2017

The Cannon County Community Red Cross Blood Drive which is hosted bi-monthly by the Woodbury Lions Club is today from noon to 6

During Red Cross Month in March, the American Red Cross invites individuals to become everyday
heroes by giving blood.

March has been recognized as Red Cross Month by every U.S. president since 1943. Red Cross Month is a celebration of supporters who are the face of the Red Cross in their communities, helping to prepare for and bringing help and hope after emergencies.

For more than 30 years, blood donor Sherri Kay has been helping the Red Cross fulfill its lifesaving mission. “Knowing that I help to save lives and make a difference through the Red Cross is one of the most significant things that I do,” she said.

Heroes of all blood types are needed to ensure a sufficient blood supply this spring. The Red Cross must collect approximately 14,000 blood and platelet donations every day for patients.

Make an appointment to donate blood by downloading the free Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting redcrossblood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Come be a hero today by donating blood from noon to 6 at the Woodbury Lions Club Building on the corner of West Adams and Lehman Street.

Memphis is set in the places where rock and roll was born in the 1950s: the seedy nightclubs, radio stations and recording studios of the musically-rich Tennessee city. With an original score, it tells the fictional story of DJ Huey Calhoun, a good ole’ local boy with a passion for R&B music and Felicia Farrell, an up-and-coming black singer that he meets one fateful night on Beale Street. Despite the objections of their loved ones (Huey’s close-minded mama and Felicia’s cautious brother, a club owner), they embark on a dangerous affair. As their careers rise, the relationship is challenged by personal ambition and the pressures of an outside world unable to accept their love.  The Arts Center of Cannon County presents Memphis The Musical.  Directed by Darryl Deason with music direction by Robert Hiers,choreography by Regina Wilkerson Ward and starring Michael Adcock and Melinda Paul.  The production takes place tonight March 12th, 18, 19, 25 and 26th at 7:30p.m. and at 2pm March 13th and 20th.  Tickets are $15 with discounts for students and seniors and can be purchased by calling 615-563-2787 10A to 4P, online at artscenterofcc.com and at the door one hour prior to show time.

The Cannon County Sheriff’s Department recently gave a citation to a Dickens Hill Road man for knowingly and unlawfully calling 9-1-1.  According to Sheriff’s Department Reports Deputies were dispatched to a Dickens Hill Road residence after dispatchers could not get the caller later identified as Randall Smotherman to explain the reason for the call.  Upon arrival, Mr. Smotherman appeared to be intoxicated and stated that he had not called 9-1-1.  Deputies observed the land line phone from which the call had come from laying on the bed next to Smotherman.  Smotherman could not tell deputies his social security number and repeatedly denied calling 9-1-1.  Deputies cited Smotherman for calling 9-1-1 when there was no emergency. He will answer to the charge April 5th in General Sessions Court.  Incidentally recently Deputies were at the same residence and arrested Smotherman’s brother after there was an altercation during an argument over a liquor bottle.

The Tennessee Department of Human Services (DHS) and United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service (USDA-FNS) announced a renewed partnership focused on addressing SNAP trafficking. The two agencies are signing a new State Law Enforcement Bureau (SLEB) agreement.

SNAP is the state’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps. SNAP trafficking refers to the buying, selling, and/or attempt to buy and/or sell SNAP benefits in exchange for money, drugs, guns, ammunition, or any other exchange on value.

The new agreement gives DHS the authority to operate as a SLEB as designated by USDA-FNS. With this authority, DHS is empowered to partner with state and local level law enforcement.

“SNAP benefits support more than a half million Tennessee households which includes more than a half a million Tennessee children. DHS is committed to being good stewards of taxpayer dollars and to addressing fraud, waste, and abuse with the intent to alleviate hunger and support food insecurity in Tennessee,” said DHS Commissioner Dr. Raquel Hatter. “The SLEB agreement is a collaborative approach to fighting SNAP trafficking and we appreciate everyone’s involvement in this effort.”

“The United States Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General-Investigations (USDA-OIG-I) is proud to partner with DHS, FNS, and other state and local law enforcement agencies in a proactive measure to combat fraud, waste and abuse in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program through the SLEB. Integrity in USDA programs exists as a high priority for the OIG, and the SLEB partnership will assist DHS in protecting the program’s integrity while ensuring that taxpayer dollars are properly utilized, states Karen Citizen-Wilcox, Special Agent-in-Charge, Southeast Region, USDA-OIG-I.

“USDA has a zero tolerance policy regarding fraud and abuse of SNAP benefits. We are investing in innovative, forward-looking tactics, such as the pilot program announced today with Tennessee, to ensure that these vital nutrition assistance benefits are used as intended – to help America’s families in need put food on the table, ” said Robin Bailey, Jr., Southeast Regional Administrator, USDA Food and Nutrition Service.

The SLEB agreement is intended to assist state and local law enforcement if during the course of conducting retailer investigations, information is discovered that shows involvement between the retailer and/or others in the commission of SNAP fraud (e.g. other retailers, SNAP benefit recipients, and/or other individuals or entities that may or may not be authorized program participants). The SLEB, in this case DHS, is granted authority to broaden its use of SNAP EBT benefits to the extent warranted for the purposes of fully documenting the nature, extent, and scope of SNAP violations being committed. In fact, as recipient fraud is the purview of the department, SLEB investigators must, based on available resources, act on any and all SNAP recipient fraud that is discovered as a part of a non-recipient focused SLEB investigation.

Through the SLEB, EBT benefits may also be made available for the purposes of states’ conducting investigations involving businesses/organizations/individuals suspected of trafficking via social media websites and other means. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) will be an integral partner in this effort as well.

“Should they arise, we’re always prepared to assist in cases alleging a misuse of taxpayer dollars,” said TBI Director Mark Gwyn. “We look forward to continuing to work with our partners at the Department of Human Services to further protect the resources meant to assist our state’s most vulnerable residents.”

The partnership will kick off with a pilot in partnership with a local law enforcement authority to be determined by USDA-FNS and DHS.

The Department of Human Services has recently launched additional information on its website focused on program integrity and efforts to combat fraud. To learn more, visit: http://www.tn.gov/humanservices/topic/dhs-inspector-general

If you suspect fraud contact the Department of Human Services Fraud Hotline at 1-800-241-2629, or email InspectorGeneral.DHS@tn.gov
– See more at: http://tn.gov/news/37697#sthash.UXpV4lkL.dpuf

It took overtime, but the Cannon County Lions survived Tuesday night and live to play at least one more game.  The Lions met their rivals Dekalb County at the Hooper Eblen Center at Tennessee Tech University in Cookeville for one final time with each team’s basketball future on the line.  Win and you move on to meet Smith County.  Lose and your season is finished.  The game went back and forth the entire night with 23 lead changes and ten ties.  Neither team led by any more than 5 points at any point in the game.  The game went into overtime tied at 40.  Anton Knox stepped up and scored all five of his points in the extra frame including what would be the game winning free throws.  Austin Martin scored a team high 23 points as Cannon County advanced with a thrilling 50-48 win over Dekalb County.  Cannon will meet Smith County Thursday night at 7:30 at Tennessee Tech.

MTSU will be closed Monday, Jan. 18, for the Martin Luther King Jr. federal holiday.
The university will reopen at 8 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 19, with all business offices and departments open until 4:30 p.m.
Students and faculty, who have been on winter break for about five weeks, return to begin spring semester classes Tuesday.
Monday night from 6 to 7 in the Keathley University Center Theater, members of the MTSU community will hold an MLK celebration and candlelight vigil to highlight the contributions made by King and his wife, Coretta Scott King.
Presented by the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity and the MTSU Office of Intercultural and Diversity Affairs, the event is open and free to the public.
The ceremony will consist of presentations by Alpha Phi Alpha members, Bishop Chris Johnson, pastor of Zion Christian Ministries in Murfreesboro, as well as performances from the Generation of Praise Gospel Choir, current students and more.
For more information, contact Daniel Green at615-898-5812. Green is the new director for Intercultural and Diversity Affairs.
 

The Tennessee Infrastructure Alliance last week released a report: “Building Tennessee’s Tomorrow.  Anticipating the State’s Infrastructure Needs”  Each county in the state was evaluated for infrastructure needs.  Infrastructure projects include transportation networks, storm water control, public school buildings, drinking water and sewer systems.  
Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations estimated Cannon County needs a total investment of $134,633,647 in 78 projects.  The report shows Cannon County’s  top needs are in the following categories
Transportation $125.1 million, Water and Wastewater $6 million, Industrial Sites and Parks $3 million, Public Health Facilities $565,000.  Cannon County ranks 62nd on the total estimated cost of infrastructured needs out of 95 counties in the State.  
 

The American Legion Post 279 has announce that it will meet on Thursday, January 21, 2016,
at 6:30PM, at the Senior Citizens Center. (No meal will be served prior to the meeting)National Headquarters and State Headquarters has increased their annual dues for 2017 to a combined total of $31.00, this is a $1.00 more that we are currently paying.  For 2016 local Legion members pay $30.00 and the local organizationgets back $6.50 for each paid member. For 2017 with their increase, the minimum dues for the Post would be $31.00 with nothing coming back to the Post, all going to National and State.  The Executive Board voted to recommend that Post 279 raise the dues to $40.00, for 2017, which means that $9.00 will be returned to the Post for each paid member.   Post 279 has 110 members, if they all pay their dues for 2017, that would equate to $990.00 coming back to the Post, which would be used to fund the scholarship program which provides a $1000.00 scholarship annually to a Veteran’s dependent for college, a community college, a technical school, truck driving school, an
EMT course, medical course, or any special training course.      The 2016 Budget will be presented at the meeting and their will be a vote on the 2017 dues.
 

The Tennessee Comptroller’s Fraud, Waste and Abuse Hotline is marking a record achievement in its effort to help uncover the misuse of government funds and property.
Confidential tips to the hotline helped to identify a record $1,112,500 in confirmed thefts, shortages and questioned costs for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2015. These tips were reported through telephone calls and online submissions to the hotline.
This year’s notifications concerned a wide range of entities including municipalities, counties, state agencies, federal agencies, and non-profit recipients of government funds. Substantive notifications are reviewed and investigated by Comptroller staff or referred to the appropriate agency or program for further action.
Since October 1983, the Comptroller of the Treasury has provided a toll-free hotline for any citizen to report government fraud, waste and abuse. Additionally, all state agencies, as well as agencies receiving community grant funds, are required to call attention to the hotline by posting a sign in a prominent place.
“The hotline plays an important role in holding government accountable to its citizens,” said Comptroller Justin P. Wilson. “While I’m pleased to see the hotline is serving its purpose, the ultimate goal is to eliminate fraud, waste and abuse in government.”
If you suspect fraud, waste or abuse of public money in Tennessee, call the Comptroller’s toll-free hotline at (800) 232-5454 FREE, or file a report online at: www.comptroller.tn.gov/hotline

High School Basketball teams that compete in the same district usually do not like to face each other in holiday tournaments where the games won’t count in the district standings.  The belief is that coaches don’t like to give a hands on preview of what their team might run offensively and how they handle situations defensively in an otherwise extra game in the regular season series between the two participating teams.  The consolation game of the Sonic Shootout ended up pitting District 8-AA members Cannon County vs Livingston in a boys basketball contest Wednesday night in Sparta.  Both coaches didn’t mind the extra meeting and used the contest to get their teams ready for the second half of the season.  The Lions came out in the first quarter sluggish as they turned the ball over several times.  Livingston was able to get out to an 11-0 start before Cannon scored their first field goal with 2:43 left to play in the first quarter.  Once again just like in previous games where teams jumped ahead against Cannon, Livingston was able to maintain a comfortable margin lead on the Lions and picked up third place beating Cannon County 58-51.  Austin Martin who received All Tournament Team selection scored 24 points while Briar Jakes added 12.  The Lions fall to 6-11 on the year.