January 30 Livestock Forage Program Signup Deadline Approaches

January 19, 2024
By:

Do you have cattle, sheep, goats, or equine animals? If so, you could be eligible to receive payment from the DeKalb/Cannon County Farm Service Agency. According to Donny Green, County Executive Director, signup for the Livestock Forage Program will end January 30, 2024.

The Livestock Forage Assistance Program (LFP) has been approved for DeKalb and Cannon counties due to recent and extreme drought conditions that have affected livestock grazing during the 2023 normal grazing period. LFP provides compensation to eligible livestock producers that have suffered grazing losses for covered livestock on land with permanent vegetative cover or planted specifically for grazing.

Since the LFP signup began in early November, nearly 400 livestock producers in DeKalb and Cannon counties have been approved and received over $1.5 million.

If you are a livestock producer and have not filed your LFP application since the signup period began in early November, please visit the FSA office in Smithville to file your application before the January 30, 2024 deadline. There are no approval provisions for late filed LFP applications.

For more information, call the office at 615-597-8225, Ext. 2, or come by the Smithville USDA Service Center located at 647 Bright Hill Rd., Smithville, Tennessee. The Farm Service Agency’s office hours are 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

January 18, 2024
By: Dwayne Page

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is now available for Tennessee students, including recent changes to make it easier than ever to apply for financial aid to support a college education.

While the FAFSA typically launches in October on StudentAid.gov, this year the launch was delayed by the U.S. Department of Education due to program updates to improve online functionality.

The Tennessee Promise FAFSA deadline has officially moved to May 15, 2024 to accommodate the late opening and to allow students extra time to complete the form.

“The FAFSA is now available for all Tennesseans” said James Snider, Director of Tennessee Promise at the Tennessee Higher Education Commission. “Now is the time to finalize your plan to pursue education after high school. We are hopeful that we will continue to lead the nation in our FAFSA Completion efforts.”

An average of 350,000 Tennesseans complete the FAFSA each year. This crucial form is used to determine state and federal grants eligibility, as well as a requirement for the Tennessee Promise
scholarship.

The revised FAFSA will be shorter for some families, with certain information automatically filled in based on tax returns along with changes in the formulas used for aid calculations. However, the delay in launching the FAFSA means that students can expect to receive their loan and scholarship packages later than usual, reducing the time available for evaluating competing offers before making enrollment decisions.

Here are some key takeaways for Tennessee students:
What’s new this year?
• The updated FAFSA is expected to be shorter for some individuals, with the U.S. Department of Education predicting that some may need to answer as few as 18 questions, taking less than 10 minutes.
• Changes may require students to report information for spouses or stepparents not considered in previous years.
• The elimination of the “sibling discount” in aid calculations may affect some families negatively, but others may see an increase in aid. The U.S. Department of Education estimates that an additional 610,000 students from low-income families nationwide will be eligible for federal Pell Grants.

How can students prepare?
• To complete the FAFSA, students and contributors to their family income, including parents and spouses, should create online accounts at StudentAid.gov. Creating these accounts in advance is recommended to save time before completing the FAFSA.
• Required information includes names, dates of birth, email addresses, and Social Security numbers for all parties filling out the FAFSA. Tax information should transfer automatically from
the IRS with family consent; however, having tax returns, child support records, and current balances for cash, savings, and checking accounts ready is advisable. Families should also know
the net worth of their investments and businesses.
• A student starting classes in the fall of 2024 will fill out the 2024-2025 FAFSA form although aid calculations will be based on tax filings from 2022.
• Families are cautioned to only submit the FAFSA through the official government website (StudentAid.gov) and never pay to submit the free form.

How will students know what aid they’ll get?
• Students can share their information with up to 20 colleges and trade schools, an increase from previous years. Early submission is encouraged, as some schools have priority deadlines for
grants and scholarships. The deadline to remain eligible for the Tennessee Promise scholarship is May 15, 2024.
• After completing the FAFSA, students should expect communication from the schools they’ve applied to. However, due to late opening this year, any communications from campuses will be delayed until early February at the earliest. Families are warned against accepting unexpected offers of financial aid, as they could be scams. The U.S. Department of Education advises
verifying the legitimacy of offers by checking with the school’s financial aid office when in doubt

January 16, 2024
By: Dwayne Page

Several arrests have been made recently by the Alexandria Police Department on charges ranging from fugitive to drug offenses.

51-year-old Tara Perkins of Weatherly Drive, Lebanon is charged with manufacture, delivery, sale, and possession of a schedule II drug (Methamphetamine) and possession of a schedule V drug (Gabapentin), and simple possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

Alexandria Police Chief Travis Bryant said that on December 14, officers stopped Perkins for a traffic violation and while speaking with her, they suspected she was in possession of narcotics. K-9 Manci was deployed, and a search of the vehicle yielded approximately 3 grams of a crystal-like substance believed to be methamphetamine, 33 white pills believed to be Gabapentin, a small amount of marijuana, several hypodermic needles, small baggies and a pipe. Her bond was set at $45,000.

35-year-old James Ketcherside and 53-year-old Yvonne Ketcherside of Edgewood Street, Alexandria were arrested on December 31 for being fugitives from justice. Officers learned that both were living at this Alexandria residence and were wanted in Missouri for parole violations. As officers arrived, they spoke with the homeowner who gave them consent to search. James Ketcherside was found in an upstairs bathroom trying to hide from officers while Yvonne Ketcherside was locked in a bedroom closet. After about an hour, both were taken into custody. Dispatch then sent a confirmation to authorities in Missouri and officers were advised to hold the Ketcherside’s for extradition. Yvonne Ketcherside stated to officers that she had been on the run for 4 years. Their bonds were set at $75,000 each.

36-year-old Trevan Lawson of James Court, Gordonsville is charged with possession of a schedule V drug (Gabapentin), manufacture, delivery and sale of a schedule II drug (methamphetamine), and possession of drug paraphernalia. On January 9, Officers were summoned to check on a suspicious vehicle at the car wash on West Main Street. As officers approached the vehicle, they detected a strong odor of marijuana and discovered that Lawson was the driver. A metal container was found under the seat during a search which contained approximately 2.41 grams of a crystal substance thought to be methamphetamine, a scale, several clear baggies, and a baggie containing 9 white pills believed to be Gabapentin. Officers also found a used pipe and a set of scales in the glove compartment. Lawson’s bond is set at $20,000 and he will appear in court on January 25.

35-year-old Amanda Wuest of Hillcrest Circle, Gordonsville is cited for possession of drug paraphernalia. Wuest was a passenger in the suspicious vehicle on West Main Street. Officers learned while speaking with her that she was in possession of a piece of aluminum foil and a cut straw both with residue. She admitted that the items were used for narcotics. Her court date is set for January 25.

33-year-old Kelsy Thiem of Evelyn Circle, Portland is charged with DUI and reckless endangerment. On January 3, an officer got behind a vehicle and noticed it swerving and failing to maintain its own lane of travel. He then stopped the automobile and spoke with Thiem who had an odor of alcohol on his person. Thiem’s 7-year-old son was in the vehicle with him. The officer asked Thiem to step out of the automobile to perform field sobriety tasks and discovered that his speech was slurred and that he was unsteady on his feet. Thiem admitted to having consumed a couple of drinks. He performed unsatisfactorily on the field sobriety tests. Thiem was also cited for failing to maintain his lane of travel and failure to provide proof of insurance. His bond was set at $10,000.