CROSSVILLE —
Our severe weather seems to be coming more and more frequently and it’s not always easy to get timely warnings. Weather radios work, but their warnings are for a very large geographical area that may have no relevance to your location. I unplugged mine after twice being awakened after midnight; once for a storm that wasn’t coming within 50 miles of me, and once for an amber alert in upper east Tennessee.
I learned of Weathercall three years ago. It is a nationwide subscription service that is administered by WTVF channel 5 out of Nashville for our area. It uses the coordinates of your street address to very specifically tailor the warnings you desire, e.g. tornado, severe thunderstorm, and/or flood. You can specify up to three phone numbers and an email address (see below) to receive the warnings. And you don’t get the tornado/severe thunderstorm warnings unless you are in a narrowly defined path of the storm. For example we got NO warning for the tornado that killed two people north of Crossville earlier this week, but we did get warned for the storms that came over us last night.
Here’s an example of why it’s important to me. We watch a lot of television but mostly stuff that’s recorded on DVR or on national channels. Shortly after I subscribed to this service we were watching a movie one night about 9 p.m. I knew there were some thunderstorms in the area but when the news went off earlier, there were no warnings or watches. Suddenly, our home phone and both our cell phones rang simultaneously. When we answered, it was a recorded tornado warning. A tornado actually touched down just a few miles away. Without the call we would have had no inkling. Generally speaking, the call comes in 15-20 minutes before the storm hits, which gives you time to react but doesn’t concern you with storms that may never be a factor.
I have no connection with either Channel 5 or WeatherCall except as a satisfied customer. It only costs $9.95 a year, and, depending on what warnings you want to receive, you may not get a call for a year. But I can tell you from experience, it works. And I sleep a lot better at night when severe weather is in the forecast. Here are a couple of relevant links in case you are interested: http://www.weathercall.net/ andhttp://www.newschannel5.com/story/9795436/sign-up-for-storm-5-hd-weathercall. Good luck and good health.
Tansi Smoke Signals
WeatherCall is more precise warning system
- Tansi Smoke Signals
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Fun and games on Memorial Day at the Thunderbird
Everyone is looking forward to Memorial Day, otherwise known as opening day for Lake Tansi. With it, Memorial Day will bring the onset of warm weather, vacationing and will set the tone for the Thunderbird Recreation Center, where children’s activities will abound under the direction of Stephanie Tanksley.
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TSUD has state permit, new commissioner
William Corbin, the newly selected commissioner for Tansi Sewer Utility District, attended his first meeting in official capacity on April 9. Corbin was selected from a list submitted by the board to County Mayor Kenneth Carey Jr. last month.
- Weather warning system update
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Snack Shack is now the Quack Shack
The Snack Shack, located at the beach, is under new management this year. It is being leased to Sheere Britt, who has 27 years of experience in the foodservice industry. Britt has made a lot of big changes, taking the snack shack and completely remaking it into a much more enjoyable experience for all property owners and guests and now calling it “The Quack Shack.”
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Ruby P. Ketner and Dottie De Witt Memorial Award winners
Linda Carothers and Judi Hartman are being honored with the Ruby P. Ketner and Dottie De Witt Memorial Award.
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Lake Tansi Small Pan Fish Anglers Club called to order with season’s first tournament
The Lake Tansi Small Pan Fish Anglers Club held their first meeting of the season on April 2, bringing to order the club’s events and dates and a season full of fishing days and frying nights which will continue every other Tuesday through October 15.
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Benefit Golf Tournament set for May 8
The Hospice Board of Directors will host its 22nd annual Benefit Golf Tournament on Wednesday, May 8, at Lake Tansi Golf Course, according to tournament co-chairs Don and Sherry Koch. This event will raise funds for the only non-profit hospice organization in our local area. Hospice of Cumberland County provides comfort and care for the terminally ill as they spend their final days with dignity, surrounded by family and friends in homes and in our 6-bed residential facility, Cumberland House.
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Post Office and Letter carriers association to hold ‘Stamp Out Hunger’ food drive May 11
On May 11, the Crossville Post Office will hold its annual food drive to help “Stamp Out Hunger” in America. The United States Postal Service and the National Association of Letter Carriers’ (NALC) have partnered together for 21 years to create one of the most successful food drives in the nation.
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Aqua Stretch classes offered at Tansi’s indoor pool on Fridays
Every Friday at 8:45 a.m., Michelle Vaughn will be instructing an Aqua Stretch class. This hour long class is a non-aerobic, water exercise class which teaches low impact, slow stretching techniques using body weight and water for resistance for elongating and mobilizing the muscles.
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Lake Tansi Bass Club reinstates old school bass rules for 2013
The Lake Tansi Bass Club is gearing up for its 2013 season, luring Lake Tansi sportsmen to get their bass boats in ship shape for an anglers’ paradise of competitive tournaments. The first tournament was held April 18 and will continue every other Thursday, except August 22, until September 5.
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