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Monday, December 26th

Times Free Press- Tennessee spends less money trying to convince people to quit smoking than almost any other state, according to a recent report. Th

Times Free Press- Tennessee spends less money trying to convince people to quit smoking than almost any other state, according to a recent report. The state is spending $1.1 million this year on smoking-prevention programs, which ranks 45th of all states, according to the report titled “Broken Promises to Our Children: A State-by-State Look at the 1998 State Tobacco Settlement 18 Years Later.” According to the report, tobacco use claims 11,400 Tennessee lives and costs the state more than $2.6 billion in medical payments every year. Alabama ranked 43rd in the report, while Georgia was 44th. This report was released by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, the American Lung Association, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights, and the Truth Initiative. The Cleveland Daily Banner- Lee University has been awarded $155,000 over five years as part of a $2.6 million National Science Foundation grant for a collaborative project in mathematics involving 11 higher education institutions across the country. “It’s very exciting to add another NSF Grant to support curricular innovation, particularly in the STEM and Teacher Education areas,” said Dr. Debbie Murray, vice president for Academic Affairs at Lee. “This grant will not only encourage more collaboration among Lee faculty in various departments, but it will also provide rich opportunities for us to work with faculties from other institutions to ensure that our mathematics curriculum maintains relevance for students in all areas of study.” The Cleveland Daily Banner- Since its inception, Cleveland’s MainStreet Cruise-In Cruisers have donated more than $55,000 to several area nonprofit organizations. The group presented checks to seven charitable groups this week, including one which many of the MainStreet Cruisers are members of — the Disabled American Veterans. “I think it is great that we have been able to make these donations to several area charities,” said Randy Howard, MainStreet Cruisers president. “And we have been able to do this without charging anyone to participate.” The MainStreet Cruisers are one of the most heavily attended events in downtown Cleveland. Howard said the group displays older vehicles on the fourth Saturday of every month, from April to October. This year, along with the DAV, the MainStreet Cruise-In presented donations to the Caring Place, New Hope Pregnancy Center, Life Bridges, the Salvation Army, the J.O.Y. School and the William Hall Rodgers Christmas Basket Fund. Each of the nonprofit organizations received donations from MainStreet of $900. “At our last show, we raised $1,350 along with lots of toys for the Toys for Tots program,” Howard noted.