Oak Ridge Today

2018 Anderson County Ally of the Year announced

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2018 Anderson County Ally of the Year Pastor Wayne Phillips (Submitted photo)

2018 Anderson County Ally of the Year Pastor Wayne Phillips (Submitted photo)

Pastor Wayne Phillips and Main Street Baptist Church have been named 2018 Anderson County Ally of the Year by ASAP of Anderson County.

The Anderson County Ally of the Year Campaign has two goals. One is to increase awareness of the prevention efforts of ASAP of Anderson County, and the second is to raise funds to continue those efforts. In 2018, both goals were accomplished, a press release said.

Candidates Harold Edwards, Leslie England, Stanton Martin, Pastor Wayne Phillips, and Chief James Shetterly were nominated by community members to run for the title, the press release said. Each candidate conducted their own campaign, but they were united by the same goals. In the end, Phillips and Main Street Baptist Church took home the title.

Phillips and his wife have been involved throughout the year through activities such as hosting a participating in listening sessions around Anderson County with Mayor Terry Frank to discuss the current problems of drug misuse in the county and solutions to decrease these problems, the press release said. [Read more…]

Anderson County adopts local zoning regulations for pain clinics

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Terry-Frank-Pain-Clinic-Zoning-Resolution

Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank signs the resolution adopted by County Commission that regulates zoning for local pain clinics. (Submitted photo)

 

CLINTON—Following months of work that began in March 2015, two public hearings, and two separate reviews by County Commission, Anderson County has adopted new local zoning regulations for pain clinics in an effort to prevent or reduce prescription drug abuse in the county, a press release said.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drug overdoses now account for more deaths in the U.S. nationally than motor vehicle accidents, with 52 percent of those deaths attributed to prescription medication.

In Tennessee, drug overdose deaths increased 7.7 percent from 2013 to 2014 (1,187 deaths in 2013 to 1,269 deaths in 2014). This is higher than the statistically significant national average change of +6.5 percent, according to the CDC.  The Tennessee drug overdose deaths in 2014 are almost equivalent to two full Tennessee Greyhound bus crashes per month without survivors, the press release said. [Read more…]