Tennessee to Face Reduction of Funding in Sequester

BY Nigel Manuel

First there was the fiscal cliff, now there is the sequester.

Set to happen on March 1st, these are automatic spending cuts that are meant encourage Congress to come up with a deficit reduction plan.

 Today, the White House released reports that details what cuts would be made to individual states if the sequester were to happen.

 Tennessee would lose approximately $60 million in fundings for various programs. That includes $36.9 million in cuts to military readiness by furloughing 7,000 civilian Department of Defense employees and a $1.9 million cut to army base operations.

  In addition to financial cuts, work study and head start services would also face reductions. Around 720 fewer students will be able to get work study jobs to assist in paying for college. Head start and early head start would be unavailable for around 1,200 children.

 Vaccination for children would be cut by $177,000. That means about 2,590 children won’t be able to receive the MMR, tetanus, whooping cough, influenza, or the Hepatitis B vaccine.

 Senior citizens would also be affected by these cuts. Tennessee would lose $1,031,000 in funding for meals for senior citizens. That would mean cuts to programs like Meals on Wheels.

 Amy Brundage, Deputy Press Secretary for the Economy, said that these cuts were never meant to be policy. (AUDIO)

 These cuts can occur over the next seven months. While some effects will be felt immediately, some won’t be felt until weeks later. (AUDIO)

 In addition to these statewide cuts, there are nationwide cuts. These cuts would delay new drug approval, shorten operating hours or closure of parks, fewer food manufacturing plant inspections, reduction in HUD voucher program funding, delays for social security applicants, and cuts to the WIC program that would drop around 600,000 from March to September.

 Jason Furman, Principal Deputy Director of the National Economic Commission, said that this can only be stopped by the US Congress. (AUDIO)

 Jason also gave a description of how these cuts will happen. He also said that the agencies affected can’t hold off on cuts under the assumption that a deal will be made soon. (AUDIO)

Teenager Arrested in North Royal Burglary

(February 22, 2013) Jackson TN - Jackson Police have arrested Rashaud Jerome Townsend, 19, of 226 Morgan St., Jackson, Tennessee and charged him with Aggravated Burglary, Theft of Property over $1,000 and Vandalism.

Rashaud TownsedMr. Townsend will be formally arraigned in Jackson City Court on Monday February 25, 2013 at 8 am. The City Court Judge will set a bond for Townsend on Saturday the 23rd of February and until then he will be held in the Madison County Criminal Justice Complex.

On 2-22-2012 a homeowner arrived at his residence in the 1900 block of North Royal St. and observed a suspect standing inside of the victim’s home. The suspect fled and the homeowner provided a description to police. The homeowner entered his home and found some items missing, other items damaged and some of his property staged by the door. The burglary was interrupted by the homeowner before the suspect was able to get away with all of the stolen property.

Officers were checking the area for the suspect when they received a call about a suspicious person at a nearby home.

Officers arrived and located the suspect, who matched the description of the suspect seen fleeing the home. Officers took the suspect in custody and he was identified as Rashaud Jerome Townsend. Officers located some of the victim’s stolen property in possession of the suspect.

While the investigation is ongoing, we encourage anyone with information about this and any other crime to contact the General Investigations Unit at the Jackson Police Department at 731-425-8400 or Crime Stoppers at 424-TIPS (8477).

Local Youth Violence Prevention Program Kicks Off Sixth Year

(February 22, 2013) JACKSON, TENNESSEE– The Jackson “Do the Write Thing” Challenge Program kicked off its sixth year on Friday, at Northeast Middle School.  Jackson City Councilman, Ernest Brooks II, is Founder and Chairman of the program which is a part of the National Campaign to Stop Violence.

The “Do the Write Thing” Challenge Program gives middle school students the opportunity to examine the impact of youth violence in their lives through classroom discussions and written expression by communicating what they think should be done to change our culture of violence. By encouraging students to make personal commitments to do something about the problem, the program ultimately seeks to empower them to fight violence in their homes, schools and communities.

“In four years, the Jackson Madison County School System has had over 2,000 7th and 8th graders accept the challenge against youth violence by submitting writings,” said Councilman Brooks.  The writings answer three seminal questions:

What are the causes of youth violence? How has violence affected your life? What are some of your solutions to youth violence?

 After the writings are evaluated, the top ten boys and girls will be honored during the local recognition banquet. Of these writings, the boy and girl with the most responsive essays will be selected as “national ambassadors.” These students, a parent and their teacher will attend the National Recognition Week in Washington, D.C., in July.

 During the National Recognition Week, national ambassadors have the opportunity to present their views to the Secretary of Education, Secretary of the Interior, Attorney General and members of Congress. In addition, their writings will be published and placed in the Library of Congress.

 According to the Councilman, “I will continue to fight youth crime and violence from a preventive perspective.  I look forward to equipping our youth with the tools to say no to youth violence.”

Jackson Man Arrested for Kidnapping and Child Neglect

Jackson police arrested a Jackson man for kidnapping his girlfriend from her home and leaving her three young children home alone.

Parrish TransouParrish Transou, 32, was arraigned Thursday at 8 a.m. in Jackson City Court on charges of kidnapping, three counts of child neglect and interference with emergency calls. His bond was set at $75,000.

At 1:49 a.m. Thursday, police were called to a home on Pony Cove. A woman told police that she received a distressed phone call from her cousin, Marion Andrews, asking her to call police because her boyfriend, Transou, had forced her from her home. The woman then told police that during the call Transou grabbed the phone and told her that she would not see her cousin again if she called police.

Police and the woman then went to Andrews' home on Hicks Street. Andrews' children, ages 9, 8 and 2, were there alone. The children were in bed and not harmed. Officers broadcasted a BOLO (Be on the lookout) for Transou's car.

Shortly after 3 a.m., officers stopped Transou's car on U.S. 45 Bypass at Old Humboldt Road. Officers separated Andrews from Transou. She told police that she was breaking up with Transou, and he forced her into his car against her will causing her children to be left alone. He also took her cell phone, which prevented her to call 911 for help.

At the time of this incident, Transou was free on $40,000 bond. He faces a Jan. 20 theft charge for shoplifting a home security alarm system from Wal-Mart on Emporium Drive valued at $306.20.

Based on this arrest, Transou's $40,000 bond was revoked, and he will be held at the Madison County Jail. His next court appearance on all charges is scheduled for Feb. 28 in city court.