DeKalb County voters will elect a new Sheriff and Trustee and decide several other races on Thursday.
Voting at all sixteen precincts in DeKalb County begins at 8:00 a.m. August 3rd and ends at 7:00 p.m.
WJLE will have LIVE election return coverage starting at 7:00 p.m. at the courthouse. Election results may also be viewed on-line at www.wjle.com.
The Election Commission has an announcement for all the voters in the 3rd District who vote at DeKalb Middle School on election day. The room normally used for voting is the old gym. There is no air conditioning in the gym and voting has been moved to another room at the Middle School. The room does have an outside door on the front of the building to the right of the main entrance. Look for the large signs that say “VOTE HERE”.
In addition to the DeKalb County General Election, voters will be casting ballots in the Tennessee Democratic and Republican Primaries for the offices of Governor, U.S. Senate, U.S.. House of Representatives, State Senate, State House of Representatives, State Executive Committeeman and committee woman.
A referendum will also be on the ballot asking voters to cast a yes or no vote on whether the local option sales tax should be increased from 1.5% to 2.75% which would make the total sales tax in DeKalb County go from 8.5% to 9.75%.
Dowelltown voters will also be electing three aldermen on August 3rd.
Voters will also be asked to vote “yes” or “no” on the retention of twenty seven State Supreme Court and Appellate Court Judges from across the state.
Democratic candidates on the ballot running for their party’s nomination in the state primary for Governor include Incumbent Phil Bredesen; John Jay Hooker of Nashville; Tim Sevier of Hixon; and Walt Ward of Chattanooga.
Republican candidates for Governor are Mark Albertini of Chattanooga; Wayne Thomas Bailey of Smyrna; Jim Bryson of Franklin; David M. Farmer of Kingston; Joe Kirkpatrick of Nashville; Timothy Thomas of Murfreesboro; and Wayne Young of Cleveland.
Candidates for State Senator, 17th District include Incumbent Mae Beavers of Mount Juliet, unopposed in the Republican Primary; and Democrats Bob Rochelle of Lebanon, and Aubrey T. Givens of Lebanon.
Candidates for State Representative, 40th District include Incumbent Frank Buck of Dowelltown, unopposed in the Democratic Primary; Terri Lynn Weaver of Lancaster, unopposed in the Republican Primary; and Independent candidate Carl Jones of Macon County.
Candidates for U.S. House of Representatives, 6th District are Incumbent Bart Gordon of Murfreesboro and J. Patrick Lyons of Bell Buckle in the Democratic Primary and David R. Davis of Brush Creek in the Republican Primary.
Democratic candidates for the U.S Senate are Harold Ford, Jr. of Memphis; Gary G. Davis of Nashville; John Jay Hooker of Nashville; Charles E. Smith of Chattanooga; and Al Strauss of Nashville.
Republican candidates for the U.S. Senate are Ed Bryant of Jackson; Tate Harrison of Dayton; Van Hilleary of Murfreesboro; and Bob Corker of Chattanooga.
Candidates in the DeKalb County General Election are as follows:
Democrat Myron Rhody and Republican Patrick Ray for Sheriff and Democrat Anthony (Doc) Green and Republican Sean Driver for Trustee;
Unopposed candidates include Democratic Incumbents County Mayor Mike Foster, Circuit Court Clerk Katherine Pack; County Clerk Mike Clayborn; Register of Deeds Jeff McMillen; General Sessions-Juvenile Court Judge Bratten Cook II; and Republican Incumbent Road Supervisor Kenny Edge.
Two county commissioners can be elected from each of the seven districts in the county. County Commission candidates are Democrats Elmer Ellis, Jr. and Charles Griffith and Republican Mason Carter in the first district; Republican Incumbent Bobby Joines and Democrats Jack Barton, and Shane Cook in the second district; Republican Randy Caplinger, and Democratic Incumbents Roy D. Merriman, and Jerry Scott in the third district; Incumbent Democrat Wayne Cantrell and Democrat Chris J. Smithson in the fourth district; Democratic Incumbent John D. Green and Democrat Jeffrey Barrett in the fifth district; Democratic Incumbents Jeff Barnes and Marshall Ferrell in the sixth district; and Democratic Incumbent Larry Summers and Democrat Willie E. Thomas in the seventh district.
In the 13th Judicial District; the candidates are as follows:
Democrat Ronald Thurman and Republican Jerry Burgess of Cookeville for Chancellor; Democratic Incumbent Lillie Ann Sells and Independent challenger David A. Patterson of Cookeville for Criminal Court Judge Part II; Democratic Incumbent Leon Burns, Jr. of Cookeville for Criminal Court Judge Part I; Democratic Incumbent John A. Turnbull of Livingston for Circuit Court Judge Part I; Democratic Incumbent John Maddux of Cookeville for Circuit Court Judge Part II; Democratic Incumbent William E. (Bill) Gibson of Cookeville for District Attorney General; and Democratic Incumbent David N. Brady and Republican challenger Samuel Harris of Cookeville for District Public Defender
Candidates for the School Board are Incumbent John David Foutch in the first district; Incumbent Charles L. Robinson and challenger John Allen in the second district; Incumbent Kenny L. Rhody in the third district; Joan Draper in the fourth district; and Incumbent Johnny Lattimore in the seventh district.
Candidates for Dowelltown Aldermen include Tom R. Duggin, Jr., Joe L. Bogle, Keith Farler; amd Brad Driver. Three can be elected.
Candidates for DeKalb County Democratic Executive Committee include Judy A. Slager and Betty Mildred Clayborn in the first district; Peggy Pursell and Dennis Slager in the second district; and Donna Emmons in the fifth district. More than one can be elected in each district.
Democratic Candidates for State Executive Committeewoman, 17th Senatorial District are Jennifer Kyle Bassett of Castalian Springs and Mary A. Patterson of Mount Juliet. Republican candidate for State Executive Committeewoman, 17th Senatorial District is Susan Witcher of Red Boiling Springs.
Democratic candidates for State Executive Committeeman, 17th Senatorial District are David R. Harper of Hartsville and Ben Johnson of Gordonsville. Republican candidates for State Executive Committeeman, 17th Senatorial District are Bob Ousley of Mount Juliet and Albert B. McCall, Sr. of Carthage.

The Smithville Police Department destroyed approximately 171 items of old evidence on Tuesday.
The evidence ranged from drugs including marijuana , pills , cocaine , and methamphetamine to knifes, brass knuckles, swords, moonshine , and other items.
The evidence destroyed were all used in cases that have been disposed of in court and are no longer needed by the police for prosecution.
Chief Gus Clemente and Det. Sergeant Chris Russell said that destroying these items helps take some of the drugs and weapons off the streets and makes sure the items do not get back into the wrong hands.

A fire Friday afternoon around 4:30 p.m. damaged the residence of John Barber at 125 Possum Hollow Road.
DeKalb County Fire Chief Donny Green says a neighbor reported smoke coming from the double wide mobile home.
Green says the DeKalb County Fire Department quickly responded and was able to extinguish the fire. ” Upon our arrival, we found heavy smoke coming from the eaves. We made entry and found fire coming from the living room wall behind an entertainment center. The fire was contained to the wall and a small portion of the attic just above the entertainment center. The remainder of the home received extensive smoke and heat damage. No one was at home at the time of the fire.”
Members of the Cookeville Hwy, Short Mountain Highway, and Liberty stations of the DeKalb County Fire Department responded along with the department’s tanker truck. DeKalb County
Sheriff’s deputies were on hand to provide traffic control.

Low-income households may be eligible to receive between $300 and $500 toward their electric, wood, coal, natural gas, LP gas or kerosene costs from the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program.
UCHRA Executive Director, Phyllis R. Bennett, says the Upper Cumberland Human Resource Agency administers the program for a fourteen county area in the Upper Cumberland. Applications will be available and clients in DeKalb and Warren counties may apply August 7th through August 18th.
Applicants for LIHEAP assistance must be at or below 125% of the poverty level and must provide proof of all household income. Even individuals receiving benefit checks such as VA, SSI or Social Security will need to submit verification of their award amounts. Applicants must also submit a copy of a utility bill and or propane gas, wood, coal, or kerosene purchases.
Sponsored by the Tennessee Department of Human Services, LIHEAP provides assistance regardless of age, race, creed, national origin, handicap, or sex. Minorities are encouraged to apply.
Individuals interested in applying for LIHEAP may pick up an application at their local UCHRA office or at their local senior citizens center from August 7th through August 18th between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Appointments may be scheduled with agency personnel for individuals requiring assistance. Energy assistance awards are based on a priority point system and are not first come, first serve.

The discovery of several marijuana plants Friday led to the arrest of a DeKalb County man.
Captain Mark Collins of the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department says 43 year old Ray Martin has been charged with cultivating and manufacturing marijuana.
Collins says on Friday afternoon he received an anonymous tip that marijuana plants were being grown in pots at 455 Parsley Road off Cookeville Highway. When he went to the scene to investigate, Captain Collins found 18 marijuana plants, 3 to 4 feet tall, in pots next to Martin’s residence.
Martin was placed under arrest. His bond is $3,500 and he will be in General Sessions Court on the charges August 17th

A 41 year old Woodbury man was injured in a motorcycle accident Sunday morning on Highway 146 near the Cannon County line in DeKalb County.
Trooper Brian Raymond of the Tennessee Highway Patrol says Gerald F. Suess of Valley Drive, Woodbury was riding a 2006 Honda Shadow north on the Short Mountain Highway when he went off the road, through a ditch, and struck a culvert. Suess, who was wearing a helmet, was thrown from the motorcycle.
He was taken by DeKalb EMS to DeKalb Community Hospital where he was treated and released.