A Rutherford County resident faces felony charges after being pulled over for a DUI.

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Courtesy of Nashville's News 2 WKRN

Murfreesboro, TN - Rutherford County's Child Protective Investigative Team was well represented at the One With Courage press conference Thursday at the state Capitol at the Old Supreme Court Chambers.

One with Courage is a national media campaign to encourage children to report child sexual abuse to a trusted adult and to encourage adults to report child abuse to the authorities.  This was a successful media campaign in Texas where they experienced an increase in child abuse reporting.

The Rutherford County Department of Children's Services was represented by Team Coordinator Deirdre C. Lackey, Child Protective Services Team Leader Christina Moody and Case Manager Supervisor Carrie Niederhauser.

Law enforcement was well represented at the event with Assistant Chief Roy Fields, Detective Jennifer West, and Detective Ava Radley representing Murfreesboro Police Department.  Rutherford County Sheriff's Office was represented by Sgt. Mickey McCullough and La Vergne Police Department was represented by Lt. Cindy Murphy, Lt. Michael Campbell and Detective Konrad Kaul.

Nonprofit agencies were represented by Kim Rush from the Rutherford County Guidance Center, Sue Fort White and Jill Howlett from Our Kids, and Jennifer Gamble, LaToya Nelson, Jessica Wauchek and Sharon De Boer from the Child Advocacy Center.  Greg Lyles represented Murfreesboro City Schools at the event.

It is estimated that one in four girls and one in six boys will be sexually abused before they reach the age of 18.  Only one in 10 child sexual abuse victims report the abuse.  According to the American Medical Association, child sexual abuse is a "silent epidemic" that is plaguing children across our nation and here in Rutherford County.

The Tennessee Chapter of Children's Advocacy Centers is working with the Nashville PR firm of McNeely, Pigott, and Fox to replicate the One With Courage media campaign in Tennessee.

Executive Director Sharon De Boer of the Child Advocacy Center of Rutherford and Cannon Counties said children report child sexual abuse to adults in their own way.

"They say things like, 'I don't want to hug my uncle' or 'Please pick me up on time.  I don't like to be alone with my ball coach' or 'Mommy's new boyfriend is mean to me.' As parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles we do not understand that those words are code for 'I am being sexually abused,'" De Boer said.

"It is critical that we pay attention, listen to our children, and ask questions," De Boer said.  "In their own way children are trying to tell us about sexual abuse.  We have a responsibility to our children to report suspected abuse to the Department of Children's Services.  Children are counting on us to protect them."

Visit the One With Courage website at www.tncac.org/owc <http://www.tncac.org/owc>  to learn the signs and symptoms of child sexual abuse, short and long term emotional and physical consequences such as mood swings, erratic behavior, distrust of adults, depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress symptoms, substance abuse, suicide, and other indicators.

To report suspected child abuse call the Department of Children's Services at 1-877-237-0004.  To learn more about how you can get involved contact the Child Advocacy Center at (615) 867-9000.

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Infected animals diagnozed in Rutherford, Marshall counties

The Tennessee Departments of Health and Agriculture announce that rabies has been diagnosed in two horses. One horse, submitted for testing in January 2012, died in rural Rutherford County, and the other was submitted this month from Marshall County. Both horses had a type of rabies virus found in skunks in Tennessee, although it is not known how they were infected.

“The deaths of these animals serve as a somber reminder of the importance of rabies vaccination. Our pets, often including horses, are more likely to come into contact with wild animals than people are. Protecting pets with rabies vaccination can provide a barrier against rabies from wild animals,” said Health Commissioner John Dreyzehner, MD, MPH. “Keeping our pets’ rabies vaccinations up to date is an effective and important way to protect both them and our human loved ones.”

The best protection against rabies in household pets, horses and some other farm animals is rabies vaccination. Vaccination of dogs and cats is required by Tennessee law. Having companion animals vaccinated against rabies helps protect people from rabies, too. The Tennessee Department of Health reminds Tennesseans that preventing exposure of people and their pets to the rabies virus is a priority; please consult your veterinarian for more information.

Rabies is a virus transmitted through the saliva of an infected animal. Nationwide, 37 horses were diagnosed with rabies in 2010, the most recent year for which data are available. In Tennessee in 2011, rabies was diagnosed in 63 animals, including two horses, five dogs, 12 bats, 43 skunks, and one raccoon. Rabies infection occurs primarily in wildlife in Tennessee, but can be transmitted to any mammal. Bites are the most common means of transmission; contact with saliva from an infected animal can also be a concern. Rabies is nearly always fatal, but illness can be prevented in humans by prompt vaccination before symptoms develop.

In addition to vaccination of companion animals, individuals can protect themselves and their loved ones from rabies by staying away from wild animals. Do not attempt to assist, feed or handle wild animals. If a wild or stray domestic animal appears sick or acts strangely, report it to your local animal control agency. Bats in particular should not be handled. If a bat is found inside, in a swimming pool or brought home by your pets, use precautions and consult your local health department.

“People, especially young children and teenagers, are curious about nature and animals, but wild animals and unfamiliar pets may pose a health risk to them,” said Rand Carpenter, DVM, public health veterinarian with TDOH. “It is important that parents and other adults educate children to observe wildlife from a safe distance and not touch any wild animals or unfamiliar domestic animals.”
Individuals can take the following actions to help prevent the spread of rabies:

• Keep vaccinations up-to-date for all dogs and cats and consider vaccinating horses against rabies. Consult your veterinarian for details.

• Keep pets confined or under direct supervision so they do not come into contact with wild animals.

• Keep children away from any wild or dead animals, including bats.

• Do not disturb bats. Instead, consult your local health department or animal control agency for assistance in dealing with potential exposure to bats.

• Contact your local health department if you are concerned about any potential rabies exposures to your family or your pets.

For more information or assistance with a potential human rabies exposure, call your local health department or the Tennessee Department of Health emergency line at 615-741-7247. For questions about animal health, contact the Tennessee Department of Agriculture at 615-837-5120 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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The National Weather Service has issued a tornado warning for southern Davidson, northwestern Rutherford, and northeastern Williamson counties until 1:30 p.m.

A severe thunderstorm with potential for producing tornadoes has advanced from the the west.

New Fulfillment Centers to be Located in Rutherford, Wilson counties, Bringing $135 Million in New Investment to Tennessee

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) today announced Amazon’s plans to open two new fulfillment centers in Tennessee, creating over 1,300 new jobs and $135 million in investment in the state. Together with existing facilities in Wilson, Hamilton and Bradley Counties, Amazon will now be creating more than 3,300 jobs and more than $270 million in investment in Tennessee.

“This is exciting news for Middle Tennessee and the entire state as Amazon continues to grow and expand its presence here,” Haslam said. “We appreciate the company’s significant investment and ongoing partnership to create and grow Tennessee jobs.”

“We’re thrilled to create more than 1,300 additional jobs in Tennessee and are thankful to Governor Haslam and state, county and local leaders for their continued commitment to Amazon jobs and investment,” said Dave Clark, vice president, Amazon North American operations. “We’re proud to call Tennessee home and look forward to serving our customers from these new facilities in Murfreesboro and Lebanon.”

As a growing member of the Tennessee community, Amazon also announced that it is donating $20,000 to the Books from Birth Foundation for its chapters in Wilson, Rutherford, Bradley and Hamilton counties – the locations of Amazon’s current and future fulfillment centers. Books from Birth is a nonprofit organization committed to helping preschool children develop their love of learning and reading.

“Today is another great day in Murfreesboro,” said Murfreesboro Mayor Tommy Bragg. “I am so proud and excited that Amazon has chosen Murfreesboro as its site of choice for one of their newest facilities. Having Amazon create so many new jobs here will be a great boost to our economy, and will provide our citizens the opportunity to have good quality jobs with a well known, respected, growing company.”

“Having a household name like Amazon in Rutherford County just adds to our county’s portfolio of top corporate entities in our area,” said Rutherford County Mayor Ernest Burgess. “With the national and global economies struggling to recover, this proves that Rutherford County is a destination for jobs and we wish Amazon great success in Murfreesboro and Rutherford County.”

“On behalf of Lebanon, TN, I want to thank Amazon and their partners for their confidence and commitment to our city,” said Lebanon Mayor Philip Craighead. “This would not have been possible without the cooperation of the City Commission and its many city of Lebanon staff members, along with the contributions and financial support from the State of Tennessee and the Tennessee Valley Authority. We look forward to growing this new partnership for the benefit of our citizens, our city and for Amazon.”

“I’m pleased to see the city of Lebanon and Wilson County work together on such an important project and I look forward to welcoming Amazon and their operation to Wilson County,” said Wilson County Mayor Randall Hutto. “I want to thank the Wilson County Commission, the Industrial Development Bond Board and the office of the Joint Economic and Community Development Board of Wilson County for their support and efforts in bringing another internationally known corporation to the community. A project of this nature only occurs when governments, the community and the company work together for the betterment of all.”

Amazon’s new facilities are expected to be completed next fall. Amazon Fulfillment Centers in Tennessee are operated by Amazon.com.dedc LLC.

About Amazon.com

Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN), a Fortune 500 company based in Seattle, opened on the World Wide Web in July 1995 and today offers Earth’s Biggest Selection. Amazon.com, Inc. seeks to be Earth’s most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy online, and endeavors to offer its customers the lowest possible prices. Amazon.com and other sellers offer millions of unique new, refurbished and used items in categories such as Books; Movies, Music & Games; Digital Downloads; Electronics & Computers; Home & Garden; Toys, Kids & Baby; Grocery; Apparel, Shoes & Jewelry; Health & Beauty; Sports & Outdoors; and Tools, Auto & Industrial. Amazon Web Services provides Amazon’s developer customers with access to in-the-cloud infrastructure services based on Amazon’s own back-end technology platform, which developers can use to enable virtually any type of business. The new latest generation Kindle is the lightest, most compact Kindle ever and features the same 6-inch, most advanced electronic ink display that reads like real paper even in bright sunlight. Kindle Touch is a new addition to the Kindle family with an easy-to-use touch screen that makes it easier than ever to turn pages, search, shop, and take notes - still with all the benefits of the most advanced electronic ink display. Kindle Touch 3G is the top of the line e-reader and offers the same new design and features of Kindle Touch, with the unparalleled added convenience of free 3G. Kindle Fire is the Kindle for movies, TV shows, music, books, magazines, apps, games and web browsing with all the content, free storage in the Amazon Cloud, Whispersync, Amazon Silk (Amazon’s new revolutionary cloud-accelerated web browser), vibrant color touch screen, and powerful dual-core processor.

Amazon and its affiliates operate websites, including www.amazon.com, www.amazon.co.uk, www.amazon.de, www.amazon.co.jp, www.amazon.fr, www.amazon.ca, www.amazon.cn, www.amazon.it, and www.amazon.es. As used herein, “Amazon.com,” “we,” “our” and similar terms include Amazon.com, Inc., and its subsidiaries, unless the context indicates otherwise.

Forward-Looking Statements

This announcement contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Actual results may differ significantly from management’s expectations. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that include, among others, risks related to competition, management of growth, new products, services and technologies, potential fluctuations in operating results, international expansion, outcomes of legal proceedings and claims, fulfillment center optimization, seasonality, commercial agreements, acquisitions and strategic transactions, foreign exchange rates, system interruption, inventory, government regulation and taxation, payments and fraud. More information about factors that potentially could affect Amazon.com’s financial results is included in Amazon.com’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent filings.

Five Rutherford County teams will open play Friday night in the TSSAA BlueCorss Bowl Football Championship Class 6A playoffs, the most teams ever from one district.

Riverdale, Siegel, Blackman and Oakland from Murfreesboro qualified for the playoffs along with Smyrna.

Eagleville will enjoy a bye tonight in the Class 1A playoffs by virtue of its perfect 10-0 season.

Riverdale also posted a flawless 10-0 season and claimed a #1 seed in the playoffs, plus drawing the weakest team in Class 6A competition, Coffee County that is only 3-7 and reached the playoffs by finishing second in its weak district.

The two seemingly closest contests tonight would pit #4 seeds against #5s. Blackman is host to Farragut, both with 7-3 records. Siegel is on the road for a pairing of two more 7-3 teams at Overton.

Smyrna, 6-4, travels to #3 seed Franklin, 7-3. The Bulldogs edged the Rebels by one point in the regular season.

Oakland, 6-4, faces the toughest test for local teams, facing #1 seed Mt. Juliet, 10-0.

Tonight's lineup:

#1 Riverdale (10-0) vs. #8 Coffee County (3-7)

#4 Blackman (7-3) vs. #5 Farragut (7-3)

#1 Mt. Juliet (10-0) vs. #8 Oakland (6-4)

#4 Overton (7-3) vs. #5 Siegel (7-3)

#3 Franklin vs. #6 Smyrna (6-4)

Rutherford County is hosting a Household Hazardous Waste Collection on Saturday, November 5, 2011 at the City of Murfreesboro Public Works Facility at 4765 Florence Road. The collection will be held from 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

All households are encouraged to participate. Some items that will be accepted are automotive and marine products, home maintenance products, and home garden products. Also collected are spray paint, pool chemicals, mercury thermostats and thermometers, fluorescent tubes and compact fluorescent blubs. Medicine and drugs will also be collected, but please empty the container into a zip lock plastic bag before bringing to the event. Many of the items targeted for collection are flammable, corrosive, reactive, or toxic and should not be thrown in the garbage. No explosives, gun powder, ammunition, radioactive materials such as smoke detectors, medical wastes, needles and sharps, or commercial wastes will be accepted. Only households are allowed to participate.

If wishing to dispose of batteries or electronics, you may do so at several locations, on a year round basis. For example, Rutherford County collects electronic waste each Tuesday and Saturday at 1140 Haley Road in Murfreesboro. This collection takes place from 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM. Items such as old televisions, computers, monitors, and computer peripherals are accepted at this free collection. If wishing to properly dispose of batteries, please be aware that batteries are collected, free-of-charge, on a year-round basis at BatteriesPlus at 535 North Thompson Lane. Alkaline batteries can be safely disposed of in the trash.

Paint is NO LONGER accepted at this collection. For directions on solidifying latex paint, or the proper disposal of oil-based paint, please refer to www.rutherfordcountytn.gov/environmental. You may also call 615 542-4633 for a flyer to be mailed.

This is a great opportunity to safeguard your home from potentially dangerous chemicals. For more information and a complete listing of accepted items please contact Mimi D. Keisling at 615 542-4633 or by e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . You may also log onto www.rutherfordcountytn.gov and click on the flyer under “Public Notices” for more details.

Commissioner Bill Gibbons announced that the Department of Safety and Homeland Security is making more options available for registered voters to get photo driver licenses or identification cards for voting purposes. Under a new state law, starting in 2012 voters will have to show a state or federal issued photo ID to cast a ballot at the polls in Tennessee.

Commissioner Gibbons announced an agreement with 30 county clerks across the state to issue photo driver licenses at no charge to registered voters who currently have non-photo driver licenses. These county clerks are existing partners with the Department and currently issue renewal and duplicate driver licenses and identification cards to Tennessee residents. Under the new agreement, the county clerks will waive the $4 service fee they normally charge for providing this service. County clerks have agreed to provide this service starting October 17 and will continue through March 12, a week after the presidential primary election.

“This greatly increases the number of locations where registered voters may get photos added to their driver licenses at no charge. It is a simple process, and thanks to our county clerk partners, voters will have more places across the state to obtain photo driver licenses,” Gibbons said.

Gibbons also announced that starting in November, driver service centers will be open on the first Saturday of each the month in 15 counties. The centers will be open during normal business hours, from 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., to make photo driver licenses or IDs for voting purposes only. No other business will be conducted in the centers on Saturdays.

“The Department of Safety and Homeland Security is to be commended for reaching out to county clerks across our state, making it easier for people to obtain free photo IDs they can use to vote. Requiring photo IDs at the polls is one important way we can help ensure the integrity of elections in Tennessee. At the same time, it’s important that we make it as convenient as possible for people to obtain valid photo IDs if they don’t already have them,” said Secretary of State Tre Hargett.

The Division of Elections reports there are approximately 126,000 registered voters who have non-photo driver licenses in Tennessee. Drivers age 60 or older may choose to get a non-photo driver license in Tennessee.

"We are pleased that Gov. Haslam, Commissioner Gibbons, Secretary Hargett, and county officials throughout Tennessee are working hard to ensure that Tennesseans can continue to exercise their right to vote after the new law goes into effect," said Rebecca Kelly, AARP Tennessee State Director.

Of the 30 counties where clerks have agreed to provide this service, 21 are in counties without state driver service centers. A list of participating counties is attached.

In total, there will be 83 locations in 61 counties, including county clerk offices and driver service centers, where voters can convert non-photo driver licenses to photo licenses at no charge. Voters currently without a driver license may go to any of the 49 driver service centers in 42 counties to obtain photo IDs at no charge.

“We are committed to doing what we can to make these IDs accessible to voters who need them. That includes altering employees’ schedules in order to be open on Saturdays in some locations,” said Lori Bullard, Assistant Commissioner of Driver Services.

Driver service centers will be open on Saturdays in the following counties: Davidson, Hamilton, Knox, Shelby, Sullivan, Sumner, Rutherford, Washington, Williamson, Montgomery, Blount, Bradley, Putnam, Greene, and Carter. In Shelby County, this includes the two full-service driver service centers in Memphis, located on Summer Avenue and East Shelby Drive. In Davidson County, this includes the two full-service centers on Centennial Boulevard and Hart Lane.

To minimize the possibility of wait times during Saturday hours, groups or organizations planning to make a group visit to a driver service center should schedule an appointment by calling Linda Cone at 731-225-0924 or Wanda Adams at 615-251-5309.

The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security’s (www.TN.Gov/safety) mission is to ensure the safety and general welfare of the public. The department encompasses the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Office of Homeland Security and Driver License Services. General areas of responsibility include law enforcement, safety education, motorist services and terrorism prevention.

Murfreesboro, TN – Middle Tennessee State University’s Tennessee Small Business Development Center and the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce will present a three-part Google AdWords training session on Oct. 13, at the Chamber Building.

“Advances in technology have made certain forms of online advertising more affordable, more effective, and easier to do – that is what Google AdWords is all about,” said Patrick Geho, state executive director for MTSU’s statewide business center network. “Once you set up a Google account, you can begin to create ads whenever you want, selecting your keywords and phrases. Google's keyword selection tools help you to identify alternate words and phrases and provide you with some data on how frequently certain phases are searched. Using Google AdWords as an advertising tool draws the attention from potential customers searching the Internet who are pursuing a specific task or active interest. ”

Anastasia Holdren, a Google Authorized AdWords Seminar Leader, will lead the training. Her Nashville-based consulting firm, SEM Training, provides training and consulting services for Google AdWords advertisers. Holdren piloted Google’s Seminars for Success program in 2006, and since then, has trained thousands of advertisers around the world, and helped companies large and small maximize the performance of their AdWords accounts.

“Over the years Stasia has worked with a wide range of clients, including Osram Sylvania, Harvard Business School Executive Education, eMarketer.com, Cannondale, Air Jamaica, the National Federation of Independent Business, Psychiatric Services, TravelCenters of America, SolidWorks and New Media Manitoba,” said Geho. “We are fortunate to have Stasia onboard to provide AdWords training for our area businesses.”

Online registration is available on the Chamber’s website at www.rutherfordchamber.org through Oct. 7. For additional information, please contact the TSBDC at (615) 898-2745.

Workshop Details – Tuesday, Oct. 13

Session I: 9-11 a.m.

Google 101

This workshop provides an overview of many tools that are available from Google to help small businesses grow, be more productive and save money. Topics covered include: Search Engine Optimization, Google Places, Google AdWords, Google Analytics, and Google Webmaster Tools.

AdWords 101

This workshop provides business owners with an introductory understanding of how they can attract new business using AdWords. Topics covered include: Intro to AdWords, Google ranking explained, basic campaign structure, choosing quality keywords, and writing great ads.

Session II: 1-3 p.m.

SEO 101
This workshop provides an insight into how Google and other search engines determine which websites are ranked in the organic listings. Topics covered include: SEO basics and best practices, sneaky techniques to avoid, case studies, and “build your SEO game plan.”

AdWords 201 – Keywords

This workshop focuses on keywords. Topics include: how to build your list, how to evaluate and improve keyword Quality Score, using keyword research tools and techniques.

Session III: 4-6 p.m.

Google Places 101
This workshop provides an overview of Google’s business directory, Google Places. Topics include: what a Place Page is, how to create or claim a listing, how to optimize your listing to increase visibility, and Google Boost.

AdWords 301 – Advanced Optimization Techniques

This workshop focuses on tools and strategies for optimizing existing AdWords accounts. Topics covered include: generating traffic, Quality Score optimization, analyzing competition, and tracking and measuring success.