Murfreesboro Tennessee Reports

Wednesday, January 7, 2015

TN third in prostitution, Ketron tellsmissioners - The Daily News Journal

Scott Broden, The Daily News Journal 9:15 a.m. CST January 6, 2015

Bill Ketron

MURFREESBORO – Tennessee ranks third in the nation in prostitution, state Sen. Bill Ketron told county commissioners Monday.

A Republican from Murfreesboro, Ketron said he's learned from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation that human trafficking is a "scourge" in 76 out of 95 counties and the problem is worse in the rural areas.

"Mothers are prostituting their daughters to buy meth," said Ketron, who added that seven Mexican cartels are also engaging in human trafficking through a pipeline to Arizona. "I don't like being No. 3 in human trafficking that is afflicting our state."

Ketron spoke during a meeting in which the Rutherford County Commission Steering, Legislative & Governmental Committee and other county officials met with five of the six all-Republican delegation for Rutherford in the Tennessee General Assembly. State Rep. Rick Womick of the Rockvale community southwest of Murfreesboro was unable to attend.

Rutherford County Sheriff Robert Arnold after the meeting said he was glad that Ketron brought up the issue about prostitution because it's also a problem here.

Arnold said he intends to ask the County Commission to possibly fund one or two detectives "to help us on this growing epidemic upon our society."

"Ninety-five percent of the time it leads to drugs and alcohol," Arnold said.

During the meeting, state Rep. Mike Sparks of Smyrna suggested that 77 percent of the reason people are in jail is related to drugs and alcohol.

The state had to increase its prison budget by $46 million, said Sparks, noting that he'd rather help more inmates seek treatment for their addictions than to lock them up at such a high cost.

Contact Scott Broden at 615-278-5158 or sbroden@dnj.com. Follow him on Twitter @ScottBroden.

Read or Share this story: http://on.dnj.com/1Bt5DtJ

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Smyrna High student diagnosed with tuberculosis | Details at dnj - The Daily News Journal

Mealand Ragland-Hudgins 2:51 p.m. CST January 6, 2015

Smyrna High School(Photo: DNJ FILE)

MURFREESBORO Rutherford County Schools was notified by the Tennessee Department of Health that a student at Smyrna High School has tested positive for active tuberculosis, according to a news release.

District officials said the system is providing contact information to the health department so it can notify the families of students who have had direct contact with the patient and advise them of any testing or treatment that may be needed. The health department is also screening employees at the school who have had direct contact with the student, the release said.

The ill student is not at school at this time and has been not been in the building since early December, the release said.

Health department representatives will also hold a general information meeting to answer questions for Smyrna High School parents at 5 p.m. Wednesday at the school, located at 100 Bulldog Drive.

"The health department will answer all of the questions. Our job is just to notify them when we have something like this come up," Rutherford County Schools Director Don Odom told The Daily News Journal.

In addition, the school district sent home a general message to all Smyrna High parents so they are aware of the situation. A fact sheet on tuberculosis is included on the district's website at www.rcschools.net .

Smyrna High has around 1,800 students.

Based on information received by the school system from the health department, the risk of tuberculosis transmission in this particular case is very low, the release said.

The illness is spread through the air by coughing, sneezing or speaking. It usually affects the lungs, but can spread to the brain, kidneys or spine if left untreated, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

Symptoms include coughing, chest pain, feelings of sickness or weakness, weight loss, fever and night sweats.

Parents are urged not to panic but instead to monitor their children for illness and contact their child's health care provider or the health department if they have questions or concerns.

A vaccine is available for TB but is not widely used in the United States, according to the CDC. In countries where TB is more common, it is administered to infants and small children.

Those in need of TB testing will be contacted by the health department as part of the routine contact investigation, the release said.

The Tennessee Department of Health is administering the response to this situation. For parents with health-related questions regarding tuberculosis, the MidCumberland Regional Health Office can be reached at 615-650-7046.

The health department has advised the school district that tuberculosis germs only remain in the environment for a few hours so there should not be any risk of further spread of TB at the school, the release said.

Read or Share this story: http://on.dnj.com/1BvPu6x

TN third in prostitution, Ketron tellsmissioners - The Daily News Journal

Scott Broden, The Daily News Journal 9:15 a.m. CST January 6, 2015

Bill Ketron

MURFREESBORO – Tennessee ranks third in the nation in prostitution, state Sen. Bill Ketron told county commissioners Monday.

Rutherford County Sheriff Robert Arnold after the meeting said he was glad that Ketron brought up the issue about prostitution because it's also a problem here.

Arnold said he intends to ask the County Commission to possibly fund one or two detectives "to help us on this growing epidemic upon our society."

"Ninety-five percent of the time it leads to drugs and alcohol," Arnold said.

During the meeting, state Rep. Mike Sparks of Smyrna suggested that 77 percent of the reason people are in jail is related to drugs and alcohol.

The state had to increase its prison budget by $46 million, said Sparks, noting that he'd rather help more inmates seek treatment for their addictions than to lock them up at such a high cost.

Contact Scott Broden at 615-278-5158 or sbroden@dnj.com. Follow him on Twitter @ScottBroden.

Read or Share this story: http://on.dnj.com/1Bt5DtJ

TN third in prostitution, Ketron tellsmissioners - The Daily News Journal

Scott Broden, The Daily News Journal 9:15 a.m. CST January 6, 2015

Bill Ketron

MURFREESBORO – Tennessee ranks third in the nation in prostitution, state Sen. Bill Ketron told county commissioners Monday.

Rutherford County Sheriff Robert Arnold after the meeting said he was glad that Ketron brought up the issue about prostitution because it's also a problem here.

Arnold said he intends to ask the County Commission to possibly fund one or two detectives "to help us on this growing epidemic upon our society."

"Ninety-five percent of the time it leads to drugs and alcohol," Arnold said.

During the meeting, state Rep. Mike Sparks of Smyrna suggested that 77 percent of the reason people are in jail is related to drugs and alcohol.

The state had to increase its prison budget by $46 million, said Sparks, noting that he'd rather help more inmates seek treatment for their addictions than to lock them up at such a high cost.

Contact Scott Broden at 615-278-5158 or sbroden@dnj.com. Follow him on Twitter @ScottBroden.

Read or Share this story: http://on.dnj.com/1Bt5DtJ

TN third in prostitution, Ketron tellsmissioners - The Daily News Journal

Scott Broden, The Daily News Journal 9:15 a.m. CST January 6, 2015

Bill Ketron

MURFREESBORO – Tennessee ranks third in the nation in prostitution, state Sen. Bill Ketron told county commissioners Monday.

Rutherford County Sheriff Robert Arnold after the meeting said he was glad that Ketron brought up the issue about prostitution because it's also a problem here.

Arnold said he intends to ask the County Commission to possibly fund one or two detectives "to help us on this growing epidemic upon our society."

"Ninety-five percent of the time it leads to drugs and alcohol," Arnold said.

During the meeting, state Rep. Mike Sparks of Smyrna suggested that 77 percent of the reason people are in jail is related to drugs and alcohol.

The state had to increase its prison budget by $46 million, said Sparks, noting that he'd rather help more inmates seek treatment for their addictions than to lock them up at such a high cost.

Contact Scott Broden at 615-278-5158 or sbroden@dnj.com. Follow him on Twitter @ScottBroden.

Read or Share this story: http://on.dnj.com/1Bt5DtJ

TN third in prostitution, Ketron tellsmissioners - The Daily News Journal

Scott Broden, The Daily News Journal 9:15 a.m. CST January 6, 2015

Bill Ketron

MURFREESBORO – Tennessee ranks third in the nation in prostitution, state Sen. Bill Ketron told county commissioners Monday.

Rutherford County Sheriff Robert Arnold after the meeting said he was glad that Ketron brought up the issue about prostitution because it's also a problem here.

Arnold said he intends to ask the County Commission to possibly fund one or two detectives "to help us on this growing epidemic upon our society."

"Ninety-five percent of the time it leads to drugs and alcohol," Arnold said.

During the meeting, state Rep. Mike Sparks of Smyrna suggested that 77 percent of the reason people are in jail is related to drugs and alcohol.

The state had to increase its prison budget by $46 million, said Sparks, noting that he'd rather help more inmates seek treatment for their addictions than to lock them up at such a high cost.

Contact Scott Broden at 615-278-5158 or sbroden@dnj.com. Follow him on Twitter @ScottBroden.

Read or Share this story: http://on.dnj.com/1Bt5DtJ

TN third in prostitution, Ketron tellsmissioners - The Daily News Journal

Scott Broden, The Daily News Journal 9:15 a.m. CST January 6, 2015

Bill Ketron

MURFREESBORO – Tennessee ranks third in the nation in prostitution, state Sen. Bill Ketron told county commissioners Monday.

Rutherford County Sheriff Robert Arnold after the meeting said he was glad that Ketron brought up the issue about prostitution because it's also a problem here.

Arnold said he intends to ask the County Commission to possibly fund one or two detectives "to help us on this growing epidemic upon our society."

"Ninety-five percent of the time it leads to drugs and alcohol," Arnold said.

During the meeting, state Rep. Mike Sparks of Smyrna suggested that 77 percent of the reason people are in jail is related to drugs and alcohol.

The state had to increase its prison budget by $46 million, said Sparks, noting that he'd rather help more inmates seek treatment for their addictions than to lock them up at such a high cost.

Contact Scott Broden at 615-278-5158 or sbroden@dnj.com. Follow him on Twitter @ScottBroden.

Read or Share this story: http://on.dnj.com/1Bt5DtJ