The State Senate Judiciary Committee, chaired by Senator Mae Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet) held a special committee meeting this week to hear a resolution that would set up a special committee to investigate the removal of William E. Gibson from the office of District Attorney General of the Thirteenth Judicial District by the Tennessee. The Thirteenth District includes Clay, Cumberland, DeKalb, Overton, Pickett, Putnam and White Counties.
Sponsor of the resolution, Senator Jim Kyle (D-Memphis) told Chairman Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet) and members of the committee, “improprieties have occurred. “They are clear and undisputed,” he said.
“This would create a committee and proceed with the process,” said Chairman Beavers. “They will than have an investigation and make a recommendation to the full Senate. The House will also participate as five members will be selected by each Speaker, House and Senate, to serve on the special panel. Then the report of the committee would come before both bodies for a vote.”
The Committee approved the resolution on Wednesday and sent the measure to the full Senate, where it was approved on Thursday. The resolution sets up the procedure to investigate the removal. Tennessee’s Constitution provides that attorneys for the state may be removed from office by a concurrent two-thirds vote of both Houses of the General Assembly, each House voting separately.
Gibson has been sanctioned with the temporary removal of his law license by the Board of Professional Responsibility which supervises the ethical conduct of attorneys. Kyle said the actions of the Board were due to several reasons, including Gibson “using his position to influence the outcome of a case.”

The State Senate and Local Government Committee has approved legislation to cut off economic and community grant money to any Tennessee city that might declare itself a “sanctuary city” for illegal aliens. The bill aims to deter the creation of any local zones where aliens could live illegally in the state.
Sanctuary communities are a danger to the public because illegal immigrants who commit crimes are able to repeat their offenses instead of being dealt with by immigration officials,” said Senator Mae Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet). “San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, and many more localities are evolving into ‘city-states.’ They’ve sprung up all over the country, declaring their independence from the rule of law. During a time when our borders are being used as gateways for terrorists and other illegal activities, there is no reason for knowingly providing illegal aliens with sanctuary from prosecution.”
A sanctuary city is a term given to a city in the United States that follows certain practices that protect illegal aliens. The term generally applies to cities that do not allow municipal funds or resources to be used to cooperate with federal immigration laws. This most commonly occurs when cities do not allow police or municipal employees to inquire about one’s immigration status.
Thirty-eight cities in the U.S. have been recognized as sanctuary cities. However, many sources have identified over 200 city or county governments nationwide as practicing such policies. Thus far, no Tennessee city has been identified in these groups.
“The legislation is a preemptive measure to guard against adoption of any policy by cities in the state to provide a sanctuary for illegal aliens in Tennessee,” said Senator Beavers. “This would enable police to do their job and see that criminal aliens are not allowed to live invisibly among our communities in violation of our laws.”
Issues in Brief
DUI / ignition interlock — The Judiciary Committee approved legislation that would require ignition interlock devices to be installed on motor vehicles driven by DUI offenders with alcohol concentration levels exceeding .20, or for repeat offenders. The bill requires the Department of Safety to create an interlock indigency fund for offenders who cannot afford the installation of the interlock equipment by adding a $50 alcohol and drug addiction treatment fee for DUI offenders. Senator Mae Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet) said, “We have research from the Highway Safety Administration that shows that ignition interlock devices are one of the most effective ways to keep drunk drivers from continuing to drive intoxicated. Unfortunately, they’re significantly underused across the state. Passage of legislation to require use of these devices will greatly help in our efforts to get drunk drivers off our roads.”
DUI / education – The Senate Judiciary Committee approved a bill that gives judges the option to order DUI offenders to attend victim impact panel programs. The bill authorizes the court to assess a fee of no less than $25, but no more than $50, to offset the cost of participation.

One of the candidates for State Representative has pulled out of the race.
Citing personal reasons, George McDonald of Riddleton has withdrawn as a candidate for the Democratic nomination to succeed Frank Buck
That leaves seven Democrats, two Republicans, and one Independent candidate.
Democrats hoping to win their party’s nomination on August 7th include Cleveland Derrick Bain of Smithville, Jeff Barrett of DeKalb County, Steven K. Cantrell of Smithville, Gayla C. Hendrix of Smithville, Carl (Hix) Jones of Westmoreland, Dean Sircy of Westmoreland, and Sarah Marie Smith of Carthage.
Candidates seeking the Republican nomination for State Representative on August 7th include Nicky Rittenberry of Lafayette and Terri Lynn Weaver of Lancaster.
The winners of the Democratic and Republican Primaries in August will run against each other in the November State General Election along with Ray Amalfitano of Dixon Springs, who will be an Independent candidate for State Representative.

Director of Schools Mark Willoughby has signed contracts with the Professional Personnel for the 2008-2009 school year.
Willoughby presented a list of the employees to the Board of Education Tuesday night.
Certified personnel at each school are as follows:
DeKalb County High School-
Angie Anderson, Lori Barnes, Danny Bond, Amanda Brown, Kevin Burchfield, Boyd Cantrell, Harriett Cantrell, Jeanine Cantrell, Mary Anne Carpenter, Patrick Cripps, Dixie Crook, Jared Daniels, Linda Dean, Donna Emmons, Marshall Ferrell, Tina Fletcher, Amanda Fuller, Judy Fuson, Wayne Fuson, David Gash, Michael Hawkins, Marie Hill, Susan Hinton, Sonja House, John Isabell, Lori Isabell, William Jennings, Dylan Kleparek, Brad Leach, Deborah Loring, Lynus Martin, Rolanda Navarro, Jenny Norris, Scott Odom, Rebecca Oliver, Lori Page, Shelly Painter, Walteen Parker, Linda Parris, Rebecca Purdue, Kristin Reagh, Joey Reeder, Leslie Rice, Melissa Ruch, Frederick Sanders, Daniel Sebers, Larry Steffee, Amy Tobitt, Steve Trapp, Chris Vance, Michael Whitefield, Carol Williams, Charlotte Wruble, Melvin Young, and Kathy Hendrix.
Northside Elementary School-
Joyce Alexander, Rebecca Baugh, Lisa Bell, Marla Beshearse, Kelly Birmingham, Kathy Bryant, Linda Bush, Wendy Colvert, Michael Crockett, Amanda Dakas, Alisha Day, Holly Espinosa Jerry Foster, Carrie Gottlied, Amy Green, Amanda Griffith, Jennifer Griffith, Jessica Hale, Patty Hale, Karen Jacobs, Kristy Lasser, Amanda Mathis, Libby McCormick, Pamela Miller, Louise Owen, Joy Parker, Amy Raymond, Bethany Rigsby, Melissa Roysdon, Tammy Sims, Jama Todd, Carol Tripp, Cheryl Vance, Julie Vincent, Betsye Walker, Tad Webb, Ginger Wenger, Sandy Willingham, and Gayle Redmon.
DeKalb West School-
Pat Allen, Doris Cantrell, Jeanna Caplinger, William Conger, Kim Crook, Martha Damron, Genrose Davis, Tonya Ellis, Janet England, Sabrina Farler, Carol Hale, Lesa Hayes, Ricky Hendrix, Regina Kent, Kathy Lawrence, Michael Littrell, Shelia McMillen, Melanie Molander, Tammy Payne, Debra Poteete, Cynthia Preston, Lori Pryor, Joyce Robertson, Susan Robinson, Pam Sanders, Lori Sexton, Jane Watson, Vicki Wilson, Amy Young, and Danny Parkerson.
Smithville Elementary School-
Sharon Anderson, Ana Bain, Renee Beaty, Kelly Birmingham, Kim Brown, Vickie Burton, Beth Cantrell, Laura Carter, Alisha Cheatham, Layra Crook, Trena Curtis, Sue Driver, Vicky Duke, Wanna Foster, Kelli Foster, Amy Fox, Misty Franklin, Tina Gash, Amanda Hardiek, Vicky Hawker, Bradley Hendrix, Holly Hendrix, Mary Henny, Jill Herren, Betty Hickey, April Hines, Anna Johnson, Sabrina Kirksey, Karen Knowles, Carrie Lee, Lisa Mabe, LeVaughnda Midgett, Margaret Nichols, Christina Ontiveros, Lisa Pack, Beth Pafford, Jane Parsley, Kristy Parsley, Jennifer Peek, Mary Pugh, Lori Purnell, Jane Ramsey, Amanda Rhoady, Carol Tallent, Jan Thomas, Janet Trapp, Carol-Ann Tripp, Fay Turner, Sherian Waggoner, Janet Woodward, Crystal Young, Christie Young, and Billy Tanner.
DeKalb Middle School-
Joey Agee, Josh Agee, Jan Alexander, Ashley Barnes, Pat Barnes, Lori Cloyd, Lisa Craig, Lisa Cripps, Jennifer Davenport, Tena Davidson, Nancy Dillon, Lori Hendrix, Tom Hill, Michelle Jones, Gail Kirksey, Mike Littrell, Michael Lewis, Debra Moore, Rebecca Oliver, Karen Pelham, Anita Puckett, Judy Redmon, Kevin Rigsby, Joyce Robertson, Candice Scarbro, Mike Schockley, Penny Smitty, Jenny Stephenson, Lori Sexton, Tonya Sullivan, Kitty Thomas, Vicky Terrell, Jennifer West, and Randy Jennings.
Central Office Staff-
Gina Arnold, Katherine Ballard, Michelle Burklow, Clay Farler, Carol Hendrix, Danielle Collins, and Mary Nelle Summers
County Wide-
Penny Bileyu, Tonya Dickens, Judy Malone, Lori Rogers, and Peggy Semmes.
In other business, Director Willoughby recommended that the following teachers be granted tenure because they have successfully completed the statutory apprentice period of three years as required for tenure:
Ana Bain, Layra Crook, Donna Emmons, Holly Espinosa, Christina Ontiveros, Kristy Parsley, Karen Pelham, Bethany Rigsby, Fredrick Sanders, Lori Sexton, Amy Tobitt, Steve Trapp, Betsye Walker, and Vicki Wilson.
The school board approved the tenure status of those teachers.
Meanwhile, Director Willoughby updated the board on other personnel moves since last month.
Gordon Williams has been employed as a substitute bus driver and Colleen Eslick has been named a substitute Deaf Interpreter for the 2007-08 school year.
Holly Bain, an Educational Assistant at DeKalb West School, and Lesa Hayes, teacher at DeKalb West School, have been granted a leave of absence as requested.
Donna Davis, teacher at DeKalb West School, is retiring.
Three teachers have resigned, Alisa Rice, Christine Rivers, and Eric Helton.
The board approved an overnight trip request for members of the golf team to participate in a golf tournament August 10th-12th in Chattanooga (TGF-Baylor Preview Golf Championship).
An overnight trip request was also approved for FFA students to attend the State Forestry Camp at Fall Creek Falls State Park June 1st-7th and the FFA State Leadership Camp in Doyle July 7th-11th.
In other business, board member Kenny Rhody says the state has authorized making all school zones in DeKalb County 25 miles per hour.
Currently, there are different speed limits in three of the school zones.
Rhody says the Smithville Elementary School zone will also be relocated from South Congress Boulevard to East Bryant Street and Walker Drive. “I spoke with Smithville Police Chief Richard Jennings this week about the progress of getting all of our school zones with one speed limit. He spoke to the state commissioner from TDOT. He came down here and reviewed our proposal. I met with Sheriff Patrick Ray, Chief Jennings, the City Manager, and Mr. Willoughby. We looked at our proposal. As many of you know we have one school zone on a three lane highway (Northside Elementary) at 30 miles per hour. We have one at the West School that’s 25 mph and the one at the high school is 15 mph. I spoke with Sheriff Ray and Chief Jennings and we talked to the guy with the state. He agreed to make them all the same. They agreed on 25 miles per hour for all the school zones and the one on South Congress will be moved to behind Ace Hardware on Bryant Street all the way through and then on Walker Drive, where the actual school traffic is to start with.”

A 19 year old McMinnville man was injured in a one car accident around 1:49 p.m. Tuesday on Highway 56 south near Magness Road.
Trooper Charlie Caplinger of the Tennessee Highway Patrol says Jeffrey Allan Hillis was driving north on Highway 56 in a 1996 Pontiac Grand Am, going to work, when the car dropped off the right shoulder of the road, went into a ditch, struck a driveway culvert, and then overturned clipping a utility pole. The car came to rest on it’s top off the road.
Hillis was taken by DeKalb EMS to Riverpark Hospital in McMinnville with a dislocated shoulder and other minor injuries.
Others on the scene providing assistance were members of the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department and DeKalb County Volunteer Fire Department.
Traffic was re-routed for several hours during the investigation and cleanup.

The DeKalb County Beer Board Thursday night denied a permit for Paul David Maynard, Sr. to sell beer both on and off the premises at a business, yet to be built, called the Do-Drop-In Dinner and Dance on the Liberty to Dismal Road.
Maynard was not present at the meeting but several people from the community were there to express their opposition including members of the nearby Fullers Chapel Methodist Church and the Cooper’s Chapel Baptist Church.
In order for an applicant to qualify for a county beer permit, the business must be at least 300 feet from the nearest residence and no closer than 2,000 feet from a church or place of public gathering.
A neighbor, Glen Wilson, said the proposed establishment is less than 300 feet away from his home. Others claimed that the property was also too close to the Fuller’s Chapel Methodist Church. Some warned that increased traffic on this narrow road could also create more safety hazards including the possibility of alcohol related accidents because of this business
In addition to the distance problem, the board found that because the establishment has not yet been constructed, Maynard’s application lacked sufficient information as to the actual physical address of the business.