October Ribbon Cuttings!
Synergy Therapy & Aquatics
1720 E. Reelfoot Ave. Suite 100
Union City, TN 38261
731-884-8888
tallen@aosm-tn.com
AT&T
1401 W. Reelfoot Ave. Suite 201
Union City, TN 38261
AT&T has announced the launch of its mobile Internet network in Obion County, extending access for advanced mobile services, devices and feature-rich audio and video content to customers in Obion County. |
October Business Matters
 
Landy Fuqua with the TSBDC/Reed Center discussed the Tennessee Lawful Employment Act which went in to effect January 1, 2012. It requires employers to obtain lawful resident/employment verification information for both employees and "non employees". Employers can demonstrate they are hiring and maintaining a legal workforce by particiapting in E-Verify. E-Verify electronically verifies the employment eligibility of newly hired employees and existing employees assigned to work on a qualifying federal contract. It is a partnership between the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration. E-Verify Goals are to reduce unauthorized employment, minimize verification related discrimination, be quick and non burdensome to employers and protect civil liberties and employee privacy. Additonal information can be found at: www.dhs.gov/E-Verify, www.tn.gov/labor-wfd/eVerify/. www.uscis.gov/I-9Central, or www.tn.gov/labor-wfd/faq_illegal_alien.htm.
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2012 Annual Chamber Banquet Winners
Business of the Year: Union City Insurance Agency
Other Nominees: JD Distributors, Everett Stewart Airport, Reelfoot Animal Hospital
Educator of the Year:
Chastity Homra, Obion County School System
and
Kristen Miles, Union City School System
(not pictured)
Union City Schools Nominees: Mary Helen Johnson, Linda Harrelson, Angie Keathley
Obion County Schools Nominees: Hope DuRall, Kathy Cassetty, Maria Matheny
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Commercial Bank recently particpated in Jean Day for United Way. During this event, local employers allow their employees to wear jeans to work when you make a donation of $1.00 or more to United Way. All proceeds go to help local non-profit organizations. If you are interested in participating in Jean Day for United Way contact MIchelle Creswell at 731-446-2891.
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South Fulton, Samburg awarded state grants
By KEVIN BOWDEN
Staff Reporter
Gov. Bill Haslam delivered good news Tuesday of more than $3.6 million in state grants to benefit northwest Tennessee communities. Among the communities awarded grants Tuesday were to South Fulton and Samburg.
South Fulton received a $250,000 Local Park and Recreation Fund grant that will be used for what will be the city's first park facility. The state funds will be used to develop a walking trail, a pond, playground picnic pavilion and stage.
"These funds allow communities to invest in their future," Haslam stated in a news release. "I am pleased the grants will go toward important projects, including emergency services in this area."
South Fulton Mayor David Crocker accepted the state's $250,000 check from the governor in Martin. State officials also announced Tuesday that 15 projects in the region have been approved for CDBG funding. Among the communities to receive CDBG funds is Samburg, which has been approved for a $500,000 housing
Other communities in the region to receive Com-munity Development Block Grants were located across Weakley and Carroll counties.
"These grants help bolster quality of life in our communities," the governor stated in his news release. "They keep our cities vibrant and are worthy investments for our state." According to the news release, the grants were supported by state Sen. Roy Herron, state Reps. Andy Holt and Bill Sanderson, Crocker, and a several key Weakley and Carroll county officials. U.S. Sens. Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker, as well as U.S. Rep. Stephen Fincher, also aided in securing the CDBG funds, according to a news release.Haslam and TDEC Commissioner Bob Martineau will be announcing $6.9 million in LPRF grants in the coming weeks, benefiting 50 projects across the state, according to Meg Lockhart with the state Department of Environment and Conservation.
The Local Parks and Recreation Fund grant program was established by the state Legislature in 1991 to provide local governments with fund to purchase land for parks, natural areas, greenways and recreational facilities. The funds may be used for the development of trails and projects in parks, natural areas or greenways and all LPRF grants require a 50 percent local match, according to Ms. Lockhart. ---
Staff Reporter Kevin Bowden may be contacted by email at kmbowden@ucmessenger.com. Published in The Messenger 10.17.12
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10th Anniversary of the 27th Judicial District Drug Court
Date: October 25, 2012
Contact Person: Circuit Judge Bill Acree
Phone: 884-2667
e-mail: billacree@yahoo.com
In celebration of the 10th anniversary of operation of the 27th Judicial District Drug Court, a reception is planned for December 17, 2012 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the Circuit courtroom at the Obion County Courthouse.
The drug court program was established as an adult felony post-plea treatment program with a goal of reducing the drug related crime rate within the counties it served. The Drug Court Team would consist of the Judges, the District Attorney, the Public Defender, Assistant Public Defender, Westate Corrections staff, a Program Evaluator from the University of Tennessee, representatives from local law enforcement and treatment professionals. The first participants were admitted to the program in December, 2002.
Most accepted participants are required to serve an initial period of incarceration. Upon release from jail they will then receive intensive out-patient treatment by licensed professionals, intensive supervision, frequent drug screens and are required to make a weekly appearance in court. Applicants charged with a violent offense or who have a history of violence are not considered eligible for the program. The average time required to complete the program is 22 months. The primary drug of choice among the participants is methamphetamine. Prescription drug addiction is also prevalent among those accepted to the program. The percentage of participants that successfully complete the program is 48%. The average recidivism rate, both nationally and locally is 25% among individuals who complete Drug Court.
Two hundred seventy seven men and women have been admitted to the drug court program since it was organized in 2002. The 27th Judicial District Drug Court program was one of the first drug court programs to be awarded state certification in 2008. In May of this year, a graduation ceremony was held in the Obion County Circuit courtroom. Among this group of graduates was the program's 100th graduate.
The current capacity of the Drug Court program is 40 participants. The current cost to provide the program's services is less than $10.00 per participant per day. The cost of incarceration for a felony inmate in the Tennessee Department of Correction is $65.00 per day. Funding for the 27th Judicial District Drug Court program is provided by state grants, drug court and DUI treatment reserve funds, Obion and Weakley county government, participant fees and charitable contributions.
Each life that is changed from addiction and committing crimes to become a contributing member of society as a result of what we are doing collectively is a cause for celebration. The public is invited to join the members of the drug court team as well as many of our graduates as we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Drug Court program since its establishment in the 27th Judicial District.
Drug Court Team Members: Photo: #1
(Front Row, left to right) Lourie Coupe, Counselor; Veronica Thornton, Program Coordinator; Dr. Deborah Gibson, Program Evaluator; Sue Moore, Case Officer; (Back Row, left to right) Michael Walton, Case Officer; Judge William Acree, Circuit Court Judge; Tommy Thomas, District Attorney; Judge Tommy Moore, Weakley County General Sessions Judge; Joe Atnip, Public Defender; Judge Jimmy Smith, Obion County General Sessions Judge; (not pictured) Colin Johnson, Assistant District Attorney
Drug Court Judges: Photo #2
(Left to right) Weakley County General Sessions Judge Tommy Moore; 27th Judicial District Circuit Court Judge William Acree; Obion County General Sessions Judge Jimmy Smith
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Obion County
Chamber of Commerce
Upcoming
Business Matters
Topic:
Healthcare Updates
Sponsored by:
Attorney John Miles
November 20, 2012 at the Obion County Public Library
7:45am-9:00am |
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Add Your Event to the Obion County Chamber Website
Got an event you would like to include on the chamber's website? Simply click here to see if your event can be published on our website! |
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List Your Available Commercial Property With Us
Let us help you spread the word about your available commercial property by listing it at www.obioncounty.org. If you have commercial property you would like to list, please contact Lindsay Frilling, Economic Development Director.
lfrilling@obioncounty.org
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South Fulton Community Alerts
For community alerts in the South Fulton area...text "SOUTHFULTON" to 888777 and enter your zip code when directed. For more information visit www.nixle.com
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Thank you for your continued Obion County Chamber of Commerce Membership
Small World
Universal Contractors
Wood Communications
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Thank you for your continued Obion County Industrial Development Corporation Membership
All Kraft Erectors, Inc.
Atmos Energy Corporation
Baptist Memorial Hospital
Barker Brothers Waste, Inc.
Carpenter Estate Company, Inc.
Century 21
Dixie Gun Works, Inc.
Farm Bureau
Farm Credit Services
First State Bank
Fuller Partners
Gibson Electric Membership Corporation
G & H Tool & Die, Inc.
Hampton Inn
Herman Jenkins Motors
J.R. Wauford & Company
Jere W. Crenshaw D.D.S.
Jiffy Steamer
Midwest-CBK
Reelfoot Bank
Revell Construction Co., Inc.
Rodger P. Lewis, M.D., P.C.
Sullivan Dentistry
Town of Troy
Union City Daily Messenger
Union City Electric System
Union City Rotary Club
Warner Law Firm
West Kentucky Rural Telephone Corp.
White-Ranson Funeral Home
Williams Sausage |
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Going to the Bank? Get Ready, Get Set, Get Prepared to GO!
Anyone interested in starting a small business is encouraged to attend a lending seminar hosted by the University of Tennessee at Martin REED Center/TSBDC on Tuesday, November 6 at 5 p.m.
The seminar will address various lending options available to small business owners and what lenders look for in their applicants. Participants will learn what resources are available to help plan, start and grow different types of small businesses.
All participants are required to register in advance. The UT Martin REED Center is located at 406 S. Lindell St. in Martin.
For more information or to register, contact the REED Center at 731-587-7333. Online registration is also available at www.utm.edu/reed or at www.tsbdc.org.
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Obion County Chamber offers business advice on November 1, 2012
Denny Sumner, University of Tennessee at Martin Regional Entrepreneur and Economic Development Center and the Tennessee Small Business Development Center small business specialist, will help aspiring entrepreneurs and existing business owners with business advice from 1:00 pm until 3:00 pm, Thursday afternoon, November 1, 2012, at the Obion County Chamber of Commerce at 214 East Church Street in Union City.
Denny Sumner recently joined the TSBDC after working more than 30 years in the banking industry as a commercial loan officer. Additionally, Denny has taught several college classes in Finance and Economics and is currently teaching Microeconomics at UT Martin. Denny's educational background includes an M.B.A. and two Bachelor of Science degrees. He was born in Oklahoma but has lived and worked in Birmingham, St. Louis, north Little Rock and Oklahoma City prior to calling Tennessee home. He will be giving advice about business planning, financing options, marketing, customer service, cash flow and other issues. The consultations are one-on-one, confidential and free.
Appointments can be made by contacting the UT-Martin REED Center/TSBDC at 731-587-7333. For additional services offered by the TSBDC, go to www.tsbdc.org
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ATA To Offer Free Lunch & Learn
Employee Benefits Plan
November 28, 2012
Obion County Public Library
11:30AM
Providing a retirement plan offers an employer tax advantages, encourages employees to save for retirement and can improve your business' bottom line. Maximizing these advantages, while minimizing costs, is largely a matter of having the right retirement plan for your business.
We would like to invite you to a free workshop on Thursday, November 28 to learn more about retirement plans. Jerry Smith, CPA, will walk you through the different types of plans and the advantages and disadvantages of each type. He'll also offer suggestions for using the plan to help increase productivity, cut training costs & improve customer satisfaction. Jerry is the Partner-in-Charge of the Employee Benefit Plans Team with Alexander Thompson Arnold CPAs.
We hope to see you there!
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Obion County Cruise-In
Thank you to everyone who encouraged, supported, participated in and attended for the first annual Obion County Cruise-In event. It was awesome!! We had 115 participants and gave away $1050 cash winnings. We hope to make this event grow bigger and better each year!! This next year we are trying to go in with Cornfest and get a famous singer here on Sept 20th or 21st if anybody has any contacts for getting somebody famous or would like to make a donation to the Obion County Cruise-In please get with Keisha Hooper khooper@jddist.com or
731-335-3250.
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Westover Arts Market
The Westover Arts Market will be November 3 & 4 in the Westover Center. Saturday hours are 10 am to 4 pm and Sunday hours are 1 to 4. We are joining the Union City tour of florists on that Sunday.
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Union City Christmas Tree Lighting & Area Parades
 Union City-November 26th, 5:30 p.m.
Tree Lighting
Union City Parade-November 26th, 7:00 p.m.
Troy Parade-December 8th, 7:00 p.m.
Obion Parade-December 7th, 7:00 p.m.
Kenton Parade-December 1st, 6:00 p.m.
Hornbeak Parade-December 15, 2:00 p.m.
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Any time you want to "visit" or to know what's happening in Union City and the surrounding area, just pop into this site and catch up:
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Get your plan for Small Business Saturday together quickly.
Download your copy of our FREE Toolkit.
Do you have a daily deal horror story? Find out how you can get your business back on track quickly when you
enter to win a Deal Recovery Package.
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Tennessee STEM Innovation Network (TSIN) Survey
Thank you again for your assistance with the survey distribution for the evaluation of the Tennessee STEM Innovation Network. We have had a strong response from Tennessee businesses and we appreciate your efforts in making the evaluation process a successful one and ensuring that your area is represented.
We have decided to leave the survey open for a couple more weeks in an effort to be sure that every organization has an opportunity to participate. We plan to leave the survey open until November 7, so please feel free to send a reminder message to your members that there is still time to participate. I have included the survey information below.
Thank you!
Janet Walton
Survey information:
This survey is a part of the statewide evaluation of the Tennessee STEM Innovation Network (TSIN) being conducted by the Tennessee Consortium on Research, Evaluation, and Development at Vanderbilt University. The TSIN was established by the federal Race to the Top educational award to the state of Tennessee for the purpose of improving STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) education in the state. Your responses to these questions will enable us to track the growth of STEM opportunities and innovations for students in Tennessee K-12 schools over the next several years. You have been identified as a key stakeholder in your region and we appreciate you taking the time to complete the survey.
Your participation in this evaluation project is voluntary. The procedure involves filling out an online survey that will take approximately 30 minutes. Your responses will be kept confidential, and the results of the study will be used for evaluative and scholarly purposes only. Any identifying information, such as e-mail address, you choose to provide as part of the survey will be kept confidential and used only for future administrations of this survey unless you request otherwise.
To complete the survey please use the following link:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/STEMbus
If you have questions about the evaluation project, please contact Dr. Carla Johnson at Carla.j.johnson@vanderbilt.edu.
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