LEWISBURG, TN. – Since the 1970s, heart disease, also known as cardiovascular disease, has been the leading cause of death for both American men and women. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 630,000 Americans die from heart disease each year, accounting for one out of every four deaths in the United States. 

Heart disease refers to different types of heart conditions related to a process known as altherosclerosis, a condition that develops when cholesterol deposits (plaque) collect in arteries that supply blood to the heart. This causes arteries to narrow, making it harder for blood to flow to the heart. When blood flow to a part of the heart is blocked, it can result in a heart attack or stroke. 

There are things that we can do to decrease our risk for heart disease and stroke. Maintaining a healthy weight by eating healthy meals, including foods low in saturated fat and cholesterol and high in fiber, can help prevent high blood cholesterol. Limiting salt in your diet can lower blood pressure. Physical activity also helps in maintaining good heart health. The Surgeon General recommends that adults engage in moderate-intensity exercise for at least 30 minutes on most days of the week. 

If you do have high cholesterol, high blood pressure or diabetes, talk with your doctor about how you can work together to treat these conditions that can lead to heart disease. Monitor your blood pressure regularly and have your cholesterol tested as often as your doctor recommends. If your doctor determines medication is needed to treat any of these conditions, be sure to follow instructions carefully and faithfully. By practicing a heart healthy lifestyle, you can greatly reduce your risk of having a heart attack. 

February has been designated as American Heart Month and Marshall Medical Center encourages everyone to take this opportunity to learn more about healthy heart practices and what to do if you or a loved one shows any of the signs and symptoms of a heart attack. Commonly they include: 

• Chest discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back, which can feel like an uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain
• Discomfort in other parts of the upper body, one or both arms, neck, jaw, upper back or stomach
• Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort
• Unusual fatigue
• Breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or light-headedness

 

Town of Chapel Hill Tennessee

February 5, 2014 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For further information: Mayor Carl Cooper 931-364-7632

The Chapel Hill Board of Mayor and Aldermen, at a special meeting on February 3, 2014, appointed Austin H. Edmondson, Morganfield Kentucky, to serve as interim town administrator.

Edmondson has 25 years of upper level public administration management experience including sixteen years of local government experience in Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, and Nebraska. He received a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Nebraska in 1994, and is a full-member of the International City Management Association and Tennessee City Management Association.

As town administrator, Edmondson will assume full responsibility for the day-to-day operations of city government. “I am pleased the board selected me to fill this important assignment for them, and I look forward to working with the community, board, and staff during this transitional period” said Edmondson. He is expected to report to duty during the week of February 10.

The Board of Mayor and Aldermen also agreed to commence the recruitment process for a permanent town administrator. The board will utilize the services of the University of Tennessee Municipal Technical Advisory Service (MTAS) to conduct a search to replace former administrator Mike Hatten. The search for a permanent successor is expected to take several months to complete.

1099-G FORMS PROVIDED ONLINE AND MAILED TO CLAIMANTS 

NASHVILLE – Recipients of Tennessee unemployment benefits during 2013 can now access the information they need for income tax purposes on the state Department of Labor & Workforce Development homepage: https://tdlwd.tn.gov/ui1099/. They can also go straight to the log-in page: https://tdlwd.tn.gov/ui1099/login.aspx. 

By entering their birth date or the same PIN they used to certify or inquire on their unemployment claim, claimants can view a summary of total unemployment benefits paid to them, view the total amount of federal income tax withheld, and print a summary of this information.

(IMPORTANT – The birth date must be entered in the exact format requested on the form.) 

The department also began mailing the IRS Form 1099-G to more than 172,000 benefit recipients on January 14, 2014. The forms will reach claimants no later than January 31, 2014. The U.S. Postal Service will not forward 1099-G forms.

Recipients of unemployment benefits are not required to submit a copy of their 1099-G form with their income tax return. If claimants do not receive their form in the mail and do not have access to the Internet, they may send a written request, including their name, address, date of birth, Social Security number, and phone number, with signature, to: 

Special Services Unit

Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce Development

220 French Landing Drive

Nashville, TN 37243-1002 

Questions concerning repayments that are not shown on the total amount of the IRS Form 1099G should be referred to the Internal Revenue Service at (800) 829-1040.

Statewide Camps Help Teachers Design Energy Education Programs 

NASHVILLE –Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation’s Office of Energy Programs announced today that applications are now available online for the 2014 K-12 Energy Education Camps. The four-day educational sessions provide K-12 teachers with the information and resources needed to teach the science of energy and energy conservation in the classroom and to guide students in becoming leaders in their school and community. 

While a school may be represented by one teacher, it is highly recommended that teams of two teachers from a school attend the camp and work together to develop and conduct an energy education program. 

K-12 teachers are invited to apply for one of the following three camps: 

• June 3-6 at Cumberland Mountain State Park in Crossville, Tenn.
• June 10-13 at Paris Landing State Park in Buchanan, Tenn.
• July 8-11 at Fall Creek Falls State Park in Pikeville, Tenn. 

Teams selected to participate in Energy Camps will be provided with complimentary lodging and meals and will receive a $400 stipend to purchase energy-related classroom materials. Applications are available online at http://www.tn.gov/environment/energy_education.shtml. Applications are due by April 11, 2014. 

At Energy Camps, teachers will participate in fun learning activities that address science standards and also make connections to Common Core State Standards for English language, arts and math. The camp will include sessions with classroom activities divided into grade clusters of K-2, 3-5, 6-8 and 9-12 as to address grade-specific standards and include age-appropriate instructional methods. Teachers will leave the Energy Camps with increased background knowledge of science of energy, energy conservation and clean energy technology and be prepared to involve students in service learning projects that promote environmental stewardship in their schools and communities. The 2014 Energy Camps will also include a full-day field trip to energy-related sites. 

The Office of Energy Programs Energy Education Camps is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s State Energy Program. For more information, contact the Energy Hotline at 1-800-342-1340 or contact Angela McGee at Angela.McGee@tn.gov.

Keep pipes warm to maintain sprinkler systems 

NASHVILLE, TN –  As the weather again rushes to or below zero, the State Fire Marshal wishes to remind building owners that it is important to take steps to prevent freeze-ups of water-based fire protection systems, such as automatic fire sprinkler systems. 

The National Fire Protection Association’s standard for the installation of sprinkler systems requires that the owner of the property maintain at least a 40 degree temperature in ALL areas containing water-filled piping. To avoid any loss of function of fire suppression systems in your building, consider the following recommendations:  

• Make sure heating systems are in good working order and that the thermostat is set high enough to prevent freezing temperatures in all areas of the building. Manually override any energy-saving measures on digital thermostats and other devices that allow the area temperature to drop below freezing.
• Openings to the outdoors should be tightly sealed. If cold drafts are noticed, locate the source and take steps to remedy them. Remove snow and ice from doors and windows that don’t close completely, so that they can be sealed more tightly. Cracks around other openings should be sealed or caulked to keep warm air from dissipating.
• Doors leading to poorly heated vestibules may need to be left open at night to allow heat into that area.
• In buildings with drop-ceilings, removing a few tiles in each room will allow heat to travel into otherwise cold areas containing pipes.  

Freeze-ups are not failures of the fire sprinkler system.  Water in sprinkler piping, like any piping that holds water, will freeze when subjected to colder temperatures. Sprinkler piping should be kept at temperatures above freezing to ensure that they continue to operate correctly and to avoid potentially tragic and costly consequences that can be avoided by taking these simple precautions. 

For further information on keeping your sprinkler system winter-ready, contact your qualified fire sprinkler contractor, who provides routine inspection, testing, and maintenance on your system. Their contact information should be located near the main control valves of your system. 

The State Fire Marshal’s Office is a division of the Department of Commerce and Insurance, which works to protect consumers while ensuring fair competition for industries and professionals who do business in Tennessee. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.