News

The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) 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 15-19) to improve safety in Tennessee’s interstate and highway construction and maintenance work zones. This year’s theme is Work zones are temporary, your actions behind the wheel can last forever.

“We engineer our roads to be as safe as possible,” said Deputy Governor and TDOT Commissioner Butch Eley. “But there’s no amount of engineering that can change driver behavior. 113 TDOT workers have been killed while working on our roads. This is very personal for me. Everyone must slow down, move over, and pay attention every time they’re behind the wheel, especially in work zones.”

So far this year, there have been 29 incidents where drivers crashed into TDOT equipment and vehicles. The spring and summer months provide perfect weather for highway work. Work zones include everything from major interstate widening projects to repaving and Litter pickup. Motorists will encounter work zones across the state. Last year in Tennessee, 22 people died in work zone crashes.

TDOT launched the Work with Us – Move Over, Slow Down safety campaign in 2017 to help bring awareness to the importance of safety in work zones all year long. 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.

Two coaching positions have been announced at Cannon Middle School. Dr. Annie Reed announced this week Ashley Cantrell as Boys Head Basketball Coach and Alyssa Rankin as Head Volleyball Coach for the 2024-2025 School Year.

Ms. Cantrell is currently a teacher at Cannon County Elementary School. She played basketball for Cannon County High School, earning numerous awards, including the Daily News Journal All-Sports Award MVP, 2nd Team All-District, and 1st Team All-District. She continued her career as a 4-year college basketball athlete, where she tied a three-point record at Columbia State and graduated from Tennessee Wesleyan University with a bachelor’s degree in Behavioral Science, receiving the M.C Tipp Award and the Academic Achievement award. Ashley completed her Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction at Tennessee Tech University. She coached at Short Mountain from 2016-2022, receiving Coach of the Year twice during that time frame, and she coached and worked with Coach Jared Nave with the middle school program from 2017-2019. She has served as the middle school assistant coach this year.

Ms. Alyssa Rankin is currently a teacher at Cannon County Elementary School. An Ohio native, Coach Alyssa Rankin attended school in Marion, Ohio, where she was very involved with sports, playing softball, basketball, and volleyball. She coached middle school volleyball in Ohio and is excited to continue her coaching career at
Cannon County Middle School.

“April is National Child Abuse Prevention month, and I’m excited to kick off the month with the Cannon Runs for Children 5k and Fun Run” stated Karista Colwell, Cannon County Child Advocacy Center Development Coordinator. “This year’s race will feature several great community organizations like CASA and the Cannon County Substance Abuse Coalition, and we encourage everyone to come out and support child abuse and child sexual abuse prevention in Cannon County!”

Cannon Runs for Children will be held Saturday, April 6^th at the Arts Center of Cannon County, 1424 John Bragg Highway, Woodbury.  Registration will start at 6:45 a.m., speakers at 7:30 a.m., and the run/walk will begin at 8:00 a.m. Registration is $25 for adults, $15 for seniors (65+), $10 for students 13-18 and $5 for students 13 and under for the 5k and 1-mile Fun Run.  Register for the event and secure your t-shirt by visiting the website at cannoncac.org.

The Child Advocacy Center works as a team with the Department of Children’s Services, law enforcement and the District Attorney’s Office to investigate child abuse allegations, assist victims, and prosecute offenders.  In addition, the Cannon County Coordinator assists parents who have an addiction and want to stop the generational cycle of abusing alcohol and drugs in their families.

Christine O’Day, the Youth Services Officer states “The CAC is such a vital resource in our community, providing support and services for our children and families. I chose to be on the committee to show my support of the CAC and those they serve, as well as to bring more awareness of their services. A bonus is that the event is a fun time with a wonderful purpose!”

When you partner with the Child Advocacy Center, you are supporting child abuse intervention and prevention services for children and families.  For the last 14 years, the Cannon County Child Advocacy Center has worked to help children and families heal from the trauma of child abuse and child sexual abuse. 

Registration is online at cannoncac.org under the Cannon Runs for Children.  For more information about the race call the Cannon County Child Advocacy Center at 615-563-9915 or contact Amanda Hammond at ahammond@cannoncac.org or Karista Colwell at kcolwell@cacrutherford.org

Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett issued a new warning to businesses across the state today about a deceptive mail scam related to the filing of annual business renewals from a company known as Tennessee Business Filing Center. As part of this scheme, businesses receive an official-looking mailer from the company threatening additional fees and business dissolution if an entity does not file within 60 days of the April 1 deadline. “Our Division of Businesses and Charitable Organizations and I have recently received multiple complaints regarding a misleading mailer requesting hundreds of dollars in fees from businesses to complete their annual renewal process,” said Secretary Hargett. “We have seen similar situations in recent years targeting the good faith of our business community, and we want to remind all entities that our office provides these same services at substantially lower costs.” Businesses are required to complete their annual filings with the state by April 1 each year. These reports update or confirm an entity’s records with the Department of State, and they are required to maintain “active status” so a business can legally operate in the state. To file an annual report, please visit https://tnbear.tn.gov/Ecommerce/AnnualReportID.aspx. “All Tennessee business owners should be wary of any mailing they receive from third parties offering services provided by our office,” Secretary Hargett added. “These parties are not affiliated with us in any way, and we encourage businesses to report any suspicious activity related to this situation.” To report suspicious activity to the Division of Business and Charitable Organizations, email TNSOS.CERT@tn.gov. You can also call (615) 741-2286. To file a complaint with the Attorney General’s office, call (615) 741-3491 or visit Attorney General & Reporter.

The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) will suspend all interstate construction work on Easter weekend in anticipation of increased holiday travel.

TDOT crews and contractors will stop all road construction work that requires lane closures beginning Thursday, March 28, at 6:00 p.m. through Monday, April 1 at 6:00 a.m. This will provide maximum roadway capacity to motorists expected to travel across the state this upcoming holiday weekend.

Motorists will still encounter some long-term lane closures on construction projects that will remain in place. While lane closure activity will be stopped, some workers may be on-site in construction zones, and reduced speed limits will still be in effect. Motorists are urged to adhere to all posted speed limits, especially in work zones, for their safety. Slower speeds are necessary for work zones due to the temporary layout of the roadway and will be enforced.

Only three months into the year, there have already been 27 incidents involving drivers crashing into TDOT vehicles and equipment.

·       7 HELP Trucks

·       4 Attenuators

·       6 Other TDOT Equipment (dump trucks, message boards, etc.)

·       10 TDOT Passenger vehicles (pick-ups and sedans)

Do your part to keep yourself and TDOT road workers safe – check TDOT SmartWay 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.  

Pump price increases across the state gained momentum last week, rising nine cents on average. The Tennessee Gas Price average is now $3.18 which is 24 cents more expensive than one month ago and five cents more than one year ago.  

“There’s still plenty of upward pressure on gas prices right now in the market, and with last week’s crude oil price increases it’s likely Tennesseans will see another round of increases at the pump this week,” said Megan Cooper, spokeswoman for AAA – The Auto Club Group. “Any time we see big oil price gains like we saw last week, it typically takes a week or two before those adjustments move through the retail market.”

Quick Facts

• 69% of Tennessee gas stations have prices below $3.25 
• The lowest 10% of pump prices are $2.95 for regular unleaded 
• The highest 10% of pump prices are $3.47 for regular unleaded
• Tennessee is the 7th least expensive market in the nation

Tennessee Regional Prices 

• Most expensive metro markets – Nashville ($3.25), Clarksville ($3.22), Jackson ($3.22) 
• Least expensive metro markets – Morristown ($3.07), Knoxville ($3.08), Kingsport ($3.16) 

To reduce wildland fire risk, Tennesseans are reminded that a burn permit from the Tennessee Department of Agriculture Forestry Division is required through May 15 for all open burning where local restrictions do not apply.

“Fire prevention starts with each of us practicing safe burning and only burning when it’s safe. The burn permit process communicates to residents the safe locations and times for open burning,” State Forester Heather Slayton said. “During hazardous fire conditions like high winds or extreme drought, permit issuance pauses temporarily until safe conditions return. Our aim is to safeguard Tennessee’s people, communities, and natural resources. Together, we can conserve our state’s beauty and prevent wildland fires.”

Burn permits are free and can be obtained quickly and easily at www.BurnSafeTN.org or by using the MyTN mobile app. Online permits are issued 7 days a week, from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. in Eastern and Central time zones, depending on your location. Permits are available for burning leaf and/or brush piles and for prescribed fires, including broadcast burning for various purposes such as land clearing, forestry, and agricultural applications.

Individuals with limited internet access may obtain a permit by calling 877-350-BURN (2876). Foresters are available to assist callers Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Central, except for holidays.

Permits expire at midnight on the day on which they are obtained, so apply on the day you plan to burn. Fires should be fully extinguished by permit expiration.

The Forestry Division’s burn permits are for burning woody debris that exist naturally on the property where it’s burned. For information on proper disposal of other materials, including trash, rubber, metal, plastics, furniture, and building materials, please visit www.tn.gov/environment/air/open-burning.html.

Burning without a permit is a crime that carries penalties of up to 30 days in jail and/or a fine.

Always follow safety guidelines when conducting a burn:

Only burn when conditions are safe – avoid burning when it’s windy and humidity is low.

Check with local authorities to be sure there are no local restrictions in place, especially in cities and towns that have their own outdoor burning ordinances.

Obtain a permit from the Forestry Division at www.BurnSafeTN.org. Permits are required from October 15 to May 15 where local restrictions do not supersede.

Notify your neighbors and local fire department in advance.

Choose a location away from trees and utility lines.

Keep tools to control your fire on hand, including a water supply and hand tools (rakes, shovels, etc.).

Establish firebreaks by clearing a three- to five-foot perimeter down to the dirt, free of all flammable materials, around burn piles.

Be alert to changing weather conditions and be prepared to extinguish your fire if the situation becomes unsafe.

Your fire is your responsibility. Stay with your fire until it is completely out.

Please visit www.BurnSafeTN.org for additional tips to burn safely and protect your community from wildland fires. 

The Forestry Division protects and promotes the responsible use of forest resources in Tennessee. Focus areas include assisting landowners with a variety of services, providing quality tree seedlings, supporting forest health programs, collecting forest inventory data, assisting forest industries, and fighting wildland fires. Visit www.tn.gov/agriculture/forests for more information.

A woman who gave a lifetime of service to Woodbury and Cannon County has died. Lois Gilley Larimer, 91, passed away Thursday.

Larimer served 25 years as Clerk and Master of Cannon County, as well as 10 years in the General Sessions and Circuit Courts. At the time of her death, she was an alderman on the Woodbury City Council. 

Larimer was also an active volunteer, assisting organizations such as the American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, the American Diabetes Association. She also gave her all as a foster parent to many children. She was a member of the Woodbury Church of Christ and was the Lions Club’s first female president. In addition, she served on several charity boards, and was a past recipient of WBRY’s Community Activist of the Year. 

Services for Lois Gilley Larimer have been arranged and is available in the Obituaries section of the website. 

Your local United Way is pleased to announce the appointment of its new President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Kristen Swann, effective April 1, 2024. Your local United Way serves Rutherford, Cannon, Bedford, and Lincoln Counties.

Swann has worked at your local United Way for nine years, in various fields such as marketing, events, and community impact. She has most recently served as Vice President of Collective Impact and Strategic Initiatives for three years, where she oversaw the implementation of the Bold Goals 2030 initiative focusing on the four strategic impact areas needed in our local community: financial stability, early childhood education, health, and substance abuse. 

“Kristen’s expertise and vision for the future of our community is integral to the direction and growth of our local United Way,” said Don Clayton, Chair of the United Way Board of Directors. “She is a true difference maker in our community and we are thrilled to have her as our new President and CEO.”

Kristen Swann shares, “I am honored to serve as the next President and CEO of our local United Way. Our staff, board, and volunteers work diligently in partnership with so many organizations that share the same goal of making our community a place where all can thrive. I am grateful to contribute in a small way to that effort and will work whole-heartedly to ensure we continue to collectively respond to the biggest challenges that face us.”

Swann resides in Murfreesboro with her husband, Travis, and daughter, Charlie. In her free time, she loves trying new restaurants, spending time outdoors, and enjoying time with family.

To learn more about your local United Way, serving Rutherford, Cannon, Bedford, and Lincoln counties, visit yourlocaluw.org.