On Wednesday, April 23rd, from 7 a. to 12 p.m. a portion of Yell Road will be closed around the Kevin Darnell Memorial Bridge and Cheek Road area for repair services. Please make arrangements for alternate routes on this day.

LOWEST RATE SINCE JUNE 2008

NASHVILLE – Tennessee Labor & Workforce Development Commissioner Burns Phillips announced today the Tennessee preliminary unemployment rate for March is 6.7 percent, which is two tenths of one percentage point lower than the 6.9 percent February revised rate and equal to the national rate for March. The U.S. rate, at 6.7 percent, remains the same as it was in February.

Economic Summary:

• Over the past year, Tennessee's unemployment rate decreased from 8.3% to 6.7% while the national rate declined from 7.5% to 6.7%.
• The number of unemployed persons (203,800) is the lowest since June 2008 and is 5,900 lower than last month.
• Total nonfarm employment increased 4,200 jobs from February to March. The largest increases occurred in mining/logging/construction, leisure/hospitality, & professional/business services.
• Over the year, nonfarm employment increased 46,100 jobs. The largest increases occurred in professional/business services, accommodation/food services, & trade/transportation/utilities.

The seat for the Ninth district commissioner is open following Tom Sumners resignation from the Board of Commissioners. Anyone desiring to fill this remaining term (August 31^st, 2014)  is encouraged to apply with a letter of intent to the County Mayors office, 1108 Court House Annex , Lewisburg , TN 37091 by 12:00 Noon May 9^th, 2014. The Applicant may also appear at the May 27^th County Commission meeting and ask the County Clerk to include his or her name with those desiring the appointment. Applicants must have a seated Commissioner nominate them the night of the Commission meeting.

The applicant must be a Registered voter and reside in the Ninth District of Marshall County. This position will be filled during the Tuesday, May 27^th meeting that begins at 6:00 p.m.

NASHVILLE – Tennessee revenue collections reflected mixed results in March. Finance and Administration Commissioner Larry Martin today reported that overall March revenues were $955.8 million. The general fund was under collected by over $4 million for March and by $263.9 million year-to-date.    

“March collections continued to reflect weaker than anticipated revenues from the corporate sector, while sales tax collections were stronger,” Martin said. “We believe the recent increase in retail spending is a reflection of renewed consumer confidence and indicates that the economy is slowly recovering.  This growth is important in meeting current revenue projections on which the approved budget amendment was based. 

On an accrual basis, March is the eighth month in the 2013-2014 fiscal year. Total tax collections in March were 2.10% above the previous year. 

Sales tax collections were $9.4 million more than the estimate for March.  The March growth rate was positive 5.51%. For eight months revenues are under collected by $23.4 million. The year-to-date growth rate for eight months was positive 3.58%. 

Year-to-date collections for seven months were $257.0 million less than the budgeted estimate. The general fund was under collected by $263.9 million and the four other funds were over collected by $6.9 million. 

The budgeted revenue estimates for 2013-2014 are based on the State Funding Board’s consensus recommendation of December 19^th, 2012 and adopted by the first session of the 108^th General Assembly in April 2013. They are available on the state’s website at http://www.tn.gov/finance/bud/Revenues.shtml. 

The Funding Board met on December 10, 2013 to hear updated revenue projections from the state’s various economists. The board met again on December 17 and adopted revised revenue ranges for 2013-2014. The revised ranges assume an under collection from the July 2013 budgeted estimate in the amount of $111.2 million to $134.5 million in total taxes and in the amount of $126.1 million to $145.6 million in general fund taxes for the current fiscal year.

the administration for the City of Lewisburg would like to take this opportunity to promote community awareness of and facilitate compliance with their city municipal code pertaining to Refuse & Trash Disposal (Location of Containers).

They ask taht, after your trash has been picked up, that you please move the containers to the rear of your property and away fromt he street line until the next scheduled collection time.

Please assist them in their efforts to ensure a reasonable quality of life and safe streets for the city's residents and neighborhoods by doing your part to take good care f your property and enhance the beauty of Lewisburg.

Violations of this Ordinance could result in court appearances and or fines.

COLUMBIA, Tenn.— According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, more than 600,000 knee replacements are performed each year in the United States. 

Dr. Scott W. McCall, an orthopedic surgeon on the medical staff at Maury Regional Medical Center (MRMC), will present a free seminar on advances in knee replacement on Thursday, May 1. The program will be held at 6 p.m. in the Maury Regional Medical Center Annex, located across the street from the medical center at 1223 ½ Trotwood Avenue. 

Dr. McCall will discuss the latest techniques used in total knee replacement, including MRI-guidance during surgery and ways to replace the joint with less pain and quicker recovery. He will also address techniques used at the medical center for partial knee replacements and those who are candidates for partial versus whole knee replacement. 

The orthopedic surgeons and staff at MRMC have a commitment to quality that has resulted in the medical center being named among the 100 Hospitals with Great Orthopedic Programs by Becker’s Hospital Review. In addition, MRMC has attained Joint Commission certification for knee and hip replacement as well as designation as a Blue Distinction Center+ by BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee. 

Light refreshments will be served. Registration is not required. For more information, call 931.840.4446.

Within the last five months, agents of the 17^th Judicial Drug Task Force, which is based in Shelbyville, have been extremely active in the court system and on the streets combating the flow of illegal drugs into our district’s communities, according to Director Timothy R. Lane. 

Agents of the task force are serious about protecting our communities against illegal drug activity including: the production and distribution of meth; pharmaceutical diversion, which includes the illegal selling of different types of prescribed medication to persons that are not authorized to be in possession of or use that medication; the sell and distribution of crack cocaine, meth, marijuana, ecstasy; and other illegal drugs. The Drug Task Force is comprised of deputies and officers assigned by the Bedford and Marshall County Sheriff’s Departments and the Shelbyville and Lewisburg Police Departments. The Director has praised the heads of these law enforcement agencies in both Bedford and Marshall Counties for their unwavering support to the efforts of the drug task force. He also praised District Attorney General Robert Carter for his office’s support as to the prosecution of these defendants brought to court. 

During the first quarter of 2014, the 17^th Judicial District Drug Task Force seized 257 grams of cocaine, 1,825 grams of marijuana, 117 grams of meth, 911 prescription pills, four pounds of counterfeit pot, and other controlled substances that were intended for illegal drug use. In addition to the drugs, seven weapons, and funds and property totaling over $44,000.00 were seized. These funds and property items were seized and forfeiture actions have been initiated against the property by the task force and the DA’s office. 

The drug market is constantly changing and recently this district encountered an influx of the crystallized form of meth, which is known as Ice. Meth is also produced through a “shake and bake” method, which has been a common method of manufacturing in the 17^th District; however, ice is manufactured in Mexico and is the purest form of meth on the illegal market. This drug is extremely addictive just like crack cocaine and heroin. 

Twenty-two defendants in Bedford County and eleven defendants in Marshall County have either pleaded guilty or were found guilty at trial by jury of felony drug charges or other felony offenses that were investigated by the 17^th Judicial District Drug Task Force in Bedford and Marshall Counties.

NASHVILLE-The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has again added to the state’s Top Ten Most Wanted list, Deterines Cortae Cathey, of Columbia, TN. 

Deterines Cortae Cathey is now wanted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) for Murder in Aid of Racketeering. Last week, Cathey was indicted by a Federal Grand Jury for Middle Tennessee and is wanted in connection with a 2009 homicide that occurred in Columbia, TN. 

In December 2013, Cathey was captured by the US Marshal’s Fugitive Task Force after being on the Most Wanted List for his involvement in an October 2013 incident that occurred in Columbia. He was charged by the Columbia Police Department for various felony charges which included Aggravated Assault. Currently, he is out on bond for those charges. The October incident is unrelated to the current charge from the FBI. 

Deterines Cortae Cathey, aka “Weeda”, age 24, of Maury County, has a last known address of 130 Westview Drive in Columbia, TN. He is described as an African American male with black hair and brown eyes. He is approximately 6 foot 2 inches tall and weighs about 160 pounds. He has a tattoo of “KC” on his left cheek and tattoos on both arms. 

Cathey is a convicted felon and he is considered dangerous. He is a confirmed “Kitchen Crips” gang member. Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Deterines Cortae Cathey, aka “Weeda” is urged to call TBI at 1-800-TBI-FIND (1-800-824-3463). Additionally, the FBI, Maury County Sheriff’s Office and the Columbia Police Department will accept information from the public regarding Cathey’s whereabouts. There is a $1,000 reward for information leading to his arrest.