Local News

Austin Peay State University in Clarksville is open today but its computer labs are closed after being hit with a ransomware attack yesterday.  That is malware that demands payment to avoid releasing a user’s private information to the public.  The school’s employees are being asked not to use work computers on campus or at home.

The Tennessee Department of Health is out with its weekly COVID-19 update.  TDH says there were over 400 cases per day last week.  There were also an average of five COVID-related deaths per day between April 17th and the 23rd.  There have been nearly two-million-28-thousand COVID cases in Tennessee since the outbreak began with over 26-thousand COVID-related deaths.

The Robertson County Commission has appointed Kristy Eden Chowning, who is running for Circuit Court Clerk in August, to fill the opening in the interim following the resignation of Lisa Cavender in March.  Chowning had previously served on the Robertson County Chancery Court, which handles a variety of issues including lawsuits, contract disputes, applications for injunctions, as well as name changes.  She will finish out the remainder of Cavender’s term which was set to expire at the end of this year.

The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation will collect household hazardous waste in two Mid-State counties on Saturday.  In Franklin County, the drop-off will be at the Joyce Lane Recycle Center from 8 o’clock in the morning until 1 in the afternoon.  At the same time, the drop-off in Williamson County will be held at the County Administrative Complex.  Alkaline batteries, paint, oil, antifreeze and electronics won’t be accepted.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office is looking to add resource officers to area schools.  Sheriff John Fuson says some buildings in the county could use two or three officers due to increasing instances of illegal activity including violence.  So far this year, officers have issued eleven criminal charges related to an assault inside one of the district’s schools.  A parent was arrested last week, and accused of assaulting a principal at Glenellen Elementary.