Category: News

The number of children who are not enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, is on the rise. A new report from the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families estimates more than 88,000 children in Tennessee are no longer enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP, and likely have lost health insurance.
The report said that’s a 10% drop, the highest decline in the country and more than double the national average. Bruce Lesley, president of the advocacy organization First Focus on Children, said the dwindling number of enrolled children is an alarming trend.
“And we’re really concerned about the effects that this has, particularly in light of the bigger picture,” Lesley said. “We know that suicide rates for children are also up, and we see increases in school shootings, child abuse and neglect rates. We’re also failing kids with respect to child health coverage.”
The report found around 800,000 fewer children nationwide were enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP at the end of 2018. Researchers say the drop in the child enrollment rate was driven by staggering declines in the number of children enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP in just a handful of states, including Tennessee, California, Florida, Texas, Illinois, Missouri and Ohio.
Tricia Brooks, lead author of the report, said while an improved economy in 2018 may have led some families to obtain coverage through employer-sponsored health plans, there is little evidence that access to this type of coverage improved for low-wage workers.
She said the federal government should take steps to prevent more children from falling through the cracks.
“The federal government and states should also put the welcome mat out again by investing in outreach and consumer assistance to help families learn about and enroll their eligible children,” Brooks said. “States should also cut red tape by adopting policy options like 12-month continuous eligibility.”
Brooks said President Donald Trump’s rhetoric on immigration and proposed changes to immigration policy may be deterring parents from enrolling their children in government programs. She said a recent national survey found 1-in-6 immigrant families with children younger than 19 did not participate in Medicaid or CHIP last year out of fear of risking future green-card status.

Manchester Fire-Rescue responded to an incident at the Oak Restaurant on Interstate Drive Monday afternoon. There was a small fire outside the building in a wooden column that supports the handicap porch at the entrance to the restaurant.
Fire crews were able to find the fire, extinguish it and checked for fire extension to make sure there was no more fire in the building. Crews ventilated the facility and ensured everything was clear.
The Oak Restaurant is closed on Mondays.

Five-year-old Clay Riddle from Manchester, TN is motivating the local community to find cures by participating in the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation’s Nashville Take Steps Walk. This year’s event takes place on June 22nd at 9:00AM at Bi-Centennial Capitol Mall State Park. Clay is living with Crohn’s disease which combined with ulcerative colitis, are painful, debilitating digestive diseases affecting an estimated 3 million American adults and children, including an estimated 80,000 patients under the age of 18.
Clay is an always-smiling 5-year-old who is crazy about cars, loves to play T-ball, swim, and show off his latest dance moves and ninja kicks. He’s the little brother to Karsyn and son to Brad and Katy. He’s the kind of child who is so full of joy, that it’s hard to be around him without smiling. Clay also has Crohn’s disease. There’s a reason it’s referred to as a silent disease because if you looked at Clay, you’d have no idea that he suffered from an autoimmune inflammatory illness.
He was diagnosed at the tender age of 2, and since his diagnosis has endured a difficult journey of blood transfusions, biopsies, hospitalizations, and test after test that didn’t share insight into what was really going on. It wasn’t until a medical test revealed a moderate level of colitis that Clay was given a formal diagnosis.
Many treatments were tried, with no avail. A feeding tube that was supposed to allow Clay’s gut to rest instead made for 10-15 trips to the restroom every night. From steroids to crushed up pills in applesauce and liquid medicine that tasted awful –many treatments were tried and none seemed to help. As Clay’s mother Katy says, “It’s devastating to see your child go through any amount of pain, and to this day if we could trade places with him, we would.”
Clay now endures Remicade infusions every four weeks. Says Katy, “The infusions are rough, but he always recovers and makes the best of his long visits by coloring or playing with Legos or Hot Wheels. He’s brave. He’s resilient. He’s tough. We would never wish this experience on anyone, but we know the bravery, resilience and toughness this disease has caused him to develop are gifts that will allow him to face many future adversities. Clay may not realize it at his young age, but he’s already our hero. We can’t wait to see everything he will accomplish, and although Crohn’s disease may slow him down, we will not let it take away his zest for life. We are thrilled that he was selected as this year’s Pediatric Honored Hero and are proud to advocate for a CURE.”
Take Steps is Crohn’s & Colitis Foundations largest nationwide event dedicated to finding cures and raising awareness for digestive diseases. Our events offer an incredible day for family, friends and the community to celebrate all of the efforts that have been put forth in raising funds towards our mission. It is a day that combines high energy and fun with access to valuable information and education. More than 60,000 peopled walked for cures last year, raising nearly $11 million for mission-critical research and patient support programs.
For more information on how to get involved with Take Steps and to find a 2019 walk site nearest you, please visit www.cctakesteps.org or contact Kim Kaplan at 646-618-2429.

Nashville orthopedic trauma surgeon Manny Sethi, who grew up in Hillsboro, TN, says he’s running for a Senate seat opening in Tennessee.
In an announcement video, the 41-year-old Sethi described himself as a conservative outsider who supports President Donald Trump.
Former Republican Gov. Bill Haslam is considering a run for the seat. Democratic Nashville attorney and former Army helicopter pilot James Mackler has also entered the race.
A Republican has held the seat since 1994.

An altercation between two members of a motorcycle club over the weekend led to the shooting death of one man and the arrest of a woman. According to the Warren County Sheriff’s Department, the victim was identified as Dennis Carter from Grundy County.
Officers have arrested 27 year-old Kate Pritchard of Murfreesboro in connection with the fatal shooting. She has been charged with criminal homicide.
The incident happened outside the building that houses the Rebel motorcycle group on Pike Hill Road. The investigation is ongoing.

Last week we reported that a shooting had taken place on Lyndon Street in McMinnville. Police say Brown shot 21-year-old Jessie Palmer on Monday, May 27.
Palmer was taken to River Park Hospital before being transported by air to a critical care hospital due to the extent of his injuries.
Investigators have taken the suspect, 32-year-old Lorenzo Brown into custody in Shelbyville.
Brown is facing charges of attempted homicide.

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency is reporting that there were no boating-related fatalities over the 2019 Memorial Day holiday weekend. It marks the fifth consecutive year without a boating fatality over the holiday weekend.
During the period from May 24-27, there were five injury incidents and six property damage incidents.
TWRA Boating and Law Enforcement officers made 21 boating under the influence (BUI) arrests, the most since the same number was reported in 2016 over the holiday weekend. The number is an increase from 10 in 2018.

A small earthquake took place in Manchester, TN on Saturday afternoon.
The United States Geographical Survey (USGS) based in Memphis, TN reported the 2.6 magnitude earthquake occurred Saturday afternoon around 1:45 pm.
Several people wrote on various social media sites and the USGS that they felt the ‘quake.
The earthquake’s center of activity was reported as being near Kimberly Lane and the Bonnaroo property.
According to the United States Geographical Survey website, the intensity of the 2.6 ‘quake is listed as weak and no damage was reported.