training, or Research/Evaluation of Abatement Strategy Efficacy.

This second funding opportunity follows more than $78 million in community grants awarded by the council earlier this year.  Most contracts for those grants are in place, and initial funds have been issued to pay for services.  The council has also made two rounds of payments from the Opioid Abatement Trust Fund to county governments in 2023 and 2024 totaling $62 million to fund their approved remediation activities.

“Tennessee’s Opioid Abatement Council continues to deliver much needed help for people across our great state,” said Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti. “The additional $20 million for Community Grants means more support for Tennessee families and communities struggling with the opioid epidemic. My office worked hard to endow our Opioid Abatement Fund by holding corporations accountable for their role in the opioid crisis, and it is gratifying to see the money put to good use.”

“What we said all along was that we wanted the hard-earned proceeds that the team at the Attorney General’s Office won for Tennesseans to get out the door and start to undo the damage done by the opioid lawsuit defendants,” said Steve Loyd, MD, Opioid Abatement Council Chairman.  “Our actions are proving yet again that Tennessee is a leader in efficiently and effectively applying these funds to save lives and do the most good.”

“What we’re looking for in this second Announcement of Funding is to break new ground with organizations doing great work. We want to hear from the grassroots, local agencies who see the need in their community and want to respond in innovative, collaborative ways,” said Mary Shelton, TN Opioid Abatement Council Executive Director.  “Because the hurt across our state is so great, we know there are even more organizations creating space for healing who can utilize this funding.”

“We’re so grateful for the dedication and hard work of the Opioid Abatement Council members and staff to ensure that these funds get out to the communities that need them the most, and we’re especially grateful to the grantees who are truly creating collaborative pathways to recovery, resilience, and independence for people and communities so greatly impacted by the opioid crisis,” said Marie Williams, LCSW, Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services Commissioner.

Applicants interested in submitting proposals to the Opioid Abatement Council can do so through the council’s website at TN.gov/oac.  Council staff worked with the Department of Finance and Administration’s Strategic Technology Solutions to customize a web-based portal for application, evaluation, and tracking.  The portal will be open for groups to submit proposals November 12 through December 13, 2024.

This National Preparedness Month, the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) and Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS) will provide 300 Emergency Go-Kits to Tennesseans who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind, and have low vision. While the keys to effective disaster preparedness apply to all of us, people with access and functional needs or disabilities should approach preparedness planning with additional considerations.

“For hundreds of thousands of Tennesseans, preparing for, responding to, or recovering from a disaster or emergency situation can present a real challenge,” said TEMA Director Patrick C. Sheehan. “TEMA is committed to ensuring that Tennesseans have the tools and resources necessary to stay safe and informed.”

The go-kits will be available at 10 TDHS Vocational Rehabilitation locations beginning Tuesday, September 17. Each kit will include a Midland Weather Radio, Midland SBNDL Bundle Kit (strobe light, pillow shaker, batteries, etc.), and family First Aid Kit. The strobe light and pillow shaker, when attached to a programmed weather radio, will vibrate and flash a bright light when an emergency alert is produced.

“We are excited to partner with TEMA to ensure Tennesseans with disabilities are prepared in the event of a natural disaster,” commented TDHS Commissioner Clarence H. Carter. “By providing these go-kits, we are taking a significant step toward ensuring all Tennesseans are ready and resilient in the face of emergencies by having the tools to support their disability specific needs. Everyone deserves to feel safe and protected, and this initiative is a testament to our commitment to Tennesseans with disabilities across the state.”

National Preparedness Month, spearheaded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), is recognized every September. The month serves as a reminder that a disaster can strike at any time. TEMA encourages all individuals and communities to take proactive steps in readiness planning. More information on how to prepare for can be found at www.tn.gov/tema/prepare with resources such as a family communication plan template and a basic emergency supplies checklist.

Emergency Go-Kit Distributions Locations

BridgesTN 935 Edgehill Avenue Nashville, TN 37203 P: 615-248-8828 (voice) / 615-290-5147 (VP)

Kits will be available for pick-up during the location’s regular hours of operation. Please contact the location directly with any questions.

Cannon County School System, working closely with the Cannon County Sheriff’s Department along with Homeland Security, investigated a possible online threat made against Cannon County High School. The administration became aware of a potential threat at roughly 6:30 a.m. and notified school officials and authorities. Although the investigation is ongoing, it has been determined that the threat is not credible.

Currently, there are several social media posts circulating in our state regarding school threats.
We encourage students and parents to report credible information directly to local law
enforcement or through SafeTN.com. We also ask parents to remind their students to be
mindful of creating and sharing false information that may create disruption in the school setting.
It’s important to note that any language or behavior that is found to threaten our schools will not
be tolerated, and those found making threats will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Cannon County High School will be open tomorrow, and tonight’s football game will be played
as scheduled. Thank you for your patience and understanding.