2017

The Adams Memorial Library would like to remind the public about their Friends of the Library Book Sale which is going on now through December 17th.  All adult hardback books  will be buy one get one free and children’s  hardback books are just 5 for $1.00.
Both library outlets will be closed for the holidays Saturday-Wednesday December 24th -28th and Saturday- Monday December 31st-January 2nd.  The Libraries will be open Thursday-Friday December 29th and 30th.

The United Way of Rutherford and Cannon Counties’ Letter of Intent application is now available for the 2017 funding cycle.  The Letter of Intent application is the first step in the Request for Proposal (RFP) process. It is available to a wide array of diverse community organizations offering programming to benefit the community in the areas of health and financial stability. Collaborative applications are encouraged.
Qualifying organizations will be requested to outline their programming to demonstrate how a United Way partnership specifically provides an outcome in one or more priority issues within health or financial stability. Programs that most closely align with United Way’s mission and meet the criteria will be invited to apply. Additional consideration will be given to applications that provide support or improve lives in the following priority areas: Savings & Assets, Family Sustaining Employment, Affordable Housing, or Manageable Expenses.
Letter of Intent applications are available at www.yourlocaluw.org/letter-intent and are due by January 13, 2017. Letter of intent submission is not a guarantee to be invited to apply for a grant.
Before submitting a Letter of Intent application, please contact Randy Allen, Director of Community Impact for the United Way, at Randy.Allen@yourlocaluw.org or by calling (615) 893-7303 ext. 106.
 

The American Legion Post 279 announces the winners for this year’s Veterans Day Parade which took place Saturday in Woodbury.
 Best Antique Vehicle Military or Civilian: was Howard Witty and his antique United
States Air Force Jeep.  Best Float: was Ryan Burks  from Centertown.  Best Overall Entry:  was the Combined Group of Boy Scout Troop 1180, Cub Scout Pack 1180, and Girl Scout—       
The American Legion Post 279 Commander’s Award for the Parade
goes to,   The “Young Marines” Commanded by Sgt. Bryson Bell,
who was selected as the “Young Marine of the Year”, for the
Marine Battalion and all of Middle Tennessee area.  His Team
consisted of PFC Corey Smith and PFC Andrew Smith.

Hours have not been set yet but Cannon County citizens will see a significant cut in the time that the Convenience Center is available due to necessary budget cuts mandated by the State Comptroller’s office.  The Budget Committee met Thursday a week ago to address the State Comptroller’s office mandates that the County gets themselves out of the current financial crisis that they are in.  State Comptroller’s office stated that the County must cut $100,000 out of expenditures within the next fiscal year.  The Budget Committee made a recommendation for cuts of the general fund and solid waste.  The County Commission Thursday considered those cuts.  Chancery Court Office asked the Commission not to affect their budget because they would have to cut employees hours and they are operating as low as they possibly can.  Sheriff’s Department has volunteered to look at their budget to see if anything can be cut but according to the CTAS office, the Sheriff’s Department’s maintenance of effort must be met.  
The motion was made and passed to get the County Departments to cut 2.58% in their expenditures and work with the Sheriff’s Department.  They will not cut the time or salary of the employees in the County Register of Deeds and Chancery Court.
The Commission also voted to make budget cuts of the Solid Waste Department.  County Executive Mike Gannon  pointed out that the Solid Waste Department makes up 5% of the total county budget.  81.5% of solid waste budget cannon be reduced because of volume of trash.  So any cuts will have to come from the 18.5% of the budget.  The cuts County Executive Gannon suggested included that one of the employees at the Convenience Center will be laid off.  The other two employees hours will be reduced to 32 hours each.  The Convenience Center hours in which it will be open will be reduced from 67 to 45 a week.  Hours have not been set as of yet.  Motion was made and passed.

Name number one didn’t work, neither did name number two as Murfreesboro Police arrested a Woodbury woman over the weekend for various charges including criminal impersonation.  According to Murfreesboro Police Reports, police conducted a traffic stop at 2020 South Church Street for failing to stop from a private drive.  When officers made contact with the passenger, 45 year old Anita A. Harden of Woodbury, she gave false information multiple times. An investigation revealed her true identity and she was showing two warrants out of Cannon County.  When Harden was transported to the Rutherford County Jail, she denied having anything illegal on her.  However when she was being processed at the jail, a female deputy found a glass pipe in her bra.  Harden tried to pass herself off with two aliases.  Tanya Dots and Anita Hawkins both of which were real names of people she was familiar with.  Harden is charged with Violation of Probation, theft over $1,000 both charges are from a case in Cannon County.  She is also charged with criminal impersonation and contraband in a penal facility.  She will answer to the latter two charges in Rutherford County General Sessions Court on December 15th
 

The official start of wildfire season in Tennessee is Oct. 15.
“It’s important, and required from October 15, 2016 to May 15, 2017, that citizens call for a burning permit and follow outdoor burning safety recommendations,” State Forester Jere Jeter said. “Throughout October and into November, the state is forecasted to experience above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation creating an expansion of drought now seen in southeast Tennessee. The permit system helps us communicate to the public when and where it is safe to burn and focuses attention on safety.”
The online burn permit system is free, fast and simple. If you are burning a leaf or brush pile that is smaller than 8 feet by 8 feet in size, log on to www.burnsafetn.org for approval. More than 300,000 permits are issued each year, and the online system provides a quick and efficient way to apply.
For a larger burn, apply for a free permit by calling your local Division of Forestry burn permit phone number at 615-765-7373  Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Burn permits are only issued when conditions are conducive to safe burning. If you live inside city limits, there may be additional restrictions. Check with your municipality before you burn.
To learn what materials may not be burned, check the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation’s Open Burning Guidelines at https://tn.gov/environment/article/apc-open-burning.

Burning without a permit is a Class C misdemeanor punishable by up to 30 days in jail and/or a fine. Wildfires caused by arson are a class C felony punishable by 3 to 15 years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines. Anyone with information about suspected arson activity should call the state Fire Marshal’s Arson Hotline at 1-800-762-3017. The hotline is answered 24 hours a day, and you may remain anonymous when providing information. Cash awards are offered for information leading to an arrest or conviction. To report illegal burning, please call 1-888-891-TDEC.
Visit www.burnsafetn.org for additional tips to burn safely and to protect your community. 
The Division of Forestry promotes the wise use of forest resources by assisting landowners, fighting wildfires, providing quality seedlings, monitoring insects and diseases, improving urban forests, managing state forests, protecting water quality and collecting forest inventory data. The Division also works to promote primary and secondary forest industries to stimulate the state’s economy. Visit http://www.tn.gov/agriculture/section/forests for more information.
Obtaining a Safe Debris Burning Permit by Phone
Burning permits by phone are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except on holidays. Permits may be obtained in advance for weekends and holidays.
Permits will not be issued on days and in locations if it is considered unsafe to conduct a debris burn.

Sounds of music fill the air tonight at the Cannon County Senior Center on Lehman Street as the music band Cripple Creek will perform.  Doors open at 6 with the performance to start at 7.  Admission is $5.00.  Light concessions are available for purchase.
 

Medicare Open Enrollment for 2017 begins October 15. For those who are eligible to sign up for Medicare or have questions about making changes to their Medicare health plans and/or Medicare Part D prescription drug plans, free, un-biased Medicare information and counseling is available through the Upper Cumberland Area Agency on Aging and Disability.
Open enrollment for the coming year runs from October 15 to December 7. During this time, currently enrolled Medicare beneficiaries can make changes to their plans. The staff at UCAAAD, a division of Upper Cumberland Development District, and volunteers are trained to provide free, un-biased counseling and advice for those seeking assistance with making changes to their Medicare plans.
It is important for Medicare beneficiaries to compare their current plans to the 2016 coverage options, which will be released on October 1, 2015. UCAAAD staff helps those seeking assistance with plan comparisons without selling anything and can be reached at the toll free SHIP line at 1-877-801-0044.
Throughout open enrollment, UCAAAD staff and volunteers will also be offering Medicare counseling at locations throughout the Upper Cumberland. A full list of appointment times and locations can be found at www.ucdd.org or at www.facebook/ucddconnect or by calling the toll free SHIP line at 1-877-801-0044.

The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) and State Fire Marshal’s Office are reminding Tennesseans today of the hazards associated with filling portable fuel containers at petroleum stations.
We are asking Tennesseans to use only approved, portable fuel containers and only fill them up if it is absolutely necessary,” said TEMA Director Patrick Sheehan. “There is petroleum available to meet the needs of Tennessee, even with the supply disruption caused by the Alabama pipeline leak, if consumers will keep their normal driving and fuel buying habits.”   
The State Fire Marshal’s Office, a division of the Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance (TDCI), offers consumers the following safety tips for filling portable gas containers:
Use only approved portable containers for transporting or storing gasoline.
    Never fill a portable container when it is in or on the vehicle. Always place the container on the ground before filling. Fires caused by static charges have occurred when people filled portable containers in the back of pick-up trucks, particularly those with plastic bed liners. Removing the container will also prevent a dangerous spill of gasoline.
    When filling a portable container, keep the nozzle in direct contact with the container. Fill it only about 95 percent full to leave room for expansion.
    Gas cans/containers should never be transported in the passenger compartment.
    Don’t smoke or use lighters while refueling.
Additionally, TDCI is informing consumers that Tennessee’s price gouging laws make it unlawful for individuals and businesses to charge unreasonable prices for essential goods and services, including gasoline, in direct response to a disaster regardless of whether that emergency occurred in Tennessee or elsewhere. The price gouging law makes it unlawful to charge a price that is grossly in excess of the price charged prior to the emergency.

The Cannon Community Area Wide Red Cross Blood Drive takes place today at the Woodbury Lions Club Building on the corner of West Adams and Lehman Street.  Everyone is encouraged to take time and give the gift of life by donating blood.  This week has been recognized as 9/11 Day by the Red Cross.  The Red Cross asks you to observe 9/11 Day by giving blood from noon to 6.