Former State Senator Bob Rochelle formally entered the 2006 State Senate race in the 17th District this week and said he would not support a state income tax without a vote of the people.
?My name is Bob Rochelle and I want to be your State Senator?again,? Rochelle said at a press conference. Rochelle was surrounded by friends and supporters at the Wilson County Judicial Center as he made the announcement.
?Four years ago in the middle of a crisis, I felt we had to act. But times have changed. The crisis has passed. When times change, public officials should change with them. Therefore, I am today committing to the people of the 17th District that, as their Senator, I will vote against an income tax that is not approved by a vote of the people. Put very simply: No vote, No tax,? Rochelle said.
?The tax debate of four years ago created a massive distraction for the state. I apologize for that distraction,? Rochelle said.
Rochelle said he wanted to return to the State Senate so that he could get results for the 17th District.
?The income tax debate resulted in the election of some sub par one issue candidates who have shown no ability to get things done for our community. They have no answers, no courage, no solutions and will say whatever it takes to stay in office,? Rochelle said.
The 17th Senatorial District includes Wilson, Trousdale, Cannon, Clay, DeKalb, Macon, Smith and part of Sumner Counties.
?I wanted to deal with the income tax question from the beginning,? Rochelle said. ?It?s a dead issue, I?ve dropped it and I won?t pick it back up. Now is the time to move forward.?
Rochelle noted that his opponent, State Senator Mae Beavers, was the only State Senator to vote against Governor Phil Bredesen?s new Cover Tennessee health care program, voted against the state budget and opposed a modest increase in the minimum wage.
?Senator Beavers is out of step with the 17th District,? Rochelle said.
?We need new roads to alleviate the traffic and congestion and to bring more jobs to our district,? Rochelle said. ?I stand here today prepared to fight for the future of Tennessee. I am ready to go back to work for you. I ask for your help.?

Several people gathered at the Veterans Memorial Monument on the south side of the courthouse Monday morning for a local Memorial Day observance.
Les Enoch, Chief Executive Officer of Middle Tennessee Natural Gas Utility District, was the guest speaker for the program.
In his remarks, Enoch said “We should never forget those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.”
“As we know, Memorial Day is observed annually on the last Monday in May in honor of the nation’s armed service personnel killed in wartime. The holiday was originally called ?Decoration Day’ because it is a time for decorating graves with flowers, wreaths, and flags. Over time, the designation ?Memorial Day’ became far more common. After World War I, Memorial Day observances were changed to honor the dead in all American Wars, starting with the American Revolution.”
“We should never forget those who made the ultimate sacrifice. We must continue to honor them and all military personnel who defend our freedom. It is a privilege to be from a country that is served by so many brave men and women. Thank you for the opportunity to be part of this program to pay tribute to those who gave their lives defending freedom. We pray that their sacrifice will always be honored and remembered. May God continue to bless America.”
Southern Harmony, a local group made up of Annette Greek, Mary Lynn Page, Susan Parham, and Betty Martin, sang two patriotic songs during the program. These ladies are members of the Smithville First United Methodist Church.
A wreath was placed by the Veterans Memorial Monument at the conclusion of the program as Colton Rhody played taps on the trumpet.
The program was sponsored by American Legion Post #122 and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #7623.

A DeKalb County Sheriff’s deputy has been terminated for alleged inappropriate contact with a woman he placed in custody Friday night.
Sheriff Lloyd Emmons confirms that he has dismissed Officer David Sharp.
According to Sheriff Emmons the woman, who was taken into custody by Officer Sharp for violation of probation, was upset when she arrived at the jail, complaining to the staff that she had been the victim of a sexual assault.
The Sheriff’s Department conducted an internal administrative investigation while the TBI is conducting a criminal probe into the matter, including the collection of DNA evidence.
Sheriff Emmons says the woman has been moved to another location where she is receiving counseling.

A 58 year old Murfreesboro man was injured around 5:05 p.m. Saturday afternoon in a motorcycle/car collision on Highway 96 (Dale Ridge Road).
Stephen M. Brown of Greenbrier Drive, Murfreesboro was taken by DeKalb EMS to DeKalb Hospital.
Sergeant Billy Prater of the Tennessee Highway Patrol says 57 year old Mary J. Farris of Capshaw Road, Smithville was operating a 2004 Chevy Malibu attempting to enter Highway 96 from a private drive at 908 Dale Ridge Road, when she failed to yield the right of way and pulled into the path of a northbound 2004 Suzuki motorcycle, operated by Brown.
Sergeant Prater says Brown applied his brakes, laid the motorcycle down, and slid into the left front corner of the car.
Farris was not injured.
The accident was investigated by Trooper Allen England of the Tennessee Highway Patrol, assisted by Sergeant Prater, and officers Kenneth Whitehead, Jon Slager, and Mike Murphy of the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department.
Members of the Liberty Volunteer Fire Department also responded.

Smithville Police have apparently solved the burglary of a local doctor’s office and pharmacy with the arrest of a 28 year old man.
Detective Sergeant Chris Russell of the Smithville Police Department says Samuel Wade Walker of 128 Jerry Walker Drive, Smithville has been charged with sale and delivery of a schedule II controlled substance (percocets), theft over $10,000, and two counts of burglary. His bond is set at $140,000.
Walker is charged in connection with a break-in on Thursday, May 18th at the office of Dr. Melvin Blevins and Johnny’s Drugs.
During the pre-dawn hours of May 18th, Russell says someone broke out a rear window at Dr. Blevins’ office at the Center Hill Medical Building and entered.
Once inside, several attempts were made to make entry to the drug store next door through the wall.
After bursting through a sheet rock wall, the intruder or intruders removed from the pharmacy a large quantity of controlled substances including oxycontin, hydrocodone and xanax. The intruder or intruders then left, going back out the same way they came in.
Detective Sergeant Russell says police got a break in the case on Friday, May 26th when Police Chief Gus Clemente received an anonymous tip that Walker had a substantial amount of prescriptions at his residence.
Chief Clemente assigned Detective Sergeant Russell to the case and he initiated an investigation. Search warrants were subsequently executed and served at Walker’s home around 10:30 p.m. Friday night.
Detective Sergeant Russell says while executing the search warrant, he found a metal lock box in Walker’s bedroom closet. Inside the lock box were various prescription medications including percocets, xanax, morphine, tylox, subutex, avinza, and liquid morphine. The lock box also contained $1,200 in cash.
Russell says the drugs were positively identified as the narcotics taken in the burglary at Johnny’s Drug Store.
He says the street value of these drugs is estimated at $300,000.
Detective Sergeant Russell was assisted by Smithville Police Officer Steve Deffendoll, Deputy Jon Slager of the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department, the TBI and the Middle Tennessee Drug Task Force.
More arrests may be forthcoming as a result of this investigation.