Thrown beer causes wreck and other news from areas around Chattanooga

Thursday, August 29, 2013

Thrown beer causes wreck

JONESBOROUGH, Tenn. - A tractor driver doing contract mowing for the state said he wrecked after a man threw a beer at him.

The Johnson City Press reported Washington County authorities charged 23-year-old Jonathan A. Beck with aggravated reckless endangerment. Beck's passenger, 34-year-old Gregory K. Mason, was charged with public intoxication and assault. Both are from Jonesborough.

Contract mower Bobby Johnson, of Cleveland, Tenn., said he topped a hill on Opie Arnold Road Monday to find a blue Nissan pickup truck headed straight for his tractor. He lost control trying to stop the machine, and it rolled onto its side. Johnson said a 20-ounce can of Keystone beer was thrown at him from the truck cab.

A deputy found the suspects nearby.


Search committee to meet Sept. 16

NASHVILLE - A just-named presidential search advisory committee to find a new president for Cleveland State Community College will hold its first meeting on Sept. 16.

Tennessee Board of Regents Chancellor John Morgan named regent Tom Griscom, of Chattanooga, as chairman of the 17-member group, most of whom come from Cleveland.

Other search committee members include regents Howard Roddy, of Chattanooga, and Danni Varlan, of Knoxville, four college faculty representatives, business representatives and others.

The committee's charge is to identify three to five finalists to replace current college President Carl Hite, who announced in December he intends to retire after 17 years at Cleveland State's helm.

Each finalist will visit the campus for interviews. Morgan then will recommend a candidate to the Board of Regents.

A new president is expected to be named by year's end.

The first half of the Sept. 16 meeting on the Cleveland State campus is open to the public. Committee members then will convene privately when candidate screenings begin.


Dementia drug use down sharply

Tennessee nursing homes have dramatically decreased the use of antipsychotic drug use for residents living with dementia.

According to the Tennessee Department of Health, antipsychotic drugs cost hundreds of millions of Medicare and Medicaid dollars and increase the risk of stroke, heart attack, falls with fractures, hospitalizations and other complications. Lowering the use of unnecessary antipsychotic medications improves residents' quality of life and reduces health care costs.

Tennessee led the nation for antipsychotic use in nursing homes in the fourth quarter of 2011. By the first quarter of this year the state had dropped to 48th in the nation.

Tennessee reduced the use of the drugs by conducting training sessions for nursing home staff members across the state.

-- Staff and Wire Reports