Tennessee’s state veterinarian’s office is investigating an outbreak of a C in a group of racing quarter horses.
The office says 22 horses tested positive in five locations within Bedford, Rutherford and Williamson counties.
It can take up to 30 days for an infected horse to test positive after exposure. Horses that do test positive are quarantined and may be euthanized. Those that survive will continue to carry the parasite for an extended period.
Horses will not transmit the disease to other horses through casual contact. It is commonly spread through shared needles or improperly cleaned dental, surgical or blood product equipment.
Some states and equine competitions require blood parasite testing for entrance. If you plan to travel with your horse, check with the receiving state for current import requirements.
Early signs of the disease can include weakness, lack of appetite, swollen limbs and labored breathing.

Twelve percent of Tennessee women of child-bearing age do not have health insurance, according to a new report.
It says in states that have expanded Medicaid, women are more likely to be insured, compared with states such as Tennessee, that have not.
Researchers at the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families released the findings in conjunction with the March of Dimes and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
Since the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to make Medicaid expansion optional, Tennessee is one of 14 states that has chosen not to expand the program.
Kinika Young, director of children’s health at the Tennessee Justice Center, said health outcomes are closely connected to where women live, adding that black women are still three to four times more likely to die from complications of childbirth than are white women.
“You can have women in a certain part of town that’s predominantly black having poorer birth outcomes than women who are just a few streets away on the same side of town, just based on their neighborhoods and access to care,” said Young. “And frankly, there has to be some element of racism occurring in the health-care system that’s perpetuating these disparities.”
Medicaid expansion states saw a sharp reduction in infant mortality compared with non-expansion states, particularly among African-American infants, according to the report.
Pregnancy-related deaths among U.S. women have increased over the past two-and-a-half decades, despite the fact that the United States spends more dollars on hospital maternity care than any other nation.
Joan Alker, executive director of the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families, said Medicaid expansion could help keep more mothers and babies healthy.
“We are really the only very developed country that’s seeing that, and that’s very troubling,” Alker warned. “For states that have not expanded Medicaid, Medicaid expansion is clearly the single most important step a state could take to address this crisis.”
Tennessee’s rates of maternal and infant deaths are among the highest in the country. The state is ranked 33rd in maternal mortality and 38th in infant mortality, according to a Tennessee Justice Center report released last fall.

As summer kicks off and families hit the road for vacation, Manchester Police Department is partnering with the Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO) to remind motorists to “Click It or Ticket.” Now through June 2, participating agencies across the state will increase seatbelt enforcement as part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) nationwide mobilization.
“Buckling up is such a simple task that can keep you and your family safe in the car,” said Captain Chris Patterson. “But it’s more than that. Buckling up is the law. He said, “our law enforcement officers see the consequences of not buckling up.” Patterson added, “we see the loss of life. Often, it could have been prevented with the simple click of a seatbelt. This should be automatic.”
According to Tennessee’s Integrated Traffic Analysis Network (TITAN), 299 people killed in Tennessee traffic crashes last year were not wearing a seatbelt. This represents approximately 29 percent of the state’s total traffic fatalities in 2018.
According to NHTSA, in 2017, there were 10,076 unbuckled passenger vehicle occupants killed in crashes in the United States. In that same year, 55 percent of passenger vehicle occupants killed at night (6 p.m. – 5:59 a.m.) were not wearing their seatbelts. That’s why one focus of the “Click It or Ticket” campaign is nighttime enforcement. Participating law enforcement agencies will be taking a no-excuses approach to seatbelt law enforcement, writing citations during the daytime and nighttime hours.
For more information about seatbelt safety or the THSO, visit www.tntrafficsafety.org.

There will no longer be a statute of limitations in felony child sex abuse cases if the crime took place when the victim was less than 13 years of age. The new bill on the statute will go into effect this coming July (2019).
As for the bill that passed, Representative Michael Curcio of Dickson, Tennessee explains…
The Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations conducted a study that led to the change in the law. The study was requested last year by Senator Bill Ketron and Representative Mike Sparks. It was that study that led to the successful passage of the legislation to end the statute of limitations on certain child sexual abuse cases for children in the future. (WGNS-Radio)

Tennessee’s state average gas price is $2.53 per gallon for regular unleaded, making it the sixth lowest state average in the nation. The average is four cents less than the average a week ago and seven cents less than a one month ago and 14 cents less than a year ago.
The national gas price average is $2.85, one cent less than last week.
AAA Public Affairs Director Stephanie Milani said gas prices are getting cheaper for the majority of motorists ahead of the busy Memorial Day holiday. Milani said crude oil prices have remained relatively stable the past few months, which is one reason gas prices are cheaper than this time last year.
The low price per gallon for gas in Coffee County as of Tuesday afternoon was $2.37 in Tullahoma and in Manchester, the low price was $2.41 per gallon.